Top 10 Stories: Harrisburg/PA Politics Reported By Local News Media Last Week

Because In Politics Everything Is Connected To Everything Else--

-- New Voting Districts - Senate, House

-- Inquirer: Reapportionment Chair Mark Nordenberg On Drawing New Voting Districts, Republican Attacks And What Comes Next 

-- Spotlight PA: PA Redistricting Maps: Search How To See Your Old, New Voting Districts

-- AP: PA Secretary Of State Issues Warnings To Lawmakers  Over Voting District Map Delays Affecting Primary Election

-- 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

-- AP: Judge: County, State Must Agree On Voting System Inspection Rules As Part Of Republican ‘Investigation’ Of Nov. 2020 Election

-- 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

-- AP: Jan. 6 House Panel Seeks Interview, Records From Republican Cong. Scott Perry On His Role In Trying To Overturn Nov. 2020 Election Results

-- 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

-- AP: Republican Cong. Scott Perry Denies U.S. House Panel’s Request For Interview On His Role In Trying To Overturn Nov. 2020 Election Results

-- PennLive - Charles Thompson: Republican Cong. Scott Perry Declines Invitation To Meet With House Committee Investigating Assault On U.S. Capitol

-- WITF: Showdown Could Be Brewing Between Republican Cong. Scott Perry And House Committee Investigating Efforts To Overturn The Nov. 2020 Election Results

-- 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

-- PennLive: UPMC Doctor: Few Nursing Home Residents Ending Up Hospitalized For COVID; Unvaccinated Account For 95% Of Deaths, 90% Of Intensive Care Patients

-- WESA: PA’s Hospitals Are Already Strained, Omicron Will Likely Make It Worse

-- ScrantonT: PA Surpasses 10,000 New COVID Cases In A Day

-- TribLive: Republican Senate Majority Leader Kim Ward Shares Reports Of COVID-Fueled ‘Dire Situation’ At Hospitals, But Opposes Vaccine Mandates

-- PG: Dr. Peter Salk, Son Of Polio Vaccine’s Developer, Speaks On COVID Hesitancy: ‘He Would Have Been Shocked’ 

-- 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

-- PennLive: PA Supreme Court Opinion Issued: We Voided PA’s School Mask Mandate Because The Health Secretary Circumvented The Law

-- AP: PA Supreme Court: Lack Of Emergency Order Or Regulation Doomed School Mask Mandate

-- MCall: ‘Masking Is Political Theater,’ Lehigh Valley School Board Member Tries To End District’s Masking Requirement

-- 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

-- WHYY: ‘It Doesn’t Feel Legitimate’: William Penn School District Takes The Court Stand In PA School Funding Trial

-- 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: PA Supreme Court: Student Who Said He Wanted To ‘Beat The Record’ After School Massacre Didn’t Issue A ‘True Threat’

-- PennLive: Harrisburg Mom Charged With Felony In Bleach Attack Against 6th Grader

-- LancasterOnline Editorial: Threat Of School Violence Plausible In Face Of TikTok Challenge

-- PG: How One Munhall Home Purchase Illustrates Allegheny County’s Property Tax Assessment Issues: ‘A Newcomer Tax?’

-- 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

-- MCall: Lawsuit Claims Mennonite Farm Held Boys For Forced Labor, Experts Say Those Allegations Highlight Role Of Discipline In Mennonite Faith

-- 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?

-- PG: Pittsburgh Redevelopment Authority Forgives More Than $2.9 Million In Loans To Small Businesses Hit By Pandemic

-- 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?

-- PG: How One Munhall Home Purchase Illustrates Allegheny County’s Property Tax Assessment Issues: ‘A Newcomer Tax?’

-- 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

[Posted: December 26, 2021]