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

Because In Politics Everything Is Connected To Everything Else--

-- Governor’s Race

-- Politics PA: Fox News Poll: Double-Digit Leads For Democrats Shapiro, Fetterman

-- NYT: Emails Shed Light On Republican Fake Electors Plan [Including PA Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano As ‘Point Person’ In PA]

-- WESA: PA Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano Called ‘Point Person’ In Fake Elector Scheme, But Some Republican Alternative Electors Have Doubts

-- PennLive/TNS: Did Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano Play A Role In Fake Elector Plot?  His Campaign Remains Silent

-- Inquirer: Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano Claims Josh Shapiro Is ‘Deliberately Inciting’ Crimes Against Him, Silent When Asked For Proof

-- PennLive - Charles Thompson: Under Mounting Pressure, Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano Distances Himself From Gab And Its Founder’s Christian Nationalist Rhetoric

-- TribLive: Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano Removes Gab Page, Responds To Criticism Of Social Media Platform

-- Scranton Times Editorial: True Threat In False Electors Scam

-- AP: Republicans Warm To Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano In PA

-- WHYY: As Republicans Openly Back Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano, Jewish Dems Tell Them ‘There’s No Coming Back From This’ 

-- Inquirer: PA Republican Leaders Now Giving Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano A ‘Second Look’

-- PA Capital-Star: PA Democrats: Mastriano’s Pursuit Of Extremist Voters Makes Him Unfit To Serve As Governor

-- Post-Gazette Guest Essay: Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano Posts With Bigots On Gab Social, Voters Should Know

-- PennLive - Charles Thompson: What Is Gab And Why Are Opponents Of Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano Blasting Him For Using It?

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: The Gift Of ‘Gab’ Is No Gift At All - Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano Gets His Message Out Thru Far-Right Social Media

-- Post-Gazette: Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano Urges State-Related Colleges To Freeze Tuition As Wolf Secures More Aid

-- City & State PA: Q/A With Republican Candidate For Lt. Gov. Carrie Lewis DelRosso

-- Post-Gazette: Republican Lt. Gov. Candidate DelRosso Plays Balancing Act With Runningmate Mastriano

-- Post-Gazette - Grandon McGinley: Don’t Kid Yourself - Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano Can Win

-- PennLive Guest Essay: Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano Wants To Cut Public School Funding By Billions - PA State Education Association

-- PennLive - Jan Murphy: Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano Calls For Arming School Employees To Protect Kids

-- PA Capital-Star Guest Essay: Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano’s Plan To Arm Teachers Is The Ultimate Madness

-- Scranton Times Editorial: Guns In Schools Ensure More Violence

-- Inquirer: Republican Toomey Backs Dr. Oz For U.S. Senate, Won’t Say Same About Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano 

-- Politics PA: Poll: Fetterman, Shapiro Hold Commanding Leads

-- Newsweek: Boosting Of Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano ‘Paying Off’ For Democrats In PA - Pollsters

-- PA Capital-Star: Democratic Candidate For Governor Shapiro Unveils Economic Plan To Grow Businesses, Train Workers, Expand Energy Industry

-- Courier Times: Democratic Candidate For Governor Shapiro Touts Economic Plan At Lackawanna Campaign Stop

-- Post-Gazette: Shapiro Tells Pittsburgh His ‘Business-Friendly’ Administration Would Slash Corporate Tax

-- U.S. Senate Race

-- Politics PA: Fox News Poll: Double-Digit Leads For Democrats Shapiro, Fetterman

-- Inquirer: Republican Candidate For U.S. Senate Dr. Oz Said He’d Vote Yes On Same Sex Marriage Bill

-- Politics PA: Poll: Fetterman, Shapiro Hold Commanding Leads

-- AP: Fetterman Harnesses Power Of Social Media In PA U.S. Senate Campaign

-- The Atlantic: John Fetterman Is Very Online, That’s Not Why He’s Ahead

-- Inquirer: Republican Toomey Backs Dr. Oz For U.S. Senate, Won’t Say Same About Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano 

-- PennLive: ‘Lost’ Creator Displeased With Dr. Oz Meme Attacking Fetterman In U.S. Senate Race

-- Inquirer: Fetterman Getting A Flood Of National Money As He Faces Dr. Oz In U.S. Senate Race

-- PennLive - Jan Murphy: Lt. Gov. Fetterman’s Handling Of Health Crisis Subject Of PA Senate Committee Inquiry

-- November 2022 Election

-- Inquirer: ‘Stop The Steal’ Allies Back On PA Ballot, Could Win More Power Over Next Election

-- Post-Gazette - Julian Routh: Races For Western PA Congressional Seats Won’t Be Run On The Cheap

-- Politics PA: Can Democrat Daniels Make A Run A Republican PA Cong. Scott Perry?

