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


Because In Politics Everything Is Connected To Everything Else–

— 2022 Priorities

— Gov. Wolf Highlights Strong Financial Position Of Commonwealth Going Into Next Budget  [He forgot to thank Biden & Congress for billions in federal aid] 

— PA Cap-Star: Wolf Touts Multi-Billion State Surplus, But Projections Depict Gloomy Fiscal Future

— TribLive: Wolf Joins Pittsburgh Leaders To Tout PA’s Fiscal Improvements

— WESA: ‘Seize The Moment’: Gov. Wolf Talks About His Legacy And Sets Table For Budget Speech

— Governor’s Budget Address Feb. 8

— Spotlight PA: Jan. 27 Panel Discussion On 2022 Legislative Agenda And What’s At Stake

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

— AP: Trial Set For State College Man Charged With Assaulting Capitol Police Officer Who Died In Jan. 6 Insurrection

— WPost: As Giuliani Coordinated Plan To Get Fmr President Electoral Votes In States Biden Won, Some Electors Balked [PA Republican Actions]

— New Voting Districts – Senate, House, Congressional

— Spotlight PA: Effort To Redraw PA Voting Districts Enters Final Stretch To Complete House, Senate Maps

— PA Cap-Star: PA Creeps Closer To Voting District Map Deadline Without Final Lines In Place

— PA Cap-Star: Lawsuit Asks State Court to Clean Up PA’s Political Calendar Disrupted By Redrawing Voting Districts

— AP: Commonwealth Court Sets Jan. 30 Deadline To Break Stalemate On Congressional Voting Districts Map

— Spotlight PA: Proposed Congressional Voting District Map Advances As Wolf, Lawmakers Prepare For Court Battle

— WHYY: With Court Deadline Looming, Lawmakers Ready One Last Congressional Map Attempt

— TribLive: Candidate Withdraws From Race For Rep. Gainey’s House Seat Due To New Voting District Map

— PA Cap-Star: Where To Draw Voting District Lines In Black, Latino Communities At Center Of PA Legislative Map Fight

— TribLive Guest Essay: House Redistricting Plan Will Improve Latino Representation – Reps Burgos, Cruz, Guzman (Ds)

— Inquirer Guest Essay: End Prison Gerrymandering: Count People In Philly-Run Jails In Their Home Districts

— PA Cap-Star Guest Essay: We’re PA Small City Mayors, Fair Voting District Maps Will Aid Our Recovery

— PA Cap-Star Guest Essay: Prison Gerrymandering: Who Counts In PA? That Depends On Who’s Counting

— YorkD Editorial: Republicans March Backwards On Redistricting

— WilliamsportS Editorial: Gerrymandering Truest Form Of Election Fraud

— ScrantonT Editorial: Reject Republican Bill To Gerrymander Judicial Branch

— Governor’s Race

— LancasterOnline: Republican Candidate For Governor Dave White Puts $3 Million Of His Own Money Into Campaign

— AP: Republican Candidate For Governor Bill McSwain Endorsed By Billionaire Campaign Funder Jeffrey Yass

— PennLive – Jan Murphy: Republican Sen. Martin Is ‘Running’ For Governor, Well More Like Scooting These Days With Broken Leg

— ABC27: Republican Mike Turzai Opts Against Run For Governor

— Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Sen. Corman Calls On House Leaders To Begin Impeachment Proceedings Against Philly DA Krasner  [Corman worked to overturn 2020 election results]

— PennLive – Jan Murphy: Republican Corman Calls For Impeachment Of Philly DA

— ScrantonT Editorial: Corman Could Help Fight Crime In Philly Rather Than Pander

— TribLive Editorial: Open Governor, U.S. Senate Seats Chance To Step Up

— Inquirer: AG Shapiro, Republican Candidates For Governor Call For School Pension Plan To Disclose Investigation Results

— PennLive – Jan Murphy: Republican Candidate For Lt. Gov. Ends His Campaign, Endorses Jeff Coleman

