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PA House Divided After Rep.'s Death PA House Divided After Rep.'s Death
PA House Divided After Rep.'s Death Pennsylvania lawmakers are mourning the loss of Representative Matt Gergely (D-Allegheny), who passed away at the age of 45, House Democrats announced on Sunday, Jan. 19. “Matt devoted his life to fighting for children and working families,” the House Democrats said in a statement, highlighting his deep commitment to his constituents. A cause of death has not been disclosed, though House leadership previously indicated that Gergely suffered a medical issue over the holidays. Gergely was first elected to represent the 35th District in Allegheny County in 2023 and was reelected in 2024. Befor…

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by Jillian Pikora
Politics
Trump Names PA GOP National Committeewoman Christine Toretti US Ambassador To Sweden Trump Names PA GOP National Committeewoman Christine Toretti US Ambassador To Sweden
Trump Names PA GOP National Committeewoman Christine Toretti US Ambassador To Sweden Christine Jack Toretti, Pennsylvania’s Republican National Committeewoman and a trailblazing business leader, has been named the next United States Ambassador to Sweden, former President Donald Trump announced on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. Toretti has served as Pennsylvania’s National Committeewoman to the Republican National Committee since 1997, playing a key role in shaping GOP strategies, fundraising efforts, and promoting women’s leadership. She is the founder of the Anne B. Anstine and Dodie Londen Excellence in Public Service Series, programs designed to train and empower Republican wome…

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by Jillian Pikora
Politics
York County Coroner Pam Gay To Retire, Chief Deputy Tania Zech Announces Candidacy York County Coroner Pam Gay To Retire, Chief Deputy Tania Zech Announces Candidacy
York County Coroner Pam Gay To Retire, Chief Deputy Tania Zech Announces Candidacy York County Coroner Pam Gay announced she will retire at the end of her third term in January 2026, after serving 12 years in office. Gay shared her decision in a statement on Monday, Dec. 16, highlighting her office’s accomplishments since she first took office in 2014. “I have been humbly honored to serve the people of York County during what will be my three terms as their Coroner,” Gay said. “There have been many improvements in staffing and office modernization since I began… We were finally able to provide the community with the office and morgue facility that was so desperately neede…

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by Jillian Pikora
Politics
Trump Names Wharton Graduate Special Presidential Envoy For Hostage Affairs Trump Names Wharton Graduate Special Presidential Envoy For Hostage Affairs
Trump Names Wharton Graduate Special Presidential Envoy For Hostage Affairs Adam Boehler, a graduate of the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, has been named Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs by former President Donald Trump, the Trump team announced on Wednesday, Dec. 4. Boehler, who earned his degree from Wharton in 2000, was praised by Trump for his work as a lead negotiator on the Abraham Accords team. The Accords, a hallmark of the Trump administration, normalized relations between Israel and several Arab nations. Boehler also participated in negotiations with challenging groups, including the Taliban, according to the statement. "A…

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by Jillian Pikora
Politics
Bob Casey Concedes Race For Pennsylvania US Senate Seat To Dave McCormick Bob Casey Concedes Race For Pennsylvania US Senate Seat To Dave McCormick
Bob Casey Concedes Race For Pennsylvania US Senate Seat To Dave McCormick Senator Bob Casey has conceded the Pennsylvania U.S. Senate race to Dave McCormick, calling it one of the closest elections in the state's history. Casey, who has served Pennsylvanians in public office for 28 years, announced his concession as the first count of ballots was completed, with the race decided by less than a quarter of a point. “I just called Dave McCormick to congratulate him on his election to represent Pennsylvania in the United States Senate,” Casey said in a statement released Thursday, Nov. 21. “Pennsylvanians can move forward with the knowledge that their voices were h…

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by Jillian Pikora
News
PA Man Who Killed Mom With Fentanyl Spiked Iced Tea Sentenced To Life: DA PA Man Who Killed Mom With Fentanyl Spiked Iced Tea Sentenced To Life: DA
PA Man Who Killed Mom With Fentanyl Spiked Iced Tea Sentenced To Life: DA A Falls Township man who spiked his mother’s iced tea with fentanyl before shooting her in Philadelphia has pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison, Bucks County District Attorney Matthew Weintraub announced Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024. Sean Rivera, 30, admitted to second-degree murder and multiple related charges for the killing of his 72-year-old mother, Carol J. Clark, in April 2023. Rivera drugged Clark, drove her to a shed in Philadelphia, and shot her multiple times, investigators said. Rivera's negotiated plea includes life in prison without parole for the murder, and an add…

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by Jillian Pikora
Politics
Trump Names Ex-SEC Chief, PA Native To Replace Damian Williams As SDNY's Top Prosecutor Trump Names Ex-SEC Chief, PA Native To Replace Damian Williams As SDNY's Top Prosecutor
Trump Names Ex-sec Chief, PA Native To Replace Damian Williams As Sdny's Top Prosecutor President-elect Donald Trump is looking to replace Damian Williams, US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, with a familiar face from his previous administration who hails from Pennsylvania.  Trump announced on Thursday, Nov. 14 that he would nominate Jay Clayton, who has no experience as a criminal prosecutor, to be the next US Attorney for the Southern District of New York.  Clayton, age 58, previously served as Chairman of the US Securities and Exchange Commission from May 2017 to December 2020, a role in which Trump wrote he "did an incredible job." Before that, he…

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by Ben Crnic
Politics
Election 2024: Winner Projected For PA's 4th US Congressional District Election 2024: Winner Projected For PA's 4th US Congressional District
Election 2024: Winner Projected For PA's 4th US Congressional District Election Day 2024 is in the books, and Pennsylvanians have chosen their next representatives in Congress, according to multiple outlets' projections based on unofficial results. In the commonwealth’s 4th congressional district race, Madeleine Dean defeated David Winkler for the House seat representing Berks and Mongomery counties, the AP projects. The incumbent was leading her opponent by a margin of 58.5% to 41.3%, with 89% of the vote as of 3 a.m., Wednesday, Nov. 6, according to the PA Department of State.  The 65-year-old has represented the district since 2019, after having …

