Good news!! Last week, the Senate Appropriations Committee marked up its fiscal year (FY) 2024 Labor-HHS-Education bill, as well as its FY 2024 Homeland Security funding bill. The Labor-HHS-Education bill included $535 million for the two-year advance for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) in FY 2026 and $60 million for Interconnection.
While report language, which would include funding levels for Ready To Learn (RTL), has not been released yet, it's anticipated that Ready To Learn will be level funded at $31 million.
In addition, the Senate Homeland Security bill includes $53 million for the Next Generation Warning System (NGWS) at FEMA. This number is $3 million below level funding but $13 million more than the allocation that was included in the House Homeland Security funding bill marked up earlier this summer.
As a reminder, the House Labor-HHS-Education bill proposes total elimination of funding for public broadcasting, ending the well-settled bipartisan policy of two-year advance funding of CPB that has empowered the success and independence of public media for the last 47 years.
Happy August! I hope this newsletter finds you healthy, staying cool and able to take some time off. Speaking of time, it has once again flown by this summer in a flurry of activity. We have been busy with projects, events and operations, reporting on local stories, raising funds, and continuing our educational activities. Thank you all for your individual contributions. Together, we have been able to achieve amazing results.
All my best,
Birthdays
8/3 Jessie Beers-Altman
8/5 Jeremy Smith
WPSU Radio Highlights
In Case You Missed It . . .
Penn State Professor Shyam Sundar On The Use Of Ai Tools In Education
Shyam Sundar is a Penn State professor and the director of the Center for Socially Responsible Artificial Intelligence. He studies the social and psychological aspects of artificial intelligence and the uses and effects of digital media. WPSU intern James Engel spoke with him about the use of AI tools in the classroom and its effects on education. Listen here.
State College Man Sentenced For Assaulting Law Enforcement Officer During Jan. 6 Attack
A State College man was sentenced Tuesday to 18 months in prison for assaulting law enforcement during the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6th, 2021. A U.S. district judge also sentenced Brian Gundersen to 36 months of supervised release and he will have to pay $2,000 in restitution. WPSU’s Sydney Roach reports. Listen here.
WPSU Television Highlights
Iconic America: Our Symbols and Stories with David Rubenstein “The Golden Gate Bridge” - Tuesday, August 1 at 10:00 PM
The Golden Gate Bridge is an engineering marvel that symbolizes America's can-do spirit. Explore if America can continue to execute bold and ambitious infrastructure projects in the 21st century.
The Hardest Day - Friday, August 4 at 10:00 PM
A film about at-home pet euthanasia, the power of the human-animal bond and the last moments shared between.
The Great American Recipe “The Finale” - Monday, August 7 at 9:00 PM
Gather one last time with the three remaining home cooks as they get ready for the grand finale feast. In the final round, their challenge is to prepare an entire meal that represents their Great American Recipe. Who will be named the winner?
Frontline “Inside the Iranian Uprising" - Tuesday, August 8 at 10:00 PM
Inside the protests that have rocked Iran since the death of a young woman in police custody. With a trove of footage filmed by protestors, much of it previously unseen, the film sheds new light on a regime under unprecedented pressure.
Broadway’s Brightest Lights - Sunday, August 13 at 7:30 PM
Grab a front-row seat at a concert featuring new arrangements and timeless renditions of some of the greatest show tunes of musical theatre. Featuring Luke Frazier and The American Pops Orchestra, plus some of today's brightest Broadway stars.
Seaside Hotel (Season 7 Premiere) - Sunday, August 13 at 11:30 PM
1940: The seaside hotel opens for a new summer with Amanda as new owner. Denmark was invaded April 9. Previous years' guests come, partly to get away from the Germans. They all deal with problems from the German occupation.
Ireland Made with Love - Monday, August 14 at 8:00 PM
Explore the legacy of craftsmanship through the skill, pride and love that go into legendary Irish products. From the spectacular cliffs on the Atlantic coast to medieval castles, Ireland's epic landscape and rich culture are gloriously showcased.
What's The Point?
COLFAX, Iowa — An Iowa man may be well on his way to an official world record — for pencils.
Aaron Bartholmey of Colfax has been collecting wooden advertising pencils since he was a child. Now, he claims to own more than 70,000. That’s substantially more than the Guinness World Record for the largest pencil collection — 24,000, held by Emilio Arenas from Uruguay since 2020.
Bartholmey told KCCI-TV that his most treasured pencils are those from his hometown, noting that in many instances the pencils “are the only place where there is any record of that business still, and I think it’s just a neat way to preserve history.”
Last weekend, two counters from the American Pencil Collectors Society were at the Colfax Historical Society to count Bartholmey’s pencils. Now, he’s waiting to hear if the count is approved by Guinness, which estimated the review process could take up to three months. [AP - 7/4/23]
Heat With Class
“What dreadful hot weather we have! It keeps one in a continual state of inelegance.” — Jane Austen
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