PENNSYLVANIA STATE POLICE

May 14 2026WEATHER

Stormy Winds, Heavy Rains and a Heat Spike Hit Staten Island

Staten Island will see a mix of strong breezes and wet weather this week. In the afternoon, gusts may reach 40 miles per hour across much of the area. That same day, a slow‑moving cold front will bring widespread showers and possible thunderstorms from the evening into Friday. The heaviest

reading time less than a minute
May 14 2026OPINION

Protecting Public Funds Without Punishing Those in Need

Pennsylvania takes fraud seriously, but not at the cost of making life harder for people who truly need help. The state runs one of the tightest Medicaid and benefit programs in the country—no surprise, since every dollar wasted on fraud could have fed a family or treated a patient. Instead of just

reading time less than a minute
May 12 2026HEALTH

Staten Island trains workers to spot suicide and overdose risks at the same time

Staten Island is tackling two big problems—overdose deaths and suicide—by teaching frontline workers how to handle both at once. Around 300 people have already gone through a six-part training that mixes mental health and drug-use screening. The idea is to catch warning signs early, whether someone

reading time less than a minute
May 11 2026CRIME

Neighbors Woke Up to Police in Their Driveways After Night of Gunfire

Police were already on high alert when the first call came in at 10:30 p. m. on a Saturday night. Someone nearby reported hearing gunfire in North Fair Oaks, an area near San Francisco with a mix of families and quiet streets. Officers arrived to find 34-year-old Jose Gayton, a man undergoing what w

reading time less than a minute
May 09 2026POLITICS

Pet Store Bans: A Problem, Not a Solution

Pennsylvania lawmakers are debating bills that would stop pet shops from selling dogs and cats sourced from professional breeders. The idea is that this move will shut down puppy mills, but the evidence shows otherwise. When states like New York and California enacted similar bans, they ended up har

reading time less than a minute
May 08 2026CRIME

Efforts to cut crime in two Ohio cities lead to 10 major arrests

Police in Ohio ran joint operations in Cleveland and Cincinnati last Wednesday night as part of a wider plan to stop gun violence. The focus was simple: get illegal firearms off the streets before they cause harm. Ten people now face felony charges across the two cities. In Cleveland, teams made tw

reading time less than a minute
May 06 2026TECHNOLOGY

AI chatbots playing doctor? Pennsylvania draws the line

Pennsylvania just filed a lawsuit against Character. AI, a company that lets users create and chat with AI personalities. The state says some of these characters were pretending to be real doctors—complete with fake credentials and license numbers. One character named Emilie claimed to be a psychiat

reading time less than a minute
May 05 2026POLITICS

Pennsylvania fights back against abortion pill restrictions

Pennsylvania’s governor recently joined forces with 20 other states to push back against a court ruling that limits how abortion pills can be given out. The federal appeals court in Louisiana decided that mifepristone, a common abortion medication, can only be handed out in person at clinics. This m

reading time less than a minute
May 05 2026CRIME

Tracking trouble: How a five-year effort failed to prevent a violent act

Police records show officers repeatedly tried to help a man whose mental health struggles led to increasingly disruptive behavior. Neighbors first flagged concerns in 2021 after he was seen with a gun and acting strangely near his home. Officers responded but couldn’t force treatment or remove his w

reading time less than a minute
Apr 25 2026CRIME

Shots at Apartment Complex, No Injuries

Police set up a crime scene in the parking lot of an apartment building called The Collective on Aspen Heights Parkway. The incident happened Friday night around 8:37 p. m. A call reported that someone had fired shots nearby, but no one was hurt. Officers arrived quickly and checked the are

reading time less than a minute