» HIGHER RISK: The CDC has linked mental health conditions, including depression and schizophrenia, to more severe COVID-19 risks, increasing the number of people eligible for booster shots, Cox Media Group reports.
» HOME CARE: Three states — New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts — will limit nursing home profits in an effort to improve care after the pandemic revealed a host of problems in such facilities, KHN reports.
» GENERIC AID: A cheap antidepressant may reduce severe COVID-19 disease, CNN reports, citing a trial involving roughly 1,500 people in Brazil.
A gorgeous autumn day at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster. Thanks for the photo, Roger C.!Send us your gems, use the hashtag #PAGems on Instagram, or tag us @spotlightpennsylvania.
DAILY RUNDOWN
AD SWITCH: GOP Pennsylvania Supreme Court candidate Kevin Brobson has edited an attack ad against his Democratic opponent that drew a stern rebuke from the state bar association's Judicial Campaign Advertising Committee. Democrat Maria McLaughlin's campaign says that the ad— even in its revised form — isa "baseless attack."
CLIMATE SHIFT: Attorney General and Democratic candidate for Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro appears lukewarm on a cornerstone of the current Democratic governor's climate change plan: the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. Capital-Star says union-backed Shapiro isn't embracing the push, but it's unclear what might happen if he's elected.
TRUANCY CASES: Pittsburgh Public Schools sent nearly 1,000 students to truancy court during the COVID-19 pandemic, even as lawmakers and experts urged leniency, PublicSource reports. District officials describe a complex "balancing act," while student advocates describe a system with built-in biases exacerbated by pandemic disruptions.
TIK-TALK: Pennsylvania's beleaguered state-run university system is turning to TikTok in a bid to communicate with students about big changes coming to the 14-school network, including contested mergers that are now underway. The Post-Gazette called the announcement a "whimsical aside" in an otherwise grim state legislative hearing.
SUSPENDED: The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has suspended the law license of Somerset County District Attorney Jeffrey Thomas one month after Thomas was charged with sexually assaulting a woman in her Windber home. The Tribune-Democrat reports the temporary ruling does not remove Thomas from office or impact his $185,000 annual salary.
IN OTHER NEWS
LINGO LOW: U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R., Texas), whose last mention of Pittsburgh revealed a county executive's double life, has again incurred the region's online wrath — this time for misusing a Pittsburghese pronoun while lampooning pronoun guidance from the region's largest university.
KEYSTONE KANDY: Fill that trick-or-treat bowl with Pennsylvania-made confections this year. Pittsburgh City Paper has 25 options, including the delicious-sounding and phonetically challenging "Whozeewhatzit."
LIGHT UP: Scranton's "Electric City" sign is electrified once again. The owner said he couldn't afford the bill and the sign went dark. Then a local bank offered to pick up the tab for a year, WNEP reports.
SPOT ON: Who wore it better: State Senate Majority Leader Kim Ward (R., Westmoreland) or a spotted lanternfly? You be the judge.
THE SCRAMBLER
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.
R S R B S M D A G O O
*This week's theme: Food and drink
Yesterday's answer: Absinthe
Congrats to our daily winners: Susan F., Michelle T., Al M., Becky C., Lynne E., Barbara F., Bridget C., Susan D., Neal W., Don H., Doris T., Vicki U., Craig W., Diane P., Elaine C., Myles M., Carol D., Heidi B., Kimberly S., Kim C., James B., George S., Joel S., Dianne K., Brandie K., Tim B., Michael H., Bill S., Susan N., David W., Beth T., Craig E., Jill A., and Elizabeth W.
Spotlight PA is an independent, non-partisan newsroom powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with PennLive/The Patriot-News, TribLIVE/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review and WITF Public Media.
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AD SWITCH: GOP Pennsylvania Supreme Court candidate Kevin Brobson has edited an attack ad against his Democratic opponent that drew a stern rebuke from the state bar association's Judicial Campaign Advertising Committee. Democrat Maria McLaughlin's campaign 
CLIMATE SHIFT: Attorney General and Democratic candidate for Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro appears lukewarm on a cornerstone of the current Democratic governor's climate change plan: the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. Capital-Star says union-backed Shapiro isn't embracing the push, 
TRUANCY CASES: Pittsburgh Public Schools sent nearly 1,000 students to truancy court during the COVID-19 pandemic, even as lawmakers and experts urged leniency, PublicSource reports. District officials describe a complex "balancing act," while student advocates describe a system with 
TIK-TALK: Pennsylvania's beleaguered state-run university system is turning to TikTok in a bid to communicate with students about big changes coming to the 14-school network, including contested mergers that are now underway. The Post-Gazette called the announcement a 
SUSPENDED: The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has suspended the law license of Somerset County District Attorney Jeffrey Thomas one month after Thomas was charged with sexually assaulting a woman in her Windber home. The Tribune-Democrat reports the temporary ruling does 
