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

Because In Politics Everything Is Connected To Everything Else--

-- Gov. Shapiro

-- Gov. Shapiro Unveils 2024-25 Budget Proposal To Get Stuff Done, Create Opportunity And Advance Real Freedom For Pennsylvanians

-- Gov. Shapiro’s 2024-25 Budget Address As Prepared

-- Inquirer: Gov. Shapiro To Senate Republicans - If You Don’t Like My Ideas, Bring Your Own

-- TribLive Editorial: Shapiro Wants To Build On ‘What We Did Last Year Together,’ Really?

-- Inquirer: Fmr  Sen. Vince Fumo Also Used The ‘Get S--t Done’ Motto

-- Budget 2024

-- Gov. Shapiro Unveils 2024-25 Budget Proposal To Get Stuff Done, Create Opportunity And Advance Real Freedom For Pennsylvanians

-- Gov. Shapiro’s 2024-25 Budget Address As Prepared

-- WTAE ‘Let’s Be Real:’ PA Needs A $15 Minimum Wage, Governor Says

-- AP: Gov. Shapiro Seeks Billions For Schools, Development In Budget That Envisions Legal Weed

-- AP: Gov. Shapiro Seeks  School Funding Boost To Help Poorer Districts, But Republicans Wary

--  Spotlight PA: Shapiro Pitches Legal Marijuana, Regulated Skill Games In Budget That Bumps Education Spending By $2.2 Billion

-- The Center Square - Anthony Hennen: Shapiro’s Budget Plan - Stop Losing To ‘Friggin’ Ohio’

-- WHYY: Gov. Shapiro Proposes $4 Million To Erase Medical Debt For Thousands Of Pennsylvanians, Issue Hits Rural Areas Hard [Warren, Greene, Bradford, Franklin, McKean]

-- Spotlight PA - Stephen Caruso: PA Could Wipe Out Up To $400 Million In Medical Debt Under Shapiro Proposal

-- PennLive - Charles Thompson, Jan Murphy: Shapiro Touts Plan To Spend PA’s Big Surplus, Republicans Set To Apply Brakes

-- PA Senate Republican Leadership: Massive Spending Increase In Shapiro Budget Raises Concerns: ‘Unicorns And Rainbows’

-- Politics PA: Senate Republican Leader Says Shapiro’s Budget Numbers ‘Don’t Add Up’ And ‘He’s Angling For Something Nationally’

-- PA House Democratic Leaders Praise Governor’s Budget Proposal

-- PennLive - John Baer: Gov. Shapiro’s Big, Bold Budget An Epic Ask For Legislature Used To Saying ‘No’

-- TribLive Editorial: Shapiro Wants To Build On ‘What We Did Last Year Together,’ Really?

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: Shapiro’s Budget Offers A Chance To Show That Compromise Works

-- PA House/Senate

-- PennLive - Jan Murphy: House, Senate Ended 2023 Sitting On Surplus Of  $298.5 Million In Taxpayer Money In Their Legislative Accounts 

-- AP: What To Expect In Feb. 13 Bucks County Special House Election

-- Inquirer: Feb. 13 Special Election In Bucks County Will Determine Control Of PA House

-- Republican Rep. Joe Adams (Pike/Wayne) Resigned From The House Citing Family Obligations

-- Post-Gazette/AP: Republican House Member’s Resignation Shifts Power Back To Democrats Ahead Of Next Week’s Special Election

-- PA Capital-Star: Republican Joe Adams Resigns From House Prompting Need For Yet Another Special Election

-- Inquirer: PA Democrats Say Rep. Kevin Boyle Is ‘Seeking Help’ After Outburst At Bar; Has Been Struggling With Mental Health

-- Inquirer: Police Investigating Rep. Boyle’s Drunken Outburst At Montgomery Bard, Including Alleged Threats He Would Hit Female Employees

-- Inquirer Columnist: Do-Nothing Democrats In PA House Hold Bipartisan Reforms Hostage

-- PennLive - Jan Murphy: PA Senators Want To Know More About How Data Was Lost On State Computers