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by Jillian Pikora
Obituaries
PA Mayor's Death Leaves 'Legacy Of Selfless Service': Officials PA Mayor's Death Leaves 'Legacy Of Selfless Service': Officials
PA Mayor's Death Leaves 'Legacy Of Selfless Service': Officials The current Coplay Borough Mayor Burker passed away over the weekend, the Lehigh County Coroner's Office announced in a release on Monday, Oct. 21. The Honorable Stephen J. Burker was pronounced dead from natural causes in his home on Saturday, Oct. 19, Lehigh County Coroner Daniel Buglio detailed in the release. "His loss is sure to be felt by all, whether you knew him or did not," the Borough of Coplay posted on its Facebook page. Coplay Borough and Coplay Police Department is saddened to learn of the passing of Mayor Steve Burker. Burker passed... Posted by Borough of Coplay on …

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by Merriell Moyer
Lifestyle
PA Woman To Compete On JEOPARDY! PA Woman To Compete On JEOPARDY!
PA Woman To Compete On Jeopardy! A woman public service assistant from Pennsylvania will soon compete in an upcoming episode of JEOPARDY! Megan Braught of Mechanicsburg will appear on America's favorite quiz show in an episode airing on Thursday, May 25, 2023, on CBS, according to officials from the show.  The show will air at 7 p.m. JEOPARDY!, is in its 39th season in syndication.

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by Jillian Pikora
News
Second Lancaster City Chief Of Police Resigns Suddenly In Less Than Two Years: Reports Second Lancaster City Chief Of Police Resigns Suddenly In Less Than Two Years: Reports
Second Lancaster City Chief Of Police Resigns Suddenly In Less Than Two Years: Reports After 33 years in public service, John Bey will retire, multiple media outlets report citing Lancaster city officials.  Bey had been acting as Chief of Police since Dec. 7, 2020, after Jarrad Berkihiser was forced to resign suddenly amid alleged political endorsements of Donald Trump.  Berkihiser was the second Lancaster police senior staff member to resign due to a scandal in 2020, following the resignation and arrest of Lancaster County Det. Sgt. John Burkhart of the Lancaster Drug Task Force.  “I have determined that after 25 years of service to the Pennsylvania Stat…

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by Jillian Pikora
Obituaries
Suburban Philly Officer Dies After COVID Related Illness, Department Says Suburban Philly Officer Dies After COVID Related Illness, Department Says
Suburban Philly Officer Dies After COVID Related Illness, Department Says The suburban Philadelphia police community is in mourning following the untimely death of one of their own. Officer Joshua "Josh" Micun died Sunday after contracting a COVID-19 related illness, according to the Westtown-East Goshen Regional Police Department. Officer Micun was most recently named Westtown-East Goshen officer of the year by his peers, police said. Micun previously worked with Delaware County Park police, Upper Providence police, and Aston Township police, according to his obituary. He was also a Legacy Member of the Green Ridge and Aston Beechwood Fire Departments, police…

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by Nicole Acosta
Police & Fire
Central PA Woman Killed In Jeep Accident 'Changed The World' Central PA Woman Killed In Jeep Accident 'Changed The World'
Central PA Woman Killed In Jeep Accident 'Changed The World' She changed the world.  She was an exemplary public servant. She was the best motivator. These are just a few of the ways that Kathy Teopfer Possinger was being remembered. The 44-year-old Harrisburg resident was identified by PennLive as the woman killed after being pinned between her own Jeep and her house. She and two men were using her Jeep Wrangler to remove a large shrub from the front of her home on the 300 block of Hamilton Street in Harrisburg Friday, PennLive previously reported citing Dauphin County District Attorney Fran Chardo. Chardo said the incident was "clearly accidenta…

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by Nicole Acosta
News
Former Harrisburg House Rep. Ron Buxton Has Died Former Harrisburg House Rep. Ron Buxton Has Died
Former Harrisburg House Rep. Ron Buxton Has Died At the age of 72, former state Rep. Ron Buxton has died. Buxton passed Friday evening following a prolonged battle with COPD (lung disease). Originally from Steelton, where he was born and raised by the late Robert I. and Betty Jane (Donmoyer) Buxton, Ron grew-up to work and serve central Pa. for the rest of his life. He graduated from Susquehanna Township High School in 1967 and went on to earn an Associate's Degree from Harrisburg Area Community College in 1971. He soon became a Susquehanna Township Commissioner, serving as President of the Board for two years. Then he worked as Deputy…

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by Jillian Pikora
News
TRIBUTE: New Holland Police Officer, Volunteer Firefighter Wendell Metzler Dies Of Cancer, 52 TRIBUTE: New Holland Police Officer, Volunteer Firefighter Wendell Metzler Dies Of Cancer, 52
Tribute: New Holland Police Officer, Volunteer Firefighter Wendell Metzler Dies Of Cancer, 52 New Holland Borough police department is mourning the death of Officer Wendell Metzler, who died of cancer.  He was 52 years old. Serving on the force for 20 years -- 25 part time for West Earl police -- Metzler lived a life full of service to his community.  He previously worked for Ephrata Township police for seven and a half years, and spent 22 working as a volunteer firefighter with West Earl and Upper Leacock Fire Companies.  Metzler was a certified emergency medical technician for 34 years, serving Leola Ambulance and Ephrata Community Hospital Advanced Life Support Unit. Wendell …

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by Jillian Pikora