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
— Spotlight PA: PA Lawmakers Spent At Least $3 Million Of Taxpayer Money On Private Lawyers, Experts During Redistricting Battle, Invoices Show
— TribLive Editorial: House/Senate Redistricting Legal Bills Are Cost Of Putting Party Before People
— Governor’s Race
— The Guardian: Republican PA Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano Prayed For Ex-President To ‘Seize The Power’ Before Assault On U.S. Capitol
— Politics PA: Could Toni Shuppe From Audit The Vote PA Be PA’s Next Head Of State Elections Under A Mastriano Administration?
— Post-Gazette – Julian Routh: Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano Proposes Site, Date, Moderator For Debate; Shapiro Camp Calls It A ‘Stunt’
— TribLive Editorial: Candidates Need To Participate In Debates
— PennLive – Charles Thompson: Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano’s Political Success Happened With A Little Luck And A Big Pandemic
— Centre Daily Times: As PA Governor’s Race Kicks Into High Gear, Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano Is Dark On TV
— Erie Times Guest Essay: Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano’s Confederate Uniform At Odds With PA Values – Rep. Austin Davis (Democratic Lt. Gov. Candidate)
— PennLive – Jan Murphy: PA School Directors Speak Out Against Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano’s Education Funding Plan
— Erie Times: 5 Developments Have Reshaped The PA Governor’s Race This Summer
— U.S. Senate Race
— WHYY: How PA U.S. Senate Candidates Compare On Jobs And Labor
— TribLive/AP: Fetterman Agrees To 1 Debate With Dr. Oz In U.S. Senate Race
— Post-Gazette Editorial: Beneath Campaign Nastiness, Legitimate Concerns About Fetterman’s Health
— Post-Gazette: Toomey Appears With Dr. Oz, Criticizes Fetterman For Declining Debate
— Inquirer: Toomey Says Fetterman Is ‘Not Up To The Job’ Of U.S. Senator
— TribLive Editorial: Candidates Need To Participate In Debates
— Post-Gazette Editorial: Dr. Oz: Drop Attacks On Fetterman, Now That He Will Debate
— Inquirer: Dr. Oz Pivoting Toward Suburbs That Have Abandoned Republicans
— Inquirer: ‘Dr. Oz Wears Pants’ Republican Rally In Bucks County To Support Dr. Oz
— PA Capital-Star: Dr. Oz Clarifies Abortion Views, Fetterman Capitalizes On Conflicting Views In U.S. Senate Race
— Post-Gazette – Salena Zito: McCormick And Dr. Oz Talk National Security In Beaver County
— PennLive: Will The Ugly PA U.S. Senate Race Get Worse Over Next 2 Months? Well….
— November 2022 Election
— PA Capital-Star: What To Know So You’re Registered Ready To Vote Nov. 8 Election
— PA Capital-Star: These Are The Election-Deniers On The PA Ballot In 2022
— Erie Times: 5 Seats The PA Republicans Feels It Can Flip To Secure Veto-Proof State Senate Majority
— York Daily Record: 4 PA House Seats Democrats Believe They Can Flip In November
— MCall – Ford Turner: Candidates Vying To Replace State Sen. Pat Browne Agree To Debate
— Inquirer: Philly’s Black Republican Ward Leaders: ‘I Know It’s An Uphill Battle, But My Role Is To Engage’
— LancasterOnline: Republican Cong. Smucker Declines Debates With Lancaster Paper, In Part Due To ‘Bias’
— TribLive: Westmoreland Democrats Say Concerns Abound As November Election Nears
— WITF: A Chambersburg Church Wants Members To Bring Their Political Differences To The Service
— Post-Gazette Guest Essay: What Went Wrong With My Party, And The Other? – Jim Roddey (Republican)
— Courier Times: Biden Was In PA 3 Times In A Week, Why State Is Key To Midterms And Beyond
— PennLive – John Baer: Biden And Ex-President, Thought Not On The Ballot, Dominate Politics And Polarization
— Post-Gazette Editorial: Meltdown: Ex-President’s Lies, Smears Show He’s A Menace
