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A daily newsletter by  |
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| Today: Nurses needed, Butler inquiry, marijuana docs, voter scam, key demo, boycott rules, and the spotted lanternfly's late-summer surge. |
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More than a quarter of nurse and support staff roles in rural Pennsylvania hospitals are vacant, according to this survey.
A bipartisan bill in the state House would make health professionals in rural Pennsylvania eligible for student debt relief in hopes of attracting more interested applicants and addressing a related crisis of care.
Here's how it would work: "Hospitals in rural counties or in designated medically underserved areas may apply for grants from the Department of Health. ... The hospitals may then use this funding to incentivize licensed nurses and physicians to apply for open positions, as the money from the grant will assist in paying off their student loans."
Kim Amsley-Camp, a certified nurse-midwife who moved from Virginia to her hometown in rural Franklin County nearly two decades ago as part of a federal loan repayment program, said of the arrangement: "These are my people. ... Rural America is a good place, but we’ve got to sell it."
Read Spotlight PA's full report: Rural Pa. faces a widening health services gap. State officials think loan forgiveness could help. |
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NOTABLE / QUOTABLE
"MS-13 gang members are terrorizing Philadelphians because of Harris & Casey’s radical open border policies."
—An X post by Republican U.S. Sen. candidate Dave McCormick's campaign that confused Philadelphia, Mississippi with Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
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| 📱CHECK OUT OUR NEW MOBILE APP |
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In case you missed it, Spotlight PA launched a new mobile app. Download for free to see our latest stories in an accessible, easy-to-read format and get the latest on events, product offerings, and more.
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| Oil Creek State Park, via Don H. Send us your photos by email, use #PAGems on Instagram, or tag us @spotlightpennsylvania. |
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   VOTER BEWARE: A text message scam is targeting Pennsylvania voters with warnings about their voter registration or mail ballot status, officials report, via @ByCarterWalker. Some of the messages contain a link that will corrupt a user's phone if clicked, an official told Lebanon Daily News. One Lebanon County clerk reported receiving 100 calls about the messages. If you've received one, report it here.
 LATINOS FOR TRUMP: As the Latino population has grown along Pennsylvania's Route 222 corridor — places like Allentown, Hazleton, Reading, and Lancaster — so has the Republican share of the voter base. While Trump made inroads with the Latino community in 2020, one local GOP official said economy and inclusivity messaging will be key to growing that support in 2024. Asked by The Inquirer (paywall) if Trump was hitting the right notes so far, the same official demurred.  BOYCOTT RULES: A Montgomery County flashlight company has been fined $44,000 by the U.S. government for heeding an "unsanctioned" Bahrainian boycott of Israel in 2019. U.S. officials say Streamlight, of Eagleville, "voluntarily self-disclosed the conduct," which involved declaring a Bahrain-bound product shipment unconnected to Israel. The U.S. upped enforcement of its antiboycott rules in 2023. PA Post reached out to Streamlight for comment but didn't receive one as of press time. |
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LOST MEMORIAL: A 100-year-old landmark honoring firefighters in Norristown, Montgomery County, has been destroyed by fire. It wasn't immediately clear what started the Wednesday morning blaze.
CONSUMER ALERT: Health inspectors found rodent droppings "too numerous to count" in the cafeteria at the state Capitol, @StephenJ_Caruso reports. The cafeteria, frequented by lawmakers, failed the inspection.
STAY TUNED: Amid a "right-wing revolt" against National Public Radio, the Christian Science Monitor reports on how Harrisburg member station WITF is "trying to win conservative listeners – by listening."
HAIL MARY: Two state lawmakers want federal regulators to get the NFL to take fan input into account when designating secondary markets, with an eye on Steelers fans in central Pennsylvania. It's not the first time.
ON THE MOVE: Meteorologist Adis Juklo says that isn't snow on the weather radar in Pittsburgh — it's spotted laternflies on the move. |
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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. C H S S G O P A U R A
Yesterday's answer: Gossamer
Congrats to our daily winners: Eric F., Jane R., Timothy A., Stacy S., Barbara F., Jon W., Tracy S., Zachary R., Don H., Barb K., Lissa C., Beth H., Kimberly P., Kathryn G., Johnny C., Frank P., Jack R., Pam K., Elaine C., Susan N.-Z., Dennis M., Stanley J., Perry H., Richard A., Annette I., Jeffrey F., Wendy A., Daniel S., Jeff F., William Z., Tom M., Craig E., Elaine H., and Jill C. |
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