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A daily newsletter by  |
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| Today: New money, fake electors, campus amnesty, life without parole, abandoned plans, council controversy, and how to live to 101. |
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For the first time, Pennsylvania has dedicated money to criminal defense for people who can't afford a lawyer. But where will the historic funding go?
Counties have long been the sole funders of public defense, a setup that has resulted in varied quality statewide. A noncompetitive grant program will allow each county to access a formula-based slice of the $6.75 million investment.
Mifflin and Philadelphia are among the counties entitled to the largest maximum awards, $141,720 and $111,973, respectively. Philadelphia spent around $30.20 on criminal defense per person in fiscal year 2019. Mifflin County, in rural central Pennsylvania, spent just $3.20 per person.
Counties have until May 23 to apply. Experts say more state funding will be needed to put public defenders on the same footing as prosecutors offices that have received millions of dollars from the state for years.
Read Spotlight PA's full report: State advisory committee releases plan for historic public defense money. |
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NOTABLE / QUOTABLE
"This to me seems like a campaign who’s saying, 'Holy sh--, we've got to get out, and early, and we have to be in front of people.'"
—Lorella Praeli, the Latino vote director for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign, on President Joe Biden's Latino outreach "as warning signs flash" |
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| The view from Kings Gap state park, Cumberland County, via Don H. Have a photo of your own to share? Send it to us by email, use #PAGems on Instagram, or tag us @spotlightpennsylvania. |
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 - Pennsylvania charges against pro-Trump fake electors unlikely as Arizona makes the move, via USA Today.
 - Penn journalism professors among dozens calling on The New York Times to review its Oct. 7 reporting, via WaPo.
  ON ENCINA: The company behind an abandoned plan to build one of the largest plastic recycling facilities in the U.S. on the banks of the Susquehanna said the site turned out to be too small. But one expert told Inside Climate News the project had three strikes against it: unproven technology, local opposition, and short funding.  BLOCKED PICK: Philadelphia City Council on Monday withdrew Joyce Wilkerson's school board nomination following opposition from charter school supporters, including Council President Kenyatta Johnson’s charter school-aligned wife, The Inquirer (paywall) reports. But Wilkerson still has a board seat, at least for now. |
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NEW LOW PRICE! 'Now Serving the Truth' kitchen aprons!
Don't go another meal without letting people know you're serving the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. SHOP THE SALE NOW > |
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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. Answers submitted by 5:30 p.m. on issue date will be counted. F N I E R E T N E M
Yesterday's answer: Retirement
Congrats to our daily winners: Donna E., Jane R., Beth H., Vicki U., Elaine C., Deb M., Susan N., Bob C., Eric F., Don H., Daniel M., Lynne E., David N., Jill M., Stacy S., Kimberly D., Becky C., Jon W., Rosemary C., Barbara F., Richard A., Marty M., Vicki W., Susan R., Jodi R., Sally B., Geoffrey M., Frank H., Eddy Z., Beth T., Ted W., Jessica K., Jody A., Alan B., Kathy P., Cynthia W., Rich C., Connie A. O., Judith D., Christine B., Janet S., Leslie B., Starr B., Susan N., Jasperdean K., John A., Stanley J., Jeffrey F., Wendy A., Jann C., Mike B., Ada M., Tish M., Tom M., Richard P., William Z., Michael T., Barry W., Susan N.-Z., Georgann J., James D., Steve D., and John H.
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