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

Because In Politics Everything Is Connected To Everything Else--

-- Gov. Shapiro

-- SpotlightPA: Why Some Shapiro Cabinet Picks Are Still ‘Acting’

-- PennLive - Charles Thompson: IFO Says PA’s New Labor Contracts To Cost Taxpayers $3.2 Billion Over 4 Years

-- Independent Fiscal Office: Budget Impact Of New Union Contract FY 24-25 - $696 Million

-- Budget 2023

-- MCall Guest Essay: PA Budget Fails To Do Anything To Lower Property Taxes; It’s Time To Just Abolish Them - By Sen. Lisa Boscola (D-Lehigh)

-- PennLive - Charles Thompson: IFO Says PA’s New Labor Contracts To Cost Taxpayers $3.2 Billion Over 4 Years

-- Independent Fiscal Office: Budget Impact Of New Union Contract FY 24-25 - $696 Million

-- SpotlightPA - Stephen Caruso: Plan To Stop Diverting Road Dollars To State Police Could Be A Final Piece Of This Year’s Budget

-- Post-Gazette: University Of Pittsburgh’s Transparency Has Been Budget Sticking Point; Here’s What State-Related Universities Are Required To Do

-- PA Gaming Control Board Reports July Revenue From All Gaming Up 9% Over July 2022

-- Post-Gazette: PA Casino Revenues Keep Climbing Post-Pandemic

-- PA Senate/House

-- The Center Square: Senate Republican Suggests Curbing Powers Of Acting Cabinet Secretaries

-- Inquirer: Making $100,000 For 50 Days Of Work Is Just One Perk Of Being A PA Lawmaker

-- U.S. Senate/House

-- AP: Republican McCormick Gearing Up For PA U.S. Senate Run, But He Lives In Connecticut

-- York Dispatch: Dr. Oz Repaid Himself $1.2 Million From Failed PA US Senate Bid, And He’s Still Raising Money

-- Post-Gazette: Republican State Rep. Mercuri Announces Bid For Congress Against Incumbent Chris Deluzio

-- Post-Gazette: Congressional Financial Disclosure Form Highlights From Summer Lee, Mike Kelly

-- November 2023 Election

-- Politics PA: A Look At The PA Supreme Court Election Race

-- PA Capital-Star: PA’s Judicial Elections Matter, Here’s Why

-- National Politics

-- PennLive - John Baer: Republican Presidential Candidate Proposes Young People Pass A Civics Test Before They Can Vote In Elections

-- WITF: Ephrata Mayor Leaves Republican Party In Lancaster County; Cites Ex-President, Far-Right Extremism As Reasons For Exit

-- Election Reforms

-- SpotlightPA: PA Will Track Voting Machine Malfunctions Under New Settlement With Election Security Groups

-- WITF: PA Lawmakers Look To Move 2024 Primary Election Earlier To Avoid Passover

-- Oil & Gas Development Health Study Results

-- University Of Pittsburgh School Of Public Health Studies Find Shale Gas Wells Can Make Asthma Worse; Children Have An Increased Chance Of Developing Lymphoma Cancer; Slightly Lower Birth Weights  [PaEN]

-- State Dept. Of Health Apologizes For Not Listening To Communities Suffering Health Impacts From Shale Gas Development; New Health Study Results ‘Just The Tip Of The Iceberg’  [PaEN] 

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: Who Pays For Natural Gas Development’s Harm?  Pennsylvania Should Acknowledge The Clear Fact That Fracking Has Hurt People, Specifically Children  [PaEN]

-- The Center Square: Natural Gas Well Setbacks May Not Be Protective Enough After Health Impact Study Results 

-- Post-Gazette: Processing Research On Southwestern PA Natural Gas Development And Health, Residents Seek Answers Together: ‘We Deserve Better’

-- Village Of Reno, Venango County Contaminated Water Supply

-- The Derrick: DEP Issues Order To Petro Erie, Inc. To Restore Village Of Reno Water System, Cleanup Contamination Caused By Its Conventional Well Wastewater Release; 1 Month Without Clean Water  [PaEN]

-- The Derrick - Luka Krneta: Petro Erie Ordered To Rectify Issues Related To Village Of Reno Water Supply Contamination By DEP In Venango County  [PDF of article]

