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

Because In Politics Everything Is Connected To Everything Else–

— Governor’s Transition

— AP: Gov.-Elect Shapiro Opens Transition, To Stay AG Until January

— WITF: Gov.-Elect Shapiro Lays Out Transition Plans, Policy Goals In First Press Appearance

— PA Capital-Star: Shapiro, Davis Vow To Build An Administration That ‘Looks Like Pennsylvania’

— City & State PA: Shapiro Begins Gubernatorial Transition

— AP: Democrat Josh Shapiro To Take Governor’s Office With Mandate From PA Voters After Scoring 14% Win Over Republican Opponent

— PennLive Guest Essay: Shapiro’s Campaign Promises Offer Blueprint For Bipartisanship – Commonwealth Foundation

— U.S. Senate Race

— WHYY/BillyPenn: PA U.S. Senate Race Was Most Expensive In History, What Else Could You Get For $375 Million?

— November Election

— TribLive: Lawsuits By Conservative Groups Request Hand Recounts Of Votes For Governor, U.S. Senator [Republicans Lost Governor’s Race By Over 769,546 Votes]

— WITF: Pennsylvania’s Risk-Limiting Election Audit Explained

— PennLive: Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano Concedes PA Governor’s Race In Sunday Evening Statement

— MCall – Paul Muschick: How Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Can Back Up His Pledge To Work With Gov. Shapiro

— Post-Gazette Editorial: Republican Gubernatorial Candidate’s Concession Should End 2020 Drama

— TribLive Editorial: No Time For Election Victory Laps

— TribLive Editorial: Competence Versus Rhetoric In Pennsylvania Elections

— TribLive Guest Essay: Midterm Election Reveals Trouble For Republicans In PA’s Suburbs

— Warren Times Editorial: Republicans Must Change Or Risk Irrelevancy

— Spotlight PA: Luzerne DA Investigating Why County Rain Out Of Paper Ballots On Election Day

— Citizens Voice Editorial: Voters Adjust, Reject Chaos

— Election Reform/2020 Election Fallout

— AP: Commonwealth Court Judge Backs Penalties Against Fulton County For Secretly Allowing Third Party To Copy Voting Machine Data

— AG Shapiro: Charges Announced Against Philadelphia Man For Orchestrating The Forgery Of Signatures On Election Nomination Petitions In 2019

— Scranton Times Editorial: Republican Candidate For Governor Makes Case For Open Primaries

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

— PennLive: Federal Prosecutors: Cumberland County Woman Directed Rioters, Laptop Thieves During Assault On U.S. Capitol

— State Constitutional Amendments

— Altoona Mirror: Republican Defeat In State House Dooms Their Plans To Change State Constitution

— Spotlight PA: Complete Guide To More Than 70 Proposed Amendments To State Constitution

— PA Politics Of Russian Invasion

— PUC Alerts Consumers Utility Natural Gas Costs Will Be Going Up By As Much As 128%, Electric Costs Will Be Going Up By As Much As 34%; Both Driven By Cost Of Natural Gas On World Markets  [PaEN]

— PennLive: High Prices, Volatile Markets Make For Uncertain Heating Season Across Central PA

— TribLive: Falling Gasoline Prices In Great Lakes States, Oil Prices Drive National Average Decline

— Canary Media: Charts: Winter Heating Bills To Rise Thanks To High Natural Gas Prices

— NYT: An Estimated 40 LNG Natural Gas Tankers Still Sitting Off Coasts In Europe, Asia Waiting For Higher Prices Before Unloading Their Fuel

— Bloomberg: Shale Oil, Natural Gas ‘Fracklog’ Is Back As U.S. Companies Hoard Pre-Drilled Wells That Could Be Brought Into Production

— Reuters: U.S. Natural Gas Prices Up Only 1% After Paring 8% Gains On Texas Freeport LNG Delay Rumors

