PA Capitol News: Top 10 Stories From Harrisburg Last Week

Because In Politics Everything Is Connected To Everything Else--

-- November 2 Election Results - Analysis

-- AP: 2021 Gives PA Republicans More Hope For Big 2022 Election 

-- AP: Local Democrats Warn Party: Growing Republican Wave Is Real

-- ErieT: What This Year’s PA Election Results Mean For Critical 2022 Races

-- PA Cap-Star: Will PA Democrats Heed The Lessons They Learned On Election Night?

-- PA Cap-Star: PA Republicans Eyes A Bright Midterm, Can Democrats Stop Them?

-- Inquirer: Some Voters Saw High Stakes In Tuesday’s Election: ‘The Country’s Just In Such A State’

-- WHYY: For PA’s Statewide Candidates, 2021 Lessons Are In The Eye Of The Beholder

-- PennLive - John Baer: This Election Waved Red Flags For PA Democrats Hoping To Win In 2022

-- MCall: Lehigh Valley Democrats ‘Facing A Headwind’ Going Into Mid-Term Election

-- PG: Eastern PA Democrats Warn Party: Growing Republican Wave Is Real

-- PA Cap-Star: Democrats Show Signs Of Strength In Pittsburgh And Its Suburbs

-- TribLive - Deb Erdley: Red Wave In Western PA Leaves Allegheny County A Blue Island

-- PG Editorial: Democrats Need To Learn From Tuesday’s Rebuke

-- Inquirer: A Year Ago Philadelphia Was The Center Of The Political World, What’s Happened Since?

-- USA Today: How Democrats Lost Voters In Virginia And New Jersey And What It Means For 2022

-- Inquirer: School Issues Dominated Election Day, Here’s What Happened In PA School Board Races

-- PA Cap-Star: Critical Race Theory Isn’t Taught In PA K-12 Schools, But It Permeated Local School Board Races 

-- WHYY: PA School Board Races Don’t Seem To Show A Decisive New Political Narrative

-- PennLive - Jan Murphy: Democrats Hold On To 2 House Seats In Tuesday Special Elections

-- WBTimes: Republicans Sweep Luzerne County Offices, Including Rep. Toohil Winning Judge Seat Setting Up Special Election

-- KDKA: Pittsburgh Mayor-Elect To Name Rep. Jake Wheatly Deputy Mayor [Prompting Another Special Election]

-- AP: Republicans State Appeals Court Seats; Pittsburgh Gets 1st Black Mayor

-- AP: PA Commonwealth Court Race Narrows To A Dead Heat

-- AP: Major Issues Could Come Before PA Appellate Court Judges

-- CourierT: Was Bucks County Republican Sweep A Preview Of Things To Come?

-- Inquirer: Republicans Win Back Four Bucks County Row Offices

-- WHYY: Delaware County Democrats Declare Victory In Council, Row Office Races Escaping Nationwide Republican Revival

-- Inquirer: Democrats Hold On To Delaware County Council

-- TribLive: 5 Takeaways From Election Day In Western PA

-- TribLive: Westmoreland Republicans Crow Over Election Wins As Democrats Look To Redefine Message

-- CitizensV: Republican Dominance Grows In Luzerne County

-- MCall: 5 Takeaways From Lehigh Valley Election Results

-- McCall - Paul Muschick: Voters Rejected Republican Steve ‘20 Strong Men’ Lynch, What That Means For The Future Of Northampton County’s Republican Party

-- LancasterOnline: Anti-Mask, Critical Race Theory Issues Bring Out Voters To Lancaster School Board Races

-- YorkDR: Voters In York Suburban Race Reject Conservative Candidates Focused On Masks, CRT

-- MCall: Lehigh Valley School Board Races Show Voters Want Students Back In Classroom Full Time

-- TribLive: Anti-Mask Republicans Win Westmoreland County School Board Seats

-- PA Cap-Star: Unofficial Look At County Election Day Turnout Rates - 16.88% to 40.3%  [Many Not Reporting Yet]

-- MCall - Paul Muschick: Why Lehigh Valley Election Turnout Jumped From Typical Low 20s To Over 30%

-- WESA: Allegheny County Voters Turnout Higher Than In Past Municipal Elections

-- WPSU: Centre, Blair County Municipalities Vote To Approve Second Amendment Sanctuaries

-- PennLive: Republicans Expand Congressional Target List To PA Cong. Madeleine Dean

 -- Click Here for statewide election returns.

