NewsRegional & State News
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Emily Cohen for WHYY
Army-Navy game fans try to keep the politics at home
“What’s great about this game is that everybody on the field is willing to die for everybody watching them play football,” said Dave Gilles.
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Keith Srakocic
Pittsburgh diocese to merge 26 parishes into 8 next year
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Matt Rourke
Panels proposal to end grand jury reports draws opposition
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Matt Rourke
Yassmin Gramian, incoming PennDOT Secretary sees ‘bright future’ for Philadelphia
PennDOT has a long list of infrastructure projects slated for completion over the next four to 12 years. More than 200 of them — $3.8 billion’s worth — are in Philadelphia.
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Reid Frazier
US Steel agrees to pay $8.5M to settle air pollution lawsuit
U.S. Steel Corp. is agreeing to pay $8.5 million to settle a 2017 class-action lawsuit that accused the steelmaker of negligence in allowing air pollution emissions from its Clairton Coke Works.
Politics & Policy
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AP Photo/Matt Rourke
Suit filed in Pa. court challenges widely used electronic voting machine
The latest lawsuit claims 11 violations of Pa.’s state constitution and election code -
Ted S. Warren
Philadelphia officials are revving up for recreational marijuana
Experts in psychiatry, public health and law enforcement are taking a “not if, but when” approach.
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Matt Rourke
PA AG says Trump’s tipped wage proposal could take money from workers
The proposed Department of Labor rule notes that it could allow employers to save some money by letting tipped and non-tipped workers pool their pay.By Katie Meyer
National & World News
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Steve Helber
On verge of impeachment vote, first-term, moderate Democrats weigh a political risk
Moderates in the freshman class of the House of Representatives will find out in the coming year whether their vote on impeaching the president will cost them their seats in the 2020 elections.
By Claudia Grisales/NPR -
Jared Murphy
Democratic presidential candidates largely agree on education issues in Pittsburgh forum
The Public Education Forum in Pittsburgh was the first televised forum with presidential candidates focused specifically on education.
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Rocio Santos
A father, his daughter and the choice to start a family as ‘an act of hope’
The world, Jessica told Edward at StoryCorps last October, seemed like an especially difficult place, and she and her husband had been struggling with the idea of bringing children into it.
By Camila Kerwin/StoryCorps and Heidi Glenn/NPR -
Susan Walsh
On his way out, Kentucky Gov. pardons murderers, rapists, hundreds more
In all, the former governor signed off on 428 pardons and commutations since his loss to Democrat Andy Beshear.
By NPR -
How Boise’s fight over homelessness is rippling across the West Coast
The fight over how to deal with the ever-growing homelessness crisis — most acutely visible in places such as Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle — is dividing cities, neighborhoods and political parties.
By NPR
Health
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Nina Feldman
Tower Health clashes with nurses as it takes over St. Christopher’s
Tower Health and Drexel agreed to recognize the union that represents 500 registered nurses, but the new owners did not agree to assume the nurses’ old contract.
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Brendan Smialowski
FCC approves plan for 3-digit suicide prevention number similar to 911
The proposed number, 988, would link callers to an already existing network of crisis centers around the country set up by the Department of Health and Human Services.
By Colin Dwyer/NPR -
Doug Watson
Health benefits of being outdoors: Birdwatching
The Prices have been volunteering to lead bird walks through Wildwood Park for the past six or seven years. They know from personal experience what research has shown, that spending time outdoors lowers stress, blood pressure and heart rate while encouraging physical activity and improving mood and mental health.
Energy & environment
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Photo courtesy of Jace Tunnell
Ever hear of a nurdle? The western Pa. ethane cracker could bring this new form of pollution to the Ohio River
The plant being built near Pittsburgh will produce potentially trillions of little plastic pellets every year. Some will escape into the environment.
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George Widman
Philly’s plastic bag ban is finally happening
“If we are to achieve zero waste by 2035, plastic bags are one of the top single-use plastics to be eliminated.” -
Reid R. Frazier
Pennsylvania’s air was a little fresher in 2018, state data shows
“I think these kinds of improvements…is not a particularly high bar.” -
Emma Lee
Philly neighborhoods need more trees. A new city initiative takes on the problem.
Philadelphia has lost the equivalent of over 1,000 football fields worth of tree cover over the last decade, according to a new city report.
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The State Museum of Pennsylvania
Evangelicals in the age of President Trump
About 81% of white Evangelicals voted for President Trump in 2016 and polls of those who identify as Evangelical indicate the president continues to get their support going into the election year of 2020.
By Scott LaMar and Merideth Bucher -
Joanne Cassaro
Smart Talk Road Trip visits the Governor’s Residence
By Smart Talk -
iStock
2019 books-as-gifts guide
By Smart Talk and Justin Kocis
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Courtesy Gene DiGirolamo
She’s the force behind Pa.’s efforts to treat drug addiction. Critics say ‘there is more to the story.’
As a lobbyist, Deb Beck wields significant power over drug treatment policy and legislation. But some question whether she uses that influence to benefit the businesses providing care over what’s best for patients. -
Sean Simmers
‘We don’t believe in punishment’: Student-led youth court could come to Harrisburg school
The idea is that by following through with the plan laid out by the jury, the student would ideally come to understand the gravity of his actions. -
Kimberly Paynter
Most Philly charter schools failed to test water for lead — and city gave them a pass
The fact that many schools either didn’t test or didn’t respond to repeated requests for comment left some parents uneasy.
By Ryan Briggs/WHYY and Avi Wolfman-Arent/Keystone Crossroads