— York Dispatch Editorial: Ex-President’s PA Speech Proves Biden Right, Amps Up Race To November
— PennLive: Ex-President Posted Private Photo With State Troopers Without Authorization, Police
— PennLive: Ex-President Takes Down Unauthorized Photo With PA State Police
— Election Reform/2020 Election Fallout
— Gov. Wolf Expands Voter Registration Access For Eligible Pennsylvanians
— WHYY: New PA Project Ramps Up To Make Fall Voting Accessible To All
— Altoona Mirror: Republicans Move To Keep Up Fight On Mail-In Voting Policies
— LancasterOnline: Republican Lancaster County Commissioner Attended Conference Hosted By Election Denier Before Vote To Remove Mail-In Drop Boxes
— PennLive: Lycoming County Ballot To Include Question Of Keeping Electronic Voting System
— York Dispatch: Petition For Voter Referendum To Throw Out Dominion Voting Machines In York County Falls Short Of Signatures
— PA’s Role In Assault On U.S. Capitol
— PA Capital-Star: These Are The Election-Deniers On The PA Ballot In 2022
— Inquirer: Delaware County Man Charged With Crimes Related To Assault On U.S. Capitol Sentenced To 9 Months In Prison
— Scranton Times: Federal Magistrate To Handle Lackawanna County Woman’s Criminal Charges Related To Assault On U.S. Capitol
— AP: Elected Officials, Police Chiefs On Leaked Right-Wing Extremist Oath Keepers List [In PA – 4 Elected Officials, 19 Law Enforcement, 8 Military, 3 First Responders, 1,499 Total Signups In PA]
— WITF: Police, Constables In PA Joined ‘Anti-Government’ Oath Keepers
— Inquirer: What You Need To Know About The Report On The Anti-Government Oath Keepers Members
— Scranton Times: Anti-Terrorism Exercise Planned At Scranton Army Ammunition Plant
— PennLive/Huffington Post: Police Officers Hurt In The Assault On U.S. Capitol Say PA State Troopers Posting With Ex-President Was ‘Unacceptable,’ ‘Slap In The Face’
— Erie Times: Catch Up On Fetterman, Dr. Oz U.S. Senate Race, Republican Cong. Scott Perry’s Brush With FBI, More
— Courier Times Guest Essay: Republican Cong. Fitzpatrick Has Enabled Republican Lies
— PA Capital-Star Guest Essay: MAGA Threat Isn’t Just In Washington, We’re Facing It In PA Too – Defend Democracy Project
— State Constitutional Amendments
— Spotlight PA: Complete Guide To More Than 70 Proposed Amendments To State Constitution
— PA Politics Of Russian Invasion
— Explainer: So Why Does A Susquehanna County Gas Company Have To Raise Rates 33.2% When Susquehanna County Is The #1 Shale Gas Producer In PA? [PaEN]
— NBCPhiladelphia: Following The Steps Of PA Utilities, NJ Utility Companies Will Increase Natural Gas Rates By As Much As 25%
— Altoona Mirror: Penelec Raises Electricity Rates 18.69% Due To Natural Gas Price Spikes
— WHYY: Environmentalists Decry DRBC Permit Extension Approval For LNG Natural Gas Terminal In South Jersey To Export PA Natural Gas – By Zoe Read, WHYY, with Jon Hurdle of NJ Spotlight contributing [PaEN]
— Reuters: America Exports Natural Gas, Imports High Price
— Post-Gazette/NYT: Steeper Winter Heating Bills Loom, With Less Federal Aid
— Reuters: Russia Warns The West – Energy Price Cap On Oil, Natural Gas Will Be Your Undoing
— U.S. EIA: Short-Term Energy Outlook Projects Continued Natural Gas Price Increases Thru 2022
— Financial Times: U.S. Natural Gas Rescue Plan For Europe Threatens Domestic U.S. Backlash As Prices Surge To Triple What They Were
— Bloomberg: Natural Gas Buyers Hoarding Fuel At Sea To Prepare For Winter As Market Faces Severe Shortage
— Williamsport Sun Guest Essay: U.S. Natural Gas Key To Helping Families – American Petroleum Institute [Cost Of Natural Gas In PA Increased Up To 154% Over Last Year.]
— Post-Gazette – Anya Litvak: Gasoline Prices: They’re Down, Then They’re Up, Now They’re Down, But Why?
