Pennsylvania’s education secretary says her office is preparing to help schools adopt a complete cell phone ban for students.

State lawmakers are also beginning to negotiate new education spending for Pennsylvania’s historically underfunded public schools.

And now a deep dive:

When a Pittsburgh teen had her cancer treatment denied by insurance, her mother’s pleas for help online led her to an unexpected ally.

Pennsylvania&rsquo;s education secretary says her office is preparing to help schools adopt a complete cell phone ban for students.
State lawmakers are also beginning to negotiate new education spending for Pennsylvania&rsquo;s historically underfunded public schools.
And now a deep dive:
When a Pittsburgh teen had her cancer treatment denied by insurance, her mother&rsquo;s pleas for help online led her to an unexpected ally.

Sometimes, your mornings are just too busy to catch the news beyond a headline or two. Don’t worry. The Morning Agenda has got your six. Each weekday morning, host Karen Hendricks will keep you informed, amused, enlightened and up-to-date on what’s happening in central Pennsylvania and the rest of this great commonwealth.

Sometimes, your mornings are just too busy to catch the news beyond a headline or two. Don&rsquo;t worry. The Morning Agenda has got your six. Each weekday morning, host Karen Hendricks will keep you informed, amused, enlightened and up-to-date on what&rsquo;s happening in central Pennsylvania and the rest of this great commonwealth.

Sometimes, your mornings are just too busy to catch the news beyond a headline or two. Don’t worry. The Morning Agenda has got your six. Each weekday morning, host Tim Lambert will keep you informed, amused, enlightened and up-to-date on what’s happening in central Pennsylvania and the rest of this great commonwealth.

The Morning Agenda

Sometimes, your mornings are just too busy to catch the news beyond a headline or two. Don’t worry. The Morning Agenda has got your six. Each weekday morning, host Karen Hendricks will keep you informed, amused, enlightened and up-to-date on what’s happening in central Pennsylvania and the rest of this great commonwealth. The Morning Agenda — where our only agenda is you.

Sometimes, your mornings are just too busy to catch the news beyond a headline or two. Don&rsquo;t worry. The Morning Agenda has got your six. Each weekday morning, host Karen Hendricks will keep you informed, amused, enlightened and up-to-date on what&rsquo;s happening in central Pennsylvania and the rest of this great commonwealth.&nbsp;The Morning Agenda &mdash; where our only agenda is you.

PA Headlines | March 9 | Lawmakers say a statewide student cell phone ban is likely.

Early research shows that artificial intelligence could be used to improve learning, creativity and social interaction among kids and teens. But the technology could still be harmful to childhood development – that’s according to a new review study by experts at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

And we take a deep dive into the Central PA Spelling Bee, being held this Saturday, March 21. Joining WITF’s Karen Hendricks in conversation is Jen Eley with WITF’s Pennon Education which organizes the spelling bee. We learn more about the competition, what’s at stake, and the value of spelling in our society today.

A town hall is being held this weekend by a group opposed to the Trump administration's plan to convert a Berks County warehouse into an immigration detention center. The group ICE Out Upper Bern is holding the event at the Shartlesville Fire Company, Sunday afternoon from 1 to 3.

A Lancaster County woman is accused of stealing more than $700,000 from her employer - Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course - located in Dauphin County.

Penn State is out to claim an elusive fifth straight NCAA Division I men’s wrestling title this weekend.

And now it’s time for a new weekly segment called The Bright Spot. Every Friday, I’ll share a positive news story that may have gotten lost amid this week's news cycle.  

Today’s bright spot is this: There's a new professional baseball league for women — more than seven decades after women had a league of their own. Spring training for the WPBL began this week.

And you can listen to the full 4-minute story from NPR as heard on WITF’s Morning Edition earlier this week – 

https://www.npr.org/2026/03/18/nx-s1-5746038/new-professional-baseball-league-for-women-debuts-this-week

Early research shows that artificial intelligence could be used to improve learning, creativity and social interaction among kids and teens.&nbsp;But the technology could still be harmful to childhood development &ndash; that&rsquo;s according to a new review study by experts at Children&rsquo;s Hospital of Philadelphia.
And we take a deep dive into the Central PA Spelling Bee, being held this Saturday, March 21. Joining WITF&rsquo;s Karen Hendricks in conversation is Jen Eley with WITF&rsquo;s Pennon Education which organizes the spelling bee. We learn more about the competition, what&rsquo;s at stake, and the value of spelling in our society today.
A town hall is being held this weekend by a group opposed to the Trump administration's plan to convert a Berks County warehouse into an immigration detention center.&nbsp;The group ICE Out Upper Bern is holding the event at the Shartlesville Fire Company, Sunday afternoon from 1 to 3.
A Lancaster County woman is accused of stealing more than $700,000 from her employer - Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course - located in Dauphin County.
Penn State is out to claim an elusive fifth straight NCAA Division I men&rsquo;s wrestling title this weekend.
And now it&rsquo;s time for a new weekly segment called The Bright Spot. Every Friday, I&rsquo;ll share a positive news story that may have gotten lost amid this week's news cycle. &nbsp;
Today&rsquo;s bright spot is this: There's a new professional baseball league for women &mdash; more than seven decades after women had a league of their own. Spring training for the WPBL began this week.
And you can listen to the full 4-minute story from NPR as heard on WITF&rsquo;s Morning Edition earlier this week &ndash;&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/03/18/nx-s1-5746038/new-professional-baseball-league-for-women-debuts-this-week">https://www.npr.org/2026/03/18/nx-s1-5746038/new-professional-baseball-league-for-women-debuts-this-week</a>

