Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Senate hopeful in the GOP spotlight after witnessing Trump assassination attempt

Published

1 year ago

July 16, 2024

Pennsylvania Senate hopeful in the GOP spotlight after witnessing Trump assassination attempt

Pennsylvania Republican Dave McCormick is set to take the stage at the Republican National Convention Tuesday night along with other Senate candidates. But his speech might sound a little different.

McCormick has updated his planned remarks to address Saturday’s attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, according to a source familiar with his speech. Unlike the other Senate hopefuls, McCormick witnessed the shooting firsthand.

Just three days ago, McCormick was seated in the front row of Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, and took cover as the gunman opened fire.

“Lots of energy and lots of positive noise and then all of a sudden, just shattered with these rifle shots,” McCormick told NBC News Saturday night. “And it was just sort of — people were in disbelief. It was very chaotic and very confusing for quite some time.”

McCormick is in a hotly contested race against Democratic Sen. Bob Casey in a state that is key to both the race for the White House and the battle for the Senate. And while it’s yet not clear if or how Saturday’s shooting will affect elections this fall, any effects may be felt particularly strongly in Pennsylvania.

“I think because this incident occurred in Pennsylvania, you would imagine it’s going to have more of an impact in Pennsylvania than other places,” said Mike Barley, a former executive director of the state GOP.

The shooting did have a temporary impact on the Senate race: Casey’s campaign began working with local TV stations on Saturday evening to temporarily take down its ads. Campaign spokesperson Maddy McDaniel said in a statement that the ads will resume “in the days ahead to educate Pennsylvanians on Senator Casey’s record, his opponent’s record and the stakes of this Senate race.”

On Monday morning, McCormick also called on Casey to agree to “suspend negative advertising.” (McCormick did not call on outside groups, which cannot coordinate with campaigns but launch many of the negative spots, to cease their attacks as well.)

Saturday’s shooting could also raise more immediate concerns about security at upcoming campaign events.

”Safety needs to be top of mind,” said GOP state Rep. Stephenie Scialabba, who was next to McCormick on Saturday when the gunman opened fire.

“We’re all standing there, having these discussions about the future of the country. And next thing you know, we’re making eye contact under folding metal chairs, counting the shots and trying to determine where they’re coming from,” she recalled.

Scialabba said McCormick helped shield her and told her, “I got you,” confirming her account to the Butler Eagle.

“It’s like his combat training kicked in and he was able to get us all out of there,” Scialabba said, referring to McCormick’s service as a former Army officer and veteran of the Gulf War.

Scialabba said she is concerned about attending future campaign events, but she plans to go anyway “out of pure defiance.” She echoed other elected leaders and called for “extra thought” into language used in campaigning “to tone down this rhetoric.”

Both Casey and McCormick have also called for lowering the temperature.

“We have consequential differences; we should debate them robustly,” McCormick wrote in a Wall Street Journal op-ed Sunday. “The left and right have vastly different visions, and both fear the consequences of losing. So let’s have that conflict—but let’s commit to keep it inside the context of elections, civil debate and policymaking.”

Casey told CNN’s State of the Union on Sunday, “We all have a role to play … both as citizens and as elected officials. What we should be categorically condemning is violence of all kinds, political violence or otherwise.”

It remains to be seen if cooling down rhetoric is even possible in today’s ever-warming political climate — especially in a battleground state as critical as Pennsylvania.

Some Pennsylvania political operatives were cautiously optimistic.

“Sen. Casey has always shown that he’s run campaigns based on substance, not style. And look, McCormick, in all honesty, strikes me the same way,” said Pennsylvania Democratic strategist Mike Mikus, who is not working with Casey. “This race was never going to be an over-the-top battle royale. It was always going to be based on differences both on policy and background.”

Barley, the former state party leader who is not working with McCormick, also said a more positive campaign is possible “because of the unique nature of the two people.”

“I think they’re both generally gentlemen. And they like to campaign that way,” Barley said — though he added that the candidates cannot control the largely negative ads that come from outside groups.

