|
A daily newsletter by  |
|
|
|
| Pennsylvania probes, I-95 rebuild, air support, police shooting, prosecution rests, strange case, and music news. Thanks for checking in. |
|
Two Pennsylvania lawmakers have requested investigations into the state's Gaming Control Board after it failed to disclose, as required, meetings with casino lobbyists who wanted to thwart a major competitor.
State Sen. Gene Yaw (R., Lycoming) and state Rep. Jared Solomon (D., Philadelphia) have asked the state's attorney general and Ethics Commission to review the legality of the board's actions and internal rules established to ensure the agency remains impervious to outside influence.
"The people of Pennsylvania must have confidence that the regulatory bodies established by the Legislature are acting in good faith and following the law," Solomon wrote in a letter obtained by Spotlight PA.
Read the full report: Pa. lawmakers ask for investigations after gaming regulators met privately with casino lobbyists.
THE CONTEXT: Earlier this year, Spotlight PA reported that lobbyists for the state's largest casino, Parx Casino in Bucks County, embarked on an intense, behind-the-scenes effort to get the Gaming Control Board to abandon its hands-off stance toward so-called skill games.
Casino executives have mounted a fierce campaign away from public view to convince officials to help them rid the state's gambling landscape of the competition source, per documents obtained by Spotlight PA.
Prior reporting revealed that top officials at the Gaming Control Board decided to join a lawsuit seeking to declare skill games illegal following a private meeting in early 2019 with Parx's lobbyists.
The board's lawyers told Spotlight the meeting with Parx did not meet the definition of a required public disclosure, and thus did not need to be included in a public-facing log. A spokesperson declined to comment on Yaw and Solomon's letters this week, saying the board hasn't seen them yet.
Read more: Top gaming regulators in Pa. met with industry lobbyists before coming out against a casino competitor. |
|
NOTABLE / QUOTABLE
"My family and I thank you for your concern regarding today's most unfortunate events. I am well and will continue to serve as Cameron County's District Attorney."
—Cameron County DA Paul Malizia after a shooting at his office Wednesday; The Bradford Era reports Malizia was shot in the leg; one arrest was made |
|
» Pa. House Bipartisan Caucus rolls out agenda, via PoliticsPA
» Carlisle school board member vying for Perry's seat, via York Dispatch
» Pa. House panel advances pet divorce bill, via Capital-Star
» Pa. closer to repeal of religious garb ban, via PennLive (paywall)
» Bill to fund suicide and crisis lifelines passes Pa. House, via ABC27 |
|
A baby robin says hello in Norvelt, via Marty M. Send us your photos by email, use #PAGems on Instagram, or tag @spotlightpennsylvania. |
|
 GLASS ROAD: Pennsylvania is using recycled glass to fill in a collapsed section of I-95 in Philadelphia and reopen the high-demand roadway, the AP reports. It's a temporary fix. But Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro declined on Wednesday to estimate how long it will take to get traffic flowing again on the busy East Coast highway. AIR CHECKS: Environmental Health News reports several groups in southwest Pennsylvania have been awarded nearly $2 million in federal funding for new air monitoring projects that could help lower cancer risk in a region where rates for six types of cancer with strong chemical exposure links are sometimes 50% higher than normal.
 FOUND FOOTAGE: Pennsylvania State Police still aren't equipped with body cameras six years after a state law enshrined their legal right to do so. And that has left Anthony Allegrini Jr.'s family piecing together video from civilians who were on the interstate when Anthony was fatally shot by a trooper in Philadelphia on June 4, WHYY reports.
 NO WITNESSES: The prosecution rested in Pittsburgh's Tree of Life massacre trial on Wednesday and the defense called no witnesses, choosing to focus instead on a later sentencing phase with the death penalty on the table. WESA reports closing arguments are set for today before the case is sent to the jury for deliberation.
 BLACK MARKET: Boston's WBUR reports two Pennsylvania men have been indicted in a black-market human remains case that stretches all the way to Harvard. Joshua Taylor of Berks County and Jeremy Pauley of Columbia County are accused of being part of a buying and selling network led by Harvard Medical School's morgue manager. |
|
BOOK BAN: Central York’s school board is set to vote next week on a policy that would see two banned books returned to library shelves. The district faced backlash for past decisions targeting Black and Latino authors.
FESTIVAL SEASON: Pop stars Lizzo and SZA will headline the Made In America festival when it makes its return to Ben Franklin Parkway on Labor Day weekend. This is the first time two women are headlining the event.
SWIFTBURGH: Pittsburgh Regional Transit will offer extra light-rail cars to alleviate the anticipated traffic from Taylor Swift’s doubleheader shows there this weekend. Local businesses are very much leaning in.
MUSIC CITY: Your favorite artist or band may be coming to Harrisburg as the city continues to draw indie acts with growing fandoms. PennLive (paywall) breaks down how the city became a musical attraction.
HOT CHICKEN: Dave’s Hot Chicken is making its way to Pennsylvania. The California-based chicken franchise will open its first location in York at 1189 Loucks Road near the Northwest Plaza shopping mall. |
|
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. O E D L N R A E B
Yesterday's answer: Recompense
Congrats to our daily winners: Wendy A., Elizabeth W., Janice H., Dennis M., James B., Dianne K., Judith D., Marty M., Beth T., Elaine C., Lynne E., Dan A., Kim C., Jon W., Kimberly D., Barbara F., Al M., Don H., George B., Vicki Urbon, Jane R., Susan N.-Z., Tom M., and William Z. |
|
|
| |
|
