News
Regional & State News
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Matt Rourke
Federal appeals court tweaks, but upholds, Pittsburgh law limiting anti-abortion protest
A federal appeals court tweaked a Pittsburgh ordinance that limits abortion protests outside women’s health clinics.
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iStock
Pennsylvania sports doc faces new misconduct charge
A Lancaster County sports medicine doctor set to stand trial on charges he sexually harassed several patients has been hit with a new accusation of inappropriate touching.
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iStock
Midstate YMCA first in northeast US to protect swimmers with new technology
A midstate YMCA is believed to be the first public facility in the northeast United States to use a new technology to help protect swimmers.
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Marc Levy
Lawmaker facing child porn possession charges waives hearing
Court records show that Republican Mike Folmer waived the hearing Friday. It had been scheduled for Oct. 31. No trial date has been scheduled.
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Google Maps
Greensburg diocese pays $4.4M in abuse compensation to 57 victims
The Greensburg diocese says it paid $4,350,000, averaging out to about $75,000 for each claimant. It was unclear how people applied to the program or how many people were denied.
National & World News
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Brendan Smialowski
Get caught up: 4 big questions about the Trump-Ukraine affair
Here’s a look at where the saga stands, what investigators want to learn, and what major decisions still must be reached before the fever breaks.
By Philip Ewing/NPR -
NASA via AP
World’s 1st female spacewalking team makes history
NASA leaders — along with women and others around the world — cheered on astronauts Christina Koch and Jessica Meir. At the same time, many noted that this will hopefully become routine in the future.
By Marcia Dunn/The Associated Press -
Susan Montoya Bryan
Energy Secretary Perry says he is resigning by year’s end
By Jill Colvin and Matthew Daly/The Associated Press -
Evan Vucci
White House says next G-7 to be held at a Trump golf resort
The G-7 summit will be held June 10 to 12. The idea of holding the event at Trump’s resort has been criticized by government ethics watchdogs.
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Jacquelyn Martin
Pence announces Turkey has agreed to cease-fire in Syria
As the meetings stretched over four hours — more than double the allotted time — it was not immediately clear if there was any movement toward a cease-fire.
By Zeke Miller/The Associated Press -
Pablo Martinez Monsivais
US envoy key to Ukraine probe distances himself from Trump
Gordon Sondland’s testimony to House impeachment investigators was aimed at distancing himself from Trump and Giuliani’s efforts to pressure Ukraine into investigating Democratic rival Joe Biden and his son Hunter.
By Eric Tucker/The Associated Press -
Keith Srakocic
Jury seated in opioid case, but settlement talks go on
By Mark Gillispie and Geoff Mulvihill/The Associated Press -
Matt Rourke
Workers celebrate deal with GM, show union power in industry
GM’s latest offer to end the monthlong strike included wage increases and lump-sum payments, top-notch health insurance at little cost to workers, promises of new products for many U.S. factories and a path to full-time work for temporary workers.
By Tom Krisher/The Associated Press -
Patrick Semansky
Powerful Democratic Congressman Elijah Cummings has died
By Brian Witte/The Associated Press
Politics & Policy
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Katie Meyer
Black Americans don’t always respond to the census. Pennsylvania’s NAACP is trying to correct that.
The Urban Institute recently projected that up to 3.68 percent of the black population might be at high risk of not being counted. That’s around 1,727,200 people.
By Katie Meyer -
Bebeto Matthews
Gov. Wolf and other Northeast officials team up to push pot, vaping regulations
The governors from several Northeastern states said they want to work together to regulate marijuana and vaping, including possible regional restrictions on flavored vaping products.
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Matt Smith
Recreational marijuana in Pennsylvania – what happens next?
Governor Wolf recently came out in favor of legalizing cannabis for recreational use. Wolf arrived at this position following Lt. Governor John Fetterman’s 67-county listening tour. As part of the tour, Fetterman participated in town-hall style meetings to gauge the support for legalizing marijuana and found that of those who “voiced their opinions, the majority supported legalization.”
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Laura Benshoff
British family claiming mistreatment deported from ICE detention in Pa.
The seven-member family, which includes two young children and a three-month-old infant, grabbed headlines when two members of the family alleged that their border crossing was accidental, and that they worried their baby would fall sick while in federal custody.
Health
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Matt Rourke
Pennsylvania’s individual health plan premiums to rise 4%
Premiums for health insurers’ individual policies in Pennsylvania for 2020 will reflect an aggregate statewide increase of 4%, with an increase of 10% in the small group market.
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Courtesy of PennLive
Pa.’s largest community college eliminates campus mental health counseling for 17K students
College health experts called the move short-sighted and risky at a time of growing mental health needs among students -
Google Maps
Highmark-affiliated Penn State Health to buy Holy Spirit Health System
Penn State Health and Geisinger, which owns Holy Spirit, have signed a letter of intent for the deal in an area where Highmark and UPMC have expanded their footprints.
Energy & environment
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Report: ExxonMobil scouting property for 2nd cracker in Beaver County
By Reid Frazier -
Marie Cusick/StateImpact Pennsylvania
New federal pipeline safety rules draw praise from industry, scorn from critics
Opponents of Mariner East say PHMSA standards are too little, too lateBy Jon Hurdle -
Katie Meyer
Activists urge Wolf, again, to shut down the Mariner pipelines
They’re pointing to sinkholes and contaminated wells they’ve seen throughout the building process, and say they’re worried about explosions.By Katie Meyer -
Evan Vucci
Trump to headline gas industry gathering in Pennsylvania
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Matt Smith
Recreational marijuana in Pennsylvania – what happens next?
Governor Wolf recently came out in favor of legalizing cannabis for recreational use. Wolf arrived at this position following Lt. Governor John Fetterman’s 67-county listening tour. As part of the tour, Fetterman participated in town-hall style meetings to gauge the support for legalizing marijuana and found that of those who “voiced their opinions, the majority supported legalization.”
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iStock
Domestic violence — ending the abuse
In the last decade alone, more than 1,600 people have died. Last year alone there were 123 victims in Pennsylvania who died from domestic violence incidents. Sixty-seven percent of those victims were killed by a current or former intimate partner and most were killed by firearm. There is no “typical” victim. The killed include men, women and children, young and mature, all races and socio-economic groups.
By Scott LaMar and Merideth Bucher -
ANHA
Syria, what is happening now?
The Trump administration announced U.S. troop withdrawals from Syria in early October. As U.S. forces began pulling back from positions along the border, Turkish forces crossed the border to establish a presence.
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Dana Bate
Second loitering arrest video prompts call for AG to investigate Chester Twp. police for racial bias
About 80% of the township’s residents are black. The officers involved in the cases in question are white. -
Marie Cusick/ StateImpact Pennsylvania
In honor of Columbus Day, one lawmaker wants to get rid of it once and for all
More and more states are opting to celebrate indigenous people instead of Christopher Columbus. Representative Chris Rabb is pitching a version of that change for Pennsylvania.By Katie Meyer -
Natalie Piserchio for WHYY
As Pa. compensation programs end, church victims wrestle with the price put on abuse
Some victims have used the program to put their fight with the church behind them. Others scoffed at the price tag put on their trauma. This is the story of two men who came to different conclusions.