PA Capitol Report: Top 10 Stories On Harrisburg/PA Politics Last Week
— New Voting Districts – Senate, House
— Spotlight PA: PA Redistricting Maps: Search How To See Your Old, New Voting Districts
— PA Cap-Star: PA Lawmakers Say They Have Time To Draw New Voting District Maps, State Courts, Wolf Administration Disagree
— Inquirer: PA Republicans Going On The Attack Against New Voting District Map For State House
— LancasterOnline: Winners, Losers In Lancaster County Under Proposed Voting District Plan
— Inquirer: 5 Takeaways From PA’s Proposed Senate, House Voting District Maps
— TribLive Guest Essay: 30 Years Of Racial Inequity vs. PA’s Only Growing Populations – Salewa Ogunmefun [New Voting Districts]
— Governor’s Race
— AP: Republican Sen. Mastriano All But Declares He’s In The Race For PA Governor [Actively Worked To Overturn Nov. 2020 Election Results, Was At The Jan. 6 Assault On U.S. Capitol]
— TribLive Guest Essay: Republicans’ Crowded PA Gubernatorial Field A Help Or Hindrance?
— MeadvilleT: Republican New Castle Mayor Chris Frye Announces Bid For Lt. Governor
— U.S. Senate Race
— PG: Democratic U.S. Senate Candidate Dr. Val Arkoosh Wants To Go Toe-To-Toe With Dr. Oz In Senate Battle
— Newsweek: Dr. Oz Holds 10-Point Lead Among Republicans Seeking U.S. Senate Seat
— PennLive/AP: Dr. Oz Show Ending In January, As Star Runs For U.S. Senate Seat In PA
— MCall: Dr. Oz Takes U.S. Senate Campaign To Lehigh Valley
— LancasterOnline Editorial: Dr. Oz Brings A Lot Of Baggage To Republican U.S. Senate Race
— Inquirer: Rep. Kenyatta’s Internal Poll Shows Path For U.S. Senate Run, If He Can Get His Message Out
— AP: Hedge Fund Manager David McCormick Draws High-Level Support In Republican Senate Race
— ErieT: Once An Undocumented Immigrant, Gisele Fetterman Creates Identify With ‘Heart Of Service’
— Inquirer: David McCormick Taking First Public Steps To Run For U.S. Senate In Tumultuous Republican Primary
— Nov. 2 Election
— MCall: Lehigh County DA Moves To Bar Allentown Constable-Elect With Lengthy Conviction Record
— Election Reform/2020 Election Fallout
— AP: PA Republicans Open New Front In Election ‘Investigation’ – They Want Access To Voting Machines
— PA Cap-Star Guest Essay: PA Republicans Look To Ban Private, Nonprofit Election Grants [When They Don’t Provide Counties Funding For Elections]
— ScrantonT Editorial: Move Up PA 2024 Presidential Primary
— NPR: Republican Cong. Scott Perry First Sitting Lawmaker Jan. 6 Panel Wants To Question
— PA Cap-Star: Jan. 6 House Committee Requests Interview With Republican Cong. Scott Perry
— PennLive – Charles Thompson: Republican Cong. Scott Perry Declines Invitation To Meet With House Committee Investigating Assault On U.S. Capitol
— YorkDR Guest Essay: Assault On U.S. Capitol Treason, Plain And Simple, Congress Should Pass The Freedom To Vote Act – Jim Sandoe, U.S. Army Vietnam Veteran
— Inquirer: Bucks County Man Charged With Crimes In Assault On U.S. Capitol Gets Probation
— Inquirer: Delaware County Teacher Made A Black Muslim Student Kneel And Beg For His Cell Phone, Lawyer Says
— Inquirer/WPost: Fulton County Commissioners Called LGBTQ Gathering A ‘Hate Group’ And Denied Funds To County Library Where It Was To Meet. So Citizens Stepped In
— LancasterOnline: Members Of Militia Group Who View U.S. Govt. As Tyrannical And Vow To Oppose It With Arms Met In Lancaster County Restaurant
— LancasterOnline Editorial: Lancaster Elected Officials Need To Condemn Extremist Militia And Other Groups
— The Guardian: U.S. Conservative Parents Push For Book Bans And Unintentionally Make Reading Cool Again [York County, PA]
— Harrisburg Potpourri
— PA Cap-Star: 2022 PA Incumbent Retirement And Primary Tracker
— Courier Times Guest Essay: Republican Message To Taxpayers – Your Livelihood Isn’t As Important As The Culture War Issues – Cyril Mychalejko, Bucks County Teacher
— PA Cap-Star: Gift Ban Advocates Call House Republican Leader Latest Holdup
— ScrantonT Editorial: State Legislators Gave Themselves A Big Gift They Didn’t Deserve– A Pay Raise
— MCall – Paul Muschick: My Gift Wishes For The Naughty (Charged With Assaulting The Capitol, Dr. Oz) And Nice (Hospital Workers)
— ScrantonT Editorial: Legislative Incompetence And Greed Are Expensive [Pension Funds, Pay Raise]
— Williamsport Sun Editorial: Do Liquor Sales Belong In The State Constitution?
