By Tim Lambert | Editor-in-chief
“One of the lessons of the opioid settlement is that there’s a lot that can be done around these issues that’s outside the settlement. But the settlement can provide an opportunity to really focus attention and bring people together. So the actual process of figuring out where to spend the money can be helpful above and beyond just figuring out where to spend the money.” — Dr. Joshua M. Sharfstein, vice dean for public health practice at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, on where and how Pennsylvania and other states should use funds from a $17.1 billion dollar settlement with social media giant Meta.
A good Tuesday morning to you. As we head back to work from the holiday weekend, I’ll offer a reminder that we are exactly seven weeks from the November election. Over the next few weeks, we’ll bring you coverage of key races and where candidates stand on issues that matter to you.
On this day in 1994, the deadliest air disaster in state history occurred in Beaver County. USAir Flight 427 crashed in a wooded ravine in Hopewell Township, claiming the lives of all 132 people onboard.
Thanks for starting your day with us. As always, we deeply appreciate you reading, sharing and supporting our work. -- Tim
A vape shop advertises kratom in Etters, York County. (Photo by Ian Karbal/Pennsylvania Capital-Star)
By Ian Karbal
Sarah Kawasaki first heard about kratom around five years ago. It wasn’t through her work — she’s an addiction medicine specialist at Penn State, and the medical director of their associated opioid treatment program — but through her personal life.
“People would say, ‘Hey, what do you know about kratom?,’” she told the Capital-Star. “And I’d be like, ‘What?’”
So Kawasaki began looking into it. Kratom, she found, is an herbal supplement with opioid-like effects. In low doses, it can act as a stimulant, and in higher doses it produces a more sedative-like effect. Along with being a recreational drug, many users have reported using it to manage chronic pain or opioid withdrawal symptoms.
Fast forward to the present and Kawasaki has 10 to 20 patients in central Pennsylvania she is treating exclusively for kratom use, most of whom (around 80%) had previously sought treatment for opioid addiction and managed to kick the habit.
The parent company of Instagram and Facebook agreed to settle a nationwide lawsuit by paying up to $17.1 billion and implementing safety features on its platforms to protect children. (Photo by Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)
By Peter Hall
Social media giant Meta settled claims by 47 states that its platforms were harmful to children by agreeing last month to pay up to $17.1 billion and place strict controls on how teens can use its apps.
Now, those states, including Pennsylvania, must decide for themselves how the money should be distributed to mitigate the impacts of social media saturation on children’s mental health.
The settlement agreement itself prescribes broad uses to remedy the increase in teen mental health issues — such as body dysmorphia and suicide — that has stemmed from the rise of social media.
But public health experts say details of what government and community entities receive the money and in what amounts are important questions the commonwealth must answer.
Residents raise their hands in show of opposition to TECfusions’ data center the during Upper Burrell Township Board of Supervisors meeting, Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026. (Photo by Danny Arensberg/Pittsburgh’s Public Source)
By Mia Hollie of Pittsburgh’s Public Source
A yearslong effort to establish the Pittsburgh area’s largest hyperscale data center faces new hurdles — from the emergence of a data center moratorium and new zoning ordinance proposal to a lawsuit challenging the center’s current progress.
Heightened public concern has followed. More than 50 residents attended a meeting of Upper Burrell Township’s board of supervisors last Wednesday, most of whom opposed the data center.
“Alcoa brought a lot of good things to this community,” said Upper Burrell resident David Ostrosky, referring to the site’s former owner. “Bottom line is, I don’t get that vibe from these guys.”
Ostrosky and other public speakers pressed the board for more transparency about its approval processes for work permits and site plans. They also called for more answers about the current status of work there.
Independent reporting on Pennsylvania state government that impacts communities statewide — free to read and republish.
Amid fluctuating gas prices, economic uncertainty and rising costs for things like groceries and electricity, we know how important it is to make every dollar count.
So, we understand if you are facing a tight budget and aren’t able to make a gift to the Capital-Star at this time. But if you are able to invest today, you will be helping to keep your fellow Pennsylvanians educated and informed about issues impacting our great commonwealth — from data centers to the election to healthcare.
Please consider making a one-time gift of $10, $25, $50 or $100. You can also "set it and forget it," by making a monthly contribution between $10 and $50.
Join your friends and neighbors — like Ann Louise from Shillington and Kathleen from Bryn Mawr — as donors today.
Students walk in front of a Philadelphia school. (Photo by Hannah Yoon for Chalkbeat)
By Rebecca Redelmeier of Chalkbeat
Philadelphia school district officials have pledged that this will be the year students’ reading proficiency improves.
But as the district starts the third year of a $25 million reading curriculum overhaul, more evidence points to problems with the rollout.
According to a new district research report, educators reported serious concerns with the new K-8 English language arts curriculum during the first year, including its phonics instruction, a lack of time and resources for students to read full books, and little support for students who start or fall behind.
The researchers, who hosted focus groups with more than 100 K-8 Philly teachers, principals, and administrators, concluded that most principals believe the new curriculum, designed by EL Education, “is a step in the right direction.”
TODAY IN THE CAPITAL-STAR
FEMA is off the chopping block. But disaster aid is still a guessing game. Experts say there’s still confusion about President Donald Trump’s decisions to approve or deny disaster declarations, leaving states with uncertainty about whether they can expect federal recovery funds.
Women on parole face higher rates of mental health, housing challenges: Women on parole report higher rates of housing instability, poor health and serious mental health and substance use disorders than men on parole and women who weren’t on parole, according to a new analysis.
As Trump dismantles TPS, Salvadorans may be next: Within two years under the Trump administration, the bipartisan humanitarian Temporary Protected Status program created by Congress in 1990 and signed into law by former Republican President George H.W. Bush has been nearly obliterated.
ICYMI
Judge rules Green Party candidate can be kicked off ballot in PA-07: A Commonwealth Court judge ruled that Andrew Tupone, a hopeful Green Party candidate in the 7th Congressional District, can be removed from the ballot despite collecting sufficient signatures to appear on it. Tupone said he plans to appeal.
Labor unions are growing, but where depends on state politics: Last year, the nation added more than 411,000 union members — the largest annual growth since 2008, according to a recent study.
Thanks for reading Morning Guide. Did you know our weekend digest is also free? Sign up here. And if you enjoyed today’s edition, please forward to a friend. Increasing our readership helps us cover more news.