Today in PA | A PennLive daily news briefing with Claudia Dimuro

A recent report shows how nearly 1.9 million Pennsylvanians are on food stamps. A “huge but harmless” spider may be making its way to invade the region. A forest that’s never been harvested is now on a national registry. Finally, a Coatesville native is preparing for blast-off.

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A state regulatory commission has approved a measure that will raise pay for those receiving a “tipped minimum wage.” Officials have warned that Pennsylvania’s risk of wildfires may increase over the next few months. The state’s looking to expand its database of historical sites. And a second egg has hatched for an eagle couple in Pittsburgh.

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A newly introduced bill could bar Philadelphia from keeping Social Security benefits meant for foster kids. As temperatures rise, so do the number of ATVs and dirt bikes swarming city streets. This week’s weather could involve rain. And the niece of a World War II veteran receives some long overdue medals on her uncle’s behalf.

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Skeletal remains were found beneath a mobile home in Beaver County. Officials are urging residents to remain wary of the still-mysterious illness that killed off dozens of songbirds last year. Pennsylvania has completed more of the Great Eastern Trail than any other state involved. Plus, firefighters rushed to save a dog that was supposedly stuck on a roof.

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License-to-carry applications in Philadelphia nearly hit 70,800 last year. Yet another disturbing TikTok challenge was spotted at a Lehigh Valley high school. Harrisburg is due to get an onslaught of car washes soon. And if you want to see a ghost, Pennsylvania’s the place to be.

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Pennsylvania is facing what Attorney General Josh Shapiro is calling a “historic shortage of police.” Thieves across the state and beyond are stealing gasoline from people’s cars. Environmental studies courses are being offered on the Susquehanna River this summer. Plus, a city in Pennsylvania is the number one best spot to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.

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The man suspected of stabbing two employees at the Museum of Modern Art in New York was caught in Philadelphia not too long after he had set his hotel room on fire. Philly police are upping patrols after a series of shootings targeting homeless people were reported in New York and D.C. The 9/11 National Memorial Trail has been designated as a Statewide Major Greenway. And pirate ships will set sail on Pittsburgh’s high rivers this spring.

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Philadelphia police have arrested the man who punched a pregnant woman for not giving up her seat on a bus. A couple managed to shoplift $12,000 worth of goods from Giant. A library system in Pittsburgh got rid of its late fees. Finally, monsters battle in Lancaster.

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An organized theft ring that recently hit a Kohl’s and Ulta is suspected of other grab-and-go’s in Lehigh Valley. A Westmoreland County school board voted to keep using traditional holiday names such as Columbus Day over those deemed more inclusive such as Indigenous People’s Day. A part of Gettysburg National Military Park will be temporarily closed for repairs. And an endangered bat native to Pennsylvania completed the longest-known migration of her species.

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A series of shootings that have occurred in Wilkes-Barre is believed to be connected to a feud between two groups who consider “themselves a gang.” Pennsylvania has joined other states that are calling for a temporary suspension of the federal gas tax as fuel prices hit mind-boggling levels. A local exotic pet store owner saved a chicken from being fed to a bunch of alligators. Plus, one city in Pennsylvania was deemed one of the best for college basketball fans ahead of March Madness.

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