PA Capitol Report: Top 10 Stories On Harrisburg/PA Politics Last Week
Because In Politics Everything Is Connected To Everything Else–
— New Voting Districts – Senate, House, Congressional
— AP: PA Supreme Court Picks New Map Of Congressional Voting Districts
— PennLive: New Congressional Districts Map Has Keller, Meuser Vying For Same Seat
— Inquirer: Is New Congressional Districts Map Better For Democrats or Republicans? We Tested It
— PA Cap-Star: PA Supreme Court Picks National Democratic Map For New Congressional Voting Districts
— Gov. Wolf Statement On PA Supreme Court Ruling On ‘Fair’ Congressional Voting Districts Map
— TribLive: New Congressional Districts Map Bring Change For Pittsburgh-Area Voters
— PA Cap-Star: New Congressional Districts Map Makes Swiss Cheese Of Swissvale, Complicating Pittsburgh Primary
— MCall: Q&A – What The New PA Congressional Voting District Map Means For You, The 2022 Election
— PA Cap-Star: Federal Suit Asks To Block PA Judges From Picking Congressional Districts Map
— TribLive Editorial: Redistricting Map Wasn’t Court’s Job, But Someone Had To Do It
— ScrantonT Editorial: New Congressional Voting Districts Map Reflect State
— ScrantonT Editorial: Litigation Over Congressional Map Shows Need For Citizens Redistricting Commission
— ScrantonT Editorial: House Republicans Can’t Stand Prosperity
— PA Cap-Star: PA Supreme Court Rejects House Republican Request To Use Old House Voting Districts; More Challenges Pending
— AP: State Election Officials Argue Against Republican Bid To Use Old House Voting District Maps
— PA Cap-Star Guest Essay: The Republicans Showed Us Who They Are With Challenge To PA House Voting Districts Map
— Governor’s Race
— MCall: Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Sen. Mastriano Said He’s Barely Spent Any Money On Campaign, How Can That Be? [He Actively Worked To Overturn the Nov. 2020 Election Results]
— AP: Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Sen. Mastriano Updates Campaign Cash, Spending Report In Late Filing [He actively worked to overturn the Nov. 2020 election results]
— PA Cap-Star: Corman Asks For Investigation Of Republican Gov Rival Mastriano’s Campaign Finances
— PennLive – Jan Murphy: Republican Chester County Chamber CEO Suspends Campaign For Governor
— City & State PA: Who Wants To Run For Governor As A Republican In PA
— U.S. Senate Race
— PennLive – Charles Thompson: Republican U.S. Senate Debate Turns Into Game Of Political Chicken As Key Candidates Postpone Confrontation
— Inquirer: What We Learned From Republican U.S. Senate Debate That Oz, McCormick Skipped
— PA Cap-Star: Oz, McCormick, Sands Skip Republican U.S. Senate Debate
— PA Cap-Star: Some Republicans Vying For U.S. Senate Seat Face Off In Debate
— AP: No Notes, Same Logo: Dr. Oz’s Campaign For Republican U.S. Senate Nomination Is Like His TV Show
— MCall – Paul Muschick: Dr. Oz, Other Republican Carpetbaggers Insult PA Voters By Skipping U.S. Senate Candidates’ Debate
— PA Cap-Star Guest Essay: It’s Campaign Season: Republican Ads Assault The Airwaves, Insult Our Intelligence – Ray Landis
— WHYY: Dr. Oz Wants Us To Know Why He’s In PA, Will Enough Voters Buy It?
