Philadelphia mass transit agency gets OK to use project money to avoid bus, trolley and rail cuts

COULD SEE TROOPS WALKING THEIR STREETS. GOOD AFTERNOON. I’M SUSAN SHAPIRO THAT BREAKING NEWS? THE CUMBERLAND COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY SAYS THE SHOOTING OF A WOMAN BY WEST POLICE. AUGUST 25TH WAS JUSTIFIED. AND HE SAYS HE BELIEVES THE WOMAN WAS TRYING TO GET POLICE TO SHOOT HER. THE DA SAYS THE WOMAN, ROMAIN MARSALEK, MADE AN ANONYMOUS 911 CALL REPORTING A WOMAN ACTING CRAZY UNDER A BRIDGE. WHEN POLICE ARRIVED, MARSALEK PULLED A B-B GUN DESIGNED TO LOOK LIKE A HANDGUN FROM HER WAISTBAND AND POINTED IT AT OFFICERS. THE DA SAYS BOTH RESPONDING OFFICERS THEN SHOT HER. MARSALEK IS CHARGED WITH AGGRAVATED ASSAULT. POLICE SAY DNA WAS WRITTEN. DNR WAS WRITTEN ON HER CHEST. NEWS EIGHT’S MARCI WALSH WILL HAVE MORE IN OUR NEXT HALF HOUR. JURY SELECTION WILL BEGIN TODAY IN WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA, IN THE CASE AGAINST A MAN ACCUSED OF PLOTTING TO ASSASSINATE THEN CANDIDATE DONALD TRUMP. THE LATEST FROM OUR SISTER STATION AT THE FEDERAL COURTHOUSE. THERE. GOOD MORNING. I’M ERIN GUY. OUTSIDE THE FEDERAL COURTHOUSE IN FORT PIERCE, FLORIDA. THAT’S ABOUT AN HOUR NORTH OF WEST PALM BEACH. AND THIS IS WHERE JURY SELECTION WILL BEGIN. IN THE CASE AGAINST RYAN RUTH, THE MAN ACCUSED OF PLOTTING TO ASSASSINATE THEN CANDIDATE DONALD TRUMP. IT HAPPENED JUST UNDER A YEAR AGO, SEPTEMBER 15TH, 2024, AT TRUMP INTERNATIONAL GOLF CLUB. THAT’S IN WEST PALM BEACH. RYAN RUTH IS ACCUSED OF SITTING IN THE BUSHES OF THE GOLF COURSE FOR NEARLY 12 HOURS. SECRET SERVICE AGENTS WERE WALKING THE COURSE AHEAD OF TRUMP WHEN THEY SAY THEY SPOTTED RUTH POINTING A RIFLE THROUGH THE BUSHES. HE FLED THE SCENE. TRUMP WAS NOT HURT. RUTH WAS LATER TAKEN INTO CUSTODY ALONG A HIGHWAY JUST TO THE SOUTH OF WHERE WE ARE THIS MORNING. NOW, IN THIS TRIAL, RUTH WILL BE REPRESENTING HIMSELF, BUT THE JUDGE HAS ORDERED SPECIAL COUNSEL TO STAND BY TO POSSIBLY REPRESENT HIM IF NECESSARY. AGAIN, JURY SELECTION BEGINS TODAY. THEY’RE HOPING TO HAVE OPENING STATEMENTS BY THURSDAY IN FORT PIERCE, FLORIDA. I’M ERIN GUY, BACK TO YOU. THE SERTOMA CLUB OF MANHEIM, LANCASTER COUNTY, WILL HOST ITS ANNUAL CAR SHOW SATURDAY WITH THIS CAR. THE CAR AND MANY OTHER HOT RODS, CLASSIC CARS AND MOTORCYCLES. IT SUPPORTS NONPROFITS IN THE COMMUNITY. ONE OF THOSE NONPROFITS, MOUNT HOPE NAZARENE, PREPARED A TOKEN OF APPRECIATION THIS MORNING WITH RESIDENTS ON BOARD. THE NURSING HOME SAYS EVERY DONATION COUNTS. THE PROCEEDS FROM SATURDAY’S EVENT AT THE CAR SHOW WILL HELP BENEFIT MOUNT HOPE’S BENEVOLENT CARE. THAT. GAP THAT MEDICAID FOLKS HAVE, SO THE COST OF CARE IS UP HERE. AND WHAT STATE ASSISTANCE REIMBURSES IS DOWN HERE. SO THERE’S A GAP OF ALMOST $200 A DAY PER RESIDENT. THE SERTOMA CLUB OF MANHEIM CAR SHOW IS SET FOR SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 13TH FROM 10 A.M. TO 3 P.M. PENNDOT SAYS WORK COULD SLOW YOU DOWN ON I-83 THIS WEEK IN HARRISBURG. IT SAYS THERE WILL BE ROLLING STOPS SO CREWS CAN DO BLASTING AS PART OF THE CAPITAL BELTWAY PROJECT. IT’S SET FOR NOON TO TWO. LATER THIS WEEK THROUGH THURSDAY, PENNDOT SAYS CREWS WILL STOP TRAFFIC IN BOTH DIRECTIONS BETWEEN ROUTE 581 ACROSS THE BRIDGE IN CUMBERLAND COUNTY AND THE EISENHOWER INTERCHANGE IN DAUPHIN COUNTY. HE SAYS THE BLASTING