PA Headlines | March 20 | A deep dive into the Central PA Spelling Bee.

Better access to mental health care for firefighters, EMTs, paramedics, and state police officers was provided by state law last year. Now the current budget proposal seeks to expand workers compensation and death coverage to first responders called to duty during state disaster emergencies. 

Dauphin County State Representative Justin Williams says crisis counseling and mental health treatment is essential for emergency personnel. 

Pennsylvania's Office for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing is celebrating its 40th anniversary. 

Pope Leo the Fourteenth will accept Philadelphia's National Constitution Center’s Liberty Medal this summer. 

Two special elections were held in Pennsylvania Tuesday. In State House District 193, Republican Catherine Wallen was elected the new state Representative for parts of Adams and Cumberland counties. In the other special election, in state House District 79, Republican Andrea Verobish was elected the new state representative for Altoona and its suburbs. 

Ethics experts are raising concerns after state Treasurer Stacy Garrity campaigned at a gala hosted by a firm from which she purchased millions in bonds in her official state role. 

Better access to mental health care for firefighters, EMTs, paramedics, and state police officers was provided by state law last year. Now&nbsp;the current budget proposal seeks to expand workers compensation and death coverage to first responders called to duty during state disaster emergencies.&nbsp;
Dauphin County State Representative Justin Williams says crisis counseling and mental health treatment is essential for emergency personnel.&nbsp;
Pennsylvania's Office for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing is celebrating its 40th anniversary.&nbsp;
Pope Leo the Fourteenth will accept Philadelphia's National Constitution Center&rsquo;s Liberty Medal this summer.&nbsp;
Two special elections were held in Pennsylvania Tuesday.&nbsp;In State House District 193, Republican Catherine Wallen was elected the new state Representative for parts of Adams and Cumberland counties. In the other special election, in state House District 79, Republican Andrea Verobish was elected the new state representative for Altoona and its suburbs.&nbsp;
Ethics experts are raising concerns after state Treasurer Stacy Garrity campaigned at a gala hosted by a firm from which she&nbsp;purchased&nbsp;millions in bonds in her official state role.&nbsp;

PA Headlines | March 19 | State budget seeks to expand first responders’ mental health care.

A new center in Philadelphia will support people with Lynch Syndrome, an inherited genetic condition that puts them at high risk for colon, uterine and other cancers. Penn Medicine's King Center for Lynch Syndrome is one of few centers in the world dedicated to Lynch syndrome.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday said last week he will continue a lawsuit against a music-industry giant. The move breaks with the Trump administration -- at a time when Democrats say Sunday hasn't challenged the White House enough. 

There's a new wrinkle in Pennsylvania’s plan to use more than $700 million to expand high-speed internet access across the commonwealth. 

Fifty-six thousand Pennsylvania households live in manufactured homes. And many are experiencing significant increases in their monthly rent payments for the lots on which those homes stand. That's why Governor Josh Shapiro visited a Berks County manufactured housing community last week to call for reform, to protect Pennsylvanians from rent spikes. 

A new center in Philadelphia will support people with Lynch Syndrome, an inherited genetic condition that puts them at high risk for colon, uterine and other cancers.&nbsp;Penn Medicine's King Center for Lynch Syndrome is one of few centers in the world dedicated to Lynch syndrome.
Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday said last week he will continue a lawsuit against a music-industry giant. The move breaks with the Trump administration -- at a time&nbsp;when&nbsp;Democrats say Sunday&nbsp;hasn't&nbsp;challenged the White House enough.&nbsp;
There's a new wrinkle in Pennsylvania&rsquo;s plan to use more than $700 million to expand high-speed internet access across the&nbsp;commonwealth.&nbsp;
Fifty-six thousand Pennsylvania households live in manufactured homes. And many are experiencing significant increases in their monthly rent payments for the lots on which those homes stand. That's why Governor Josh Shapiro visited a Berks County&nbsp;manufactured&nbsp;housing community last week to call for reform, to protect Pennsylvanians from rent spikes.&nbsp;

PA Headlines | March 9 | Lawmakers say a statewide student cell phone ban is likely.

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