-- PA Capital-Star: PA Democratic Member Of Congress Wild Holds $2 Million Advantage Over Republican Opponent

-- WHYY/BillyPenn: Fired Up Young Progressives Are Jumping Into Philly Politics, Will City’s Democratic Machine Douse Their Flame?

-- Post-Gazette: Gen Z Mobilizes For Midterm Elections As Study Emphasizes Young Voters’ Outsized Impact On PA Politics

-- Politico: Democratic Groups Target PA, Other Battleground States With Staffing Program

-- PA Capital-Star: The Changing Complexion Of PA’s Voter Rolls From 1988 to 2022

-- May 2022 Primary Election

-- AP: Fate Of 800 Mail-In Primary Votes Gets 1st Court Hearing

-- MCall - Paul Muschick: Why Is PA Still Arguing About Undated Mail-In Ballots?  Judges Have Ruled, Count Them 

-- LancasterOnline: Republican Lancaster County Commissioners Look To End Contract With YWCA For Family Aid Services Over Their Opposition To The County’s Decision To Remove Mail-In Ballot Dropboxes

-- LancasterOnline: Republican Lancaster County Commissioners Approve YWCA Contract, But Put Nonprofits On Notice For ‘Political Advocacy’ [For Making Voting Easier]

 

-- November 2020 Election

-- Post-Gazette: Butler County Tallying Some 2020 Mail-In Ballots To Gather Information For Future Elections

 

-- Election Reform/2020 Election Fallout

-- MCall - Ford Turner: Wolf Administration Republican House Member Fight War Of Words Over Undated Mail Ballots - ‘Disinformation’ vs. ‘Chaos’

-- Inquirer Guest Essay: PA’s Budget For County Election Offices Will Have Unintended Consequences; Counties Need Pre-Election Day Ballot Processing

-- TribLive Guest Essay: A Step Toward Election Integrity In PA [Constitutional Amendments On Voter ID, Election ‘Audits’] - Sen. Kim Ward (R-Westmoreland)

-- Inquirer Guest Essay: Voter ID Laws Will Help Restore Trust In Our Elections

-- MCall - Paul Muschick: Why Is PA Still Arguing About Undated Mail-In Ballots?  Judges Have Ruled, Count Them 

-- York Dispatch Editorial: PA Republicans Again Turn Their Backs On Voters

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

-- NYT: Emails Shed Light On Republican Fake Electors Plan [Including PA Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano As ‘Point Person’ In PA]

-- WESA: PA Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano Called ‘Point Person’ In Fake Elector Scheme, But Some Republican Alternative Electors Have Doubts

-- WESA: Republican PA Cong. Kelly’s Office Confirms Former Aide Was Part Of ‘False Elector’ Scheme, Even As Kelly Denies It

-- PennLive Guest Essay: Republican PA Cong. Scott Perry Unfit To Represent PA

-- LancasterOnline: Lancaster County Man Waits Behind Bars For Resolution Of Criminal Charges Related To Assault On U.S. Capitol  

-- WITF: Centre County Man Charged With Crimes Related To Assault On U.S. Capitol Contemplating A Guilty Plea

-- MCall: Lehigh County Man Charged With Crimes Related To Assault On U.S. Capitol Pleads Guilty, Faces Up To 9 Years In Prison 

-- AP: Lehigh County Man Admits Attacks On Police, AP Photographer During Assault On U.S. Capitol

-- MCall: Lehigh County Man Charged With Crimes Related To Assault On U.S. Capitol Admitted To Being There

-- Inquirer: ‘Stop The Steal’ Allies Back On PA Ballot, Could Win More Power Over Next Election

-- MCall: Allentown School Board Fires Teacher Suspended After Attending Rally Connected With Assault On U.S. Capitol

