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PENNSYLVANIA
Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman has his sights set on the U.S. Senate.
City & State PA is back
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The scrappy upstart is providing in-depth coverage of Harrisburg and power lists chronicling one of New York’s neighbors.
By Jenny DeHuff
YO, NEW YORK, it’s Philly in the house! OK, so not just Philly. That’s just where I’m from. It’s also Allentown, Wilkes-Barre, Harrisburg and Pittsburgh, and all the small towns and cities in between. And not for nothin’, but we’re pretty happy to be here with you guys, so thanks for having us.
Regional accents aside, I’d like to start by introducing myself as the relatively new editor of New York’s sister publication, City & State PA. I have a few things in common with you New Yorkers. Like many of you, I’m willing to walk several blocks in heels for an exclusive interview, for a hair or doctor’s appointment, or just for a craving. Some days, it’s my favorite food truck that’s right around the corner. Other times, it’s pan-seared scallops and a pricey glass of sauvignon blanc in an entirely different neighborhood.
That’s a little bit about me – but I want to introduce you to our magazine, City & State PA. (Hint: It’s more or less like your jawn, but in Pennsylvania.)
After a brief hiatus, City & State PA relaunched in May, complete with new branding and a new vision. Our in-depth, nonpartisan coverage serves the state’s policymakers, business leaders, philanthropists, public advocates, academics, journalists, labor leaders, lobbyists and everybody else trying to navigate its murky political waters.
City & State has earned its reputation as a trusted guide to the important issues impacting New York – and now Pennsylvania – every day. And our smart, savvy team of reporters work tirelessly to inform our audience about what’s happening in Harrisburg and beyond.
We launched our inaugural issue in June – 72 glossy pages of power-packed political reporting, complete with personality profiles, in-depth analysis and, of course, the Pennsylvania Power 100. In two short months, we’ve put out two beautiful magazines and countless stories for the web. The June issue featured a literal giant in the Keystone State – Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, a polarizing figure in state politics who is running for U.S. Senate.
Last month, the Health Care Power 100 issue included a profile of Ed Gainey, a longtime state representative who is one general election victory away from becoming Pittsburgh’s first Black mayor.
To help us put together our power lists, we recruited an eight-person advisory board. These people offer their insights and guidance to ensure we represent a diversity of opinions about the relative influence of the state’s elected officials, nonprofit and labor leaders, and those in the private sector.
In addition to several groundbreaking stories featured in both the June and July issues, we’ve hosted two events, albeit virtually, so far. The first was a launch event celebrating our Pennsylvania Power 100, with guest speakers Gov. Tom Wolf, former Gov. Ed Rendell, Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney and others. And I recently hosted our virtual Diversity Summit, a gathering of industry executives and public sector leaders designed to foster business partnerships between the state and local governments, prime contractors and MWBEs. Both events were watched live by hundreds of people around the state.
Now, a little bit about my teammates: Susan Peiffer, our publisher, oversees City & State PA’s overall operations and revenue generation efforts. She published Metro Philadelphia and Metro Boston before joining City & State, and
over the past 30 years, has helped transform new digital platforms for Philly. com, Valassis and the Washington Examiner. Mike Fleck has more than two decades of experience in Pennsylvania government, working as a state representative from 2007 through 2014 and as a former school board member. He now leads our sales team. Justin Sweitzer and Harrison Cann are the publication’s two excellent reporters. Their dedication to their craft is only surpassed by the premium product they put forth every day. In Does Ed Gainey have what it takes to be the MAYOR OF STEEL? addition to what they write for the website and the magazine, both author our morning First Read newsletter, which offers a quick, digestible recap of the day’s top stories. Cann recently profiled Pennsylvania’s first openly gay Black legislator, state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, who is running for U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey’s soon-to-be vacant seat. And Sweitzer’s exposé on campaign spending that influenced voters ahead of the spring primary was a City & State exclusive. Our next issue highlights Pennsylvania’s 100 top labor leaders and workers’ rights advocates. We have a lot in store for that one, as well as for our October issue – the Pennsylvania 50 Over 50 recognizes the state’s most prominent and accomplished leaders in government, business and media who are over the age of 50. We’ve done a lot in little time, and we have much more work ahead of us, from making sure the First Read newsletter is one of the first emails in your inbox every morning – to drafting, researching, vetting and ranking our power lists. Like you, New Yorkers, we Pennsylvanians don’t lack an appetite for political news. We crave it like candy, or coffee, or a latenight slice. Lucky for readers in both states, you have us. ■
Physician, Zoom thyself Pennsylvania’s plan for telemedicine How Harrisburg shed the quarantine 15 THE HEALTH CARE POWER 100 CITYANDSTATEPA.COM @CITYANDSTATEPA JUNE 2021 JULY 2021 It is with great pleasure that I convey to you my warmest greetings in honor of City & State’s 15th anniversary. Congratulations on celebrating over a decade of award-winning journalism! I admire your commitment to nonpartisan coverage of the political landscape in New York. City & State is the most prominent news source for policy issues affecting our cities and New York state. Since its inception, City & State has been dedicated to truthfulness, objectivity and transparency. Your unwavering regard for surpassing the ethical standard of journalism is why I was honored to be chosen for City & State’s 2021 Queens and NYC Power 100 list. Your First Read gets all of us political junkies up early every morning. Once again, congratulations on celebrating 15 years of hard-hitting journalism. Please accept my best wishes for your continued success.