Pennsylvania GOP strategist Vince Galko, who is not involved in the Senate race, said there could be “more civility, more issue-based campaigning” in the short term. But Galko noted McCormick will also have to make his case against the incumbent.

McCormick has continued to draw a contrast with Casey, telling CNBC on Monday that his message to voters is: “If you think the status quo is OK, if you think we’re on a good path, then you should vote for my opponent. Sen. Casey, he’s been there a long time. He’s voted with President Biden 98% of the time. If you think we need to make really significant changes on the border on economic policy, on criminal justice, on America’s role in the world, on energy policy — then, then pick me.”

Casey and his allies, meanwhile, have also been working to define McCormick, highlighting McCormick’s business record and his Connecticut residence.

Aside from some potentially less hard-edged messaging, it’s not yet clear if it could have a broader impact on the Senate race.

McCormick faces a tough race against Casey, the son of a former governor who was first elected to the Senate in 2006. While Republicans argue the race will tighten as McCormick becomes better known, Casey has performed better than President Joe Biden in recent polling.

A Pennsylvania survey from New York Times/Siena College, conducted last week, prior to the shooting, and released Monday, finds Casey at 50%, leading McCormick by 11 points among registered voters and 8 points among likely voters. Casey’s leads are outside the survey’s margins of error for both groups. The survey found Trump leading Biden by 3 points among both groups of Pennsylvania voters.

Casey has historically fared well in Western Pennsylvania, even as Republicans have made inroads in the Trump era among blue-collar voters in the industrial areas surrounding Pittsburgh.

That part of the state is also where Saturday’s shooting took place.

“That’s the most important place in the whole race,” GOP strategist Brad Todd, who is working with McCormick’s campaign, said of Western Pennsylvania.

“There will be a whole lot of people in Butler and the surrounding counties who know people who were there, who’ve heard firsthand accounts,” Todd said, later adding, “I don’t know if that results in more engagement, if it results in more people paying attention, if it’s more enthusiasm.”

“I don’t know how it will change,” Todd added. “But I have to believe it will change.”

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Pennsylvania

Man charged after over 100 human skeletal remains found in Pennsylvania home – National | Globalnews.ca

Published

3 hours ago

January 9, 2026

Press Room

Man charged after over 100 human skeletal remains found in Pennsylvania home – National | Globalnews.ca

A Pennsylvania man has been arrested and is facing more than 500 charges after he was accused of stealing human skulls and “numerous” skeletal remains from an abandoned cemetery on Philadelphia’s outskirts, according to police.

Bones and skulls visible in the back seat of a car near the cemetery led police to the home and storage unit of Jonathan Gerlach, 34, after police had been looking into a string of burglaries.

Investigators checked Gerlach’s licence plates and found that he had been near the cemetery repeatedly during the period when the burglaries occurred.

Officers say the Jan. 6 arrest culminated a months-long investigation into break-ins at Mount Moriah Cemetery, where at least 26 mausoleums and vaults had been forced open since early November.

After searching Gerlach’s home and storage unit, investigators reported finding more than 100 human skulls, long bones, mummified hands and feet, two decomposing torsos and other skeletal items.

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“They were in various states. Some of them were hanging, as it were. Some of them were pieced together, some were just skulls on a shelf,” Delaware County District Attorney Tanner Rouse said.

Most of the findings were in Gerlach’s basement, authorities said. They also recovered jewelry believed to be linked to the graves, and a pacemaker that was still attached.

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“Detectives walked into a horror movie come to life in that home. It is truly, in the most literal sense of the word, horrific. I grieve for those who are upset by this, who are going through this, who are trying to figure out if it is, in fact, one of their loved ones,” Rouse added.

Click to play video: 'Human skull found amid Halloween decor in Florida thrift store'

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Human skull found amid Halloween decor in Florida thrift store

Police say Gerlach targeted mausoleums and underground vaults at the cemetery, which was established in 1855. Gerlach was arrested as he walked back toward his car with a crowbar, police said.

