The U.S. Department of Transportation said this week it would withhold $75 million in federal funding from Pennsylvania if the state does not meet demands to address how it issues commercial driver’s licenses to immigrants.
Michael Tanenbaum
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The U.S. Department of Energy said Tuesday that it will loan $1 billion to help finance the restart of the nuclear power plant on Pennsylvania’s Three Mile Island that is under contract to supply power to data centers for tech giant Microsoft.
The loan is in line with the priorities of President Donald Trump’s administration, including bolstering nuclear power and artificial intelligence.
For Constellation Energy, which owns Three Mile Island’s lone functioning nuclear power reactor, the federal loan will lower its financing cost to get the mothballed plant up and running again. The 835-megawatt reactor can power the equivalent of approximately 800,000 homes, the Department of Energy said.
The reactor had been out of operation for five years when Constellation Energy announced last year that it would spend $1.6 billion to restart it under a 20-year agreement with Microsoft to buy the power for its data centers.
Constellation Energy renamed the functioning unit the Crane Clean Energy Center as it works to restore equipment including the turbine, generator, main power transformer and cooling and control systems. It hopes to bring the plant back online in 2027.
The loan is being issued under an existing $250 billion energy infrastructure program initially authorized by Congress in 2022. Neither the department nor Constellation released terms of the loan.
The plant, on an island in the Susquehanna River just outside Harrisburg, was the site of the nation’s worst commercial nuclear power accident, in 1979. The accident destroyed one reactor, Unit 2, and left the plant with one functioning reactor, Unit 1.
In 2019, Constellation Energy’s then-parent company Exelon shut down the functioning reactor, saying it was losing money and Pennsylvania lawmakers had refused to subsidize it to keep it running.
The plan to restart the reactor comes amid something of a renaissance for nuclear power, as policymakers are increasingly looking to it to shore up the nation’s power supply, help avoid the worst effects of climate change and meet rising power demand driven by data centers.
Three Pennsylvania Supreme Court justices – all Democrats – are up for judicial retention in Tuesday’s general election. The outcome could have ramifications for the composition of the seven-member court, which currently has a 5-2 Democratic majority.
Polls close at 8 p.m. All results in the chart below are unofficial until confirmed by election officials.
Justices Kevin Dougherty, Christine Donohue and David Wecht are all up for retention as they near the end of their 10-year terms on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. The three Democrats soundly outperformed their GOP opponents in 2015, capturing a majority on the court after Republicans had held the advantage for more than a decade.
On Tuesday’s ballot, Pennsylvania voters will see “yes” or “no” options next to the names of the three justices, who do not face other candidates when up for retention. Those who are retained serve another 10-year term or remain on the court until they reach the state’s age limit of 75. When a justice is not retained, the court has a vacancy that can be filled with an appointment by the governor – which requires Senate approval – before an open race in the next election cycle.
Dougherty spent 14 years on the Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas in Philadelphia, specializing in family law cases, before his election to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Donohue was a trial lawyer in Allegheny County for decades and served as state Superior Court judge before reaching the Supreme Court. Wecht similarly served as a Superior Court judge, also with a background in family law, before he was elected to the Supreme Court.
MORE: Philadelphia district attorney election results: Krasner vs. Dugan
Pennsylvania’s top appellate court rules on a wide range of significant issues that include political redistricting, reproductive rights, education law and civil rights.
This year’s election marks a rare instance when three seats are up for retention at the same time, although it is historically uncommon for Pennsylvania Supreme Court justices not to be retained. The last time a justice in Pennsylvania lost a retention bid was in 2005, when Philadelphia-based Justice Russell Nigro, a Democrat, was voted off the court by a 51%-49% margin. Justice Sandra Schultz Newman, a Republican from Philadelphia, narrowly retained her seat that year with 54% of the vote.
If all three justices are voted down, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court likely would be left shorthanded until 2027. Pennsylvania’s Republican-controlled Senate would hold the power to thwart Interim appointments from Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro in hopes of holding out for the GOP to earn seats on the court in open contests next year. The loss of just one justice also could result in a deadlocked court for the foreseeable future.
Spending on this year’s retention elections is expected to surpass $15 million, setting a record for nonpartisan judicial races that are usually quieter when fewer justices are on the ballot. The national Democratic and Republican parties both have poured millions of dollars into this year’s retention elections in a battle over the makeup of the court in one of the nation’s perennial battleground states.
