PA Capitol Report: Top 10 Stories On Harrisburg/PA Politics Last Week


— 2021 Year In Review

— TribLive: Looking Ahead To 2022: Pandemic Continues, Campaigns Heat Up, New Pittsburgh Mayor And More

— PA Cap-Star: Top 5 Stories Of 2021 – PA Republican Cong. Kelly Came Closer Than You Think To Stealing The Election For Former President

— WHYY: The Top Destination For Biden During His First Year?  Pennsylvania

— Gov. Wolf: 2021 In Review – Supports Small, Diverse, Veteran Business With Record-Setting $856 Million Contract Spend

— Gov. Wolf: 2021 In Review – Progress On Education, Health Care, Jobs & More

— WITF: Top Stories Of 2021: Critical Race Theory And PA School Board Elections

— PennLive – Jan Murphy: PA Justice Tom Saylor Reflects On 28-Year Judicial Career

— PG Editorial: The Return To Normalcy That Wasn’t In 2022

— TribLive Editorial: Same Stuff, Different Year

— AltoonaM Editorial: Let’s Work To Assure 2022 Isn’t A Sequel To 2021

— ScrantonT Editorial: Make 2022 Year Of Voting Rights

— PG Editorial: Pittsburgh, Real And Imagined: Farewell To Mayor Peduto

— PA’s Role In Jan. 6 Assault On U.S. Capitol

— York Daily Record: 62 Pennsylvanians Arrested For Crimes In Assault On U.S. Capitol: Who They Are

— PG: Western Pennsylvanians Accused In Assault On U.S. Capitol Face Judgment Day

— LancasterOnline: 5 From Lancaster Charged In Assault On U.S. Capitol, Here’s Where Their Cases Stand

— PA Cap-Star: Top 5 Stories Of 2021 – PA Republican Cong. Kelly Came Closer Than You Think To Stealing The Election For Former President

— WITF: How PA Election Misinformation Helped Inspire Assault On U.S. Capitol, Investigations And Policies

— AP: How Republicans Seize Election Power: ‘Slow-Motion Insurrection’ [PA Included]

— AP: Jan. 6 U.S. House Committee Prepares To Go Public As Findings Mount [Includes PA’s Key Role]

— LancasterOnline: Exploring What Happened During Assault On U.S. Capitol Is Hard When, Locally, Most Aren’t Talking About It

— LancasterOnline: Willingness To Consider Conspiracies, Right-Wing Media Explain Why Some Still Think Election ‘Stolen’

— AP: Conspiracy Theories, Attempts To Rewrite History Paint Fraudulent Picture Of The Violent Jan. 6 Assault On U.S. Capitol

— PA Cap-Star Guest Essay: There Must Be Full Accountability For Inciters, Planners, Leaders  Of Jan. 6 Assault On U.S. Capitol – Mike Kirlin, PA U.S. Navy Veteran

— PennLive Guest Essay: Jan. 6 Assault On U.S. Capitol An Ugly Day In American History – By Mark S. Singel (D)

— Inquirer Guest Essay: Attacks On Our Democracy Didn’t End Jan. 6, We Must Protect The Vote – By Cong. Dwight Evans (D)

— Inquirer Guest Essay: I Had Hoped The Tragedy Of Jan. 6 Would Bring Us Together, I Was Wrong – By Cong. Madeleine Dean (D)

— Inquirer Guest Essay: For Republicans, ‘Law And Order’ Must Be More Than A Slogan – By Kyle Sammin, Philadelphia Weekly  [Jan. 6 Assault]

— Inquirer Guest Essay: Global Legacy Of Assault On U.S. Capitol: Foreign Friends, Adversaries Believe U.S. Power Is In Decline – By Trudy Rubin

— Inquirer Column: Connecting Court Battle Over State Funding Of Public Schools When PA Gave Up On Educating Its Kids As A Public Good And Jan. 6 Assault On U.S. Capitol – By Will Bunch

— YorkD Editorial: Republican Cong. Scott Perry Must Be Subpoenaed And/Or Booted Out Over His Role In Trying To Overturn 2020 Election Results, Assault On U.S. Capitol

— AP: Tears, Remorse Don’t Spare People Convicted Of Assaulting The U.S. Capitol From Jail [PA Included]

— Inquirer: Federal Judge Clears The Way For Philly Proud Boys Leader To Proceed To Trial On Charges Related To The Assault On U.S. Capitol

— AP: Federal Judges Refuses To Dismiss Charges Against Philly Proud Boys Leader Related To Assault On U.S. Capitol

