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

Because In Politics Everything Is Connected To Everything Else--

-- Gov. Shapiro

-- Spotlight PA - Stephen Caruso, Katie Meyer: Shapiro Rebuilt A Bridge, Weathered A Messy Budget, Walked Fine Partisan Lines In 2023

-- Politics PA: Shapiro Speaks To First Year In Office

-- Inquirer: Gov. Shapiro’s Condemnation Of Fmr Penn President Raised His National Profile (Again)

-- WHYY: As Philadelphia Grapples With Antisemitism Accusations, Elected Leaders Highlight The ‘Challenge Before Us’ During Interfaith Rally

-- The Guardian: Protest Against A Top Israel-Born Chef At Goldie Restaurant In Philadelphia Called Antisemitic; Staff Tell A Different Story

-- PennLive: Protest Calling For Ceasefire In Gaza Shuts Down Harrisburg Streets

-- Legislators, State Officials Get Automatic 3.5% Pay Raise In 2024

-- Budget 2023

-- PennLive: Legislature Finalizes, Shapiro Signs Deal On Remaining PA Budget Issues

-- PA Capital-Star: Shapiro Signs Final Budget bill After Late Night Votes In Legislature

-- Post-Gazette - Ford Turner: PA Lawmakers Wrap Up 2023-24 State Budget

-- The Center Square: Pennsylvania Budget Done

-- PA Capital-Star: Legislature Passes Education Bills Without Level Up Funding

-- WHYY/AP: PA Republican Lawmakers Sink Aid To Penn Veterinary School As Statehouses Watch How Universities Are Handling Israel-Hamas War

-- PennLive: Lawmakers Defeat Funding For Penn Veterinary School Over Stance On Antisemitism

-- PennLive - Jan Murphy: PA Lawmakers Could Be Entering The Most Productive Week Of The Year - Or Not

-- MCall Guest Essay: PA Legislators Hurt Students By Delaying Funds For Community Colleges - By Lehigh Carbon Community College

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: Legislators, You Have 3 Days To Fund Our Community Colleges

-- Post-Gazette - Ford Turner: Rep. Mercuri Wants To Make Any State Money For Universities Contingent On Standing Against Antisemitism

-- Independent Fiscal Office Reports Cigarette Tax Collections Collapse Since Pandemic

-- PA House/Senate

-- TribLive/AP: PA House Back To 101-101 Partisan Divide With Resignation Of Democratic Rep. Galloway 

-- PennLive: Rep. Galloway’s Departure Adds More Drama To This Year’s Political Upheaval In PA House

-- Rep. Joe Kerwin (R-Dauphin) To Go On Military Deployment In East Africa For Several Months, Will Be Placed On Leave

-- Post-Gazette - Ford Turner: 3 Month Halt Of House Session Has People Asking - Leak Damage Repair Or Political Maneuvers?

-- PA Capital-Star: Feb. 13 Special House Election Set To Fill Rep. Galloway Seat

-- PA Capital-Star: McClinton, Ward Talk Trust, Budget, Business At PA Chamber Dinner

-- City & State PA: A Q/A With PA House Speaker Joanna McClinton On Her First Year As Speaker

-- City & State PA: 13 Things To Know About The PA Budget, Other Bills Passed By Lawmakers In December

-- TribLive Editorial: PA House Members Need To Make Unexpected Break A Working Vacation

-- Spotlight PA - Stephen Caruso: Mix Of Reform-Minded, Tough-On-Crime Justice Bills Now Law In PA

-- WHYY: Meek Mill Joins Shapiro For Signing Probation Reform, Clean Slate Legislation

-- PennLive - John Baer: Given Our Legislature, Maybe PA Needs Direct Democracy

-- Legislators, State Officials Get Automatic 3.5% Pay Raise In 2024

-- Post-Gazette - Ford Turner: Rep. Mercuri Wants To Make Any State Money For Universities Contingent On Standing Against Antisemitism

