State Rep. Lindsay Powell co-sponsors bill to limit smoke shop proximity to schools
A state representative from Philadelphia is lobbying to prohibit smoke shops from setting up too close to schools or other places where children gather. Democratic State Rep. Ben Waxman introduced a bill that would limit new smoke shops from opening within 500 feet of daycare centers, K-12 schools, youth centers...
Fetterman says Trump Derangement Syndrome controls Democratic Party
Sen. John Fetterman has taken yet another jab at his colleagues, saying on a podcast that Trump Derangement Syndrome controls a leaderless Democratic Party. During an appearance on the “All-In” podcast, host David Friedberg asked Fetterman to name the leader of the Democratic Party and the senator replied, “We don’t...
Pa. House Republicans hold on to key seats in special elections
Pennsylvania Republicans held on to two state House seats, critical to keeping them within striking range of majority control, in special elections Tuesday. Preliminary counts showed Catherine Wallen of York Springs had prevailed over Todd Crawley in the 193rd House District, covering parts of Adams and Cumberland counties. In Blair...
Pa. Senate passes bill to protect children, others by mandating safeguards for AI ‘friend’ bots
The state Senate on Tuesday passed a bill that would require AI chatbot operators to implement guardrails against self-harm and sexually explicit material, putting near-unanimous bipartisan support behind an idea that has also been endorsed by Gov. Josh Shapiro. The bill comes as polls show a growing public pushback to...
Josh Shapiro doesn’t take Bill Maher’s ‘bait’ about presidential bidVideo
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro was cagey Friday night about his presidential aspirations in an appearance on “Real Time with Bill Maher, ” but he spoke like someone who has his eyes set on 2028. “What is the story with always writing a book when you’re running for president?” Maher asked...
Western Pa. lawmakers secure $406M in federal earmarks for local projects
Congressional earmarks have returned in a big way this fiscal year, with $15.7 billion tucked into non-defense appropriations bills to support more than 8,000 projects nationwide. Western Pennsylvania’s congressional delegation has secured more than $406 million for nearly 200 government and nonprofit projects, records show. Those lawmakers have requested another...
Ex-Gettysburg mayor performed sex acts with teen during ‘late night talks’ on Skype: police
Gettysburg’s recently resigned mayor exchanged sexually explicit messages and photos with a teenage boy more than 10 years ago while working together at the community theater that he founded, police said. Chad-Alan Carr, 48, was the executive director of the Gettysburg Community Theater when the abuse happened in 2011-13, with...
Will independents ever get to vote in Pa. primaries? Advocates hope a lawsuit moves the needle.
Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan, and nonprofit newsroom producing investigative and public-service journalism that holds power to account and drives positive change in Pennsylvania. Sign up for our free newsletters. HARRISBURG — Supporters of opening Pennsylvania’s primaries to more than 1 million unaffiliated voters hope the courts will accomplish...
Pa. candidate Janelle Stelson proposes mandatory retirement at 80 for members of Congress
Janelle Stelson unveiled a package of Congressional reforms Tuesday to push for if elected from Pennsylvania’s 10th House District. To get there, Stelson must first win a contested Democratic primary against Dauphin County Commissioner Justin Douglas, and then prevail against Republican incumbent Scott Perry in the general election. The former...
Rare coins and diamond jewelry among items in Pa. Treasury’s unclaimed property auctionVideo
The Pennsylvania Treasury is auctioning more than 4,000 unclaimed items this month, from jewelry to coins. The auction is slated for March 25. Treasurer Stacy Garrity has provided an early preview of a few of the items that have been unearthed from the Treasury’s vault. Items up for bid have...
As the war rages, Sen. Dave McCormick worries about terrorists, says U.S. should avoid Iranian governance
CONSHOHOCKEN — U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick has strongly supported President Donald Trump’s decision to attack Iran, but he also warned Monday that the conflict “poses a threat here at home.” During a visit to two Conshohocken technology companies, the Pennsylvania Republican said that Iran has “proxies in the United States”...
Shapiro wants to incentivize data centers to be better neighbors. Will that work?
Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan, and nonprofit newsroom producing investigative and public-service journalism that holds power to account and drives positive change in Pennsylvania. Sign up for our free newsletters. HARRISBURG — Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro wants to incentivize data center developers to follow stricter environmental and transparency standards...
