PA Post's Joseph Darius Jaafari spoke about what journalism means to him in a video pitch for our NewsMatch campaign.
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Joseph Darius Jaafari
PA Post's Joseph Darius Jaafari spoke about what journalism means to him in a video pitch for our NewsMatch campaign.
Happy Boxing Day, Contexters! If you were looking for a day to save the most money on those electronics, clothes or vacation packages, today is the day to get shopping. If you’re like me and don’t get paid until tomorrow, my sympathies go out to you and your dashed dreams. It’s also worth mentioning that Kwanzaa starts today. Definitely go out and buy some beeswax candles and celebrate with a mighty feast. The holidays are for everyone to celebrate, after all. — Joseph Darius Jaafari, staff writer
PA Post’s Joseph Darius Jaafari spoke about what journalism means to him in a video pitch for our NewsMatch campaign.
We’re not going to inundate you with too much news today. Instead, we’re just going to briefly mention that our NewsMatch campaign ends in five days, and we’re still shy of our $20,000 goal.
For every dollar you donate until midnight on the 31st, it will be matched three times over. That money goes to pay for transportation, equipment and us, your PA Post team. And if you like our daily newsletter — carefully crafted by Russ, Emily, Ed and myself every weekday — you should know that the work going into it requires time, thoughtfulness and original reporting. That stuff ain’t free, y’all.
So, if you like our work, we’re asking for your help. If you can’t afford to, don’t sweat it! Keep reading The Context, commenting on our Listening Post and sharing our stories every day. Your support is meaningful in any capacity. — Joseph Darius Jaafari
Best of the rest
AP Photo/Andrew Harnik
Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto speaks at a Senate Democrats’ Special Committee on the Climate Crisis on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, July 17, 2019. Former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg is courting Peduto’s endorsement in the Democratic presidential primary. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
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Bloomberg’s sets his sights on Pa: Former NYC mayor and multi-billionaire Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg is attempting to snag another Pa. endorsement just days after receiving one from former Philly mayor Michael Nutter. According to the New York Post, Bloomberg is now tapping support from Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto. But all is not great on the Bloomberg campaign. A story by The Intercept on Tuesday found that the Bloomberg campaign had contracted with a third-party phone-banking operation that used prison labor to make calls. The campaign suspended the contract before the story ran, saying that they were unaware of vendor’s use of prison labor.
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Close to ending homelessness?: Chester County might be the first in the state to completely eliminate homelessness, according to an article published yesterday by The Philadelphia Inquirer. The county has a self-imposed 2021-deadline to get to functional zero, which means that cases of homelessness are brief and nonrecurring. Fifty-five counties across the state have partnered with PA 211, which matches homeless people to services. More on the program here.
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Swine disease in Pa. detected: The U.S. Department of Agriculture detected a swine disease in Pa. that can also affect horses and humans. The disease, colloquially referred to as “strep zoo,” was found in a cull sow that died at a livestock market, according to Lancaster Farming. The disease is fatal in half of cases where pigs have been infected, and can jump to humans by way of horses. The PennAg industries Association is conducting an investigation.
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Bird watching: If you’re into bird watching, but hate going out in the cold, good news! There’s a new birdcam set up to watch a bald eagle nest in rural Pa. The cam is partially set up and run by the Pennsylvania Game Commission, and can be found here.