-- WITF: PA Lawmakers Grapple With Hate Speech In Education

-- Williamsport Sun: Statute Of Limitations For Child Abuse Cases Is On The Periphery Of State Legislative Agenda

-- PA Capital-Star: Nearing The End Of Its First Year, PA Legislative Latino Caucus Sees More Work Ahead

-- US Senate/House

-- TribLive: Fetterman Says He Is ‘Not A Progressive’

-- Inquirer: Democratic Opponent Of Republican Con. Scott Perry Uses AI Robot To Call Voters

-- November 7, 2023 Election

-- PA Capital-Star: Spending On PA Supreme Court Race Set Record - $19.5 Million

-- Politics PA: PA Superior Court Election Spending Tops $2.6 Million

-- Citizens Voice: Luzerne County Manager Releases Judge’s Report On Nov. Election Glitches

-- 2024 Elections

-- Post-Gazette: PA Democrats Endorse Casey, Biden For 2024 Reelection

-- MCall: PA Democrats Endorse Kenyatta For Auditor General; No Endorsements For Attorney General

-- PennLive: PA Democrats Make 2024 Endorsements, But Attorney General’s Race Remains Open

-- City & State PA: Candidates Running For PA Auditor General In 2024

-- PA Capital-Star: Feb. 13 Special House Election Set To Fill Rep. Galloway Seat

-- Spotlight PA: Shapiro Administration Cancels $10.7 Million Contract For PA Voter Roll System Upgrade

-- Post-Gazette - Ford Turner: PA Voter Registration Up 65% Since Automatic Registration At PennDOT Centers Began

-- The Center Square - Anthony Hennen: PA’s Loss Of County Election Officials Raises Concerns About Errors

-- TribLive: Rep. Dunbar Won’t Run Again For State House

-- Post-Gazette: William Petulla Running For House Seat Being Vacated By Rep. Mercuri

-- City & State PA: Who’s Running For PA Attorney General?

-- Election Reforms

-- PennLive - John Baer: Given Our Legislature, Maybe PA Needs Direct Democracy

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: For Candidates Running For 2 Offices, The Cure May Be Worse Than The Disease

-- National Politics

-- PennLive Guest Essay: America’s Elected Officials Need To Do Better - By Mark Singel

-- Miscellaneous State/Harrisburg Politics

-- Inquirer Column: Democrats In Delaware, Montgomery Counties May Have Won On Social Issues, But They’re Governing With Tax Hikes

-- PennLive - Jan Murphy: Resolution Calling 2023 The ‘Taylor Swift Era’ Squeaks Thru PA House 103 to 100

-- PA Politics Of Russian Invasion

-- AAA Gasoline Prices: PA- $3.44; National- $3.07; Ohio- $2.71

-- TribLive: National Average Gasoline Cost Falls For 3 Months Straight, At Lowest Level This Year

-- Baker Hughes: PA Natural Gas Drill Rigs Same As Last Week - 20

-- Reuters: US Natural Gas Prices Up 1% On Higher Demand, Record LNG Exports 

-- Reuters: US Natural Gas Producer EQT Explores Sale Of Production Assets Worth $3 Billion In NE PA

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: Shale Gas Exports Get A Seat At The Global Table: ‘That’s Our Business’  [EQT]

-- Bob Donnan Blog: Unleashing LNG Natural Gas Exports On Pennsylvania’s Habitat

-- Bloomberg: Energy Crisis Grips Pakistan After LNG Natural Gas Traders Left Country In The Cold

-- Reuters: Freeport LNG Natural Gas Plant Settles With EPA Over Safety Failures In 2022 Texas Blast

-- House Hearing: Shapiro Administration Supports Expanding Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards; Renewables Lower Energy Costs; Increase Grid Reliability; More Work Needed To Improve Natural Gas Reliability  [PaEN]

