Pennsylvania lawmakers, some of the highest paid in the country, got a raise on Monday. No vote necessary. Just an annual bump based on cost of living. But not all of them are happy about it, and some have proposed changes. penncapital-star.com/government-p...

A buried provision in PA's budget sent $5 million to a struggling school district represented by PA's House Speaker. Last year, 11 school districts represented exclusively by dems in the House got funding boosts too. Each school district struggled financially. But others faced similar issues.

One group of employees was told their layoffs were cancelled, but HHS wants to zero out their funding next year. Another group is fighting orders to lay them off in court, but HHS wants to continue their funding. All their work keeps Americans safe. “It’s been the entire range of human emotion."

Mary, 81, takes the bus to the grocery and shared rides to her doctor Sarah takes the bus to a job she's required to have as part of her probation Kevin takes buses because he can't afford a car These are just 3 Pennsylvanians who'd be affected if lawmakers don't reach a deal to fund mass transit

PA lawmakers from both parties are pushing to legalize cannabis in a state budget deal They’re emphasizing how it can bring wealth into disinvested communities, but that depends on how the law is written So do their bills actually live up to that promise or do they mostly benefit the industry?

After Grok started referring to itself as "Mechahitler," X limited it to image generation only. Working out great!

Just gonna post this again: These three Pennsylvanians all said Medicaid literally saved their lives. Their stories back that up. They're three of 3 million Pennsylvanians who rely on the program. Like many, they're scared about what comes next. penncapital-star.com/health-care/...

PA DHS said 310k people could lose Medicaid. That's 10.39% of PA Medicaid recipients These numbers are just 10.39% of medicaid recipients in each district. Is that a good or bad approximation? Dunno... But in 3 districts, that number is bigger than the 2024 election margin: 7, 8, 10 (all GOP-held)

Something I’d be thinking if I were a PA congressman: the estimated number of people who will lose Medicaid or ACA coverage here if cuts are passed is almost 5 times higher than the 2024 presidential vote margin. But hey, work requirements wouldn’t start til after midterms.

These Pennsylvania Medicaid recipients all told me the same thing: Medicaid literally saved their lives. Their stories back that up. Now, they’re worried about what happens next. penncapital-star.com/health-care/...

Look, ma. I made it (in the multi-day publications 5,000-9,999 circulation division)!

ICYMI: Pennsylvania Treasury Sec. Stacy Garrity invested $25 million of taxpayer money in Israel Bonds hours before the country began strikes on Iranian military and nuclear targets earlier this month. Her office called the timing a coincidence.

There’s a lot of big news going on, but take a moment to read this story from our PLCA intern, Vincent DiFonzo. He did some really great reporting on a complicated subject that affects pharmacy access for many Pennsylvanians.

For some, pharmacies are the only place to get free walk-in medical advice. But as hundreds close across Pa, some pharmacists say they’ve had to turn away new customers or risk the same. They blame pharmaceutical industry middlemen called PBMs, whose influence on their bottom line has been growing

The US Health Dept. calls mine safety a "priority," and has touted a recent reversal of cuts to a division that performs black lung screenings. But the agency is still set to lay off key teams working to prevent mine injuries, illnesses and deaths, including around 100 NIOSH employees in PA.

A federal lab in Pittsburgh approves every NIOSH-certified respirator from N95s to firefighter masks. But employees were told virtually all their jobs were being cut Today HHS sent staff emails saying the cuts are being reversed. But it's unclear if they went to everyone, and HHS hasn't explained

Every N95 mask — along with masks required for doctors, miners and firefighters in the US — was certified at a government-run lab in PA Because of cuts at HHS, employees are preparing for it to shutter in June "This is so important, we just feel there’s no way this can be real,” said one employee

Thread: There's a lot of people trying to paint Cody Balmer as a liberal, conservative, antisemite, etc. Don't listen. It's early and hard to say anything. What is available shows contradictory & messy politics But there are some patterns in his FB posts, which I've looked at back to 2014 1/

Scott Perry, who's praised DOGE and boosted Musk's fraud claims, said he hasn't been shown the receipts. "I have a personal frustration, and we have asked, ‘Let’s see the details ... I know there’s a website ... But we have to put that in a frame of reference." penncapital-star.com/government-p...

"PA is the darling of the cannabis industry," an insider said, because it's more or less a blank slate. CO, IL, MI, etc. face "marijuana recessions," equity program failures and market monopolization, all impacted by their laws' fine print. Can PA be different? penncapital-star.com/government-p...

Happy farm show to all who celebrate

I have no idea why this story isn't bylined, because someone did a terrific job on it. www.unionprogress.com/2024/12/19/b...

Drugmakers including Purdue Pharma paid middlemen known as pharmacy benefit managers to not restrict painkiller prescriptions, a New York Times investigation has found. nyti.ms/3ZCBEQR

I'm looking at all your Spotify wraps and we need a music algorithm that's like 2019 youtube. Subliminally pushing increasingly radical content.

A new PA recreational cannabis bill proposes state-owned dispensaries run by an expanded Liquor Control Board. Sponsors Frankel and Krajewski have been studying legalization for a while and their suggestions carry some weight. But it's likely to see opposition. penncapital-star.com/cannabis/pen...

Th Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporter have been on strike for 2 years, and negotiations was recently halted after a union leader threw a chair at the wall of a conference room and was charged with a misdemeanor. Wild this hasn’t gotten more national press! penncapital-star.com/labor/the-st...

Whatever you've heard about the strike at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the reality is more complicated. I spent months speaking to people on all sides of it. It's an important story that journalists, labor folks and Pennsylvanians should be paying attention to. penncapital-star.com/labor/the-st...