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

Because In Politics Everything Is Connected To Everything Else--

-- Gov. Shapiro

-- PennLive - Jan Murphy: Shapiro Offers Peek At 2024-25 Budget Priorities [Education, Minimum Wage Hike]

-- Gov. Shapiro: A Year Of ‘Getting Stuff Done,’ Status Of 40+ Promises And How He Followed Thru

-- Inquirer: Shapiro Drew National Attention Last Year, But 2024 Will Bring A Big Test Of His Bipartisan Promises

-- Gov. Shapiro Announces Older Pennsylvanians Can Now Apply For Expanded Property Tax/Rent Rebates; June 30 Deadline 

-- Capital & Main - Audrey Carleton: Gov. Shapiro Promised 30% Renewable Electricity By 2030, Will That Happen? 

-- Budget 2024

-- PennLive - Jan Murphy: Shapiro Offers Peek At 2024-25 Budget Priorities [Education, Minimum Wage Hike]

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: Another State Budget, Another Chance To Help PA’s Struggling Disability Care System

-- PA Gaming Control Board Reports Record High Gaming Revenue For 2023

-- PA Gaming Control Board Reports Nearly 12.5% Gaming Revenue Increase In December

-- PA House/Senate

-- Spotlight PA: Relief For Child Sexual Abuse Survivors, Other Constitutional Amendments Halted In PA’s Split Legislature

-- TribLive/AP: Gun Control Measures Advance Out Of Democratic-Controlled House Committee

-- Spotlight PA - Stephen Caruso: What’s Next For Ethics Complaint Against Republican State Sen. Mastriano Related To His Attempt To Overturn 2020 Election Results

-- US Senate/House

-- WITF/LancasterOnline: Man Convicted Of Raising Money For  Fake Political Group Plans To Challenge Con. Smucker In Republican Primary

-- WESA: Fetterman, Casey Introduce Legislation To Address Ongoing College Campus Discrimination

-- Post-Gazette: Fetterman Bill Seeks To Protect College Students Attacked During Israel-Hamas War

-- TribLive: Fetterman To Pen Political Memoir With ‘Friday Night Lights’ Author

-- PA Capital-Star: ‘Moving Away From Old Republican Party’: Tomasetti Says She’s Ready For PA US Senate Republican Primary

-- Post-Gazette - Salena Zito: For Republican US Senate Candidate McCormick, It All Began In Humble Bloomsburg

-- 2024 Elections

-- City & State PA: Quick Guide To Special House Election In Bucks County

-- WITF: Lebanon County Removes Its Only Ballot Drop Box

- PA Capital-Star: Democrat Bizzarro Criticizes Republican State Treasurer Garrity For Endorsing Ex-President As She Demands Apology For ‘Insurrectionist Barbie’ Post

-- Erie Time: Fetterman Staff Member Enters State Senate Race For Seat Held By Republican Sen. Laughlin

-- York Dispatch: Challengers Prepare To Vie For Rep Keefer’s House Seat

-- PennLive - Jan Murphy: Democrat Makes Fresh Attempt To Flip Rep. Keefer’s House Seat

-- WESA: Democrat Launches Bid To Challenge Republican State Sen. Robinson In Allegheny County

-- Rep. Kaufer Announces He Will Not Seek Reelection

-- KDKA: In Close Election 18-Year-Olds In PA Could Make The Difference, But Most Don’t Register To Vote

-- WESA: Fast-Growing Segment Of PA Latino Voters Shapes Up As Key Target For 2024 Elections

-- The Center Square: Forward Party In PA Targets More Local Victories

-- Election Reforms

-- PennLive: PA Lawmakers Seek To Tame The ‘Wild, Wild West’ Nature Of Artificial Intelligence In Elections

-- City & State PA: PA Among The States Vying For Leadership Role On AI

-- Post-Gazette Guest Essay: To Keep Money From Dominating Our Politics For Our Freedom Amendment Should Be Added To Our Constitution - By Mitchell Hescox, Evangelical Environmental Network

-- National Politics

-- Politico.com: Northampton County Voters Are Frightened About American Democracy

-- PennLive - John Baer: The Unwanted Race For President Is On; Is Our Electoral System Failing?

-- Inquirer: Some PA Republicans Insist Presidential Race Has Just Begun

-- AP: 56,260 People Was Enough For Ex-President To Record A Win In Iowa

-- PA’s Role In Assault On US Capitol

-- Spotlight PA - Stephen Caruso: What’s Next For Ethics Complaint Against Republican State Sen. Mastriano Related To His Attempt To Overturn 2020 Election Results

-- PennLive: Cumberland County Man Convicted Of Crimes In Assault On US Capitol Asks For Delay In Prison Time To Finish Fencing Job

-- Miscellaneous State/Harrisburg Politics

-- City & State PA: PA Among The States Vying For Leadership Role On AI

-- PennLive: Judge Asks Why Dispute Involving Ex-Rep. Mirabito Isn’t A Civil Matter

-- Erie Times: Which Local Officials Ran Afoul Of PA Ethics Act In 2023

-- PA Politics Of Russian Invasion

-- AAA Gasoline Prices:  PA- $3.34   National- $3.08   Ohio- $3.10 

-- Bloomberg: US Oil Production Falls By 10 Million Barrels Amid Cold Snap

-- Reuters: North Dakota Oil Output Falls By Half Due To Extreme Cold 

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Winter Storm Elliot Drives Over $1 Million Investment In Equipment To Mitigate Damage To Commercial Properties