-- PA Capital-Star: PA Democratic Member Of Congress Dean Says Ex-President Should Be Criminally Charged For Role In Assault On U.S. Capitol

-- State Constitutional Amendments

-- Gov. Wolf Files Lawsuit Against Republicans In General Assembly Over Proposed Constitutional Amendment On Voting, Abortion

-- AP: Wolf Sues To Stop Republican-Backed Constitutional Amendments On Voting, Abortion  

-- PennLive - Jan Murphy: Wolf Sues General Assembly In Effort To Preserve Abortion Rights In PA

-- PA Capital-Star: Wolf Asks PA Supreme Court To Invalidate Constitutional Amendment On Abortion In Emergency Filing

-- TribLive Editorial: Wolf And Legislature Resort To Cartoon Cat Fighting [Over Constitutional Amendments]

-- LancasterOnline - Brad Bumsted: PA Legislature’s Focus On Constitutional Amendments Could Upset Checks And Balances In Harrisburg

-- Inquirer Guest Essay: PA’s Budget For County Election Offices Will Have Unintended Consequences; Counties Need Pre-Election Day Ballot Processing

-- TribLive Guest Essay: A Step Toward Election Integrity In PA [Constitutional Amendments On Voter ID, Election ‘Audits’] - Sen. Kim Ward (R-Westmoreland)

-- Scranton Times Editorial: Republicans In General Assembly Have Scant Regard for Checks & Balances Built Into State Constitution

-- Politics PA: The PA Constitution As A Political Tool

-- WITF/PennLive: After 2021 Debacle, PA On Track To Advertise Proposed Republican Constitutional Amendments

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

 

-- PA Politics Of Russian Invasion

-- PennDOT, DEP Highlight Commitment To Clean Transportation By Sheetz, Pittsburgh Clean Cities, PPL; Update On Federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Funding  [PaEN]

-- PA Capital-Star: With Millions In Federal Funding, PennDOT Charges Ahead On Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Development In PA

-- Electrification Coalition Applauds PA For Submitting Plan To Build EV Charging Infrastructure Under Federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law  [PaEN]

-- TribLive: Gasoline Prices Declining, Pittsburgh-Area Prices Among Highest In State

-- Post-Gazette: Cost Of Commuting In Pittsburgh Has Jumped 60%, Gasoline Prices Are Not The Top Reason

-- Inquirer - Andrew Maykuth: How To Save On Energy Costs: Fuel Oil Up 70%, Natural Gas Up 38%, Electricity Up 14% (Driven By Natural Gas)

-- Post-Gazette: IGS Acquires Dominion Energy Solutions And Budget Billing For Natural Gas Customers Skyrockets

-- Natural Gas Intelligence: EQT Drilling Working To ‘Catalyze’ East Coast LNG Projects Amid Appalachian Constraints

-- Post-Gazette Guest Essay: Pipelines To Prosperity -  End Pipeline Permitting Obstructions, Accelerate LNG Exports, Designate Critical Energy Infrastructure  - American Petroleum Institute

-- Casper Star Tribune (Wyoming): Natural Gas/LNG Exports, Production Troubles, Heat Waves Behind High Energy Costs  

-- Reuters: Limited Fracking Supplies, Capital Constraints, Labor Shortages Hampering U.S. Oil, Natural Gas Production 

-- Baker Hughes: No Change In PA Natural Gas Drilling Rigs Last Week; No Change In July - 24

-- Harrisburg Politics Potpourri

-- NBCNews: PA Republican Cong. Thompson Attended Gay Son’s Wedding 3 Days After Voting Against Same Sex Marriage 

-- MCall - Paul Muschick: Why Gay Rights Advocates Should Thank PA Republican Cong. Thompson For His Hypocrisy

-- TribLive Guest Essay: Where Does Republican PA Cong. Thompson Really Stand On Gary Marriage?

