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

Several counties plan on joining a national database that’ll help to identify guns used in crimes. Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey have seen a 600 percent increase in tornadoes over the past five years. A local grocery store has released a new ice cream line. And was that a black panther roaming around Jersey the other day?

A Native American tribe in South Dakota is pushing to get the remains of a child in a Pennsylvania cemetery transferred to them faster. An advocacy group plans on rolling out a new civic education campaign in Pennsylvania that’ll hopefully combat disinformation ahead of the 2024 presidential election. Fans heading to PNC Park for the home opener today can expect some nifty new park enhancements. Lastly, this city is the best in the country for Easter.

The continuing chip shortage is seeing new cars missing certain perks — like heated steering wheels and parking assistance technology — sold at dealerships all over the country. The Pittsburgh City Council has reached a tentative agreement with cops. Protein bars sold at Costcos are being recalled. Lastly, this brewery has been named Pennsylvania’s best — again.

A man received a five-year sentence for setting a Philadelphia police car on fire during the 2020 George Floyd protests. Pennsylvania’s largest coal plant announced its plans to fully close by June. April’s full moon will rise later week, and it’ll be pink. Finally, this is “The Coolest Thing Made in Pa.”

Xylazine — also known as “zombie drug” — is becoming increasingly present in illegal opioids. Get this — one gas company actually wants to decrease rates and save customers some money. Over four million trout were added in nurseries throughout the state for the fishing season. Also, this exhibit is a Peep into how creative people can get.

St. Luke’s University Health Network has been accused in a new class action lawsuit of charging employees who received religious exemption from the vaccine more for health insurance. A man who stole the thumb of an ancient terra cotta warrior statue during an ugly sweater party at the Franklin Institute has accepted a plea deal. Short-term rental owners in Philadelphia were informed about subpoenas from the city last week. Finally, the former home of a Founding Father will be featured on “Ghost Hunters.”

A woman has been banned by every casino in the state for leaving her baby in the car while she gambled. Three schools in one county have been using a new method to catch drivers who illegally pass buses. Strong winds are a-coming this weekend. Lastly, Pennsylvania’s a state full of jokers.

Pennsylvania officials want to start testing the tissues of animals that may have been affected by the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, last month. The state PUC has determined that PECO natural gas pipelines were not the cause behind an explosion in Pottstown nearly a year ago. A farm had to pull its goat-snuggling offering out of a few events after some people called it “exploitive.” Also, officers pulled over two culprits guilty of horsing around.

A school has enforced stricter rules to its bathroom policies in order to mitigate reports of fights and vandalism, and students aren’t too thrilled about it. The state Attorney General has stated a ticket retailer must now give people full refunds for cancelled shows. A couple has to relocate their nonprofit for a PennDOT highway project and was only offered $100 for their troubles. Lastly, this thief’s gotta steal ‘em all.

A man who was cleared of a murder in Philadelphia in 2017 has just been arrested for another homicide. Pennsylvania — as did the rest of the U.S. — saw a surge in antisemitic incidents last year. Officials in one county dream of a day where civilians share footage from their own private security cameras to help mitigate crime. Finally, Pennsylvania lawmakers want Hershey’s Kiss as the official state candy – again.