As details continue to emerge about last Friday’s mass shooting in Erie—for which the number of homicide victims has officially grown to nine—we’re beginning to learn about some of the victims, like 37-year-old Lora Roberts.

Roberts, identified by friends as a mother of five who was engaged to be married, was a volunteer and former board member for a community group that helped homeless people. 

Jennie Hagerty, executive director of the Mercy Center for Women, knew Roberts as a former client of the center, which helps women affected by domestic violence, addiction, and mental health challenges.

Hagerty wasn’t surprised that Roberts took on the role of a helper on Oct. 9 when she and a friend went to a house on Erie’s east side to rescue a relative. Both women were fatally shot outside the home. Matthew Stone Sr., 45, the man authorities accuse of fatally shooting the others, was found dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound when police entered the house.

“This is how Lora was,” Hagerty said. “She left her home and went to advocate for victims in that house.”

Learn more about Roberts, who one of her co-workers at Presbyterian Senior Care in Fairview described as “the main piece of the puzzle,” in this story.

A wide-angle view inside Beaver Stadium in State College, with fans dressed in white filling the stands during a Penn State home game, Dec. 21, 2024. (Shutterstock)

Fall in State College means crisp temperatures, changing foliage, and perhaps most importantly, Penn State football. 

If you’re headed to Happy Valley to watch the Nittany Lions this fall and in need of some pizza and happy hour recommendations, our food and travel writer Kalena Thomhave is here to help. 

In this story, Kalena highlights 10 of her favorite game day pizza joints in State College, whether you’re looking for some of the tastiest pizza in town, giant pizzas to feed a crowd, or just a great atmosphere for cheering on the Nittany Lions.

And if you’re looking for half-price pitchers, cheap drafts, and/or discounted cocktails, consult Kalena’s guide to the best happy hour deals in State College.

• The nationwide series of No Kings protests set for this Saturday (Oct. 17) will emphasize voter participation in the Nov. 3 midterm elections. Get the details on events happening across Pennsylvania right here.

• As of Wednesday, the skill games that are popular in social clubs, bars, restaurants, and gas stations across Pennsylvania are officially outlawed. Find out what happens next in this story.

• Wendell Young, a union leader in central Pennsylvania’s Columbia County, where several factories have had layoffs, is among those sensing a Trump backlash among workers being squeezed out of jobs by tariffs. Find out more in this story.

• As Pennsylvania’s worst-in-the-nation measles outbreak continues to grow, the state’s sixth measles death of 2026 was reported in Franklin County. Find out more here.

The exhaust from a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is illuminated by the light of the rising sun as seen around 6:40 a.m. on Oct. 13 in Hanover. The rocket, which was launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, is carrying cargo to the International Space Station. (USA Today Network via Reuters Connect)

While some in central Pa. were still asleep early Tuesday morning, others may have been treated to a glimpse of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, which launched from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station around 6:33 a.m.

In the Hanover area, the rocket began to rise from the southern horizon several minutes after launch, racing across the sky until it faded on the eastern horizon, as this picture shows.

As the rocket passed to the southeast of Hanover, the separation of the rocket’s first stage could be seen, with the bright light of the rocket briefly disappearing until the second stage began to illuminate moments later.

Learn more about the SpaceX rocket’s flight path over Central Pa. in this story.

WE WANT TO SEE YOUR PENNSYLVANIA—whether it’s a gorgeous sunset or something purely Pennsylvania, like a horse and buggy parked outside a Sheetz.

Send us your photos with your name, location, and a brief description of what you’re sharing.

Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Patrick Berkery with stories from Ava Edwards, Kalena Thomhave, The Associated Press, and USA Today via Reuters Connect. It was edited by Paula Solis.

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