Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Susan Gobreski, of Education Voters of Pennsylvania. Her organization says the EITC undermines public education. Credit: Pat Loeb)

Part 2: Who’s Hurt by the EITC?

Expanding the program at a time when the state has slashed public school funding is infuriating public education advocates.

2012/11/08

(Construction is underway on a new building on the campus of the Agnes Irwin School, in Rosemont, Pa. Credit: Pat Loeb)

Part 3: Who Benefits From It?

“BLOCS provides scholarships from your business taxes to students who not only want to attend a Catholic school but are most in need,” says one advertisement.

2012/11/08

(Pa. state senator Anthony Williams visits the Patterson Elementary School in Southwest Philadelphia. Credit: Pat Loeb)

Part 4: Ongoing Controversies

State senator Tony Williams defends the program as similar to the GI Bill, but some of his Harrisburg colleagues see it as improperly favoring closed groups.

2012/11/08

(Mitt Romney sits aboard his campaign plane, en route from Ohio to Wisconsin. Credit: Justin Sullivan/ Getty Images)

Romney Campaign Redoubles Effort For Pennsylvania’s 20 Electoral Votes

In the final days of the campaign for president, Pennsylvania’s 20 electoral votes are suddenly looming large.

2012/11/02

Judy Shepard, the mother of a murdered gay man, speaks at a hate crimes conference for law enforcement and community leaders at the National Constitution Center. Credit: Cherri Gregg)

Mother of Murdered Gay Man Addresses Hate Crimes Conference in Philadelphia

“Matt is no longer with us because two men learned — they learned — that it was okay to hate,” Judy Shepard said.

2012/10/24

(Parkhouse Geriatric Center, in Royersford, Pa. Photo provided)

Montco Will Offer Voter IDs To All County Residents Through Its Nursing Home

Montgomery County, Pa. is making it easier for eligible voters in the county to get a photo ID in time to cast their ballot in the November election.

2012/09/21

(A sign at a Penndot center advertises that it offers a new, less stringent form of ID card usable only for voting purposes. File photo by John Ostapkovich)

PennDOT Will Keep Phila. Centers Open a Few More Hours Each Week For Voter IDs

Mayor Nutter wanted extra hours and extra personnel at all ID centers every day until Election Day. The state countered with a few extra hours on Thursdays.

2012/09/11

Group Puts Pennsylvania and Philadelphia Near Bottom of Business-Friendly Locales

A business advocacy group says Pennsylvania and Philadelphia in particular have a legal system that’s unfair to businesses.

2012/09/10

(Former Masschusetts Lt. Governor Kerry Healey opens a campaign office near 4th and South Streets in Philadelphia, as part of the "Women for Mitt Coalition." credit: Steve Tawa)

Former Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor Brings Romney Campaign To Philadelphia

Republican Presidential challenger Mitt Romney’s surrogates campaigned in Philadelphia on Thursday as part of what they call his “Women for Mitt Coalition.”

2012/08/09

(A critic of red-light cameras says this accident was caused after one driver crashed into another that had slammed on his brakes to avoid a ticket. Photo provided)

Part 3: Redlight Camera Controversy

Do red-light cameras reduce accidents, or cause them? There are impassioned arguments on both sides.

2012/08/09

(Red light cameras snap the license plates of violators at Route 70 and Springdale Rd., in Cherry Hill, NJ. Credit: CBS3)

Part 4: Is It Safety, or Revenue?

New Jersey’s trial run for red light cameras suffered a setback earlier this summer after critics charged the “yellow” was turning to “red” too fast in some cases.

2012/08/09

(Viviette Applewhite, 93, is lead plaintiff in the ACLU lawsuit challenging Pennsylvania's new voter ID law. Credit: Cherri Gregg)

Courtroom Showdown Over Pennsylvania Voter ID Law

“It’s been like hell for me,” says lead plaintiff Viviette Applewhite, 93, who testified that she’s been trying for years to get acceptable ID.

2012/07/25

(Pa. woman holds her new voter ID. Credit: Cherri Gregg)

ACLU, State File Final Briefs Ahead Of Pa. Voter ID Law Trial

The trial over Pennsylvania’s voter ID law begins next week and ACLU and the Commonwealth submitted their final court papers laying out arguments for and against the law.

2012/07/20

The US Supreme Court building. File photo by Paul Gluck)

US Supreme Court Says Juvenile Murderers Must Have Eventual Chance At Parole

The decision — related to excessive sanctions and the precept of justice that punishment for crimes should be graduated and proportioned — could have the biggest impact here in Pennsylvania.

2012/06/25