— LancasterOnline: Oz, McCormick, Wealthy Republican Candidates For U.S. Senate, Unleash TV Ad Blitz
— TribLive: Pittsburgh Market Has Seen The Most Ads In High-Stakes U.S. Senate Race
— NPR: PA Democrats Angling To Distinguish Themselves In Key U.S. Senate Race
— Inquirer: Rep. Kenyatta Is Tired Of Being Told A Black Gay Man From North Philly Can’t Win PA
— PennLive – John Baer: Biden’s State Of The Union Address Could Impact PA’s U.S. Senate Race
— May 2022 Election
— Dept. Of State: Nomination Petition Forms Available For Congressional, Statewide Candidates
— AP: First Day Of Candidate Petitions Arrives For PA Primaries
— Election Reform/2020 Election Fallout
— Inquirer Guest Essay: Civic Education Is Needed Now More Than Ever – Judge Marjorie Rendell
— AP: Republicans Eye State Courts As Next Political Battlegrounds [PA Included]
— York Dispatch Editorial: ‘If You Can Collect A Fare, You Can Collect A Vote’? Respectfully No [York County’s New Elections Director Is Unqualified]
— PennLive: PA Truck Protest Convoy Fizzles
— AP: Republican Candidates Find Transgender People The Latest ‘Wedge Issue’ [PA Included]
— PA’s Role In Assault On U.S. Capitol
— LancasterOnline Editorial: Being Subpoenaed By U.S. House Committee Investigating Assault On U.S. Capitol Shouldn’t Be A Badge Of Honor
— LancasterOnline: Moderate Republican To Challenge Smucker For Congressional Seat [Smucker worked to overturn the Nov. 2020 election results]
— ReadingE: Lancaster County Man Sentenced To 2 Years Probation On Charges Related To The Assault On U.S. Capitol
— CitizensV: Federal Prosecutors Reveal Details Of Assault On U.S. Capitol Ahead Of Luzerne County Woman’s Sentencing
— State Constitutional Amendments
— Spotlight PA: Complete Guide To More Than 70 Proposed Amendments To State Constitution
— Harrisburg Potpourri
— AP: Republicans Eye State Courts As Next Political Battlegrounds [PA Included]
— MCall Guest Essay: Our Fates Are Bound Together, Let’s Govern Like It – Rep. Schlossberg (D)
— TribLive Guest Essay: Pittsburgh Bridge Collapse Symbol Of Toxic Politics, But Doesn’t Have To Be – Rep. Frankel (D)
— PennLive – Jan Murphy: PA Senate Committee To Hold 2nd Hearing On Pot Legalization Monday
— PA Cap-Star: Court Date Set For Lawsuit Involving Anti-Abortion Group Spending Of Taxpayer Money
— TribLive: Liquor Privatization In Washington State Could Provide Lessons For PA
— ErieT: Presque Isle Casino Fined For Underage Gambling Incident
— LancasterOnline: Moderate Republican To Challenge Smucker For Congressional Seat
— Inquirer: Convicted Union Official Johnny Doc Gets Big Retirement Party
— Budget 2022
— PA Cap-Star: Wolf, Legislature Begin Budget Talks With Different Views On PA’s Fiscal Future – To Spend Or Save?
— Gov. Wolf: Pennsylvanians Need The General Assembly To Act On $1.7 Billion In American Rescue Plan Funding Now
— PennLive – Jan Murphy: Republican House Member Introduces Property Tax Elimination Plan That Taxes Certain Retirement Income, Expands Sales Tax To Food, Clothing
— CitizensV Editorial: Politics Ensures Failure For Honest Plan To Eliminate Property Tax [Plan Has To Include Tax On Retirement Funds]
— MCall: Sen. Boscola Proposes 2-Month Halt In State Sales Tax To Help Inflation-Slammed Consumers
— TribLive: PA Casinos Landed $393 Million In Revenues For January
— PG: Tolling Bridges May Be Best Option To Fund Bridge Replacements, PennDOT Says
— COVID Pandemic In PA
— Gov. Wolf: 95% Of Pennsylvanians 18 And Older Received At Least 1 COVID Vaccination
— TribLive: PA Touts High COVID Vaccine Rate Using Questionable Data
— TribLive Editorial: 95% Vaccinated Number Seems Absurdly High
— Dept. Of Health Provides Update On PA’s Transition To An Endemic
— PA Cap-Star: COVID Isn’t Going Away, But State Health Officials Say PA Is Ready To Transition To Next Phase
— Dept. Of Health Weekly Update On COVID Vaccinations, Cases And Hospitalizations
— PennLive: New Analysis Sheds Light On True COVID ‘Excess Deaths’ In PA
— PG: Western PA Hospitals, Pharmacies Get First Shipments Of New COVID Drug For Omicron
— TribLive: Hope Held That Pandemic Fades In Year 3, Becomes Part Of Normal Cycle
— Inquirer: CDC Loosens COVID Masking Guidance, But Philly Is Keeping Mandate For Now
— WHYY: How Nurses Can Be A Forefront Of Battling Pandemic Misinformation
— PennLive: PA Physician General Pushes For Equity In Health Care
— WITF: As Pandemic Drags On, Substitute Teacher Shortage Gets Worse
— York Dispatch Editorial: Change The Law To Get Ivermectin? No, Just Get Vaccinated Already
— COVID – Schools
— ErieT: Erie County Health Officials Recommend At-Risk Students Continue To Mask
— Opioid Epidemic
— AP: Feds Sue PA Court System Over Bans On Opioid Meds They Say Violate ADA
— PA Cap-Star: PA Courts System Says It Intends To ‘Fully Comply’ With ADA, Following DOJ Letter Detailing Violations
— PennLive – Jan Murphy: PA Senate Committee To Hold 2nd Hearing On Pot Legalization Monday
— Spotlight PA: Some PA Companies Promote Marijuana As An Addiction Treatment Using Misleading Or Dangerous Tactics
— TribLive Editorial: Is Marijuana Marketing Proof Its The Next Big Pharma?
