When it comes to the greatest medical advances in history, the development of vaccines is extremely significant. It was five years ago this month that the first COVID vaccines were rolled out. Just imagine what life would be like without them.

Pennsylvania actually has a very important place in the history of vaccine development. Dr. Jonas Salk developed a polio vaccine at the University of Pittsburgh. And 72 years ago yesterday, Feb. 23, 1954, 137 students at Arsenal Elementary School in Pittsburgh were the first to receive it.

For historical context, the 1952 polio epidemic was the worst polio outbreak in the nation’s history, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Of the nearly 58,000 cases reported that year, 3,145 people died, and 21,269 were left with mild to disabling paralysis. Most of the victims were children.

The students from Arsenal Elementary were the first of about 5,000 public school students in Pittsburgh who received the first of three doses in 1954, marking the vaccine’s first large-scale clinical trials.

In April 1955, the US government declared the polio vaccine safe and effective for use. Thanks to the efforts of Salk at the University of Pittsburgh and the widespread use of the polio vaccine, the US has been polio-free since 1979.

Patrick Berkery

Senior Newsletter Editor, The Keystone

Bucks County DA launches investigation into Quakertown PD protest response

(Daniella Heminghaus/Bucks County Courier Times via Reuters Connect)

The Bucks County District Attorney’s Office has opened an independent investigation into how police handled Friday’s student walkout in Quakertown, where several teens were arrested during an anti-ICE protest. The announcement came after parents and community advocates raised concerns about videos showing physical confrontations between students and officers.

Footage from the protest includes the borough’s police chief in plainclothes during the clash. Police say some protesters engaged in unsafe behavior and assaulted officers; students and parents dispute that account. The DA is asking the public to submit photos and videos as the investigation continues.

Catch up here

• Opponents of the SAVE Act say it could create new barriers for Pennsylvania voters. The bill would require in-person proof of citizenship to register. Advocates warn that women, voters of color, and rural residents could be hit hardest, noting millions lack ready access to documents like passports or birth certificates. Read more here.

• Gov. Josh Shapiro is speaking candidly about political violence and antisemitism as he heads toward reelection. In a recent interview, Shapiro reflected on the 2025 attack on his home, called antisemitism a problem in both parties, and said policy debates over Israel should not cross into hatred or bigotry. Read his Q&A with The Associated Press here.

• Lancaster County officials say they will maintain their 287(g) agreements with ICE despite a petition signed by 2,700 residents calling for the partnerships to end. Critics argue the agreements erode trust. County leaders say they are following the law and not dedicating additional local resources to immigration enforcement. Read more here.

Finally…

Rep. Summer Lee, D-Pa., arrives for Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro’s Inauguration, Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2023, at the state Capitol in Harrisburg, Pa. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

US Rep. Summer Lee of Western Pennsylvania has been tapped to deliver the Working Families Party’s response to President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address Tuesday night. The first-term Democrat from Allegheny County said she plans to focus on affordability, rising housing costs, health care, and what she describes as an economy that isn’t working for everyday people. Lee, first elected in 2022 as the first Black woman to represent Pennsylvania in Congress, has aligned closely with the progressive Working Families Party.

Trump’s State of the Union begins at 9 p.m. ET and will be streamed live on major news networks and online platforms.

Tune in for Lee’s remarks