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A daily newsletter by  |
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| Today: Police audit, security failures, 'no risk,' RFK Jr. hearing, legislative elections, patchwork policy, and the oldest delegate at the DNC. |
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A study of 2023 traffic stops found that Pennsylvania State Police pulled drivers over at about the same rate regardless of race or ethnicity. But the study did find a small difference in the rate of discretionary searches initiated based on probable cause, reasonable suspicion, or driver consent.
Spotlight PA's Danielle Ohl reports:
When troopers conducted a consent search, contraband was found for about 61% of white motorists compared to about 44% for Black drivers and around 32% for Hispanic drivers. In other types of discretionary searches, the racial differences were minimal.
Overall, the analysis found legal variables — such as criminal history or speeding — were stronger indicators that a stop would produce some kind of result, such as a warning, citation, search, or arrest.
A corresponding report recommends State Police continue to review body and dash camera footage of stops as part of accountability efforts.
Read the full report: Pa. State Police pull over drivers at similar rates regardless of a driver’s race, study finds. |
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NOTABLE / QUOTABLE
"It's midnight and somebody's pounding on my door, what the heck could this be? Me and my wife met at the top of the stairs and I was like, 'I think we're being swatted.'"
—Montgomery County GOP leader Matt McCaffery who was targeted in a swatting attack hours after endorsing Democrat Kamala Harris on CNN |
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| 📱CHECK OUT OUR NEW MOBILE APP |
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We’re excited to debut the Spotlight PA mobile app, now available to download for free in the Apple App Store and Google Play.
The app streamlines the reader experience by sharing our latest stories in an accessible, easy-to-read format. You’ll also get the latest on events, product offerings, and more within the app.
Please check it out and let us know what you think!
Download for Apple/iOS
Download for Google/Android |
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| A dawn redwood at Longwood Gardens in Chester County, via Don N. Send us photos by email, use #PAGems on IG, or tag us @spotlightpennsylvania. |
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PEOPLE POWER: Join us Thursday, Aug. 22, from 6-7 p.m. for a free panel on why local government struggles to attract and retain talent. Register here and submit questions to events@spotlightpa.org.
BERKS BUREAU: Join us on Wednesday, Aug. 28 at 6 p.m. for a session on our plans for a Berks County reporting bureau. Register here. |
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 FATAL FLAWS: The security lapses than enabled July's attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump in Butler weren't unique. A joint investigation by Spotlight PA, ProPublica, and the Butler Eagle reveals the inevitable breakdown of an already vulnerable system, a Secret Service agency stretched thin, and a 20-year-old shooter who exploited longstanding deficiencies.  DISPUTED CLAIM: Environmentalists are crying misinformation over a new report, the result of a rare partnership between oil and gas driller CNX Resources and the Shapiro administration, that says fracking poses “no public health risks” when "done the CNX way." Inside Climate News reports the conclusion is "at odds with hundreds of studies" and also the product of self-monitoring by the energy company.
 ON DEFENSE: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. arrived late to Pennsylvania court on Tuesday to defend his eligibility to be on November's presidential ballot here. Democratic Party-aligned challengers concerned about the so-called spoiler effect are pointing to alleged flaws in Kennedy’s paperwork, including a home address a New York judge recently called "a sham." Other third-party ballot challenges are ongoing. |
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AD BLOCK: Luzerne County is backing away from a plan to spend $1 million in opioid settlement funds on an anti-drug ad campaign proposed by local Nexstar news station, per WVIA.
DNC SENIORITY: Ninety-five-year-old Angie Gialloreto of Pittsburgh is the oldest delegate at the Democratic National Convention, the Capital-Star reports. This year's youngest Pennsylvania delegate is 20.
J6 VERDICT: A former Allentown teacher who alleged he was wrongly fired for attending the rally that fed the U.S. Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021 has been awarded $131,500 in damages, Lehigh Valley News reports.
NO SERVICE: Students are going back to school in some corners of Pennsylvania with no-cellphone policies in place, PennLive reports. That includes Hershey High School's "bell to bell there is no cell" policy.
(TOO) HOT TO GO: Pennsylvania has never hosted an Olympic Games — though it did host an Olympic protest once — and Axios reports climate change may ensure it's too hot to do so in the future. |
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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. Please include your first name and last initial. F N I A N L E I Z T I
Yesterday's answer: Obliquely
Congrats to our daily winners: Jane R., Dave V., Bruce B., Lynne E., Karen W., Judith D., Mike B., Ada M., Rosemary C., Jack R., Jon W., Lissa C., Timothy A., Sherri A., David T., Stacy S., Craig E., Jeff F., Jeff M., Greg V., Susan N.-Z., Sally B., Richard A., Don H., Wendy A., Helen N., Ted W., Johnny C., Barb K., Beth H., Janice M., Perry H., Jeffrey F., Amelia M., Jill C., Marie B., Barbara F., Daniel S., Stanley J., Karen K., Dennis M., Beth T., Annette I., Louie C., Tom M., David W., Joel S., William Z., Jodi M., John P., Dave K., Elizabeth B., and Alison L. |
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TITLE IX UPDATES: Pennsylvania's Department of Education plans to update its policies to reflect besieged Biden administration rules on how schools should handle sexual harassment and discrimination complaints. A Moms for Liberty lawsuit exempted more than 100 schools statewide. WHYY explains Pennsylvania's plan and the 