IS HAPPENING NEAR 19TH STREET, WHERE THE NORTHBOUND RAMP IS NOW CLOSED, AND IT IS A BUSY WEEK FOR ROAD CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS ACROSS THE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY. NEWS 8 TRAFFIC ANCHOR REGINA ANNE HAS MORE ON WHAT TO EXPECT. THERE ARE A FEW CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS TO TELL YOU ABOUT FROM PENNDOT. THE FIRST ONE IS HAPPENING IN YORK COUNTY IN SPRINGETTSBURY TOWNSHIP. THEY ARE DOING A RAILROAD CROSSING REPLACEMENT PROJECT AND THAT’S STARTING TODAY. AND THAT WILL GO ON FOR THE ENTIRETY OF THIS WEEK. THERE WILL BE A CLOSURE THERE OVER STONEWOOD ROAD. ALSO, IF YOU LIVE IN LANCASTER COUNTY AND EAST COCALICO TOWNSHIP, THIS IS SOMETHING TO MARK YOUR CALENDAR. STARTING ON SEPTEMBER 12TH. NOW THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN OVER THE WEEKEND. THEY HAVE NOW PUSHED THIS TO NEXT WEEKEND. THERE WILL BE LANE RESTRICTIONS OVER ROUTE 222. THE BRIDGE THERE OVER A PAVEMENT PRESERVATION PROJECT THAT THEY WILL BE DOING IN ADAMS COUNTY AS WELL OVER ROUTE 94. THIS IS SOUTH OF EAST BERLIN ROAD IN READING TOWNSHIP. THEY WILL BE DOING SOME WORK THERE AND THAT WILL BE GOING TOWARDS BUTTONWOOD ROAD. SO THAT’S GOING TO START ON SEPTEMBER 15TH. THEY HAVEN’T GIVEN AN END DATE YET, BUT EXPECT SOME LANE RESTRICTIONS. TRAFFIC FLAGGERS OUT THERE. JUST BE MINDFUL OF THOSE WORKERS THAT ARE WORKING TO KEEP YOU SAFE OUT THERE. AND ALL OF THIS OF COURSE, WILL BE ON MY FACEBOOK PAGE AND ALSO ON WGAL.COM. REGINA ANNE FOR WGAL NEWS EIGHT, THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS NOW CONFIRMED A TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN IN LANCASTER COUNTY DURING THURSDAY’S STORMS. THE NWS SAYS THE EF0 TORNADO, THE SMALLEST ON ITS SCALE, HIT COLERAIN TOWNSHIP, CROSSING KIRKWOOD PIKE NEAR ENCOUNTER CHURCH. IT SAYS IT TRAVELED ABOUT 250 YARDS. THE TORNADO DAMAGED A CORNFIELD, AND THE SOLANCO YOUTH BASEBALL ASSOCIATION DUGOUT. WE SPOKE WITH THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ABOUT HOW THE DETERMINATION WAS MADE. THE FIRST REPORT WE HAD WAS THAT THE DUGOUT DAMAGE AT THAT POINT REALLY LOOKED LIKE IT COULD HAVE BEEN MORE DOWNBURST OR MAYBE STRAIGHT LINE WIND TYPE WIND DAMAGE, AS WE CALL IT. AND THEN WHEN WE SAW THE PICTURES AND VERY THANKFUL FOR THE METEOROLOGY STUDENTS AND ALUMNI IN THE GAL METEOROLOGIST SHARED THE IMAGERY. BUT WE SAW THAT THE PATH ESSENTIALLY IN THE CROP FIELD THERE, AND THAT WAS PRETTY GOOD INDICATION AT THAT POINT THAT THERE HAD BEEN A WEAK TORNADIC SPIN UP. THE METEOROLOGIST STUDENTS YOU HEARD MENTIONED ARE FROM MILLERSVILLE UNIVERSITY, AND THEY HELPED DOCUMENT THE DAMAGE FOR THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. AND CERTAINLY NOTHING THAT SEVERE. TODAY. WE HAVE A BEAUTIFUL DAY ON THIS MONDAY. BLUE SKIES METEOROLOGIST MARYELLEN PANN IS HERE WITH MORE ON THE FORECAST. MARY ELLEN, THANKS A LOT SUSAN. