Tom Riese

When a suspect killed Brackenridge Police Chief Justin McIntire in January 2023, authorities said he used a converted pistol that could spray bullets at a rate of dozens per second. That didn’t stop the state House from voting down a bill in May 2024 to ban the device that made the conversion possible.

“This is not simply a matter of differences on the health care agenda that the incoming Trump administration may have,” said emergency physician and state Rep. Arvind Venkat (D-North Hills). “This fundamentally goes to whether we will protect the health and well-being of our fellow Pennsylvanians and Americans or not.”

A Philadelphia native, Khalid Mumin has led Gov. Josh Shapiro's Education Department since June 2023. He'd previously been a superintendent of two southeastern Pennsylvania districts — Reading and Lower Merion. Mumin put in his two weeks' notice Friday.

Three Western Pennsylvania districts and the Department of Education settled a lawsuit concerning the state’s Culturally-Relevant and Sustaining Education framework.

The often-used nickname "top cop" for attorneys general might not accurately describe the job's complex role, say some political observers. Police, legal experts and legal reformers weigh in on the complicated state office with two weeks left until Election Day.

Pittsburgh state Rep. Aerion Abney says Allegheny County Jail is ahead of the curve when it comes to voter education. He spoke alongside lawmakers and advocates at the Capitol Wednesday to celebrate a new state-supported guide to ensure incarcerated people know their voting rights.

State lawmakers contend for key House and Senate districts, with one-party "trifecta" control possible for Democrats. Republicans are eager to regain the House and hold their Senate majority.

Rep. Valerie Gaydos (R-Moon) joined House GOP leadership at the Capitol Monday to preview several bills inspired by community members' concerns over crime.

A committee headed by Republican Sen. Devlin Robinson of Allegheny County holds the keys to a $15 minimum wage in Pennsylvania. Two bills have stalled since last summer.

Methadone can be a life-saving medication for addiction. But some prisons refuse to administer the medication to inmates struggling with addiction, and policies on treatment can vary widely among county-run prisons. Tom Riese has been investigating how prisons handle addiction treatment for months for his latest and final story for WVIA and joins WVIA's Sarah Scinto on Morning Edition to discuss it.