State Sen. Steve Santarsiero and state Rep. Tina Davis, both Democrats announced the Third District Volunteer Fire Company has been awarded a $541,835 grant for facility improvements to the fire station.
The funds are earmarked towards the first of several planned major improvements to the fire station which was built in 1964, fire company officials said.
A perennial political question in Pennsylvania is back on the menu: should your local cops have radar?
A bipartisan group of state Senators announced Friday that they have re-introduced legislation that would permit municipal police in the commonwealth to use radar for traffic speed enforcement, something that currently only state police are broadly authorized to do.
In the United States, vaccines have long been one of the most successful public health tools available. They have saved millions of lives, prevented the spread of dangerous diseases, and allowed generations of children to grow up protected from once devastating illnesses. This progress is thanks to the work of scientists like Bucks County’s own Stanley Plotkin, the “godfather of vaccines”, who helped develop vaccines for rubella, rabies and rotavirus, and wrote a seminal textbook on vaccines that’s still in print today.
The Central Bucks Board of School Directors has formally thrown its support behind a proposed statewide ban on student cellphone use during the entire school day.
In a resolution approved at its Thursday night meeting, the board expressed unified support for Senate Bill 1014, legislation that would require Pennsylvania school districts to prohibit students from using cellphones “bell-to-bell” beginning in the 2027–28 school year.
The bill, co-sponsored by State Sen. Steve Santarsiero, passed the Pennsylvania Senate on Feb. 3 and has moved to the House of Representatives for consideration. Gov. Josh Shapiro has announced he would sign the bill if it reaches his desk.
On February 27, Sen. Steven Santarsiero (D-Bucks) introduced Senate Bill 1157 establishing the obligations of pipeline owners and anyone discharging hazardous substances to respond to and clean up spills and releases.
The bill also gives the Department of Environmental Protection additional authority to respond to these emergencies.
The legislation is in response to an Energy Transfer/Sunoco jet fuel pipeline rupture in Upper Makefield Township, Bucks County that contaminated water wells in a residential neighborhood.
The Pennsylvania Senate passed SB 1014 last week, a bill to create cellphone-free classrooms from bell-to-bell in K-12 schools across our Commonwealth. As Senator Devlin Robinson (R–37), Senator Vincent Hughes (D–7), and I were writing the bill, we worked with many stakeholders to address concerns from parents, teachers, administrators, and school board members. This policy did not originate in Harrisburg, but in the lived experiences of parents, educators, and students who have seen firsthand how constant access to cellphones is reshaping the school day.
SOLEBURY TOWNSHIP, PA — A $350,000 grant awarded to Solebury Township by the state will be used toward the transformation of the historic Bond House at Aquatong Spring Park from a residential to a public use.
According to Solebury Township, the grant from the state Department of Community and Economic Development’s Local Share Account will fund two-thirds of the cost required to create an accessible space inside the vacant structure.
BRYN MAWR, PA — Aqua Pennsylvania, a subsidiary of Essential Utilities (NYSE: WTRG), has completed a new PFAS treatment system at its Edgely Water Treatment Facility in Bristol Township, marking the tenth PFAS treatment facility the utility has placed into operation since 2018 as it moves to comply with new national drinking water standards.
YARDLEY BOROUGH / LOWER MAKEFIELD TOWNSHIP, PA — Local lawmakers have secured over $1 million in state grants for projects in the borough and the township, one which includes funding for the Patterson Farm buildings renovation project.
State Sen. Steve Santarsiero (D-10) and State Rep. Perry Warren (D-31) announced grants of $1,074,901 in state funding.
DOYLESTOWN, PA — Doylestown Borough celebrated the last day of Hanukkah on Sunday afternoon with donuts, games, and dancing in the streets at the Giant Dreidel.
Temple Judea, in partnership with Kehilat HaNahar (The Little Shul by the River), brought the afternoon of fun to downtown Doylestown where youngsters formed a human menorah, colored pictures and danced to songs played by a guest deejay.
A bill aiming to impose a ban on cellphones in Pennsylvania’s K-12 schools is gaining momentum in Harrisburg as educators struggle to compete with mobile devices for their students’ attention.
The state Senate Education Committee unanimously voted Dec. 9 to advance the legislation to the chamber floor for consideration.
Pennsylvania could soon follow more than half the states in the country in restricting cellphone use in schools if a bipartisan bill continues moving through the General Assembly.
Senate Bill 1014 would require school districts to prohibit students from using cellphones during the instructional day. Exceptions would include specific instructional use and students who need them to assist with disabilities or other conditions of an Individualized Education Plan (IEP).
School districts — whether public or private — across the commonwealth may be required to draft a policy prohibiting student cellphones with limited exceptions following a unanimous vote in the state Senate Education Committee Tuesday.
State Sens. Devlin Robinson (R-Allegheny) and Steven Santarsiero (D-Bucks) introduced the bill to address the “growing issue” of cellphones in schools, where the devices can cause distractions and disrupt learning.
