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A daily newsletter by  |
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| Today: Aid debacle, Trump obsession, climate change, 'Heartbeat Bills,' auxiliary cop, emergency funds, and a Biden presidential library pitch. |
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The messy, flawed rollout of the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid — better known as FAFSA — is causing headaches on college campuses across Pennsylvania as students prepare to arrive.
At Millersville University in Lancaster County, an official told FOX43 that some students are still facing issues submitting the application or are waiting for the U.S. Department of Education to process corrections. The director of financial aid at Shippensburg University described a chaotic scene complicated by the departure of employees frustrated by the fiasco, PennLive (paywall) reports.
The federal education department hoped to streamline the dreaded financial aid process with a "shortened and redesigned" form, the New York Times (gift link) reported in April. Instead, students have faced a buggy system that prevented them from accessing financial aid offers needed to make critical enrollment decisions.
The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency recently held in-person FAFSA completion events around the state, and has a number of virtual events scheduled in the coming months. The agency also offers one-on-one assistance. |
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NOTABLE / QUOTABLE
"I think it's clear over the last few weeks, Donald Trump is obsessed with me."
—Gov. Josh Shapiro responding to the former president's tweet calling him "a highly overrated Jewish governor" following Shapiro's DNC speech |
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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 traffic stopper on Bullfrog Valley Road in Derry Township, Dauphin County, via Robert N. Send us your Pennsylvania photos by email, use #PAGems on Instagram, or tag us @spotlightpennsylvania. |
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| 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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   'STOLEN VALOR': Police union officials are taking issue with Democratic U.S. Rep. Susan Wild's new campaign ad, saying the officer who says "Wild has our back" is an auxiliary cop with limited authority, no arrest powers, and an illegitimate badge, NY Post reports.
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BIDEN LIBRARY: Scranton wants to be the future home of native Joe Biden's presidential library and will make a formal pitch, setting up a "friendly competition" with Delaware, the Times-Tribune (paywall) reports.
LEHIGH BY RAIL: What's next for the push to restore regular passenger rail service to the Lehigh Valley after 45 years? Finding out if its technically and financially feasible, Lehigh Valley Live reports.
SEEING, BELIEVING: Pittsburgher Olivia Durant writes about what it was like gaining eyesight at the age of 36 and how it "brought a traumatic reckoning that only much later ended in flourishing," via PublicSource.
THREE WEEKS LATER: The search continues for an alligator spotted in and around Lake Erie this month. Suspected gator footprints were found in the sand, but the trail went cold, the Erie Times-News (paywall) reports.
FALL FORECAST: Record-breaking heat and a lack of rain could mute the fall foliage effect in parts of Pennsylvania, TribLIVE reports. |
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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. A A D I E G R B N
Yesterday's answer: Disintegrate
Congrats to our daily winners: Eric F., Lissa C., David T., Barbara F., Mike B., Jon W., Barb K., Elaine C., Don H., Daniel M., Susan B., Greg V., Richard A., Stacy S., Nadine S., Beth G., Pam K., Marie B., James B., Jeffrey F., Timothy A., Stanley J., Kate S., Ted W., Craig E., Leann S., Kathy M., Jane R., Perry H., Dennis M., Tracy S., Rena Z., Jeffrey F., Annette I., Susan N., David W., William Z., Tom M., Marla C., Jack R., Wendy A., John P., Bob C., Ada M., Michael T., Beth Y., and Jill C. |
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WHISTLEBLOWER SUIT: A former Bloomsburg University business school dean who claimed retaliation after he helped an employee file sexual harassment claims against the school’s president has 