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, Congressional

-- Courier Times: How Redistricting Flipped Primary Script On PA Republicans 

-- Governor’s Race

-- Spotlight PA: How Republican Mastriano Built A Grassroots Movement In PA On Election Denial, Christianity, And Facebook 

-- LancasterOnline Editorial: November’s Gubernatorial Election A Test Of Our Willingness To Protect Democracy 

-- AP: Mastriano Allowed To Rejoin PA Senate Republican Caucus For Meetings

-- Post-Gazette: Democrats Kick-Off PA Governor’s Race With $2.7 Million TV Campaign Attacking Mastriano’s Abortion Stance

-- BillyPenn: No Pressure, PA’s Josh Shapiro Being Painted As The Potential Savior Of Democracy

-- U.S. Senate Race

-- AP: Recount Cranks Up In PA Republican U.S. Senate Primary

-- PennLive - Charles Thompson: Federal Court Hearing Set For Tuesday On Counting Undated Ballots In PA’s Republican U.S. Senate Primary

-- PennLive - Charles Thompson: Dr. Oz Declares ‘Presumptive Win’ In PA Republican U.S. Senate Primary

-- AP: McCormick Sues To Ensure Counting Of Mail-In Ballots In U.S. Senate Race

-- MCall: Republican McCormick Loses Challenge To Some Votes In Berks County U.S. Senate Primary

-- MCall: Why Is A Republican Candidate For U.S. Senate Siding With A Democrat From Lehigh County In Fight Over Counting Undated Mail-In Ballots?

-- Post-Gazette - Julian Routh: Dr. Oz’s Lead Over McCormick Shrinks To Fewer Than 1,000 Votes As Automatic Recount Nears

-- AP: National, State Republicans Intervene In Lawsuit To Oppose Counting Certain Mail-In Ballots In U.S. Senate Race 

-- Inquirer: Court Battles Over Mail-In Ballots In PA U.S. Senate Race Have Split Republicans

-- Spotlight PA - Stephen Caruso: How Federal Court Ruling On Mail-In Ballots Could Affect 2022 Primary Results

-- AP: Lt. Gov. Fetterman Released From Hospital After Stroke

-- Courier Times: What Does PA Republican U.S. Senate Race Tell Us About November’s Election?

-- May 2022 Primary Election

-- MCall - Ford Turner: Coleman Claims Republican Primary Win Over Budget Chair Sen. Browne, Browne May Seek Recount

-- PA Capital-Star: Democrat Miller Claims Victory With 42-Vote Margin In Lehigh Valley State Senate Race

-- LancasterOnline: Far-Right Group Pushes For Recount In Landslide Victory For Republican Sen. Ryan Aument

-- Post-Gazette: How 2 SW PA Reps. Lost Re-Election Bids To Fellow Republican Challengers

-- TribLive: 200+ Undated Mail-In Ballots In Allegheny County To Be Counted, But Kept Separate

-- Spotlight PA - Stephen Caruso: How Federal Court Ruling On Mail-In Ballots Could Affect 2022 Primary Results

-- MCall: Here’s Why Federal Court Ruled Undated Lehigh County Mail-In Ballots Should Be Counted

-- MCall - Paul Muschick: Why Does Pennsylvania Stink At Holding Elections?

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: Which Ballots Should Count?  It Depends On Who They’re For

-- MCall - Bill White: PA Voters Reject Political Elites By Backing Mastriano, Fetterman

-- ABC27: Republican Rep. Mike Jones Stripped Of Committee Seats After Endorsing Republican Incumbent Challengers Who Defeated Rep. Stan Saylor, Keith Gillespie

-- PA Capital-Star: PA Voters Wanted To Burn The House And Senate Down This Primary Season - Fletcher McClellan,  Elizabethtown College

-- WITF: Here’s How Latino Candidates Did In The PA Primary

-- Election Reform/2020 Election Fallout

-- AP: Senate Republican 2020 Election Inquiry Contractor Extended By 6 Months

-- The Amistad Project: Commonwealth Court Overturns State Decertification Of Voting Machines In Fulton County - Court Opinion

