Ed Mahon
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Gov. Tom Wolf signs executive order on gun violence
Gov. Tom Wolf speaks during a news conference at City Hall in Philadelphia, Thursday, Aug. 15, 2019. A gunman, identified as Maurice Hill, wounded six police officers before surrendering early Thursday, after a 7 ½-hour standoff. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) This story has been updated with reactions from lawmakers. (Harrisburg) -- Following two consecutive mass shootings in Philadelphia -- and nearly… → Read More
The Pa. budget deal explained in 5 maps and charts
Shown is the Pennsylvania Capitol in Harrisburg, Pa. on the Wednesday, April 10, 2019. (Matt Rourke/The Associated Press) (Harrisburg) -- The state House on Tuesday moved forward with a $34 billion general spending plan for the state. The House passed a general appropriations bill with a 140-62 vote, sending it to the state Senate. While Gov. Tom Wolf's administration is on board with the plan,… → Read More
#AskGovWolf highlights: Cash for the poor? Yes. Arming teachers? No.
Gov. Tom Wolf listens to a question from Keystone Crossroads Editor Kevin McCorry during a statewide interview broadcast on WITF. (Joanne Cassaro/WITF) (Harrisburg) -- During a live broadcast at WITF hosted by Keystone Crossroads, Gov. Tom Wolf gave updates on a number of issues central to ongoing negotiations about next year's state budget. One of the most contentious components is General… → Read More
Report: Technical parole violations cost Pa. about $100 million a year
FILE PHOTO: A housing unit in the west section of the State Correctional Institution at Phoenix in Collegeville. (AP Photo/Jacqueline Larma, File) (Undated) -- A new report estimates that Pennsylvania is spending about $100 million a year to house state prison inmates for technical parole violations, such as missing curfew or failing a drug test. On any given day, more than 7,000 people are… → Read More
With state deadline in sight, Pa. voters test out new machines
Dauphin County is one of several in the state holding public demonstrations this summer for new voting machines. Feaser expects the replacement will cost between $5 million and $10 million in Dauphin County. → Read More
Voters decide in Pa. 12th congressional race
Polls have closed in the special election contest between Republican Fred Keller and Democrat Marc Friedenberg. The two are competing to represent Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district, which covers more than a dozen counties in central and northern Pennsylvania. → Read More
In 12th District special election, Friedenberg faces an uphill fight
The borough of Tunkhannock in Wyoming County is seen on May 3, 2019. In 2016, Republican Donald Trump won about 67 percent of the votes in the county. (Ed Mahon/PA Post) The Democrat says unexpected things can happen in politics -- just look at who won the White House in 2016 (Tunkhannock) --A few months ago, Daniel Klein bought two flags to hang on a chainlink fence outside his home in rural… → Read More
Why and how 11 Trump states raised the minimum wage, explained
Across the country, 29 states have raised the minimum wage above the federal level, including multiple Republican-leaning area. → Read More
At midstate congressional forum, GOP says Green New Deal is 'about control'
FILE PHOTO: State Rep. Fred Keller, left, with U.S. Rep. G.T. Thompson in Williamsport Saturday, March 2, 2019. Thompson announced that Keller was selected by conferees to be the nominee for the U.S. House 12th Congressional district. (Anne Danahy/WPSU) (Undated) -- The Republican and Democratic candidates for Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district faced off Friday for the first time.… → Read More
Did you see this SUV Monday? State police want your help in I-81 homicide investigation
Pennsylvania State Police are seeking information about this vehicle in a homicide investigation. (Photo Courtesy: PSP Harrisburg) (Harrisburg) -- Pennsylvania State Police on Wednesday released a photograph of a vehicle that a New Jersey man was in before he was fatally shot. The vehicle is a 2004 black GMC Yukon. → Read More
Afghanistan war casualties: The fallen from Pennsylvania
Several dozen soldiers from the state have died in the conflict. Two Pennsylvania servicemen were killed recently in Afghanistan in a roadside bombing. They are among the several dozen military members from Pennsylvania who have died while serving in the Afghanistan war, since the 9/11 terrorist attacks led U.S. forces to invade the country more than 17 years ago. Below is a map with the… → Read More
How Trump's trade war is hitting and often hurting Pennsylvania farmers
Cumberland County dairy farmer Jason Nailor is seen working at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex on Jan. 8, 2019. (Ed Mahon/PA Post) Tariffs are one more challenge for a struggling dairy industry (Harrisburg) -- When the tariffs started, Shawn Hernley knew other countries would retaliate. But he figured -- in the big picture -- the tariffs would be good for the United States economy. Then the… → Read More
29 things that the Pa. Farm Show butter sculpture has honored
The 2019 Pennsylvania Farm Show butter sculpture was unveiled Jan. 3, 2019. Its title is → Read More
Pennsylvania and the push to raise the minimum wage, explained
Pennsylvania's minimum wage is $7.25 per hour, the same as the federal rate. (Ed Mahon/PA Post) Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat, has pushed for a statewide minimum wage increase every year since taking office in 2015. He hasn't gotten one. Here's a look at the issue, which is poised to again be a point of debate in Wolf's second term. When was the state minimum wage last raised? In 2006, when Democrat… → Read More
What the average teacher earns in every Pa. public school district
This July 18, 2018, photo shows a display of back to school backpacks in a Target store in Pittsburgh. (Gene J. Puskar/The Associated Press) Classroom teachers in Council Rock School District in Bucks County, on average, had the highest salary among classroom teachers in the state last year. The average classroom teacher there earned a salary of $99,707 in the 2017-18 school year, according to… → Read More
Red flag laws and the push for one in Pa., explained
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan signs legislation to enable judges to order people to temporarily give up their firearms if they are found to pose an immediate danger, one of more than 200 bills he signed on Tuesday, April 24, 2018, in Annapolis, Md. Hogan also signed a bill to ban bump stocks, which can increase a semi-automatic rifle's firing rate, as well as a bill to require convicted domestic… → Read More
About 1.4 million more votes cast for Pa. governor nominees this year
Voters line up to vote at a polling place in Doylestown, Pa., Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) So how big was turnout in Pennsylvania? Here's one measure: In the governor's race, more than 4.9 million people cast a vote for Democratic incumbent Tom Wolf, Republican challenger Scott Wagner or one of the other two candidates on the ballot. And there are still some ballots to be… → Read More
In Pittsburgh, 'a lot of pain, and a lot of beauty.' How will it change the city?
Dean Garland Jr., who grew up in Pittsburgh, holds a → Read More
Pa. election results: 4 big winners and 2 big losers
Susan Wild, Democratic candidate in Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District, speaks to a supporter after casting her vote Tuesday Nov. 6, 2018, in Allentown, Pa. (Jacqueline Larma/Associated Press) Here's a look at some statewide trends in Pennsylvania. Winner: Women running for office Pennsylvania had the distinction of having no women in Congress since U.S. Rep. Allyson Schwartz left office… → Read More
Political ads aim to steer your emotions. Here's how they do that
These screen shots of political ads for the 2018 election come from the campaigns for Lou Barletta, Bob Casey, Brian Fitzpatrick and Scott Wallace. How black-and-white photos, rolled-up sleeves and other political ad tropes are being used this election (Harrisburg) -- Political ads on TV and online can pass by pretty quickly. But campaigns put a lot of money into those ads and the people who… → Read More