Michael Tanenbaum
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Governor relives firebomb attack, harrowing escape in exclusive walkthrough of home
Governor, thank you for sitting down with us and uh allowing us to see what has been going on here inside of the residence. Um, I know you’ve spoken at times over the last several months about how you were doing, but 6 months later, um, how are you feeling? How are you and your family doing? I mean, thanks for asking, you know, we’re OK, um, I I think in the. Initial weeks it was really hard just as *** dad trying to get your kids through that trying to process it myself Laurie trying to process it trying to continue to you know run the Commonwealth and be here for the wonderful people that work at the residences and and it was *** lot and, and you know we worked our way through that um we were there for the kids I think got them through it. Over the last couple weeks since um the conviction, I, I think it you know it, it sort of brought it back up again um while we’re pleased that there’s some finality and some closure to this chapter, you know, seeing the video and. Sort of having to go through that again that was hard hard for our family but we’re working our way through it. I, I can tell you that I’m more focused and determined than ever before to do this work. uh I’m not afraid, uh, but it certainly has an impact. How has it changed you as you look at not only your role as the governor but also uh as the head of *** family as as *** father? Yeah. I don’t think any parent can ever be prepared for something like this as *** parent, you know, all you want is for your kids to be healthy and safe and have opportunity in life and I think every parent, uh, universally wants that for their kids and so when you realize that the job you’ve chosen the career path you’ve chosen, the work you love to do, put your kids’ lives at risk and compromise one of those central tenets you have as *** parent, um. It’s really hard so that that’s been hard for me as *** dad to work through. I, I think what it has, um, caused me to do is just not cause that’s not the right word, but what what it’s led me to do is just be more present for my kids, um, try and be there when they wanna have *** catch or they just wanna do something and answer their questions just be super attentive to what’s on their mind. uh, I think sometimes I’m probably annoying to them when I go, hey buddy, what’s up? Is there anything you wanna ask me anything on your mind? Um, but I, I just have found that being more attentive, more connected, answering their questions, uh, you know, has helped us, helped us get through this. I don’t know that I have *** perfect answer, um, and I’m processing it every day, and I think Gloria and I strive every day to be better parents, you know, to our kids as I think every parent does, and, um. You know we’ve got some amazing children that that that have you know they’re just really strong to the core and they’ve gotten through this. When you talk about being here at the residence, whether it’s having stayed overnight here since the incident or or just been visiting and hosting an event uh like state dinner. Have things changed for you when you walk through the halls, when you walk through this garden area. Yeah, candidly, um, one of the things I like to do is after, you know, my meetings or *** dinner meeting or an event or whatever it is, I work really late, as you know I get up really early, you know, so it might be 10 o’clock at night. Um, and I will get on the phone, throw my AirPods on, and I will walk these gardens because rather than sitting still I like to move and as I walk here I can’t help but think, you know, the steps that he took or where he hid or the windows that he he broke through and it probably will be some time till I can shake that now I’m not afraid it doesn’t make me not want to come outside, um, you know, I still sleep here and spend *** lot of time here with our family. So I’m, I’m not afraid, but, but I’d be lying if I said I don’t think about it when I opened the double doors that lead to, you know, our, our more private area, those are double doors he was trying to kick down and get through. I’d be lying if I said when I grabbed the door handle to open it up and go through, I, I don’t think about that. Again, not in *** way that that holds me back or in *** way that stops me from doing what I gotta do, um, but it’s present and, and I think about it. When you’re having moments like that, perhaps over the last several months where you’re thinking about what happened, maybe, uh, you know, you, you remember some of those emotions they come back to you *** little bit. Who have you leaned on the most over these last 6 months to try to uh. Whether it’s come to terms or or just deal with the emotions Laurie, um, I, I, someone asked me the other day, you know, did you go to therapy for this and, and I didn’t, not because I think there’s any shame in therapy. I think it’s *** wonderful thing, but for, for Laurie and I think because we experienced it together, um, processing it together, talking about it together. Um, telling her what I’m thinking and what I’m feeling when I’m wandering here in the gardens or whether I’m upstairs, you know, in the living quarters above where the, the attack took place, um, I think just being able to talk with her has been the, the most important thing, you know, Laura and I, uh. Walk every day when we’re together and if we’re not together you know I’m here and she’s back in Montgomery County with the kids or something. I, I’ll still throw throw my airpods on and walk and talk to her that way. I think just that process of walking of talking, she’s my best friend in the world since the 9th grade that’s, yeah, that’s really helped me get through this. You know this event obviously brought *** lot of attention to the governor’s residence and I know we’re gonna walk around in *** little bit with all the attention, all the scrutiny, how, how do you balance all of that happening while you’re still trying to do your job, still trying to deal with, uh, the emotions of what happened. Is it difficult to process all of that sometimes? Yeah, and, and look, I mean. Like anyone, I value my privacy and I don’t really have any. I mean, I’m not, I’m not complaining. I asked for this job and, and I love this job and I wanna do it for *** good long while, but you know you, you do give up that sense of privacy and so even more so now, um, you lose that privacy. I, I think you know as I walk around these grounds late at night we now have armed troopers who are who are here. Um, you look through the windows and there’s like *** waviness to it because we’ve got ballistic shields on the windows. I mean, and *** lot of other technology and stuff here that’s been installed to keep us safe and so while it’s comforting to know that my family and I are safe and guests are safe and the staff is safe, you know, I don’t know anybody really wants to live in, you know, with ballistic windows knowing that there are people that wanna do you harm and. I think for for us I I just try and have comfort in knowing that we got wonderful people in the state police there to keep us safe. This is just the reality of the