— USA Today: How The U.S. Government Failed To Stop The Rise Of Domestic Extremism [Pittsburgh As Hot Spot For Domestic Extremists, PA Included]

— New Voting Districts – Senate, House

— Legislative Reapportionment Commission: 6 Hearing Sessions On Proposed Senate, House Voting District Maps Begin Jan. 6

— PennLive – Jan Murphy: Legislative Reapportionment Commission To Hold 6 Hearing Sessions On Proposed House, Senate Voting District Maps Starting Jan. 6

— YorkDR/Spotlight PA: How Proposed State House Voting District Map Scores In Every Required Measurement

— YorkDR/Spotlight PA: How Proposed State Senate Voting District Map Scores In Every Required Measurement

— ScrantonT Editorial: Snowflakes Melt Over New Voting District Maps

— Inquirer Editorial: A Chance For Pennsylvanians To Speak Up For Fair Voting District Maps

— Spotlight PA: How Proposed Senate Voting District Map Scores In Key Areas

— WESA: Public Is Weighing In On Proposed New Voting Districts, So Far They Don’t Like What They See

— AP: Bid To Redraw Voting Districts To Help Latinos Win More Seats In Legislature Misses Mark, Critics Say

— Gov. Wolf: Expresses Concerns About Congressional Voting Districts Map Proposed By House Republicans

— Inquirer: PA Congressional Redistricting Fight Heats Up As Wolf Pushes Back On House Republican Proposal

— CourierT: Redrawn Legislative Voting District Could Change Who Represents You, One-Third Of Voters In Bucks County Affected

— CourierT Guest Essay: Proposed Congressional Voting District Maps Keep PA’s Capital Region Whole – Fair Districts PA

— YorkD Editorial: Don’t Sleep On Redistricting, York County. Lawmakers Are Choosing Their Voters

— CourierT: Democratic Candidate Announces For New House Voting District In Bucks

— Governor’s Race

— Inquirer: Both Parties Can Redefine Themselves In PA In 2022

— PA Cap-Star: Republican Gubernatorial Hopeful Guy Ciarrocchi Says He Can Jumpstart PA’s Economy

— PennLive – Jan Murphy: Republican Sen. Mastriano Lashes Out After Being Questioned On Use Of Senate Campaign Committee For Possible Gubernatorial Run By Conservative News Outlet

— AP: Children Coming From Border Get Attention In PA Governor’s Race; Republican Lou Barletta Worried About Criminals

— ScrantonT: Federal Dept. Of Health & Human Services Chartered Flights Carrying Immigrant Minors To Wilkes-Barre, Not ICE

— ScrantonT: ICE Denies It Organized Flights To Wilkes-Barre Airport

— WBTimes: Republicans Meuser, Barletta Ask Whether There Were Any Criminals Among A Flight Of 118 Minors And 12 Adult Immigrants Arriving At Wilkes-Barre Airport

— CitizensV: ICE Flights Land At Wilkes-Barre Airport Carrying Minors

— WHYY: The Top Destination For Biden During His First Year?  Pennsylvania

— U.S. Senate Race

— PennLive – John Baer: In 2022, PA Faces A Tornado Of Politics, Including A Trip To The Land Of Oz

— Inquirer – Will Bunch: Republican David McCormick Running For U.S. Senate Isn’t As Sexy As Rival Oz, Just More Dangerous

— City & State: Democrat Lamb Says ‘Freedoms Are Under Attack’ In First Campaign Ad For U.S. Senate

— MCall/NYT: ‘Magic’ Weight-Loss Pills, COVID Cures: Republican Dr. Oz Under A Microscope As He Runs For U.S. Senate Seat

— WHYY: The Top Destination For Biden During His First Year?  Pennsylvania

— Nov. 2 Election

— MCall: Embattled Allentown Constable-Elect Fails To Show At Court Hearing

— CitizensV: Hispanics Are The Majority In Hazleton, When Will They Win At The Ballot?

— Election Reform/2020 Election Fallout

— AP: How Republicans Seize Election Power: ‘Slow-Motion Insurrection’ [PA Included]

— PA Cap-Star: Top 5 Stories Of 2021 – PA Republican Cong. Kelly Came Closer Than You Think To Stealing The Election For Former President

— PA Cap-Star Guest Essay: There Must Be Full Accountability For Inciters, Planners, Leaders  Of Jan. 6 Assault On U.S. Capitol – Mike Kirlin, PA U.S. Navy Veteran

— YorkD Editorial: Republican Cong. Scott Perry Must Be Subpoenaed And/Or Booted Out Over His Role In Trying To Overturn 2020 Election Results, Assault On U.S. Capitol

