By Tim Lambert | Editor-in-chief
“I think students need to spend less time focused on their phones and a whole lot more time focused on learning and developing those social skills with their neighbors; on talking to their friends face-to-face; and on developing the critical life skills they’re going to need to interact with others.” — Gov. Josh Shapiro, after signing a bell-to-bell cellphone ban in Pennsylvania that restricts device use during the school day.
A good Saturday morning to you and Happy Halloween. Will you be spending your night waiting for the Great Pumpkin to rise out of the pumpkin patch or putting on a costume and having a bit of fun?
Today marks the end of an era in Bucks County. The Neshaminy Mall in Bensalem is closing its doors after 56 years. Our friends at WHYY took at look at the future of seven mechanical historical dioramas from the mall that are being restored and relocated.
Thanks for starting your day off with us by reading, sharing our voter guide and supporting our work. We appreciate your trust in our team. — Tim
A skill games parlor in Williamsport, Pa. (Photo by Peter Hall/Pennsylvania Capital-Star)
By Natalie Bencivenga
Watch a recap of our top stories.
Governor Josh Shapiro signs a bell-to-bell cellphone ban into law at Lenape Middle School in Central Bucks School District on Oct. 26, 2026. (Photo from PACast)
By Whitney Downard
More than 1.7 million K-12 students in public and private schools in Pennsylvania will soon all learn under a new, statewide law: a bell-to-bell cellphone ban restricting device use during the school day.
Gov. Josh Shapiro ceremoniously signed Senate Bill 1014, which passed the House and Senate last week, at Lenape Middle School — part of the Central Bucks School District, which has its own cellphone ban already in place.
Two dozen states have a bell-to-bell cellphone ban, and most others have some sort of restrictions for K-12 students. PA Unplugged, a coalition of parents and educators in 32 counties, has repeatedly pushed for lawmakers to follow suit.
A convenience store in Pottsville, Schuylkill County, advertises skill games on March 12, 2026, (Photo by Jessica Kourkounis/Pennsylvania Capital-Star)
FOLO PA PODCAST
By Emily Previti
Skill games have become ubiquitous across Pennsylvania during the past decade or so.
They look like slot machines. You might’ve seen them in bars, gas stations, corner stores and private organizations like fire halls and American Legion posts.
There were an estimated 70,000 of them in play, at last count, across the commonwealth.
And now, they’re illegal.
That’s because lawmakers couldn’t reach a deal to regulate them before Oct. 13, the deadline set by the state Supreme Court. In the same ruling, the justices found skill games are subject to the Gaming Act and the Crimes Code – so, anyone operating them has to be licensed by the state Gaming Control Board.
Our Peter Hall first wrote about the issue for the Pennsylvania Capital-Star in 2022. On this episode, he unpacks all of it alongside Sean Hamill, an investigative reporter who’s also covered this topic extensively for Pittsburgh-based nonprofit NewsWorks Lab.
Voter registration trends in Pennsylvania as of October 19, 2026. (Graphics by Nick Field)
COMMENTARY
By Nick Field
Pennsylvania Democrats have all the momentum at their backs as they hope for a Blue Wave to sweep the November 3rd midterm elections.
Since 2015, I’ve examined the voter registration trends in the Keystone State across dozens of articles over the last decade-plus. In that time, I’ve never created a map as blue as the one above. For the most part, Pennsylvania Republicans have consistently gained ground on their Democratic counterparts in the Trump Era.
Beyond our borders, political observers are always eagerly watching a swing state like Pennsylvania to get a sense of the national mood. So let’s take a deeper dive into these numbers to see what they can tell us about the upcoming midterms.
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A sign directs voters to where they can cast their ballots at Allegheny County Election office in Pittsburgh on Oct. 19, 2026. (Photo by John Beale/Pennsylvania Capital-Star)
By Peter Hall, Ian Karbal and Whitney Downard
With nearly 250 races across Pennsylvania that will determine party control of the governor’s office, General Assembly and, potentially, the U.S. House, the commonwealth is back in the national spotlight this election season.
The majority of state and federal legislative seats are considered to be safely Democratic or Republican. But flipping just a few in any chamber could change the balance of power, and midterm elections traditionally favor the minority party. Combined with low presidential approval ratings and economic concerns, some experts theorize there could be a “blue wave” next week.
So what are the top races to watch in the state on election night?
What else were Capital-Star readers clicking on this week?
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