Pennsylvania category, Page 164
Pennsylvania’s gun background check system sets record
Gun buyers in Pennsylvania between July and September gave the state’s background check system its busiest quarter in its 22-year history, already surpassing 2019’s total so far this year. A record 406,151 background checks were completed between July 1 and Sept. 30, a 55% increase from the same time in...
Philadelphia officials express alarm over 2020 gun violence
Philadelphia officials expressed alarm at surging gun violence this year that has already caused more homicides than were recorded in all of last year — and which continued Tuesday with more killings. Commissioner Danielle Outlaw told reporters Tuesday that police were “working very diligently and passionately toward the goal of...
Pennsylvania reports 1,376 new coronavirus cases, 27 new deaths
Pennsylvania on Thursday reported a third day of over 1,000 new covid-19 cases, along with 27 new deaths attributed to the coronavirus. The state Department of Health reported 1,376 cases, the highest single day increase in cases since April 30. That brings the total number of cases to 167,928 since...
Allegheny, Westmoreland surpass 2010 census response rates
Despite months of uncertainty surrounding the end date for the census, self-response rates in Westmoreland and Allegheny counties have surpassed 2010 rates. According to a census map, about 72% of people have responded in Allegheny County compared to 71.3% of people a decade ago, while 73.1% of people in Westmoreland...
‘Naked Celebs’ star in political PSA about ‘naked ballots,’ following example of Allegheny County polsVideo
It’s not enough for Pennsylvania elected officials to get naked to promote proper voting procedures in the November election. Celebrities are getting in on the action, too. In a viral video released today, titled “These Naked Celebs Have an Important Message for Voters,” well-known comedians and actors are shown naked...
Pennsylvania reports 2nd-highest new coronavirus case total since May
Pennsylvania added more than 1,300 new coronavirus cases Wednesday, its second-highest daily total since May. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, there were 1,309 positive cases of covid-19, bringing the state total to 166,552. Besides the two-day total of 2,251 reported on Oct. 3, it’s the highest daily total...
State representative calls for impeachment of Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice Wecht
A Pennsylvania House representative is calling for the impeachment of state Supreme Court Justice David N. Wecht, contending that he is legislating from the bench. Rep. Frank Ryan, R-Lebanon, introduced House Resolution 1044 on Tuesday criticizing Wecht for judicial activism in recent cases: the 2018 case on redistricting, as well...
Pa. high school teacher admits exposing himself, photographing female students in class
A Pennsylvania math teacher accused of using his high school classroom to act out his sexual obsessions is pleading guilty to criminal charges. As WFMZ 69 News reports, Francis James Reppert Jr., 27, of Quakertown pleaded guilty Tuesday to indecent exposure and invasion of privacy after he was caught last...
Gov. Wolf eases crowd restrictions, but not many shows ready to go on
Pennsylvania’s easing of restrictions on large gatherings provides some breathing room to event organizers during the pandemic — but don’t expect to see the likes of concerts, Broadway shows, parades and other crowd-drawing entertainment to resume in force anytime soon. The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, one of the region’s largest nonprofit...
Auditor General: Pennsylvania’s pandemic business waiver program is subjective
During the statewide covid-19 shutdown and business closures this year, there was no consistency in granting waivers to those wishing to stay open, an ongoing investigation by the auditor general has found. Auditor General Eugene DePasquale gave an update Tuesday on an audit started in May. The investigation so far...
Pennsylvania reports 1,036 new covid-19 cases
Pennsylvania reported 1,036 new covid-19 cases Tuesday, according to the state Department of Health. There were 17 new coronavirus-related deaths, as well. Of those, one is from May, 11 from September and five from October. The new figures bring total cases to 165,243 and total deaths to 8,244 in Pennsylvania....
Penn State delays spring semester’s start, cancels spring break
Penn State students will be going back to school one week late, following a series of changes made to the spring semester aimed at making on-campus learning safer amid the covid-19 pandemic. Officials announced plans for the 2021 spring semester Sunday, which include a later start date in January, continuation...
Pat Toomey’s announced exit sends Pennsylvania politicos scrambling
Monday’s confirmation by U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Lehigh Valley, that he will call it quits in 2022 and not run to become the next governor of Pennsylvania set the stage for an early scramble among candidates now that two statewide seats will be open. “All of the Republican politicos just...