-- Inquirer: Republican Behind Potential Ballot Harvesting Effort In Philly Refuses To Testify, Takes The 5th Amendment

-- PA Capital-Star Guest Essay: Democracy Hinges On Counting Every Vote - Again - Al Schmidt, Fmr Republican Elections Commissioner In Philadelphia

-- PA Capital-Star: Advocate David Thornburgh: Opening PA’s Primaries Is The ‘Right And Smart Thing To Do’

-- PennLive - John Baer: Can Anything Bring Some Normalcy To PA Politics? Yep

-- TribLive Editorial: Let’s Cut The Politics And Speed Up Vote Counting

-- York Dispatch Editorial: Fix The Problems, But Keep Mail-In Voting

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

-- PennLive - Charles Thompson: Republican Cong. Scott Perry Objects To U.S. House Subpoena, Refuses Deposition On His Role In Assault On U.S. Capital, Overturning Nov. 2020 Election Results

-- York Dispatch: 2 York County Men, Including A Republican Elected Official, Charged With Crimes In Assault On U.S. Capitol

-- PennLive: 2 Lycoming County Residents Expected To Plead Guilty To Criminal Charges Related To Assault On U.S. Capitol

-- AP: Philadelphia Proud Boys Leader Remains In Jail Waiting For Trial On Criminal Charges Related To Assault On U.S. Capitol

-- State Constitutional Amendments

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

 

-- PA Politics Of Russian Invasion

-- Independent Fiscal Office Reports Lowest Quarterly Natural Gas Production In PA Since 4th Quarter Of 2020, First Decrease In Production Growth Since 2018  [PaEN]

-- Inquirer - Andrew Maykuth: Diesel Prices Are Soaring, It Jacks Up The Price Of Just About Everything You Buy

-- TribLive: Pittsburgh Gasoline Prices Continue Climb As $5/Gallon Looms In Some Spots

-- PUC Reminds Consumers Of Options For Managing Summer Energy Utility Bills; Price To Compare Going Up Dramatically June 1  [PaEN]

-- WLVR: How To Protect Yourself From Impending Electricity Rate Hikes [Caused By Natural Gas Spikes]

-- Inquirer - Andrew Maykuth: PA Power Prices Rising June 1 By Up To 46%, There Are Ways To Save [Increases caused by natural gas price spike]

-- PUC Reminds Consumers Of Upcoming Hearings On Proposed 10% Rate Increase By Columbia Gas

-- PUC Reminds Consumers Of Hearing On Proposed 9.1% Increase By PECO Gas

-- LancasterOnline: 38% Rate Hike Looms For PPL Residential Electricity Customers Due To Spike In Natural Gas Prices

-- Post-Gazette: Pittsburgh-Based Arconic Metals Plant Supplies Russian Military, Now The Company Is Trying To Sell It

-- Bloomberg: White House Eyes Restarting Idle Refineries To Tame Fuel Prices, 1 Million Barrels A Day Of Capacity Shut By Industry

-- WSJ: Refinery Closures, Maintenance Reducing Fuel-Making Capacity, Holding Back Supplies Of Vehicle Fuels; U.S. Refineries Operating At 90% Capacity

-- Harrisburg Politics Potpourri

-- Erie Times: Large Crowd Turns Out To Honor Fmr PA Gov. Tom Ridge In Washington 

-- City & State PA: Exit Interviews: Gov. Tom Wolf, The Backstop

-- City & State PA: How Wolf’s Veto Tally Is Defining His Legacy

-- ABC27: Republican Rep. Mike Jones Stripped Of Committee Seats After Endorsing Republican Incumbent Challengers Who Defeated Rep. Stan Saylor, Keith Gillespie

-- PA Capital-Star: Reps. Gregory, Rozzi Call On Attorney General To Investigate Southern Baptist Child Sex Abuse

-- MCall: PA Lawmakers Hear Testimony On Proposal To Inform Consumers On Selling Of Their Data

