This week’s biggest Winners & Losers

Two of the scientists who helped pioneer the development of mRNA vaccines, which were crucial at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, have been awarded the Nobel Prize for their work. Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman, both University of Pennsylvania researchers who identified a chemical tweak to mRNA, were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine earlier this week. Karikó, who utilized Weissman’s lab on campus, went without funding for many years and relied on colleagues like Weissman to keep her research afloat.

The Crimson Hawks have a major milestone to toast to – and we’re sure they’ve already begun celebrating. The Wall Street Journal ranked Indiana University of Pennsylvania as the top party school in the nation after surveying more than 60,000 college students and recent grads around the country. But if you asked any one of the state-related universities, they’re bound to have a different answer.

Hellbender defenders, assemble! The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources announced this week that you can get your very own Eastern hellbender license plate to celebrate Pennsylvania’s beloved state amphibian – and help support conservation programs. It’s about time the snot otter gets some proper recognition – and what better way to celebrate the health of the state’s waterways and promote conservation efforts than with a lasagna lizard license plate?

Former DuBois City Manager Herm Suplizio is now facing even more charges after allegedly stealing hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars for personal use. Prosecutors say Suplizio used funds from city accounts to pay credit card bills, make political contributions and gamble. With the filing of new charges this week, Suplizio faces a total of 23 criminal charges, including 13 felonies, according to the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s office.

A newly filed lawsuit alleges the conditions and usage of solitary confinement at SCI Fayette subjected incarcerated individuals to cruel and unusual punishment. The plaintiffs – inmates who previously filed a complaint on their own in federal court in Pittsburgh – are now represented by the Abolitionist Law Center and Institutional Law Project. The complaint alleges that solitary confinement leads to both physical and psychological harm, citing the self-harm and suicide attempts of many inmates. 

You’re forgiven if you thought House lawmakers had scheduled a third-shift session week for themselves given the amount of late-night votes held in the Capitol this week. House Republicans criticized Democrats on Thursday for holding votes after 8 p.m. on back-to-back session days, including on a sweeping tax code bill and a major election code amendment, the latter of which came during a committee meeting after 11 p.m.