Abortion case, safety checks, prostitution plea, count offs, drug deaths, school supplies, and why some Pa. stations are pulling Dr. Oz off the air. It's Thursday.
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» OMICRON CASE: The first confirmed U.S. case of the omicron variant has been reported in San Francisco. The person was fully vaccinated and is experiencing mild symptoms, local officials told reporters.
» RULE BREAKS: The Biden administration has been handed a series of court losses this week impacting its COVID-19 vaccine rules for federal contractors and health care employees, CNN reports.
» LAWFUL VS. AWFUL: Join us Thursday, Dec. 16 at 7 p.m. EST via Zoom for a free panel discussion on why killings by police often are ruled justified and who oversees the process. Register for the event here and submit your questions to events@spotlightpa.org.
📷 POST IT
A gorgeous sunrise shot in Waggoner's Gap Hawk Watch, north of Carlisle. Thanks, Leon P.Send us your gems, use the hashtag #PAGems on Instagram, or tag us @spotlightpennsylvania.
DAILY RUNDOWN
SAFEGUARDS: The kidnapping and killing of two York County children by their father, a former police officer, has advocates for domestic violence victims urging new protocols for Pennsylvania cops and courts, and new public awareness campaigns, PennLive reports.
GUILTY PLEA: Mercer County's drug task force leader has pleaded guilty to engaging in prostitution after responding to a sex-for-hire ad posted by an openly drug-dependent woman, per the Sharon Herald. William Brown was appointed by the Pennsylvania AG's Office.
GRIM MILESTONE: Philadelphia is on track to see a record overdose death toll in 2021, with a broader swath of the city now being impacted. A city health department spokesperson told The Inquirer the pandemic has only made existing city public health problems worse.
BLIND SPOTS: While school board meetings at the Central Bucks School District focused on mask mandates and teachings on race, employees tell The New York Times that shortages of staff, supplies, and support went overlooked, sometimes with dire consequences.
IN OTHER NEWS
OFF AIR: Dr. Oz's daytime TV show has been removed by some Pennsylvania stations now that he's running for U.S. Senator here. A reporter at WGAL says the move is meant to ensure fairness to all candidates.
Spotlight PA is an independent, non-partisan newsroom powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with PennLive/The Patriot-News, TribLIVE/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review and WITF Public Media.