-- Inquirer: Newly Released Emails Show How State Employee Pension Fund Managers Tried To Undercut Whistleblower

-- PennLive: Senate Republicans Advance Bill Blocking Trans Female Athletes From Girls, Women’s School Sports

-- City & State PA: Exit Interviews: U.S. Senator Pat Toomey, The Fiduciary

-- Budget 2022

-- TribLive: Republican Primary Losses Could Make University Of Pittsburgh Funding A Target In PA Budget

-- SpotlightPA - Stephen Caruso: High-Profile Republican Primary Losses Could Make Passing PA’s Next Budget Painful

-- Independent Fiscal Office Initial Revenue Estimate For FY 2022-23 $47.7 Billion Up From  FY 2021-22 $41.9 Billion

-- PA Capital-Star: Flush With Cash, PA Could See Its Surplus Go Down The Drain

-- The Center Square: Fiscal Office: A 60% Chance Of Stagnation For The PA Economy

-- TribLive Editorial: Gambling Money Not Reliable In Economic Down Times

-- City & State PA: With Budget Season Approaching, PA Business Leaders Want A Corporate Tax Cut

-- The Center Square: Tax Credits For Film Production A Political Favorite, With Questionable Results

-- COVID Pandemic/Health

-- McCall: PA COVID Update: 29,664 Cases, Deaths Triple To 249 In Last Week

-- Centre Daily Times: All But 3 PA Counties Have High COVID Spread Risk

-- Post-Gazette: Allegheny County COVID Risk Level Moves From Medium To High

-- Erie Times: COVID Cases Surge In Erie County, Hospitalizations Rise Slowly

-- Centre Daily Times: Centre County Moved Back Into High Risk COVID Level

-- MCall: Latest COVID Strain Surges In Lehigh Valley, It Could Be Confused With Seasonal Allergies

-- Post-Gazette: COVID, Higher Workforce Costs Cut UPMC Q1 Income

-- Inquirer: Philly-Area Hospitals Face Epic Wage Inflation Surge, Causing Losses In Millions

-- WHYY: Philly Giving Free COVID Tests To Party Throwers, Event Organizers

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: Time To Rescind Anti-Social Prison COVID Rules

-- Spotlight PA: Companies Blanket PA About How To Get Medical Marijuana Cards, But Doctors Are Silent

-- Post-Gazette: PA Long-Term Care Advocates Warn Of Another Crisis On The Way

-- PA Capital-Star Guest Essay: PA’s Most Vulnerable Residents Are At Risk, Only Lawmakers Can Fix It

-- MCall: Mom Charged After 9-Year-Old Allegedly Brings THC-Infused Candy To Private PA Charter School In Chester, Shares With Students 

-- Warren Times: Republican Sen. Laughlin Proposes Bill To Allow Edible Medical Marijuana

-- Penn State: What Do I Need To Know About Monkeypox?

-- AP: Man Pleads Guilty To Sending Threatening Email To Dr. Fauci, Dr. Levin

-- COVID - Schools

-- TribLive: Masks Required Again In Fox Chapel Schools As COVID Cases Rise

-- Post-Gazette: University Of Pittsburgh Reinstitutes Indoor Mask Mandate As COVID Risk Reaches High Level In Allegheny County

-- PennLive: Penn State To Require Face Masks Indoors At University Park, 13 Other Campuses

-- Opioid Deaths

-- AG Shapiro Releases Special Report On Fentanyl Becoming Dominant Opioid In PA

-- PA Capital-Star: Bill Allowing Fentanyl Test Strips Passes House Committee

-- MCall: PA Counties Go Their Own Ways In Getting Aid To Families Of Babies Born With Withdrawal Symptoms

-- School Districts/Higher Education

-- PennLive Guest Essay: PA’s Students Deserve Equity, And We Can Deliver - Democratic Reps. McClinton, Bradford, Harris

-- MCall Guest Essay: Racial Injustice Is On Trial In PA School Funding Case - Rev. Gregory Edwards

