Pennsylvania category, Page 123
Whither #MeToo? Chilling effect of Cosby reversal feared
When Indira Henard, director of the DC Rape Crisis Center, received the text message Wednesday, she thought she wasn’t reading her phone correctly. “Indira oh my god,” said the message from a colleague. “Cosby’s walking out of prison.” “I put on the news and there it was, and my heart...
‘Horrified’ and ‘finally’; reaction varies on Cosby release
NEW YORK — Reaction to Wednesday’s Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling overturning Bill Cosby’s sexual assault conviction, allowing him to be released from from prison: “Mr. Cosby should never have been prosecuted for these offenses. District attorneys can’t change it up simply because of their political motivation.” — Cosby appellate lawyer...
Cosby’s release leaves accusers dismayed, but women’s advocates say no court can erase their ‘courage and resolve’
PHILADELPHIA — It was late morning in Las Vegas when a caretaker told Autumn Burns that Bill Cosby was about to be released from prison. Assuming it had to be a joke, Burns responded: “Oh, come on.” Then the news flickered on, and Burns, who is 74 and blind, listened...
Wolf signs off on revisions to Pennsylvania medical pot law
HARRISBURG — Medical marijuana patients can continue to get a three month’s supply at a time, rather than one month’s, under revisions to the Pennsylvania program signed into law Wednesday by Gov. Tom Wolf. The bill makes it easier for producers to remove contaminants such as yeast and mold from...
Hempfield resident John Ventre announces bid for Pa. governor
Hempfield Republican John Ventre said he’s been stewing for years, believing Gov. Tom Wolf’s “one size fits all and scorched earth policies” hurt state residents. Ventre, 64, announced Wednesday he is running for governor in 2022. Wolf, a Democrat, will leave office in 2023 because of term limits. “You don’t...
Pennsylvania governor vetoes GOP-led election overhaul, citing voter ID restrictions
This article is made possible through Votebeat, a nonpartisan reporting project covering local election integrity and voting access. This article is available for reprint under the terms of Votebeat’s republishing policy. HARRISBURG — Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf vetoed a Republican rewrite of Pennsylvania’s Election Code on Wednesday, making clear his...
U.S. holiday travel expected to approach pre-pandemic levels
Americans are expected to travel in near-record numbers over the July 4 holiday despite the increased cost of gasoline, rental cars and hotel rooms, according to the trade group AAA. “Americans are ready to catch up on those missed opportunities with their friends and families from last year, especially to...
Bill Cosby released from prison after sex assault conviction overturned by Pa. Supreme Court
PHILADELPHIA — Pennsylvania’s highest court threw out Bill Cosby’s sexual assault conviction and released him from prison Wednesday in a stunning reversal of fortune for the comedian once known as “America’s Dad,” ruling that the prosecutor who brought the case was bound by his predecessor’s agreement not to charge Cosby....
Pa. covid hospitalizations drop to levels not seen since early days of pandemic
Pennsylvania’s covid-19 hospitalizations dropped to a level not seen since the early days of the coronavirus pandemic. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, there are 313 covid-19 patients currently hospitalized throughout the state. That’s the lowest total since March 27, 2020, when there were 252 people hospitalized. The state’s...
Pittsburgh, Philadelphia move ahead with plastic bag bans as Pa.’s preemption nears its end
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 — Cities and townships hoping to ban plastic bags within their borders may finally have the legal authority to do...
Wolf signs $40M budget package, celebrates public school funding
HARRISBURG — Gov. Tom Wolf on Wednesday signed a roughly $40 billion budget package that passed last week, as he touted the importance of new funding for public schools. The hundreds of pages of budget legislation emerged publicly from closed-door negotiations on Friday and won approval within hours in the...
Pennsylvania bill to legalize cocktails to-go stalls, on hold for summer
Cocktails to-go will remain a no-go in Pennsylvania until at least the fall, when state lawmakers are scheduled to return from their summer break. The state Senate decided to shelve a measure regarding to-go drinks because the House removed a provision championed by state Sen. Mike Regan, R-York County, that...