— Inquirer: Federal Judge Clears The Way For Philly Proud Boys Leader To Proceed To Trial On Charges Related To The Assault On U.S. Capitol

— AP: Federal Judges Refuses To Dismiss Charges Against Philly Proud Boys Leader Related To Assault On U.S. Capitol

— AP: Conspiracy Theories, Attempts To Rewrite History Paint Fraudulent Picture Of The Violent Jan. 6 Assault On U.S. Capitol

— USA Today: How The U.S. Government Failed To Stop The Rise Of Domestic Extremism [Pittsburgh As Hot Spot For Domestic Extremists, PA Included]

— LancasterOnline: Millersville U. Appears To Be Targeted By White Supremacist Group ‘Hundred-Handers,’ But Why?

— ScrantonT Editorial: Dept. Of Defense Adopts New Rules To Fight Extremists In Their Ranks

— ErieT: How Erie County Is Addressing Its Other Public Health Crisis: Racism

— WilliamsportSun: 2021 Person Of The Year Finalist: Williamsport Library Withstands Controversy For Sake Of LGBTQ+ Community

— Inquirer: Efforts To Ban Books Are On The Rise, Philly YA Authors Say ‘Silent Censorship’ Is Also Getting Worse

— CourierT: Parents Say Pennridge School District Sent Anti-LGBTQ Message By Restricting Children’s Book

— PG Editorial: Court Stay Against Publishing Conservative Project Veritas Documents Should Be Vacated Immediately To Preserve First Amendment Rights

— The Economist: Walking Away: The Republican Party And Democracy

— Harrisburg Potpourri

— Gov. Wolf Names Leigh M. Chapman New Acting Secretary Of Commonwealth

— Inquirer: Wolf Appoints Mail Voting Advocate To Be PA’s New Top Elections Official

— AP: Wolf Taps New Election Secretary For Last Year In Office

— ReadingE: Should Lawmakers End Automatic Pay Raises For Themselves?

— LancasterOnline Editorial: Lawmakers Must Still Address Subpar Unemployment Compensation System

— TribLive Editorial: Legislating Requires Thinking Several Moves Ahead [Sexual Predators In Nursing Homes]

— PG: What Is The State Of Abortion Access In PA?

— PennLive Guest Essay: PA Leave The Dark Ages Of Prohibition And Privatize Wine, Spirit Sales [Thru Constitutional Amendment] – Sen. Mike Regan

— Williamsport Sun Editorial: Do Liquor Sales Belong In The State Constitution?  [Spoiler – No]

— WHYY: Suburban Philly EMS Squads Are Hurting, With Staff Shortages And Financial Issues

— MCall: PA In Middle Of Pack Nationally In LGBTQ Acceptance, Protection

— State Treasurer Garrity Urges Congress To Help Return Nearly $30 Billion In Savings Bonds To Americans

— LancasterOnline – Brad Busted: Pennsylvanians’ Access To State Government Information Grew In 2021, But Only Marginally

— LancasterOnline Editorial: Ongoing Frustrations With State Government Transparency

— AP: Racial Reckoning Turns Focus To Roadside Historical Markers

— ScrantonT: Review Of Historical Markers A Worthy Exercise For Accuracy And Context

— TribLive Editorial: Departing Officeholders Leave Challenge For New Public Servants

— PG/PennLive: PA Supreme Court: Whistleblower Can’t Avoid Paying School, Borough Tax On $34.5 Million Federal Award

— AP: Bellefonte Church With 221-Year History Held Its Final Service Due To Declining Membership

— Budget 2022

— PG: Turnpike Planning Steps To Reduce $105 Million In Unpaid Tolls

— PennLive: PA Turnpike Toll Increase Goes Into Effect This Weekend

— COVID Pandemic Worsens Again In PA

— MCall: COVID Dominated 2021, Here’s What Experts Think About 2022

— MCall: 23,268 New COVID Cases Friday Marks 3rd Consecutive Record As Northampton County Has State’s Highest Infection Rate

— MCall: PA Reports Record-Shattering 17,520 New COVID Cases Wednesday

— PennLive: PA Records One Of Its Highest Daily COVID Death Tolls

— PennLive: State Broke One-Day COVID New Case Record, But That’s Not The Only Data You Should Look At

— Dept. Of Health: Weekly Update On COVID Trends In Vaccinations, Cases, Hospitalizations

— Inquirer: Philly Averaging Record-High COVID Cases, But Hope For Fewer Hospitalizations

— PG: Allegheny County Executive, Health Director Warn Of Omicron’s ‘High Community Transmission’