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He also had a burlap bag in which officers found the mummified remains of two small children, three skulls and other bones.

Gerlach then told investigators that he took around 30 sets of human remains and showed them the graves he stole from, police said.

Police believe the remains were also taken from other cemeteries in the region. They are investigating the Human Bones and Skull Selling Group on Facebook, where Gerlach was reportedly tagged and pictured holding a skull.

He was charged with 100 counts each of abuse of a corpse and receiving stolen property, along with multiple counts of desecrating a public monument, desecrating a venerated object, desecrating a historic burial place, burglary, trespassing and theft.

Mount Moriah Cemetery released a statement on its Instagram Stories following Gerlach’s arrest, thanking Delaware County District Attorney’s Office, the Yeadon Police Department and the Philadelphia Police Department for “their hard work and dedication to this case.”

“Our team has been working alongside all parties involved and will continue to do so throughout the remainder of the investigation. Please direct any specific questions regarding this case to the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office,” it said.

“Mount Moriah is the largest abandoned cemetery in the United States. Its historic grounds are cared for by a dedicated group of approximately 12 volunteers who show up week in and week out to preserve this space.”

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Gerlach is being held on $1-million bail, and his preliminary hearing is scheduled for Jan. 20.

— With files from The Associated Press

&copy 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

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Pennsylvania

Here’s what to try at this year’s Pennsylvania Farm Show food court

Published

15 hours ago

January 9, 2026

Press Room

Here’s what to try at this year’s Pennsylvania Farm Show food court

As we were sequestered around the Expo Hall and Main Hall at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex and Expo Center, guided by Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding and a Benjamin Franklin re-enactor Bill Robling, my mind began to wander to food.

Thursday marked my inaugural visit to the annual Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg, the 110th iteration the expo and one that coincided with the 250^th anniversary of the Untied States’ founding. While I and York Daily Record photographer Paul Kuehnel joined a flock of other reporters for the Farm Show’s preview, we were treated to a taste of many of the foods, both new and returning, that would be offered to visitors in the sprawling food court inside the Expo Hall.

Considering I hadn’t had breakfast that morning, I was willing to oblige.

With such an anniversary on the horizon, the Pennsylvania Dairyman’s Association unveiled a flight of red, white and blue milkshake flavors. Newer additions to the menu including pickle pizza from the Pennsylvania FFA and Lion’s Mane coffee from the Pennsylvania Mushroom Farmers, among others.

Here are some of the items the preview provided, as well as what to try when the food court opens at noon on Jan. 9.

Lion’s Mane Mushroom Coffee

Mushrooms are a major cash crop for Pennsylvania, with nearly 60 percent of U.S. production of the crop running through the commonwealth. Lion’s Mane mushrooms, especially, have been linked to brain health benefits thanks to anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds, according to a published paper by the journal Nutrients.

The coffee itself is a dark roast blended with ground Lion’s Mane mushrooms, and the flavor provides a slight, hearty twang to its benefit. Considering I hadn’t had my own coffee that morning, it provided me with an immediate jolt of energy.

Pierogi

Fun fact: pierogi is plural! A classic done right by the PA Cooperative Potato Growers, Inc., the pierogi are soft, chewy and contain a starchy potato filling that satisfies any craving but doesn’t weigh you down. The pierogi also come with grilled onions on top, which adds a savory boost to keep you wanting more.

Blended Mushroom Steakhouse Burger

Piled high with a mix of mushrooms grown right in Pennsylvania and a slathering of Alabama barbecue sauce, the Pennsylvania Mushroom Farmers offer a burger with a twist. The patty itself is 75 percent grass-fed beef, 25 percent mushroom, and it works. The burger retains the flavor of a traditional all-beef patty while keeping in style with the Pennsylvania Mushroom Farmers’ mission to introduce the state’s cash crop to a variety of dishes. And the Alabama barbecue sauce provides a twang to the ensemble.

Stuffed Baby Bella Mushrooms

Returning to the menu provided by the Pennsylvania Mushroom Farmers, you are provided with four bite-sized mushrooms that come in two flavors: artichoke and spinach and bacon and cheese.

