Businesses Balk at Pittsburgh Promise Program

According to a Tribune Review report, the Pittsburgh business community has not warmed to the Pittsburgh Promise program. This is the program that plans to offer college scholarships to virtually all graduates of Pittsburgh’s high schools. So far the Promise fund has garnered only $51,000 from businesses while most of the contributions have come from the usual liberal foundations in the City. Foundations that never miss an opportunity to waste money on will of the wisp, do good efforts, especially if they involve public education. Continue

WAMO sales becomes "relevant"

Sheridan Broadcasting Corporation has decided to sell WAMO-FM 106.7 and WAMO-AM 860 to St. Joseph Missions. Also included in the package is WPGR-AM 1510, which was acquired by Sheridan in 2001.

St Joseph Missions purchased the station for a reported 8.9 million and will broadcast Catholic Christian programming to listeners throughout the region. With the use of the newly acquired signals, Catholic programming with have a much broader reach the the former 1590 AM that recently switched it's programming and was up for sale.

It is expected the programming will consist of a mix of content from Relevant Radio and EWTN with possible locally produced shows developed in time.

The deal is expected to go through later in the summer and the formats should remain in place until that time. Out of the 35 full and part-time station employees, some workers will be let go, but those working for the larger Sheridan Broadcasting may keep their jobs.

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Check out the op-ed piece by Pat Toomey on our sister site that we developed for Pat Toomey.

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Pope in Israel calls for Palestinian homeland

Pope Benedict XVI called for the establishment of an independent Palestinian homeland immediately after he arrived in Israel Monday, a stance that could put him at odds with his hosts on a trip aimed at easing strains between the Vatican and Jews.

The pope also took on the delicate issue of the Holocaust, pledging to "honor the memory" of the 6 million Jewish victims of the Nazi genocide at the start of his five-day visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories.

Benedict urged Israelis and Palestinians to "explore every possible avenue" to resolve their differences in remarks at the airport after he landed.

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Where Will the Chief Executive Take Assessments Next?

Having recently lost a Pennsylvania Supreme Court case regarding his base-year assessment scheme, the County Executive is now threatening to take the case to Federal court. Considering the lawsuit losing streak the Executive and County Council are on, it might be wise to take a deep breath and consider the advisability of such a step. Continue

Supreme Court Tosses Out Allegheny County’s Base Year Assessments

‘…We hold that the base year method property valuation, as applied in Allegheny County, violates the Uniformity Clause. We therefore agree that a countywide reassessment is required and remand this matter to the trial court for implementation of that mandate consistent with this Opinion.’ So said the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in a unanimous decision on April 29, 2009. Continue

Specter goes to the back of the Senate seniority line

Democrats have stripped new convert Arlen Specter of his seniority on Senate committees, raising questions about his ability to look out for Pennsylvania's interests in Washington. Read More

Senate draws line in sand, OKs no-tax increase budget

The Pennsylvania Senate threw down its marker Wednesday, approving a $27.3 billion, no-tax-increase budget that Gov. Ed Rendell has said he has no interest in signing. Read More

Ridge could decide soon on run for state Senate seat

Former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge is edging closer to a run for U.S. Senate and could decide as soon as next week, people familiar with his thinking say. Read More

The Spector Fallout

A series of odd incidents that have proceeded from Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter's party switch last week have raised questions about whether the newest Democrat has permanently damaged himself in the eyes of the state's voters.

The White House is concerned enough about the developments that deputy chief of staff Jim Messina and Ron Klain, a senior adviser to Vice President Biden, traveled to Capitol Hill on Wednesday and huddled with Specter to try to iron out the problems, according to informed Democratic officials.

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