Broadband billion, budget history, city planning, student debt, capital case, ghost guns, and Warren jail escapee caught after a week on the run.

Pennsylvania is figuring out how it will spend almost $1.2 billion in federal funding for high-speed internet. 

The government’s effort to improve broadband availability has been hindered by a lack of funding due to the extent of the issue. Long-awaited federal grant dollars will help speed up the process to provide fast, reliable internet connections to thousands of residents.

As the commonwealth prepares to receive this historic infrastructure investment, Spotlight PA breaks down three things you should know about how the money will be distributed and who could benefit.

Read Spotlight PA's full report: What’s next as Pa. prepares to spend $1.2B on broadband

THE CONTEXT: From Spotlight PA’s reporting:

Despite recent improvements, the federal map used to allocate funding to states has some gaps. Before the money was divided up, state and local governments were able to submit challenges if they found that the map overlooked areas that lacked broadband. Pennsylvania’s broadband authority submitted around 50,000 challenges, more than half of which were upheld by the federal government.

Local officials complained about tight deadlines and how unfair it was to expect residents without broadband access to submit their feedback online. Residents had “zero awareness” and the map was not user-friendly for the average person, said Clearfield County Commissioner Dave Glass.

Before Pennsylvania hands out grants, local governments, community groups, and internet service providers will have another chance to tell the state which locations need the funding. Sorting through this will require “a boatload of sweat and elbow grease,” said Evan Feinman, the federal official overseeing the broadband grant program.

A rhododendron blooming along Blacklick Creek on the Ghost Town Trail between Indiana and Cambria Counties, via Jane M. Send us your photos by email, use #PAGems on Instagram, or tag us @spotlightpennsylvania.

MANHUNT: A manhunt ended Saturday after State Police captured an escaped Pennsylvania inmate who fled the Warren County Jail on July 6. 

BIDEN VISIT: President Joe Biden is returning to Philadelphia to discuss his “Bidenomics” agenda, per Inquirer reporter Julia Terruso. This marks his sixth trip to Philly. 

WILKINSBURG MERGER: A petition from residents isn’t enough to initiate a merger between Pittsburgh and Wilkinsburg, Commonwealth Court recently found. Residents from both municipalities must be given the opportunity to vote on the question. 

AIR QUALITY: Brace for the return of smoke from Canadian wildfires this week. The National Weather Service Pittsburgh tweeted that it’s too soon to say whether it will be as bad as it was in late June. Alerts have been issued for Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia. 

PICTURE PERFECT: Conrad Benner, the person behind the popular Philly-based photo blog Streets Dept, found himself on the other side of a camera lens in a story for the New York Times. Benner tweeted his excitement about being featured in the publication.