Pennsylvania category, Page 111
Red wave in Western Pennsylvania ring counties leaves Allegheny a blue island
A red wave that has been building in Southwestern Pennsylvania for a decade broke loose, washing over the region with a vengeance Tuesday, leaving only Allegheny County reliably blue when the votes were counted. In statewide judicial races that topped the ballot, Republican candidates who carried the day outpolled Democrats...
Gov. Wolf describes having wife drop off ballot as honest mistake
HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf said his mail-in ballot was dropped off by his wife before Tuesday’s election despite a state law requirement that voters deliver them in person. Wolf’s spokeswoman Beth Rementer called it an honest mistake. “I did vote, actually I voted by mail,” Wolf said Tuesday...
Wreckage of missing plane found; pilot remains missing
ORLEANS, Mass. — State police divers have found the wreckage of the small plane that went down in the ocean off the coast of Cod Cod last weekend, but the pilot remains missing. The plane was found Thursday about 3.5 miles east of Orleans in 70 to 80 feet of...
Lady Luck smiles on Westmoreland, Allegheny lottery players through scratch-off winningsVideo
The wallets of hundreds of Allegheny and Westmoreland county residents got a little thicker last month after a slew of players won thousands of dollars through scratch-off lottery tickets. In Westmoreland, one person won a $500,000 top prize, with two others winning $250,000, according to the Pennsylvania Lottery. Two people...
10 years later, Sandusky scandal at Penn State has opened the door to others coming to light, experts say
Few saw it coming. Even fewer had any idea that a Nov. 5, 2011, grand jury report that unmasked retired Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky as a serial pedophile would trigger a tidal wave worldwide. “When the scandal at Penn State broke, it was as though it radically changed...
Self-defense or murder? Pennsylvania woman charged in fatal stabbing headed to trial
BELLEFONTE — Centre County prosecutors have enough evidence to go to trial against a woman accused of killing a man inside her Penns Valley home, a county district judge ruled this week. Brittany Guisewhite, 28, saw felony charges of third-degree murder, voluntary manslaughter and aggravated assault move forward after a...
Pa. lawmaker pushing to eliminate Native American mascots, images for sports teams
A Pennsylvania lawmaker is introducing legislation that would ban schools from using Native American mascots. Rep. Chris Rabb, D-Philadelphia, said more than 60 schools and sports teams in Pennsylvania still use or refer to indigenous culture in their mascots and logos. “For far too long, Indigenous peoples have faced discrimination,...
Philadelphia bans traffic stops for minor infractions
PHILADELPHIA — The mayor ordered police Wednesday to stop pulling over drivers for low-level offenses that critics say lead to disproportionate stops of minority drivers, making Philadelphia the largest city government in the U.S. to ban what are sometimes called pretextual stops. The executive order from Mayor Jim Kenney puts...
Republican Kevin Brobson wins seat on Pennsylvania Supreme Court as GOP appears poised to sweep appellate races
Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan 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 newsletters. HARRISBURG — Republican Kevin Brobson edged out Democrat Maria McLaughlin to win a spot on Pennsylvania’s highest court, ending a contentious...
Defense begins in trial of Philadelphia official, union boss
PHILADELPHIA — Prosecutors put on sufficient trial evidence over four weeks to send corruption charges against a powerful Philadelphia labor leader and city council member to a jury, a federal judge ruled Tuesday. The judge rejected a defense request to dismiss the case against union boss Johnny “Doc” Dougherty and...
Judge: DA can’t drop charge in handcuffed prisoner shooting
YORK — A Pennsylvania judge once again denied a county prosecutor’s request to drop a misdemeanor charge against a former police officer who shot a man in handcuffs outside a bank 2 1/2 years ago. York County President Judge Maria Musti Cook issued the ruling Monday in the case of...
Pennsylvania state employees who get vaccinated to receive 5 paid days off
HARRISBURG — Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration told more than 70,000 state employees on Monday that it is offering five days of paid leave for getting fully vaccinated against covid-19 by the end of the year, quickly drawing opposition from the state treasurer over the potential cost. The administration told employees...