— ErieT: Gov. Wolf Talks COVID Strategy As Omicron Spreads, 2022 Agenda, Plans After Office
— Gov. Wolf Signs Bills To Protect Prescription Drug Savings, Expand Broadband Access
— WPXI: PA Residents Still Struggling With Unemployment Compensation System
— MCall/TNS: 732 PA Senate Staffers Get 5% Raise In New Year [Lawmakers Got 5.9%]
–Spotlight PA: Low Pay Causing Staffing Crisis For Disability Care, Advocates Say PA’s Plan To Raise Wages Isn’t Enough
— AP: State Employees Aiding Nonprofit In Investigations Into Neglect And Abuse Of Older People
— WHYY: PA Prepares To Roll Out Ban On Surprise Medical Billing
— PennLive: Homeless In City Of Harrisburg Sicker Than Ever
— MCall – Ford Turner: PA Lawmakers Giving Up On Banning Consumer Fireworks, Despite Widespread Complaints
— MCall – Ford Turner: Lawmakers Getting Involved In Expanding Alcohol Sales At Dorney Park
— TribLive Editorial: Westmoreland County Commission Have To Prove Emailed Comments Are Important Too
— Inquirer: New ‘Afghans Of Philadelphia’ Seeks To Forge Vibrant Community As Hundreds Of Evacuees Resettle Here
— PG Editorial: Marking History Requires Delicacy, Not Ideology
— Budget 2022
— PA Gaming Control Board: Reports Record Gaming Revenue In Nov. – $432.4 Million
— TribLive: PA Casinos Continue To Shatter Revenue Records, Generate $432 Million In Nov.
— Inquirer – Andrew Maykuth: PA Gaming Revenue Is On A Roll, But Not At Casinos
— PG: PennDOT Pushes For Increased Revenue, But Republican Leaders Remain Skeptical
— MCall – Paul Muschick: Bridge Tolls Are Looming, Why A Lot Of People Will Never Pay Them
— COVID Pandemic Worsens Again In PA
— WESA: PA’s Hospitals Are Already Strained, Omicron Will Likely Make It Worse
— ScrantonT: PA Surpasses 10,000 New COVID Cases In A Day
— WilliamsportS: Lycoming County Grassroots Group Pushes Back Against Vaccine Misinformation
— WilliamsportS: UPMC Expert Stresses The Importance Of Vaccinations
— ErieT: Gov. Wolf Talks COVID Strategy As Omicron Spreads, 2022 Agenda, Plans After Office
— TribLive: PA, Allegheny County Report Record COVID Cases
— TribLive: Allegheny County Health: More Than 400 COVID Deaths Since October
— PG: Allegheny County Hits Pandemic Record For Daily COVID Case Counts
— WESA: Allegheny County Detects Omicron Variant In Wastewater, A COVID Surge On The Way
— Inquirer: How Temple’s Episcopal Hospital Lost Control During COVID
— PG: Allegheny County Health Says No New Mask Rule, Despite Climb In Cases
— MCall: Lehigh Valley Health Network Requesting All Visitors Be Vaccinated
— PG: ‘Unprecedented Demand’ For COVID Rapid Tests Poses Challenge For Local Pharmacies
— MCall: Rapid COVID Tests In Short Supply In Lehigh Valley
— TribLive: Demand For Rapid COVID Testing On Rise In Western PA
— AP: Philadelphia Cancels Rapid COVID Test Giveaway As Supplies Wane
— AP: Biden To Pledge 500 Million Free COVID Tests To Counter Omicron
— MCall: Lehigh Valley’s St. Luke’s To Require All Visitors Be Vaccinated Amid COVID Surge
— TribLive: City Of Pittsburgh Pauses Vaccine Mandate As Officials Negotiate With Unions
— Inquirer: As Omicron Cases Spike, Philly Restaurant Owners Wrestle With Closures
— Inquirer: Philly Shuts Down 19 Restaurant For Violating COVID Vaccine Rule
— MCall: Bethlehem Catholic H.S. To Close Early For Christmas Break
— TribLive: Omicron Variant Of COVID Detected At Penn State’s Main Campus
— Inquirer: Philly Vaccination Rates For Black, Hispanic Children Lag
— PG: 15% Of Pittsburgh’s Employees Did Not Comply With Faccine Mandate, Face Disciplinary Action
— TribLive: Pittsburgh Mayor-Elect Ed Gainey Tests Positive For COVID
— ScrantonT: Cong. Cartwright Tests Positive For COVID, Was Fully Vaccinated
— Inquirer: PA, NJ See Strong Uptick In Health Insurance Signups
— COVID – Schools
— AP: PA Supreme Court: Lack Of Emergency Order Or Regulation Doomed School Mask Mandate
— MCall Guest Essay: Record Number Of Children Are Getting COVID, Now Is Not The Time To Say Goodbye To Masks – LVHN Pediatrician
