Pennsylvania category, Page 145
Pennsylvania saw record declines in covid numbers in February
In February, Pennsylvania saw the steepest decline in new cases of the entire pandemic. The state went from 202,899 new cases in January to 88,418 new cases in February — a 56% drop. Even though February has three fewer days than January, if you were to add three days of...
Gov. Wolf raises capacity limits on event spaces, rescinds travel restrictions
Pennsylvania officials eased some covid-19 restrictions effective immediately, specifically those orders pertaining to occupancy limits on indoor and outdoor events, paving the way for the Penguins and Pirates to allow fans at PPG Paints Arena and PNC Park. The new orders, announced by Gov. Tom Wolf, raised the occupancy limits...
Pa. prison legal mail policy updated after 2 guards sickened by K2
Mail safety protocols in the state’s prisons are being updated after two guards at a Northeastern Pennsylvania facility were hospitalized. Officials said the pair were exposed to K2, or synthetic marijuana, that was sent in correspondence supposedly from the courts. Department of Corrections Secretary John Wetzel said the new protocols...
1 arrested in Lehigh County Walmart lot shooting that killed 1, injured 1Video
WHITEHALL — A man has been arrested in a shooting in the parking lot of a Walmart store in eastern Pennsylvania that killed a woman and wounded another person, authorities said. Edward Joel Rosario-Jimenez, 23, was charged Sunday with criminal homicide, attempted criminal homicide and aggravated assault as well as...
Several Pennsylvania organizations to participate in Problem Gambling Awareness Month
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board is working in conjunction with other state entities to promote Problem Gambling Awareness Month in March. Throughout the month, the gaming control board’s Office of Compulsive and Problem Gambling will join the state Department of Drug and Alcohol, the Pennsylvania Lottery, the Council on Compulsive...
Toomey censure remains on hold with Pennsylvania Republicans
As former President Trump prepared for his first public appearance before the national Conservative Political Action Conference on Sunday, the Pennsylvania Republican State Committee remained stalled on demands by county leaders that the state GOP censure Sen. Pat Toomey for his vote to convict Trump for incitement of insurrection. What...
Pennsylvania reports nearly 3,400 more covid cases, 132 deaths
Pennsylvania health officials on Saturday reported 3,361 new coronavirus cases, as hospitalizations and case counts continue to decrease in the Keystone State. The new data bring the total cases to 929,697. That’s a jump of about 18,100 additional cases from this time last week. Two weeks ago, the increase was...
Pa. health official: Still no timeline for next phase of covid vaccination processVideo
There remains no estimate on when Pennsylvania will move to the next phase of its vaccination plan, which includes a slew of essential workers as well as first responders and teachers, a health official said Friday. “I don’t think we’re putting out estimates at this point,” Health Department Senior Adviser...
Pennsylvania reports most new covid cases in over a week
Pennsylvania reported the most additional covid-19 cases in about 10 days on Friday, according to data from the state Department of Health. There were 3,346 additional covid cases (2,722 confirmed, 624 probable), the most since 3,413 were reported Feb. 17. Another 69 covid-related deaths were reported, marking the ninth consecutive...
Bipartisan bill to legalize marijuana introduced in Pa. Legislature
Marijuana legalization will get another chance in the Pennsylvania Legislature thanks to a new bipartisan bill. State Sens. Dan Laughlin, R-Erie, and Sharif Street, D-Philadelphia, this week introduced a bill that would allow those over the age of 21 to buy and use marijuana. It would also expunge the convictions...
Public asked to push Pennsylvania legislators for dog license fee hike
Increased dog license fees could bring in $1.2 million this year for the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Dog Law, if the proposal is approved by state legislators. Department Secretary Russell Redding hopes it will be. Without the additional funding, lost dogs or mistreated canines could face an uncertain...
Penn State aims to return to full in-person instruction for fall semester; here’s the plan
Penn State is planning to return to a “full on-campus learning environment” by the fall with expanded in-person classes, in another notable step toward normalcy. The university announced Wednesday that it will phase in its return by transitioning to more in-person classes over the summer, using event spaces and outdoor...
