With so much media bandwidth devoted to the long lines, delays, and confusion at US airports during the current partial government shutdown, it’s easy to miss what’s happening behind the scenes: tens of thousands of Transportation Security Administration officers are still showing up to work—without pay.

These airport screeners, considered essential workers, don’t have the option to stay home. And for many, this isn’t new. Over the past 175 days, TSA officers have spent nearly half that time with their paychecks held up by politics—including 43 days last fall during the longest government shutdown in history, four days earlier this year during a brief funding lapse, and now 40 days and counting during the current shutdown.

It’s not like TSA employees were making a mint before the shutdown.

The starting salary for agents is about $34,500, and the average salary is $46,000 to $55,000, according to the agency’s careers website.

As the shutdown drags on, more TSA officers are taking time off to earn money on the side.

Nearly 11% of workers who were scheduled to report for duty Monday—more than 3,200—missed work, and at least 458 have quit altogether since the shutdown began, according to DHS, exacerbating staff turnover at an agency that historically has had some of the US government’s highest attrition and lowest employee morale.

Across Pennsylvania, airports, organizations, and businesses are doing what they can to help TSA staff working without pay during the shutdown.

With the 16th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act’s passage on Monday, we’ve been talking about health insurance this week.

About 1 in 10 Americans (9%) who were enrolled in an ACA marketplace health plan last year are now uninsured following the lapse of enhanced federal subsidies that reduced their monthly premiums, according to a new survey by KFF, a nonpartisan health policy research group. 

Nearly 85,000 Pennsylvanians (20%) previously enrolled in the state’s ACA marketplace plan, Pennie, have dropped their coverage due to rising premiums. The average premium increased by 102%, with some reporting monthly premiums that tripled. 

For our QOTW, we’re asking Pennie customers:

Have rising premiums on your Pennie plan made you rethink your health coverage—have you dropped it, or are you considering dropping it?

Here’s what you’re saying: 

“No complaints. My cost decreased by $102 to just $87 per month by simply choosing a higher deductible plan.”

— Tracy, York

“The rising premiums through Pennie have hit me hard this year. I had to scale back to a cheaper plan. My monthly payments have still gone up (more than twice the amount) I paid last year. It means cutting back EVERYWHERE!”

— Bob N., Milton

“I’m a self-employed handyman. My plan has gone up by $330 a month, and it’s just me–not a family. Absolutely insane. I’ve tapped into some savings and picked up some Uber work on the weekends. I don’t want to be uninsured, that’s for sure.”

— Perry, Bradford County

“My wife and I have a plan together that, thankfully, has only gone up by $115 monthly. Our overall premium is still pretty manageable, luckily. But still, we’re on a pretty tight budget and that $115 more a month means cuts elsewhere, like entertainment and the occasional dinner out. It’s getting hard to maintain even a humble lifestyle!”

— John, Altoona

Let us know how you’re navigating higher health insurance premiums through Pennie, and please let us know where you live.

Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia will be rocking for the Phillies’ 2026 opener on Thursday. (The Associated Press)

Did someone say ‘play ball?’ The Phillies’ home opener is just one of the events happening this week to confirm that spring has sprung in the commonwealth.

Art in Bloom at the Westmoreland Museum of American Art — Wednesday through Sunday, Greensburg

Art in Bloom showcases stunning floral displays inspired by the museum’s artwork. You can meet local florists and learn about their creative process, or elevate your visit with a flower workshop, after-hours event, or tea party.

Phillies home opener at Citizens Bank Park — Thursday, Philadelphia

Things ended in disappointing fashion for the Phillies last October (and the two Octobers before that), but the boys of summer are back, and hope springs eternal. The Phillies take on the Texas Rangers in Thursday’s home opener—the earliest Opening Day in Phillies history. Temps look to be in the low 70s for first pitch, at 4:15 p.m. Tell your boss I said it’s OK to leave work early.

True Colors at Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens — Saturday through April 26, Pittsburgh

Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens always hosts a flower show inspired by the season’s blooms. This year’s spring show, titled “True Colors,” is dedicated to the bright flowers that signal spring’s arrival—like daffodils and petunias—while also nodding to the role the conservatory’s spring flower show has played in Pittsburgh since the tradition first started in 1894.

Spring Blooms at Longwood Gardens — Friday through May 3, Kennett Square 

Longwood Gardens transforms in spring as bulbs burst into color, spring ephemeral wildflowers emerge, and magnolia trees hang heavy with blooms. The seasonal celebration, Spring Blooms, features longer garden hours, including select Tuesdays that highlight Longwood tulips. Plus, in mid-April, the garden’s fountains begin to be turned back on for their first shows of the year.

World Oddities Expo at the Philadelphia Convention Center — Saturday and Sunday, Philadelphia

Looking to get weird in Philly this weekend? The World Oddities Expo is a traveling oddities festival where artists, vendors, performers, educators, and guest speakers work to create “a macabre and magical experience for all!”

• For the third time in four years, the state House has passed a bill to raise Pennsylvania’s minimum wage to $15 an hour. Get the details here.

• Weeks after Gov. Josh Shapiro pitched a $53.2 billion spending plan for the commonwealth’s next fiscal year, House Democrats shared their own vision—which is identical to Shapiro’s. Find out more in this story.

• Gettysburg has named a new mayor following the sudden departure, and subsequent arrest, of former Mayor Chad-Alan Carr on child sex crime allegations. Get the story here.

As newsrooms in smaller communities are downsized or folded completely, major stories—like the recent proliferation of data centers and attempts to transform warehouses into ICE detention facilities across the state—fall through the cracks, enabling misinformation and false narratives to spread. 

We’re putting in the work to make sure the stories that need to be on your radar make it to your radar based on the facts—without barriers like paywalls to keep you from accessing the news you need.

Your financial support helps to make this work possible. If you count on The Keystone for fact-based news about Pennsylvania, please consider making a donation during our current supporter drive.

Welcome to our weekly advice column, courtesy of Grace: She’s the big sister who shares her own mistakes so you can avoid making them, the coworker who builds you up to ask for the raise you deserve, and the friend who is always happy to listen.

We all need someone like Grace in our corner. Submit your own questions here. 

Dear Grace,

I’m dating a divorced dad, and he’s a little low-effort. Our last date was gas station beer, corn nuts, and… you-know-what. I liked the last part, but the first part wasn’t a great warm-up.

How can I give him gentle encouragement to be more romantic?

— Not There Yet 

Dear Not There Yet,

I hear you. Gas station beer and corn nuts might be fine in a pinch, but it’s understandable to want more romance, more care, and more intention. Many women wonder whether they should just be “easygoing” or speak up. So let’s get one thing straight: it is okay to want more than a low-effort hookup. Here’s some advice to get the romance you’re looking for.

Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Patrick Berkery with stories from The Associated Press, USA Today Network via Reuters Connect, and Ian Karbal and Whitney Downard of the Pennsylvania Capital-Star. It was edited by Paula Solis.

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