Author

John L. Micek

John L. Micek

A three-decade veteran of the news business, John L. Micek is the Pennsylvania Capital-Star's former Editor-in-Chief.

Vanilla ice cream balls with mint in a turquoise bowl

These are the Keystone State’s top 5 fave ice cream flavors | Tuesday Morning Coffee

By: - July 18, 2023

A new report plumbs Pa's palates -- and the data -- to come up with a list of your top 5 favorite ice cream flavors.

heavy rain pouring down from passing storm

Five dead, two children missing after flash floods in Bucks Co. | Monday Morning Coffee

By: - July 17, 2023

Heavy rains and flash flooding hammered the eastern half of the state over the weekend, taking a deadly toll.

COMMENTARY

Pa.’s budget impasse is a binge-worthy — and totally fixable — summer drama | Friday Coffee

By: - July 14, 2023

Maybe it won't be fixed in 59 minutes. But history shows that this, too, shall pass.

DOCTOR X-RAY ART HOSPITAL

Pa.’s Boyle, Fitzpatrick back bill to study, prevent lung cancer in women | Thursday Morning Coffee

By: - July 13, 2023

'Every eight minutes, an American woman loses her life to lung cancer,' U.S. Rep. Brendan Boyle, D-2nd District, said.

The exterior of the fire-damaged brick building at Harrisburg's Broad Street Market (Capital-Star photo by John L. Micek).

Hbg, state officials vow to rebuild fire-ravaged Broad Street Market | Wednesday Morning Coffee

By: - July 12, 2023

'The heart of our community was taken from us ... we will rebuild it,' Harrisburg Mayor Wanda Williams said.

Pa. House approves bill extending PFAs to pets, animal companions | Tuesday Morning Coffee

By: - July 11, 2023

Pets play 'an essential role in offering comfort' to people experiencing abuse, the bill's sponsors said

Report: ‘Forever chemicals’ could be in nearly half of U.S. tap water | Monday Morning Coffee

By: - July 10, 2023

The federal study is the first to compare PFAS in tap water in both public and private supplies.

Freight train generic

Pa.’s Casey, Fetterman, back rule boosting transparency on trains carrying toxic material

By: - July 7, 2023

The proposed rule comes in the wake of this year's toxic spill along the Pa./Ohio border.

Close-up of bartender serving beers at bar

Report: 58% of underage Pa. residents carded, served booze anyway in 2022 | Thursday Morning Coffee

By: - July 6, 2023

There were 9,220 alcohol-related crashes in Pennsylvania in 2021, up from 7,700 in 2020, according to a newly released report.

A proposed reduction to Pennsylvania's corporate net income tax could be included in this year's state budget.

Pa. collected $44.9B in taxes in 2022-23 budget year; edging projections | Wednesday Morning Coffee

By: - July 5, 2023

The news comes as the Legislature, Pa. Gov. Shapiro try to unravel a budgetary knot.

For July 4: The Declaration of Independence | Tuesday Morning Coffee

By: - July 4, 2023

We’re running it as a reminder of the nation’s foundational ideals, and in the hope that it will one day live up to them for every American.

SHAPIRO LITTLE LEAF FARMS

Can Pa. Gov. Shapiro parlay popularity into a budget win? | Monday Morning Coffee

By: - July 3, 2023

It’s not a bad time to be Gov. Josh Shapiro. The Democratic governor made national headlines last month when a collapsed portion of Interstate 95 in northeast Philadelphia reopened well ahead of schedule. That, in turn, prompted new speculation on whether the former two-term attorney general, former state lawmaker, and ex-Montgomery County commissioner, just seven months into his first term, might […]