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
— Courier Times: How Redistricting Flipped Primary Script On PA Republicans
— Governor’s Race
— Spotlight PA: How Republican Mastriano Built A Grassroots Movement In PA On Election Denial, Christianity, And Facebook
— LancasterOnline Editorial: November’s Gubernatorial Election A Test Of Our Willingness To Protect Democracy
— AP: Mastriano Allowed To Rejoin PA Senate Republican Caucus For Meetings
— Post-Gazette: Democrats Kick-Off PA Governor’s Race With $2.7 Million TV Campaign Attacking Mastriano’s Abortion Stance
— BillyPenn: No Pressure, PA’s Josh Shapiro Being Painted As The Potential Savior Of Democracy
— U.S. Senate Race
— AP: Recount Cranks Up In PA Republican U.S. Senate Primary
— PennLive – Charles Thompson: Federal Court Hearing Set For Tuesday On Counting Undated Ballots In PA’s Republican U.S. Senate Primary
— PennLive – Charles Thompson: Dr. Oz Declares ‘Presumptive Win’ In PA Republican U.S. Senate Primary
— AP: McCormick Sues To Ensure Counting Of Mail-In Ballots In U.S. Senate Race
— MCall: Republican McCormick Loses Challenge To Some Votes In Berks County U.S. Senate Primary
— Post-Gazette – Julian Routh: Dr. Oz’s Lead Over McCormick Shrinks To Fewer Than 1,000 Votes As Automatic Recount Nears
— Inquirer: Court Battles Over Mail-In Ballots In PA U.S. Senate Race Have Split Republicans
— Spotlight PA – Stephen Caruso: How Federal Court Ruling On Mail-In Ballots Could Affect 2022 Primary Results
— AP: Lt. Gov. Fetterman Released From Hospital After Stroke
— Courier Times: What Does PA Republican U.S. Senate Race Tell Us About November’s Election?
— May 2022 Primary Election
— MCall – Ford Turner: Coleman Claims Republican Primary Win Over Budget Chair Sen. Browne, Browne May Seek Recount
— PA Capital-Star: Democrat Miller Claims Victory With 42-Vote Margin In Lehigh Valley State Senate Race
— LancasterOnline: Far-Right Group Pushes For Recount In Landslide Victory For Republican Sen. Ryan Aument
— Post-Gazette: How 2 SW PA Reps. Lost Re-Election Bids To Fellow Republican Challengers
— TribLive: 200+ Undated Mail-In Ballots In Allegheny County To Be Counted, But Kept Separate
— Spotlight PA – Stephen Caruso: How Federal Court Ruling On Mail-In Ballots Could Affect 2022 Primary Results
— MCall: Here’s Why Federal Court Ruled Undated Lehigh County Mail-In Ballots Should Be Counted
— MCall – Paul Muschick: Why Does Pennsylvania Stink At Holding Elections?
— Post-Gazette Editorial: Which Ballots Should Count? It Depends On Who They’re For
— MCall – Bill White: PA Voters Reject Political Elites By Backing Mastriano, Fetterman
— PA Capital-Star: PA Voters Wanted To Burn The House And Senate Down This Primary Season – Fletcher McClellan, Elizabethtown College
— WITF: Here’s How Latino Candidates Did In The PA Primary
— Election Reform/2020 Election Fallout
— AP: Senate Republican 2020 Election Inquiry Contractor Extended By 6 Months
— The Amistad Project: Commonwealth Court Overturns State Decertification Of Voting Machines In Fulton County – Court Opinion
— Inquirer: Republican Behind Potential Ballot Harvesting Effort In Philly Refuses To Testify, Takes The 5th Amendment
— PA Capital-Star Guest Essay: Democracy Hinges On Counting Every Vote – Again – Al Schmidt, Fmr Republican Elections Commissioner In Philadelphia
— PA Capital-Star: Advocate David Thornburgh: Opening PA’s Primaries Is The ‘Right And Smart Thing To Do’
— PennLive – John Baer: Can Anything Bring Some Normalcy To PA Politics? Yep
— TribLive Editorial: Let’s Cut The Politics And Speed Up Vote Counting
— York Dispatch Editorial: Fix The Problems, But Keep Mail-In Voting
— PA’s Role In Assault On U.S. Capitol
— PennLive – Charles Thompson: Republican Cong. Scott Perry Objects To U.S. House Subpoena, Refuses Deposition On His Role In Assault On U.S. Capital, Overturning Nov. 2020 Election Results
— York Dispatch: 2 York County Men, Including A Republican Elected Official, Charged With Crimes In Assault On U.S. Capitol
— PennLive: 2 Lycoming County Residents Expected To Plead Guilty To Criminal Charges Related To Assault On U.S. Capitol