Pennsylvania adds 672 new covid cases, 11 new deaths
There were 672 new cases of coronavirus announced in Pennsylvania on Monday, according to a report from the state’s Department of Health. In the past seven days, 7,381 covid cases have been added to the state’s total of 164,207. It’s the fourth day the seven-day total has surpassed 7,000 cases,...
3 blow up ATM in open Chinese restaurant in Philadelphia, flee without cash
Three men blew up an ATM in a Chinese takeout restaurant in Philadelphia while the establishment was still open but were unable to get any cash, police said. The men entered the Golden Chinese/American takeout restaurant in northwest Philadelphia shortly after 9 p.m. Friday and ordered food, police said. They...
3 sex assaults reported in Penn State dorms over weekend
A warning alert went out to Penn State students in State College about three separate sexual assaults reported in dorms this weekend. As WJAC-TV reports, Penn State campus police are investigating three separate sexual assaults that occurred early Saturday morning — including an alleged attack in a women’s restroom. Police...
Toomey confirms he won’t run for another Senate term or governor in 2022
U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, a Lehigh Valley Republican, on Monday announced he will call it quits in 2022 after a combined total of 18 years in Congress. At a news conference near his home in suburban Allentown, Toomey said he will serve out the final two years of his second...
Pa. agency websites back online after weekend technical issue
A technical issue that affected the online services of multiple state agencies over the weekend appeared to have been fixed as of early Monday. Online Voter Registration and other services on the Department of State, Department of Revenue, Department of Human Services and the Liquor Control Board websites were having...
Pennsylvania reports 2,251 new coronavirus cases, 37 new deaths over past 2 days
Pennsylvania on Sunday reported 2,251 new cases and 37 new deaths attributed to the coronavirus for the past two days. The state Department of Health said a technical issue caused a delay in Saturday’s reporting and the need to report a two-day total Sunday. The state has generally stopped issuing...
Report: Sen. Pat Toomey may not seek reelection
Sen. Pat Toomey, Pennsylvania’s highest-ranking Republican in office, is expected to talk about his future plans Monday. A spokesman for Toomey, R-Lehigh Valley, would not confirm or deny a Sunday report by the Philadelphia Inquirer that he will not seek re-election to the Senate. Toomey will make an announcement at...
Hershey School proposes $350M network of 6 early childhood centers in Pa.
Spotlight PA is an independent, non-partisan newsroom powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with PennLive/The Patriot-News, TribLIVE/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and WITF Public Media. Sign up for our free weekly newsletter. The super-rich Milton S. Hershey School for poor children, which has faced criticism over how few students it helps, has...
A changing story by police on a rural Pa. shooting helped fuel white vigilantes and misinformation
Spotlight PA is an independent, non-partisan newsroom powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with PennLive/The Patriot-News, TribLIVE/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and WITF Public Media. Sign up for our free weekly newsletter. SCHELLSBURG, Pa. — It was a bit after 11 p.m. in late August when Frank Nitty and a group of...
How Pa. state troopers seize big money from drivers, many of whom are never charged
Spotlight PA is an independent, non-partisan newsroom powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with PennLive/The Patriot-News, TribLIVE/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and WITF Public Media. Sign up for our free weekly newsletter. This article is a collaboration with The Appeal. HARRISBURG — Since 2017, Pennsylvania State Police has seized $608,000 in cash...
Trump’s condition spurs new chapter as campaign enters final month
President Donald Trump, diagnosed with covid-19, might dispute the comparison — but it’s been 60 years since a presidential candidate was waylaid by health issues during a campaign. The closest analogy is 1960, when then-Vice President Richard Nixon was facing off against John F. Kennedy, said William A. Galston, a...
How reliable are 2020 polls after they had Clinton leading Trump four years ago?Video
It wasn’t quite “Dewey Beats Truman,” but voters who assumed the polls and predictions of a Hillary Clinton victory had a rude awakening on Nov. 9, 2016. Clinton, who led most state- level polls throughout October, fell short in her quest for the White House. Donald Trump won the race...
