Good Morning, Pennsylvania: Merry Christmas

How to build a family; what's open today; and who's coming to Penn State.

View in browser  |  Get our newsletters Good Morning, Pennsylvania MONDAY, DEC. 25, 2023 • TODAY'S WEATHER Better to give What did you open this morning that made you smile? We'd say "a newspaper," but The Patriot-News doesn't print on Mondays ... so we'll look at a few other gifts we wrote about recently:   Today's story by Charles Thompson is a heart-warmer for sure. A Dauphin County couple added to their brood by adopting a 4-year-old boy who's the biological brother of a girl they adopted years ago. He now has six siblings.   The staff here put together a list of wishes from central Pa. nonprofit groups. Just because it's Christmas doesn't mean they don't still need gifts, so you might want to take another look.   Our Zahriah Balentine wrote about a Harrisburg man with vision loss who can get around now — and cook again — thanks to a Habitat for Humanity program that adapted his home.   Also, in Cincinnati, Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin, whose heart stopped on the football field, created scholarships to honor those who saved him. In New Jersey, a joke about being a store's "self-checkout employee" turned into a food and present drive to help needy families.   We hope you enjoy all of today — the receiving, the giving and maybe even some relaxing. Curated by Janet Pickel PHOTO OF THE DAY: Santa greets pediatric patients at UPMC Harrisburg hospital after arriving by helicopter on Friday. (Photo by Dan Gleiter, PennLive.com) Holidays Family is a gift: A Dauphin County family last week adopted a son, their seventh child and the biological brother of one of their girls. The 4-year-old boy wished everyone a merry Christmas during a ceremony last week in a courtroom packed with parents, children and joy.   Now he can cook: A 62-year-old Harrisburg man who has vision loss from a rare eye disease wasn't able to use his kitchen for years. A Habitat for Humanity program brought volunteers into his home and brightened it so he can get around safely — and cook a turkey today.   Open today: If you need a quick bite to eat, a snack or just want to get out of the house, a few restaurants are open. Not much else is, though.   New Year's Eve: Events to mark the beginning of 2024 are planned for all ages across central Pa. They include countdowns to noon as well as traditional midnight drops. Harrisburg's New Year's Eve celebration will include the traditional strawberry drop. Read more More headlines News helicopter crash: An investigator said that nothing has been found so far indicating why a Philadelphia news helicopter went down last week in New Jersey, killing the pilot and a photographer.   US Steel sale: President Joe Biden's top economic adviser said that the proposed sale of Pa.-based U.S. Steel to the Japanese-owned Nippon Steel Corp. "appears to deserve serious scrutiny." Lawmakers in Pennsylvania and Ohio have vowed to block the $14+ billion deal.   School to preschool: Catherine Hershey Schools for Early Learning has purchased a former Lancaster County elementary school. Other learning centers are in Hershey and Lower Swatara Township. They will provide free care and education for preschoolers from qualifying families.    Company banned: A Florida-based marketing company is banned from advertising in Pa. after a recent settlement over their misleading mailers. Read more Food & drink Winery's 2024 plans: The Vineyard and Brewery at Hershey remains one of the most visible craft beverage producers in the region. It hopes to continue that in 2024 with more concerts and Pa. Preferred products.    Holiday sweet: Massimo's Italian Bakery in Mechanicsburg makes a Nutella panettone for the holidays. The sweet brioche, filled with raisins and orange peel, is among central Pa.'s Best Eats.   Chicken's on the way: Dave's Hot Chicken's opening in Cumberland County is supposed to happen in mid-January. It will be the first Dave's Hot Chicken in the immediate Harrisburg area. Read more Advertisement Police reports 'Swatting' arrest: State police have charged a 19-year-old California man over a "swatting" incident that led to the evacuation of Big Spring High School. Police said he wanted to harass a girl he met online.   Fatal crash victim: A tractor-trailer and a vehicle collided Friday afternoon on Route 15 in Adams County, flattening the vehicle and killing the driver. The victim was identified as a 35-year-old York County woman. Read more Sports NFL in Pa.: The Pittsburgh Steelers had probably their best game of the season Saturday, beating the Cincinnati Bengals, 34-11, behind Rudolph — quarterback Mason. The Philadelphia Eagles play tonight vs. the New York Giants, without security chief Dom DiSandro on the sideline.   Penn State recruits: Penn State football inked 25 prospects in the 2024 recruiting class during last week's early signing period. More than half of them will be enrolling early. Read more OTHER DON'T-MISS STORIES Authorities knew Maine shooter was a threat but felt confronting him was unsafe, video shows Raw puppy and kitten food recalled Bank robber gets out on parole, robs Harrisburg bank 6 days later: DA You're caught up. Thanks for joining us in Good Morning, Pennsylvania. You can always find the latest Pennsylvania news by visiting PennLive.com. If you value the hard work of our journalists, consider becoming a subscriber.   See you next issue. GAMES & COMICS Today's Crossword More free puzzles & games Today's Comics Today's crossword Puzzles & games Today's comics CRIME, CRASHES, CALAMITIES: UPDATES FROM THE PENNLIVE COPS DESK NEWSLETTER Know what's going in your neighborhood and beyond with the latest police, fire, traffic, courts and related news. Click here to subscribe. EAT, SHOP, GO WITH PENNLIVE NEWSLETTER Your weekly report on food, restaurants, businesses, retail centers, things to do and places to go all around central Pa. Click here to subscribe. TODAY'S OBITUARIES Click here to read PennLive obituaries. TODAY IN PA PODCAST Listen to PennLive's daily news briefing at this link, or on your favorite apps, including Alexa, Apple, Spotify and Stitcher. NOT ENOUGH NEWS? PennLive content is included with both print and digital subscriptions. You can also choose from our selection of local news, sports or lifestyle newsletters and apps. WANT TO SHARE THIS NEWSLETTER WITH A FRIEND? Did someone share this newsletter with you? Click here so you don't miss a day! CONTACT THE NEWSROOM To contact the newsroom with a tip or question, please click here.   Unlimited Digital Access. Start today for $1 (cancel anytime) Subscribe now! Start today for $1 (cancel anytime) Subscribe now! INTERESTED IN ADVERTISING OR SPONSORING OUR NEWSLETTERS? Email advr@pennlive.com  You received this email because you opted in to the newsletter. To ensure receipt of our emails, please add newsletters@update.pennlive.com to your address book or safe sender list.   PennLive 1900 Patriot Dr, Mechanicsburg, PA 17050   Contact us | Unsubscribe | Privacy Policy