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A daily newsletter by  |
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| Budget redirect, pipeline ruling, environmental violations, climate bills, Erie exam, railroad blocks, and the Pittsburgh Metro area expands. |
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Pennsylvania's GOP-led state Senate redirected $100 million for adult mental health services to in-school services, prompting warnings from some Democrats who want to see the funding restored.
State Sen. Maria Collett (D., Montgomery) and state Rep. Mike Schlossberg (D., Lehigh) are among the critics of the Senate's decision to put the stimulus money toward an existing grant program for school-based mental health services that was funded through recurring revenue streams last time.
“I genuinely wish I had an answer as to why the Senate chose to go this route,” Schlossberg told Spotlight PA of the move.
Read the full report: Democrats say stalled Pennsylvania budget leaves behind adult mental health patients.
THE CONTEXT: Critics say the shift robs an overburdened mental health care system of promised relief. James James, a psychiatrist at Bethlehem-based St. Luke’s University Health Network, told reporters that patients facing mental illness can spend weeks in emergency rooms "waiting for a bed."
The state budget has yet to be finalized due to a procedural impasse.
As for possible next steps: The legislature could redirect the $100 million back to adult mental health services through fiscal code bills that accompany the still-unfinished budget bill, Schlossberg said, though that could leave school-based mental health funding in the lurch. Lawmakers could also pass a standalone bill and find a new source of funding.
Schlossberg pointed to the $13 billion currently in state reserves. |
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NOTABLE / QUOTABLE
“It’s going to excite me when I see it. Take it down, just let me have one brick. I just want one brick, and I want everyone to sign it.”
—Tamika Martin on a plan to replace Bedford Dwellings, the oldest public housing complex in Pittsburgh; Martin has lived there for six years
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» Fetterman wants food stamps for striking workers, via Capital-Star
» Pa. Freedom Caucus warns against 'Marxist' library group, via WITF
» Pa. House Dems plan four-city road tour, via @StephenJ_Caruso
» Board rejects raising key cost for oil & gas drillers, via StateImpact
» State rep. wants government vehicle fleet to go electric, via WHTM |
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» How Local Gov't Works: Join us Thursday, Aug. 3 from 6-7:15 p.m. ET on Zoom for a free panel on oversight issues in local governments, how to hold officials accountable, and where you can turn to address issues with municipal services. Register here and submit questions to events@spotlightpa.org. |
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Philly puddles, via @yatsko. Have a photo you'd like to share? Send it to us by email, use #PAGems on Instagram, or tag us @spotlightpennsylvania. |
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 PIPELINE FINISH: The U.S. Supreme Court has greenlighted completion of a contested pipeline project in West Virginia that would benefit Pennsylvania's Marcellus Shale industry and has received lots of support from Pennsylvania lawmakers. NPR reports "the high court affirmed certain powers that Congress has over federal courts, and all but ensured quick completion of the natural gas pipeline." MARINER EAST: Sunoco's pipeline division has agreed to pay $660,000 to resolve numerous violations of environmental laws in Pennsylvania. The violations occurred across nine counties during construction of the Mariner East II pipeline, one of the most penalized projects in state history. It's been dogged by sinkholes, community concerns, criminal charges, and large-scale pollution.
 CLIMATE COSTS: Climate change adaptations will cost Pennsylvania towns and taxpayers more than $15 billion by 2040, according to a new report, via Capital-Star. Brittany Reno, mayor of Sharpsburg on the Allegheny River, said "no community ... is going to be spared." The Center for Climate Integrity report say Falls Township would need to increase its annual budget by 43% to keep up.
 SWING COUNTY: GOP presidential frontrunner Donald Trump will be in Pennsylvania tomorrow for a rally in Erie County — a place he narrowly flipped red in 2016 (and which Biden narrowly flipped back in 2020). In March, U.S. News & World Report examined Erie's political significance and its reputation as a swing state microcosm where union Democrats began to drift as local unions began to fade.- RELATED: Trump facing new charges, accused of asking staffer to delete surveillance video in DOJ case, via Axios
 ROAD BLOCKS: Rail giant CSX has been cited 49 times this year by Chambersburg police for blocked railroad crossings that cause lengthy traffic delays, a violation of state law. The company is seeking to invalidate those citations on the grounds that the state law itself is not enforceable, Public Opinion reports. CSX says it's governed by federal law and no federal law on blocked railroad crossings exists. |
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| 🏆 QUICK QUIZ: Follow the news this week? Prove it with the seven questions in this edition of The Great PA News Quiz: School funding appeal, public pensions, and a really big sandwich. |
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X FILES: Whistleblower David Grusch, a Pittsburgh native and Pitt alum, told Congress this week that the U.S. government has been aware of “non-human activity” since the 1930s and capturing UFOs for nearly as long.
MUSIKFEST: The "largest free admission music festival in the U.S." returns to Bethlehem next week. This year's Musikfest lineup includes: Maren Morris, AJR, Walk the Moon, Keith Sweat and Monica, and more.
METRO MAP: Lawrence County has been added to the Pittsburgh Metro Area under new metro area boundaries released by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, via TribLIVE's Ryan Deto.
RACCOON RUN: Baggage claim at the Philadelphia International Airport got an interesting show on Tuesday when a raccoon dropped in. WPVI obtained an image of the animal attempting to scurry away.
HEAD CASE: After years without a cranium, the famous headless lumberjack statue off Route 819 in Greensburg has a head again, WTAE reports. |
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Unscramble and send your answer to scrambler@spotlightpa.org. We'll shout out winners here, and one each week will get some Spotlight PA swag. Answers submitted by 5:30 p.m. on issue date will be counted. A N P L R I O P I C H H T
Yesterday's answer: Pugnacious
Congrats to our daily winners: Becky C., John P., Mark C., Joel S., Beth H., Don H., Starr B., Jon W., Eric F., Bruce B., Connie K., Connie K., Bob C., Susan N.-Z., Lynne E., Ted W., Dan A., Karen W., Georgann J., Carol S., Jane R., Kim C., Stanley J., Daniel M., Vicki U., Dennis M., Mike B., Tish M., William Z., Tom M., Richard A., Marla C., Ronnee G., Kimberly D., Wendy A., Ada M., and Bob K. |
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