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Design Allies is an education and advocacy initiative funded by the Heinz Endowments, with the goal of increasing citizens' engagement and advocacy for their neighborhoods, as well as their city and region. It's one of three core programs of the Design Center and intended to be a place on the web for people to have conversations about design, planning, and public policy.

There's a different kind of Christmas in July happening in the Allegheny National Forest these evenings: fireflies are lighting up in sync.

"I guess the best way to describe them is a string of Christmas lights, flashing on and off at the same time," said Peggy Butler, who along with her husband owns the Black Caddis Ranch Bed and Breakfast in the forest.

After days of long meetings and last-minute bills flying, Gov. Tom Corbett signed a $27.7 billion no-new-taxes budget just before midnight Saturday that was the centerpiece of several long-term victories for his legislative agenda.

There were defeats for the governor too, though his fellow Republicans who control the Legislature tried to squeeze out as many victories for Corbett as they could in the waning moments of the fiscal year. Minority Democrats staunchly opposed elements of the budget as well.

Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett signed a state budget plan into law at the eleventh hour last night.

The $27.7 billion dollar spending plan was approved with minutes to spare as budget negotiations continued very close to the cusp of the new fiscal year that began at 12:01 a.m. Sunday.

Democratic Greg Parks has withdrawn from his Pennsylvania State Senate race. Parks earned a write-in nomination in April but has decided to step down due to "personal reasons."

Parks, the now former candidate from District 37, said despite removing himself from the campaign, he will continue to stay active in public service. "I will closely follow the nomination process to fill the Democratic slot in this race, and will offer my full support as Chair of the Pleasant Hills Democratic Committee to whoever is nominated," Parks said.

Nathan Hultman, a scientist at the University of Maryland, has thought a lot about shale gas, climate change, and energy policy. It's not so much the emissions he's worried about with shale gas, but the impact it will have on a cleaner type of energy.

This story is part of "Gas Planet," a special presentation of the Allegheny Front.

A popular but dangerous "dare" among teenagers has come to Pittsburgh with potentially scarring results. Doctors at the West Penn Burn Center this week treated their first patient suffering from injuries due to a so-called "salt and ice challenge."

Governor Tom Corbett said funding for Pennsylvania's state and state-related universities in the 2012-2013 fiscal year will be restored, thanks to stronger than expected state revenues, but, Corbett said, universities still need to do their part.

"While we are able to restore funding to our universities this year, we must also ask the leaders to be wise about spending taxpayers' money. With that in mind, our state and state-related universities have agreed to keep tuition as low as possible in this coming school year," he said.

With the Fourth of July holiday approaching, PennDOT, along with several local police departments and the PA DUI Association, have launched the "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" campaign. The effort aims to keep families safe while traveling over the holiday.

Steve Cowan, a Safety Press Officer for PennDOT, said the crackdown is now underway and will continue through July 8.

The Community College of Allegheny County will not raise its tuition rates for the 2012-2013 academic year.

CCAC President Alex Johnson said it seemed as though the college would have to raise tuition earlier in this budget year, when both Allegheny County and the state government threatened to cut the school's funding.

However, those proposed cuts were avoided in budget negotiations. Now, Johnson said the college can keep tuition flat while buying new equipment, making needed repairs, and hiring new faculty members.

Every year thousands of people across the U.S. are injured by fireworks. The vast majority of those injuries occur between June 18 and July 18. Law enforcement officials and doctors warn that even seemingly harmless fireworks you can buy from road-side stands are explosive devices and can be dangerous.

The state budget bill has passed a key Senate committee, setting it up for a final vote by the full Senate Friday. As happened in the House, committee debate offered a glimpse of what topics are likely to receive the most airtime during the Senate's floor debate. Two unsuccessful amendments prompted the debate that serves as our best preview of tomorrow's back and forth.

In the mid 1980's four local guys got together at Indiana University of Pennsylvania to "give rock and roll a try." Nearly 30 years later, The Clarks are still together and still giving it a go.

Two days before the commencement of the EQT Pittsburgh Three Rivers Regatta, Jill Harris chiseled away at a 35-foot sand sculpture depicting the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The installation features 27 human figures and is made of 160 tons of sand.

