Pennsylvania
Inmate Speaks Out About Prison ‘Brother’ Luigi Mangione’s Stay in Pennsylvania Lockup
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x0:751x2)/Luigi-Mangione-exits-the-Blair-County-Courthouse-in-Hollidaysburg-Pennsylvania-121924-2-a9c2b97dd3e6440aaa5a74603db69fba.jpg?ssl=1 "Inmate Speaks Out About Prison ‘Brother’ Luigi Mangione’s Stay in Pennsylvania Lockup")
A Pennsylvania inmate inside the State Correctional Institution at Huntingdon is opening up about Luigi Mangione’s brief stay at the prison.
In a first-person article published by the Prison Journalism Project on Jan. 23, Vaughn Wright shared moments from the roughly 10-day span in which Mangione was being held at SCI Huntingdon.
Mangione, 26, was charged with the Dec. 4 murder of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson. He was first arrested in Altoona, Penn., on gun possession and false identification charges. He fought extradition back to New York City — where Thompson’s murder was committed — until Dec. 19, when he left the Huntingdon prison.
Wright wrote that Mangione was being held in the rear of the D Block, where death row inmates were previously held.
“Every time he was escorted from his cell, D Block got locked down,” Wright revealed. “During lockdowns, all prisoner movement is prohibited.”
Unlike most inmates who wore the standard-issue orange jumpsuit, Mangione wore a “turtle suit,” Wright recalled, referring to a padded “getup” generally worn by inmates who are considered at risk for self-harm.
Jeff Swensen/Getty
During Mangione’s time at the prison, the now-viral prison interview by Ashleigh Banfield was conducted.
She had discerned that some prisoners — those in the E Block, Wright said — were watching her show as she reported live from outside SCI Huntingdon. The prisoners would yell and “blink their ceiling lights in response” to what she said.
“I haven’t heard voices here raised in such raucous unison since 2018, when the Philadelphia Eagles won the Super Bowl,” Wright said, adding, “I suppose people relished the moment to have a voice.”
Wright surmised that Mangione’s treatment at the facility was likely a softer version of the prison guards’ norm, “because they wanted something from him” and “everyone wanted a piece of the biggest crime story in the nation.”
“Now, nearly 2,000 of us are part of that story. No matter what, Mangione is and will forever be an SCI Huntingdon alumnus,” Wright concluded. “His brothers here will intently follow his case as it moves forward through the criminal justice system, all the while telling anyone who’ll listen, if it had been them, what they would have done to keep from getting arrested in the first place.”
The U.S. has a new top amusement park – and it’s not Disney themed.
Little-known Knoebels Amusement Resort in Elysburg, Pennsylvania, took home the top prize for top amusement park in the recently released TripAdvisor “Best of the Best” list.
“Family-owned and operated since 1926, Knoebels Amusement Resort—located in Elysburg, Pennsylvania—is America’s largest free-admission amusement park. It’s got it all: roller coasters, kid-friendly rides (bumper cars, a haunted mansion), swimming, camping, a mining museum, and even a championship 18-hole golf course. The accommodating staff, clean facilities, and fun attractions make for a memorable family-friendly visit,” TripAdvisor noted.
The park, which is located in the middle of the state, received a 4.7 rating from nearly 3,000 reviewers on the website.
Dollywood, Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Universal Island rounded out the top five on TripAdvisor’s list.
Knoebels celebrated taking the top spot with a social media post. Its fans were not surprised with the high ranking.
“We knew it all along,” the American Coaster Enthusiasts for Eastern Pennsylvania wrote in response.
“Been going since 1996,” one user wrote.
Knoebels opened in 1926 and is America’s largest free-admission park. Tickets for individual rides cost visitors a fee,, but entry remains free.
The resort offers more than 100 rides ranging from family to thrill coasters. The Impulse roller coaster is one of the park’s most popular and features upside-down twists and a 90-degree free fall. The Phoenix roller coaster is a classic wooden model that first opened in 1947 in Texas. In 1985 it was reborn at Knoebels.
