Trevor was 14 years old when he bought his first gun from a friend. Although he is like any other teenager — he likes Sprite, playing Monopoly and dreams about owning a Mercedes — he has lived in constant fear that someone could take his life. “Being around the wrong type of people just brought problems,” Trevor said. “People would fight, and I’m not the biggest. Everybody was bigger than me, and somebody might have a gun. That makes me nervous and anxious and that makes me wanna grab a gun, too.” A month after his 14th birthday, Trevor was arrested for gun possession. “I felt threatened, so ..read more

Americans are becoming less religious and leaving religious institutions. But while we are seeing declines in religious affiliations, Christian  nationalism is gaining strength in certain parts of the country and having an outsized role in our politics and culture. In this episode, we speak with Robert P Jones, founder and president of the Public Religion Research Institute about religiosity in America. We’ll also talk about his new book, The Hidden Roots of White Supremacy, which traces white nationalism back 500 years ..read more

An upcoming Supreme Court case could determine whether people have the right to sleep on the streets or if homelessness could be criminalized ..read more

This story originally appeared on 6abc. A Pennsylvania wedding band is suing country singer and rapper Jelly Roll, claiming trademark infringement. Jellyroll, the band, is based out of Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania. They have been performing at weddings and big events, like the Philadelphia Auto Show Black Tie Tailgate, for years. Jelly Roll, the singer, won New Artist of the Year at the Country Music Association Awards last year. The Tennessee native is known for his hits “Son of a Sinner” and “Need a Favor”. The local band claims that ever since the singer rose to fame, Google searches for Jell ..read more

This story originally appeared on Spotlight PA. The five Democrats running to be Pennsylvania’s attorney general raised almost $1.2 million in the weeks leading up to the April 23 primary, mostly from Philadelphia trade unions, lawyers, elected officials, and other monied interests based in the city. In the two-way Republican race, the party-backed candidate outraised his opponent while getting a major spending boost from a conservative political group backed by Pennsylvania’s wealthiest man, Jeff Yass. Though all of Pennsylvania’s row offices — attorney general, auditor general, and ..read more

This story originally appeared on Spotlight PA. Pennsylvania voters will elect an auditor general this November, but Democrats and Republicans first must pick their candidates this spring. Mark Pinsley is one of two Democrats running for his party’s nomination and will appear on the April 23 primary ballot. The auditor general monitors how public dollars are spent, to catch fraud and graft if they occur. The office does this by conducting financial audits, and monitoring whether state-funded programs are doing what they’re supposed to. Learn more about Pinsley below: Who is Mark Pinsley? Websi ..read more

This story originally appeared on Spotlight PA. Pennsylvania voters will elect a treasurer this November, but Democrats and Republicans first must pick their candidates this spring. Erin McClelland is one of two Democrats running for her party’s nomination and will appear on the April 23 primary ballot. The state treasurer is one of three elected row officers in the commonwealth, and plays a crucial role in managing state dollars. They can serve a maximum of two four-year terms ..read more

This story originally appeared on Spotlight PA. Pennsylvania voters will elect an auditor general this November, but Democrats and Republicans first must pick their candidates this spring. Malcolm Kenyatta is one of two Democrats running for his party’s nomination and will appear on the April 23 primary ballot. The auditor general monitors how public dollars are spent, to catch fraud and graft if they occur. The office does this by conducting financial audits, and monitoring whether state-funded programs are doing what they’re supposed to. Learn more about Kenyatta below: Who is Malcolm Kenyat ..read more

This story originally appeared on Spotlight PA. Pennsylvania voters will elect a treasurer this November, but Democrats and Republicans first must pick their candidates this spring. Incumbent Stacy Garrity is the only Republican running for her party’s nomination. She will appear on the April 23 primary ballot. The state treasurer is one of three elected row officers in the commonwealth, and plays a crucial role in managing state dollars. They can serve a maximum of two four-year terms ..read more

This story originally appeared on Spotlight PA. Pennsylvania voters will elect a treasurer this November, but Democrats and Republicans first must pick their candidates this spring. Ryan Bizzarro is one of two Democrats running for his party’s nomination and will appear on the April 23 primary ballot. The state treasurer is one of three elected row officers in the commonwealth, and plays a crucial role in managing state dollars. They can serve a maximum of two four-year terms ..read more