Pa. Turnpike Taking On New Debt At Difficult Time
By Mark Scolforo ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER
      HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Even before gas prices spiked and the economy turned sour last year, the Pennsylvania Turnpike was saddled with daunting financial challenges. A major 2007 transportation law required it to generate billions of dollars for roads, bridges and mass transit through borrowing, higher fees and the proceeds from introducing tolls to Interstate 80.
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The 'McMansion' Trend In Housing Is Slowing
Economic hard times, plus shifting neighborhood and urban values, are key factors
By Patrik Jonsson STAFF WRITER OF THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR
      ATLANTA - Complete with an Oval Office and Lincoln Bedroom, the Atlanta White House became a symbol of developers reshaping the urban landscape by tearing down modest ranches and bungalows and plopping Mc- Mansions in their place.
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Jeanette Krebs Tapped For Patriot-News Editor Job
      HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - The former Statehouse bureau chief for The Patriot-News of Harrisburg has been named editor of the newspaper's editorial and opinion pages. Jeanette Krebs starts in her new job Feb. 1. Krebs, 44, will replace Dale Davenport, who has held the post for more than 20 years and joined The Patriot-News in 1972.
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Rendell Says Estimated Pa. Budget Gap Has Grown
By Marc Levy ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER
      HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Pennsylvania's 2008-09 budget shortfall could be as high as $1.9 billion as the national recession continues to take its toll on state tax collections, Gov. Ed Rendell said Thursday.
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Home Repossessions Nearly Doubled In Pa. Last Year
By Marc Levy ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER
      HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - The number of Pennsylvania homes repossessed from homeowners who fell behind on their mortgage payments nearly doubled in 2008 as more people lost their jobs, businesses and nest eggs. New figures from RealtyTrac Inc. show that the percentage increase of repossessed homes in Pennsylvania last year is similar to the nation's.
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The Big Barrier To A Clean Kitchen
By Margrita Jager THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR
      Hectic and hardworking, my kitchen tends to attract stuff, lots of stuff - things I love and cannot seem to let go. It collects surreptitiously in drawers and on countertops, in cupboards and closets, until every nook and cranny overflows with clutter.
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Schools Tap '21st-Century Skills'
To prepare students for a fast-changing future, teachers are reaching beyond the R's
By Stacy Teicher Khadaroo STAFF WRITER OF THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR
      For decades, the emphasis in public education has been on making sure that students can read, write, and do math. But can they apply those skills in a realworld scenario, such as designing a bridge? Can they identify what information they need and use digital tools to find it?
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