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. IT WAS A COOL START THIS MORNING WITH TEMPERATURES DROPPING INTO THE 40S AND LOW 50S. BUT WE’RE WARMING QUICKLY BECAUSE THE AIR IS SO DRY. HIGH PRESSURE IS DOMINATING OUR WEATHER. IN FACT, IT’S GOING TO STAY WITH US FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. BUT LET’S LOOK AT THOSE DEW POINTS. THEY’RE IN THE 40S. SO WHEN THE AIR IS THIS DRY, EVEN THOUGH WE HAD A COOL START BECAUSE OF THE DRYNESS, THE TEMPERATURES WILL WARM QUICKLY WITH PLENTY OF SUNSHINE. WE’RE SITTING AT 71 IN HARRISBURG, 70 IN CHAMBERSBURG, UPPER 60S IN GETTYSBURG, YORK, LANCASTER AND LEBANON. GOOD AFTERNOON. YOU’RE AT 69 DEGREES. HERE’S A LOOK AT YOUR 12 HOUR FORECAST. A GREAT EVENING TO FIRE UP THE GRILL. MAYBE DINE OUTDOORS OR JUST RELAX ON THE PATIO. TEMPERATURES WILL TOP OUT IN THE LOW TO MID 70S ONCE THE SUN SETS AND WE SEE CLEAR SKIES AND LIGHT WINDS SET UP. WELL, THOSE TEMPERATURES ARE GOING TO PLUMMET QUICKLY. WE’RE IN THE 50S. BY 10:00, AND ONCE AGAIN, IT IS GOING TO BE A CHILLY NIGHT. ONE OF THE CHILLIEST OF THE NEXT SEVERAL, WITH LOWS DROPPING INTO THE 40S AND 50S. ONCE AGAIN, WE’LL TALK ABOUT HOW LONG THIS PLEASANT STAY WEATHER STAYS WITH US, PLUS THE NATIONAL HURRICANE SEASON PEAK IS COMING UP IN A COUPLE OF DAYS WHERE THE 2025 YEAR SEASON IS STACKING UP AGAINST THE FORECAST. ALL RIGHT. DEFINITELY FEELING LIKE FALL. THANK YOU, MARY ELLEN. VOLUNTEERS WILL USE GROUND PENETRATING RADAR AT NEW SIDE CEMETERY IN DAUPHIN COUNTY FOR THE FINAL TIME THIS WEEKEND. THEY’VE USED IT TO LOCATE GRAVES OF EARLY SETTLERS AND REVOLUTIONARY WAR HEROES FROM LOWER PAXTON TOWNSHIP. THEY’VE LOCATED 48 GRAVES OUTSIDE OF THE ENCLOSURE, WHERE THE PEOPLE WERE THOUGHT TO BE BURIED. THE GROUP SAYS. THE FINAL SEARCH ON SATURDAY AT 10:00 WILL BE AROUND THE EDGES OF THE CEMETERY TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE NOT MISSING ANY OTHER GRAVES. THE GROUP ALSO PLANS TO CLEAR TREES IN OCTOBER THAT IT SAYS COULD BE AT RISK OF FALLING ON THE CEMETERY. THEY SAY THEY WILL ALSO BEGIN A CAMPAIGN TO FUND FENCING AND AN ACCESS RAMP, AMONG OTHER IMPROVEMENTS AND REPAIRS, AT THE CEMETERY. PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS SAID FOR WEEKS NOW THAT HE MAY SEND THE NATIONAL GUARD TO MORE CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT RACHAEL HERXHEIMER HAS THE LATEST FROM THE PRESIDENT. ON THE STREETS OF CHICAGO, RESIDENTS COULD BE MET WITH NATIONAL GUARD MEMBERS. CHICAGO IS A VERY DANGEROUS PLACE. PRESIDENT TRUMP IS THREATENING TO SEND TROOPS AS SOON AS THIS WEEK. WE COULD SOLVE CHICAGO VERY QUICKLY, BUT WE’RE GOING TO MAKE A DECISION AS TO WHERE WE GO OVER THE NEXT DAY OR TWO. THIS RHETORIC IS NOTHING NEW FOR ILLINOIS GOVERNOR JB PRITZKER, WHO SAID THURSDAY HE’LL TAKE LEGAL ACTION IF NECESSARY. WE’RE GOING TO IMMEDIATELY GO TO COURT. IF NATIONAL GUARD OR OTHER MILITARY TROOPS ARE SENT TO DEPLOYED TO THE CITY OF CHICAGO, BORDERS ARE TOM HOMAN SAID FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT ACTION WILL BEGIN THIS WEEK IN CHICAGO. MEANWHILE, THE PRESIDENT MENTIONED TARGETING OTHER CITIES LIKE BOSTON, BALTIMORE, EVEN NEW ORLEANS. ON FRIDAY, WE SAW A MASSIVE IMMIGRATION RAID. FEDERAL AGENTS DETAINED HUNDREDS OF SOUTH KOREAN WORKERS AT A HYUNDAI PLANT IN GEORGIA. AND PRESIDENT TRUMP SAID WE COULD SEE SIMILAR ACTIONS STARTING TO TAKE PLACE IN OTHER DEMOCRATIC LED CITIES AT THE WHITE HOUSE. I’M RACHEL HERSHEIMMER. WE’VE GOT ANOTHER LIFE CHANGING JACKPOT FOR YOU IN AN ESTIMATED AMOUNT OF. $1.787 BILLION, AND THERE WERE TWO WINNING TICKETS SOLD FOR THAT POWERBALL JACKPOT WON IN MISSOURI AND ONE IN TEXAS. THE PRIZE WAS ALMOST, AS YOU HEARD, $1.8 BILLION DRAWING LAST NIGHT ENDED A STREAK OF 42 CONSECUTIVE DRAWINGS WITHOUT A JACKPOT WINNER. THE JACKPOT WILL NOW