Have you seen this vehicle? State College police ask for public’s help after armed robbery
STATE COLLEGE — State College police released a composite photo of a vehicle Monday in an attempt to find the gunman who reportedly robbed a bus terminal and assaulted a worker. Borough police did not release details about the vehicle, including the year, make or model. A man entered the...
Police: Pa. boy, 11, stabbed to death in struggle over toy
GILLETT — An 11-year-old boy was stabbed to death during a scuffle with a 9-year-old boy over a toy in northern Pennsylvania over the weekend, authorities said. State police in Bradford County said the boys were playing with foam-based toys shortly after 8 p.m. Saturday at a Ridgebury Township residence...
Pennsylvania trooper shoots, kills man armed with knife
HARRISBURG — A Pennsylvania state trooper shot and killed a man who refused to drop a knife during a confrontation on Halloween, authorities said. Troopers had responded to a domestic complaint in West Hanover Township where they said Glenn Custer, 59, of Harrisburg, was acting erratically and was armed with...
State College police issue safety warnings following robbery at bus terminal
Police issued several safety alerts Sunday afternoon after an armed robbery was reported at the Fullington bus terminal in State College. A man entered 152 N. Atherton St. at about 2:50 p.m. Sunday, struck a worker with a pistol, stole money from the register and fled, police wrote in a...
Faculty job cuts on the horizon at 2 Pa. state universities
More than two dozen professors at two Pennsylvania state universities slated for consolidation next year received notices that their jobs are in jeopardy. The intent to layoff notices went out to 23 faculty members at Lock Haven University and three at Mansfield University, according to the Association of Pennsylvania College...
Poll: Economy, mistrust of government, covid-19 continue to drive voters’ decisions
Lewis McClain vividly remembers the double-digit mortgage rates of the early 1980s, and the 83-year-old Edinboro Democrat is afraid the country is headed in that direction again. “I don’t agree with all this stimulus money giveaway,” McClain said. “All of this is going to be very inflationary. It has been...
A full guide to Pa.’s Supreme Court election and other appellate judicial races
Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan 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 newsletters. HARRISBURG — On Tuesday, voters statewide will have the opportunity to choose a new justice for the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, as...
Despite transparency vows, much of Pa.’s redistricting still takes place behind closed doors
This article is part of a yearlong reporting project focused on redistricting and gerrymandering in Pennsylvania. It is made possible by the support of Spotlight PA members and Votebeat, a project focused on election integrity and voting access. HARRISBURG — This year’s monumental redrawing of Pennsylvania’s political maps was preceded...
Powerful special interests are pouring millions into Pa. Supreme Court race
Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan 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 newsletters. HARRISBURG — Labor unions, lawyers, and a political committee with ties to a billionaire advocate for school choice are underwriting the...
Josh Shapiro breaks with Gov. Wolf over strategy on climate changeVideo
HARRISBURG — Josh Shapiro, the Democratic candidate for governor, is breaking with Gov. Tom Wolf on the centerpiece of Wolf’s plan to fight climate change amid the strong and sustained pushback it has received from building trades unions that have long backed the party’s candidates for governor. Wolf — a...
Pa. Lottery awards ‘humongous’ 10-year contracts that will modernize its business
The Pennsylvania Lottery is about to undergo a modernization with new equipment, new signage and a new app. The changes will be rolled out over the course of the coming year as part of the recent execution of the commonwealth’s most lucrative technology contracts to Las Vegas-based Scientific Games Corp....
State archaeology workshops will focus on free Black communities in Pennsylvania
The State Museum of Pennsylvania will hold its annual archaeology workshops virtually on Saturday, focusing on stories of Black history told through the lens of archaeology. University of Maryland professor Cheryl LaRoche will present “Free Black Communities and Archaeology” as the day’s keynote presentation. LaRoche is a founding member of...
Senate OKs bill to criminalize fleeing arrest on foot
HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania’s state Senate on Tuesday approved a bill that would make it a crime to flee a police officer who is trying to arrest them, and an additional crime if a police dog is hurt in the pursuit. The bill passed, 36-14, with every Republican and seven of...
