Pennsylvania Archives - The Connecticut Star

Villanova Students Required to Read Graphic Trans Sex Scene Between Minors, Student Says

May 2, 2023May 23, 2023 Connecticut Star Staff

An English seminar class at Villanova University reportedly required students to read a play depicting a graphic sex scene between minors, one of whom identifies as transgender.

Jennifer Joyce teaches the Core Literature and Writing Seminar Class at Villanova, ENG 1975-020, titled Narratives of Belonging in Contemporary Irish Literature. The specific class is one of several options for students who are required to take the core seminar, though students may be forced to take the class if the other class options have been filled.

Black Market Cigarette Shipments Seized in Connecticut

April 12, 2023April 11, 2023 Admin

Connecticut and other states have seized shipments of illegal cigarettes from China and other countries under a settlement with the U.S. Postal Service to resolve claims it wasn’t doing enough to crack down on tobacco smuggling.

A new report by Connecticut Attorney General William Tong said between January and March the Postal Service seized 3,000 packages containing a total of 10,000 cartons of cigarettes shipped from overseas in violation of federal laws. Most of the illegal shipments were mailed from China, Israel and Russia, the AG’s office said.

Pennsylvania Residents Speak to State Senate About Ill Effects of Train Burn

February 23, 2023 CBotteri

Western Pennsylvanians who live near the site of the February 3 Norfolk Southern train derailment and subsequent burn went before a State Senate Committee Thursday to state that the event is causing deleterious health consequences. The 53-car train derailed in the village of East Palestine, Ohio, less than a mile from where the Buckeye State abuts Beaver County in Pennsylvania. In the crash’s aftermath, the train company proceeded to burn five rail cars containing vinyl chloride, a course of action company officials said would avert a potentially disastrous explosion. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro (D) initially supported what has been called the “controlled burn” but has subsequently blasted Norfolk Southern for its handling of the incident, particularly its decision to burn five cars; Shapiro asserted he was only told one car would be incinerated.

Acquitted Pro-Life Activist Describes Raid of Family Home by FBI and State Troopers

February 1, 2023January 31, 2023 Susan Berry, PhD

Veteran Catholic pro-life activist Mark Houck described to Steve Bannon Tuesday the scene at his family’s home on September 23, 2022, when over 20 FBI agents and Pennsylvania state troopers banged on his door at 6:45 a.m.

General Motors Funds Transgender Programs in Elementary Schools

January 3, 2023January 2, 2023 Admin

General Motors (GM) gave a grant to an organization that supplies elementary schools with books promoting the transgender ideology.

The automotive manufacturing company donated money to the Gay Lesbian and Straight Education Network’s (GLSEN) “Rainbow Library Program,” according to a 2021 Social Impact Report published by GM.

American Catholic Leaders Celebrate Life of Pope Benedict, ‘Defender of Truth’ Who Taught Above All Else ‘God Is Love’

January 3, 2023January 2, 2023 Susan Berry, PhD

American Catholic leaders are acclaiming the life and work of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, whose scholarly writings emphasized the unity of faith and reason and, most fundamentally, the primary truth of the Catholic faith, which teaches God is Love.

Benedict, who was born Joseph Ratzinger, died Saturday at the age of 95. He became pope in April 2005, following the death of Pope John Paul II, and served until his resignation in February 2013.

Zuckerbucks-Backed Group Back in Wisconsin

December 16, 2022December 15, 2022 Admin

The liberal voting activist group that dumped $350 million of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg’s money on local election offices during the 2020 presidential election is back again with another $80 million to give over the next five years.

And Wisconsin once again will be front and center in the Center for Tech and Civic Life’s “generosity.”

Pro-Life Policies a Big Winner for Re-Elected State Lawmakers

November 11, 2022November 10, 2022 Student Journalist

A focus on the legislative campaigns that are more local to American voters served the cause of protecting unborn life, says Students for Life Action (SFLAction), which reports that while radical anti-life Democrats ran on demonizing the Supreme Court’s ruling that returned abortion issues to the states, still “every state legislator who championed SFLAction-inspired pro-life bills was reelected.”

