English Bulldog Puppies for Sale in Philadelphia, PA

PENNSYLVANIA - Starting next month, all public and private schools in Pennsylvania will be required to reintroduce cursive handwriting into their curriculum.

The new law, which was signed by Gov. Josh Shapiro in February, makes it so "instruction in cursive handwriting or joined italics" will be taught at the "appropriate grade levels."

Strong bipartisan support

What we know:

The law amends the state’s Public School Code of 1949 to add printing, joined italics and cursive handwriting to the required writing curriculum for all students.

The legislation received bipartisan support in the General Assembly, passing the House 195‑8 and the Senate 42‑5 before being signed by the governor.

The mandate officially goes into effect on April 12.

Cursive as 'a bridge'

What they're saying:

The bill was sponsored in the Pennsylvania Senate by Sen. Wayne Langerholic (R-Clearfield), who said in a statement issued last month that "by reintegrating cursive into the curriculum…we are investing in our students’ cognitive development, strengthening their legal preparedness and preserving their connection to historical literacy."

The House sponsor, Rep. Dane Watro (R‑Luzerne/Schuylkill), said proponents believe the skill supports fine motor development and access to historical documents written in script.

"Cursive is more than handwriting. It’s a bridge," Watro said in a statement last month. "It connects us to our history, strengthens learning and deepens our understanding of the world. By teaching cursive, we’re equipping students with skills that sharpen the mind and safeguard our shared heritage."

What studies say (and don't say) about cursive in schools

Dig deeper:

In 2010, the Common Core Standards for K‑12 education did not include cursive handwriting, focusing instead on print handwriting in the early grades. The standards also encouraged the use of technology for producing and publishing writing, which included keyboarding skills at certain grade levels. The initiative was part of an effort to streamline and standardize education across the 50 states.

Despite this, more than half of U.S. states still require or encourage cursive instruction in the classroom, according to Education Week. In 2016, that number was just 14 states.

Neuroscience research shows that handwriting — particularly cursive — activates broader brain networks tied to language, memory, attention and motor planning more than typing, which can support deeper learning and memory retention. Other studies indicate that cursive practice improves writing fluency, speed, fine motor coordination, spelling accuracy and expressive writing, although direct causal links to cognitive improvement remain under study.

Still, experts note that most research links these benefits to handwriting in general, not cursive specifically, highlighting a need for further study.

Official guidance is coming

What's next:

The Pennsylvania Department of Education is developing official guidance this spring that will outline when (by grade level) and how schools should implement cursive instruction, according to department spokesperson Erin James, who spoke with The 74, a nonprofit outlet which covers U.S. education.

James added that the guidance will also provide practical assistance and clear expectations, so teachers can adjust schedules and lesson plans, and may include recommendations on teacher professional development and curriculum materials to support effective instruction.

What we don't know:

As such, how exactly this new law will be implemented statewide remains to be seen.

The Source: Information above was sourced from the Pennsylvania General Assembly, statements from Pennsylvania lawmakers, the 2010 Common Core Standards for K‑12 education, Education Week, several different studies and The 74.

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- The sale of more than 200 million boxes of Girl Scout cookies each year can be traced back to a single experiment at Broad and Arch streets in 1932, where a group of Philadelphia Girl Scouts and their parents launched what would become the most successful youth-led fundraiser in the country.

Long before online ordering and cookie-tracking apps, the first batches were baked in ovens at Philadelphia Gas and Electric, now PECO.

Kim E. Fraites-Dow, CEO of Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania, said the idea came from parents who worked at the company and volunteered with the Girl Scouts.

"So in 1932, there were girls and parents in Philadelphia who, the parents worked at what is now PECO. So, Philadelphia Gas and Electric at the time, and they were volunteers for Girl Scouts, and they had ovens at their location on North Broad Street. And so they asked the company, would you mind if we try to bake, you know, in bulk, some cookies to help these girls with their fundraisers?" she said.

Fraites-Dow said the aroma drifting down the street quickly drew customers.

"And people were walking by, and they're like, 'What's that smell? OK, we need some of that,'" recalled Fraites-Dow.

The following year, cookies were baked again at the same location.

By 1934, the Girl Scouts of Greater Philadelphia partnered with Keebler to produce Refoils, launching the first commercial cookie sale. Promotions went out to churches, streetcars, radio stations and newspapers. Boxes held 44 cookies, and at six boxes for $1.35, buyers saved three cents. Between 110,000 and 114,000 boxes were sold, helping pay off a balance for Camp Indian Run.

"They saved money to do programs, to travel, to do amazing projects," Fraites-Dow said. "And so the first year was kind of an experiment, and the second year was a commercial cookie sale."

The success quickly spread.

"So it was so successful that it was picked up by our national organization just two years later. And now it's the largest girl in business in the world," she said.

Today, cookie shipments arrive by helicopter or truck, and troops nationwide sell roughly 200 million boxes annually at an average of $6 each. Seventy-five cents of every dollar earned is reinvested into the Girl Scouts organization.