— School Funding/Administration
— Inquirer: Testimony In PA’s School Funding Trial Is Over, What Happens Now?
— ScrantonT: Lack Of State Funding Means Fewer Opportunities In Old Forge, Other School Districts
— MCall Guest Essay: We See The Effects That Fair And Unfair Funding Has On Our Students — 55 PA School Board Members
— PG Guest Essay: Every Kid Deserves A Chance In Public Schools, Republicans Don’t Agree
— PennLive – Jan Murphy: State Education Test Scores To Be Published Next Week, Education Secretary Says
— Inquirer: Who Is In Charge Of PA School Employees Pension Fund, The Board Or Its Executives?
— WITF: As Pandemic Drags On, Substitute Teacher Shortage Gets Worse
— Inquirer: Number Of Philly Teachers Quitting Mid Year Up 200%
— Inquirer: Too Many Lockdowns To County: Gun Violence Has Touched Everything At One Philly School
— ErieT: Unified Erie Anti-Crime Effort To Focus On Middle School Kids
— AP: Some School Systems Pause Diversity Programs Amid Pushback [PA Included]
— PA Cap-Star: Philly Council Tackles Infrastructure Issues At City Schools
— PA Cap-Star Guest Essay: Happy 185th Birthday To Cheyney State University, America’s First Historically Black College
— Gun Violence/Law Enforcement
— Spotlight PA: State Police Push Back On Panel Recommendation Requiring Independent Investigations When Troopers Kill, Injure
— CitizensV Editorial: Take Up State Judge’s Suggestion On Gun Law
— AP: Feds Sue PA Court System Over Bans On Opioid Meds They Say Violate ADA
— PA Cap-Star: PA Courts System Says It Intends To ‘Fully Comply’ With ADA, Following DOJ Letter Detailing Violations
— PennLive: Statewide Review Of PA District Judges Asks To Cut 12 Offices, Could Save Taxpayers $5 Million
— City & State PA: Link Between Race, Solitary Confinement In PA Prisons
— AP: Philadelphia Bans Traffic Stops For Minor Infractions
— AP: Philly Police Union Sues Over Ban On Low-Level Traffic Stops
— PG: Marchers In Pittsburgh Demand Justice For Man Shot Dead In Venango County
— MCall: Man Kissed Gun While Driving Past Crowded Allentown Park Before Firing, Police Say
— WESA: Pittsburgh Police Leadership Got Big Raises This Winter
— Inquirer: Too Many Lockdowns To County: Gun Violence Has Touched Everything At One Philly School
— ErieT: Unified Erie Anti-Crime Effort To Focus On Middle School Kids
— Sunbury Daily Item: Federal Court: Victims Of Clergy Child Sexual Abuse Can Seek A Judgment To Have $95 Million In Harrisburg Catholic Diocese Assets Transferred Out Of 2 Trusts And Moved To its Bankruptcy Estate
— PennLive: Bucknell Students Stage Walkout, Demand Accountability For Student Safety
— TribLive: Fmr Leechburg Police Chief Ordered To Prison For Failing To Register As Sex Offender
— PG Editorial: Finally, A Former Public Defender For U.S. Supreme Court Justice
— PA Economy
— WESA: Bankruptcies Plummet In PA As Households Benefit From COVID Aid, Pandemic Savings
— WESA: PA Logs Lowest Layoff Rate In Country As Employers Fight To Hold On To Workers
— WHYY: UPS Cuts Wages More Than 20% For Hundreds Of Part-Time Workers In Philly
— WPSU: Centre County Is Experiencing A ‘Homelessness Crisis’ Fueled By COVID And Rising Housing Costs
— Inquirer Editorial: Philly Officials Should Steer Clear Of Cryptocurrency
— PG: Shadowy Money Built Steel Empire With Bank’s Help
— LancasterOnline: Mastermind Of $1.4 Billion Fraud In Lancaster County Died Feb. 10
— Other
— MCall – Paul Muschick: How To Avoid Forthcoming Russian Cyberattacks
— WESA: Pittsburgh To Get Its Own Edition Of Monopoly Game
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