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Pennsylvania category, Page 66

Pope Francis, first Latin American pontiff, dies at 88
Pennsylvania court: Ballots in undated envelopes won’t count
HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania officials cannot count votes from mail-in or absentee ballots that lack accurate, handwritten dates on their return envelopes, the state Supreme Court ruled unanimously Tuesday, a week before tabulation will begin in races for governor, the U.S. Senate and the state Legislature. The court directed county boards...
Why Black faculty are questioning Penn State’s commitment to diversity, anti-racism
With Penn State in the spotlight for scrapping plans for a Center for Racial Justice, Black faculty members are questioning the university’s commitment to diversity and anti-racism — and a co-author of two reports that previously outlined Penn State’s shortcomings says its latest response simply isn’t good enough. At least...
Why are undated mail ballots such a big deal in Pennsylvania?
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 — Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court is expected to soon rule on a case that could decide whether undated mail ballots can...
Crime a focal point in U.S. Senate race between Fetterman, Oz
Ads in Pennsylvania’s combative U.S. Senate race have made crime a focal point in the campaign, and experts say Democrat John Fetterman and Republican Dr. Mehmet Oz are using the ads to stoke fear in voters. “John Fetterman wants to release convicted murderers from prison,” one ad blares, showing black-and-white...
‘I’ll be much better, but he will still be a fraud’: John Fetterman flips own health struggles against Mehmet Oz
With a precious nine days to go before the election, Democratic Senate candidate John Fetterman rallied Harrisburg-area canvassers on Sunday — a potentially fortuitous day for door-knocking, given how many Pennsylvanians were likely at home watching the Eagles-Steelers game. Canvassers gathered at the AFSCME headquarters in Swatara Township for an...
We love Israel ‘more than a lot of Jews’: Doug Mastriano wife’s response draws scrutiny 
The wife of Doug Mastriano objected to criticism of her husband’s alleged close relationships with antisemites and his trafficking in antisemitic tropes, saying the couple loves Israel more than many Jews. In answer to a question Saturday posed by Israeli journalist Nathan Guttman from the Kan public broadcaster, Rebecca Mastriano...
Penn State cancels its Center for Racial Justice after faculty push for funding decision
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 will not launch its Center for Racial Justice, a key...
Betsy Ross was buried 3 times. She’s not the only American with multiple graves
PHILADELPHIA — On Oct. 16, a group of women with ancestral ties to colonial America placed a marker in a Southwest Philadelphia cemetery at the second of Elizabeth Griscom Claypoole’s three graves. They did this knowing that the woman, also known as Betsy Ross, isn’t there. In her busy afterlife,...
Rep. Scott Perry drops lawsuit over seized cell data
U.S. Rep. Scott Perry has dropped a lawsuit against the FBI after they seized his cell phone and copied its contents to find links to the Jan. 6 insurrection. The FBI seized Perry’s phone on Aug. 9 while he was on vacation in New Jersey, created an image of the...
Lawmakers send Gov. Wolf large package of energy tax credits
HARRISBURG — State lawmakers have voted for an array of tax credits, including a massive incentive designed to help Pennsylvania land one of the hydrogen energy hubs being funded with federal subsidies. Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf’s spokeswoman said Thursday that he was reviewing the legislation that passed shortly before the...
Within hours, Republicans make impeachment drive against Philly DA Larry Krasner a midterm issue
HARRISBURG — When Pennsylvania Republicans announced they were introducing articles of impeachment against Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner on Wednesday, they said the crime situation in the city had gotten so dire, they couldn’t wait any longer to act. Asked if the unprecedented move had anything to do with the...
In Pa. governor’s race, faith surfaces in contrasting ways
In one of the most closely watched races in one of the most contested of battleground states, both gubernatorial candidates bring up religion. But in starkly different ways. Republican Doug Mastriano’s campaign has several hallmarks of Christian nationalism, which fuses Christian and political imagery, words and rituals and promotes a...
