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Top News Redistricting

Many Republicans contend electing appellate judges by districts rather than in statewide partisan contests — as is currently the process — will ensure that the state Supreme Court, Superior Court, and Commonwealth Court reflect the state’s diverse geography. — Kent M. Wilhelm / Spotlight PA

Pa. could become a national outlier in how it elects appellate judges. Here’s why experts are worried.

by Marie Albiges of Spotlight PA

The measure, which could be before voters as soon as May, calls for abolishing statewide elections and replacing them with races in partisan districts determined by lawmakers.

Vials of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine and saline solution seen at Temple University Hospital in North Philadelphia. — Tim Tai / Philadelphia Inquirer

Hundreds of Pa. senior-living facilities haven’t received vaccine as widened eligibility, low supply slow rollout

by Ese Olumhense of Spotlight PA

Fred Way is executive director of the Pennsylvania Alliance of Recovery Residences, which voluntarily certifies recovery houses. Here, he shows photographs of residences in the process of being inspected. — ALEJANDRO A. ALVAREZ / Philadelphia Inquirer

Thousands of drug, alcohol recovery homes in Pa. still operate without state oversight

by Ed Mahon of Spotlight PA

An updated map of COVID-19 vaccine locations in Pennsylvania as reported by the state Department of Health.

Where to get the COVID-19 vaccine in Pennsylvania and who can get it (MAP)

by Daniel Simmons-Ritchie of Spotlight PA

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Editor’s Pick

Live updates on the latest numbers of Pa. coronavirus cases, as well as a county-by-county coronavirus map. — DAN NOTT / For Spotlight PA

Live Pa. coronavirus tracker: County-by-county map of coronavirus cases, updates on case counts

by Daniel Simmons-Ritchie of Spotlight PA and Garland Potts of the Philadelphia Inquirer

More top stories

El estado está a punto de perder un escaño en el Congreso. La representación de millones de personas está en juego. Y después de un año 2020 lleno de batallas judiciales politizadas y desinformación, los republicanos tendrán que hacer lo que parece imposible, llevarse bien con los demócratas. — TIM TAI / Philadelphia Inquirer

La redistribución de distritos será la lucha política definitiva del 2021 en Pensilvania. Así es como funcionará.

by Marie Albiges de Spotlight PA

Victim Advocate Jennifer Storm said it would be a mistake to remain in the $133,000-a-year position after the GOP-controlled state Senate late last year blocked her from serving another six years. — Dan Gleiter / PennLive

Acting Pa. victim advocate resigns after rejection by GOP-led Senate

by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA

Pennsylvania Secretary of the Commonwealth Kathy Boockvar on Thursday defended her actions during the 2020 election, which have been upheld in the courts, and called on Republicans to end their 'lies.' — Commonwealth Media Services

Top Pa. election official calls for end to ‘lies’ as GOP launches 2020 hearings

by Marie Albiges of Spotlight PA

A file photo of campaign finance records — Sara Simon / Spotlight PA

Q&A: Meet Pennsylvania’s new public records czar

by Sarah Anne Hughes of Spotlight PA

The Department of Corrections will not release the health status of inmates to family members unless they are listed as the emergency contact in documents that in some cases are as old as when the inmate was first incarcerated. — DAVID SWANSON / File Photograph

Pa. prisons don’t always tell families when inmates are sick. Officials are defending that policy.

by Joseph Darius Jaafari of Spotlight PA

Every decade, states undergo a process called redistricting, in which the boundaries of state legislative and U.S. House of Representative districts are redrawn to account for shifts in population as accounted for in the decennial census count. — TIM TAI / Philadelphia Inquirer

Redistricting will be the definitive political fight of 2021 in Pennsylvania. Here’s how it’ll work.

by Marie Albiges of Spotlight PA

Law enforcement has erected orange fencing and deployed armed officers outside the Pennsylvania State Capitol. — Mark Pynes / PennLive