The mushrooms are an excellent snack or starter for the Farm Fest, filled with flavor and firm enough to burst with juices after your first bite.

Potato Doughnut

The granddaddy of them all and a Farm Show staple, the potato doughnut makes its return in its three traditional flavors: plain, powdered and cinnamon sugar. It’s not as flaky as a traditional doughnut, and not as heavy either.

Red, White and Blue Milkshakes

With the 250^th anniversary of the United States’ founding, the The Pennsylvania Dairyman’s Association, a vendor with the Farm Show since 1955, saw fit to roll out a milkshake flight of red, white and bBlue milkshakes to ring in the sestercentennial. The white is a normal vanilla flavor, the red is strawberry and the blue is a raspberry flavor.

The Dairyman’s Association has also made an intentional move this year away from artificial dyes in their milkshakes, shifting to natural dyes to provide the color.

Dave Smith, executive director of the Pennsylvania Dairyman’s Association, said the move had been a goal of the Dairyman’s Association ahead of the nation’s 250^th anniversary.

“That was one of my priorities, to figure out how we could do something like that,” Smith said. “What we found is that (the colors) are not as distinct as what they would have been if they were artificial. It’s more subtle.”

This shift doesn’t affect the flavor one bit. All three options are sweet, thick and delicious, as to be expected.

Plan your trip to the Pennsylvania Farm Show

For more information about the Farm Show, check out the full schedule of events here. The food court opens to the public on Jan. 9 from noon until 9 p.m. with the bulk of the expo running from Jan. 10-17.

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Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania launches new website to combat human trafficking | StateScoop

Published

1 day ago

January 8, 2026

Press Room

Pennsylvania launches new website to combat human trafficking | StateScoop

The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency on Thursday launched a new website aimed at preventing human trafficking and better supporting victims by bringing together resources for first responders, social service providers and members of the public.

The announcement came during Human Trafficking Prevention Month at a roundtable discussion in Philadelphia that included state and local officials, advocates, social service providers and survivors.

The new website, developed with Villanova University’s Institute to Address Commercial Sexual Exploitation, provides trauma-informed training materials, guidance on recognizing warning signs of trafficking and information on how to report suspected cases.

“The fight against trafficking begins with coordination and working together to raise awareness of the warning signs, making sure people know where and how to report, strengthening support for survivors, and holding perpetrators accountable,” Kathy Buckley, director of PCCD’s Office of Victims’ Services, said in a press release.

Human trafficking is the crime of using force, fraud or coercion to induce another person to perform labor or sex acts.

According to the Philadelphia Anti-Trafficking Coalition, the number of identified trafficking survivors in the region increased by 23% in 2025 compared to the previous year. The organization cites housing, food assistance, medical care and counseling among the most common needs for survivors

“That’s the goal of our new website and the purpose of this conversation today, shining a light on organizations leading this work and ensuring that all across Pennsylvania, every individual knows there are people and resources dedicated to combating all forms of exploitation,” Buckley said.

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 26 states have enacted legislation creating human-trafficking task forces, study groups or similar coordination efforts. Eight of those states — Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri and Rhode Island apply to sex trafficking only, while the others target both labor and sex trafficking.

In 2019, researchers in the Biotechnology and Human Systems studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology released a Human Trafficking Technology Roadmap aimed at helping federal, state and local agencies to better identify, investigate and prosecute trafficking cases. The report’s recommendations include building tools that automatically analyze large amounts of data, establishing centralized collections of evidence templates and trafficking “signatures,” and developing shared computing systems for law enforcement and courts.

Pennsylvania’s new website builds on efforts by the administration of Gov. Josh Shapiro, who announced his reelection bid Thursday, to combat human trafficking. Those include spending $14 million over the past two budget cycles on the Victims Compensation Assistance Program and moving the state’s Anti-Human Trafficking Workgroup under PCCD’s leadership. That group now focuses on training, law enforcement coordination, victim services and public awareness.

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