— U.S. Senate Race

— AP: Democrats’ No. 1 Issue In PA’s U.S. Senate Race?  Kill The Filibuster

– PG: Conor Lamb Gets Big Boost In U.S. Bid With Endorsement From Philly Mayor Kenney

— ScrantonT: Dr. Oz A No Show At Campaign Event In Wyoming County

— ScrantonT: Republican U.S. Senate Candidate Dr. Oz Visits Lackawanna County

— PG – Gene Collier: We’re Looking At 10 Months Of TV Ads From The Land Of Oz

— Election Reform/2020 Election Fallout

— WITF: Election Experts Say PA’s Voting Process Well-Protected From Ballot Tampering

— WESA: Fulton County’s Voting Machine Review Has Its Roots In 2020 Election Fraud Lies 

— WITF Smart Talk: Looking At Fulton County Voting Machine Issues

— LancasterOnline: PA Republicans’ Hedge Language May Save Them From Prosecution Over Fake Electoral Vote Scheme

— MCall Guest Essay: Why It’s Dangerous For Our Society To Tolerate Intolerance

— Gov. Wolf Urges U.S. Senate To Pass Voting Rights Act

— PA Cap-Star: Casey, Toomey Split Vote On U.S. Senate Filibuster Change For Voting Rights Bill

— LancasterOnline Editorial: Fierce Urgency Of The Battle For Voting Rights Demands We Join It

— Harrisburg Potpourri

— Spotlight PA: PA Republicans Answered Wolf’s Pandemic Vetoes With Constitutional Changes, That Strategy Is Here To Stay

— YorkD Editorial: Amending The State Constitution Is An Easy Trick For Republicans, It Shouldn’t Be

— PennLive – John Baer: COVID And Politics In PA And Beyond – Where Time Stands Still

— ScrantonT Editorial: Reject Republican Bill To Gerrymander Judicial Branch

— CourierT Guest Essay: Can PA Republicans Ride A Republican Wave?

— PA Cap-Star: Updated PA Incumbent Retirement Tracker

— WTMZ: Rep. Rosemary Brown Will Not Seek Reelection

— The Sun: Republican Rep. Ryan Not Running

— ReadingE: Rep. Knowles Announces He Will Not Run For Reelection

— TribLive Editorial: PA Senate Shouldn’t Be Childish With Open Records

— PennLive – Jan Murphy: Proposed Constitutional Amendment Would Get State Out Of Liquor Business

— MCall – Ford Turner: Legislative Report Seeks Action On PA Primary Care Doctor Shortage

— AP: Senate Passes Bills Aimed At Ransomware, Data Breaches

— TribLive: Allegheny Health Network Patients Possible Victims Of Data Breach

— PG: CMU, City Of Pittsburgh Have Concerns About Proposed Bill For Self-Driving Vehicles

— WESA: Pittsburgh Could Make $200 Million From Republican Convention, But There’s No Guarantee

— The Patch: William J. Green Dies, Was Notable Pittsburgh Political Analyst

— PennLive: Bill Green, Longtime Political Analyst Who Served Multiple Roles Under Thornburgh, Dies At 76

— PennLive: Budd Dwyer’s Suicide At Press Conference After 35 Years Still Shocks

— YorkDR: Fmr Auditor General’s Official Portrait Pays Homage To Star Wars, Football

— Budget 2022

— Gov. Wolf Highlights Strong Financial Position Of Commonwealth Going Into Next Budget  [He forgot to thank Biden & Congress for billions in federal aid] 

— PA Cap-Star: Wolf Touts Multi-Billion State Surplus, But Projections Depict Gloomy Fiscal Future

— TribLive: Wolf Joins Pittsburgh Leaders To Tout PA’s Fiscal Improvements

— WESA: ‘Seize The Moment’: Gov. Wolf Talks About His Legacy And Sets Table For Budget Speech

— Governor’s Budget Address Feb. 8

— MCall – Paul Muschick: Remember The Republican Plan To Tax Retirement Income In PA?  It’s Back