Google launches new ‘Find Food Support’ interactive site
One in nine people in Pennsylvania face hunger, according to the Feeding America Network, which claims to be the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization. With that in mind, Google has created a new site called “Find Food Support.” The site launched Monday. The idea behind it is to make it...
33 train cars derail in eastern Pennsylvania; no injuries, spills
GOLDSBORO — Authorities say dozens of freight train cars derailed in Pennsylvania, but no injuries or hazardous spills were reported. Chief Steve Lutz of the Newberry Township police force said 33 of the 133 cars on the eastbound Norfolk Southern train derailed and overturned shortly after 3 p.m. Monday in...
Aid for schools, overtime rule were key trade in Pennsylvania budget deal
HARRISBURG — A key trade that sealed a budget deal between Gov. Tom Wolf and Republicans who control the Legislature was a $100 million injection of cash into Pennsylvania’s poorest public schools in exchange for the governor backing off a regulatory expansion of eligibility for overtime pay. Wolf, a Democrat,...
Advocates for changes to reapportionment and the statute of limitations vow to fight on
State lawmakers left Harrisburg for the summer last week, but the advocates who clamored unsuccessfully for legislative changes say they aren’t giving up. Two of the most vocal groups — the organizations that promoted legislation on congressional and legislative reapportionment and those who pushed for the adoption of a window...
Former Gov. Tom Ridge discharged from hospital, begins rehab therapy
Former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge, who suffered a stroke on June 16, was discharged Sunday from a Washington, D.C., area hospital to begin rehabilitation therapy, according to a Ridge spokesman. In a statement Monday, Ridge spokesman Steve Aaron said the former governor had been “immediately transferred” to a rehabilitation facility...
Amish put faith in God’s will and herd immunity over vaccine
When health care leaders in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch country began laying out a strategy to distribute covid-19 vaccines, they knew it would be a tough sell with the Amish, who tend to be wary of preventive shots and government intervention. Early on, they posted flyers at farm supply...
Police: Philadelphia officers trying to aid shooting victim fired upon
PHILADELPHIA — Police say officers trying to load the victim of a north Philadelphia shooting into a police vehicle to take him to the hospital came under fire over the weekend. Officers responded to a report of gunshots just before 11 p.m. Sunday and found a 19-year-old man with a...
Pennsylvania 4-H virtual program to teach kids to curb carbon appetite
People may not always pay attention to how their daily actions impact the environment — but a statewide virtual 4-H program will aim to teach students about how activities as simple as packing a lunch can have environmental consequences. With a program dubbed Curbing Our Carbon Appetite, students will from...
Republican lawmakers send Wolf election bill he’s vowed to veto
HARRISBURG — A bill to require voter ID and make a host of other changes to Pennsylvania election law passed the state Senate on Friday on party lines and is on its way to the Democratic governor, who plans to veto it. Senators voted on party lines, 29-21, for the...
Valedictorian’s mic cut during graduation speech while talking about being part of the LGBTQ community
PHILADELPHIA — A South Jersey valedictorian had his microphone cut out and his notes crumpled on stage by his principal during his high school graduation speech when he began to touch on his experience as a member of the LGBTQ community. Bryce Dershem, who graduated from Eastern Regional High School...
Pennsylvania mask mandate ends Monday
Pennsylvanians can go maskless starting next week unless it is required by the business or building they’re in. The state mask mandate will expire at 12:01 a.m. Monday as promised, Department of Health officials said Friday. “We are continuing to make progress toward stopping the spread of covid-19 throughout the...
Police break up exorcism at Eastern Pa. Home Depot
Police in Lackawanna County broke up an exorcism in the lumber aisle of a home-improvement store Monday. Details are scarce on just what was going on inside the Home Depot on Commerce Drive in Dickson City Monday afternoon, but police were called around 3:26 p.m. to escort several people out...
Stalemate breaks on mixed drinks to go for Pennsylvania bars, restaurants
It looks as if Pennsylvania’s bars and restaurants are inching closer to regaining the authority to sell take-out margaritas, screwdrivers, fuzzy navels or any other of a number of mixed drinks. The state House voted 170-31 on Thursday to pass a stripped-down version of a bill that dropped broader liquor...