Fraites-Dow said the tradition continues to honor the "entrepreneurship and vision and revolutionary spirit of people in the city."

This year's cookie season began in mid-January, but cold weather prompted an extension.

"We actually extended our sales through March 22nd this year," she said. "So if you see a girl in your neighborhood, please talk to her, ask her about what she's planning to do with her cookie proceeds, and buy a box of cookies during cool."

The business model now used nationwide still traces its roots to that Center City corner where a few determined Girl Scouts first turned baking into a movement.

A global health care company says that it will begin making state of the art cancer fighting medicines in our area.

It's a move that Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro says won't just save lives but will also create jobs.

Johnson & Johnson said it will construct a new facility on Sumneytown Pike in the Spring House section of Lower Gwynedd Township in Montgomery County.

They unveiled what the facility will look like when it replaces an existing building and said it will focus on next-generation cell therapy treatments for fighting cancers and other diseases.

"For someone facing cancer, weeks can feel like years. What we are building is manufacturing excellence and hope," Johnson & Johnson CEO Joaquin Duato said.

Montgomery County Commissioner Jamila Winder shared how the life sciences sector is growing for the county.

"When a global innovator like J&J chooses to invest $1 billon in our community, the impact is profound," Commissioner Winder explained.

Breaking news and the stories that matter to your neighborhood.

The project will create 4,000 construction jobs during development and then 500 biotechnology jobs over the next 12 years.

"It's no wonder some of the most innovative pharmaceutical companies are here because in Montgomery County they get access to our highly skilled workforce, our robust infrastructure and our major institutions of medicine and education," Winder said.

Pennsylvania is contributing more than $41 million in grants and tax credits for the project.

"What draws us to Pennsylvania and keeps us here is its extraordinary workforce, the talent, leading universities and community colleges and a business friendly environment that lets us invest, innovate and grow," Duato explained.

Construction is set to begin later this year and the plan is to have the site fully operational in 2031.

A Code Orange alert is in effect Wednesday, Feb. 18, for all of southeastern Pennsylvania due to poor air quality levels around the region.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection said the alert is in effect for Philadelphia, Bucks, Montgomery, Chester and Delaware counties. Lehigh, Berks and Northampton counties in the Lehigh Valley are also under a Code Orange.

Philadelphia on Wednesday launched an online air quality tracker that shares pollution data in real time using dozens of ground-level monitors around the city.

Why is the air quality bad today?

According to the DEP, there's an elevated level of fine particulate matter, aka tiny solid particles or liquid droplets, in the air. Particles like soot, dust and dirt can be seen with the naked eye, while other particles are so small they can't be seen without a microscope.

"Very light surface winds, a temperature inversion, fog, and only light rainfall" contributed to a PM2.5 concentration, which falls under the DEP's Code Orange level.

To reduce the amount of irritating particles in the air, people living in the alert area are urged to reduce or stop using fireplaces and wood stoves and avoid burning leaves, trash and other materials.

Who is most impacted by the poor air quality?

The groups most sensitive to air pollution during a Code Orange are young children, the elderly and anyone with respiratory problems like asthma, emphysema, and bronchitis.

People in these groups should limit outdoor activity Wednesday, the DEP says.

In:

Taylor Chip announced the company is filing for bankruptcy and closing its Philadelphia locations.

The Lancaster County-based cookie company said it launched seven years ago as a self-funded operation with no outside investors, and that as it expanded, it took on additional risk to grow. "Some worked. Others did not. That reality is part of building a business," the company said in a statement.

Taylor Chip said it signed leases in Philadelphia in late 2022, expecting the stores would open on a timeline similar to prior locations, which typically took about three months. Instead, the company said permit delays stretched as long as six months per permit, turning what it expected to be a roughly six-month process into nearly two years.

During that period, Taylor Chip said the Philadelphia stores carried ongoing expenses without being able to operate at full capacity. Without investors, the company said it relied on "creative financing" to keep moving forward, but ultimately the Philadelphia locations did not generate enough profit to offset the debt tied to the prolonged delays.

Taylor Chip said it will continue operating and will refocus on its rural locations, its e-commerce business and newer initiatives, including Taylor Chip Nutrition.

"Building something from nothing means taking risks, and not every bet pays off the way you expect," said Doug Taylor, co-founder of Taylor Chip. "We’re proud of what we built in Philadelphia, even though it didn’t work the way we hoped. This decision allows us to protect the heart of the brand, take care of our team, and keep building for the long term. If you’re in the middle of a hard chapter, keep going, it doesn’t define you, and it’s rarely the end of the story."

Taylor Chip still has locations in York, Hershey, Intercourse and Manheim Township.

About Taylor Chip

Based in Lancaster County, Taylor Chip was founded by Sara and Doug Taylor, who created the brand a year after getting married. The company grew from local farmers' markets to brick-and-mortar locations and a nationwide e-commerce business. The company currently sells cookies, ice cream and coffee, and said Taylor Chip Nutrition is planned as "the first 100% seed oil-free protein dessert," launching online and in CPG stores nationwide.