— Reuters: Texas LNG Natural Gas Terminal Targets Mid-December For Restart

— Baker Hughes PA Natural Gas Drilling Rig Count Same As Last Week – 22

— Modern Diplomacy: EU Leaders Accuse U.S. Natural Gas Producers Of Profiteering

— Financial Times: U.S. Oil Prices Fall 10% In The Week As Demand Worries Rise

— PA/Harrisburg Politics Potpourri

— Spotlight PA: Democratic Takeover Of State House Will Be A Little Messy To Start, Here’s Why

— Spotlight PA: Democrats Win Control Of State House After Picking Up 12 Seats

— AP: PA Democrats Win Enough For Narrow State House Majority

— PA Capital-Star: PA House Democrats Secure Majority With Rep. Stephens’ Concession In Close Rac

— PennLive Guest Essay: Even Slim Majorities Can Cause Legislative Mayhem – By Mark Singel

— PennLive – Charles Thompson: Democrats Get Nominal Control Of State House With Win In Montgomery County Seat

— MCall – Paul Muschick: How Democrats Winning State House Could Get PA Government Back To Normal

— Altoona Mirror: Republican Defeat In State House Dooms Their Plans To Change State Constitution

— PA Capital-Star: Republicans, Democrats Challenge Ballots As Counties Keep Counting Votes In Pivotal State House Races

— PennLive – Charles Thompson: Montgomery County State House Race Hinges On 334 Pending Votes

— PA Senate Republicans Announce Leadership Team For New Session: Sen. Kim Ward Makes History As First Woman Elected Senate President Pro Tempore  [PaEN]

— AP: PA Senate Picks First Woman As President Pro Tempore

— PA Capital-Star: With New PA Senate Leadership, What Are Lawmakers Prioritizing When They Return To Session?

— TribLive Editorial: A Real Way For Sen. Kim Ward To Make History – Just Make Things Work

— PA Senate Democratic Caucus Elects New Leadership Team  [PaEN]

— MCall: New Democratic State Senator From Lehigh Valley To Become Youngest Member In 135 Years

— PennLive – John Baer: Psst! Want A Peek At A Political Reform That Insiders Don’t Want To Talk About?  [Spoiler – Changing House Terms To 4 Years]

— TribLive Editorial: Politics Should Include A Little More Parental Guidance

— TribLive: PA Republicans Give Ex-President’s Campaign Announcement Mixed Reaction

— PennLive: Will Ex-President’s 3rd Presidential Run Mean A Primary Fight In PA?

— TribLive: Announcement Of 2024 Run By Ex-President Sparks Excitement Among Local Democrats

— WESA: Toomey Steers Republicans Away From Ex-President

— AP: Daniel McCaffery To Run For Open Seat On PA Supreme Court

— TribLive: Westmoreland Judge Announces Candidacy For Opening On Commonwealth Court

— Budget 2023

— Independent Fiscal Office: PA Economic & Budget Outlook For FY 2022-23 To 2027-28

— The Center Square – Anthony Hennen: Shrinking PA Workforce Endangers Budget Surplus, Reserves

— Dept. Of Labor & Industry Reports PA Unemployment Rate Down To Record-Breaking 4% In October

— PA Capital-Star: PA’s Unemployment Rate Drops To Record Low Of 4 Percent

— Post-Gazette Guest Essay: PA’s Corporate Welfare For Selected Businesses Keeps State Down – Commonwealth Foundation

— PA Gaming Control Board: October Gaming Revenue Increases 5.71% Over Last Year

— Inquirer – Andrew Maykuth: After Surge In Kids Left Alone In Casino Parking Lots, PA Launches Crackdown On Errant Parents

— MCall – Paul Muschick: Here How A Plan To Stop Gamblers From Leaving Kids Alone In Casino Parking Garages Could Be Stronger

