Happy weekend, all.
A report issued last month by the Humane Society of the United States is shedding light on problem dog breeders and dealers across the country and in Pennsylvania.
The 10th annual “Horrible Hundred” report was first published by the Humane Society of the United States in 2013 to “warn consumers about common problems at puppy mills and puppy-selling dealers and push for new legislation and stronger enforcement of humane laws.”
Since its inception, the report has covered more than 650 breeders and dealers in 33 different states, depending on the availability of state and federal breeder data.
In Pennsylvania, five breeders – including four “repeat offenders” – were listed in the report for alleged violations including unsafe and unsanitary kennel conditions, missing or inaccurate documentation, and operating without a license, according to inspections conducted by state dog law officials.
The Pennsylvania Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement, which is overseen by the state Department of Agriculture has faced a funding deficit in recent years due to stagnating licensing fees, causing animal protection groups to sound the alarm about the state’s ability to oversee dog breeding operations in the commonwealth.
Kristen Tullo, Pennsylvania state director for The Humane Society of the United States, told the Capital-Star that the Bureau’s efforts to oversee and take action on problem breeders are “often hampered due to insufficient funding.”
As always, the top five stories from this week are below.
(Photo via Getty Images/Colorado Newsline.)
1. Did the Clinton-era assault weapons ban work? Here’s what the numbers say | Opinion
In the wake of two mass shootings in the past two weeks (one in Atlanta at massage parlors, and one in Boulder Colorado at a supermarket), President Joe Biden called for the assault weapons ban, signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 1994, to be reinstated.
U.S. Sen Ted Cruz, R-Texas, objected, calling gun control legislation “ridiculous theater.”
We tested whether the ban worked or not.
“So, did the previous ‘assault weapons’ ban work?” asks the Investor’s Business Daily. “It turns out that various independent studies came to the same conclusion: the ban had no measurable impact on the number of shootings or the number of shooting deaths while it was in effect.
In Penntown, a mostly Black neighborhood in North Philadelphia, newer million-dollars townhomes have raised the value of homes across the street, in some cases doubling their tax bills (Philadelphia Tribune photo).
2. Philly’s reassessment hurting African Americans, seniors on fixed incomes
Rosalee Cooper, president of the Ridge Allegheny Hunting Park Association, says many of her neighbors are worried and confused about the city’s reassessment of their homes. When she checked on the city’s website, the value of her home was $127,000, about double from last year, when it was $64,000.
“That means my tax bill will double,” Cooper said. “A lot of them are complaining that with the taxes going up that they are not going to have money to fix up their houses because they have to pay whatever the taxes come to be and we know that they are going up high. We have a lot of seniors on fixed incomes. They are barely making it. Some have to choose between their medicine and their taxes.”
The legacy of the Sandy Hook shootings in 2012 continues to reverberate nine years later, including in how conspiracy theories have changed since the tragedy (Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/AFP via Getty Images/The Conversation).
3. Sandy Hook Anniversary: Conspiracy theories are worse and more mainstream than ever | Opinion
Conspiracy theories are powerful forces in the U.S. They have damaged public health amid a global pandemic, shaken faith in the democratic process and helped spark a violent assault on the U.S. Capitol in January 2021.
These conspiracy theories are part of a dangerous misinformation crisis that has been building for years in the U.S.
American politics has long had a paranoid streak, and belief in conspiracy theories is nothing new. But as the news cycle reminds us daily, outlandish conspiracy theories born on social media now regularly achieve mainstream acceptance and are echoed by people in power.
A new analysis by Ballotpedia sheds light on the geysers of cash in Pennsylvania politics.
4. With budget season approaching, Pennsylvania business leaders want a corporate tax cut
Business leaders from all corners of the state are putting pressure on members of the General Assembly to pass a “significant reduction” to the state’s corporate tax rate roughly one month out from the state’s June 30 budget deadline.
In a recent letter to state lawmakers, nearly 50 chambers of commerce from across the state urged lawmakers to reduce the state’s 9.99 percent Corporate Net Income Tax rate, which is among one of the highest rates in the country.
“Our excessively high CNI puts us at a competitive disadvantage, acting as a roadblock to attracting new talent and new business opportunities while stifling investment and economic growth,” the chamber leaders wrote.
(Philadelphia Gay News photo.)
5. There are Pride celebrations all over Philly this June
Pride month is upon us again, and it seems like there are more ways in 2022 to celebrate and uplift the legacy of Pride than before.
This year marks the inaugural Pride event organized by PHL Pride Collective (PPC), and in addition to PPC’s Pride march and festival, there are over 70 one-off and ongoing Pride events happening in and around Philadelphia throughout the month of June. Below is a preview of just 14 of the dozens of diverse upcoming events, from parties to family-friendly picnics.
And that’s the week. We’ll see you back here next week.
Originally published at www.penncapital-star.com,by Cassie Miller
Comments are closed.