-- US Senate/House

-- LancasterOnline: Con. Smucker Republican Primary Challenger Back In Prison For Violating Parole

-- Post-Gazette: Western PA Republicans Oppose Biden’s Pick Of First Muslim American To Federal Appeals Court

-- Washington Examiner - Salena Zito: Two PA Congressional Races Could Be National Bellwethers

-- 2024 Elections

-- AP: Democrats Defending Their Majority In The PA House For 4th Time In A Year In Bucks Special Election

-- AP: What To Expect In Feb. 13 Bucks County Special House Election

-- PA Capital-Star: Republican Joe Adams Resigns From House Prompting Need For Yet Another Special Election

-- Sharon Herald: Statewide Democratic Candidates Wing Thru Sharon, Talk Fracking, Other Issues

-- WITF: Voters Explain What Issues Matter To Them At Great American Outdoor Show In Harrisburg

-- Citizens Voice: Luzerne County Election Director Resigns After A Year In Office

-- Election Reforms

-- WITF/LancasterOnline: No One Seems To Know Why 268 Lancaster County Mail-In Ballots Were Delayed

-- LancasterOnline: Fmr Gov. Corbett, Experts Host Feb. 8 Election Integrity Forum In Lancaster

-- National Politics

-- AP: PA Capitol Protest Against State Investing In Israel Bonds Ends With Arrests

-- Post-Gazette - Ford Turner: Police Make 126 Arrests In PA Capitol As Protesters Decry State Investments In Israel

-- The Center Square: Ex-President Promises To Restore Gun Freedoms In PA Speech

-- Inquirer Guest Essay: Ex-President Betrayed His Oath, Should Be Disqualified From Running Again - By Fmr Republican Cong. Jim Greenwood 

-- PennLive Guest Essay: It’s Been A Bad Week For Political Leaders - By Mark Singel

-- PA’s Role In Assault On US Capitol

-- AP: Conservative Group Admits There Was No Evidence Of Election Fraud At Erie Post Office In 2020

-- AP: Claims That Persons Charged With Crimes For Assaulting US Capitol Are Political Prisoners’ Endure, But Judges Want To Set The Record Straight  [PA Included]

-- PA Politics Of Russian Invasion

-- AAA Gasoline Prices: PA- $3.42  National- $3.16   Ohio- $3.13

-- Bloomberg Guest Essay: Big Gas Needs To Be A Backup Instead Of A Bridge

-- Markets Insider: New Study Questions LNG Natural Gas As A ‘Bridge Fuel’ In Decarbonization

-- PA Utility Law Project, Public Citizen Host Feb. 16 Webinar Exploring The Impact Of LNG Natural Gas Exports On Pennsylvania Families  [PaEN]

-- PJM Reports Natural Gas Power Plants Were Over Half The Forced Outages During Winter Storm Gerri In January; Special Procedures Used For Gas Generators Raised Questions About Market Impacts  [PaEN]

-- Baker Hughes: PA Natural Gas Drilling Rigs Increased 2 From Last Week-- 23

-- Bloomberg: Pittsburgh-based EQT Slams Biden’s Pause On New LNG Natural Gas Export Facilities A Political Stunt

-- Forbes Guest Essay: US Natural Gas Prices Could Spike 14% Without Biden’s Pause On New LNG Export Terminal Permits Costing Consumers $18 Billion

-- Environmental Integrity Project: Biden’s Pause In New Permits For LNG Natural Gas Facilities Won’t Slow The Flow Of US Natural Gas Abroad 

-- Markets Insider: New Study Questions LNG Natural Gas As A ‘Bridge Fuel’ In Decarbonization

-- PA Capital-Star: Biden’s Pause On New LNG Natural Gas Export Facilities Fought Over By US House Panel

-- Reuters: US Lawmakers Tuesday Hold First Of 2 Hearings On Biden’s Pause On New LNG Natural Gas Permits

-- Reuters: US Says Allies ‘Reassured’ New LNG Natural Gas Facility Permit Pause Does Not Affect Current Exports