— Reuters: Top Shale Executive Says U.S. Oil Output Gains To Disappoint
— Post-Gazette/Bloomberg: Storage Of Frack Gear Is Helping To Hold Back U.S. Oil Production
— Reuters: U.S. Coast Guard Probes Natural Gas Pipeline Explosion In Louisiana
— Harrisburg Politics Potpourri
— Spotlight PA: PA Lawmakers Spent At Least $3 Million Of Taxpayer Money On Private Lawyers, Experts During Redistricting Battle, Invoices Show
— PA Capital-Star: Advocates Optimistic Gift Ban Will Advance Farther ‘Than Ever Before’ As PA House Returns
— PennLive – Jan Murphy: Giant Pink Pig Protests Politicians’ Prospective Pay Raise At PA Capitol
— Spotlight PA – Stephen Caruso: How General Assembly Works: The Rules For PA Lawmaker Per Diems, Speake v. Leader, And Other Q&As
— TribLive Editorial: House/Senate Redistricting Legal Bills Are Cost Of Putting Party Before People
— PennLive Guest Essay: There Are Signs Of A Return To Good Government – Mark Singel
— PennLive Guest Essay: Thanks To The Queen And The Obamas For Providing A Little Shelter From The Storm – Mark Singel
— PA Capital-Star: Philly DA Not Alone Among Progressive Prosecutors Fighting Republican Attacks
— MCall – Ford Turner: PA Craft Operators Support Bill To Brew Beer, Distill Spirits In Same Location As Pocono ‘Beverage Trail’ Takes Off
— Budget 2023
— TribLive: PA Roads, Bridges To Get Extra $175 Million As Funding Is Freed Up From State Police
— Post-Gazette: Stimulus Package Billions Short Of Fixing All Poor PA Budges, Study Finds
— Auditor General DeFoor Reports On PA Turnpike Debt, Calls Annual Toll Increases To Fund PennDOT Programs Unsustainable
— AP: PA Turnpike Audit Finds Uncollected Toll Problem Grows To $155 Million
— Scranton Times Editorial: Legislature Drives Turnpike Into Ditch
— COVID Pandemic/Health
— MCall: PA COVID Update: 16,909 Cases Mark Continuing Decline, Deaths, Hospitalizations Fall
— MCall: One Lehigh Valley Health Network Skeptical Of New COVID Booster Vaccine Effectiveness
— Erie Times: As COVID Masking In Erie County Declined, Flu Cases Rose. Get A Flu Shot
— WESA: Fewer School Children Getting Vaccines In Allegheny County, But Rate Remains Above Average
— Altoona Mirror: State Of Emergency: UPMC Altoona Attempting To Combat Nursing Shortage
— WESA: Pittsburgh Colleges, Universities Look To Keep Student body Healthy, Monkeypox-Free
— PennLive: Striking PA Nursing Home Workers Enter 4th Day On Picket Line: ‘We’re Worth More Than That’
— AP: Deal Reached With Strikers At 4 PA Nursing Homes
— PennLive Guest Essay: The $600 Million For PA Nursing Homes Came At A Critical Time – LeadingAgePA
— Centre Daily Times: Healthy Relationships – What Message Is Penn State Sending If Alcohol Is Sold At Football Stadium?
— COVID – Schools
— Centre Daily Times: Penn State Expands COVID Isolation Space As Cases See ‘Anticipated’ Rise Early In Semester
— Opioid Epidemic
— PennLive: PA Doctor Sent To Prison After Prescribing More Than 422,000 Opioid Doses
— School Districts/Higher Education
— Gov. Wolf Announces Universal Free Breakfast Program For 1.7 Million PA School Children
— MCall: As The Battle Over ‘Book Bans’ Wages On, Lehigh Valley Schools Are Ready
— PennLive Editorial: Adults Should Be Held Accountable For Abhorrent Behavior In Middletown Schools
— Inquirer: Philadelphia Libraries Are Struggling To Stay Open, Short Hundreds Of Workers
— WITF: PA Schools Looking For Solutions To Retain Staff, Attract New Teachers
— Post-Gazette: Pittsburgh, School District Announce New Workforce Development Program For Students
— TribLive: How Will Student Loan Relief Impact The Economy, Higher Education? Western PA Professors Weigh In
— Inquirer Guest Essay: Biden’s Student Loan Forgiveness Helps Those Who Need It Least
— Inquirer Guest Essay: Student Loan Forgiveness Unfairly Shifts Burden Of College Debt To Everyday Americans – Commonwealth Foundation
— TribLive Guest Essay: To Curb Student Debt, Reduce College Costs – Sen. Aument
— TribLive Guest Essay: Bipartisan Education Reforms Set Up Students For Success – Sen. Martin
— TribLive: Twitter Removes CMU Professor’s Tweet Wishing ‘Excruciating Pain’ For Queen Elizabeth II
— TribLive: California U. Students Step Into New Era As PennWest University
— Centre Daily Times: Healthy Relationships – What Message Is Penn State Sending If Alcohol Is Sold At Football Stadium?