-- The Derrick - Makayla Keating: PUC Issues Emergency Order To Aqua Pennsylvania To Operate The Village Of Reno Water System In Venango County Contaminated By Conventional Oil Well Wastewater   [PDF of article ]

-- WTAE: To The Frustration Of The Village Of Reno Residents, ‘Do Not Consume’ Water Advisory Approaches One Month Mark In Venango County, After Contamination By Conventional Oil Well Wastewater Spill   

-- The Derrick - Luka Krneta: Consumable Water For Village Of Reno, Venango County, Might Not Be Far Off, After Contamination By Conventional Oil Well Wastewater Spill  [PDF of article]

-- The Derrick - Makayla Keating: Fundraising Event Brings In $1,000 For Village Of Reno Water Emergency Fund In Venango County  [PDF of article] 

-- Plum Borough Home Explosion

-- DEP Investigating Other Possible Sources Of Methane As Part Of Response To Plum Borough Home Explosion, Including Nearby Conventional, Shale Gas Wells  [PaEN]

-- Public Utility Commission Safety Investigation Ongoing Following Deadly House Explosion In Plum Borough, Allegheny County  [PaEN]

-- TribLive: 6th Victim Dies From Plum Borough House Explosion

-- Train Derailments

-- WTAE: Darlington Twp., Beaver County Residents Express Concerns 6 Months After Norfolk Southern Train Derailment

-- Beaver County Times: Casey, Fetterman Urge Norfolk Southern To Join Federal Program That Shields Railroad Workers Who Report Close Calls On Rail Safety

-- PA Politics Of Russian Invasion

-- AAA Gasoline Prices: Pennsylvania- $3.90; National- $3.86;  Ohio- $3.58

-- The Hill: Gasoline Prices On The Rise Despite High Oil Production In The US  [Because It’s A World Market] 

-- Baker Hughes: PA Natural Gas Drill Rigs Up 2 From Last Week To 21

-- Gas Outlook: IEA - Natural Gas Demand Could Peak Sooner Than Thought; Revises Natural Gas Demand Forecast Down By 40% Due To War In Ukraine 

-- PA/Harrisburg Politics Potpourri

-- PA Capital-Star: PA’s Judicial Elections Matter, Here’s Why

-- Politics PA: A Look At The PA Supreme Court Election Race

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

-- AP: Federal Prosecutors Ask For 30-Year Prison Sentence For Zachary Rehl, President Of Proud Boys Philadelphia Chapter For Crimes Related To Assault On US Capitol 

-- York Dispatch: Republican Cong. Perry Rents Offices From Man Who Allegedly Attacked Law Enforcement During Assault On US Capitol

-- Health Care

-- MCall: COVID Hospitalizations Increase Statewide; Virus Spikes In Lehigh County Wastewater

-- Erie Times: COVID Hospitalizations Rise Among Erie County Residents

-- Post-Gazette/Capitolwire.com - Robert Swift: Nursing Home Reimbursement Issue Looms For PA Lawmakers

-- Education

-- Post-Gazette/Capitolwire.com: Republican Rep. Ortitay Proposes Giving School Boards Authority To Cut Property Taxes By Hiking Other Taxes

-- PennLive: Cost Sends PA Community Colleges To Bottom Of National Ranking

-- Post-Gazette: University Of Pittsburgh’s Transparency Has Been Budget Sticking Point; Here’s What State-Related Universities Are Required To Do

-- Post-Gazette: Pitt Chancellor Joins Group Of College Presidents Launching New Campaign In Defense Of Free Speech

-- The Center Square: In-State Tuition At Penn State, University Of Pittsburgh Among Costliest Nationwide

-- The Economy

-- AP: PA’s Jobless Rate Has Fallen To A New Record Low, Matching The National Rate  

-- Dept. Of Labor & Industry Reports Record Low 3.5% Unemployment Rate In July

-- PA Gaming Control Board Reports July Revenue From All Gaming Up 9% Over July 2022

-- Post-Gazette: PA Casino Revenues Keep Climbing Post-Pandemic

-- AP: US Steel Rejects $7.3 Billion Buyout Offer From Rival Cleveland-Cliffs; Considers Alternatives

-- AP: Privately Held Esmark Makes Offer For US Steel, Sets Up Bidding Contest For Iconic Steelmaker

-- Other

-- PennLive: Meet The PA Team Playing In The 2023 Little League World Series In Williamsport

[Posted: August 20, 2023]