Pennsylvania category, Page 17
Public health officials in Pa. won’t say how they’d handle a $500M cut sought by Trump admin
This story first appeared in How We Care, a weekly newsletter by Spotlight PA featuring original reporting and perspectives on how we care for one another at all stages of life. Pennsylvania health officials are facing down a potential $500 million loss of federal funding, but are tight-lipped about which...
Feds OK settlement between Shapiro, grid manager to control electricity prices
Federal regulators approved a deal between Gov. Josh Shapiro and PJM Interconnection to limit some electricity price hikes. PJM is a regional transmission organization, which works to secure generation capacity for utility companies within its 13-state network. It holds annual auctions in which the lowest bidder earns the right —...
Gov. Shapiro denounces violence in recounting arson attack in New York Times guest essay
Gov. Josh Shapiro recounted the arson attack that burned through his Harrisburg home earlier this month, penning a guest essay published Wednesday in the New York Times. A state trooper alerted Shapiro and his wife, Lori, of the fire just after 2 a.m. April 13. They escaped without injury from...
Logging poised to accelerate in Allegheny National Forest under emergency declaration
Swaths of Allegheny National Forest in northwestern Pennsylvania could be on the chopping block as the federal government moves to increase logging in national forests across the country, a move environmental advocates say could leave lasting harm. In a memo released this month, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins put...
Justice Department drops lawsuit accusing Pennsylvania city of diluting power of Hispanic voters
HARRISBURG — The U.S. Justice Department has withdrawn its lawsuit that accused a heavily Hispanic city in Pennsylvania of illegally diluting the political power of its growing Hispanic population. U.S. District Judge Karoline Mehalchick in Scranton approved the dismissal of the case against Hazleton on Tuesday, a day after the...
Gov. Shapiro reopens fire-damaged residence to the public as cleanup goes on
HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro reopened the governor’s official residence to the public Tuesday for an Easter egg hunt barely a week after an alleged arsonist’s fire tore through one of its wings and said he will begin sleeping there again soon. “I’m not going to live in fear,”...
Carnegie Mellon president joins university leaders in condemning ‘unprecedented government overreach’
Presidents of nearly 200 U.S. colleges and universities, including a dozen in Pennsylvania, have co-signed a letter condemning what they called “unprecedented government overreach and political interference” by the federal government. Carnegie Mellon University President Farnam Jahanian was the lone co-signer from a Southwestern Pennsylvania institution. A Carnegie Mellon spokeswoman...
Brian Fitzpatrick raised $1.22 million this quarter as Democrats plan to target his Pa. district in the 2026 midterms
PHILADELPHIA — Pennsylvania Republican incumbent congressional lawmakers have dominated fundraising in the first quarter of 2025, according to campaign finance reports, likely preparing to protect their seats and the House majority in the 2026 midterms. Leading the pack is U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa, a moderate Republican representing Bucks County...
Glitches, unproven tech in Pa.’s new financial aid system exacerbated delays for thousands of students
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. By October, the scale of the crisis was clear. State grants that thousands of students were counting on to pay for college were weeks behind...
Listen to the 911 call Cody Balmer placed after allegedly setting fire to Gov. Josh Shapiro’s mansionVideo
PHILADELPHIA — In a roughly minute-long phone call to Dauphin County 911, the man accused of setting three fires in Gov. Josh Shapiro’s official residence told dispatchers Pennsylvania’s chief executive needed to leave his family and friends alone. “Gov. Josh Shapiro needs to know that Cody Balmer will not take...
Former Pa. State Police commissioner hired to investigate security breach that led to governor’s mansion arson
PHILADELPHIA — A former commissioner of the Pennsylvania State Police who later served as chief of security for the National Football League will conduct an independent security review of the arson attack on the governor’s mansion in Harrisburg, the current head of the state police announced Friday. Jeffrey B. Miller,...
The arson at Gov. Josh Shapiro’s mansion erupted within minutes. The effect lingers
HARRISBURG — The pounding of fists on the governor’s bedroom door was loud and urgent. The mansion was on fire, a state trooper yelled, and Pennsylvania’s first family needed to get out immediately. Gov. Josh Shapiro and his wife, Lori, jumped out of bed and rushed from room to room...