-- PJM Makes Multiple Reliability-Focused Improvements To Prepare For Winter To Deal With 70% Natural Gas, Other Generator Nonperformance In 2022  [PaEN] 

-- Utility Dive: North American Electric Reliability Corp Board Risks Missing Deadline For Adopting New Generator Winterization Standards To Ensure Grid Reliability  [Response To Winter Storm Elliot Problems] 

-- Reuters: Extreme Cold Still Poses Reliability Challenge For North American Power Generators, Particularly Natural Gas Infrastructure - NERC

-- House Passes Bill Requiring Registration Of Cryptocurrency Mining Operations, Impact Study  [PaEN] 

-- Utility Dive: US Electricity Load Growth Forecast Jumps 81% Led By Data Centers, Industry 

-- Financial Times: Oil Demand Slowing ‘Drastically,’ Says IEA 

-- Oil & Gas Health

-- Former Employees Of Eureka Resources Oil & Gas Wastewater Treatment Company Ask For Criminal Investigation Of Eureka And An Audit Of DEP Over Alleged Workplace, Environmental Violations  [PaEN]

-- Public Herald: I Turned Blue - Workers Share Horrifying Experiences Treating Oil & Gas Wastewater

-- Williamsport Sun: Ex-Employees Seek Criminal Probe Against Eureka Resources Oil/Gas Wastewater Treatment Plant In Williamsport 

-- NorthcentralPA.com: Former Eureka Resources Employees Ask Lycoming County DA Gardner For Criminal Investigation Of Workplace At Oil/Gas Wastewater Treatment Plant

-- Citizens Voice: Former Eureka Employees Ask Lycoming County DA For Criminal Investigation Of Workplace At Oil/Gas Wastewater Treatment Plant

-- Williamsport Sun: Fracking Water Spills At Eureka Resources Oil/Gas Wastewater Treatment Plant In Williamsport

-- Senate Environmental Committee Reports Independent Energy Information Office Bill; Democrats Attempt To Table Environmental Hearing Board Nominee  [PaEN] 

-- Videos Now Available From PA League Of Women Voters, University Of Pittsburgh School Of Public Health Shale Gas & Public Health Conference; Dept. Of Health Pushing For Changes To Reduce Adverse Health Impacts  [PaEN] 

-- TribLive Letter: For Natural Gas Industry, Concern For Health Should Trump Industry Profits

-- Lock Haven Express Letter: Who Does Senator Yaw Represent? - By Karen Elias

-- The Daily Item Letter: We Deserve A Refund, Too, From The Legislature [Pitt Shale Gas Health Studies]  - By Trey Casimir

-- HEI Energy Hosts Dec. 18 Webinar On New Research On Community Exposures To Oil & Gas Development & Groundwater Contamination In Beaver, Greene & Washington Counties  [PaEN] 

-- Gas Explosions

-- TribLive: Cottage Explosion On Property Of Sewickley Heights Mansion Sends 1 To Hospital 

-- TribLive: Neighbor Describes ‘War-Like’ Natural Gas Explosion That Destroyed Sewickley Heights Cottage 

-- 6ABC.com: Man, 2 Dogs Lucky To Be Alive After Massive House Explosion In Berks County, Propane Gas Used For Heat

-- Train Derailments

-- TribLive/AP: EPA Begins Formal Review Of Vinyl Chloride, Toxic Chemical That Burned In Norfolk Southern Train Derailment

-- Education

-- PA Capital-Star: Legislature Passes Education Bills Without Level Up Funding

-- Scranton Times Editorial: Harrisburg Plays Grinch In Taking Away Level Up School Funding

-- AP: PA Program To Fund Private Schools Criticized As ‘Discriminatory’

-- TribLive Editorial: Addressing Discrimination In PA Taxpayer Funded Private Schools Program Is Necessary

-- Post-Gazette: Books Targeted For Bans By Western PA School Boards Almost Never Checked Out, Analysis Shows