world we’re in and I and I can’t let it slow me down or deter me from from doing the work I’m doing, but it does, you know, it does take some getting used to and and certainly something that we’re constantly processing. We talked with Colonel Paris earlier today and he admitted there were failures that uh evening when you talk about that and trying to come back here and and be here and you look around at all the different things that are happening, the new barrier on the outside, some of the new technology that is going in, um, do you feel confident that they have taken the steps to make this place safer than it was on that evening? I do now I mean I I I I was rattled. Uh, you know, that day and in the days thereafter I asked *** lot of questions about how could this happen. Um, they had some answers and to Colonel Paris is great credit, um, he thought we needed an outside, you know, expert to come in and do an assessment here and at our home and, and in the way we travel and make sure that we were safe not only here but in in all different, you know, aspects of our lives. I, I am now confident that they’ve taken the steps and continue to take the steps necessary. To keep me and my family safe, to keep the staff and others safe that that are here and to make sure our guests are safe. So yeah, I’ve got confidence in the state police. I really do. And you know, I wanted to ask obviously Cody Ballmer, um. In the investigation they they were able to determine that he had uh what sounded like *** political motivated reason for for doing what he was doing. We talk about political violence we talk about the fact that there was an attempted murder of you at this residence. With what we continue to see, do you feel like as it pertains to political violence we need to, uh, look back on things like this and say we really have to do *** better job as *** society, not allowing it to happen absolutely and and I think it starts with. All leaders speaking and acting the moral clarity to condemn political violence, I think it requires all of us to take down the temperature we can have strong disagreements with, you know, the, the political opposition without treating them like they’re our enemy. You know, I think our our politics in many ways have gotten so dark and and political violence is certainly quite dark, but I’ve also just seen an extraordinary amount of light from, you know, ordinary Pennsylvanians who are just really good and decent people who, who pray for us who, who want society to be less violent who wanna just disagree agreeably with politicians or agree with them if their positions happen to be in sync. Uh, but I, I think too often times our political leaders are not good examples of, of what we need more of, um, and, and so I’ve made it *** point. I, I know others have. Spencer Cox, *** good friend of mine, the governor of Utah, has, you know, of trying to make sure that the rhetoric is, is toned down, that we find more common ground even if we might have *** disagreement on *** policy. And that we universally condemn political violence and and not allow *** certain group or type of person or person with *** certain ideology to think their hateful rhetoric or their violence is OK. None of that type of hate, none of that type of violence is OK and it’s got to be universally condemned. Before we look around the residents and you, you know, before, before we, we go through some of the steps about what occurred that night, I, I wanted to ask for you. With everything that’s happened over the last 6 months with with what happened on that evening. Is there anything you feel like people just haven’t understood about that and, and, and, you know, something you perhaps haven’t articulated yet as far as, you know, your emotions or perhaps just the experience of trying to process all that and. I don’t know, Tom. I mean, I’m still processing *** lot of it. And I don’t expect Pennsylvanians to bear my burden, you know, this is my responsibility to bear. I do think *** lot of people were shocked when they saw the videos that came out, uh, just *** couple weeks ago when, um, when he was convicted and sentenced up to 50 years in prison when they saw just how brazen the attack was, how deep he got into the residence, the destruction that, uh, that took place, the fact that, you know. He pled guilty to trying to kill me. Um, I think that was *** shock to *** lot of people, you know, who hadn’t seen that video and didn’t realize just the extent of the damage and. And how, how much in danger my family and I were and uh I think that’s that that was *** shock to *** lot of people. I, I don’t want Pennsylvanians to be worried about me or our family or this or be burdened by it. I want them to go about their their daily lives and know I’m working my *** off for them to make their lives better. That’s my job and I love what I do and and I’m gonna keep doing it and and working incredibly hard for them. With everything that’s been happening, will you be, will you be excited when this place has all the construction equipment gone? I gotta say, I mean the construction has been *** challenge not just for our family but the wonderful people that work here. We’ve tried really hard to still be able to bring people in and have the events tonight we’re honored to host the state dinner. Um, which usually here state dinner you think *** bunch of insiders get to come to *** fancy meal. Actually my wife Laurie, our first lady changed that concept. We now honor 10 unsung heroes in in communities across Pennsylvania. We honor them. With the fancy dinner here and and give them the Governor’s Keystone Award for um their incredible contributions to to our commonwealth so we’re really excited to have that uh in here. I wish the gardens were put back together. I wish the outside looked *** little better but um it will and and I I also want all of our neighbors here to know that we realized this has been. Um, disturbing to them, it doesn’t look as pretty as it did before. It’s gonna look amazing when it’s done. We’re gonna plant *** lot more trees and, and beautify the area. We, we have *** commitment not just to our safety and security here for visitors but also to make it beautiful on the outside for for neighbors as well. So sure, I’d love for the construction to be over soon, but we’re not letting uh letting it hold us back. We’re gonna keep going forward. Do you think that’s when things might start to feel normal again? Maybe yeah yeah I think um. You know, no normal for you may maybe the ability to take *** bike ride or take *** walk and kinda just be able to blend in we, we don’t really have that ability right now and um particularly with so many people around so I think the fewer people that are around, the more we can get back. Our, uh, semblance of normalcy sure that’d be great, but I, I do have to say to the amazing people who have worked here, I mean they’ve been working almost nonstop since the moments after the police released this scene to us, um, and let us get going with the rebuild. So I, I have no complaints. The people here have worked really, really hard. I’m excited for them to finish their job and, and, and to get it, get it all back in tip top shape for the public. Governor, thank you.