-- Marcellus Drilling News: US Natural Gas Prices Make Huge Jump On Deep Freeze; Some Shale Gas Prices Increase By 400%

-- Baker Hughes: PA Natural Gas Drilling Rigs Increase By 2 To 21

-- Reuters: Severe US Cold Snap Prompts Peak Power, Natural Gas Demand, Drop In Gas Production  [Freeze-offs Caused 17 Billion Cubic Foot Reduction In Gas Production; 19.6 Bcfd Reduction During Winter Storm Elliott; 20.4 Bcfd Reduction In Feb. 2021] 

-- Reuters: US Natural Gas Supplies Drop Due To Frozen Wells, Record Demand Forecast Due To Extreme Cold  [Again] 

-- Reuters: US Natural Gas Demand Eyes Record As Arctic Blast Dents Output

-- Reuters: US LNG Natural Gas Feedgas To LNG Plants Drops To One-Year Low By Arctic Freeze, Problems At Freeport LNG Plant In Texas

-- Bloomberg: US Deep Freeze Force LNG Natural Gas Exporters To Cancel, Delay Shipments 

-- Bloomberg: EU Sees Natural Gas Storage Levels More Than Half Full By Winter’s End

-- Bloomberg: LNG Natural Gas Tankers Divert From Red Sea As Qatar Warns Of Escalation

-- Financial Times: The LNG Natural Gas Glut Will Chill The Gas Ambitions Of Oil Majors

-- Financial Times: US Energy Security Role In Question As Natural Gas Exports Receive New Scrutiny

-- Reuters: OPEC May Need Further Crude Oil Supply Curbs To Balance Market

-- Oil & Gas Impacts

-- TribLive Letter: Proliferation Of Natural Gas Operations In Bell Township, Westmoreland County Raise Concerns - Cody Deluisio

-- Train Derailments

-- Better Path Coalition: Norfolk Southern Train Derailment - One Year Later, Feb. 1 Virtual Brown Bag Briefing  [PaEN] 

-- PA Capital-Star: One Year After Norfolk Southern Train Derailment, Is East Palestine, OH Safe?  Depends On Whom You Ask

-- WESA: Norfolk Southern CEO Touts Progress One Year After Ohio Train Derailment

-- The Allegheny Front: Norfolk Southern Train Derailment Reveals Need For More First Responder Training

-- Education

-- PennLive Guest Essay: What’s Missing From Basic Ed Funding Report: Bipartisanship; Money Isn’t A Quick Fix; Accountability - By Commonwealth Foundation

-- TribLive: 3 Pittsburgh Schools On Modified Lockdown Thru Friday Due To Online Threats

-- TribLive: Norwin Senior Citizens Could Get Property Tax Break For Volunteering At Schools

-- WESA: Conservative Republican Group Sues Pine-Richland Schools Over Protections For Trans Students

-- AP: York County School District Votes To Reinstate Native American Logo Criticized As Insensitive

-- TribLive: Dual Enrollment Numbers Are Rising; At Western PA Community Colleges, That Could Stave Off Enrollment Downturns

-- TribLive: State-Owned University System, Faculty Union Reach Potential Labor Deal

-- The Center Square - Anthony Hennen: Critics Worry State-Owned College Troubles Result From Overstaffing In Face Of Decline In Students

-- MCall: Muhlenberg College Added To List Of Schools Under Federal Investigation For Alleged Discrimination

-- TribLive: Carnegie Mellon University Hit By Cyberattack, Informs 7,300 People Possibly Affected

-- WESA: Fetterman, Casey Introduce Legislation To Address Ongoing College Campus Discrimination

-- Post-Gazette: Fetterman Bill Seeks To Protect College Students Attacked During Israel-Hamas War

-- Health Care

-- PennLive: Latest COVID Death Rate Keeps It Among To Killers

-- WESA: Allegheny County Dodges Measles, COVID Continues To Take A Toll

-- Scranton Times: COVID Cases On The Rise In Many Areas Of NE PA

-- WESA: Legislation Would Restore Dental Coverage For Adults On Medicaid In PA

-- Law Enforcement

-- Spotlight PA: Relief For Child Sexual Abuse Survivors, Other Constitutional Amendments Halted In PA’s Split Legislature

-- Erie Times: Erie Catholic Diocese Probing Abuse Claims Against Late Prep Headmaster

-- The Center Square: PA’s Sex Trafficking Problem Misunderstood

-- AP: PA Can’t Stop Young Adults From Openly Carrying Guns During Emergencies, Federal Appeals Court Rules

-- TribLive/AP: Gun Control Measures Advance Out Of Democratic-Controlled House Committee

-- York Daily Record: York Gun Violence Down Dramatically In 2023, Here’s Why Say Police

-- Scranton Times Editorial: PA Senate Republicans Should Allow Debate On Statewide Assault Weapons Ban

-- The Economy

-- Dept. Of Labor & Industry Reports PA December Unemployment Rate 3.5%, Up 0.1% From November

-- PA Gaming Control Board Reports Record High Gaming Revenue For 2023

-- PA Gaming Control Board Reports Nearly 12.5% Gaming Revenue Increase In December

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: ‘Talk Is Cheap’ Says Union After Filing Grievances Against US Steel Over its Sale To Nippon

-- Other

-- MCall: Lehigh Valley Resident, Bath Boro In Northampton County Battling Over His Requests For Open Records

-- TribLive Editorial: What Is Your Dream?

[Posted: January 21, 2024]