— PA Cap-Star: PA To Get $1.6 Billion Extra For Bridge Funding, But Toll Plans Still On Amid Funding Shortfalls

— Gaming Control Board Reports 2021 Revenue Of $4.7 Billion, All-Time Calendar Year High

— PG: PA Casinos Had Record-Breaking Year In 2021

— Gaming Control Board Reports $406.3 Million In December Gaming Revenue

— AP: PA Sets State Record For Gambling Revenue In 2021

— TribLive: PA Casinos Shatter Record, Generate $4.7 Billion In Revenues In 2021

— Dept. Of Drug & Alcohol Programs Releases Report On Impact Of Interactive Gaming In PA – Half Exhibit At Least One Problem Gambling Behavior

— Inquirer Editorial: Lawmakers Must Seize The Opportunity To Upgrade Public Transit In PA

— PA Gaming Control Board: Awards Mini-Casino License in Cumberland County

— PennLive: Shippensburg Mini-Casino Wins State License; Opening Expected By Year’s End

— Inquirer Pro/Con: Should We Ban Sports Betting Ads During Games?

— ScrantonT: Proposed Legislation Would Pay Retention Bonuses To Long Term Care Facility Employees

— PennLive: PA’s Nursing Loan Forgiveness Program’s Popularity Outstrips Available Funding

— COVID Pandemic In PA

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

–WHYY: Overwhelmed Delaware County Hospitals Get Help From Volunteers During COVID Surge

— ErieT: Erie County Set COVID Case Record For January After Just 16 Days

— ErieT: COVID Cases Drop Nearly 18% In Erie County, But Peak Might Not Have Passed

— TribLive: PA COVID Data Follows Recent International Trends, But Hospitals Remain Busy

— CitizensV: COVID Surging Again At Luzerne County Nursing Homes

— CentreDT: Centre County Sets More Daily COVID Case Records

— WHYY: COVID Surge Has Peaked In Philadelphia; City Issues New School Guidance

— PG: Allegheny County Officials Say COVID Cases Stabilizing

— MCall: Lehigh Valley Health Network Nurse: ‘One Of The Last Things That Patients Say Is, I Should Have Just Gotten The Vaccine’

— TribLive: Westmoreland Group Holds Prayer Vigil For COVID Victims

— MCall: Berks County Medic Pepper-Sprayed During COVID Call

— TribLive/AP: White House Soft-Launches Free COVID Test Request Website

— PG: Here’s How To Get Free At-Home COVID Tests

— Dept. Of Health Adds New Free COVID Test Sites Across PA

— WHYY: Company That Opened Pop-Up COVID Testing Site In Philly Faces Lawsuit

— PG Editorial: Free At-Home COVID Tests A Milestone In Public Health

— CentreDT: Patton Township Puts Indoor Masking Requirement Back In Place

— ErieT: Biden Administration To Ship 400 Million Free N95 Masks Across The U.S. Starting This Week

— TribLive: Experts Back CDC Guidance Recommending N95, KN95 Masks

— Reuters: Is COVID Retreating In U.S.?  Data Paints Encouraging Scenario

— PennLive – John Baer: COVID And Politics In PA And Beyond – Where Time Stands Still

— TribLive: Republican Rep. Nelson Wants ‘Natural Immunity’ Exemption For Employer Vaccine Mandates [Science Isn’t There Yet To Determine Natural Immunity Levels]

— Inquirer: Philadelphia’s Full Vaccine Mandate Now In Effect; COVID Cases Dropping Across Region

— WHYY: Philly Again Delays Vaccine Mandate For City Workers Due To Union Disputes

— PG: Other Transit Agencies Not Suffering From Vaccine Mandate Proposed By Pittsburgh Authority

— MCall: Lehigh Valley Doctors Start Prescribing Antiviral COVID Pills, Supplies Limited

— Dept. Of Health Update On Flu Season, Urges Pennsylvanians To Get Flu Vaccine

— MCall – Ford Turner: Legislative Report Seeks Action On PA Primary Care Doctor Shortage

— PG: Staffing Issues Stresses Western PA 911 Centers Due To COVID

— ScrantonT: Proposed Legislation Would Pay Retention Bonuses To Long Term Care Facility Employees

— PennLive: PA’s Nursing Loan Forgiveness Program’s Popularity Outstrips Available Funding

— ErieT: In 1894, PA Supreme Court Ruled In Favor Of Smallpox Shots For Students.  What Does It Mean Today?