Philadelphia mass transit agency gets OK to use project money to avoid bus, trolley and rail cuts

Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration is approving the use of hundreds of millions of dollars in capital project funding for Philadelphia’s public transit agency to help it restore bus, trolley and rail services that it had eliminated to shore up its deficit-riddled finances.

Updated: 3:09 PM EDT Sep 8, 2025

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Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration on Monday approved the use of hundreds of millions of dollars in capital project funding for Philadelphia’s public transit agency to help it restore bus, trolley and rail services that it had eliminated to shore up its deficit-riddled finances.Video above: Headlines from WGAL News 8 Today.The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) had requested to comply with a judge’s order to undo the two-week-old cuts.In his letter to SEPTA, Shapiro’s transportation secretary, Mike Carroll, called the authority’s request “both predictable and rueful” after Shapiro and Democratic lawmakers had been unable for the past two years to persuade enough Republican lawmakers to approve hundreds of millions more dollars in new transit aid to help fill deficits at transit agencies around the state.The struggles in the nation’s sixth-most populous city reflect similar dilemmas at major transit agencies around the U.S. as they navigate rising costs and lagging ridership after the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted commutes.SEPTA — one of the nation’s largest mass transit agencies — had described the cuts as more drastic than any undertaken by a major transit agency in the U.S. but necessary to deal with a deficit of more than $200 million.However, testimony in the court challenge described the cuts as being unnecessary and discriminatory toward poor and minority communities.SEPTA said that shifting $394 million in state-provided capital funds could restore services and avoid other planned cuts for the next two years. That’s about a year’s worth of funding it gets from the state for capital projects. The authority will still impose fare increases of 21.5% which it estimated will bring in $31 million a year. Across the state, Pittsburgh Regional Transit is considering a 35% service reduction to help close what it calls a roughly $100 million deficit this year. That could include eliminating 45 bus routes, reducing 54 others and eliminating one of three light rail lines.All told, SEPTA had warned that it will cut half its services by Jan. 1.

HARRISBURG, Pa. —

Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration on Monday approved the use of hundreds of millions of dollars in capital project funding for Philadelphia’s public transit agency to help it restore bus, trolley and rail services that it had eliminated to shore up its deficit-riddled finances.

Video above: Headlines from WGAL News 8 Today.

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) had requested to comply with a judge’s order to undo the two-week-old cuts.

In his letter to SEPTA, Shapiro’s transportation secretary, Mike Carroll, called the authority’s request “both predictable and rueful” after Shapiro and Democratic lawmakers had been unable for the past two years to persuade enough Republican lawmakers to approve hundreds of millions more dollars in new transit aid to help fill deficits at transit agencies around the state.

The struggles in the nation’s sixth-most populous city reflect similar dilemmas at major transit agencies around the U.S. as they navigate rising costs and lagging ridership after the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted commutes.

SEPTA — one of the nation’s largest mass transit agencies — had described the cuts as more drastic than any undertaken by a major transit agency in the U.S. but necessary to deal with a deficit of more than $200 million.

However, testimony in the court challenge described the cuts as being unnecessary and discriminatory toward poor and minority communities.

SEPTA said that shifting $394 million in state-provided capital funds could restore services and avoid other planned cuts for the next two years.

That’s about a year’s worth of funding it gets from the state for capital projects. The authority will still impose fare increases of 21.5% which it estimated will bring in $31 million a year.

Across the state, Pittsburgh Regional Transit is considering a 35% service reduction to help close what it calls a roughly $100 million deficit this year. That could include eliminating 45 bus routes, reducing 54 others and eliminating one of three light rail lines.

All told, SEPTA had warned that it will cut half its services by Jan. 1.