-- York Daily Record Guest Essay: Keep Domestic Abusers Out Of Public Office - Rep. Conklin

-- WESA: Advocates For Homeless Veterans Tell PA Lawmakers: We Need More Money, Less Red Tape

-- PennLive: Jon Stewart Targets Pat Toomey In Rant After U.S. Senate Fails To Pass Bill To Aid Veterans

-- NPR: PA Sen. Pat Toomey, 24 Republicans Vote Against Bill To Help Sick Veterans

-- PA Capital-Star: The Changing Complexion Of PA’s Voter Rolls From 1988 to 2022

-- Budget 2022

-- The Center Square: PennDOT’s Funding Plans Propose Road User Fees, Package Tax

-- Spotlight PA: Wolf Quietly Steers $40 Million To Pitt, PA’s Other State-Related Universities

-- Scranton Times: Transportation Tax Structure Needs Jolt

-- COVID Pandemic/Health

-- Centre Daily Times: Number Of PA Counties At High COVID Community Spread Jumps To 13

-- TribLive: Some Have Avoided COVID, But Their Numbers Are Dwindling

-- TribLive: Allegheny County Rises To Medium Level Of COVID Spread

-- Post-Gazette: Allegheny County Counts 20 Monkeypox Cases As Local Vaccination Efforts Ramp Up

-- MCall: Monkeypox Is In The Lehigh Valley, What Happens Now?

-- PA Capital-Star: Philadelphia Announces Targeted Vaccine Response To Monkeypox

-- Inquirer: LGBTQ Leaders And Residents Angered Over Philly’s Monkeypox Vaccine Shortage

-- AP: New York City Declares Monkeypox A Public Health Emergency

-- WITF Smart Talk: PA Students’ Mental Health Concerns Educators

-- Post-Gazette: Allegheny Health Network Data Breach Affects Some 8,000 Patients

-- Post-Gazette: Legal Battles Flare Over UPMC, Star Surgeons

-- MCall: PA Hospital Profits Jumped In 2021 Report Says, But Some Dispute The Findings

-- MCall: PA Medical Marijuana Grower Lays Off Dozens, Says Industry Taken Over By Out-Of-Staters

-- PennLive - Jan Murphy: $55 Million In Student Loan Debt Relief On Its Way For PA Nurses

-- COVID - Schools

-- AP: Some Schools Hit Hard By COVID Make Few Changes For New Year

-- Opioid Deaths

-- AG Shapiro Announces $4.25 Billion Preliminary Agreement With Opioid Manufacturer Teva

-- AG Shapiro Announces $2.37 Billion Agreement With Fmr Opioid Manufacturer Allergan

-- WESA/AP: PA, 11 Other States Reach Deal Over Marketing, Safety Of Generic Opioids

-- Post-Gazette: PA Expanding Use Of Overdose-Reversing Drug, Though Critics Say It’s Unnecessary

-- The Center Square: As Opioid Deaths Rise, Change Considered To PA’s Drug Death Statute

-- Scranton Times Editorial: Use All Tools To Diminish Opioid Overdose Crisis

-- School Districts/Higher Education

-- AP: Commonwealth Court Judge To Decide If State Sufficiently Funds Education

-- Inquirer: PA School Funding Is ‘Inadequate,’ ‘Inequitable,’ And ‘Illogical’ State Court Hears As Landmark Trial Closes

-- PennLive Guest Essay: Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano Wants To Cut Public School Funding By Billions - PA State Education Association

-- Post-Gazette Guest Essay: PA Republicans Believe In School Choice - For Others

-- Inquirer: Central Bucks School Board Approves Contentious Library Policy Targeting ‘Sexualized Content’ In Books Amid Community Opposition

-- WITF Smart Talk: PA Students’ Mental Health Concerns Educators

-- PennLive - Jan Murphy: Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano Calls For Arming School Employees To Protect Kids

-- PA Capital-Star Guest Essay: Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano’s Plan To Arm Teachers Is The Ultimate Madness

-- Scranton Times Editorial: Guns In Schools Ensure More Violence

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: Reading, Writing And Guns For Teachers

-- Spotlight PA: Wolf Quietly Steers $40 Million To Pitt, PA’s Other State-Related Universities

-- Post-Gazette: Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano Urges State-Related Colleges To Freeze Tuition As Wolf Secures More Aid

-- AP: PA State-Related Universities Reject Republican Call To Freeze Tuition; Infusion Of 1-Time Bump In Funding Will Not Eliminate Larger Financial Pressures

-- TribLive: Penn State Will Receive $12.1 Million In Federal Funds But Is Still Raising Tuition, Here’s Why

-- Post-Gazette: Pittsburgh Area Universities, Companies Eyeing Semiconductor Bill In Congress That Could Bring Billions

-- TribLive Editorial: Why So Quiet On State-Related College Money Gov. Wolf?