— WESA: University Of Pittsburgh Spent $750,000 Lobbying For State Budget Fight, 9 Times Their Usual Amount
— TribLive: Duquesne Law School Renamed After $50 Million Gift From Thomas R. Kline
— Gun Violence/Law Enforcement
— Scranton Times: Scranton Teachers, Staff Receive Active Shooter Training
— Williamsport Sun: Bail Denied For Williamsport Man After Alleged Threats To Central Elementary School
— TribLive: Pine-Richland School Officials Taking ‘Appropriate Next Steps’ To Address Racist Homecoming Sign
— MCall: Lehigh Valley School Closed Thursday After Threat To Middle School Students, Staff
— MCall: Lehigh Valley School Remains Closed Friday After Threat To Students, Staff
— KDKA: 14-Year-Old Student Found With Knives At Westmoreland County School
— Inquirer Editorial: With 750 Shootings Since Memorial Day, Philadelphia Records Another Summer Of Mayhem
— Inquirer: 3 People Have Died Among 10 Shot In Less Than 7 Hours In Philly
— Inquirer: Teenager Fatally Shot 8 Times, Woman Shot 10 Times As Violent Weekend In Philly Continued
— WHYY: Center City Shooting Incident Highlights Philly Violence Over The Weekend
— Inquirer: 2 Philadelphians In 2 Days Shot And Killed Just Going About Their Routine
— WHYY: Philly Resumes Gun Violence Listening Tours, But What Impact Have They Had?
— Gov. Wolf Highlights $355 Million Commitment To Safer Communities, Announces Opening Of Violence Intervention Programs
— TribLive: Wolf Announces $100 Million In New Funds To Curb Gun Violence
— MCall: State Police Shoot, Kill Monroe County Man During A Wellness Check At His Home Thursday
— LancasterOnline: FBI Implements New Crime Reporting System; State Hasn’t Shifted Yet
— Post-Gazette – Robert Swift: House Panel Examines Bill To Expand Clean Slate Law
— Reading Eagle: Explosions Heard Near Reading Were Part Of Bomb Squad Training Exercise On Fritz Island
— Scranton Times Editorial: Pot Pardons Right Policy At Right Time
— PA Economy
— WITF/WHYY: PA Workers, Businesses Grapple With Tight Job Market This Labor Day
— PA Capital-Star: From Steelworkers To Baristas: The New Face Of Pittsburgh’s Labor Movement
— Post-Gazette: Pittsburgh, School District Announce New Workforce Development Program For Students
— WESA: Biden And Parade Will Cap Pittsburgh’s Labor Day Celebrations After 2-Year Hiatus
— TribLive – Mary Ann Thomas: Labor Leaders See Growth In Unionism
— MCall Guest Essay: The Future Of Semiconductor Chips Is In Pennsylvania
— Post-Gazette Editorial: In The Beginning, There Was Work
— Post-Gazette Editorial: An Economic Development Agenda All Can Agree On
— Post-Gazette: Investors Fear Millions Lost In PA’s Latest Crypto Currency Scandal
— Spotlight PA: New Maps Will Help Decide Where Up To $1 Billion In Federal Money Goes For PA Broadband Expansion
— Inquirer: 6 Takeaways From A New Report On Philadelphia’s Property Tax System
— Other
— PA Capital-Star: Poll: PA Voters Back Dreamers, Path To Citizenship For Undocumented