News & Brews September 11, 2025
Get News & Brews in your inbox each day: Subscribe here!
Shapiro orders flags to half-staff in honor of Charlie Kirk
Yesterday, America witnessed the unthinkable as 31-year-old Charlie Kirk—a husband, father of two young children, and conservative leader—was assassinated at an event in Utah. Words are inadequate to describe the hatred and disregard for human life that spurred the murder. Last evening, Gov. Shapiro ordered the commonwealth’s flags to fly at half-staff until Sunday “as a mark of respect for the memory of Charlie Kirk.” We join with our fellow Americans appalled at this horrific act, grieving with Charlie Kirk’s family, and saddened by the loss of compassion and humanity that leads to such hatred.
WSJ Editorial: The Murder of Charlie Kirk
The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board wrote that yesterday’s murder of Charlie Kirk “is all the more tragic because Kirk built his movement … the old-fashioned way: through political debate. His method was to appear on college campuses and welcome all comers to take him on with questions and opposing points of view. … This is a now dangerous moment for the country, which could descend into a cycle of political violence that would be hard to arrest. President Trump survived two assassination attempts. In June two Democratic state lawmakers in Minnesota were shot, one of whom was killed. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s home was firebombed in April…. The perpetrators of these attacks range in the degree of their mental illness and delusion, but American society has steadily dismantled the civil and social guardrails that used to prevent such troubled minds from straying so disastrously from civilized social norms.”
Pennsylvania marks 9/11 anniversary
Pennsylvania will mark the 24th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks with events scheduled at the Flight 93 National Memorial. The Memorial’s website notes, “The Moment of Remembrance will begin on Thursday, September 11 at 9:45 a.m. EDT at the Memorial Plaza. The National Park Service welcomes the public to a thirty-minute name reading. Each name of the passengers and crew members will be read aloud with the ringing of the Bells of Remembrance.”
Is Pa. budget near or far?
Given yesterday’s tragic events, it almost seems inappropriate that there is any other news. But there is. WITF reports that both Democrats and Republicans are saying a state budget deal is close, but “details remain scarce.” Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman said “a budget agreement … [could] be finalized within the next several days;” however, “several fiscal and policy issues remain outstanding.” Meanwhile, the House Appropriations Committee advanced the Senate bill that maintains spending at last year’s level. But Chair Jordan Harris emphasized the bill is only a vehicle that he expects will be amended, as Democrats do not support its contents.
Philly is no longer ‘poorest big city’
Philadelphia no longer has the title of America’s poorest big city, although it’s still close to it. The Inquirer reports that per newly released Census Bureau data, Philly “now has the second-greatest poverty rate among the 10 most populous U.S. cities,” with Houston having the greatest. “Philly’s poverty rate dropped to 19.7% in 2024, the first time it fell below 20% since at least 1979…. Houston is now the nation’s poorest big city, with a poverty rate of 21.2%.” The difference between the two cities is within the margin of error.