Pennsylvania category, Page 86
4th county adds to ballot dispute as candidate sues to quit
HARRISBURG — A judge deciding if three Pennsylvania counties have to certify May primary vote counts including ballots lacking dates on their return envelopes learned this week that a fourth county is in the same situation — and there may be more. The legal dispute has held up certification of...
Penn State did not prove its legal standing to have public court filing sealed, experts say
This story was produced by the State College regional bureau of Spotlight PA, an independent, nonpartisan newsroom dedicated to investigative and public-service journalism for Pennsylvania. Sign up for our regional newsletter, Talk of the Town. STATE COLLEGE — Penn State did not prove it had legal standing to request the...
Pa. police department swears in mini horse to its force
A borough in Lancaster County was looking to improve its police-community relations and swore in a new police officer to carry out that mission — a 330-pound miniature horse. On Aug. 2, Officer McGillicuddy was sworn into the Quarryville Police Department as a “community relations specialist.” Quarryville Mayor Anthony Cavallaro...
Pennsylvania continues to fund antiabortion organization in new budget
As it’s done for years, the state of Pennsylvania approved funding in the budget it passed last month to support the antiabortion movement, some of it with money diverted from cash assistance for people in poverty. The allotments — $6.2 million from the state and $1 million from federal TANF,...
Pennsylvania aims to fight robocalls by joining task force that would sue scammers
Tired of annoying robocalls? Pennsylvania is joining a new task force that aims to help reduce the number that you receive. State attorney general Josh Shapiro announced this week that Pennsylvania has joined an Anti-Robocall Litigation Task Force. The task force, made up of 50 attorneys general, aims to investigate...
Pa. Supreme Court upholds no-excuse mail voting ahead of midterms
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 — The state Supreme Court has upheld Pennsylvania’s mail ballot law, preserving for the time being a popular voting method...
Penn State avoids questions over handling of sex extortion of student athletes
This story was produced by the State College regional bureau of Spotlight PA, an independent, nonpartisan newsroom dedicated to investigative and public-service journalism for Pennsylvania. Sign up for our regional newsletter, Talk of the Town. STATE COLLEGE — More than two weeks after unsealed search warrants revealed at least one...
Inflation is hitting ACA health insurance plans in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvanians who plan to shop later this year on the state’s Affordable Care Act exchange are unlikely to find shelter from the inflation that has engulfed other areas of the economy, according to a preview offered Monday by the Pennsylvania Insurance Department. The insurance department said health insurers requested a...
Bonus property tax and rent rebate arriving soon for eligible Pennsylvanians
Older and disabled Pennsylvanians who qualify for the state’s property tax and rent rebate program have been waiting for word on when they can expect their one-time bonus rebate to arrive. On Tuesday, the state Department of Revenue announced it anticipates the extra rebates will begin being mailed or sent...
8 Pa. congress members endorse GOP’s Doug Mastriano for governor
HARRISBURG — Eight of Pennsylvania’s representatives to the U.S. House, all Republicans who voted against certifying the state’s electoral results in the 2020 presidential election, formally endorsed state Sen. Doug Mastriano in the gubernatorial election. U.S. Reps. Glenn “G.T.” Thompson, Mike Kelly, Lloyd Smucker, John Joyce, Fred Keller, Dan Meuser,...
Third-party candidates file to run for Pennsylvania governor, Senate
HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania third-party candidates for governor and U.S. Senate have filed paperwork ahead of a Monday deadline to get on the Nov. 8 general election ballot, potentially making a crucial difference in the high-stakes races. Three parties — the Keystone Party, the Libertarian Party and the Green Party —...
Pennsylvania’s Bob Casey urges Senate to pass burn pit bill
U.S. Sen. Bob Casey is blaming Senate Republicans for holding up a bill that he said would provide health care funding to help veterans suffering from illnesses related to toxic exposure from burn pits. Burn pits were common at military sites outside the United States, particularly in Iraq and Afghanistan....
Racehorse deaths drop sharply in Pa. following new rules to protect thoroughbreds
Pennsylvania recorded 17 thoroughbred racehorse deaths in April, May and June, down from 30 during the same period a year ago. The decline in deaths comes as the commonwealth on March 1 began implementing a batch of new measures intended to reduce fatal breakdowns of thoroughbreds and increase safety for...
