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A daily newsletter by  |
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| Today: Legal struggles, fundraising report, addiction settlement, tax promise, presidential polling, the brotherly bop, and cheesesteak tourism. |
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Pennsylvania is among the states receiving billions of settlement dollars from drug companies that allegedly fueled the opioid epidemic. Some of that money is meant to go toward expanding syringe services, but Pennsylvania’s drug paraphernalia law is hindering that effort.
Kim Botteicher, who supports syringe services, and runs a nonprofit that helps people in addiction and recovery find long-term treatment and housing, is feeling that crunch.
She was expecting $150,000 in opioid settlement funding from Westmoreland County officials for her nonprofit, but the money was pulled because of concerns about the state law. She’s now left to fill the funding hole and is calling on lawmakers to update the statute.
Read Spotlight PA's full report: PA opioid settlement money: Syringes lead to $150K cut |
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NOTABLE / QUOTABLE
“It’s really difficult for a community that’s always been told, ‘This is what money smells like.” —Clairton resident Melanie Meade on the long history of grassroots monitoring of pollution from Clairton Coke Works, which has been repeatedly fined for air quality violations. |
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SPOTLIGHT PA STORE ON SALE: Our Exclusive PA Tote BagDesigned by a Pennsylvania artist just for Spotlight PA and printed by a local business.
Plus, get exclusive Spotlight PA apparel and accessories. SHOP NOW > |
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Morning fog lifting along the Allegheny river in Kennerdell, via Ed G. Have a Pennsylvania photo to share? Send it to us by email, use #PAGems on Instagram, or tag us @spotlightpennsylvania. |
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 CAMPAIGN CASH: As the April primary approaches, candidates for Pennsylvania attorney general are fundraising big dollars, the Capital-Star reports. State Rep. Jared Solomon of Philadelphia led the four Democratic candidates, with $1 million on hand as of late 2023. Other Democrats in the race reported hundreds of thousands of dollars in their war chests, while the two Republicans had amounts in the ten-thousands.
 CASE UPDATE: A settlement agreement in a lawsuit over addiction treatment bans in Pennsylvania courts does not include an admission of guilt but does call for a policy solution that courts statewide are urged to follow, via @edmahonreporter. Backstory here.
WAIT AND SEE: Property owners in Allegheny County are watching to see if Executive Sara Innamorato will pursue tax reassessments, a plank of her campaign. PublicSource breaks down the political and monetary costs amid an existing wave of appeals.
 SLOW PROGRESS: Train safety has not significantly improved since the East Palestine derailment near the Pennsylvania-Ohio border a year ago. Federal data show the number of train accidents over the first 11 months of last year worsened, the AP reports. A trade group says new safety protocols are not reflected in the data because they were implemented late last year, but railroad unions argue deeper problems remain unaddressed.
 LATEST POLLING: F&M College polling released last week has U.S. Sen. Bob Casey (D., Pa.) growing his lead over Republican Dave McCormick. The race for president had much smaller margins, with a Trump vs. Biden matchup a "statistical tie." |
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MALL CASE: The owners of the Century III Mall near Pittsburgh have been criminally charged for letting the property rot. Officials elsewhere in Pennsylvania are looking to crack down on "zombie" malls too.
COFFEE QUESTIONS: Why did a popular Pittsburgh coffee chain suddenly close last month? The owner of Adda Coffee & Tea House cites financial reasons, but laid-off staff suspect union-busting, per PublicSource.
DANCE, DANCE: Do you know Philadelphia’s unofficial dance? For over 20 years, a couple has been keeping the Philly Bop alive by traveling across the country to teach lessons, via BillyPenn.
LEASE-TO-OWN: A Lehigh Valley landlord is combating the competitive housing market by offering tenants the option to buy their leased homes, the Morning Call reports. His work inspired a state lawmaker to push related legislation.
BIG CHEESE: The owner of Tokyo’s internet-famous Philly-themed cheesesteak restaurant visited the City of Brotherly Love recently and ate cheesesteaks for every meal, The Inquirer (paywall) reports. |
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Are you a Berks County resident? We're seeking community input! Join one of our upcoming Spotlight PA - Berks County listening sessions:
Feb. 21: 5:30-7:30 p.m. at West Lawn-Wyomissing Hills Library | Register Here
A listening session is an informal, small-group discussion in which we are seeking your thoughts, opinions, and concerns on local news coverage, information access, community information needs, and news consumption habits. Visit spotlightpa.org/berks for more information. |
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Unscramble and send your answer to scrambler@spotlightpa.org. We'll shout out winners here, and one each week will get some Spotlight PA swag. Answers submitted by 5:30 p.m. on issue date will be counted. E N Y N E C T D
Yesterday's answer: Unfettered
Congrats to our weekly winner: Elizabeth R.
Congrats to our daily winners: James E., Beth H., Ted W., Bob C., Barbara F., Jane R., Bruce B., Connie A., Eric F., David T., Stacy S., Vicki U., Kim C., Don H., Carol S., Dan A., Elaine C., Tracy S., Richard A., Jon W., Susan N., Starr B., Daniel S., Mary S., Mike H., Beth T., Jody A., Daniel M., Stanley J., Amelia M., Fran C., Craig E., Alan B., William Z., James S., John P., Tom M., Tish M., Judith D., Sylvia R., Wendy A., Lynne E., Karen W., Marie B., and Eddy Z.
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