Governor relives firebomb attack, harrowing escape in exclusive walkthrough of home
Updated: 4:02 AM PDT Nov 1, 2025
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro spoke exclusively with Hearst sister station WGAL about the arson attack on the state governor’s residence earlier this year and walked the station through the grounds and residence to describe how it happened. Touring grounds, governor’s homeDuring a walkthrough of the gardens, Shapiro describes how the intruder, Cody Balmer, scaled what was then a six-foot fence, hid near a brick gazebo in a once-wooded area, and initially evaded troopers. “That’s where he climbed over (a fence) with relative ease,” Shapiro said, pointing out an area where a brick wall is now being built. “And he sort of hid back here in what used to be a pretty wooded area … after one of the troopers realized that there was a breach of the fence came to try to find him, and missed him.”Carrying a metal hammer and a bag of Molotov cocktails, Balmer moved deliberately to a window, smashed it, and hurled a firebomb that gutted the room. He then broke another window, climbed inside, and tried to reach double doors leading to the family’s living and work areas. The double doors had been locked just minutes earlier. “And this is the window that he smashed and climbed through, wielding this metal hammer that he admitted he was going to use to kill me if he found me,” Shapiro said.Balmer prowled about inside, kicking doors, but as the smoke thickened, he turned back.Shapiro called the incident a clear security failure but said state police have learned from it and upgrades are in place. He recounted his family’s evacuation down a back stairwell and his later return with firefighters, where dense smoke, water, and wreckage made it evident the blaze was intentional.”I remember as I was walking down the hallway in the house, you couldn’t see your hand in front of you. The smoke was so thick it was burning your nose, your eyes,” Shapiro said. “You could hear the water dripping. And obviously I’m no expert, but I had assumed up until that moment when I came back in here, whatever it was about, you know, two or three in the morning, that it was an accident, that something caught fire in the kitchen or, you know, something like that or a faulty wire. And then when I walked in this room and saw what it looked like … I realized, OK, I don’t think this was an accident. And then, sure enough, a few minutes later, I was informed it was an attack. And it was very purposeful.”You can watch the full tour of the grounds and residence with Shapiro in the video player below.Security improvements, costsRebuilding began immediately — ceilings, floors, windows, and a melted chandelier were replaced — and the room was restored to its original look, being prepared to host a state dinner honoring 10 Pennsylvanians. In a letter to the Pennsylvania House and Senate, the Department of General Services laid out how much it would cost to repair the governor’s residence and make various security improvements that were deemed necessary after numerous vulnerabilities were exposed. The total cost for the restoration and security enhancements totaled roughly $40 million. The Department of General Services provided the following breakdown as well as explanations for each expenditure. You can read the full letter here. $6.44 million: Estimated cost to restore the residence to pre-event condition. $14 million: Outer perimeter, barrier replacement.$6.3 million: Updated cameras, improved lighting motion sensors.$8 million: Retrofit existing windows with bulletproof, shatter-proof glass.$4 million: Fire suppression system.”The horrifying attack on the Governor, his family, and Commonwealth property, coupled with the unfortunate rise in political violence across our country, has made these updates necessary to protect the Governor and his family and ensure the continued operation of the executive branch of the Commonwealth. No family should have to live behind bulletproof glass or behind large walls – but the nature of the threats against elected officials today require us to take these important steps,” the letter said.Arsonist sentencedOn Oct. 14, Cody Balmer pleaded guilty to setting fire to the Pennsylvania governor’s residence in April. Balmer was convicted of attempted homicide, aggravated arson and terrorism. The judge sentenced him to 25 to 50 years in prison.Motive behind attackBalmer admitted to targeting the residence due to Shapiro’s stance on the war in Gaza.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro spoke exclusively with Hearst sister station WGAL about the arson attack on the state governor’s residence earlier this year and walked the station through the grounds and residence to describe how it happened.
During a walkthrough of the gardens, Shapiro describes how the intruder, Cody Balmer, scaled what was then a six-foot fence, hid near a brick gazebo in a once-wooded area, and initially evaded troopers.
“That’s where he climbed over (a fence) with relative ease,” Shapiro said, pointing out an area where a brick wall is now being built. “And he sort of hid back here in what used to be a pretty wooded area … after one of the troopers realized that there was a breach of the fence came to try to find him, and missed him.”
Carrying a metal hammer and a bag of Molotov cocktails, Balmer moved deliberately to a window, smashed it, and hurled a firebomb that gutted the room.
He then broke another window, climbed inside, and tried to reach double doors leading to the family’s living and work areas. The double doors had been locked just minutes earlier.
“And this is the window that he smashed and climbed through, wielding this metal hammer that he admitted he was going to use to kill me if he found me,” Shapiro said.
Balmer prowled about inside, kicking doors, but as the smoke thickened, he turned back.
Shapiro called the incident a clear security failure but said state police have learned from it and upgrades are in place. He recounted his family’s evacuation down a back stairwell and his later return with firefighters, where dense smoke, water, and wreckage made it evident the blaze was intentional.
“I remember as I was walking down the hallway in the house, you couldn’t see your hand in front of you. The smoke was so thick it was burning your nose, your eyes,” Shapiro said. “You could hear the water dripping. And obviously I’m no expert, but I had assumed up until that moment when I came back in here, whatever it was about, you know, two or three in the morning, that it was an accident, that something caught fire in the kitchen or, you know, something like that or a faulty wire. And then when I walked in this room and saw what it looked like … I realized, OK, I don’t think this was an accident. And then, sure enough, a few minutes later, I was informed it was an attack. And it was very purposeful.”
You can watch the full tour of the grounds and residence with Shapiro in the video player below.
Rebuilding began immediately — ceilings, floors, windows, and a melted chandelier were replaced — and the room was restored to its original look, being prepared to host a state dinner honoring 10 Pennsylvanians.
In a letter to the Pennsylvania House and Senate, the Department of General Services laid out how much it would cost to repair the governor’s residence and make various security improvements that were deemed necessary after numerous vulnerabilities were exposed.
The total cost for the restoration and security enhancements totaled roughly $40 million. The Department of General Services provided the following breakdown as well as explanations for each expenditure. You can read the full letter here.
“The horrifying attack on the Governor, his family, and Commonwealth property, coupled with the unfortunate rise in political violence across our country, has made these updates necessary to protect the Governor and his family and ensure the continued operation of the executive branch of the Commonwealth. No family should have to live behind bulletproof glass or behind large walls – but the nature of the threats against elected officials today require us to take these important steps,” the letter said.
