This week’s biggest Winners & Losers

This week, the commonwealth became the first major dairy-producing state to have the USDA declare its cows free of avian flu, which, despite its name, has affected cattle herds across the U.S. “Pennsylvania's food supply is safe and secure, due to a unified, aggressive, and effective response strategy,” affirmed state Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding.

The Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office became the first law enforcement agency in the state to receive an International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards Certified Autism Center designation after at least 80% of its community-facing officers and personnel completed autism training. The training is designed to give Sheriff’s Office personnel the skills to assist those on the autism spectrum.

Gov. Josh Shapiro has nominated a new education leader to take over at the state Department of Education. The governor picked Carrie Rowe, the current deputy secretary at the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, to lead the department after appointing Angela Fitterer as interim secretary following the departure of Khalid Mumin last November. Rowe’s nomination will now need to be confirmed by the Pennsylvania Senate.

Penn – at it again. In the latest self-inflicted black eye for the Ivy League institution, the university has provided its students with a free class in anticipatory obedience by removing diversity, equity and inclusion material and references. Following the Trump administration’s diktats on DEI, Penn’s main diversity and inclusion website was taken down and subsequently replaced with a brief statement about “commitment to equal opportunity.” 

Jefferson Health Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer John Mordach left his role in mid-February – a move that comes seven months after Jefferson merged with Lehigh Valley Health Network and the same day that Jefferson reported a $55.3 million operating loss for the first six months of fiscal year 2025, according to Becker’s Hospital Review. A spokesperson for Jefferson said Mordach’s departure was a mutual decision.

Better pull up a chair for this one – oh, wait. If you ordered from Tracey Myers, the president of Harrisburg Office Furniture in Lower Allen Township, you won’t be able to. Myers has been charged with five counts of fraudulent business practices after failing to deliver nearly $100,000 worth of furniture to customers. For Myers, who told police the store was having financial difficulties, it’s sofa, so bad.