You may remember that a few years back, we introduced you to Beck Lawrence, owner of the Serpent’s Key Shop & Sanctuary in Hanover. Lawrence was at the center of a viral news story in the fall of 2023 after they were threatened by the local chief of police over an obscure 1861 law banning fortune-telling for profit.

Hanover Police Chief Chad Martin saw Lawrence’s tarot shop—billed online as a “witchery and apothecary”—featured in a local magazine and visited the business to inform Lawrence that offering tarot readings was illegal, despite the fact that Lawrence has a sign that states “for entertainment purposes only” displayed prominently in the shop.

In order to save their business and insulate themselves from further legal trouble, Lawrence sued both Martin and the borough of Hanover in 2024, challenging the constitutionality of the law by arguing it violates their First and Fourth Amendment rights.

Lawrence’s legal challenge to that 165-year-old ban on fortune-telling is now heading to court. They received a letter notifying them that a US District Court judge had ordered a July 22 conference call to set new deadlines, after a judge in Pennsylvania’s Middle District denied a request by the state Attorney General’s Office to dismiss Lawrence’s lawsuit.

Lawrence said it is huge that the courts are taking the time to take this case seriously and see that something has to be done. 

“My goal is that this law gets dropped from the record so it can’t really be used to target other people in the way that it was used to target me,” Lawrence said.

(Shutterstock)

“We know it’s not great but it’s just too hard to stop. We’re stuck.”

Those are the words of a Pennsylvania teenager in a recent report from the state Attorney General’s office on the toll that social media is taking on the mental health of teens statewide.

The report, based on conversations with 160 students from 35 schools, found that social media use is nearly universal among teenagers, with 95% of US teens using at least one platform and nearly half saying they are online “almost constantly.”

The findings highlight a troubling connection: Teens who spend more than three hours a day on social media face almost double the risk of depression and anxiety symptoms.

Now, officials are urging tech companies to change how their platforms are built.

“This is not just about individual responsibility,” said Dave Sunday, state Attorney General. “It’s about making sure the systems young people are using every day are safer, more transparent, and built with their well-being in mind.”

We’re kicking off our latest Supporter Drive today, and this one comes at a particularly pivotal time. 

With Pennsylvania again expected to play a significant role in the November midterm elections, and issues like data center expansion, affordability, and healthcare impacting so many residents, our mission to keep you informed about the stories that matter most to your family and your community takes on even greater importance.

The Keystone staff is prepared to meet the moment, but we need your help to power our efforts. Any amount you can afford to give during this current Supporter Drive will ensure that our community-focused journalism will remain free and accessible to all Pennsylvanians.

• About 100,000 people have dropped off Pennsylvania’s Medicaid program over the past year, but the health program’s costs have continued to climb during that period, according to state analysts. Find out more here.

• Lebanon County and state officials are urging residents to use caution and make sure they are properly vaccinated amid a measles outbreak in the county that continues to rise. Get the details here.

• A woman’s hypothermia death in Pittsburgh after her release from ICE custody has been ruled a homicide. Get the story here.

The Juneteenth Parade in Philadelphia rolls toward the city’s Malcolm X Park. (Shutterstock)

Friday marks Juneteenth, the holiday celebrating the end of slavery in the United States. Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when Union troops brought news of freedom to enslaved people in Texas, more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation.

Juneteenth celebrates Black freedom, resilience, and resistance. Our Kalena Thomhave has this story highlighting ways to recognize the holiday in Pennsylvania in 2026, whether you’re joining a community block party, attending a parade, learning about Black history at a museum, taking in a film that tells Black stories, or supporting Black civil rights by volunteering with or donating to a local advocacy group.

Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Patrick Berkery with stories from Kalena Thomhave, Ashley Adams, and USA Today via Reuters Connect. It was edited by Paula Solis.

The Keystone is free for everyone. Your support makes our work possible.