"At this point nobody has any legs or feet and I still don't have the Declaration on the table," said Harris, president of Florida-based Sandsational Sand Sculpting. "Since the Regatta is a Fourth of July event, we wanted to do something that was Americana."

On a hot, sunny day in Pittsburgh, a couple dozen teenagers were tending to tiny seedlings at Tree Pittsburgh's Tree Seedling Nursery in Point Breeze. They were there as part of Operation Better Block's Jr. Green Corps, an initiative that provides Homewood youth with structured activities in an effort to impact their physical environment, equip them for leadership roles in the community, and provide them with an opportunity to explore green collar jobs and careers.

Over the last ten years, Pittsburgh has welcomed more than 1,500 refugees from 22 countries, most of whom hail from Bhutan, China's neighbor in southern Asia.

Anne Richard, Assistant Secretary for the U.S. Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, met with Pittsburgh City Council to address resettlement of refugees in the city. During her visit she also spoke with members of the community and refugees who have settled in the area.

Five new degree programs have been added to the repertoire of three of the Pennsylvania State System of High Education (PASSHE) schools. Two of the five programs have been specifically designed to address the growing needs of the natural gas industry in Pennsylvania.

Students now have the option to pursue an Associate degree in either applied technology at Edinboro University or natural gas production at Mansfield University, a Bachelor's degree in safety management at Mansfield, or a Master's degree in clinical mental health counseling or sport science at Lock Haven University.

11% of Pennsylvanians are uninsured. Now that the Supreme Court has upheld most of the Affordable Care Act, that may change, as well as many other aspects of the way health care is delivered.

When Governor Tom Corbett was Pennsylvania Attorney General in 2010, he was part of an unsuccessful lawsuit calling for a repeal of the act requiring Americans to buy health care or pay a penalty.

The Senator John Heinz History Center and the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum are inviting baseball fans to step up to the plate and attend the new exhibit, "The Story of Negro League Baseball: We Are the Ship," opening Friday, June 29.

For a zone one ride on an Allegheny County Port Authority bus or train, the one-way fare will increase by 25¢ and zone two fares will increase by 50¢ starting July 1st. Ticket and pass prices are also due to increase on Sunday.

Heather Pharo, PAT spokesperson, said even though most fares are increasing, some will remain the same.

"Transfers are going to continue to be $1 for a full fare," Pharo said. "The T surcharges on the cash fares will continue to be 75¢ for full fare."

A recent opinion handed down by the Commonwealth Court could signal problems with the way the state eliminated its low-cost health insurance program last year. A group of former enrollees of AdultBasic sued over how it was set to zero. Legislators used a provision in a budget-related bill called the "fiscal code" to make the change.

The court hasn't heard that case or ruled on it, but the opinion has overruled part of the state's preliminary objections to the lawsuit, signaling the way AdultBasic was slashed could still be deemed unconstitutional.

Language to shine a light on executive pay at nonprofits that contract with the state is now in the mix of budget-related legislation. State Representative Scott Petri (R-Bucks County) said after past state budget cuts to the Department of Public Welfare, and with more cuts looming, lawmakers were getting an earful from groups that contract with the DPW.

Fans of the Bard will have the opportunity to view and then judge short theater productions this week during "Bard Wars" at the Community College of Allegheny County. The school launches its first Shakespeare Creative Competition Festival June 28 with performances beginning at 8:00 PM each evening through June 30th.

The Pittsburgh City Council is on path to reach another multi-year agreement with the city's largest non-profits to provide payments in lieu of taxes. Council gave preliminary approval Wednesday to a measure that would authorize the city to enter into an agreement with the Pittsburgh Foundation, which will collect and manage the payments.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) wants Pennsylvania homes to be a bit safer and more energy efficient. It is trying to get out the word through a series of webinars. The online events will be offered every quarter starting Wednesday, June 27 at 7:00 PM.

Amanda Witman, spokeswoman for the DEP, said the webinars are a part of the Department's new initiative to promote better living. The first webinar, titled "Summertime Advisories," will run a little longer than one hour. Witman said several more will follow focusing on a variety of topics.