How redistricting could alter control of the Legislature — and other changes to watch on Election Day
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 — It’s showtime for Pennsylvania’s brand-new legislative districts. The revamped state House and Senate lines were approved by a commission...
GOP lawmakers introduce resolution to impeach Philadelphia DA Larry Krasner
Pennsylvania House Republican lawmakers announced on Wednesday their intention to file articles of impeachment against Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, who they say has “tipped the scales of justice in favor of criminals.” The announcement came two days after a Select Committee on Restoring Law and Order issued a second...
Pa. Supreme Court hears arguments on Medicaid funding for abortion
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court on Wednesday heard arguments over the state Medicaid program’s coverage ban on abortion. Under the 1982 Abortion Control Act, passed by the Pennsylvania legislature, Medicaid prohibits reimbursement for abortions in all instances other than to prevent the death of the woman or in the case of...
Takeaways from Pa.’s highly anticipated U.S. Senate debate between Oz, Fetterman
Tuesday night’s U.S. Senate debate between Democrat John Fetterman and Republican Dr. Mehmet Oz figures to be remembered mostly for how one candidate spoke instead of what either candidate said. The hourlong debate at the WHTM-TV studio in Harrisburg covered key issues such as inflation, fracking, minimum wage, abortion, international...
Fetterman, Oz face off in chaotic debate
In the only debate of Pennsylvania’s Senate race, Democrat John Fetterman and Republican Dr. Mehmet Oz battled in a chaotic event where the candidates lobbed countless attacks at each other in between answering questions from the moderators. Fetterman and Oz squared off for an hour Tuesday night on the WHTM-TV...
Penn State the latest university to grapple with controversial speech
After violent protests erupted Monday night on Penn State’s main campus, the university became the latest to allow a controversial event and bet wrongly that civil discourse would trump unrest. The situation at Penn State unraveled quickly before a scheduled appearance by Proud Boys founder Gavin McInnes, with police —...
Retiring Senate leader Jake Corman urges colleagues to ‘keep the faith’ in farewell remarks
HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania Senate President Pro Tempore Jake Corman, known for wearing his heart on his sleeve, fought back tears as he delivered his farewell speech Tuesday on the Senate floor. He urged his fellow senators to respect the institution they serve and to remember when they walk into the...
Justices to sort out if mail-in ballot envelopes need dates
HARRISBURG — Senior Pennsylvania elections officials argued in a new court filing Tuesday that handwritten dates on the envelopes that many state voters use to mail in ballots should not be deemed mandatory, in part because of a half-century-old legislative ruling deemphasizing their importance. The filing, made under a compressed...
As Election Day approaches, Wolf and Pa. lawmakers look to push through massive tax incentives for natural gas
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 and top state lawmakers are hurriedly negotiating a massive economic development package that would encourage...
Penn State protests lead to last-minute cancellation of Proud Boys founder’s appearance
Penn State University officials canceled a Monday evening appearance by Proud Boys founder Gavin McInnes as protests gained steam outside of the event. “Due to the threat of escalating violence associated with tonight’s event, Penn State University Police determined that it was necessary to cancel the speaking event in the...
How to watch Pa.’s highly anticipated Senate debate between Fetterman, Oz
Pennsylvania’s hotly contested U.S. Senate race will have its only televised debate Tuesday in a highly anticipated event that could play an important role in deciding the outcome. Democrat John Fetterman and Republican Dr. Mehmet Oz will square off for an hour starting at 8 p.m. in a live debate...
Pa. acting secretary of state deals with threats as election approaches
Pennsylvania Acting Secretary of State Leigh M. Chapman said Monday that her office has received threats over the upcoming election. “It is the misinformation that is really fueling these threats,” said Chapman in a press call. She said the Department of State has been in communication with the FBI and...
Experts: Fetterman’s health unlikely to impact the Pa. Senate race
Tuesday night’s debate between Democratic Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman and Republican Dr. Mehmet Oz will be the first and only meeting of the two candidates before the Nov. 8 election. Its outcome could go a long way in deciding who wins a seat that political pundits say could determine...


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