Shapiro calls for end to immigration crackdown in Minneapolis, Noem to be fired
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said Tuesday during an appearance on “CBS Mornings” that he thinks the immigration crackdown in Minneapolis should end immediately and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, whose department is overseeing the operation, should be fired. “The mission is broken. It must be terminated,” said Shapiro, a Democrat...
Fetterman says Trump should fire Homeland Security’s Kristi Noem
U.S. Sen. John Fetterman is calling for President Donald Trump to fire Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem as the immigration crackdown her department is overseeing faces increasing criticism following this weekend’s fatal shooting by Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis. “President Trump, I make a direct appeal to immediately fire Secretary...
Fetterman calls for end to immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis in wake of killing
U.S. Sen. John Fetterman issued a statement Monday afternoon calling for the federal government to immediately end its massive immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis. The statement from the Braddock Democrat came two days after Border Patrol agents fatally shot Alex Pretti, 37, in Minneapolis, increasing tensions in a city where...
Western Pa. wine, cheesemakers take top honors at 2026 PA Farm ShowVideo
Couples planning for Valentine’s Day could have themselves quite a fancy evening dining solely on some local wine and cheese, which has been judged among the best in Pennsylvania. Western Pennsylvania wine and cheesemakers once again came home with a good deal of accolades from the annual Pennsylvania Farm Show,...
Pennsylvania deer hunting opener stays Saturday after Thanksgiving — ‘for now’
Pennsylvania hunting regulators cast a preliminary vote on keeping the Saturday after Thanksgiving as the opening day for the regular firearms season for white-tailed deer. A final vote is scheduled at the Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners’ next quarterly meeting April 10-11. Commissioners meeting Saturday in Harrisburg listened to public...
Philadelphia sues over removal of slavery exhibit at Independence National Historical Park
PHILADELPHIA — Outraged critics accused President Donald Trump of “whitewashing history” on Friday after the National Park Service removed an exhibit on slavery at Philadelphia’s Independence National Historical Park in response to his executive order “restoring truth and sanity to American history” at the nation’s museums, parks and landmarks. Empty...
RFK Jr. talks new food pyramid, avoids controversial vaccine changes in Harrisburg visit
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. visited Harrisburg on Wednesday, giving an address that roped Pennsylvania’s agricultural prowess into his “Make America Healthy Again” agenda, particularly the recent revision of federal dietary guidelines. But the most enthusiastic supporters weren’t exactly there to hear about the new food pyramid. Although not a perfect...
Poor insurance reimbursements place Pa. hospitals at risk of closure, report says
Insufficient insurance reimbursements could drive more than a dozen Pennsylvania hospitals to close within five years, according to a report released Wednesday by the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania. The industry group hired consultancy Oliver Wyman to create the report. In its analysis, the New York City-based firm focused...
Pa. Game Commission considers Saturday start before Thanksgiving for deer seasonVideo
For Mike Shipley, the Monday after Thanksgiving was a holiday tradition that died in 2019. That was the year the Pennsylvania Game Commission shifted its hunting schedule to start two days earlier, the Saturday after Thanksgiving, ending a decadeslong ritual of hunters heading into the woods the first Monday after...
Penn calls federal commission’s request for personal employee information ‘unconstitutional,’ ‘disconcerting’ and ‘unnecessary’
The University of Pennsylvania in a legal filing Tuesday pushed back against a federal commission’s demand that in effect would require it to turn over lists of Jewish faculty, staff and students, calling the request “unconstitutional,” “disconcerting” and “unnecessary.” The filing comes in response to a lawsuit filed against the...
Lehigh County official calls for ICE’s eviction, demands overdue rent
Lehigh County’s top financial elected official is calling for the eviction of ICE from county-owned property. Mark Pinsley, the county controller, said the federal agency has been delinquent on three years of rent for county-owned office space. He added the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, or Immigration and...
Broadband expansion on hold as feds miss self-imposed deadline to review Pa.’s spending plan
Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan, and nonprofit newsroom producing investigative and public-service journalism that holds power to account and drives positive change in Pennsylvania. Sign up for our free newsletters. HARRISBURG — Hundreds of millions of dollars to expand broadband access in Pennsylvania is still on hold, after federal...