New coronavirus grants for small Pa. businesses aim for inclusivity, but can’t track success
Spotlight PA is an independent, non-partisan newsroom powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with PennLive/The Patriot-News, TribLIVE/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and WITF Public Media. HARRISBURG — Applications open next month for $145 million in state grants for small hospitality businesses, with a significant change by lawmakers intended to ensure the money...
Pennsylvania adds fewer than 3,000 covid cases 7 days in a row
Pennsylvania has reported fewer than 3,000 additional cases of covid-19 each day for a week. The state on Thursday added 2,356 coronavirus cases to bring its total to 922,990 since the start of the pandemic, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health. The seven-day average of new cases in the...
Pa. GOP meets to discuss Toomey, impeachment vote
HARRISBURG — Republican Party committee members in Pennsylvania were meeting remotely Wednesday night, for hours, in what involved a discussion of whether to censure U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey for his vote to convict Donald Trump during the former president’s second impeachment trial. Toomey’s vote — and his earlier assessment that...
Pennsylvania man charged in Capitol insurrection after ex-girlfriend turns him in to FBI
A Pennsylvania man was charged after his ex-girlfriend went to the FBI with his text messages and videos from inside the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 insurrection. Richard Michetti, of Ridley Park, Delaware County, is charged with knowingly entering a restricted building, violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol...
Small pet turtles linked to Pennsylvania salmonella outbreak
Tiny turtles have sparked a salmonella outbreak that killed one person and sickened at least eight others, state health officials said Wednesday. The outbreak has been linked to small pet turtles purchased from street vendors, said Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam. She said a majority of the cases have...
Pa. Republicans say Gov. Wolf is trying to sabotage ballot question
HARRISBURG — Republican leaders of Pennsylvania’s Legislature said Wednesday that Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration is trying to sabotage ballot questions to amend the constitution to shift authority over the length of emergency declarations from governors to lawmakers. The measures arose from Republican lawmakers’ strident disagreement with how Wolf, a Democrat,...
Pennsylvania reports 76 new covid deaths, while cases, hospitalizations slow
The Pennsylvania Department of Health on Wednesday reported 76 new coronavirus deaths and 2,786 additional coronavirus cases. The total number of deaths in the state because of the coronavirus stands at 23,787. The state’s seven-day average is at 2,569 cases, and the state’s seven-day case total is 17,984, both down...
Pa. woman linked to ‘alien reptile’ cult must stay jailed for killing boyfriend, state court says
A Pennsylvania woman who claimed she was under the influence of an alien reptile cult when she shot and killed her boyfriend will stay locked in prison on Earth for a while. A state Superior Court panel ensured that by upholding the third-degree murder conviction and 15- to 40-year jail...
Virtual Pennsylvania birthday celebration to be held by Historical & Museum Commission
It’s Pennsylvania’s 340th birthday and there will be a Charter Day party on Sunday, March 7. The celebration is being put on by the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission. It will include a virtual display of Pennsylvania founder William Penn’s original charter and other programming. Pennsylvania came into existence when...
Officials: More than 600 Pa. nursing homes have received 2nd covid vaccine doses
State officials said they have surpassed an “important milestone” in the mission to vaccinate long-term care residents in Pennsylvania. As of last week, Walgreens has conducted first-dose clinics in nearly 100 locations, while CVS Health has conducted both first- and second-dose clinics at all of its participating skilled nursing facilities....
Pa. reports nearly 1.5 million at least partially vaccinated for covid
Pennsylvania reported 2,830 additional covid cases and 97 deaths Tuesday, according to the state Department of Health. Total cases in the state are now 917,848, with 74,624 cases reported in February. Total deaths in the state are now 23,711, with 2,050 deaths reported this month. As of Tuesday, the state...
Pennsylvania GOP sets meeting to discuss Toomey censure
HARRISBURG — Republican Party committee members in Pennsylvania expect to meet Wednesday night to decide whether to censure U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey amid a GOP backlash over his vote to convict Donald Trump during the former president’s second impeachment trial, members said. The state party chairman, Lawrence Tabas, emailed committee...
Penn State student reports sexual assault in East Halls, the 7th there since August
Another Penn State student has reported a sexual assault in East Halls, where mostly freshmen reside, making it the seventh such incident there since August. Overall, it is the 11th forcible sex offense reported on campus since August. It is the second this spring, since students started returning to campus...