— TribLive: Allegheny County COVID Cases Skyrocket As Omicron Spreads

— PG: Allegheny County Sees COVID Infections Spike ‘Alarmingly’

— ErieT: Erie County Sees COVID Cases, Hospitalizations Decline Despite Omicron’s Arrival

— ErieT: One Year Later, Erie County Battles Another COVID Surge

— ErieT: Erie County COVID Cases, Hospitalizations Start To Rise

— MCall: Monroe County Hits Pandemic High COVID Case Rate, Hospitalizations Tick Down Statewide

— ScrantonT: Fewer COVID Deaths Than Last December, But New Case Surge Worse In NE PA

— PG: ICU Beds Filling Up At Western PA Hospitals As COVID Cases Surge

— CourierT: PA COVID Cases Surged 22% Ahead Of Holidays

— ScrantonT: Lackawanna County Issues Emergency Declaration Amid Omicron Concerns [But The State Can’t]

— MCall: Berks County Reinstates Disaster Emergency Declaration Amid COVID Surge  [PA State Government Can’t]  ?

— WHYY: Delaware Governor To Declare COVID Emergency As Patients Pack Hospitals [ PA Can’t]

— WITF: COVID Vaccine Offers Hope, While Misinformation Undermines Public Health

— AltoonaM: Vaccines Still The Key In COVID Battle

— PEMA/Dept. Of Health: PA Hospitals To Receive Strike Teams Following Gov. Wolf’s Call For Federal Support

— AP: FEMA To Help PA Hospitals With COVID Surge

— PEMA/Dept. Of Health: Feds Select Hospital, EMS Strike Team Locations To Assist In PA

— AP: York, Scranton To Get FEMA Teams’ Help With COVID Surge

— Inquirer: PA Nurses After 22 Months Of COVID And A New Surge, ‘It Is So Defeating’

— MCall: Big Demand For COVID Tests Means Hours Long Waits At Lehigh Valley Testing Centers

— WHYY: Philly Officials: Can’t Find A COVID Test? Act Like You’re Positive

— PG Editorial: 500 Million Free COVID Tests Aren’t Nearly Enough

— TribLive: UPMC Receives Limited Supply Of Preventative Antibody Treatment For The Most Immunocompromised

— NPR: Federal Program Offers Cash To Cover COVID Funeral Costs, But Many Don’t Apply

— LancasterOnline: Dept. Of Health Fights Efforts To Release COVID Death Totals By ZIP Code

— PennLive: Lebanon County Commissioner Who Fought COVID Restrictions Dies Of COVID Complications

— WBTimes: Wilkes-Barre Police Dept. Mourns Loss Of Longtime Officer To COVID

— ReadingE: Career Firefighter In Berks, Montgomery Counties Dies Of COVID

— AltoonaM: 3 Siblings Found Dead In Cambria County In October Died From COVID

— PennLive: Allenwood Prison Has More Inmate COVID Cases Than Any Other BOP Facility

— PG: Pittsburgh Catholic Diocese Says Mass To Remain In-Person Despite COVID Surge

— WHYY: Suburban Philly EMS Squads Are Hurting, With Staff Shortages And Financial Issues

— MCall: The Flu Is Back With A Vengeance In The Lehigh Valley, Across PA

— TribLive Editorial: Alcohol Use Increase Is Pandemic Side Effect

— TribLive/AP: CDC Recommends Shorter COVID Isolation, Quarantine For All

— AP: CDC Move To Shorten COVID Isolation Stirs Confusion, Doubt

— NPR: CDC Significantly Cuts Estimate Of Omicron COVID’s Prevalence In U.S.

— COVID – Schools

— WHYY: Children’s Hospital Of Philadelphia Supports Return To In-Person Learning For Kids

— PG: New CDC Quarantine Guidance Concerns Some School District Stakeholders

— ReadingE: Reading Schools To Go Virtual For A Week Due To COVID Concerns

— ErieT: Erie County Schools To Enforce Their Own Mask Policies Starting Tuesday

— WESA: Pitt Starts Spring Semester Virtually

— TribLive: Pitt Issues Shelter-In-Place Request, Requires COVID Testing For Students

— PennLive: Penn State Health Asks People Not To Come To ER For Routine COVID Tests, Care

— PG: Pitt Says Spring Classes Will Begin In-Person, But All Will Shelter In Place For At Least 5 Days

— Opioid Settlement

— AG Shapiro: 75% Of PA Counties Sign On To Billion Dollar Opioid Settlement So Far

— WBTimes: Wilkes-Barre Twp. Agrees To State Opioid Settlement

— WarrenT: Warren County Signs On To Opioid Settlement

— Inquirer Editorial: It’s Time For PA To Stop Allowing Overdose Deaths To Be Treated Like Homicides