Woman gets 2.5 years in police car fires amid 2020 protest
PHILADELPHIA — A woman who pleaded guilty to setting fire to police cars amid the 2020 racial justice protests in Philadelphia has been sentenced to 2 1/2 years in federal prison. The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that since 35-year-old Lore-Elizabeth Blumenthal of Jenkintown has been in custody since her arrest two...
Fetterman harnesses power of social media in Senate campaign
In one of this year’s most competitive U.S. Senate races, the biggest moments aren’t playing out on the campaign trail. They’re unfolding on social media. For one stunt, Democrat John Fetterman of Pennsylvania rolled out an online petition to get his Republican rival, celebrity heart surgeon Dr. Mehmet Oz, enshrined...
States reach deal over marketing, safety of generic opioids
HARRISBURG — A former opioid manufacturer has agreed in principle to pay up to $2.4 billion in a deal with a dozen states over its marketing and product safety practices, state attorneys general announced Friday. The company, Allergan, is now part of AbbVie but sold its generics division Actavis, including...
Doug Mastriano’s Gab page removed, candidate responds to criticism of social media platform
Republican gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano has been criticized by elected officials and anti-hate speech groups for his association with Gab, a far-right social media platform that was favored by the accused Tree of Life shooter. He has responded to the criticism and his Gab account was apparently removed recently. Mastriano...
Penn State will receive $12.1M in federal funds but is still raising tuition. Here’s why
Although Penn State is slated to receive an additional batch of unexpected funding from Governor Tom Wolf, university officials are rejecting a call from House Republicans to use the one-time allocation to roll back plans to raise tuition. Penn State will receive about $12.1 million from Wolf’s administration through funding...
Philly protester identified through Etsy purchase sentenced to 2 1/2 years for torching police cars
PHILADELPHIA — A woman who admitted torching police cars amid the 2020 racial injustice protests that roiled Philadelphia was sentenced to 21/2 years in federal prison on Thursday, the stiffest sentence yet in a case against the six demonstrators who have been charged with similar crimes. But because she has...
Wolf sues GOP-led legislature to block abortion, voter ID questions from reaching Pa. ballot box
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 — Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf is suing the Republican-controlled legislature in the state’s highest court over its efforts to change...
Family sues Sesame Place for alleged racial discriminationVideo
PHILADELPHIA — A federal lawsuit was filed Wednesday in Philadelphia accusing Sesame Place and its parent company of allowing costumed characters to racially discriminate against Black children, citing an example from June similar to one captured in the recent viral video of a character at the park appearing to dismiss...
Pennsylvania universities reject GOP call to freeze tuition
HARRISBURG — Four Pennsylvania universities said Wednesday they will follow through with tuition increases despite calls from House Republicans to roll back the price hikes. The lawmakers, including Sen. Doug Mastriano, R-Franklin, the GOP nominee for governor, argue Penn State, University of Pittsburgh, Lincoln and Temple are receiving federal funds...
Did Doug Mastriano play a role in Trump’s fake elector plot? Campaign remains silent
Two competing versions of state Sen. Doug Mastriano’s role in Donald Trump’s fake elector scheme emerged this week. Mastriano, now the Republican nominee for governor of Pennsylvania, has yet to clear it up. According to a New York Times report Tuesday, Mastriano had been designated as the state’s “point person”...
What are the 10 most commonly stolen cars in Pa.?
Passenger vehicle thefts in the U.S. rose 8% in 2021 compared to 2020, according to a new report from the National Insurance Crime Bureau. Almost 1 million vehicles were stolen nationwide last year, with full-size pickups accounting for 14% of the vehicles taken. “Used car values are at historical highs,”...
Sheetz, Pa. Lottery launch ‘Free Gas for a Year’ contest
OK, no one won last night’s Mega Million drawing. There’s another way to test your luck — especially if you’re feeling financial pain at the gas pump. Sheetz and the Pennsylvania Lottery have teamed up to offer a unique opportunity to give one lucky customer free gas for a year....