— COVID – Schools

— ErieT: Erie County Reports First Child Death Due To COVID

— TribLive: COVID Hospitalizations High Among Young Children In Allegheny County

— TribLive: Parents Sue Upper St. Clair School District Over Lifting Mask Mandate

— TribLive: Federal Judge Rejects Request To Reinstate Masking In Upper St. Clair Schools

— TribLive: Judge Orders North Allegheny School District To Reinstate Universal Masking

— TribLive: Pittsburgh Public Schools Close, Cancels Activities Tuesday Due To COVID Surge

— TribLive: More COVID Tests From Feds Likely To Help On Western PA Schools Already Using Them

— CourierT: Photo Of Teacher Taping Mask To Student’s Face Causes Outrage In Montgomery County School District

— ScrantonT: Some NE PA Colleges Increase COVID Restrictions As Students Return

— Opioid Epidemic

— MCall – Ford Turner: Lawmakers Propose Needle Exchange Programs As Drug Crisis Worsens

— Inquirer: Staff At Montgomery County Addiction, Behavioral Hospital Say They’re Understaffed And Unprotected From COVID

School Funding/Administration

— ScrantonT Editorial: No Automatic Tax Credit Increases For Private Schools

— PA Cap-Star: Senate Committee Advances Bill To Increase Tax Credit Caps To Fund Private Schools

— YorkD Guest Essay: It’s Long Past Time For Legislature To Pass Private Charter School Reform – Rep. Bernie O’Neill (R)  and Fmr Auditor General Eugene DePasquale (D)

— LancasterOnline: Efforts To Ban Books In Lancaster County School Districts Part Of National Trend

— The Mercury: Teen Come Out For Newly Created Kutztown Banned Book Club

— Inquirer: AG Shapiro, Republican Candidates For Governor Call For School Pension Plan To Disclose Investigation Results

— Spotlight PA: School Pension Fund Board Members Asked To Sign Secrecy Oaths

— Inquirer: Lawmakers Mull Pension Reforms As School Pension Fund Remains Under Scrutiny

— ScrantonT Editorial: No Excuse To Withhold School Pension Fund Investigation

— Inquirer Guest Essay: Black Community Needs Better Internet Access Now

— Inquirer: Penn To Invest Nearly $5 Million Over 5 Years In Another West Philly School

— PG: Technology Glitches Fixed Saying 2,400 Pitt Students Owed Thousands More In Tuition

— ReadingE: State Of The Art Esports Facility Coming To Albright College

— AP: Penn Pledges To Work With NCAA, Support Transgender Swimmer

— ErieT Guest Essay: Diversity Of Talent And Experience Tapped To Lead New Erie Community College

— PennLive Guest Essay: Don’t Blame COVID For Turnover In PA College Presidents

— Gun Violence/Law Enforcement

— PA Cap-Star: Senate Committee Advances Local Firearm Ordinance Preemption Bill
— ScrantonT Editorial: Republican Senators Should Stop Accommodating Gun Traffickers

— WHYY: Police Commissioner: 2022 Brings ‘Same Troubling Trends’ For Crime In Philly

— Inquirer: A Temple Trauma Surgeon’s Tweet On Gun Violence: ‘Last Night Was An Abomination In Our City. Our Community Is Dying. Where Is The Outrage… From Everyone?’