-- Erie Times: PA School Districts Can Lock Out Homeless Students, A New Bill Would Change That

-- Scranton Times: Learning From Each Other: 62 Different Languages Spoken In Scranton Public Schools

-- PennLove - Jan Murphy: Senate Passes Bill Mandating Armed School Security Officers In PA Schools

-- MCall Guest Essay: PA Legislators Hurt Students By Delaying Funds For Community Colleges - By Lehigh Carbon Community College

-- PennLive: Lawmakers Defeat Funding For Penn Veterinary School Over Stance On Antisemitism

-- WHYY/AP: PA Republican Lawmakers Sink Aid To Penn Veterinary School As Statehouses Watch How Universities Are Handling Israel-Hamas War

-- Post-Gazette - Ford Turner: Rep. Mercuri Wants To Make Any State Money For Universities Contingent On Standing Against Antisemitism

-- WITF: PA Lawmakers Grapple With Hate Speech In Education

-- Inquirer: Penn Leadership Upheaval Could Have A ‘Chilling Effect’ On College Presidencies And University Operations Nationally

-- Post-Gazette: Penn President’s Resignation Sparks Conversations On Campus Free Speech, Antisemitism

-- Inquirer: Penn Faculty Fear The Donor Who Started Effort To Oust University President Is Attempting To Set The Agenda For Trustees

-- TribLive: Weighing In On Social, Political Issues Has Become Minefield For College Presidents

-- TribLive: Carnegie Mellon Graduate Alleges ‘Cruel Campaign Of Antisemitic Abuse’

-- WSJ: How Rich Alumni Ousted Penn’s President Liz Magill

-- Inquirer Editorial Cartoon: Who Has More Free Speech?

-- TribLive Editorial: UPenn President’s Resignation Is Lesson To Other College Presidents

-- PennLive: Indiana University Of PA Takes Big Step Toward Opening State-Owned System’s First Medical School

-- Health Care

-- PennLive: Flu Cases Rising, RSV Still Soaring In PA

-- TribLive: UPMC To Reinstate Medical Mask Policy Due To Increases In COVID, Flu, Other Illnesses

-- WPXI: Washington County School District To Go Remote Due To Surge In Flu Cases

-- TribLive: ‘Frightening Rate’ Of Children Dying Due To Parents’ Drug Abuse 

-- TribLive Editorial: The Best Use Of Opioid Settlement Funds - Protecting Children From Parents’ Drug Abuse

-- Erie Times: Death Rates At PA Hospitals On Rise For These Health Conditions

-- NPR: US Is Unprepared For Growing Threat Of Mosquito And Tick-Borne Viruses

-- TribLive: Expansion Of PA Permits To Grow, Sell Medical Marijuana Headed To Governor’s Desk

-- Law Enforcement

-- WHYY/AP: PA Passes Laws To Overhaul Probation System, Allow Courts To Seal More Criminal Records

-- Spotlight PA - Stephen Caruso: Mix Of Reform-Minded, Tough-On-Crime Justice Bills Now Law In PA

-- WHYY: Meek Mill Joins Shapiro For Signing Probation Reform, Clean Slate Legislation

-- Play PA: Attorney General Plans To Appeal ‘Skill Games’ Gambling Court Decision

-- Williamsport Sun: Statute Of Limitations For Child Abuse Cases Is On The Periphery Of State Legislative Agenda

-- TribLive: Study Identifies Glaring Racial Disparities, Recommends Changes In, Allegheny County’s Justice System

-- Inquirer: Bomb Threats Made Against Jewish Centers In Philadelphia, Bucks County

-- WHYY: Fliers Promoting White Nationalism Distributed Across Neighborhood In Montgomery County

-- The Economy

-- Play PA: Attorney General Plans To Appeal ‘Skill Games’ Gambling Court Decision

-- Other

-- PennLive: Gov. Wolf Sells Central PA House, Will Move To Philadelphia

[Posted: December 17, 2023]