School Funding/Administration

— Inquirer Column: Connecting Court Battle Over State Funding Of Public Schools When PA Gave Up On Educating Its Kids As A Public Good And Jan. 6 Assault On U.S. Capitol – By Will Bunch

— LancasterOnline Editorial: State Education Funding Trial Sheds More Light On Need For Equitable Funding Of PA Schools

— Inquirer: Efforts To Ban Books Are On The Rise, Philly YA Authors Say ‘Silent Censorship’ Is Also Getting Worse

— CourierT: Parents Say Pennridge School District Sent Anti-LGBTQ Message By Restricting Children’s Book

— WHYY: Bucks County School District Removes LGBTQ Books From Libraries, Families Fear For Civil Rights

— CourierT: Central Bucks School District Cuts Anti-Racist Training From Agenda Raises Sunshine Act Concerns

— WilliamsportS Editorial: Governor Is Wrong, Schools Should Be More Transparent

— ScrantonT Editorial: Wolf Veto Exposes Republicans’ Badly Skewed Education Priorities

— LancasterOnline – Brad Busted: Pennsylvanians’ Access To State Government Information Grew In 2021, But Only Marginally

— YorkDR Guest Essay: Here’s How ‘Meanness’ Is Causing A Severe Lack Of Referees In Youth Sports

— Gun Violence/Law Enforcement

— WITF: Victim Advocates In PA Looking For Ways To Revive Victims’ Rights Amendment To Constitution After Court Decision

— TribLive: Disciplinary Action Initiated Against 9 Pittsburgh Police Officers In Tasing, Death Of Man

— TribLive: Pittsburgh Bans Traffic Stops For Minor Violations

— Inquirer: Philadelphia Promised $68 Million In New Antiviolence Spending, How It’s Going

—  ErieT: Erie Police Chief’s 2022 Plan To Fight Gun Violence

— Spotlight PA: Christian Hall Was Killed One Year Ago By State Police, His Family Still Wants For Answers

— MCall/NYT: After 4 Killings, PA State Trooper Once Named ‘Officer Of The Year’ Still On The Job

— PG Editorial: Public Must Know Why Jim Rogers Died Needlessly In Pittsburgh Police Custody

— WHYY: Philly Ends 2021 With Over 550 People Murdered, But Community Leaders Say A ‘Peace Movement’ Is Building

— Inquirer: Philly’s Homicide Crisis In 2021 Featured More Guns, More Retaliatory Shootings And A Decline In Arrests And Convictions

— WHYY: More Than 65 Shots Fired In Philly Violence, 6 Injured

— WHYY: Deadly Start To New Year In Philadelphia – 3 Dead, 9 Injured In Separate Shootings

— TribLive: Registered Sex Offenders Often Go Undetected In Care Homes, Sometimes At An Unspeakable Cost

— TribLive: In PA, No Central Registry Tracks Convicted Sex Offenders Placed In Nursing Care Facilities

— TribLive: Brighton Rehab No Stranger To Federal, State Scrutiny For Resident Care

— TribLive: Lawmakers Vow To Better Protect Care Home Residents From Convicted Sex Offenders

— TribLive: Convicted Sex Offenders Often Land In Unregulated Boarding Homes

— TribLive Editorial: Nursing Home Residents Deserve Protection From Sex Offenders

— TribLive Editorial: Legislating Requires Thinking Several Moves Ahead [Sexual Predators In Nursing Homes]

— AP: PA Supreme Court Rules Pot Smell Alone Can’t Justify Warrantless Search

— Inquirer Editorial: It’s Time For PA To Stop Allowing Overdose Deaths To Be Treated Like Homicides

— ErieT: Ex-Erie City Council Chief Arrington Seeks Early Release From Federal Prison Citing COVID

— PG Editorial: Court Stay Against Publishing Conservative Project Veritas Documents Should Be Vacated Immediately To Preserve First Amendment Rights

— PA Economy

— Inquirer: Pandemic Surge Chills Prospects For Day Workers At Northeast Philly Site

— PG: Pittsburgh Restaurants, Bars Temporarily Close Amid Rise In COVID Cases

— TribLive: COVID Surge Prompts Some Pittsburgh-Area Eateries To Cancel Holiday Service

— Inquirer: New Vaccine Mandate Poised To Impact Philadelphia’s Restaurants Next Week

— WHYY: Restaurant Workers In Philly Turning To GoFundMe To Survive COVID Closures – Again

— Gov. Wolf Highlights Financial Forgiveness Programs For Public Service Employees

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