Pennsylvania

Essay: Secrecy is too often the norm in Pennsylvania state and local governments

Published

2 years ago

March 14, 2023

Essay: Secrecy is too often the norm in Pennsylvania state and local governments

This story initially appeared on Highlight PA.

Our state and native governments exist to serve our communities. We pay our taxes annually, and in return, we the taxpayers have a proper to know what our authorities is doing, the way it’s spending our cash, and whether or not we’re getting the companies we deserve.

However there are fewer and fewer journalists on the entrance strains, protecting the federal government sincere — and when officers don’t face questions or requests for public data regularly, they more and more lean towards the facet of secrecy over transparency.

Making issues worse, state and native governments have vastly extra assets than members of the general public, permitting them to combat requests for info in courtroom (utilizing taxpayer {dollars}!) figuring out full properly that the majority requesters can’t afford to combat again.

We all know all too properly what can occur when governments are left to their very own gadgets. And that’s why Highlight PA and lots of of our associate newsrooms are forging artistic options to shift the stability of energy again in favor of you, the taxpayer.

However we’d like your assist to maintain up the combat.

This week is Sunshine Week, a nationwide effort annually to name consideration to the significance of presidency transparency and entry to public data. These are two ideas which are core to the mission of Highlight PA, the statewide newsroom I lead.

In case you’re not aware of our work, Highlight PA is an unbiased, nonpartisan newsroom masking the state Capitol in Harrisburg and pressing statewide points. We share all of our journalism without charge with greater than 90 information retailers throughout the state.

And we work to carry our companions collectively to combat for transparency.

Listed below are just some of our victories through the previous 12 months:

In July, Highlight PA — with the Centre Day by day Occasions and WJAC-TV — efficiently petitioned the Centre County Courtroom of Frequent Pleas to unseal data associated to a intercourse extortion case that Penn State College attorneys had sought to maintain hidden from the general public.
In August, the state Commonwealth Courtroom dominated in favor of Highlight PA and towards the state Well being Division, which sued us in search of to dam entry to anonymized information about how many individuals use medical marijuana for every of Pennsylvania’s qualifying circumstances.
In October, Highlight PA — alongside The York Dispatch, LNP Media Group, and WITF Public Media in an effort led by the York Day by day Document — efficiently reached an settlement with the York County Clerk of Courts requiring higher entry to felony courtroom data after the information organizations sued alleging quite a few authorized violations.

In all three of these instances, and lots of extra throughout the state final 12 months, the newsrooms had been represented without charge by Paula Knudsen Burke, a Pennsylvania-based legal professional with Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. The committee in 2020 launched a brand new Native Authorized Initiative to offer wider authorized assist to journalists.

“It’s all the time regarding when public officers and companies development extra towards secrecy than transparency, however particularly so within the courts, the place we’ve seen and helped journalists push again towards a troubling erosion of entry to even primary info,” Burke stated in an interview.

Every day, Highlight PA reporters throughout the state are preventing in huge and little methods to trace your tax {dollars} and perceive what our authorities is doing. How do now we have the time and assets to do such vital work?

That’s because of you.

Our journalism and the way forward for Highlight PA rely in your assist. Make a tax-deductible present of any quantity at spotlightpa.org/donate, and as a particular bonus, all contributions can be DOUBLED because of an identical present from The Benter Basis in Pittsburgh, which is dedicated to making sure an sincere and moral authorities.

I hope I can depend on you to assist Highlight PA proceed to combat for presidency transparency, hand-in-hand with our newsroom companions. Please contemplate making a present now at spotlightpa.org/donate. In case you’d wish to donate by test, please ship it to: Highlight PA, 228 Walnut St., #11728, Harrisburg, PA 17108-1728.

Christopher Baxter is the manager director and editor-in-chief of Highlight PA, an unbiased, nonpartisan newsroom primarily based in Harrisburg. E mail him at cbaxter@spotlightpa.org. Highlight PA is funded by foundations and readers such as you who’re dedicated to accountability journalism that will get outcomes.

Highlight PA is an unbiased, non-partisan newsroom powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with PennLive/The Patriot-Information, TribLIVE/Pittsburgh Tribune-Assessment, and WITF Public Media.