— State Constitutional Amendments
— Spotlight PA: Complete Guide To More Than 70 Proposed Amendments To State Constitution
— PA Politics Of Russian Invasion
— Independent Fiscal Office Reports Lowest Quarterly Natural Gas Production In PA Since 4th Quarter Of 2020, First Decrease In Production Growth Since 2018 [PaEN]
— Inquirer – Andrew Maykuth: Diesel Prices Are Soaring, It Jacks Up The Price Of Just About Everything You Buy
— TribLive: Pittsburgh Gasoline Prices Continue Climb As $5/Gallon Looms In Some Spots
— PUC Reminds Consumers Of Options For Managing Summer Energy Utility Bills; Price To Compare Going Up Dramatically June 1 [PaEN]
— WLVR: How To Protect Yourself From Impending Electricity Rate Hikes [Caused By Natural Gas Spikes]
— Inquirer – Andrew Maykuth: PA Power Prices Rising June 1 By Up To 46%, There Are Ways To Save [Increases caused by natural gas price spike]
— PUC Reminds Consumers Of Upcoming Hearings On Proposed 10% Rate Increase By Columbia Gas
— PUC Reminds Consumers Of Hearing On Proposed 9.1% Increase By PECO Gas
— LancasterOnline: 38% Rate Hike Looms For PPL Residential Electricity Customers Due To Spike In Natural Gas Prices
— Post-Gazette: Pittsburgh-Based Arconic Metals Plant Supplies Russian Military, Now The Company Is Trying To Sell It
— Bloomberg: White House Eyes Restarting Idle Refineries To Tame Fuel Prices, 1 Million Barrels A Day Of Capacity Shut By Industry
— Harrisburg Politics Potpourri
— Erie Times: Large Crowd Turns Out To Honor Fmr PA Gov. Tom Ridge In Washington
— City & State PA: Exit Interviews: Gov. Tom Wolf, The Backstop
— City & State PA: How Wolf’s Veto Tally Is Defining His Legacy
— PA Capital-Star: Reps. Gregory, Rozzi Call On Attorney General To Investigate Southern Baptist Child Sex Abuse
— MCall: PA Lawmakers Hear Testimony On Proposal To Inform Consumers On Selling Of Their Data
— Inquirer: Newly Released Emails Show How State Employee Pension Fund Managers Tried To Undercut Whistleblower
— PennLive: Senate Republicans Advance Bill Blocking Trans Female Athletes From Girls, Women’s School Sports
— City & State PA: Exit Interviews: U.S. Senator Pat Toomey, The Fiduciary
— Budget 2022
— TribLive: Republican Primary Losses Could Make University Of Pittsburgh Funding A Target In PA Budget
— SpotlightPA – Stephen Caruso: High-Profile Republican Primary Losses Could Make Passing PA’s Next Budget Painful
— Independent Fiscal Office Initial Revenue Estimate For FY 2022-23 $47.7 Billion Up From FY 2021-22 $41.9 Billion
— PA Capital-Star: Flush With Cash, PA Could See Its Surplus Go Down The Drain
— The Center Square: Fiscal Office: A 60% Chance Of Stagnation For The PA Economy
— TribLive Editorial: Gambling Money Not Reliable In Economic Down Times
— City & State PA: With Budget Season Approaching, PA Business Leaders Want A Corporate Tax Cut
— The Center Square: Tax Credits For Film Production A Political Favorite, With Questionable Results
— COVID Pandemic/Health
— McCall: PA COVID Update: 29,664 Cases, Deaths Triple To 249 In Last Week
— Centre Daily Times: All But 3 PA Counties Have High COVID Spread Risk
— Post-Gazette: Allegheny County COVID Risk Level Moves From Medium To High
— Erie Times: COVID Cases Surge In Erie County, Hospitalizations Rise Slowly
— Centre Daily Times: Centre County Moved Back Into High Risk COVID Level
— MCall: Latest COVID Strain Surges In Lehigh Valley, It Could Be Confused With Seasonal Allergies
— Post-Gazette: COVID, Higher Workforce Costs Cut UPMC Q1 Income
— Inquirer: Philly-Area Hospitals Face Epic Wage Inflation Surge, Causing Losses In Millions
— WHYY: Philly Giving Free COVID Tests To Party Throwers, Event Organizers
— Post-Gazette Editorial: Time To Rescind Anti-Social Prison COVID Rules
— Spotlight PA: Companies Blanket PA About How To Get Medical Marijuana Cards, But Doctors Are Silent
— Post-Gazette: PA Long-Term Care Advocates Warn Of Another Crisis On The Way
— PA Capital-Star Guest Essay: PA’s Most Vulnerable Residents Are At Risk, Only Lawmakers Can Fix It
— Warren Times: Republican Sen. Laughlin Proposes Bill To Allow Edible Medical Marijuana
— Penn State: What Do I Need To Know About Monkeypox?
