WORLD HERITAGE SITE: Moravian Church Settlements (MCS) has been inscribed on the prestigious World Heritage List at the July World Heritage Committee meeting in New Delhi, India.

The historic Moravian Church Settlements of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania/USA; Gracehill, Northern Ireland/UK; and Herrnhut, Germany now join Christiansfeld, Denmark (already inscribed in 2015) as a single World Heritage site that represents the outstanding universal value of these historic settlements and the worldwide influence of the Moravian Church.

Moravian Church Settlements — Bethlehem becomes the 26th World Heritage site in the United States.

“Our community has long cherished and preserved Moravian Church Settlements — Bethlehem, and we are honored to receive this global recognition,” declared Mayor Reynolds. “The designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site is a profound testament to the unmatched historical and cultural significance of Bethlehem and the enduring legacy of the Moravian Church.”

For more information, visit https://moravianchurchsettlements.org.

SUCCESSFUL FUNDRAISER: Valley Youth House expresses its gratitude to the companies and individuals who supporteded the 39th annual John E. Walson, Jr. Memorial Golf & Pickleball Tournament, presented by Service Electric Cable TV & Communications.

Thanks to the generous contributions from its supporters, Valley Youth House raised a record breaking $428,000 in financial and gift-in-kind support to enhance its life-saving programs, which have been assisting vulnerable youth and families in Pennsylvania communities since 1973.

ENDOWMENT GIFT: The Topper Foundation has announced a transformative gift of $1 million in support of Valley Youth House’s endowment fund, which provides long-term sustainable funding, ensuring that the agency can continue to open doors for countless young people in need for many years to come.

Valley Youth House, a cornerstone in communities throughout Eastern Pennsylvania for supporting vulnerable youth and families for the last 51 years, is focused on building their unrestricted endowment to ensure equity, impact, and continued longevity of programs and services. This generous donation will make a significant difference in the agency’s continued ability to provide quality, cutting-edge, research-based programs that deliver life-changing results.

GAMBLING PROBLEMS: New research has revealed the states with the most problem gamblers, with Pennsylvania ranking fourth.

Responsible gambling experts at RG analyzed the average number of monthly Google searches in each state for over 100 terms related to gambling addiction, including ‘how to beat a gambling addiction’ and ‘gambling hotline.’ The number of searches in each state were compared to the population to determine which state has the most problem gamblers per 100,000 citizens.

Nevada takes the top spot, with 56.64 monthly Google searches per 100,000 citizens. With its myriad of casinos, particularly in Las Vegas, the state has the highest rate of problem gamblers in the US. Its 24/7 gambling opportunities, high-stakes betting, and culture that celebrates gambling could all contribute to this statistic. Gambling has been legal in the state since 1931.

Rhode Island is second, with 40.6 monthly searches per 100,000 people. Despite its small size, the state has a substantial number of problem gamblers. There are two full-service casinos in the state, which are both owned and operated by Bally’s corporation. The Twin River Casino officially opened in 2007 in Lincoln, followed by the Tiverton Casino in 2018.

Next on the list is Delaware, with 39.98 searches per 100,000 residents. The state has three racinos, combining racetracks with gambling facilities. Delaware was also one of the first states to legalize online gambling, which could play a role in its high rate of problem gamblers. The ease of access to gambling platforms could make it challenging for those with addictions to avoid temptation.

In fourth place is Pennsylvania, with 38.93 searches per 100,000 people. The state legalized casinos in 2004, and iGaming was legalized in 2017. In total, there are 17 casinos in the state, offering ample gambling opportunities for its residents.

HOME MAINTEANCE: A recent study has identified the U.S. cities with the highest home maintenance repair and installation costs, with Seattle emerging as the most expensive.

The study, carried out by home warranty experts Cinch Home Services, investigated average appliance repair, installation, plumbing work, and faucet installation costs in the two most populated cities of each U.S. state. By determining the average service cost of every city, the study could then rank them by affordability.

• The national average for maintenance service costs sits at $247.72.

• Pennsylvania cities Philadelphia and Pittsburgh have average home maintenance costs of $256.75 and $222.75, respectively.

• Seattle, Washington, tops the list for the U.S. city with the highest home maintenance costs, charging an average of $366.50 per service.

TOP ICE CREAM FLAVOR: A new study reveals the most popular ice cream flavors across each state.

• Pennsylvania’s favorite ice cream flavor is officially Neapolitan, generating 1,879 average monthly searches.

• Vanilla is the second favorite flavor in Pennsylvania, with an average of 1,738 monthly searches.

• Neapolitan is the most popular across the US, with Americans searching the flavor 60,200 times on average per month.

The experts at Affordable Seating, a restaurant furniture manufacturer and wholesaler, have analyzed Google search data for over 100 different ice cream flavors across each state.

Pennsylvania’s top five ice cream flavors are as follows:

1. Neapolitan - 1,879 average monthly searches

2. Vanilla - 1,738 average monthly searches

3. Moose Tracks - 1,368 average monthly searches

4. Chocolate - 1,294 average monthly searches

5. Rocky Road - 1,278 average monthly searches

SCHOOL ABSENCE FINES: Over the past few years, there have been substantial disruptions to the U.S. education system, resulting in challenges such as learning deficits, declining enrollment, and behavioral issues among students. Among these challenges, the surge in student absenteeism stands out as particularly widespread, affecting students across all demographic groups and persisting beyond the reopening of schools.

According to recent findings from the American Enterprise Institute, 26% of public school students were marked as chronically absent in the last school year, a significant increase from the pre-pandemic rate of 15%. Chronic absenteeism is typically defined as missing at least 10% of the school year, or roughly 18 days.

Experts in education point out that student absenteeism is a critical obstacle to overcome. Students who frequently miss school fall behind academically, and their absences also negatively impact their peers’ learning experience, as teachers must continually adapt their instruction to meet the needs of an inconsistent class roster.

In a comprehensive survey conducted by Test Prep Insight, which included 3,000 parents, respondents were asked their opinions about absenteeism. One question was whether they believe parents of chronically absent schoolchildren should be fined. The results revealed that 43% of Pennsylvanians support the idea of fines as a deterrent against absenteeism, with an average suggested fine of $22 per day.

For the 44% who opposed fines, concerns centered on the potential unfairness to parents from poorer socioeconomic backgrounds. Among these respondents, 70% believe that schools or authorities should provide additional support for struggling students, 20% advocate for financial incentives for good attendance, and 10% suggest increased communication with parents to address absenteeism.

Additionally, 85% of respondents agree that parents of truant children should attend workshops or counseling sessions if their child is chronically absent.

One major factor contributing to chronic absenteeism is the rise in mental health struggles among students. To explore this issue, Test Prep Insight also surveyed Pennsylvania parents about mental health-related absences. An overwhelming 73% believe children should be allowed to take mental health days.

STATE HOUSING COSTS: Home warranty experts Cinch Home Services conducted a study identifying states most susceptible to high housing costs. They analyzed average property taxes, mortgage payments, and maintenance fees for a median-priced home in each state. By calculating the total annual expense, the study revealed which states have the least financial cushion for these costs.

They found that Pennsylvania homeowners pay 21% less for housing expenses than the national average. With the median home in this state costing approximately $255.9k, the annual mortgage accumulates to $18.3k. The property tax stands at 1.49%, which adds an additional $3.8k for the same-priced home. Alongside annual maintenance costs, the total annual bill accumulates to $24,620.