Wolf signs bills to help ag marketing, foster young farmers

HARRISBURG, PA. >> Legislation to help Pennsylvania agriculture was signed into law Monday, including measures to foster younger farmers, help clean water going into Chesapeake Bay and expand butchering services for small farmers.

Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf signed eight related farm bills in a Capitol ceremony, flanked by the state presidents of the Future Farmers of America and the 4-H.

The $23 million initiative includes funding for agricultural business development, marketing, educational programs and conservation practices.

Money will also go to encourage specialty products such as hardwood, hemp and hops, and to build agricultural infrastructure in urban areas.

State Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding called it “the most comprehensive investment in agriculture in a generation.”

Officials say agriculture makes up 18 percent of the state’s economy and involves more than a half-million workers.

Two $500,000 grant programs will help teach about nutrition and agriculture to students in grades K-5, and help develop farm workers, including through FFA and the 4-H.

There are low-interest loans for conservation, $2.5 million to pay for “best management practices” in the Chesapeake watershed and a $3 million boost for the resource enhancement and protection tax credit program.

The dairy industry will get $5 million to fuel innovation, foster value-added processing, fund marketing and help farmers transition to organic practices.

Politics of elections snares Pennsylvania voting-machine aid

HARRISBURG, PA. >> Legislation to help Pennsylvania’s counties afford new voting machines before next year’s election is wrapped up in the politics of voting and election laws.

Gov. Tom Wolf said Monday that he’ll decide later in the week whether to sign or veto a bill that was opposed by the vast majority of his fellow Democrats in the state Legislature.

The bill passed by the Republican-controlled Legislature authorizes borrowing $90 million to help counties underwrite a total voting-machine replacement cost that could exceed $100 million.

Hours before it passed, Republicans added that provision to legislation that also eliminates the single ballot option for voters to select a straight-party ticket in elections.

Democrats say that’ll benefit Republicans in downballot legislative elections. Republicans say it’ll encourage voters to vote for candidates, not parties.

Pennsylvania broadens Guard members’ college tuition benefit

HARRISBURG, PA. >> Pennsylvania is broadening a college tuition benefit for National Guard members who sign up for another six-year enlistment.

Gov. Tom Wolf on Monday signed legislation he calls the nation’s most extensive higher education benefit for a state Guard unit.

Since 1996, National Guard members who sign up for a six-year enlistment get 10 semesters, or five years, of tuition credits equal to the annual tuition rate charged by Pennsylvania’s state system universities.

The new reenlistment benefit is identical, but can also be used by spouses or children.

The institution must be approved by the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency.

The benefit starts immediately for Guard members. Family members can start claiming the benefit next summer.

Philadelphia hospital owners file for bankruptcy protection

PHILADELPHIA >> The parent company of a Philadelphia hospital that began curtailing services over the weekend has filed for bankruptcy protection.

The Chapter 11 filing made late Sunday by Hahnemann University Hospital also includes St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children in Philadelphia. Allen Wilen, chief restructuring officer for Philadelphia Academic Health System LLC, says the move will facilitate a restructuring or sale of St. Christopher’s, allowing it to remain in full operation.

The real estate used the by the two hospitals wasn’t included in the filing.

Hahnemann has given notice that it will be diverting trauma victims to other facilities despite a state warning against taking steps toward closure. It has notified the Pennsylvania Trauma Systems Foundation that it was “de-designating” as a Level 1 and 2 trauma facility.

The 495-bed hospital announced Wednesday it would close in September due to unsustainable financial losses.

Roving crowd of teens damage police cars in Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA >> Police have restored calm in Philadelphia after a roving crowd of teens and young adults damaged six patrol cars in the city.

Police tell WPVI-TV an estimated crowd of 800 to 1,000 people swarmed through a section of the city just before 11:30 p.m. Sunday. Officers realized they were outnumbered.

Chief Inspector Joel Dales says police had no warning and don’t know why the crowd had gathered. People were jumping on cars. Dales says windshields were broken and side mirrors were damaged.

Police say the crowd started to break up by 1 a.m. Monday.

No injuries were reported and no arrests were made.

Woman killed, man critically wounded in street shooting

PHILADELPHIA >> A street shooting in Philadelphia has left a woman dead and a man critically wounded.

Authorities say the shooting happened around 4 a.m. Sunday.

A 23-year-old woman who had been shot in the face was found dead lying between two parked cars, while a 36-year-old man was found wounded a short distance away. He had been shot in the neck, chest and shoulder.

The man underwent emergency surgery at a hospital and remains there in critical condition. The names of the two victims have not been disclosed.

Authorities say two men were seen driving away from the shooting scene. They remained at large Monday.

This story has been corrected to show the person killed was a woman, not a man.