— AP: Man Pleads Guilty To Sending Threatening Email To Dr. Fauci, Dr. Levin
— COVID – Schools
— TribLive: Masks Required Again In Fox Chapel Schools As COVID Cases Rise
— Post-Gazette: University Of Pittsburgh Reinstitutes Indoor Mask Mandate As COVID Risk Reaches High Level In Allegheny County
— PennLive: Penn State To Require Face Masks Indoors At University Park, 13 Other Campuses
— Opioid Deaths
— AG Shapiro Releases Special Report On Fentanyl Becoming Dominant Opioid In PA
— PA Capital-Star: Bill Allowing Fentanyl Test Strips Passes House Committee
— MCall: PA Counties Go Their Own Ways In Getting Aid To Families Of Babies Born With Withdrawal Symptoms
— School Districts/Higher Education
— PennLive Guest Essay: PA’s Students Deserve Equity, And We Can Deliver – Democratic Reps. McClinton, Bradford, Harris
— MCall Guest Essay: Racial Injustice Is On Trial In PA School Funding Case – Rev. Gregory Edwards
— Scranton Times: Education Group Finds Private Cyber Charter School Used Taxpayer Money For Concert Tickets, Vacations, Arcades
— Scranton Times Editorial: Audit Spending Of Taxpayer Dollars By Private Online Charter Schools
— Post-Gazette: Pittsburgh Public Schools To Operate On Modified Lockdown In Response To Texas Shooting
— TribLive: Pittsburgh Public Schools In Lockdown After Texas Shooting, Teaches Remotely At Banksville
— Scranton Times: PA Student Stabbed 9 Times Following Fight In School Bathroom In Coatesville; Hunt On For 16-Year-Old Suspect
— WHYY/6ABC: Family Identifies Student Stabbed At Coatesville H.S., Suspect Not In Custody
— Warren Times: Automatic Knife Legalization Bill Passes State House [Switchblades]
— AP: Youth, 16, Charged With Attempted Murder In Coatesville School Stabbing
— KYW: Central Bucks School District Under Fire For Allegations Of Discrimination Against LGBTQIA+ Students
— WHYY: Proposed Book Approval Process For Central Bucks Schools Vague, Unclear Some Parents Say
— TribLive: Rep. DeLuca Seeks Ban On Cellphone Use In Schools Statewide
— TribLive: Proposal Would Require Greater Public Access To Records From Pitt, Penn State, Others
— TribLive: Pittsburgh Business, Community Leaders Publicly Support University Of Pittsburgh Funding
Texas School Massacre
— AP: PA House Votes Against Taking Up Bill Banning Assault Weapons After Texas Killings
— Post-Gazette: PA House Democrats Fail In Their Attempt To Force Vote On Assault Weapons Ban
— MCall – Paul Muschick: One Day After Texas School Shooting, Spineless PA Republican Lawmakers Endorse Assault Weapons
— Gov. Wolf To Lawmakers: Enact Common Sense Legislation To End Gun Violence
— Erie Times: Sen. Casey – We Cannot Surrender To Gun Violence
— WHYY: Gun Violence Activists Call For Stronger Legislation To Stop Mass Shootings, Street Violence
— TribLive: Commonwealth Court Rules Against Pittsburgh Assault Weapons Ban
— Post-Gazette: Commonwealth Court: Pittsburgh Can’t Enact Assault Weapons Ban
— PA Capital-Star – John Micek: Legislature’s Utter Inaction On Most Basic Constraints On Gun Violence Is One Of The Great Moral Failures Of Governance Of The Last Decade
— PA Capital-Star: Advocates For Black, Brown, LGBTQ, Women Call For ‘Meaningful’ Gun Reform
— PennLive: State-Mandated School Safety Protocols Aim To Protect Students In PA Schools
— Scranton Times: PA Student Stabbed 9 Times Following Fight In School Bathroom In Coatesville; Hunt On For 16-Year-Old Suspect
— WHYY/6ABC: Family Identifies Student Stabbed At Coatesville H.S., Suspect Not In Custody
— Warren Times: Automatic Knife Legalization Bill Passes State House [Switchblades]
— AP: Youth, 16, Charged With Attempted Murder In Coatesville School Stabbing
— TribLive: Westmoreland School Officials Alerted To Possible Threat Against Student, Employee