The people who represent you in D.C. and Harrisburg are allowed to keep their calendars secret
This story originally appeared in Talk of the Town, a weekly newsletter of local stories that dig deep, events, and more from the Spotlight PA State College bureau. Sign up at spotlightpa.org/newsletters/talkofthetown. STATE COLLEGE — Since President Donald Trump’s inauguration, multiple protests have been held outside U.S. Rep. Glenn Thompson’s...
Mack Trucks to lay off hundreds of workers at Pa. plant, with company blaming tariffs, other factors
Mack Trucks will lay off 250 to 350 workers at its Lehigh Valley Operations plant in Lower Macungie Township because of tariffs and other economic factors. A Mack spokesperson said heavy-duty truck orders “continue to be negatively affected by market uncertainty about freight rates and demand, possible regulatory changes, and...
Gov. Shapiro talks about arson attack in ‘Good Morning America’ interview
In an interview with “Good Morning America” on Friday, Gov. Josh Shapiro condemned the rise of politically motivated threats in the wake of the attempted homicide and arson attack April 13 at the Governor’s Residence. “It’s real,” Shapiro told co-host George Stephanopoulos. “I mean, this is sadly a real part...
Some Pennsylvania Jews reminded of Tree of Life shooting after arson attack on Gov. Josh Shapiro’s home
HARRISBURG — A year ago, Carole Zawatsky was invited by Gov. Josh Shapiro to a Passover Seder, held in the same room at the governor’s official residence that was devastated by an arsonist just hours after Shapiro hosted this year’s Jewish holiday feast. Now, as she looks at photos of...
Security review planned for Gov. Shapiro’s official residence after arson attack
HARRISBURG — An independent expert will review security at Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s official residence after investigators accused a man of scaling a wall and setting fire to the mansion, state police said Wednesday. State police said the review will be a risk and vulnerability assessment of the governor’s official...
Pa. Gov. Shapiro was targeted for ‘what he wants to do to Palestinian people,’ warrant shows
The suspect in the arson attack at the Governor’s Residence targeted Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro because of his perceived stance on Palestine, according to a search warrant obtained by PennLive. The suspect, Cody Balmer, called 911 following the attack early Sunday, identified himself by name and told operators Shapiro needs...
Measles cases in Pa. remain low amid national outbreak, but vaccine hesitancy lays groundwork for spread
This story first appeared in How We Care, a weekly newsletter by Spotlight PA featuring original reporting and perspectives on how we care for one another at all stages of life. This year marked the first death from measles in the United States since 2015 — and the second and...
Man accused of trying to kill Gov. Shapiro lost his home, tried suicide, was melting down
There was a time in Cody Balmer’s life where, from the outside, you might say things were on an even keel. He was a married homeowner, working full-time as an auto mechanic at a well-regarded shop, and a fixture at his kid’s youth sports events. “Always seemed like a hardworking...
Officials work to uncover the motive for fire set at Pa. governor’s residence
HARRISBURG — Investigators worked Tuesday to uncover the motive behind an arson fire over the weekend at Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s mansion, the latest act of political violence in the U.S. They dug into Cody Balmer’s background after, authorities say, he scaled an iron security fence in the middle of...
Key security questions remain unanswered in arson at Governor’s Residence
It remained unclear how a man evaded security to firebomb the Pennsylvania Governor’s Residence in an attack that has been decried by elected officials and religious leaders. But the attack is merely the latest in what appears to be a rising tide of violence against elected officials. Recent incidents include...
Video/photo gallery: Act of arson at Gov. Josh Shapiro’s residenceVideo
Pa. Gov. Josh Shapiro and the Pennsylvania State Police give an update on the act of arson at the Pennsylvania governor’s residence early Sunday morning, April 13, 2025. The fire left a significant amount of damage. The man, who was arrested later in the day, faces charges including attempted homicide,...
Judge denies bail for man accused of setting fire at Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s residence
HARRISBURG — A man who allegedly scaled an iron security fence in the middle of the night, eluded police and set fire to the Pennsylvania governor’s mansion was denied bail Monday as he faced charges including attempted homicide, terrorism and arson. Cody Balmer spoke with a public defender at...
What to know about Gov. Josh Shapiro and the alleged arson at his official residence
sHARRISBURG — A man is facing charges after authorities say he broke into the Pennsylvania governor’s mansion in the middle of the night Sunday morning, set a fire that left significant damage and forced Gov. Josh Shapiro, his family and guests to evacuate the building during the Jewish holiday of...
