Topic: Pennsylvania

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Nine states charging hard against abortion

This year, numerous governors are promoting new limits on abortion – or have already signed legislation. Here’s a rundown:

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Pennsylvania voter ID law back in court: Can it be enforced?

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court had upheld the constitutionality of the voter ID law, but challengers are asking whether enforcing it will disenfranchise a large number of voters in the state.
Fracking research: What's behind EPA's abandoned studies?

Fracking studies have pit the Environmental Protection Agency against the oil and gas industry, which says the agency has over-reached on fracking and that its science has been critically flawed. The recent closing of EPA fracking investigations has some environmentalists worried that the agency is feeling the effects of industry pressure and tight budgets.
Energy Voices Fracking at the corner of energy abundance and water scarcity

Fracking for oil and gas amid water scarcity has created a public-private crossroads, with both sides attempting to further their goals, Warren writes. Nowhere is the water-energy nexus so apparent as it is in the fracking (hydraulic fracturing) for oil and gas.
Gay marriage: Pennsylvania attorney general pulls an Obama on DOMA

Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane says she will not defend her state's ban on gay marriage in court. Obama took a similar tack with the federal Defense of Marriage Act.
Energy Voices Fracking in Pennsylvania: What goes on behind the scenes?

Fracking has revolutionized the US energy landscape, but the technique is controversial. One energy blogger takes a tour of a fracking site for himself, to see what all the fuss is about.
Gay marriage: Lawsuit, first since DOMA ruling, targets Pennsylvania ban

The ACLU, on behalf of 10 same-sex couples and others, filed the suit, which cites language from the majority opinion in the DOMA case in asking a US judge to strike down the Pennsylvania ban.
Chapter & Verse Looking back at Gettysburg: Writer Tom Desjardin discusses the legacy of the Civil War conflict

Gettysburg, which reaches its 150th anniversary this month, was a costly battle for both the Union and Confederate armies. Desjardin discusses how the town recovered from the events and some surprising stories about the battle.
Editor's Blog The making of Americans

The "melting pot" has been glorified, vilified, and dismissed as obsolete. But both census data and the stories of millions of individual immigrants indicate that the not-always-easy process of assimilation is alive and well.
Opinion Gag the 'ag-gag' laws that bar undercover recording of cruelty to farm animals

Several states have passed 'ag-gag' laws that make it illegal to gather undercover documentation and videos of cruelty to animals at factory farms and in other areas of industrial agriculture. But it is precisely this kind of reporting that exposes and can help stop abuse of animals.
Gettysburg: The Last Invasion

On the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg, Lincoln scholar Allen C. Guelzo offers a detailed account of the battle, with a focus on the human side of the history.
Nine states charging hard against abortion

This year, numerous governors are promoting new limits on abortion – or have already signed legislation. Here’s a rundown:
Modern Parenthood 10-year-old in dog cage on turnpike: “bad mom” or pop lynching?

A 10-year-old in a dog cage in the back of a pickup: Yes, it sounds like a “bad mom,” but the pop lynching by viral video may do more damage than she did.
Energy Voices New fracking regulations upset just about everybody

Environmentalists and industry representatives are criticizing new draft regulations on hydraulic fracturing, a controversial drilling method that has helped spark an oil and gas boom. The shared discontent reflects the complexity of the debate surrounding hydraulic fracturing and natural gas use.
Latin America Monitor What does genocide conviction of Ríos Montt mean to Guatemalans abroad?

Many in the Guatemalan diaspora celebrated the historic conviction of ex-dictator Ríos Montt. But some say one conviction alone can't resolve the aftermath of the 36-year-long bloody conflict.
'The English Teacher' could benefit from being a bit more daring

'The English Teacher' follows Julianne Moore as a high school English teacher who becomes fascinated with a former student.
Colleges offer discounts, but you have to look

Colleges offer discounts as enrollments fall short, according to Forbes report. Among the colleges still seeking students for the fall term: Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon, the University of Maryland, College Park, The New School in New York City, and Arizona State University in Tempe.
USA Update How deal was struck for abortion doctor Kermit Gosnell to serve life sentence (+video)

A jury on Monday found Philadelphia abortion doctor Kermit Gosnell guilty of first-degree murder in the deaths of three babies. He's waived his right to appeal the verdict, and prosecutors are dropping the death penalty.
Gosnell found guilty: Will he get death penalty?

Gosnell found guilty: Dr. Kermit Gosnell was convicted Monday of three counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of three babies.
USA Update Abortion doctor Kermit Gosnell guilty of murdering three babies

After 10 days of deliberations, a jury found Philadelphia abortion doctor Kermit Gosnell guilty of three counts of first-degree murder. He was accused of performing illegal late-term abortions.
In Los Angeles, 1 in 10 residents is an illegal immigrant, study says

A new study looks at California's illegal immigrant population in detail, providing insights on how immigration reform proposals in Washington could affect the community nationwide.
Fortune 500: Top 10 companies in 2013

Fortune has released its annual list of the largest corporations in the United States, and there were a few notable changes in this year’s group. Here are the Top 10.
Philly abortion trial changes tone of national debate

The trial against Doctor Kermit Gosnell, who ran a Philadelphia inner-city abortion clinic and is charged with killing five people, has forced abortion supporters on the defensive and has energized anti-abortion activists.
5-year-old shoots, kills 2-year-old: In Kentucky, kids get guns early

The 5-year-old who accidentally shot and killed his 2-year-old sister is from Kentucky, a state where some kids get guns before they start school. The 5-year-old shot his sister with a .22 caliber rifle from a gun company that markets specifically to children with the slogan, 'My first rifle.'
Gun vote backlash: Five senators who said 'no' see ratings plunge

Approval ratings have plummeted for five senators who voted against expanded background checks for gun buyers, says a PPP survey. But only one is up for reelection in 2014. Will it still matter in 2016 or 2018?
USA Update In a first, black voter turnout surpassed white turnout in 2012

High black voter turnout, plus a lower turnout from white voters, gave President Obama the edge in swing states and a victory in 2012, signaling the importance of minority voters going forward.