— COVID Pandemic/Health

— Centre Daily Times: PA COVID Cases Continue Decline Ahead Of Thanksgiving

— The Center Square – Anthony Hennen: Clarity Sought On PA Medicaid Spending Rates For Addiction Services

— TribLive: Western PA Medical Experts Keep Watch On Amoxicillin Shortage

— WPSU: PA Schools Join Lawsuit Against E-Cigarette Company JUUL

— Opioid Deaths

— WITF/AP: PA Reports Sizable Decline In Overdose Deaths, But Experts Wary

— School Districts/Higher Education

— MCall: Allentown Police Charge Juveniles With Making Threats, Giving False Information To Safe2Say

— WHYY: PA Releases Anti-Racist Guidelines As Part Of Teacher-Prep Overhaul

— Altoona Mirror Editorial: ‘Gender Queer’ Has No Place In Classroom

— MCall: Nearly 20% Of Lehigh, Northampton County Students ‘Seriously’ Considered Suicide, Study

— Inquirer: Public School Employees Pension Fund Approves Litigation, Seeks Emergency Replacement For Consultant Blamed In 2020 Error

— TribLive: Penn State President Asks For ‘Time And Grace’ To Meet Diversity, Inclusion Goals

— TribLive: After Pandemic Plunge, International Enrollment On College Campuses Rebounds

— TribLive Editorial: Will PA Pay The Price For Colleges’ Tuition Border Wars?

— Gun Violence/Law Enforcement

— Inquirer Editorial: A Mass Shooting Must Never Be Business As Usual

— Inquirer: As Shootings, Carjackings Climb At Philly Gas Stations, Victims, Grieving Families File Lawsuits

— MCall: Allentown Police Charge Juveniles With Making Threats, Giving False Information To Safe2Say

— WHYY: Introducing ‘Stop And Frisk: Revisit Or Resist’

— WITF: Jails Fail To Accommodate People With Mental Illness, In Some Case It’s A Civil Rights Violation

— AP: State House Votes To Impeach Philly DA Over Policies, Now Moves To Senate Trial

— LancasterOnline – Brad Bumsted: Analysis: House Republicans Score Political Points With Impeachment Of Philly DA, But Effort Faces Long Odds

— Post-Gazette Editorial: State House Impeachment Of Philly DA A Shameful Attack On Democracy

— TribLive: Pittsburgh Officials Blame Relentless Flow Of Guns On Violence In Pennsylvania

— PennLive: Harrisburg Catholic Diocese Settlement With Clergy Child Sexual Abuse Victims  Calls For Payment Of $18 Million To About 60 Survivors

— TribLive: Allegheny County Priest Acquitted In 1998 Child Sex Abuse Charges

— Post-Gazette Editorial: Pittsburgh Police Lapses Require Thorough Review

— PA Economy

— Dept. Of Labor & Industry Reports PA Unemployment Rate Down To Record-Breaking 4% In October

— PA Capital-Star: PA’s Unemployment Rate Drops To Record Low Of 4 Percent

— The Center Square – Anthony Hennen: Shrinking PA Workforce Endangers Budget Surplus, Reserves

— PennLive: Thousands Of Seasonal Jobs Available For Upcoming Holiday Shopping Season

— Erie Times: Proactive Inclusion: Erie’s Hispanic/Latino Community ‘Making Our Presence Known’

— AG Shapiro Announces $391 Million Settlement With Google Over Location Tracking Practices

— MCall: PA Road, Bridges, Parks Infrastructure Got A C-Minus,  Find Out Why It’s Not An A

— Other

— AP: Texas Republican Governor Sends Next Busload Of Migrants To Philadelphia

— WHYY: Philly Says It’s Ready To Welcome Migrants Sent By Bus By Texas Republican Governor With ‘Open Arms’

— Inquirer Guest Essay: Federal Law Has Been Destroying Families For 25 Years, Let’s Get Rid Of It

— TribLive Editorial: Time Is Running Out For Congress To Save Local News

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