-- Bloomberg: Exxon, Chevron, Shell Deliver Cash Gusher For Investors

-- Oil & Gas Impacts

-- Philadelphia Medicine Magazine: Pitt Drops A Bombshell - The PA Health And Environment Studies On Fracking - By Dr. Ned Ketyer, Physicians for Social Responsibility Pennsylvania

-- Physicians For Social Responsibility Pennsylvania: Fact Sheet On Deal Between Gov. Shapiro, CNX Natural Gas Driller Allows Voluntary Self-Regulation Of A Fracking Company

-- PA Utility Law Project, Public Citizen Host Feb. 16 Webinar Exploring The Impact Of LNG Natural Gas Exports On Pennsylvania Families  [PaEN]

-- Inside Climate News: Q&A: New Rules In PA Require Drillers To Disclose Toxic Chemicals Used In Fracking 

-- WHYY: Gov. Shapiro Proposes $4 Million To Erase Medical Debt For Thousands Of Pennsylvanians, Issue Hits Rural Areas Hard [Ironically, Hits Oil & Gas Counties Of Warren, Greene, Bradford, McKean hardest]

-- Train Derailments

-- The Allegheny Front: Reporters Roundtable: What We Learned About Norfolk Southern Train Derailment In East Palestine, OH

-- The Allegheny Front: ‘We Refuse To Die:’ East Palestine Residents Mark 1 Year Since Norfolk Southern Train  Derailment

-- WESA/The Allegheny Front: A Year Later, The Stream Flowing Under Peoples’ Homes In East Palestine Is Still Polluted From Norfolk Southern Train Derailment

-- Post-Gazette: Biden Will Visit Norfolk Southern Train Derailment Site Friday

-- Warren Times Editorial: Reassurances After Train Derailment, Protecting The Health, Safety Of Those In The Region

-- NPR - Scott Detrow, et al: How The Norfolk Southern Train Derailment Split A Village In Two: ‘People Do Avoid Me’

-- WTAE: Questions Remain After Decision To ‘Vent And Burn’ In Norfolk Southern Train Derailment

-- TribLive: NTSB To Release Cause Of Norfolk Southern Train Derailment At June Hearing

-- Education

-- AP: Gov. Shapiro Seeks  School Funding Boost To Help Poorer Districts, But Republicans Wary

-- WITF: Hazleton School District Defends Record With Latinos In Wake Of Voting Rights Lawsuit Over How School Directors Are Elected

-- Warren Times Editorial: Some Book Bans Go Too Far

-- TribLive/PennLive: Criminal Background Checks Waived For Some Student Employees At PA State-Owned Universities

-- Health Care

-- Spotlight PA - Stephen Caruso: PA Could Wipe Out Up To $400 Million In Medical Debt Under Shapiro Proposal

-- Law Enforcement

-- WPXI: Cyber Attack Targets Pennsylvania Courts’ Website

-- AP: Cyberattack On Pennsylvania Courts Didn’t Appear To Compromise Data, Officials Say

-- TribLive Editorial: Cyberattack On PA Court System Frustrating And Familiar

-- PennLive: Legislation Would Require Gun Owners To Get $300,000 Of Liability Insurance

-- The Center Square: Federal, State Prosecutors Settle Mortgage Redlining Discrimination Case With Pittsburgh-Based Bank

-- WITF: Nonproft Brings Loan Program To Pennsylvania For Immigrants Who Can’t Afford Legal Assistance

-- The Economy

-- Gov. Shapiro Opens Application Period For Historically Disadvantaged Businesses To Access $10.5 Million In Funding

-- Post-Gazette: US Steel Loses $80 Million And Acknowledges Risk Of Nippon Merger Failing

-- The Center Square: Federal, State Prosecutors Settle Mortgage Redlining Discrimination Case With Pittsburgh-Based Bank

-- Other

-- TribLive Guest Essay: We Are And Always Will Be The Steel City - By Mark Holman, Fmr Chief Of Staff To Gov. Ridge

[Posted: February 10, 2024]