Pennsylvania News Roundup: Boy, 8, Catches Piranha, Fecal Bacteria Found in Waterways, Deputy Game Warden Program Ends and More

Published Aug 16, 2026 · Community · Red Rock Daily staff

Here’s a roundup of recent Pennsylvania news: an 8-year-old boy reeled in a piranha from a lake in Delaware County, prompting officials to remind anglers not to release exotic pets into the wild; a new report says more than half of the state’s waterways contain fecal bacteria during parts of the year; Pennsylvania ended its deputy game warden program, which dated back 123 years; data center proposals keep multiplying across the state even as local opposition grows, with Reuters reporting Alpha Compute plans to buy Pennsylvania land and gas rights for a $55 million data center campus; and Pennsylvania met Delaware in Little League championship action.

Boy, 8, reels in piranha from Delaware County lake

An 8-year-old boy reeled in a piranha from a lake in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, prompting officials to remind anglers not to release exotic pets into the wild. (WGAL, ABC27, The Guardian, ABC News, Aug. 12-13, 2026)

Report: More than half of Pennsylvania waterways contain fecal bacteria

A new report says more than half of Pennsylvania’s waterways contain fecal bacteria during parts of the year. (WHYY, Aug. 14, 2026)

Pennsylvania ends 123-year-old deputy game warden program

Pennsylvania ended its deputy game warden program, which dated back 123 years, with deputies reacting with disappointment and saying “We deserve better.” (GoErie, WGAL, Aug. 13-14, 2026)

Data center proposals multiply across Pennsylvania amid local opposition

Data center proposals keep multiplying across Pennsylvania even as local opposition grows, with Reuters reporting Alpha Compute plans to buy Pennsylvania land and gas rights for a $55 million data center campus. (Pennsylvania Capital-Star, Reuters, Aug. 10-13, 2026)

Pennsylvania meets Delaware in Little League championship action

Pennsylvania met Delaware in Little League championship action, a marquee matchup drawing regional attention. (LittleLeague.org, The News Journal, Aug. 14, 2026)

For more on the Keystone State, see the Pennsylvania guide.