On Oct. 14, Cody Balmer pleaded guilty to setting fire to the Pennsylvania governor’s residence in April.
Balmer was convicted of attempted homicide, aggravated arson and terrorism. The judge sentenced him to 25 to 50 years in prison.
Balmer admitted to targeting the residence due to Shapiro’s stance on the war in Gaza.
PHILADELPHIA (CBS/AP) — President Biden said Sunday that his goal is to “unite America again” during a speech at Mt. Airy Church of God in Christ in Northwest Philadelphia.
Mr. Biden’s remarks came during the first of two stops of the day in Pennsylvania, a critical swing state. After speaking in Philadelphia, the president and First Lady Jill Biden are headed to Harrisburg for an event at a local union hall.
“I’ve been doing this a long time, and I honest to God have never been more optimistic about America’s future… if we stick together,” the president said to the nearly 300 congregants in attendance. “We have to bring dignity and hope back in America.”
Mr. Biden didn’t directly address the critical phase of his campaign that he is entering following a shaky debate performance that has led a handful of Democratic lawmakers to call for him to step aside. But he said he had been “called according to [God’s] purpose,” that “we’re all called to be doers,” and “I think we just have to work together.”
CBS Philadelphia
Mr. Biden did joke about his age, saying that although he may look like he’s “40 years old,” he’s “been around a long time.”
“The bishop and I were talking about that — it’s heck turning 40,” Mr. Biden said.
According to CBS News reporters inside the church, the crowd started chanting “four more years” once Mr. Biden concluded his speech and returned to his seat on the stage.
Mr. Biden and first lady Jill Biden arrived in Philadelphia around 10 a.m. ET, where they were met at the airport by Mayor Cherelle Parker and Sens. Bob Casey and John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, both Democrats. The president also met with Gov. Josh Shapiro, Lt. Gov. Austin Davis and others throughout the day.
CBS Philadelphia
Mr. Biden arrived in Harrisburg on Air Force One alongside the first lady, Fetterman and his wife, Gisele. Upon arrival, the president answered one press question: Is the Democratic party behind him? To which Mr. Biden replied, “Yes.”
The group then made its way to AFSCME, a local union hall in Harrisburg, where Mr. Biden stepped outside to speak to the crowd.
In an off-the-cuff speech without a teleprompter, Mr. Biden told those gathered in Harrisburg that in his second term, he plans to work on fairer taxes, touching on former President Trump’s tax cuts for billionaires, which Mr. Biden has criticized throughout his campaigns and presidency.
“The middle class built this country, not Wall Street. And guess what? Unions built the middle class,” Mr. Biden said.
The president then handed the mic over to Fetterman, who spoke about the economy and the drastic change in the state of the country from 2020 to 2024.
“Let’s talk about four years ago, we were all hoarding toilet paper,” he said. “We’d all be on some big Zoom right now. But we’re right here right now. Remember what that was like?”
Fetterman also spoke about Trump being “obsessed with revenge,” and said he believes Mr. Biden has stepped up to the plate during his presidency.
“Joe Biden has held every line, every line — two wars, a pandemic, look at our economy,” Fetterman said. “Our economy is the envy of the world right now.”
Later, Mr. Biden met with Shapiro, who couldn’t attend the events earlier in the day due to “intense budget negotiations,” Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told CBS News. The two men paid a visit to a nearby coffee shop where the president tipped $20 and also avoided questions about the latest cease-fire deal.
SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images
Mr. Biden, who most recently traveled to Philadelphia in May with Vice President Kamala Harris to launch their “Black Voters for Biden-Harris” initiative,” was originally scheduled to appear Sunday at the annual NEA conference in Philadelphia. That speech was canceled after the NEA’s union, the National Education Association Staff Organization, announced a strike and set up picket lines around the Pennsylvania Convention Center in downtown Philadelphia.
Mr. Biden, who is fighting to save his endangered reelection effort, had planned to speak at the NEA conference, but his campaign said the president is a “fierce supporter of unions and he won’t cross a picket line.”
The picket line effectively ended the weeklong convention, canceling the last three days of programming, the NEA said.
The NEA, which has school employee union affiliates in every state, has endorsed Biden.
The union announced it filed two unfair labor practice complaints over what it says is NEA’s failure to comply with basic union requirements, and is accusing the NEA of unilaterally removing holiday overtime pay and failing to provide information on outsourcing $50 million in contracts.
In a statement, the NEA said it remained fully committed to a fair bargaining process. It also said it was “deeply concerning that misinformation has been shared” that misrepresented contract negotiations.
Mr. Biden’s dual-city visit Sunday comes as the president works to shore up support for his reelection campaign following a shaky debate performance against Trump last month.
According to a CBS News source, following the debate and suggestions that Mr. Biden drop out, the president told campaign staff in no uncertain terms that he doesn’t plan to leave the race. “Let me say this as clearly as I possibly can and as simply and straightforward as I can: I am running. I’m the nominee of the Democratic Party. No one’s pushing me out. I’m not leaving,” he said, according to one source.
PHILADELPHIA (CBS/AP) — President Biden said Sunday that his goal is to “unite America again” during a speech at Mt. Airy Church of God in Christ in Northwest Philadelphia.
Mr. Biden’s remarks came during the first of two stops of the day in Pennsylvania, a critical swing state. After speaking in Philadelphia, the president and First Lady Jill Biden are headed to Harrisburg for an event at a local union hall.
“I’ve been doing this a long time, and I honest to God have never been more optimistic about America’s future… if we stick together,” the president said to the nearly 300 congregants in attendance. “We have to bring dignity and hope back in America.”