-- How Did Election Day Go?

-- Spotlight PA: Gov. Wolf’s Wife Dropped Off His Mail-In Ballot, Violating State Election Law

Gov. Tom Wolf on Tuesday revealed his wife, First Lady Frances Wolf, dropped his mail ballot off for him, a violation of Pennsylvania election law.

State law currently prohibits, in most cases, anyone other than the voter from returning a mail ballot, an act punishable by up to one year in prison, a fine of up to $1,000, or both.

-- Dept. Of State Reports Smooth Municipal Election Without Major Incidents

-- WITF: Counties Confirm PA’s General Election Went Smoothly

-- WBTimes: Kudos For A Well-Organized Election In Luzerne County

-- MCall: Votes Counted After Midnight Changed Results In Key Lehigh Valley Races, Including Lehigh County Executive

-- MCall: Lehigh, Northampton Mail-In Ballot Returns Lag Compared To 2020

-- ReadingE: Latest Election Results Change Key Berks County School Board, Supervisor Races

-- WHYY: Montgomery County Still Counting Mail-In Ballots, Cites Delays

-- TribLive: Ballot Error Costly As Westmoreland Officials Scramble To Fox 11th-Hour Mistake

-- PA Cap-Star Guest Essay: PA’s Elections Are Secure, Lawmakers Need To Stop Trying To Scare Voters - PA League Of Women Voters 

-- Inquirer Editorial: Threats, Harassment Directed At Election Workers Imperils Democracy Too

-- Inquirer: A Delaware County Election Worker’s Lawsuit Says Fmr President’s False Rhetoric About Stolen Votes Led To Threats, Gave Him 2 Heart Attacks

-- Sharon Herald: Mercer County May Charge Sharpsville Man With Voter Fraud For Voting In 2 States

-- LancasterOnline Editorial: Hateful White Nationalists Not Welcome In Lancaster County

-- YorkD Editorial: Misfired Texas Fraud Bounty Reveal Republican Fraud

-- The Guardian: New Poll: 30% Of Republicans Say Violence May Be Necessary To ‘Save’ U.S.

-- AP: America ‘On Fire’: Facebook Watched As Republicans Ignited Hate

-- Gov. Wolf’s Redistricting Advisory Council Continues Listening Sessions Across The State

-- Gov. Wolf’s Redistricting Advisory Council To Hold Virtual Listening Session Nov. 8

-- CentreDT: Wolf’s Redistricting Advisory Council Brings Listening Sessions To Centre County

-- City & State: Gerry’s Partisan Pizza Brings Anti-Gerrymandering Message To Capitol

Governor’s Race

-- PA Cap-Star:  Republican Senate Leader Corman Preps For Republican Guv Run; Rival Republican Sen. Mastriano Explores Idea [Both Tried To Overturn The 2020 Election Results]

-- AP: Big Republican Governor’s Field Could Grow With Corman Announcement

-- MCall/TNS: Lots Of Republicans Are Running For Governor, More Likely To Join The List

-- WIFT: If Republican Sen. Mastriano Wants To Be Governor, He May Have To Moderate

-- Inquirer: Delaware County Republican David White Jumps Into Crowded Gubernatorial Race

-- PennLive - Charles Thompson: Man Killed After Collision With Republican Gubernatorial Candidate’s Car Had Alcohol, Drugs In System

-- Harrisburg Political Potpourri

-- ErieT: PA House Gift Ban Bill Doesn’t Go Far Enough

-- PA Cap-Star: Will PA Lawmakers Finally Pass Real Lobbying Reform And A Gift Ban?

