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Ed Mahon/Spotlight PA

Ed Mahon comes to Spotlight PA from PA Post, where he covered state politics and policy, produced radio stories that were broadcast on public media stations throughout the state and on NPR’s national newscasts, and co-wrote a weekday newsletter. Prior to joining PA Post, Ed worked for six years as an investigative and political reporter for the York Daily Record, part of the USA Today Network. His reporting on failures in Pennsylvania’s system for protecting domestic abuse victims was a finalist in the national 2018 Livingston Awards for Young Journalists in the local reporting category. He was also part of a team whose coverage of the criminal justice system, including the aggressive use of civil asset forfeiture by York County prosecutors, received the 2018 G. Richard Dew Award for Journalistic Service from the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association. Before joining the York Daily Record, Ed covered K-12 education at the Centre Daily Times in State College and worked as a stringer for suburban sections of The Philadelphia Inquirer. He grew up in Delaware County, Pennsylvania.

Latest by Ed Mahon/Spotlight PA


Opioid settlement cash a boon to Pa. prosecutors but public defenders are being turned away

County district attorneys are in line for millions of dollars, but under-resourced public defenders say they’ve been sidelined.

By Danielle Ohl/Spotlight PA and Ed Mahon/Spotlight PA

DOJ settlement will bring new protections for people with opioid use disorder in Pa. courts

Under the settlement, officials overseeing Pa.’s court system will encourage all county courts to adopt an anti-discrimination policy for opioid use disorder medications.

By Ed Mahon/Spotlight PA

Opioid settlement money is supposed to expand syringe services. A Pa. nonprofit just lost $150K because of them.

Billions of dollars are coming to states to help them respond to the opioid epidemic, but Pennsylvania's drug paraphernalia law is creating conflict.
By Ed Mahon/Spotlight PA and Sarah Boden/WESA

Spotlight PA court victory leads to new academic research into Pa. medical marijuana program

In February 2023, the Pennsylvania Department of Health shared data that Spotlight PA won access to with academic researchers across the state.
By Ed Mahon/Spotlight PA

Justice Department expands claims against Pa. courts in opioid addiction treatment case

The federal Department of Justice recently broadened its accusations that Pa. courts discriminate against people with opioid use disorder by restricting access to medications.

By Ed Mahon/Spotlight PA

GET THE DATA: Spotlight PA makes info on why patients qualify for medical marijuana publicly available

Pennsylvania’s medical marijuana program increased its transparency after a Spotlight PA open records victory, sharing more data with academic researchers and the broader public.

By Ed Mahon/Spotlight PA

Opioid settlement money is supposed to expand syringe services. Pa.’s drug laws stand in the way.

Several charities in Pennsylvania provide syringe services in their communities despite a state law that puts them at risk.

By Ed Mahon/Spotlight PA and Sarah Boden/WESA

Court orders Pa. health department to release doctor data for medical marijuana certifications

The data could help identify outliers who might be bending or breaking Pennsylvania’s medical marijuana law.
By Ed Mahon/Spotlight PA

Which Pa. counties are receiving the most opioid settlement money — and why

Opioid payments for county governments and county district attorney offices equaled about $6.50 per resident across the state last year. But there were big differences.

By Ed Mahon/Spotlight PA and Kate Giammarise/WESA

Medical marijuana law update would lift the advertising ban on Pa. doctors

A sponsor of the legislation said it would help “level the playing field” between doctors and third-party companies.
By Ed Mahon/Spotlight PA
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