When institutions fail, the consequences are never abstract. This week’s Sunday Bulletin examines what happens when warnings go unheeded, accountability is delayed, and the public is left to absorb the fallout. From a deadly explosion in Bucks County to the slow erosion of local journalism, these are stories about responsibility — and what happens when it’s absent.
INVESTIGATIVE: A third lawsuit has been filed in connection with the Dec. 23 explosion at a Bucks County nursing home, alleging a gas leak was known, ignored, and allowed to “fester for days.” As investigations continue, the legal filings paint a stark picture of institutional neglect — and raise urgent questions about who is responsible when vulnerable populations are left unprotected.
POLITICS: Senator John Fetterman’s transformation from progressive favorite to political outlier continues to reshape Pennsylvania’s political landscape. As he breaks with his party on borders, foreign policy, and government shutdowns, Fetterman has gained unexpected support — and sharpened divisions inside his own coalition.
REGIONAL NEWS: A dramatic rescue in Atlantic City turns violent. A closely divided borough council reveals fractures in local leadership. And a Philadelphia family welcomes one of the region’s first babies of 2026 — reminders that community life continues amid crisis, conflict, and change.
FROM THE EDITORS: The impending shutdown of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette marks more than the loss of a newspaper. It signals a dangerous moment for civic life in Pennsylvania — and raises a fundamental question: can a functioning republic survive without a functioning news media?
OPINION & ANALYSIS: From rising health-care costs and Obamacare subsidies to reflections on conscience, faith, and dissent, our columnists take on the debates shaping public trust — and challenge readers to look beyond slogans to consequences.
