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The Centre County Courthouse in Bellefonte on Thursday, November 30, 2017. The Centre County Courthouse in Bellefonte on Thursday, November 30, 2017. — Abby Drey / Centre Daily Times

Penn State did not prove its legal standing to have public court filing sealed, experts say

by Min Xian of Spotlight PA State College

Penn State said it wanted to protect affected students from potential embarrassment, but legal experts said that explanation doesn’t meet legal requirements.

Aqua America — a supporter of the bill — is in talks to buy the Bucks County sewer system for more than $1 billion. — TYGER WILLIAMS / Philadelphia Inquirer

Critics call water quality bill moving through Pa. legislature a back door to privatization

by Stephen Caruso of Spotlight PA

Mail-in ballots are sorted and counted by workers on Election Day on Nov. 3, 2020, at Northampton County Courthouse in Easton, Northampton County, Pennsylvania. — Matt Smith / For Spotlight PA

Pa. Supreme Court upholds no-excuse mail voting ahead of midterms

by Stephen Caruso of Spotlight PA and Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA

Jessica Griffin / Philadelphia Inquirer

Your guide to the last hurrahs of summer

by Colin Deppen of Spotlight PA

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Editor’s Pick

Spotlight PA's State College bureau covers north-central Pennsylvania. — Abby Drey / Centre Daily Times

You’re invited! A free virtual Q&A with Spotlight PA’s new State College bureau

by Spotlight PA Staff

state college bureau

The Centre County Courthouse on Nov. 1, 2018. — Abby Drey / Centre Daily Times

Judge makes public search warrants involving Penn State student crime victims after university had them sealed

by Sarah Rafacz of Spotlight PA State College

AMENDMENT TRACKER

Since 1968, the year Pennsylvania’s current constitution went into effect, voters rejected only six of 49 proposed amendments that reached them. — Tom Gralish / Philadelphia Inquirer

A complete guide and amendment tracker for proposed changes to Pennsylvania’s Constitution

by Danielle Ohl of Spotlight PA

NEW INVESTIGATION

In parts of rural Pennsylvania where internet speeds lag, some local governments are building their own broadband networks. — Amanda Berg / For Spotlight PA

An obscure state law could blunt the impact of up to $1 billion in federal funding for Pennsylvania’s broadband expansion

by Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA

THE LATEST ON COVID-19

Pa. COVID updates: Where to find reliable data and information about Pennsylvania’s COVID response, including vaccines for kids under 5. — Dan Nott / For Spotlight PA

Pa. COVID updates: Your guide to finding resources on cases, vaccines, and tests

by Jamie Martines of Spotlight PA

NEW INVESTIGATION

An illustration shows a laptop with a marijuana leaf on it — Leise Hook for Spotlight PA

Companies blanket Pa. with ads about how to get a medical marijuana card, but doctors are silenced

by Ed Mahon of Spotlight PA

More top stories

STEVEN M. FALK / PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER

Mastriano refuses to answer January 6 questions

Plus, local fights over abortion rights.

ISTOCKPHOTO / PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER

How Biden's big bill aims to lower drug costs

Plus, the water wars have already begun.

TOM GRALISH / Philadelphia Inquirer

How Pa. politicians party with lobbyists in secret

Plus, Mariner East pipeline builder pleads no contest.

ELIZABETH ROBERTSON / Philadelphia Inquirer

Critics call bill back door to water privatization

Plus, Pa. budget includes millions for anti-abortion group.

TIM TAI / PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER

PSU court seal questioned, Wolf's $2K check push lives on, and election deniers at the polls

Plus, what the Kansas abortion vote could mean for Pa.

Matt Rourke / Associated Press

Mail-voting law upheld but more challenges loom

Plus, PSU shuns key questions about sexual extortion case.

TOM GRALISH / PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER

More Pa. Dems go Republican ahead of midterms

Plus, family wants Pa. teacher imprisoned in Russia released.

COMMONWEALTH MEDIA SERVICES

Inflation made Pa.’s minimum wage worth even less

Plus, Mastriano backs away from Gab amid criticism.

Pa. guv sues to block abortion amendment

Plus, Butler County is auditing 2020 ballots to gather info.

“The Republican-led General Assembly continues to take extraordinary steps to dismantle access to abortion and implement a radical agenda,” Wolf said in a statement Thursday announcing the lawsuit. — ALEJANDRO A. ALVAREZ / Philadelphia Inquirer

Wolf sues GOP-led legislature to block abortion, voter ID questions from reaching Pa. ballot box

by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA

MONICA HERNDON / Philadelphia Inquirer

Pa. redlining case yields 'historic' settlement

Plus, Central Bucks adopts 'unprecedented' book policy.

