Pennsylvania category, Page 2
Pennsylvania joins multi-state lawsuit against EPA for repealing Greenhouse Gas Endangerment Finding
Pennsylvania has joined 21 other states in a lawsuit challenging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s repeal of the 2009 Greenhouse Gas Endangerment Finding. On March 19, Gov. Josh Shapiro signed onto a lawsuit over the February finding that the EPA lacks statutory authority under Section 202(a) of the Clean Air...
Pa. House votes to boost state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2029
The state House voted Tuesday afternoon to boost Pennsylvania’s minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2029. Pennsylvania’s minimum wage has been $7.25 an hour since 2009. “If you work hard, you shouldn’t have to worry about your next meal or having a roof over your head. Pennsylvania needs a...
Pennsylvania deer season opener: Bill introduced for return to Monday tradition
Two state senators said Monday they introduced legislation to restore Pennsylvania’s deer firearms season opener to the first Monday after Thanksgiving. It’s a tradition they say the state wrongfully disrupted in shifting opening day to the Saturday after Thanksgiving in 2019. Sen. Gene Yaw, R-Lycoming County, and Sen. Lisa Boscola,...
Kermit Gosnell, West Philadelphia abortion doctor convicted of murder, dies while serving prison term
Kermit Gosnell, the infamous West Philadelphia abortion doctor who was sentenced to life in prison on murder and manslaughter convictions in 2013, has died. Gosnell, 85, died earlier this month at a hospital, the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections said. He was most recently being held at State Correctional Institution Smithfield...
Shapiro parodies and chatbot phone banks — how AI is popping up in Pa. elections
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 — Candidates for office in Pennsylvania are using AI tools to generate parody images of their rivals, create...
John Fetterman doubles down on ‘TDS’ claim in face of historically bad pollingVideo
Sen. John Fetterman did not back down in the face of historically bad polling numbers in his appearance this weekend on Fox News’ “My View” with Lara Trump. Fetterman entered the day fresh off a new Quinnipiac poll that showed him at -40 in favorability rating with Pennsylvania Democrats. That...
Fetterman hit with brutal 108-point polling swing among Pennsylvania Democrats
Sen. John Fetterman’s political future is not looking bright if he decides to stay in the Democratic Party. At least that’s what a recent Quinnipiac poll, which was highlighted by CNN data guru Harry Enten during his most recent segment, suggests. The polling showed that Fetterman was at +68 with...
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...