— Inquirer: Community-Based Violence Prevention Works, But It Needs Sustained Support

— Gov. Wolf Announces $15 Million In Grants For Gun Violence Prevention

— Inquirer: Family Believes Jamaican Immigrant’s Death From 9 Gun Shots In Venango County Was A ‘Modern-Day Lynching’

— AP: Pittsburgh Student Dies After 2 Shoot Into School Van At Dismissal Time

— WESA: New Mayor Says Pittsburgh Need To Address Gun Violence Following Deadly Shooting Of 15-Year-Old

— PG Editorial: Pittsburgh School Van Shooting A Call For Action

— PG Editorial: Give Young People A Voice On Gun Violence

— TribLive: 3 People Injured After Shooting At Butler County Mall

— AP: Suspected Arrested In Butler County Mall Parking Lot Shooting That Injured 3

— TribLive: Police: Woman Had Protection Order Against Ex Accused Of Killing Her With Her Own Gun

— TribLive: Accused Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooter Wants Trial Moved Out Of Western PA

— TribLive: Judge Denies Motion To Suppress Statements Made By Defendant In Pittsburgh Synagogue Murders

— TribLive: Pittsburgh Racial Justice Summit Jan. 21 Goes Virtual Again For ‘Equity In Action’ Program

— Inquirer Guest Essay: My Father Survived the Holocaust By A Miracle, It Shouldn’t Take A Miracle To Be Jewish And Alive – Cong. Houlahan  [Most Recent Synagogue Shooting]

— TribLive Editorial: Big Criminal Cases Defy Change Of Venue

— PG Editorial: Don’t Play Politics With Antisemitism

— AP: 3 Police Officers Charged In Shooting Death Of 8-Year-Old Girl In Delaware County

— WHYY: 3 Police Officers Fired After Being Charged In 8-Year-Old’s Shooting Death In August

— TribLive: Court Won’t Force Pittsburgh To Turn Over Jim Rogers Taser Death Report To DA’s Office

— TribLive: Pittsburgh Considers Stop-And-Frisk Policy For Police

— PA Cap-Star: Advocates Call For Further Investigation After Allegheny County Jail Officials Deny Abuse Allegations

— PA Cap-Star: Allentown Police In Line To Undergo Active Bystander Training

— TribLive: FBI Warning Of Hoax Mexican Kidnapping Scam Targeting Western Pennsylvanians

— CentreDT: Female Truck Driver Wins $1 Million+ In Discrimination Lawsuit Against Dept. Of Corrections; ‘We Are No Longer Living In The 1950s’

— CentreDT: Why State College Ranks Among The Best For LGBTQ Community Protections

— PennLive: Chambersburg Poised To Become First To Repeal LGBTQ Protections

— PennLive: Biden Nominates First Black Woman To Federal Court In PA

— PA Economy

— PennLive: Staffing Shortages Still Hurting Retailers As Sales Are ‘Through The Roof’

— ScrantonT: Grocery Stores Continue To Feel Effects Of Supply Chain Issues

— PG: Western PA Hotels Could Bounce Back To Near Pre-Pandemic Levels In 2022

— PG – Anya Litvak: PPG Details Supply Chain Difficulties – ‘If We Could Make Product, We Could Sell Product’

— MCall: Untold Numbers Of Lehigh Valley Workers Have Joined The ‘Great Resignation,’ Here Are Their Stories

— WESA: Unemployment Fraud Problems Continue For State, Laid-Off Claimants In PA

— Dept. Of Labor & Industry Offers Free Credit Monitoring Services To Unemployment Claimants Amid Ongoing Fraud Investigation

— Dept. Of Labor & Industry Reports PA Unemployment Rate Fell 0.3% to 5.4% In December; Workforce Decreased Over 18,000

— AP: PA Payrolls Grew In December Amid Labor Shortage

— TribLive Guest Essay: PA No. 22 By Site Selection Trade Magazine – Sen. Aument (R)

— ScrantonT: Proposed Legislation Would Pay Retention Bonuses To Long Term Care Facility Employees

— PG: Staffing Issues Stresses Western PA 911 Centers Due To COVID

— CentreDT: Female Truck Driver Wins $1 Million+ In Discrimination Lawsuit Against Dept. Of Corrections; ‘We Are No Longer Living In The 1950s’

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