PublicSource: Pittsburgh, Allegheny County news that matters
WEBPublicSource wins four statewide journalism awards. The PublicSource staff has been honored for reporting that covers matters of critical importance in the lives of people who reside in Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania.
PA changed its standard for involuntary mental health
WEBOct 24, 2019 · The new AOT law. Pennsylvania was the 47th state to adopt AOT standards with less strict criteria. According to the memo of the Pennsylvania bill, sponsored by state Rep. Thomas Murt, R-Montgomery, its goal was to allow for less restrictive treatment settings and the chance to intervene sooner “before someone becomes dangerous and …
Types of criminal homicide - PublicSource
WEBFirst-degree murder: An intentional killing, punishable by death or mandatory life in prison without parole. A life sentence is no longer mandatory for juveniles. Second-degree murder: A killing committed during a felony, punishable for adults with mandatory life in prison without parole. Notably, the charge can apply equally to accomplices who did not kill …
PA’s controversial mental health law is finally getting a test run
WEBJul 5, 2022 · Paul and Christine, of Montgomery County, know what it feels like to helplessly watch their child’s mental health deteriorate. After two hospitalizations in 2020 and 2021 for mental health crises, their 30-year-old son stopped taking his medication and following other aspects of his treatment plan.
PublicSource journalism informs, influences and creates change
WEBOur 2022-23 Impact Report references the following impactful journalism: Update: CMU no longer considering draft policy, says it has never used facial recognition (July 6 and 15, 2022); The Red Zone (Oct.-Nov., 2022); Slippy slopes: Pittsburgh, built on slide-prone riverbanks, could face a deluge of impacts from climate change (Jan. 5, 2023); Tent …
The untold story of Pittsburgh’s water crisis and a future of $300 ...
WEBOct 18, 2021 · Drinking water is something many Americans are fortunate to be able to take for granted. Something pure and necessary for life. So when Pittsburghers found out, in 2016, that their water might be poisoned with lead, it’s no surprise that it set off a firestorm that lasted years and became one of the biggest challenges of Mayor Bill Peduto’s time …
Experts weigh PA's rising '302' involuntary treatment petitions
WEBOct 31, 2022 · Across Allegheny County, the number of petitions filed to initiate evaluations for involuntary psychiatric treatment increased by 21% from 2015 through 2021.
What does a state attorney general actually do? - PublicSource
WEBApr 24, 2016 · Perhaps one surprising aspect of the office is that the attorney general rarely steps inside the courtroom. Cases such as former attorney general Ernie Preate arguing Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v.Casey in front of the U.S. Supreme Court are rare. This was the 1992 landmark abortion ruling that upheld the basic tenet of …
The story of a near-catastrophic failure of Pittsburgh's drinking water
WEBOct 18, 2021 · PWSA contractors replace a lead line on Burham St on Friday, Sept. 24, 2021. PWSA has replaced more than half of the city's lead lines since 2017, including both the public and private side.
PPS joins the school debate: Should cellphones be in classrooms?
WEBJan 21, 2023 · At Obama, students see pluses and minuses in the new policy. “To not be able to have my phone all day just felt very constricting and like maybe even my safety would be compromised,” said Sydney Pellegrino, an Obama student who sits on the district-wide Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council, which advocates for changes PPS …