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Pa. powerbroker, councilman guilty of conspiracy

Plus, Pa.'s high lead poisoning rate is about to get higher.

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A daily newsletter by Spotlight PA
Your Postmaster: Colin Deppen
November 16, 2021
At risk, guilty verdicts, committee walkout, shots fired, class elections, money watch, and a Reese's peanut butter cup to rule them all. It's Tuesday.
Hey, it's Colin, your PA Post editor...

I love PA Post because it's unique. It's not some computer-generated list of headlines, but rather a hand-crafted guide to the top stories from all across Pennsylvania. I work late each night and early each morning to make sure you don't miss a beat — and have a little fun, too.

If you love starting your day with PA Post, I need your help right now. We're trying to raise $70,000 by December 31st to power this newsletter and all of our investigative journalism in 2022. As a special bonus, if you make a contribution right now, it will be DOUBLED.

We provide PA Post as a public service. If you value it, I'm asking you to help keep it going with a tax-deductible gift now. Your support means a lot to me personally and to our entire team.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

—Colin
PRESENT DANGERS
NOTABLE / QUOTABLE

"We are vociferously opposed to this proposal and have instructed our attorneys to fully assess the policy's legality."

—The Philadelphia Federation of Teachers on a proposed School District of Philadelphia policy that would forbid employees from speaking to the press

ALL GIFTS DOUBLED
We built Spotlight PA on the premise that Pennsylvanians will pay for unique, high-quality investigative and accountability journalism that holds our elected officials to account, keep tabs on our tax dollars, and calls out wrongdoing.

Now, as 2021 comes to a close, we need your help to continue our work in 2022. Make a gift of any amount right now and as a special bonus, your contribution will be DOUBLED. Now is the time to join the fight for the truth.
💉 COVID-19 NEWS
» BOOSTER SHOTS: Neighboring West Virginia has joined several states in opening booster shot eligibility up to all adults, not just higher-risk individuals, the AP reports. New York City is doing the same.

» THE TALK: Experts say it's important to ask about vaccination status ahead of holiday gatherings. HealthLine offers some tips for doing so.

To find a COVID-19 vaccine, use the federal government's online tool, call 1-800-232-0233, or text your zip code to 438829 (GETVAX).
📷 POST IT
Reflections in Pidcock Creek at Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve in Bucks County. Thanks for sharing, Nora OSend us your gems, use the hashtag #PAGems on Instagram, or tag us @spotlightpennsylvania.
DAILY RUNDOWN
FOUND GUILTY: The bribery trial of Philadelphia labor leader John Dougherty and City Councilman Bobby Henon has ended with convictions on conspiracy and related counts. Prosecutors said Dougherty continued paying Henon for a union job after Henon's election and, in exchange, was able to control his council vote. Henon doesn't have to step down until February's sentencing. Both men are facing jail time.

DEM EXIT: Monday's GOP-run state House committee hearing on proposals aimed at tightening public sector union rules included no union representatives. It also included no Democrats, all of whom walked out as soon as the hearing started, Capital-Star reports. State Rep. Gerald Mullery (D., Luzerne) called the hearing misdirected.

CHARGES FILED: Two teens are charged with murder in the fatal police shooting of an 8-year-old outside a Delaware County football game, WHYY reports. Prosecutors say the teens fired shots that led nearby police to fire their weapons, wounding three bystanders and killing Fanta Bility. A grand jury will meet Thursday to probe the police response.

SCHOOL SEATS: Updated election results have another Democrat claiming a board seat in the Central York School District, where a ban on books by and about people of color drew national headlines before the Nov. 2 election, and a board member's conspiratorial claim about mystery ban edits drew attention afterward, per York Daily Record.

ROAD RULES: Pennsylvania will receive some $18 billion from the federal infrastructure deal President Biden signed into law yesterday. But WITF reports it won't be an instantaneous windfall, with groundbreakings on hold as spending rules are outlined.
IN OTHER NEWS

PROS AND CONS: Like other communities in Pennsylvania, Churchill Borough is the site of a planned Amazon distribution hub. PublicSource examines the company's promises and the community's pushback

SEARCH AND RESCUE: Cellphone and iPad signals helped rescuers locate a father and daughter whose plane crashed in Luzerne County on Sunday, NBC10 reports. Both were hypothermic and taken to a hospital.

IT'S OFFICIAL: The 34-inch walleye caught by Richard "The Breeze" Nicholson of Fayette County has indeed topped Pennsylvania's 41-year-old walleye record, Erie Times-News reports.

ROLL OUT: A tied borough council race in Elk County will be settled with the "casting-of-lots," which in this case references Pennsylvania's way of breaking election ties with something akin to a dice roll, per The Inquirer.

SUPER SIZE ME: A 3.4-pound, pie-sized version of Pennsylvania-made Reese's peanut butter cups is now a reality, and 3,000 of them are available for purchase, just in time for the Thanksgiving holiday, CNN reports.

THE SCRAMBLER
Unscramble and send your answer to scrambler@spotlightpa.org. We'll shout out winners here, and one each week will get some Spotlight PA swag.
 
P A A I I A L O R T S N
 
Yesterday's answer: Effectuate

Congrats to our daily winners: Michelle T., Neal W., Bridget C., Doris T., Susan F., Jodi R., Jodi R., Irene R., Bruce T., Craig E., Al M., Patricia M., Susan N., Kevin H., Heidi B., Beth T., Jessica K., Don H., Judith D., Dianne K., Kimberly B., Cynthia R., Kimberly S., Vicki U., Alan V., Kim C., Steve D., Craig W., Ted W., Elaine C., David W., James B., Fred O., Tish M., Ann E., Keith F., Sharon M., David I., Bill S., Mike B., Suzanne S., Johnny C., Elizabeth W., Joel S., George S., John F., Beth L., Skip B., Lynne E., and John A.
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