WXVU MAINLINE NEWS MINUTE FOR THE WEEK OF JANUARY 23

By: Gabriella Raful 

As of Tuesday, Jan. 10, Route 30, also known as Spring Mill Road, between County Line Road and Montgomery Avenue, will be closed Monday-Friday from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Local access will be open for ALL Spring Mill Road parking lots and West Campus lots during construction. Please allow extra time, as this closure will be in effect through Thursday, Sept. 28. 

In other news, low-wage workers in Pennsylvania are missing out on the pay hikes that took effect in 23 other states this month. Almost 8-and-a-half-million people are getting higher wages, according to the Economic Policy Institute. Although Pennsylvania is surrounded by states with higher minimum pay, state Senator Art Haywood says the General Assembly, particularly the House, has refused to rise above the current federal minimum wage of 7-dollars-and-a-quarter ($7.25) per hour. Haywood thinks that might change, however, since newly elected Governor Josh Shapiro supports raising the minimum wage.

Haywood states, “I’m very optimistic because now, the House has new members. And those new members, I believe, most of them are committed to raising the minimum wage. So, this last election really may give Pennsylvania the opportunity to catch up with the rest of the states in this region.”