-- Scranton Times: Education Group Finds Private Cyber Charter School Used Taxpayer Money For Concert Tickets, Vacations, Arcades

-- Scranton Times Editorial: Audit Spending Of Taxpayer Dollars By Private Online Charter Schools

-- Post-Gazette: Pittsburgh Public Schools To Operate On Modified Lockdown In Response To Texas Shooting

-- TribLive: Pittsburgh Public Schools In Lockdown After Texas Shooting, Teaches Remotely At Banksville

-- Scranton Times: PA Student Stabbed 9 Times Following Fight In School Bathroom In Coatesville; Hunt On For 16-Year-Old Suspect

-- WHYY/6ABC: Family Identifies Student Stabbed At Coatesville H.S., Suspect Not In Custody

-- Warren Times: Automatic Knife Legalization Bill Passes State House [Switchblades]

-- AP: Youth, 16, Charged With Attempted Murder In Coatesville School Stabbing

-- KYW: Central Bucks School District Under Fire For Allegations Of Discrimination Against LGBTQIA+ Students

-- WHYY: Proposed Book Approval Process For Central Bucks Schools Vague, Unclear Some Parents Say

-- TribLive: Rep. DeLuca Seeks Ban On Cellphone Use In Schools Statewide

-- TribLive: Proposal Would Require Greater Public Access To Records From Pitt, Penn State, Others

-- TribLive: Pittsburgh Business, Community Leaders Publicly Support University Of Pittsburgh Funding

 

Texas School Massacre

-- AP: PA House Votes Against Taking Up Bill Banning Assault Weapons After Texas Killings

-- Post-Gazette: PA House Democrats Fail In Their Attempt To Force Vote On Assault Weapons Ban

-- MCall - Paul Muschick: One Day After Texas School Shooting, Spineless PA Republican Lawmakers Endorse Assault Weapons 

-- Gov. Wolf To Lawmakers: Enact Common Sense Legislation To End Gun Violence

-- Erie Times: Sen. Casey - We Cannot Surrender To Gun Violence

-- WHYY: Gun Violence Activists Call For Stronger Legislation To Stop Mass Shootings, Street Violence

-- TribLive: Commonwealth Court Rules Against Pittsburgh Assault Weapons Ban

-- Post-Gazette: Commonwealth Court: Pittsburgh Can’t Enact Assault Weapons Ban

-- PA Capital-Star - John Micek: Legislature’s Utter Inaction On Most Basic Constraints On Gun Violence Is One Of The Great Moral Failures Of Governance Of The Last Decade

-- PA Capital-Star: Advocates For Black, Brown, LGBTQ, Women Call For ‘Meaningful’ Gun Reform

-- PennLive: State-Mandated School Safety Protocols Aim To Protect Students In PA Schools

-- Scranton Times: PA Student Stabbed 9 Times Following Fight In School Bathroom In Coatesville; Hunt On For 16-Year-Old Suspect

-- WHYY/6ABC: Family Identifies Student Stabbed At Coatesville H.S., Suspect Not In Custody

-- Warren Times: Automatic Knife Legalization Bill Passes State House [Switchblades]

-- AP: Youth, 16, Charged With Attempted Murder In Coatesville School Stabbing

-- TribLive: Westmoreland School Officials Alerted To Possible Threat Against  Student, Employee

-- TribLive: Security Measures Heightened, In Western PA School Districts After Texas Shooting

-- Post-Gazette: How Do Pittsburgh-Area Schools Handle Security?  It Varies

-- MCall: Lehigh Valley School Districts Call For Prevention Efforts After Texas School Shooting

-- Citizens Voice: Luzerne County School Officials Confident Of School Security, Continue To Evaluate

-- WHYY: Advocates Say Parents Play A Major Role In Stopping Youth Gun Violence

-- Republican Herald: Blue Mt. School PTO Mom Proposes Armed, Trained Volunteers In Schools

-- Newsweek: Texas Police Didn’t Enter School As ‘They Could’ve Been Shot’ - Lieutenant