AMANDA BERG / FOR SPOTLIGHT PA

Mastriano was elector 'point person' for Trump campaign

Plus, a Pa. congressman attended his gay son's wedding days after voting against codifying same-sex marriage.

Tim Tai / Philadelphia Inquirer

Pa.'s landmark school funding trial is almost over

Plus, a law to protect sexual violence victims is barely being used.

TIM TAI / Philadelphia Inquirer

Wolf steers extra $40M to state-related universities

Plus, why we waited to publish details on potential sexual extortion of PSU athletes.

Pitt, Penn State, Lincoln University, and Temple University receive taxpayer dollars each year to subsidize in-state tuition. — Gene J. Puskar / AP

Wolf quietly steers $40 million to Pitt, Pa.’s other state-related universities

by Stephen Caruso of Spotlight PA

Could math fix Pa.'s beleaguered unemployment fund?

Plus, 'frack out' fears in Greene County.

Pennsylvania’s unemployment trust fund — a federally held pot of money that’s administered by the state’s Department of Labor & Industry — is currently at 0% solvency and hasn’t been fully solvent since 1971. — Jelani Splawn / For Spotlight PA

Pa.’s unemployment trust fund is broke. The Wolf admin says a long-term fix will save taxpayers millions.

by Colin Deppen of Spotlight PA

JOSE F. MORENO / PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER

Pa. court rejects DA Krasner's use-of-force appeal

Plus, a beginner’s guide to Right-to-Know requests.

Criminal Justice

Pennsylvania State Police told Spotlight PA that the number of public records requests filed to the agency has increased every year since 2016, with 1,890 requests filed last year alone. — ALEJANDRO A. ALVAREZ / Philadelphia Inquirer

A beginner’s guide to requesting public records on Pa. law enforcement

by Emma Dooling of Spotlight PA

Pablo Blazquez Dominguez / MCT

Monkeypox briefing, the likely futile push for $2K relief checks, and fixing a teacher shortage

Plus, a 'direct path' from Harrisburg to the U.S. Capitol riot.

The budget lays out the state’s plans and priorities for the immediate fiscal year and years to come. — TIM TAI / Philadelphia Inquirer

WATCH: A free virtual panel on the new Pa. budget and what it prioritizes

by Spotlight PA Staff

Red-flag resistance, Mastriano's Facebook cleanse, and how a bill becomes law by default

Plus, Pa. psychiatric hospital called '21st century asylum.'

TOM GRALISH / Philadelphia Inquirer

Unproven program gets budget windfall, a PSU extortion plot, and Jim Thorpe reclaims the gold

Plus, the fight over Pa.’s state House map continues.

Empty desks and chairs are pictured in a classroom at Loring Flemming Elementary School in Blackwood, N.J., on Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2020. The school is on a hybrid in-person and virtual learning model due to the coronavirus pandemic. — Tim Tai / Philadelphia Inquirer

New Pa. budget injects $125M into private school tax credit program that lacks basic accountability

by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA

KENT M. WILHELM / FOR SPOTLIGHT PA

DOJ is suing Pa.'s court system over addiction rules

Plus, judge reverses course after 'rare' PSU ruling.

The Justice Department sued the Pennsylvania court system in February, alleging that it discriminated against people with opioid use disorder. — Kent M. Wilhelm / Spotlight PA

Pa. court system says it’s not responsible for county judges banning opioid addiction medication

by Ed Mahon of Spotlight PA

COMMONWEALTH MEDIA SERVICES

Wolf's veto tally grows, first-of-its-kind trans sports rule, and an 'unusual victory' for progressives

Plus, weigh in on a government transparency test.

Navigating Pa.'s newest tax credit, counties sued over ballot counts, and political fortunes

Plus, Wolf takes executive action on abortion access.

Modeled off of the federal Child Tax Credit, the Child and Dependent Care Enhancement Program will return up to 30% of child care-related expenses that filers claim on their federal return. — THOMAS HENGGE / Philadelphia Inquirer

Pennsylvania has a new child care tax credit. Here’s what you need to know.

by Kate Huangpu of Spotlight PA

Yong Kim / Philadelphia Inquirer

Vetting the police, untreated addiction in jails, and 'Republicans4Shapiro'

Plus, historic Pa. school funding trial could be a bellwether.

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