Pennsylvania state police trooper shot and killed in a traffic stop, authorities say
PAOLI — A Pennsylvania State Police trooper was shot and killed by a man he had pulled over in a traffic stop Sunday night, authorities said. Cpl. Tim O’Connor was killed as he approached the car when the driver fired from inside the vehicle, the state’s acting police commissioner, Lt....
AI is spurring a big expansion of high-voltage power lines. Landowners and locals are fighting back
SUGARLOAF, Pa. — For John Zola, the 40 acres were like a paradise: apple orchards tucked into northern Pennsylvania’s rolling hills, a barn, meadows and more than enough land for four houses: one for himself and his wife and each of his three adult children. It’s been “hell,” however, since...
Drug plan middlemen face new oversight push as Pa. pharmacies close
Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan, and nonprofit newsroom producing investigative and public-service journalism that holds power to account and drives positive change in Pennsylvania. Sign up for our free newsletters. HARRISBURG — Some Pennsylvania lawmakers want to give the state’s top prosecutor more power to take on pharmacy benefit...
Poll: Pa. voters have a more favorable opinion of Shapiro than Trump
Gov. Josh Shapiro remains more popular with Pennsylvania voters than President Donald Trump, according to a poll released Thursday. Half of Pennsylvania’s registered voters believe Shapiro is doing an “excellent” or “good” job in the state’s highest office, while 44% rate his performance as “fair” or “poor,” the Franklin &...
Demand for student teacher stipends outstrips supply as Shapiro proposes boosting program
Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan, and nonprofit newsroom producing investigative and public-service journalism that holds power to account and drives positive change in Pennsylvania. Sign up for our free newsletters. HARRISBURG — A stipend aimed at getting more student teachers into Pennsylvania schools and easing the commonwealth’s educator shortage...
Pennsylvania reports 12 measles cases in residents, including several in the Philly suburbs
Pennsylvania had 12 confirmed cases of measles among state residents and another two involving visitors to the state as of Tuesday, the state Department of Health said. Eight cases are associated with an outbreak in Lancaster County, where the state declared an outbreak involving five cases a month ago. The...
Philadelphia on the short list to host the 2028 Democratic National Convention
Philadelphia is one of five cities on a list of finalists to host the 2028 Democratic National Convention, a major gathering that could generate millions of dollars in economic impact for the city. Party officials are also considering Boston, Atlanta, Chicago and Denver, the Democratic National Committee announced Monday. Any...
Shapiro vows to block ICE detention centers, warns of devastating impact on local Pa. communities
This story was produced by the Berks County bureau of Spotlight PA, an independent, nonpartisan newsroom. READING — Gov. Josh Shapiro says he will use “every tool at his disposal” to stop planned ICE detention centers in Berks and Schuylkill Counties, though he stopped short of discussing what levers his...
ICE facilities are planned for Pa. Will the Shapiro admin sue to stop them?
This story was produced by the Berks County bureau of Spotlight PA, an independent, nonpartisan newsroom. Sign up for Good Day, Berks, a daily dose of essential local stories at spotlightpa.org/newsletters/gooddayberks. READING — Maryland’s attorney general is suing the federal government to prevent ICE from converting a warehouse into an...
Pa. drivers to receive over $1.4 million through national Walmart settlement
Pennsylvania is part of a $100 million multistate settlement that was reached with Walmart due to allegations that Walmart deceived customers and drivers who participated in its Spark Driver Program. Through the program, launched in 2018, nearly 1 million drivers nationwide made over 272 million deliveries to customers who ordered...
An angry Gov. Josh Shapiro pledges to block ICE detention centers in Pa.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro met with leaders in Berks and Schuylkill counties Thursday as those communities confront the planned federal conversion of two warehouses into ICE detention centers, pledging to do everything possible to block the Trump administration’s plans in the state. Shapiro, a Democrat who first opposed the potential...
Poll: 4 in 10 Pa. voters think Josh Shapiro would make a good president
Nearly 6 in 10 Pennsylvania voters think Josh Shapiro is doing a good job as governor, but only 4 in 10 think he’d be a good president, according to a new poll. The Quinnipiac University poll released this week showed that 56% of registered voters approve of the job Shapiro...
Surging natural gas prices in Pa. could mean higher utility bills
Wholesale natural gas prices in Pennsylvania surged 71% last year, according to a new report, likely leading to higher residential utility bills. The Independent Fiscal Office, a state agency that supplies lawmakers in Harrisburg with revenue projections and economic analysis, released its quarterly natural gas report Wednesday. It found the...