-- Lancaster Online/The Caucus: Republican Sen. David Argall Gets $1,000 Month ‘Stipend’ For Republican Campaign Effort As Chair Of Republican Campaign Committee

-- Inquirer: Progressives Seek To Expand Political Footprint In Philly Thru House, Senate Races

-- AP: Republican U.S. Senate Candidate Sean Parnell’s Wife Testifies About Abuse, Being Choked  [Candidate Endorsed By Fmr President]

-- TribLive: Estranged Wife Of Republican U.S. Senate Candidate Sean Parnell Testifies He Abused Her And Children  [Candidate Endorsed By Fmr President]

-- ErieT: Fmr President Bush To Headline Jefferson Educational Society Global Summit In Erie

-- Spotlight PA: Want To See Who’s Funding Local Candidates In PA? It’s Harder Than You Think

-- PG Editorial: Time To Rein In Campaign Leadership PACs

-- PennLive - Charles Thompson: 10 Years Later Survivors Of Jerry Sandusky’s Abuse Still In Recovery Mode [They Still Don’t Have The Ability To Sue For Damages]

-- PennLive Editorial: Jerry Sandusky Forced Us To Think The Unthinkable To Protect Children [10 Years After Sandusky’s Arrest]

-- Gov. Wolf Signs Bill Extending Liquor License Flexibility For Restaurants

-- Gov. Wolf Appoints Sara Manzano-Diaz To Gaming Control Board

-- YorkDT: Explore The State Treasurer’s Vault Of Unclaimed Property

-- PG Editorial: Licensing Drug/Alcohol Recovery Homes

-- ScrantonT: State Legislators Demand Action From Harrisburg On Scranton School District Strike

-- ScrantonT: Scranton Teachers Begin Strike: ‘It’s Union Time’

-- PG: Pittsburgh Region’s Jobless Rate Dips To 6.1% In September

-- Dept. Of Revenue: Reports October State Revenues $159.9 Million More Than Anticipated; Up $788.2 Million Over Estimates For Fiscal Year 

Pennsylvania collected $2.8 billion in General Fund revenue in October, which was $159.9 million, or 6.0 percent, more than anticipated, Revenue Secretary Dan Hassell reported today. Fiscal year-to-date General Fund collections total $12.1 billion, which is $788.2 million, or 7.0 percent, above estimate.

-- MCall - Ford Turner: PA Sits On Billions In Federal Aid While Lehigh Valley Region Shoulders Large Property Tax Burden

-- Independent Fiscal Office: Reports October State Revenues $233.6 Million Over Its Estimates; Up $948.1 Million Over Estimates For Fiscal Year

-- The Center Square: Hearings Scheduled For PennDOT’s Tool Expansion Plan

-- PennLive Guest Essay: The Future Of Transportation In PA Demands Many Solutions - PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian

-- TribLive Editorial: Turnpike Payments To PennDOT Lower, But Results Still Felt

-- PG: Historic Trial On School Funding To Start Friday In Harrisburg

-- PennLive Guest Essay: On School Funding, PA Is Not Doing Its Job, That’s Why We’re In Court

-- MCall Guest Essay: PA’s Intellectual Disability & Autism Service System In Freefall

-- Wolf Administration Announces Steps To Encourage State Employee Vaccinations

Employees under the Governor's jurisdiction are eligible for up to five days of paid time off or a lump sum payment for getting the COVID vaccination.

-- AP: Federal Appeals Court Stays COVID Vaccine Mandate On Larger Businesses

-- PennLive - Jan Murphy: State Employees Offered Up To 5 Paid Days Off Or Lump Sum Value To Get COVID Vaccination

-- PennLive - Jan Murphy: [Republican] State Treasurer Denounces $100 Million ‘Backroom Deal’ To Offer State Workers Incentive To Get COVID Vaccine

-- MCall - Paul Muschick: Attention Taxpayers - Gov. Wolf Wants To Waste $100 Million To Bribe State Workers To Get Vaccinated

-- PennLive - Murphy/Thompson: Not All State Employees Treated Equally Where Vaccine Incentives Are Concerned

-- TribLive Editorial: Wolf Vaccine Days Off Not His To Give

-- TribLive: ’Public Safety Crisis’: Vaccines Encouraged As COVID Becomes Top Killer Of Police