-- PennLive - Jan Murphy: $55 Million In Student Loan Debt Relief On Its Way For PA Nurses

-- WITF: General Assembly Wants You To Know Where Your In-State Student College Tuition Discount Comes From

-- PennLive: Caregiver Shortage Threatens College Dream Of Messiah University Student With Cerebral Palsy

-- Gun Violence/Law Enforcement

-- MCall: Dozens Of First Responders Training For Mass Shooting At Lehigh Valley School This Weekend, Residents Should Avoid The Area

-- Inquirer: U.S. Army Conducts Drills In Philly To Train For ‘America’s Worst Day’

-- Inquirer: Family Of 73-Year-Old Man Fatally Beaten By Teens With Traffic Cone Says Kids Are Gathering Outside Their Home Harassing Them; Judge Issues Stay-Away Order

-- The Center Square: Police Arrests Dropped 60% In Pittsburgh In Past 8 Years, Following Nationwide Trend

-- PA Capital-Star: PEW Awards $4.25 Million To Philly Nonprofits Fighting Gun Violence, Creating Jobs

-- Inquirer Editorial: Philadelphia Doesn’t Need To Return To Bad Old Days Of Stop-And-Frisk

-- Post-Gazette: Report: Allegheny County Homicides Concentrated In Small Number Of Neighborhoods

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: Going To The Source Of Gun Violence

-- TribLive: PA State Trooper Shot In Aliquippa; Suspect Shooter In 2005 Killing

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: DNA Evidence Undeniably Shows The U.S. Criminal Justice System Makes Egregious Mistakes

-- MCall: Muhlenberg College Pairs Students, Inmates To Find Ways To Keep People Out Of Prison

-- PA Capital-Star Guest Essay: Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano’s Plan To Arm Teachers Is The Ultimate Madness

-- Scranton Times Editorial: Guns In Schools Ensure More Violence

-- PA Capital-Star: U.S. House Passes Ban On Assault Weapons After Spate Of Gun Violence

-- Scranton Times: Fmr AG Kathleen Kane To Face Trial For Drunken Driving

-- PA Economy

-- PA Capital-Star: These States Have Highest Worker Resignation Rates, Where Did PA Fall?

-- AP: DOJ: Warren Buffett’s Mortgage Company Redlined In Philly

-- Inquirer: U.S. Dept. Of Justice Reaches ‘Historic’ Redlining Settlement With Philadelphia Mortgage Lender

-- Post-Gazette: Allegheny County Rent Assistance To End July 31

-- Post-Gazette: New PA App Will Connect Homeless Students With Resources

-- PennLive: New Tip Rules For Restaurant Workers In PA Aren’t ‘Going To Change The World’

-- Scranton Times Editorial: PA Out Of Step On Minimum Wage, But Lawmakers Take Care Of Themselves

-- City & State PA: How PA Local Governments Are Handling Proliferation Of Cyberattacks

-- PA Capital-Star: Philly Community College Program Aims To Fight Truck Driver Shortage

-- MCall: Muhlenberg College Pairs Students, Inmates To Find Ways To Keep People Out Of Prison

-- Post-Gazette: Sheetz Launches Western PA Expansion, Plans To Open 30 Stores In 5 Years

-- Erie Times: Union Pacific Locomotive Modernization Deal Worth Over $1 Billion To Wabtec

-- WESA: How Long Can Workers Compete With AIs? The Fate Of 2 Pittsburgh Factories Could Offer Clues

-- Erie Times: Why Erie’s $6 Million Cruise Ship Terminal Is Still Offline

-- Post-Gazette: 15,000 Western PA Teamsters’ Pension Benefits Restored

-- AP: Wawa To Pay $8 Million To States, Including PA, For 2019 Data Breach

-- Post-Gazette: Allegheny Health Network Data Breach Affects Some 8,000 Patients

-- TribLive: Fraudulent Text, Email Message Target PNC Bank Customers

 

Other

-- TribLive Editorial: U.S. Should Work To Bring Oakmont’s Marc Fogel Home From Russia, Too 

[Posted: July 31, 2022]