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Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Lottery Powerball, Pick 2 Day results for Jan. 18, 2025

Published

8 hours ago

January 19, 2025

Press Room

The Pennsylvania Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025 results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from Jan. 18 drawing

14-31-35-64-69, Powerball: 23, Power Play: 2

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 2 numbers from Jan. 18 drawing

Day: 4-8, Wild: 3

Evening: 1-2, Wild: 3

Check Pick 2 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from Jan. 18 drawing

Day: 4-5-0, Wild: 3

Evening: 7-1-7, Wild: 3

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from Jan. 18 drawing

Day: 9-0-4-3, Wild: 3

Evening: 5-0-9-1, Wild: 3

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 5 numbers from Jan. 18 drawing

Day: 3-5-3-9-8, Wild: 3

Evening: 5-6-3-2-3, Wild: 3

Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash4Life numbers from Jan. 18 drawing

04-21-22-25-41, Cash Ball: 01

Check Cash4Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash 5 numbers from Jan. 18 drawing

04-09-19-20-38

Check Cash 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Treasure Hunt numbers from Jan. 18 drawing

02-04-06-16-20

Check Treasure Hunt payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Match 6 Lotto numbers from Jan. 18 drawing

01-05-08-15-24-32

Check Match 6 Lotto payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from Jan. 18 drawing

07-34-40-48-57, Powerball: 17

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

Sign the Ticket: Ensure your ticket has your signature, name, address and phone number on the back.
Prizes up to $600: Claim at any PA Lottery retailer or by mail: Pennsylvania Lottery, ATTN: CLAIMS, PO BOX 8671, Harrisburg, PA 17105.
Prizes from $600 to $2,500: Use a Claim Form to claim at a retailer or by mail: Pennsylvania Lottery, ATTN: CLAIMS, PO BOX 8671, Harrisburg, PA 17105.
Prizes over $2,500: Mail your signed ticket with a Claim Form or in person at a Lottery Area Office (9 a.m. to 4 p.m.).

Lottery Headquarters is currently not open to the public. Visit the PA Lottery website for other office locations near you.

When are the Pennsylvania Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 10:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 11 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
Pick 2, 3, 4, 5: 1:35 p.m. and 6:59 p.m. daily.
Cash4Life: 9 p.m. daily.
Cash 5: 6:59 p.m. daily.
Treasure Hunt: 1:35 p.m. daily.
Match 6 Lotto: 6:59 p.m. Monday and Thursday.
Powerball Double Play: 10:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Saturday.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Pennsylvania editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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Pennsylvania

Drive-by birthday parade for Lily in Pipersville, Pennsylvania

Published

15 hours ago

January 19, 2025

Press Room

Drive-by birthday parade for Lily in Pipersville, Pennsylvania – CBS Philadelphia

Watch CBS News

One Bucks County community is showing support in a big way rallying behind a seventh grader after her recent terminal cancer diagnosis.
Lily Tomlinson’s 13th birthday is next month and with help from the Pennsylvania State Police and her Pipersville community, they organized a drive-by birthday event.
Dozens of vehicles paraded down her street with banners and balloons showing their support for Lily and her family.

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Pennsylvania

Final Call Snowfall Forecast for Sunday’s Snowstorm in Pennsylvania

Published

23 hours ago

January 18, 2025

Press Room

Final Call Snowfall Forecast for Sunday’s Snowstorm in Pennsylvania

Winter Storm Warnings and Winter Weather Advisories have been issued by the NWS ahead of our short, but potent snowstorm that is on tap for Sunday. Travel will be dangerous Sunday afternoon and evening in most of the state, and it’ll be one of those days to stay inside and watch a snowy Eagles playoff game.

On the graphic below, you will also see Extreme Cold Watches in Western and Northern PA, issued for Monday to Thursday. There is a strong chance schools will be closed for multiple days this coming week due to the threat of frostbite. We will have those details on Sunday!

Snowstorm Timing

Light snow will move into Southern PA from SW to NE on Sunday morning between 9 – 11 AM. The leading edge of snow will push northeast towards I-80 around lunchtime, meanwhile snow will become heavy in Southern and Eastern Pennsylvania.

Heavy snow will continue generally along and east of the I-81 corridor through Sunday afternoon, while light to moderate snow falls near I-99 and Route 15 in Northern PA. As we head into the evening, snow will lighten up from SW to NE and begin to move out.

This will be a fluffy snow, which means it won’t be too exhausting to shovel. However it also means as winds kick up behind the storm for the next few days, snow drifts over roadways will be a concern along with the life-threatening cold temperatures.

Below are timing charts for this storm. If you do not see your location, please find the nearest city or area.

Below is the latest future radar from the Hi-Res Rapid Refresh Model as of Saturday evening, lining up with the timing shown above. You will also notice a small chance of mixing in Philadelphia, as well as lake effect snow in NWPA.

Area A: Snowfall accumulation of 6 – 8″ expected. Snow-covered roads will cause dangerous travel conditions soon after snow begins through early Monday morning.

Area B: Snowfall accumulation of 4 – 6″ anticipated. Roads will become snow-covered, making travel inadvisable after snow starts into early Monday AM.

Area C: Snowfall accumulation of 2 – 4″ expected. Snow-covered roads will lead to very poor travel conditions.

Area D: Snowfall accumulation of 1 – 2″ anticipated. Secondary roads may be covered by snow, causing slippery travel.

Be sure to share this forecast with friends and family!

More details on the harsh cold next week will be posted Sunday.

Final Call Snowfall Forecast for Sunday’s Snowstorm in Pennsylvania

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