In his new book, Gov. Josh Shapiro recalls an ‘offensive’ vetting process to be Kamala Harris’ running mate
PHILADELPHIA — Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro questioned whether he was being unfairly scrutinized as the only Jewish person being considered as a finalist to be Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate — and briefly entertained his own run for the presidency — according to a copy of his upcoming book...
Asian jumping worm threatens U.S. forestsVideo
Some people call it a crazy worm. Some call it an Alabama jumper, although it’s not contained to that state. It’s Amynthas agrestis, one of three main species of earthworm native to southeast Asia that have found their way to North America. It can be distinguished from other earthworms by...
Shapiro, Garrity set stage for Pa.’s high-stakes race for governor
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro didn’t mention his likely Republican opponent by name once last week when he launched his reelection campaign with a 26-minute speech in Pittsburgh. President Donald Trump’s name didn’t come up either. Shapiro’s likely opponent in the race for governor, state Treasurer Stacy Garrity, took a different...
Progressive Pa. group targeting Fetterman launches website to get contributions refunded
A progressive Pennsylvania group that has already pledged to back a primary opponent against Sen. John Fetterman in 2028 has unveiled a website that will help unhappy donors get refunds for their contributions to him. The Pennsylvania Working Families Party on Friday said PrimaryFetterman.com will be the hub for its...
Shapiro backs plan with Trump admin to slow rising electricity prices amid data center surge
This article is made possible through Spotlight PA’s partnership with NOTUS, a nonpartisan news organization that covers government and politics with the fresh eyes of early career journalists and the expertise of veteran reporters. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore — both possible 2028 Democratic presidential candidates...
Pa. gets $193M from federal rural health fund amid warnings it won’t offset Medicaid cuts
Pennsylvania has big plans for its $193 million award from a federal rural health fund, including investments in telehealth, recruiting health care workers and supporting ambulance services. But the nine-figure infusion from the Rural Health Transformation Program, announced last month by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, is overshadowed...
Jewish students and faculty at Penn ask that their names not be turned over in federal antisemitism investigation
PHILADELPHIA — Several groups at the University of Pennsylvania representing Jewish students, faculty, and staff are seeking to protect their names and personal information from being turned over to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which is suing Penn to get it. The EEOC in November filed legal action after...
‘Joe Dirt’ tribute takes top prize in Pennsylvania Farm Show mullet contestVideo
HARRISBURG — A packed crowd celebrated the much-maligned but enduring mullet hairstyle Monday in a contest at the Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg. The short-in-the-front, long-in-the-back coiffure, once the province of Canadian hockey players and hair metal bands, attracted about 150 competitors and more than a thousand spectators for the...
Pa. lawmakers among highest-paid in the country, thanks to automatic pay raises
Automatic pay increases that took effect last month again placed Pennsylvania’s Legislature among the highest paid in the country. The base annual salary for lawmakers in the state House and Senate is up to about $113,591, under terms set by a 1995 law mandating automatic cost-of-living adjustments for top state...
Dina Powell McCormick, wife of U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick, named Meta president
Dina Powell McCormick, a close ally of the Trump administration and the wife of U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick, is Meta’s new president and vice chairman. The Facebook parent company announced her appointment Monday, making a figure with Southwestern Pennsylvania ties a central decision-maker for one of the world’s largest tech...
Democrats look for leader to emerge, a focus on platform issues ahead of midterms
Former President Bill Clinton once said that when it comes to elections, Democrats want to fall in love and Republicans just fall in line. In 2024, after former President Joe Biden withdrew from the presidential race 3½ months before Election Day, Democrats appeared to just fall apart, according to political...
Voodoo Brewery closes Erie location after 10 years
Voodoo Brewery is bidding adieu to Erie, Pennsylvania. The national beer brewer, which was founded in 2005 in Meadville, announced in a post on its website that it is closing its location in downtown Erie, which has been in operation for a decade. “Erie, this one hurts,” the post read....
100 skulls and mummified body parts found in a Pennsylvania grave robbery case, police sayVideo
Bones and skulls visible in the back seat of a car near an abandoned cemetery on Philadelphia’s outskirts led police to a basement filled with body parts, which authorities say were hoarded by a man now accused of stealing about 100 sets of human remains. Officers say an arrest on...