-- PennLive: Gunfire Inside York County Walmart Triggered By Confrontation In Store

-- PA Capital-Star: Philly Black Clergy, Allies, Call For More Money For Gun Violence Prevention

-- Inquirer: What PA Voters Think About Gun Control, According To Polls

-- TribLive Guest Essay: Stop Telling Me What Won’t Work To Address Gun Violence, Tell Me What Will Keep Me From Reliving Every Mother’s Worst Nightmare   

-- PA Capital Star - John Micek: Our National Pathology Over Guns Is No Longer Insane, It’s In human

-- Altoona Mirror Editorial: America’s Children Deserve So Much Better [Than Texas School Massacre]

-- TribLive Editorial: In Wake Of Texas School Shooting, Is There Any Hope Left?

-- PennLive Editorial: We Don’t Want What Happened In A Texas School To Happen Here

-- LancasterOnline Editorial: Massacres Of Schoolchildren Continue To Lead To Anguish, But Not Action

-- Inquirer Editorial: American Loves Guns More Than Kids

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: Yes To New Gun Laws, But The Crisis Is Deeper Than Firearms

-- Scranton Times Editorial: Start, At Last, To Revamp Gun Culture

-- Scranton Times Editorial: Pass Red Flag Gun Law

-- Post-Gazette: Toomey Says He Hasn’t Given Up On Expanded Background Gun Checks Passing U.S. Senate

 

-- Gun Violence/Law Enforcement

-- TribLive: Commonwealth Court Rules Against Pittsburgh Assault Weapons Ban

-- Post-Gazette: Commonwealth Court: Pittsburgh Can’t Enact Assault Weapons Ban

-- WHYY: Gun Violence Activists Call For Stronger Legislation To Stop Mass Shootings, Street Violence

-- Inquirer: Gun Sales, Permits Surged During Pandemic In Philly, PA

-- AP: Police: Video Captures Man Shooting 4 Walking To Prom Party In Philadelphia

-- KYW: Man Dead, 2 Women Injured In Triple Shooting Outside Philly Church

-- Citizens Voice Editorial: Bill Builds Confidence In Investigations Of Police-Involved Shootings

-- PA Capital-Star: PA House Bill Would Ban Sale Of Body Armor That Aided Buffalo, Texas Shooters

-- PennLive: PA Senate Panel Holds Hearing On Juvenile Justice Reform Bills, But Advocates Ask For More

-- Inquirer Guest Essay: I Was A Juvenile Lifer, Here’s How To Help Philly Kids Avoid The Same Fate

-- Spotlight PA: Sen. Haywood Urges Legislature To Make It Easier For Attorney General To Investigate Killings By Police

-- LancasterOnline - Brad Bumsted: Groups Urge PA’s Chief Justice To Intervene On Access To Criminal Records

-- PennLive: Many Records For People Convicted Of Murder, Rape And More Are Being Hidden From Public In PA Under ‘Clean Slate’

-- Scranton Times Editorial: Refine Rules To Reopen Court Records

-- WHYY: Praise For Philly Diversion Program Rooted In 2020 Civil Unrest

-- KYW: Philadelphia Ordered To Pay 2 Female Ex-Officers $1 Million In Lawsuit Over Gender Discrimination, Sexual Harassment

-- NextPittsburgh: What 23 Recommendations Were Made In Voter-Mandated Review Of Pittsburgh Police?

-- PA Capital-Star: America’s State Supreme Courts, Including PA, Have A Diversity Problem

-- PennLive: Fmr AG Kathleen Kane Pleads Guilty To Probation Violation, Sentenced To Treatment Program

-- PA Economy

-- TribLive Editorial: Apprenticeship Could Solve Workforce, Student Loan Problems

-- MCall: 2nd Emergency Baby Formula Shipment Will Come To Nestle’s Distribution Center In Lehigh Valley

-- Warren Times: County Commissioners Receive Report On How Many Refugees Could Be Settled In County; Depends On Who They Are

[Posted: May 29, 2022]