Author Archive: Staff, Spotlight PA

Companies Blanket Pa. With Ads About How to Get a Medical Marijuana Card, But Doctors Are Silenced
HARRISBURG, Pa. — When Pennsylvania lawmakers legalized medical cannabis in 2016, they struck an unusual deal: Physicians can approve patients for the program but they are banned from advertising that power.

How a Mail Ballot Ruling in Pa. Could Affect 2022 Primary Election Results
HARRISBURG, Pa. — A federal appeals court ruled Friday that election officials in one Pennsylvania county must count legally cast mail ballots signed by a voter even if they lack a date on the outer envelope.

Despite High Vaccination Rates Among Pa. Prisoners, Some Covid Restrictions Remain in Place
HARRISBURG, Pa. — More than two years after the first coronavirus cases were reported in Pennsylvania state prisons, some of the mitigation measures Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration implemented to cut down on the spread of COVID-19 are still in place.

When Do Polls Open In Pa.? All The Information You Need For The Pa. Primary 2022
HARRISBURG, Pa. — Pennsylvania’s 2022 primary is just one day away.

Pa.’s Richest Person Has Spent At Least $18 Million on the 2022 Primary — Mostly to Influence One Issue
HARRISBURG, Pa. – What does a conservative upstart challenging a top House Republican in York County have in common with a scion of a Democratic political family facing a progressive primary in Philadelphia?

Unmarked Postcards Sent To Pennsylvanians Tell Them ‘Whether You Vote Is Public Record’
HARRISBURG, Pa. — A handwritten postcard with vague sender information reminding some Pennsylvania voters about the May 17 primary appears to comply with the law, but the language did cause confusion among some recipients and raise concern about harassment.

Pa. Primary 2022: Mail Ballot Rules Could Slow Down Election Results — Again
The rush to count hundreds of thousands of mail ballots in Pennsylvania won’t kick off until 7 a.m. on Election Day — or, in some counties, even later.

Public Database Significantly Undercounts Former Drug Labs in Pa. Here’s Why Home Buyers, Renters Should Care.
HARRISBURG, Pa. — The only online federal database that allows people to see whether their home or property was contaminated with toxic chemicals used to make drugs like methamphetamine significantly undercounts the number of sites in Pennsylvania, according to data obtained by Spotlight PA.

Pa. Primary 2022: A Last-Minute Guide To Everything You Need To Know To Vote May 17
HARRISBURG — On May 17, Democrats and Republicans in Pennsylvania will vote for candidates running in local and statewide races. The victors will compete in general election races that will impact abortion access, climate change policy, and other crucial issues.

Why Pennsylvania’s Health Department Is Taking Spotlight PA to Court
HARRISBURG — A panel of Commonwealth Court judges is set to hear arguments this month over whether the Wolf administration must reveal details of how patients and physicians are using the state’s medical cannabis program for addiction treatment.