— TribLive: Security Measures Heightened, In Western PA School Districts After Texas Shooting
— Post-Gazette: How Do Pittsburgh-Area Schools Handle Security? It Varies
— MCall: Lehigh Valley School Districts Call For Prevention Efforts After Texas School Shooting
— Citizens Voice: Luzerne County School Officials Confident Of School Security, Continue To Evaluate
— WHYY: Advocates Say Parents Play A Major Role In Stopping Youth Gun Violence
— Republican Herald: Blue Mt. School PTO Mom Proposes Armed, Trained Volunteers In Schools
— Newsweek: Texas Police Didn’t Enter School As ‘They Could’ve Been Shot’ – Lieutenant
— PennLive: Gunfire Inside York County Walmart Triggered By Confrontation In Store
— PA Capital-Star: Philly Black Clergy, Allies, Call For More Money For Gun Violence Prevention
— Inquirer: What PA Voters Think About Gun Control, According To Polls
— TribLive Guest Essay: Stop Telling Me What Won’t Work To Address Gun Violence, Tell Me What Will Keep Me From Reliving Every Mother’s Worst Nightmare
— PA Capital Star – John Micek: Our National Pathology Over Guns Is No Longer Insane, It’s In human
— Altoona Mirror Editorial: America’s Children Deserve So Much Better [Than Texas School Massacre]
— TribLive Editorial: In Wake Of Texas School Shooting, Is There Any Hope Left?
— PennLive Editorial: We Don’t Want What Happened In A Texas School To Happen Here
— LancasterOnline Editorial: Massacres Of Schoolchildren Continue To Lead To Anguish, But Not Action
— Inquirer Editorial: American Loves Guns More Than Kids
— Post-Gazette Editorial: Yes To New Gun Laws, But The Crisis Is Deeper Than Firearms
— Scranton Times Editorial: Start, At Last, To Revamp Gun Culture
— Scranton Times Editorial: Pass Red Flag Gun Law
— Post-Gazette: Toomey Says He Hasn’t Given Up On Expanded Background Gun Checks Passing U.S. Senate
— Gun Violence/Law Enforcement
— TribLive: Commonwealth Court Rules Against Pittsburgh Assault Weapons Ban
— Post-Gazette: Commonwealth Court: Pittsburgh Can’t Enact Assault Weapons Ban
— WHYY: Gun Violence Activists Call For Stronger Legislation To Stop Mass Shootings, Street Violence
— Inquirer: Gun Sales, Permits Surged During Pandemic In Philly, PA
— AP: Police: Video Captures Man Shooting 4 Walking To Prom Party In Philadelphia
— KYW: Man Dead, 2 Women Injured In Triple Shooting Outside Philly Church
— Citizens Voice Editorial: Bill Builds Confidence In Investigations Of Police-Involved Shootings
— PA Capital-Star: PA House Bill Would Ban Sale Of Body Armor That Aided Buffalo, Texas Shooters
— PennLive: PA Senate Panel Holds Hearing On Juvenile Justice Reform Bills, But Advocates Ask For More
— Inquirer Guest Essay: I Was A Juvenile Lifer, Here’s How To Help Philly Kids Avoid The Same Fate
— Spotlight PA: Sen. Haywood Urges Legislature To Make It Easier For Attorney General To Investigate Killings By Police
— LancasterOnline – Brad Bumsted: Groups Urge PA’s Chief Justice To Intervene On Access To Criminal Records
— Scranton Times Editorial: Refine Rules To Reopen Court Records
— WHYY: Praise For Philly Diversion Program Rooted In 2020 Civil Unrest
— NextPittsburgh: What 23 Recommendations Were Made In Voter-Mandated Review Of Pittsburgh Police?
— PA Capital-Star: America’s State Supreme Courts, Including PA, Have A Diversity Problem
— PennLive: Fmr AG Kathleen Kane Pleads Guilty To Probation Violation, Sentenced To Treatment Program
— PA Economy
— TribLive Editorial: Apprenticeship Could Solve Workforce, Student Loan Problems
— MCall: 2nd Emergency Baby Formula Shipment Will Come To Nestle’s Distribution Center In Lehigh Valley
— Warren Times: County Commissioners Receive Report On How Many Refugees Could Be Settled In County; Depends On Who They Are
