The free exhibit features firsthand accounts, real-time documentation, and artifacts honoring the heroes of Flight 93 and the Commonwealth’s response to the tragedy.
Submitted Photo
Lowery
Walker
DeFrank
In solemn observance of the 25th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks, the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission this week announced the opening of a powerful new exhibit at the Pennsylvania State Archives — “Witness to History: Pennsylvania on September 11, 2001.”
The exhibit opened to the public on Sept. 2, 2026.
On Sept. 11, 2001, Pennsylvania felt the direct impact of terrorism when United Flight 93 crashed into a field in Somerset County. Witness to History honors the ultimate sacrifices made by the 40 passengers and crew members aboard Flight 93, who heroically fought back against their hijackers and prevented the aircraft from reaching its intended target in Washington, D.C.
The exhibit also highlights the intense, months-long recovery and identification efforts at the crash site, shining a light on the almost immediate response by the Pennsylvania State Police, first responders, and other state and federal agencies who witnessed and navigated the tragedy firsthand.
“This exhibit offers a deeply moving look at how our Commonwealth responded in a moment of unprecedented crisis,” said Andrea Lowery, Executive Director of PHMC. “By sharing these powerful primary documents, firsthand accounts, and personal expressions of support, the Pennsylvania State Archives ensures that the heroism of the Flight 93 passengers and the dedication of our first responders are preserved, studied, and remembered for generations to come.”
Visitors will have the unique opportunity to view deeply moving historical artifacts and primary source documents from that fateful day and its aftermath, including:
— Real-time documentation
State Police Commissioner Colonel Paul J. Evanko’s original, hand-written notes documenting the real-time response on Sept. 11, 2001, alongside an interview with Evanko and archival footage from the crash site.
— Expressions of support
Two heartfelt wall hangings created by schoolchildren and sent to the Governor of Pennsylvania, representing the massive nationwide outpouring of love and support for the victims, heroes, and their families.
— A shift in state and national history
The official document in which Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge resigned his office to accept a federal appointment from President George W. Bush to serve as the nation’s first Director of Homeland Security.
— Visitor information
Witness to History: Pennsylvania on Sept. 11, 2001, opened on Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026.
The exhibit will be accessible to the public during the Pennsylvania State Archives’ regular operating hours:
• Wednesday through Friday: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Second Saturday of each month: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The Pennsylvania State Archives is located at 1681 N. 6th St., Harrisburg.
Admission to the exhibit is free.
L&I launches strategic enforcement initiative
Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) Secretary Nancy A. Walker — along with leaders from the Pennsylvania Departments of Human Services (DHS) and Aging, SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania, labor partners, worker advocates, and home care workers — this week announced the launch of “Standing Up for Home Care Workers,” a strategic labor law enforcement initiative to protect home care workers’ wages and ensure home care agencies and other third-party employers comply with Pennsylvania law.
Led by L&I and carried out by its Bureau of Labor Law Compliance (BLLC), the initiative will use proactive investigations, outreach, and partnerships to focus enforcement in an industry where workers are particularly vulnerable to wage violations and where complaints are substantial.
“Home care workers take care of our Pennsylvania families. They help seniors and people with disabilities live safely, independently, and with dignity in their own homes,” Walker said. “These workers are entitled to receive the wages they are owed for hours worked.”
Most labor law investigations begin when a worker files a complaint. These investigations will examine whether covered workers are receiving the wages they are owed for all hours worked, including overtime when required by law.
Roughly 40% of Minimum Wage Act complaints in Pennsylvania come from home care workers. These complaints represent only a small fraction of worker exploitation in this industry, making it a priority for state wage enforcement. Minimum Wage Act complaints often involve unpaid overtime, unpaid hours worked, improper overtime calculations, inaccurate records, or other pay practices that prevent workers from receiving the wages they are owed.
Registration open for PUC conferences
Registration is now open for six Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) “Be Utility Wise” (BUW) and “Be Wise” conferences being held across the Commonwealth this fall, offering human-service professionals and consumer advocates practical tools, resources, and connections to help households manage essential utility services and access available assistance.
For three decades, the PUC’s “Be Utility Wise” and “Be Wise” conferences have served as a cornerstone of the commission’s consumer education efforts, bringing together thousands of frontline service providers, utilities, regulators, and community organizations to share information and strengthen the network of assistance available to consumers and communities across Pennsylvania.
“Frontline workers are the heartbeat of community support, providing a vital link between struggling consumers and the essential utility assistance they need to keep their homes safe and powered,” said PUC Chairman Steve DeFrank. “Be Utility Wise helps give these professionals the information, resources, and connections they need to respond effectively.”
What attendees can expect
Centered on the theme of “Building Connections to Affordability: Collaborative Strategies for Lasting Change,” the 2026 conferences will feature expert panels, interactive discussions, financial assistance information, networking opportunities, and other practical information and resources that attendees can take back to their organizations and communities.
Topics focus on utility affordability, customer assistance programs, energy efficiency and conservation, consumer protections, available community resources, and strategies for reaching and assisting households in need.
Human service professionals, community advocates, utility professionals, and others working directly with Pennsylvania consumers are encouraged to register and join the conversation at a conference in their region.
Registration is now open for a total of six conferences, to be held between September and November, including:
• Wilkes-Barre/Scranton BUW, Friday, Oct. 16, Mohegan Sun — Conference Center, 1280 Highway 315, Plains Township, Time: 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
PLCB returns more than $2.3M
The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) this week announced the return of more than $2.3 million in licensing fees to 1,352 municipalities in which licensees are located, providing financial support for local government initiatives.
Twice a year, as required by law, the PLCB returns liquor license fees paid by PLCB-approved licensees to the municipalities that are home to those licenses. Municipalities have flexibility in allocating and spending the returned license fees to meet local needs.
The PLCB oversees the regulation of about 15,000 retail liquor licenses statewide, including restaurants, clubs, and hotels.
Licensees pay liquor license fees ranging from $125 to $700, depending on the type of license and the population of the municipality in which the license is located, as part of the annual license renewal or validation process, as well as in conjunction with approval of certain new applications.
The current dispersal period represents fees paid from Feb. 1 to Jul. 31. In all, 57 cities, 536 boroughs, and 759 townships will receive payments ranging from $50 to $375,525.
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Reach Bill O’Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on X @TLBillOBoyle.