-- PG: 5,162 New Cases Thursday Break Three Weeks Of Declining Rates In PA

-- PG: UPMC Workers Plan Strike Nov. 18

-- ScrantonT: Geisinger Medical: 100% Of Staff Met Vaccine Policy After Firing 150 Workers

-- ErieT: Many Erie Employers Will Soon Need To Follow New Federal COVID Guidelines On Employee Vaccinations

-- PG: Pittsburgh Mayor Issues Order Requiring All City Employees To Be Fully Vaccinated By Dec. 22

-- PG: Pittsburgh, Allegheny County Employees Push Back On Vaccine Mandates

-- WESA: Pittsburgh Police Union To File Grievance Over Vaccine Mandate

-- WESA: Pitt Requires All Students, Faculty, Staff Get Vaccinated By Dec. 6

-- PG: Penn State: No Plan To Mandate Student Vaccinations, Expand Employee Requirements

-- WITF: Penn State Opens COVID Vaccine Medical Exemption Process To Employees

-- LancasterOnline: 2 Lancaster City Police Office Made Fake COVID Vaccine Cards Against Federal Law

-- Inquirer: Unvaccinated?  Don’t Count On Leaving Your Family Death Benefits

-- MCall: Desperate For Workers, Lehigh Valley Restaurants Offering Money, Paid Vacations, Is It Working?

-- PG: PA Supreme Court Denies Extension Of Protections Against Evictions Order In Allegheny County

-- Inquirer: Here’s How We’ll Know The Pandemic Is Over

-- Gov. Wolf: State Health Insurance Exchange Now Open To Provide Coverage

Gov. Wolf Tuesday announced the 2022 Open Enrollment Period begins for health care coverage through Pennie, Pennsylvania’s state-based health insurance marketplace.  Visit www.pennie.com to learn more about Pennie or call Pennie customer care at 1-844-844-8040.

-- WESA: Pennsylvanians Buying Health Insurance Will Have More Affordable Options

-- PA Cap-Star: Pandemic Exposed Deep Disparities In Health Coverage For PA Kids

-- Gov. Wolf Applauds CDC Approval Of COVID Vaccines For Children Ages 5 to 11

Gov. Wolf applauded the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) approval yesterday of the pediatric Pfizer vaccine for children ages 5 through 11 and confirms that vaccine providers are ready to administer shots as soon as possible. 

-- PG: 10,000 Younger Kids Signed Up For COVID Shots On First Day At UPMC

-- PG: 5,162 New Cases Thursday Break Three Weeks Of Declining Rates In PA

-- WHYY: What You Need To Know About COVID Vaccines For Kids Ages 5-11

-- CourierT: Philly Children's Hospital Doctor Discusses Side Effects In Children From COVID Vaccines

-- PG: Western PA’s Younger Kids Begin Receiving COVID Vaccines

-- CitizensV: Requests For COVID Vaccine For Children Surging In NE PA

-- WHYY: Philly In ‘Final Stages’ Of Multi-Million Dollar Reforms Promised After Police Killed Walter Wallace, Jr.

A year after Walter Wallace Jr. was killed by police while in the throes of a mental health crisis, Philadelphia is making progress on the promise to reform the city’s response to emergencies of that kind.

-- WHYY: Bipartisan Calls For Statewide Action On Gun Violence

-- PG: When Police Shoot At Suspects In PA, Most Don’t Tell FBI

-- AP: Philadelphia Bans Traffic Stops For Minor Infractions

-- WHYY: Recent Shootings At Philly Schools; What Drove City Officials To Create New Plans For Student Safety

-- Inquirer: Philly Resettlement Agencies Anticipate Surge In Afghan Evacuees

More Afghan evacuees are leaving their temporary living quarters on American military bases for new homes in Philadelphia, and the pace of that resettlement is expected to increase over the coming weeks.

-- WITF: Afghan Refugees Begin Arriving In The Midstate

-- PG: Afghan Native Now Helping Newly Arrived Refugees Find Homes, Hope In Pittsburgh

-- WITF: New Immigrant Detention Center Proposed In Clearfield County

[Posted: November 7, 2021]  PA Environment Digest