Mr. Biden didn’t directly address the critical phase of his campaign that he is entering following a shaky debate performance that has led a handful of Democratic lawmakers to call for him to step aside. But he said he had been “called according to [God’s] purpose,” that “we’re all called to be doers,” and “I think we just have to work together.”
CBS Philadelphia
Mr. Biden did joke about his age, saying that although he may look like he’s “40 years old,” he’s “been around a long time.”
“The bishop and I were talking about that — it’s heck turning 40,” Mr. Biden said.
According to CBS News reporters inside the church, the crowd started chanting “four more years” once Mr. Biden concluded his speech and returned to his seat on the stage.
Mr. Biden and first lady Jill Biden arrived in Philadelphia around 10 a.m. ET, where they were met at the airport by Mayor Cherelle Parker and Sens. Bob Casey and John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, both Democrats. The president also met with Gov. Josh Shapiro, Lt. Gov. Austin Davis and others throughout the day.
CBS Philadelphia
Mr. Biden arrived in Harrisburg on Air Force One alongside the first lady, Fetterman and his wife, Gisele. Upon arrival, the president answered one press question: Is the Democratic party behind him? To which Mr. Biden replied, “Yes.”
The group then made its way to AFSCME, a local union hall in Harrisburg, where Mr. Biden stepped outside to speak to the crowd.
In an off-the-cuff speech without a teleprompter, Mr. Biden told those gathered in Harrisburg that in his second term, he plans to work on fairer taxes, touching on former President Trump’s tax cuts for billionaires, which Mr. Biden has criticized throughout his campaigns and presidency.
“The middle class built this country, not Wall Street. And guess what? Unions built the middle class,” Mr. Biden said.
The president then handed the mic over to Fetterman, who spoke about the economy and the drastic change in the state of the country from 2020 to 2024.
“Let’s talk about four years ago, we were all hoarding toilet paper,” he said. “We’d all be on some big Zoom right now. But we’re right here right now. Remember what that was like?”
Fetterman also spoke about Trump being “obsessed with revenge,” and said he believes Mr. Biden has stepped up to the plate during his presidency.
“Joe Biden has held every line, every line — two wars, a pandemic, look at our economy,” Fetterman said. “Our economy is the envy of the world right now.”
Later, Mr. Biden met with Shapiro, who couldn’t attend the events earlier in the day due to “intense budget negotiations,” Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told CBS News. The two men paid a visit to a nearby coffee shop where the president tipped $20 and also avoided questions about the latest cease-fire deal.
SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images
Mr. Biden, who most recently traveled to Philadelphia in May with Vice President Kamala Harris to launch their “Black Voters for Biden-Harris” initiative,” was originally scheduled to appear Sunday at the annual NEA conference in Philadelphia. That speech was canceled after the NEA’s union, the National Education Association Staff Organization, announced a strike and set up picket lines around the Pennsylvania Convention Center in downtown Philadelphia.
Mr. Biden, who is fighting to save his endangered reelection effort, had planned to speak at the NEA conference, but his campaign said the president is a “fierce supporter of unions and he won’t cross a picket line.”
The picket line effectively ended the weeklong convention, canceling the last three days of programming, the NEA said.
The NEA, which has school employee union affiliates in every state, has endorsed Biden.
The union announced it filed two unfair labor practice complaints over what it says is NEA’s failure to comply with basic union requirements, and is accusing the NEA of unilaterally removing holiday overtime pay and failing to provide information on outsourcing $50 million in contracts.
In a statement, the NEA said it remained fully committed to a fair bargaining process. It also said it was “deeply concerning that misinformation has been shared” that misrepresented contract negotiations.
Mr. Biden’s dual-city visit Sunday comes as the president works to shore up support for his reelection campaign following a shaky debate performance against Trump last month.
According to a CBS News source, following the debate and suggestions that Mr. Biden drop out, the president told campaign staff in no uncertain terms that he doesn’t plan to leave the race. “Let me say this as clearly as I possibly can and as simply and straightforward as I can: I am running. I’m the nominee of the Democratic Party. No one’s pushing me out. I’m not leaving,” he said, according to one source.
Alexandra Simon
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Philadelphia resident Victoria Walters traveled across the pond to compete against other amateur bakers under the famous white tent beloved by fans of “The Great British Bake Off.”
Walters, a Temple University alum, is a contestant on the upcoming second season of Roku’s “The Great American Baking Show” — a spinoff of the feel-good “Bake Off” reality competition known for its venue in London and catchphrases like, “On your marks, get set, bake!” All episodes of Season 2 will be available to stream through the Roku Channel on Friday, May 24.
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In “The Great American Baking Show,” hosted by actors Casey Wilson and Zach Cherry, contestants from across the United States must compete in a series of signature baking challenges in the hopes of being crowned “America’s Best Amateur Baker.” The judging panel is made up of Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith, staples of “The Great British Bake Off.”
“Totally, totally surreal,” Walters said Wednesday of meeting the judges and hosts. “Even still, I see pictures of myself with them, and I’m like, this is weird. This is an out-of-body experience. I can’t believe I was actually there. I can’t wait to watch the episodes.”
Originally from Harrisburg, Walters, 34, now lives in Philly and works as a user experience researcher for an investment company. She met her husband at Temple, where she studied international business and marketing, and they have a young son. Aside from her career, Walters has “a lot of hobbies.” She sings in an a cappella group, photographs weddings and, of course, bakes.