Commentary: Pennsylvania Democrats’ Abortion Mirage

October 7, 2022October 6, 2022 RealClearWire

In the final weeks of the 2022 midterm campaign, Pennsylvania Democratic candidates continue to bet big on abortion. It was the dominant theme of Democratic U.S. Senate candidate John Fetterman’s first rally in Philadelphia. And the party’s candidates in swing U.S. House districts, like the 1st in suburban Philadelphia and the 17th in suburban Pittsburgh, are hoping that the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade will entice voters to go blue.

Ten Dead, 15 Wounded in Canadian Mass Stabbing Spree, Suspects at Large

September 5, 2022September 7, 2022 Admin

Canadian authorities on Sunday said 10 people have died and at least 15 more have been hospitalized following an apparent stabbing spree in Saskatchewan.

“There could be more injured,” said Saskatchewan Royal Canadian Mounted Police Commanding Officer Rhonda Blackmore.

Virginia National Guard Officer: Why I Requested My Religious Exemption from COVID-19 Vax Mandate

July 18, 2022July 19, 2022 Neil W. McCabe

Neil W. McCabe, the national political editor of The Star News Network, interviewed Chief Warrant Officer 3 Fianna Litvok, a military intelligence technician in the Virginia Army National Guard, about her request for a COVID-19 vaccine mandate exemption, as well as how the mandate is affecting morale in the guard.

Connecticut’s AG Tong Among 20 State Attorneys General Supporting New National Gun Control Rule

July 12, 2022July 12, 2022 The Center Square

A coalition of 20 state attorneys general, all Democrats, are backing a federal gun rule in court.

The Final Rule, as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives named it, would enable law enforcement officials to trace any homemade guns used in crimes. In addition, the rule limits trafficking the weaponry.

David McCormick Concedes Pennsylvania GOP Senate Primary to Dr. Oz

June 3, 2022June 3, 2022 Admin

Pennsylvania GOP Senate candidate and hedge fund CEO David McCormick on Friday conceded the race to his Trump-backed opponent, reality star Dr. Mehmet Oz.

McCormick on Friday announced that he had called Oz to concede the race after it became clear he would lose the extremely tight race, per the Associated Press. The race is still going through an automatic recount.

John Fredericks Hosts Trump-Endorsed GOP Senate Hopeful Dr. OZ at Bristol, Pennsylvania Townhall

April 22, 2022 Julie Carr

Neil W. McCabe, the national political editor of The Star News Network, covered the April 20, 2022, Bristol, Pennsylvania., townhall, featuring GOP Senate hopeful Dr. Mehmet Oz and former Housing and Urban Development head Dr. Ben Carson, which was hosted by talk radio’s ‘Godzilla of Truth’ John Fredericks.

Connecticut Attorney General Investigating Gas Stations for Potential Violation of Gas Tax Holiday

April 6, 2022April 5, 2022 Cooper Moran

Connecticut Attorney General William Tong is investigating dozens of potential violations of the state’s gas tax holiday by gas stations throughout the state.

If a specific station is found to have violated the law, the Attorney General’s office may impose penalties, including injunctive terms, restitution, and civil financial penalties.

John Fredericks Interviews Former President Donald Trump

April 5, 2022April 5, 2022 Julie Carr

Tuesday morning on The John Fredericks show, host Fredericks welcomed President Donald Trump to the show to weigh in on Dr. Oz, David Perdue, and the disaster of Georgia’s Governor Brian Kemp.

Schweizer: U.S. Institutions of Higher Learning Fail to Report Millions of Dollars from China

March 10, 2022 Julie Carr

TRANSCRIPT: McCabe: Investigative journalist Peter Schweizer, in his new book Red-Handed, reports how the Chinese Communist Party has targeted American institutions of higher learning. Schweizer told The Star News Network how these institutions, after receiving funds from communist China, have worked to suppress criticism of the communist regime there and…

Pennsylvania Supreme Court Picks Democrat-Favored Congressional Map

February 24, 2022February 23, 2022 Bradley Vasoli

Democrats celebrated and Republicans demurred Wednesday after the Democrat-controlled Pennsylvania Supreme Court selected the state’s new congressional map.

In so doing, the court overturned a decision earlier this month by Commonwealth Court Judge Patricia A. McCullough (R) to allow implementation of a redistricting plan passed by the GOP-led General Assembly but vetoed by Gov. Tom Wolf (D). The initial version of the legislature-approved map was drawn by a private citizen, Amanda Holt of Lehigh County, though legislators modified her plan somewhat.