A Central Bucks West High School teacher said at a meeting Tuesday evening that the learning environment at CB West has improved dramatically now that students can no longer use their cellphones in class.
“This year has been absolutely wonderful” compared to last year, said psychology teacher Christie Besack.
The difference is a ban on smartphones during instructional time.
LOWER BUCKS COUNTY – A bill on how to eliminate cell phone use in schools will be discussed during a webinar on Tuesday night.
State Sen. Steve Santarsiero (D-10) was among state legislators who introduced a bill in October for a “bell-to-bell policy” prohibiting students from using cell phones and other non-academic smart devices during the school day, with certain exceptions.
When the effort to restrict student cellphone use in schools first began two years ago, it was met with skepticism. Some thought it was unrealistic. Others worried it would create new enforcement headaches for teachers or intrude on parents’ ability to reach their children during the school day.
But since then, the conversation has shifted dramatically and decisively. What was once a fringe idea is now a mainstream movement.
Some 10 days after it warned it might run out of money and shut down in January, Morrisville School District this week felt a “huge sense of relief” learning the new Pennsylvania budget guarantees funding to keep it open.
Passage of the $50.1 billion budget, ending a 135-day impasse, sets aside $1.5 million in funding for Morrisville.
“It is a huge sense of relief to hear the state budget has passed and knowing there are additional dollars allocated for our district,” said Andrew Doster, superintendent.
MORRISVILLE, Pa. (WPVI) — The Morrisville School District is facing a financial crisis that could force the closure of its public schools by the end of January if Pennsylvania lawmakers fail to pass a long-overdue state budget.
At a joint meeting Tuesday night between the Morrisville School Board and Borough Council, officials discussed the district’s dire financial outlook. The meeting had been scheduled prior to the district’s recent announcement that it may have to shut down schools due to a lack of funding.
LOWER BUCKS COUNTY, PA — As the PA State Budget impasse continues, Lower Bucks County Democratic lawmakers have sent a message to their GOP colleagues to make a deal.
State Sen. Steve Santarsiero held a press conference late last week with fellow Democrats, calling for an end to the impasse, which is nearing 120 days since the June 30 state budget deadline.
State Senator Steve Santarsiero believes managing cell phone use is needed to help mitigate the impacts on Pennsylvania students.
He hosted a panel Thursday night at Bucks County Community College to engage the community in a discussion about the benefits of cell phone-free schools.
Alongside Santarsiero, Bucks County Commissioner Diane Ellis Marseglia; Kirstin McGowan, Parent and Advocate with Wait Until 8th; Christie Besack, Central Bucks West High School Psychology teacher, and Kassandra Castillo, Bucks County Community College student, covered the impacts of cell phone use on students, the benefits of cell phone bans, and different policies regarding cell phone use.
(TNS) — The state Senate is poised to move forward on legislation to restrict cellphones in K-12 schools, although the specifics of the policy — whether an outright ban, or something less stringent — are still being worked out.
At a hearing held by the Senate Education Committee Tuesday, the majority of those who testified supported some type of statewide rule restricting student phone use, although details on the restrictions are expected to be left up to school districts.
Harrisburg, Pa. — Citing the steep decline in youth mental health and academic performance during the past decade, Sens. Devlin Robinson (R-37), Vince Hughes (D-7), and Steve Santarsiero (D-10) announced yesterday the introduction of bipartisan legislation requiring Pennsylvania schools to adopt policies prohibiting student cellphone use during the school day.
Each individual school district will be responsible for crafting a policy that works best for their community.
BUCKINGHAM TOWNSHIP, PA – State Senator Steve Santarsiero (D-10) and State Rep. Tim Brennan (D-29) are teaming up to host an Electronics Recycling event on Saturday, Oct. 4 in Central Bucks County.
The event will take place from 10 a.m. to noon at Central Bucks East High School, 2804 Holicong Road, Doylestown. Residents are encouraged to bring small appliances, printers, computers, laptops, VCRs, mics, wires and random metal items for recycling.
State Sen. Steve Santarsiero, a Democrat, will host the event Thursday, Sept. 25, at 7:30 p.m. in the Zlock Auditorium at the Bucks County Community College’s Newtown Township campus.
The event will feature a panel to share information and resources regarding the impact of smartphones and other mobile devices on students in school and the potential benefits of banning their use during school hours.
ABC/Disney’s craven decision to cancel Jimmy Kimmel should worry all Americans.
The fact that yet another corporation has caved under pressure from the Trump Administration is concerning enough. That the pressure was in direct response to Mr. Kimmel voicing his opinion about the motives of the man who killed Charlie Kirk is what is truly dangerous about this situation. Brendan Carr, the MAGA chair of the FCC — the agency with regulatory authority over the network — threatened ABC, unless it acted against the comedian.
