Economic Development in Luzerne County Gets Fast Tracked

Three statewide projects have been given fast-track approval for economic development and regional competitiveness, with Luzerne County being an area of interest.

The newly formed Office of Transformation and Opportunity will oversee the progress of projects and will include partnerships with several other state organizations.

Fast-tracking will focus on attracting large businesses to local communities, developing small businesses, and creating more local jobs. 



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How a Pittsburgh Food Bank is Fighting Hunger Among Older Adults

The Pittsburgh-based Community Food Bank, with funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is participating in the Senior Food Box Program, providing low-income older adults with food resources.

The initiative provides qualifying adults with nonperishable and fresh food items and will look to finding more residents that can benefit from services.

Last year, approximately 18 million households across the country experienced food insecurity, according to the USDA.

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SEPTA Will Get $153 Million in Federal Funding 

Approximately $153 million in federal highway funding will be routed to support SEPTA rail systems to avoid service cuts or fare increases.

As of this year, Pennsylvania provides about $2 billion to over 50 public transit organizations to maintain efficient and updated services.

However, because of factors such as inflation, remote work and changing workforce landscapes, and the end of federal pandemic assistance, more organizations are struggling to support themselves.                                   

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Career and Technical Education: A Summary of the Evidence 

As of the beginning of this year, approximately 8 million positions in the labor market were open and 6.5 million American adults were unemployed.

Nationwide, employers report having trouble matching positions with specifically skilled individuals, with a focus on analytics, communications, and complex problem-solving abilities.

MDRC discusses Career and Technical Education (CTE) and how it can be used to bridge career opportunity gaps between students from all economic backgrounds.



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How Community Colleges Use Data and Metrics to Advance Equity 

Colleges regularly measure data to determine progression of equity goals and career tracks for students.

Demographic data is important for identifying potential gaps in support services and disparities in institutional resources.

The Urban Institute discusses how four community colleges are using data to improve student equity outcomes.

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Paris Climate Plan Targets Emissions by Replacing Parking with Trees

As part of its new Climate Plan, Paris will replace at least 60,000 parking spaces with trees.

This change will improve air quality, promote walkable cities, aid stormwater absorption, and combat extreme urban heat.

Bloomberg Research discusses more goals of the Paris 2030-2040 Climate Plan and how it may serve as a blueprint for other urban areas looking to decrease greenhouse gas emissions.

 

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