Fiscal Office Chief: Pennsylvanians Leaving for Low-Tax Southern States

February 23, 2022February 22, 2022 Bradley Vasoli

On Tuesday, at the first Pennsylvania Senate hearing on next fiscal year’s budget, lawmakers considered the state’s slow economic recovery—and the state’s failure to attract new residents.

Independent Fiscal Office (IFO) Director Matthew Knittel testified before the Senate Appropriations Committee regarding the state’s fiscal, economic and demographic outlook. Particularly in that last category, the Keystone State doesn’t boast an envious position.

Pennsylvania Professor Files Lawsuit Following Dismissal over Anonymous Tweets

February 22, 2022February 21, 2022 Connecticut Star Staff

Greg Manco, Ph.D. of St. Joseph University

Professor Gregory Manco has filed a lawsuit against his former employer, St. Joseph’s University, citing undue discrimination after a previous student of his complained to the institution about what she perceived to be racist activity on Manco’s Twitter account.

Manco had served as the Visiting Assistant Professor of Mathematics at St. Joe’s for 17 years. In 2017, Hadassah Colber, a student that Manco failed, claimed that she found offensive tweets on the scholar’s anonymous Twitter account, Broad + Liberty reports.

According to the lawsuit, Colbert learned about his Twitter account on Jan. 22, 2021, and emailed the University to complain about the “racist” and “transphobic” content she saw.

Husband and Wife Plead Guilty to Espionage-Related Charges, Disclosed Restricted Data to Undercover FBI Agent

February 22, 2022February 21, 2022 Cooper Moran

A husband and wife, Jonathan and Diana Toebbe, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to communicate restricted data, as the husband attempted to disclose confidential information to someone he believed was a representative of a foreign government.

Originally, Jonathan Toebbe sent a package to a foreign government, listing an address in Pittsburgh for the return. The package contained a sample of restricted data, related to his work as a nuclear engineer assigned to the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program.

Inflation Prompts Pennsylvania Legislators to Suggest Tax Holidays

February 22, 2022February 21, 2022 Bradley Vasoli

Some Pennsylvania lawmakers are proposing that the commonwealth offset some of the inflationary burden on residents by pausing certain taxes.

One bill State Senator Lisa Boscola (D-Bethlehem) is currently drafting would stop sales taxation in June and July 2022 at a time the senator says the state can afford to do so. In a memorandum seeking co-sponsors for her bill, she cited Governor Tom Wolf’s (D) recent declaration that Pennsylvania will amass a budget surplus for Fiscal Year 2021-22 of over $2 billion and a similarly large surplus for the following year. Since budget years end on June 30, the legislation is thus timed to spread the financial loss to the state over both budget cycles.

Inflation, Workforce Issues Dominate Pennsylvania House Budget Hearing

February 21, 2022February 20, 2022 The Center Square

Officials with the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development discussed inflation and staffing challenges, as well as the Wolf administration’s decisions to close businesses amid the COVID-19 pandemic, during a third day of budget hearings in the House Appropriations Committee.

State Rep. Lynda Culver, R-Northumberland, highlighted record inflation numbers from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics that showed a 7.5% annual increase in the Consumer Price Index for January, the fastest rise since 1982.

Culver also noted federal stimulus spending and questioned acting Secretary of the Department of Community and Economic Development Neil Weaver on outreach from the department to understand the effect of inflation on small businesses.

Pennsylvania Supreme Court Considers Congressional Maps, Asked to Consider State-House Districts as Well

February 21, 2022February 20, 2022 Bradley Vasoli

Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court, deliberating over oral arguments made last Friday, will soon decide the congressional-district boundaries that apply in next year’s elections.

State House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff (R-Bellefonte) has meanwhile asked the court to strike down a newly enacted map containing districts for his own legislative chamber.

Pennsylvania House Speaker Bryan Cutler Calls for Release of State’s Standardized Test Scores

February 20, 2022February 19, 2022 Cooper Moran

Speaker of the House Bryan Cutler (R-Lancaster) called on the Pennsylvania Department of Education to release the scores of the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) for students throughout the state.

The test, which is a “standards-based, criterion-referenced assessment which provides students, parents, educators and citizens with an understanding of student and school performance related to the attainment of proficiency of the academic standards,” measures scores in English language arts, mathematics, and science and technology.