A daily newsletter by Your Postmaster: Colin Deppen Wednesday, June 5, 2024 Today: High court case, Biden's border order, an emergency at the emergency shelter, and an open door for displaced UArts students. LIFE IN PRISON This fall, Pennsylvania's Supreme Court is set to weigh whether automatic life sentences for second-degree murder convictions in Pennsylvania violate constitutional prohibitions on cruel and unusual punishment. PublicSource profiles the 36 year-old whose case could springboard a monumental ruling on this front and a 70 year-old whose half-century in confinementcould be brought to an end as a result. Elsewhere: the AP reportsEzra Bozeman, who spent decades behind bars for a 1975 shooting he maintained he did not commit, died in Altoona Saturday, 12 days after a judge granted his bid for medical release. Bozeman was one of Pennsylvania's longest-serving prisoners, having been sentenced to life on a second-degree murder conviction. His compassionate release push drew rare support from a sitting governor. NOTABLE / QUOTABLE “There needs to be more transparency and there needs to be more communication. So I’m completely committed to that.” —Pennsylvania Game Commission DirectorStephen Smith during a grilling by state House lawmakers on Monday; Smith assumed the role following his predecessor's sudden resignation amid ethics-related questions 📅 UPCOMING EVENTS QUEERING THE NEWS: Join us Thursday, June 13 from 6-7 p.m. ET on Zoom for a free discussion with a panel of experts on Pennsylvania’s queer media landscape —past, present, and future. Register for the event here and submit your questions to events@spotlightpa.org. 📷 POST IT The mums at Hershey Gardens from above, via @yatsko. Send us photosby email, use #PAGems on Instagram, or tag us@spotlightpennsylvania.
DAILY RUNDOWN  BORDER ORDER: Bob Casey (D., Pa.)declined President Joe Biden's invitationto join him in announcing an executive order on Tuesdaythat limitsasylum access atthe U.S.-Mexico border in an election year, Axios reports. Casey, who has supported similar policies,was one of severalDemocrats in competitive U.S. Senate races to decline.
 HOUSE RULES:A survey of voters across Pennsylvaniafound significantsupport for building more affordable housingover preserving localdevelopment control, The Inquirer (paywall) reports.State efforts todo just thathave bipartisan support, buy they also have influentialopponents in municipal associations.
 SCHOOL BILL: Abudget-season bill topour billions into underfunded Pennsylvania schools and slash payments from public districts to cyber charters was unveiled by House Democrats on Tuesday and passedin a party-line vote by a state House panel, The Inquirer (paywall) reports. The bill faces a steepclimb in the GOP-heldstate Senate.
STEPPING DOWN: The president of Philly's University of the Arts has resigned days after the school's surprise closure announcement and one day after a related town hall with faculty and staff was canceled at the last minute.Point Park University in Pittsburgh is offering displaced students automatic acceptance and free housingthis fall.
SHELTER FIRE: A fire at an emergency shelter near downtown Pittsburgh displaced nearly 200 people on Tuesday in the midst of an ongoing homelessness crisis there. PublicSource reports at least 180 people were being moved to a nearby convention center.It's unclear for how long. The fire's cause wasn't immediately known. IN OTHER NEWS WHAT'S THE 511?Change has come to Pennsylvania's statewide travel information system, 511PA. WPSU reports the app and website have new customizable features, notification options, and more. TURNPIKE SHOOTING: A 40-year-old shot in a suspected road rage incident on the Turnpike in Lancaster County Friday has died, WHTM reports. The suspected shooter was found dead in Berks County on Saturday. 'UNSPEAKABLE HOPE': Leon Ford's memoir about being shot and paralyzed by Pittsburgh police during a mistaken identity-basedtraffic stop will represent Pennsylvania at this year's National Book Festival, Axios reports. EXTRA TIME: Older Pennsylvanians and those with disabilitieshave an extra six months to apply forproperty tax and rent rebates this year under an extension of the deadlinerecently announced by Gov. Shapiro. FORGE GUIDE: Thrillists' "non-touristy guide to Valley Forge" and the vicinity includes "sexy fries," a "mountain" made of flowers, and more. HOT, HOT, HOT Our exclusive 'All Sun, No Shade' beach towels are HOT! Bold and thick, get ready for summer with this exclusive Spotlight PA swag. But hurry! Once they're gone, they're gone for the year.SHOP NOW > SCRAMBLER Unscramble and send your answer toscrambler@spotlightpa.org. We'll shout out winners here, and oneeach week will get some Spotlight PA swag.Answers submitted by 5:30 p.m. on issue date will be counted. A A R R A H A N L I E P P Yesterday's answer:Comingle Congrats to our daily winners:Eric F., Stacy S., Elaine C., Bob C., Vicki U., Dave M., Don H., Marc G., Barbara F., Jane R., Jon W., Richard A., David T., Nan S., Ted W., Dan A., Susan N.-Z., Kimberly D., Jeffrey F., Annette I., Craig E., Wendy A., Alan B., James B., Tom M., Sue L., Stanley J., and sue87521. Like PA Post? Share it with a friend. Love PA Post? Support it with a tax-deductible gift. Forwarded this newsletter? Subscribe here. |
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