The School District of Lancaster reported its highest ninth-grade passing rate since 2015-16 as attendance slipped and chronic absenteeism rose.
Live Poll
Do you think local schools are getting better or worse at keeping students in class?
Coverage here follows city government, Lancaster County, local school districts, business and civic life in Lancaster, the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch Country. Reporting reaches neighborhoods across the city and the surrounding county.
Live Poll
Should your city raise property taxes to fund its budget during rising costs?
Lancaster City Council members say they will vote against Mayor Jaime Arroyo's proposed 2027 budget over a 5% property tax increase.
The School District of Lancaster is adding safety measures for special education students after three students with autism or other support needs eloped this year.
Bingeman, a 22-year commission veteran, succeeds Heather Dighe, who led the agency for 10 years.
Live Poll
Should cities limit large group runs that block streets and sidewalks?
A police lieutenant met with the organizer of the Common Run Club after residents complained that large group runs were blocking streets and sidewalks.
Live Poll
Have construction material costs risen noticeably in your area this year?
The increase marks the eighth consecutive annual dividend raise as the company reports record third-quarter 2026 net sales.
The beat runs across city council decisions, the Lancaster County courthouse and the School District of Lancaster, Conestoga Valley School District and Lampeter-Strasburg School District alongside the businesses and institutions shaping the local economy. From Cabbage Hill and Chestnut Hill to Center City, Penn Square and Uptown, neighborhood coverage extends into Chester County, York County, Lebanon County and Berks County where stories cross the line. Tourism tied to the region's heritage draws visitors and shapes commercial development in ways that regularly intersect with city planning decisions. Housing affordability and school district funding are the questions that recur most in local government coverage.
