Happy Monday, familia.
Hope you had a peaceful weekend. I started the day like I usually do — cafecito in hand, catching up on the news — and then this story came across my feed and immediately changed the pace.
Early Sunday morning, flames broke out at the Pennsylvania Governor’s Mansion in Harrisburg. Governor Josh Shapiro, his family, and some guests were inside. No one was injured — but the moment felt heavy.
According to State Police, a 38-year-old man named Cody Balmer allegedly scaled the fence, broke a window, and threw Molotov cocktails at the residence. A few hours later, he walked into the State Museum nearby and turned himself in. Now he’s facing several felony charges, including attempted arson, risking catastrophe, and making terroristic threats.
Photo Credit: AP News
And here’s the part that stood out to me — not just as a journalist, but as someone who covers community impact stories day in and day out:
this didn’t happen in a vacuum.
It’s not the first time a public official’s safety has been threatened. It’s not the first time someone has taken extreme action near a symbol of political power. We’ve seen incidents like this rise across the country — from school board meetings to statehouses — and we’re left wondering: What are we not talking about soon enough?
There’s no confirmed motive yet. Law enforcement is still piecing that together. But this moment opens the door for some much-needed reflection — not speculation, but context. How do people get here? What warning signs do we miss when we only focus on the flash of the event and not the buildup?
As journalists, our job isn’t to sensationalize. It’s to ask real questions. To follow the facts — and to sit with the stories long enough to understand what they’re really trying to show us.
The Governor’s Mansion is still standing. But stories like this one? They have layers. We owe it to ourselves — and the people we report for — to look at all of them.
Gracias for being here.
Un abrazo,
José ☕
José Martínez 