Isabela Weiss

1 week ago | wvia.org | Isabela Weiss

U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser defended proposed cuts to Medicaid and tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump during a Tuesday luncheon with Schuylkill County business leaders. The Luzerne County Republican also said he is considering a run for governor in 2026, an ambition which has been the subject of media reports in recent months.

2 weeks ago | wvia.org | Isabela Weiss

Over 600,000 Pennsylvanians could lose healthcare access if President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act passes the U.S. Senate, healthcare activists say. Antoinette Kraus, executive director of the PA Health Access Network (PHAN), said the bill could end healthcare access for Pennsylvania’s 320,000 people on Medicaid and another 270,000 on Pennie, the state’s Affordable Care Act marketplace. If enacted into law, Kraus said those cuts will cripple Pennsylvania’s healthcare system.

2 weeks ago | wvia.org | Isabela Weiss

Medicaid cuts would threaten thousands of Pennsylvanians’ access to healthcare and put hospitals in the region at risk of closure, activists argued during a virtual town hall meeting this week. Robin Stelly, a statewide organizer for PA Health Access Network, said Medicaid cuts expected under a budget bill pending before Congress could end insurance coverage for more than 185,000 Pennsylvanians on Pennie, the state’s Affordable Care Act marketplace.

3 weeks ago | wvia.org | Isabela Weiss

The Diamond City is shining with art, food trucks and music at its 69th Fine Arts Fiesta. Larry Newman, executive director of the Diamond City Partnership, says the Fine Arts Fiesta is "Wilkes-Barre’s Super Bowl."“It's terrific to see the Square come alive…people gravitate to the Square. And really, it's wonderful to see Public Square functioning in the way that it was actually designed to function, which is as the public's gathering space,” said Newman.

3 weeks ago | wvia.org | Isabela Weiss

The developer behind stalled plans to redevelop the former Hotel Sterling site in downtown Wilkes-Barre is shifting his focus to a former office building instead. Hysni “Sam” Syla and project manager George Albert plan to begin renovating the largely unused seven-story structure at 46 Public Square into a $20 million hotel. Their plan was unveiled Thursday afternoon during a press conference at Wilkes-Barre City Hall. The Sterling site will be listed for sale in the new future, they said.