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A daily newsletter by  |
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| Today: Official friction, Shapiro's climate plan, outage order, TikTok bans, Philly endorsements, and fake glasses. Thanks for checking in. |
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 AN URGENT CALL: We must raise $25,000 by March 23 to keep Spotlight PA"s unmatched brand of investigative journalism strong. Hurry a gift now and as a special bonus, every dollar you give will be DOUBLED »
As a nonprofit newsroom, nearly 1/3 of our budget comes from individuals like you. And that means, without your support, we cannot keep up this vital work in what will be a vital year for Pennsylvania.
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Observers are worried that apparent dysfunction within the commission overseeing Philadelphia's elections could undermine people’s faith in the security of our voting system in a pivotal year.
The chair of the Philadelphia Board of City Commissioners was ousted from the role in January in what she later called a "power grab." Since then, the board's meetings have been marked by frequent public spats, allegations of Sunshine Act violations, and lots of interpersonal friction.
One official said "everything is running smoothly," but Lauren Cristella, president of the Philadelphia-based good-government group Committee of Seventy, said the appearance of dysfunction could negatively impact voter perceptions. It could also feed a fresh round of misinformation.
Read Spotlight PA’s full report: Philadelphia voting commission shakeup creates bad optics during big election year. |
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NOTABLE / QUOTABLE
“This is a meeting where we are here to listen. I’m happy to have people voice their thoughts constructively through this process. Yelling and shouting does nothing other than disrespecting the people who are here to listen.”
—Gov. Josh Shapiro when interrupted by a hydrogen hub protester; Shapiro's energy agenda has drawn criticism from environmentalists, but his new climate plan is drawing early plaudits; keep reading for details |
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We need your help: You won't find anyone else providing the reporting we provide, or getting the results we're getting for the people of Pennsylvania. At a time of hyper-partisanship and democracy under pressure, we need independent, nonpartisan, no-nonsense journalism more than ever.
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You can also give via PayPal or Venmo, or send a check to: Spotlight PA, PO Box 11728, Harrisburg, PA 17108-1728.
Thank you to the more than 165 people who have given so far, including Nancy B., who said, "I appreciate truthful, unbiased reporting on what's going on in PA. That is hard to come by nowadays." Join Nancy and make a gift now » |
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EDUCATION EMPOWERMENT: Join us TODAY March 14 from 6-7 p.m. ET on Zoom for a roundtable discussion with Pennsylvania reporters on transparency in education, and how you can hold school officials accountable. Register here and submit questions to events@spotlightpa.org. |
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Veterans Memorial Bridge over the Susquehanna River, between Columbia and Wrightsville, via Kim S. Have a photo you want to share? Send it to us by email, use #PAGems on Instagram, or tag us @spotlightpennsylvania. |
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 DIRECT ORDERS: Dauphin County Prison employees have confirmed to PennLive (paywall) that the power to two segregation units was cut off for two weeks late last year, while cells were stripped of personal belongings, including legal work, all under orders from command staff. Reporter Joshua Vaughn says the warden also asked to personally review all phone calls between Vaughn and people imprisoned there.
 TIKTOK VOTE: The U.S. House has passed a bill that could lead to the banning of TikTok nationwide, and it did so with support from 14 of Pennsylvania's 17 delegates. Patch reports Democratic Reps. Brendan Boyle and Summer Lee, and Republican Rep. Scott Perry, voted no. The bill, a salvo in an ongoing proxy battle with China, is headed to the U.S. Senate, where John Fetterman (D., Pa.) is shouting his support.  TIKTOK DEBATE: All five Democrats running for Pennsylvania attorney general said they support banning TikTok on state devices here. The unanimity was on display during this week's debate. If you missed it, you can watch it here or read the highlights, via Capital-Star. The debate also covered guns, artificial intelligence, and abortion access.
 LABOR NODS: State Rep. Amen Brown (D., Philadelphia) just survived another ballot challenge, but his primary opponent just racked up four key labor union endorsements. Stephen Caruso reports unions for Philly teachers, janitors, and hotel and food service workers are backing Cass Green over Brown — "a Dem known for bucking his party." |
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SOLAR ECLIPSE: The path of totality is coming to Pennsylvania (these four counties, specifically) on April 8, and experts are once again warning the public to be careful where they get their protective eyewear.
ERIE COKE: The sprawling, bayfront property of a defunct Erie coke plant has been condemned. A local redevelopment authority is eyeing control "so we can decide as community what's going to happen there."
NEW OWNERS: One of the Poconos' last old-school honeymoon hotels is being sold, heart-shaped tubs and all. WFMZ reports Pocono Palace has a buyer. It's not exactly clear who it is or what comes next.
BEST TOWN: Pennsylvania towns are in the running to be named best small town in the northeast by USA Today readers. The nominees are: Wellsboro, Jim Thorpe, Sewickley, Ohiopyle, and Gettysburg. Voting ends April 1.
PROM INTERRUPTED: Robert Morris University in Allegheny County will host a prom for its graduating seniors who missed out on the high school rite of passage four years ago due to COVID-19, TribLIVE reports. |
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ON SALE NOW 'All Sun, No Shade' Beach TowelIt's Sunshine Week, and our limited-edition towel is selling fast!
Promote government transparency & tan lines, all in support of Spotlight PA's vital journalism. SHOP THE SALE NOW > |
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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. B L O A T I N I
Yesterday's answer: Baritone
Congrats to our daily winners: Eric F., Stacy S., Elaine C., Don H., Beth T., Daniel M., Barbara F., Jon W., Jane R., Richard A., Alan B., Judith D., Malachy M., Kim C., Jon G., Susan N.-Z., Becky C., Tom M., Wendy A., Kimberly D., and Karen W.
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