Law enforcement in Pa. preparing for possible unrest despite ‘no specific threats’ to the Capitol

by Joseph Darius Jaafari of Spotlight PA and Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PA

Daniel Greenstein, chancellor of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, joined Spotlight PA for a live interview Jan. 13. Watch the full recording. — KRISTON JAE BETHEL / For the Inquirer

WATCH: A live Spotlight PA interview with PASSHE Chancellor Daniel Greenstein

by Spotlight PA Staff

PASSHE Chancellor Daniel Greenstein said he was committed to eliminating racism and the achievement gap on campus, but offered few specific new initiatives beyond what the university system has done in the past. — Commonwealth Media Services

Head of Pa.’s public university system to examine historic roots of racism in state schools

by Jamie Martines of Spotlight PA

In a statement, Gov. Tom Wolf said the proposal “would hinder our ability to respond quickly, comprehensively, and effectively” to another wave of COVID-19.” — ALEJANDRO A. ALVAREZ / Philadelphia Inquirer

Pa. GOP lawmakers want voters to give them the power to end governor’s emergency orders

by Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PA

Inside the Pennsylvania Supreme Court — Christopher Millette / PennLive

Angered by Pa. Supreme Court rulings, GOP moves to exert more control over judiciary branch

by Marie Albiges of Spotlight PA

Criminal Justice

Studies warned the Pennsylvania State Police of potential racial bias in vehicle searches right before the agency ended the research. — DAN GLEITER / PennLive

Pa. State Police resume tracking racial data during traffic stops in response to Spotlight PA report

by Daniel Simmons-Ritchie of Spotlight PA

Sen. Jim Brewster (D., Allegheny) — James Robinson / Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus

Federal judge rules in favor of Democratic Pa. Senate candidate GOP refused to seat

by Sarah Anne Hughes of Spotlight PA

In his first speech as top leader of the Pennsylvania Senate last week, Republican Sen. Jake Corman positioned himself as a reformer seeking to restore faith in government by greatly increasing transparency in the legislature and by elected lawmakers. — CHRISTINE BAKER / The Patriot-News

New Pa. GOP leader pushes transparency reforms despite party’s past reluctance, obstruction

by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA and Brad Bumsted and Sam Janesch of The Caucus

State Sen. Doug Mastriano is facing calls to resign from state Democrats over his attendance at a rally in Washington that led to the mob attack on the Capitol. — Amanda Berg / For Spotlight PA

A Pa. Republican lawmaker who marched to the Capitol before the mob attack is facing calls to resign

by Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PA

People shelter in the House gallery as protesters try to break into the House Chamber at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) — Andrew Harnik / AP

Top Pa. lawmakers who rejected election results denounce U.S. Capitol mob

by Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PA

The letter signed by President Pro Tempore Jake Corman (seen here, center) said Secretary of the Commonwealth Kathy Boockvar “usurped legislative authority." — JOSE F. MORENO / Philadelphia Inquirer

Republican leaders in Pa. Senate ask Congress to delay Electoral College count

by Marie Albiges of Spotlight PA

From Dec. 16 through Dec. 22, the health department said it received 490,592 results. That breaks down to roughly 560 results daily per 100,000 people. — JOSE F. MORENO / Philadelphia Inquirer

Pa. lags nation in people tested per day, is nowhere near level needed to suppress the virus

by Yaasmeen Piper of Spotlight PA

Amid high emotions and partisan fingerpointing, Republicans also took the rare step of removing the Democratic lieutenant governor, John Fetterman, from running the session. — JOSE F. MORENO / Philadelphia Inquirer

Pa. GOP senators refuse to seat Democrat and remove Lt. Gov. Fetterman from presiding

by Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PA and Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PA

Lawmakers from both parties and the anti-gerrymandering group Fair Districts PA want the rules adopted in 2021 to emphasize collaboration, rather than partisan politics. — KALIM BHATTI / The Philadelphia Inquirer

Frustrated by the Pa. legislature? How obscure rules kill reforms and fuel partisan gridlock

by Cynthia Fernandez of Spotlight PA

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