If thrill seeking isn’t on your bucket list, the park offers plenty of gentler rides. The antique cars attractions let people drive a Model-T replica through the woods and under the Phoenix roller coaster. The park’s Grand Carousel also offers a throwback ride to users and a game on each ride where the winner gets a free turn.
Dolly Parton’s Dollywood in Tennessee took the second spot on the list.
“Dollywood is the brainchild of singer Dolly Parton, who grew up in the surrounding Smoky Mountains of Tennessee,” TripAdvisor noted. “The park has a downhome feel with singalongs and a museum dedicated to Parton’s life, plus high-velocity roller coasters and thrill rides. Watch artisans showcase glass blowing and pottery skills. Stay at the park’s two resorts for loads of perks.”
While a pair of Disney parks in Florida took the next two spots on the list.
“Known as The Most Magical Place On Earth, the Magic Kingdom Park needs no introduction. This theme park is located at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida and features some of Disney’s best-known attractions (Space Mountain, Jungle Cruise, Cinderella Castle). There’s also a nightly fireworks show, musical parades, and meet and greets with your favorite Disney Characters,” TripAdvisor said of Magic Kingdom.
Here is the full top 10 list:
- Knoebels Amusement Resort (Elysburg, Pennsylvania)
- Dollywood (Pigeon Forge, Tennessee)
- Magic Kingdom Park (Bay Lake, Florida)
- Disney’s Hollywood Studios (Bay Lake, Florida)
- Universal Islands of Adventure (Orlando, Florida)
- Epcot (Bay Lake, Florida)
- Legoland California (Carlsbad, California)
- Universal Studios Florida (Orlando, Florida)
- Disneyland Park (Anaheim, California)
- Silver Dollar City (Branson, Missouri)
Pennsylvania
Update: Freeze warning for part of Pennsylvania until Sunday morning – temperatures to drop to 28
Pennsylvania
Could a gas tax holiday be imposed in Pennsylvania as prices at the pump continue to rise?
PENNSYLVANIA (WJAC) — Discussion continues about potentially suspending the Pennsylvania gas tax, one of the highest state gas taxes in the country, as prices at the pump continue to jump.
Lawmakers in both chambers are considering a gas tax holiday that would remove Pennsylvania’s gas tax for a limited period. The Senate proposal would last 60 days, while the House version would run for six months. Supporters say the move would provide needed help for people across the state, while opponents argue it is not sustainable.
The proposals would save drivers about 57 cents per gallon on gasoline and about 75 cents per gallon on diesel from the state gas tax.
Representatives of the Democratic senator Lisa Boscola, who proposed the Senate bill and is from the Lehigh area, said they will continue pushing the measure they believe is needed by families around the state and are optimistic it will pass.
In the House, the effort is mostly being pushed by Republicans, though local Republican Rep. Jim Rigby said he does not support it because it is “not a real solution.”
Democratic Rep. Paul Takac agrees, saying state police and PennDOT road work are funded through the gas tax, and that suspending it would essentially defund both, and they would have to find money to fill those voids. Takac added that he has not heard any serious intention to move the bill forward.
Democratic Rep. Frank Burns said he believes that if the proposal came to a vote, a gas tax holiday would pass with bipartisan support and would provide at least a small break to struggling families.
The debate continues as gas prices continue rising, with another jump in the last week.
Chief economist Gbenga Ajilore of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities says prices are unlikely to fall soon.
“It seems like gas prices are going to go up, and even if there’s some sort of resolution in say the next couple weeks, it’s going to be difficult to see prices go down anytime soon,” Ajilore said.
The Senate is back in session on Monday and for the next few days after that, but not again until June. If the gas tax holiday is going to move forward anytime soon, that is when it would likely happen.
In the House, the proposal would need to clear the Democratic-led Transportation Committee before it could go to a vote.
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