— MCall: COVID Cases Prompt Lehigh Valley H.S. To Go Remote Thursday
— Inquirer: As Many Philly Schools Shift To Virtual, District Still Plans To Be In-Person In January, For Now
— MCall: Emmaus H.S. Students To Work Remotely Monday Because Of Bus Driver Shortage
— MCall: Bethlehem H.S. Students Returned, But Fallout From Pandemic Remains
— MCall: Lehigh Valley Colleges Begin Requiring COVID Booster Shots For Spring Semester
— Inquirer: Temple To Switch To Online-Only Classes Due To COVID
Opioid Settlement
— WITF: Here’s How Much Money PA Counties Would See From $26 Billion Opioid Settlement
— TribLive: Several Westmoreland Municipalities Sign On To Proposed Opioid Suit Settlement
— TribLive Editorial: Settling On Opioid Suit Is Right Thing For Westmoreland County
School Funding/Administration
— Inquirer: 5 Takeaways From PA’s Ongoing, Landmark School Funding Trial After One Month
— PennLive – Jan Murphy: Wolf Vetoes Curriculum ‘Transparency’ Bill Calling It A ‘Dangerous And harmful Imposition’
— TribLive Editorial: Wolf’s School Book Listing Bill Veto Was Political
— The Guardian: U.S. Conservative Parents Push For Book Bans And Unintentionally Make Reading Cool Again [York County, PA]
— PG: Butler County Student Charged For Allegedly Making Threats To School District On TikTok
— PennLive: Harrisburg Mom Charged With Felony In Bleach Attack Against 6th Grader
— LancasterOnline Editorial: Threat Of School Violence Plausible In Face Of TikTok Challenge
— MCall: eSports Becoming A Big Thing In Lehigh Valley High Schools
— Gun Violence/Law Enforcement
— WPVI: PA Democratic Member Of Congress Mary Gay Scanlon Carjacked At Gunpoint By 2 Men In Philadelphia
— Inquirer: PA Member of Congress Mary Gay Scanlon Carjacked, Robbed After Touring FDR Park In Philly
— AP: Member of Congress Scanlon Carjacked In Philadelphia Park, Uninjured
— Inquirer: 19-Year-Old Will Be Charged In Carjacking Cong. Scanlon In Philly, 4 Other Teens Arrested
— Inquirer: Rising Tide Of Stolen Guns Helps Fuel Philadelphia’s Gun Violence Epidemic
— Inquirer: She Was Hit By Stray Bullet Playing Kickball, Now She’s 36, Paralyzed, Reclaiming Her Independence
— Inquirer: More Than 70 Lawyers Hired By Philly DA Have Left
— Inquirer Guest Essay: We’re Experiencing A Public Health Crisis, And It’s Not COVID – Guns
— PA Cap-Star: PA Supreme Court Rules Victim’s Rights Constitutional Amendment Cannot Be Enacted, Attempted To Make Too Many Changes
— AP: PA Supreme Court Rules Against Victims’ Rights Amendment To Constitution Voters Supported
— ScrantonT Editorial: PA Supreme Court Rejects Lawmakers’ Pandering On Constitutional Amendment
— PennLive: Wolf Implores Senate To Act On ‘Window’ Bill For Child Sex Abuse Survivors To File Civil Lawsuits
— ScrantonT: Catholic Diocese Adds Deceased Franciscan Friar To Credibility Accused List
— Inquirer: Police In Philly Region Forging Partnerships With Social Workers To Better Handle Mental Health Crises
— PG Editorial: It’s Time To Abolish The Death Penalty
What Happened To COVID Aid?
— AP: Secret Service: Nearly $100 Billion Stolen In Pandemic Business, Individual Relief Funds
— PA Economy
— WPXI: PA Residents Still Struggling With Unemployment Compensation System
— Gov. Wolf: 25 States Will Raise Minimum Wage Next Year, Governor Urges Republican Legislators To Act For PA Workers
— AP: Payrolls Grew In November, But PA’s Labor Force Shrinks Again
— Inquirer: Philadelphia Businesses Modestly Recovering From Pandemic, Pew Data Show
— TribLive Editorial: Can UPMC Solve The Nursing Shortage?
— WilliamsportS Editorial: State Needs To Address Ransomware Attacks
— WESA: PA Housing Finance Agency Applied For $350 Million To Help Struggling Homeowners
— Inquirer: Philadelphia Landlords Filed Fewer Than Half The Usual Number Of Evictions After Federal Moratorium Ended
— TribLive: Food Service Vendor Sues Pitt For $7 Million For Failing To Honor Contracts During Pandemia
— AP: Yuengling Accuses Bud Light Of Trampling On Trademark
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