“I’ve been baking since I was a little kid,” said Walters, who posts her creations on Instagram. “It’s just in my DNA. My mom is a really good cook and baker, and same with my grandma. So I just come from a family where everything’s homemade.”
A huge fan of “The Great British Bake Off,” Walters first applied for the American version after a friend sent her a link on Facebook in 2020. She had to take a baking quiz and then go to New York City and show casting officials three of her best bakes. She admits that she may have stretched a few details during the casting process.
“I sort of fibbed and said that I had done lamination before,” Walters said, referring to a process of folding and rolling butter into dough to create thin layers, as seen in croissants. “So I had to laminate for the very first time.”
From there, Walters got to work on learning more about the desserts and pastries she may need to know if she was asked to be on the show — including everything from pavlova to checkerboard cakes. She spent long hours during the pandemic researching recipes and baking, and offered leftovers to Facebook users in “buy nothing” groups.
“Even when it was bad, I’d (post), ‘These macarons are terrible, does anyone want them?’” Walters said. “And people would be like, ‘What? These are the best I’ve ever had!’ and I’d be like, ‘Really?’”
Even when things weren’t going her way with the bakes, Walters’ can-do outlook allowed her to push through.
“My attitude is always just like, yeah, I could do this,” Walters said. “I knew some of the basics (of baking) at first, but what’s the worst thing you have that happens? You have some ingredients that you end up throwing in the trash? That’s the worst, but most of the time it at least tastes good. So start trying, start practicing. And who knows, you can end up on a TV show.”
In 2022, casting reached out to Walters to see if she’d like to be on the show. She couldn’t join the first season because she was pregnant and due in August when the show was filming. Despite a “really rough” pregnancy and newborn period with her son, Luca, Walters was game when she was asked again in 2023 to potentially be part of Season 2. She even brought a stroller to carry all her baked goods to the audition.
After being selected as a contestant, it was off to England for Walters, which presented its own unexpected challenges.
“We were all dealing with jet lag, different ingredients,” Walters said. “They have different dairy over there. They have different sugar; there’s like 20 different types of sugar. And none of them are the same as ours. There’s like four different types of brown sugar. Literally everything is different. It’s crazy.”
While Walters didn’t (figuratively) spoil what types of bakes she was tasked with this season, she did tease the great rapport between contestants — which led to friendships that continued after the cameras stopped rolling.
“We had a lot of fun together,” Walters said. “There are a lot of cameras, but they always do a wide shot where you get to see the middle of the room. And we would always be yelling to each other across the tent. That was really fun. And now they’re my best baking buddies. If any of us needs a recipe or has a question about something, we’re texting each other all the time.”
The first season of Roku’s “The Great American Baking Show” debuted last year, becoming the No. 1 on-demand title on the Roku Channel during its opening weekend. A previous iteration aired from 2015 to 2020 on ABC. Roku’s version has already been renewed for a third season on the platform, as well as specials featuring celebrity contestants around the holiday season, the Super Bowl and summer.
Franki Rudnesky
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The Pennsylvania man who allegedly cut off his father’s head and showed it off in a YouTube video was apparently just getting started.
If you haven’t heard the shocking story, Justin Mohn is facing charges of first-degree murder and abuse of a corpse after reportedly displaying his dad’s severed head on the streaming site. Why would he do that? Well, the video — titled “Call to Arms for American Patriots” — was all the explanation we need, as he ranted about Joe Biden leading a “war” on America. This is a man who’s been radicalized by right–wing talking points, which have gotten more and more violent over the past few years.
And Mohn has been one of those spreading them.
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The conspiracy theorist’s views are in line with QAnon, and he’s even written multiple books about it, including a dystopian sci-fi novel called The Kingdom of Darkness. It was a thinly veiled COVID analogue all about how Satan was using technology to take over the world, and people of faith should shun science.
He also reportedly wrote about the spread of the “virus” of communism needing to be stopped — and how “the only logical way to do so is for every American born 1991 or later to kill anyone born before 1991.” 1991 seems a little arbitrary until you consider… he’s 33, so… it was probably the year he was born? Naturally.
Most shocking, however, was a pamphlet titled America’s Coming Bloody Revolution. More of a manifesto, the book suggest true patriots — you know, MAGA folk — should simply murder their families to keep them from voting. He writes, per Newsweek:
“Americans will have to weigh what is worse — allowing themselves to lose freedom and independence or killing their own family members, teachers, coworkers, bosses, judges, elected leaders, and other older generations.”
Those people (pretty sure he means those who vote Democrat) are “traitors” who “wish to take away the freedom and independence that comes with America, democracy, and free market capitalism.”
“Killing their own family members.” He wrote that and then allegedly chopped off his father’s head. He was serious. And he wanted others to do it, too. Scarily, his books are on Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing! That one suggesting readers kill their Democrat family members? It’s been available to read since 2020!
Since the murder charge news, his profile has been removed from Amazon. But how many people did he spread his message to? It used to be this kind of psychotic behavior was localized… But this is only spreading!
We’ve warned readers a number of times how the increasingly violent rhetoric of Donald Trump and his supporters, and especially QAnon, was going to cause a lot more real-life violence before all this was over. We’ve seen in multiple cases of grown men murdering their children because it was so hammered into them how much they were surrounded by enemies. This time it’s a 33-year-old killing his father? And it won’t stop.
These sites convince people of insane conspiracy theories, like how Trump is the only person in the government fighting against an army of satan-worshipping Democrats who molest and consume children. Donald Trump. Their hero is a man who has actually been found to be a rapist in a court of law. But the further these people sink into the false reality, the more they see facts as lies, allies as enemies, truth as an enormous conspiracy being perpetrated by, well… most of the world, we guess.
