The Commonwealth Beat with Laura LeBeau - Episode 127 - 08/23/2026

           A high-stakes clock is ticking inside the Pennsylvania General Assembly.  After declaring skill games to be illegal, the state's high court paused enforcement for 120 days, giving the General Assembly until October 13th to either ban them completely or finally enact a regulatory and tax framework to make them legal.  But with that deadline looming, the legislature appears to be sitting on its hands.           Meantime, small business owners, volunteer fire companies, and veterans groups remain in limbo, having heard next to nothing from lawmakers.  Today, an update, or lack thereof, from Willie Shay of Shay's Vending, about the status of skill games legislation.           Then, a shift to a story about about resilience, imagination, and learning to breathe a little easier with childhood asthma.  A discussion with Clearfield County budding author, Jake Lockett, who's book, "My Life as an Aasthmanaut" is now out.