Again, we must say this: please, if you know someone who has been falling down this rabbit hole, you cannot afford to sit by and hope it gets better. It’s not getting better. Be safe out there, everyone.
[Image via YouTube/Bucks County District Attorney’s Office.]
Perez Hilton
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Apartment for rent sign displayed on residential street. It won’t be there for long.
Rent Café has released its 2022 year-end report, which looks at the most competitive rental markets this year.
Although apartment construction is at a historic high, finding a rental in 2022 has been challenging. Nationally, the average renter had to compete with 14 other apartment seekers to secure a rental, which didn’t stay listed longer than one month.
With more than two-thirds of renters renewing their leases and an average occupancy rate of more than 95%, this year’s rental market was competitive, despite the autumn slowdown. And with demand climbing up in almost every metropolitan area, renters had the hardest time finding an apartment in Miami, Orlando, Grand Rapids and North Jersey.
Here are some highlights from the report:
Miami-Dade, Florida, was the hottest rental market in 2022, due to a high occupancy rate of 97.5% and a staggering 75% of renters deciding to stay put and renew their leases. As a consequence, despite the area’s supply of apartments growing by 2.8% in 2022 compared to the previous year, a record 32 renters competed for one vacant apartment, which got snatched in 25 days, on average.
In fact, Florida was this year’s renting hotspot: five of the nation’s hottest places to rent were in the Sunshine State, with Orlando being the third most competitive rental market nationwide, followed by Southwest Florida, Broward County and Tampa.
Apartment hunting intensified in the Midwest, especially in areas with slow construction like Grand Rapids, Milwaukee, Omaha and Lansing – Ann Arbor, all of which continue to attract young professionals from pricier metros across the country.
Despite a modest 0.8% uptick in supply, renters in Grand Rapids faced the second toughest market this year: no less than 18 people competed for a vacant apartment, which got filled in 28 days. Meanwhile, Grand Rapids’ occupancy topped at almost 97%, prompting around 70% of renters to renew their leases instead of looking for a new place.
The Northeast continued to lure remote workers seeking extra space and better deals — so much so that seven northeastern markets were among the 20 hottest. Harrisburg, where virtually no new apartments were added this year, emerged as the regional leader, ranking 4th nationwide for competitivity. This was primarily due to its lower cost of living compared to many of the larger metro areas in the Northeast, as well as its family-friendly community and proximity to the great outdoors. Another advantage to living in Harrisburg is its relative proximity to Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Baltimore.
Central Jersey was twice more competitive than Manhattan this year. The area had the highest lease renewal rate in the nation (85%) and an average occupancy rate close to 97% (all the while its supply of apartments increased by a mere 0.9%). That said, finding an apartment for rent was quite challenging for most people in the area, as 15 renters competed for an apartment, on average. North Jersey renters were in a similar situation, despite an increase of 2.1% in apartments.
On the West Coast, California’s low-supply Orange County was the hottest renting spot, followed by San Diego, both of which continued to attract renters from Los Angeles and San Francisco. In fact, Orange County and San Diego were the only California markets to reach our top 20 this year.
Orange County was the 8th most competitive rental market nationwide. The low increase in supply (0.6%) failed to accommodate apartment seekers, mostly e-commerce workers, looking for rentals in a city where less than 3% of the apartments were vacant. Similarly, an average of 22 renters competed for a vacant apartment in San Diego, which ranked 13th nationwide.
Although large metros tend to offer more jobs and higher salaries, that doesn’t mean that smaller areas can’t be just as competitive in their own right— and Fayetteville, Arkansas is the perfect example. With a record-high occupancy of 98.3% and more than three-quarters of apartment dwellers opting to stay put this year, renters here had an extremely tough time finding an apartment for rent in Fayetteville. On average, it took just under two weeks for a vacant unit in Fayetteville to become occupied this year, with an astounding 28 prospective renters competing for one apartment.
Here, large employers like the University of Arkansas and Walmart, which is headquartered in nearby Bentonville, provide plenty of opportunities for both locals and newcomers. On top of that, the city is nestled in the Ozark Mountains, thereby making it a great place to live for nature lovers.
The second most competitive small market was Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania, where lots of remote workers fleeing tighter restrictions in Philadelphia, New York City and New Jersey during the pandemic found larger apartments that better fit their budgets. At the same time, surging home prices forced many prospective buyers to keep renting until they could resume their house-hunting. Consequently, more than 80% of the people living in rental apartments in Lehigh Valley chose to stay in place this year.
Similarly, the expanding work-from-home trend led thousands of Boston, Manhattan and Washington, D.C, residents to reconsider their housing options in the last two years. Many of them chose to relocate to peaceful Portland, Maine, in search of a slower pace of life within reach of breathtaking scenery. This caused the average rental in Portland to be filled after 26 days, with a record 68 prospective renters competing for every vacant apartment this year. Of course, in all honesty, Bostonians have always had a soft spot for this charming corner of New England.
Other small markets that were highly competitive in 2022 included Lafayette, Indiana, Asheville, North Carolina, Madison, Wisconsin, Tulsa, Oklahoma, Providence, Rhode Island, Knoxville, Tennessee, North Central Florida, Little Rock, Arkansas, Columbus, Georgia, Fort Wayne, Indiana, Chattanooga, Tennessee, Wichita, Kansas, Albany, New York, South Bend, Indiana, Fayetteville, North Carolina and Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Regina Cole, Contributor
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