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

Because In Politics Everything Is Connected To Everything Else--

-- Gov. Shapiro

-- WESA/WPSU: Gov. Shapiro Rallies Centre County Democrats Ahead Of 2026 Midterms

-- Gov. Shapiro Releases Findings Of Pilot ChatGPT A.I. Pilot Project Involving 3,000 State Employees, 35 Agencies

-- Spotlight PA: Gov. Shapiro Repeats Threat To Pull Pennsylvania Out Of PJM Regional Grid Operator, If Electricity Costs Keep Rising  

-- Post-Gazette/Spotlight PA: Shapiro Wants To Eliminate 3 ‘Niche’ PA Tax Credits On Waterfront Development, Video Games, Manufacturers To Focus A More Flexible Tax Credit On  Job Creation

-- Shapiro Administration Highlights Disaster Recovery Grant Program In 2026-27 Budget Proposal

-- Inquirer: Head Of PA’s Civil Rights Agency To Resign As Gov. Shapiro Launches Inquiry Into Agency’s Spending

-- Race For Governor

-- WHYY: Did State Treasurer Stacy Garrity Need To Register As A Lobbyist For Work She Defense Contractor Before Taking Office?

-- Post-Gazette - Adriana Ramirez: Republican Candidate For Governor Stacy Garrity Is Underfunded And Undersupported

-- Budget 2026

-- The Center Square: PA House Passes Shapiro-Driven Budget; Republicans Have ‘Profound Concerns’

-- PennLive: PA House Advances Shapiro’s $53.3 Billion Budget As Republicans Warn Of ‘Fiscal Nightmare’ Ahead

-- TribLive Editorial: Good Start Harrisburg, Now Finish The Budget

-- Post-Gazette/Spotlight PA: Shapiro Wants To Eliminate 3 ‘Niche’ PA Tax Credits On Waterfront Development, Video Games, Manufacturers To Focus A More Flexible Tax Credit On  Job Creation

-- Shapiro Administration Highlights Disaster Recovery Grant Program In 2026-27 Budget Proposal

-- PA House/Senate

-- PA Capital-Star: PA Advocates Criticize Delay On Moving Felony Murder Sentencing Legislation; 102 Days Until Court Deadline For Action

-- US Senate/House

-- PA Capital-Star: With Republican Defections, Including PA’s Fitzpatrick, US House Passes Bill Extending Legal Status For 350,000 Haitians

-- PennLive: Fetterman Shrugs Off Concerns About Rising Gasoline Prices, Blames Media

-- TribLive Editorial: Who Is John Fetterman Really?

-- Post-Gazette/The Center Square: PA Republican Chairman Would Consider Re-Election Support For Fetterman - If He Switches Parties

-- Statewide Offices

-- PA Capital-Star: PA Attorney General Dave Sunday Signs Letter Supporting Federal Prescription Benefit Manager  Transparency Rule

-- Spotlight PA: Republican Auditor General Says Motor Voter Registration System Works, But Improvements Needed

-- Elections

-- Spotlight PA: Republican Auditor General Says Motor Voter Registration System Works, But Improvements Needed

-- PA Capital-Star: Delaware County Bans Poll Workers From Using Election Prediction Markets

-- President’s War On Iran

-- April 19: PA Average AAA Gasoline Price Dropped 1 More Penny Yesterday, Now $0.98/Gallon Higher To $4.09 Since Feb. 27  [Warren County, PA highest at $4.296]

-- April 19: Average AAA Gasoline Prices: National- $4.04 Ohio- $3.70  PA- $4.09

-- Feb. 27: Average AAA Gasoline Prices: National- $2.98  Ohio- $2.79  PA- $3.11

-- Bloomberg: US Natural Gas Prices Higher For 3rd Day Erasing Earlier Losses; Producers Scale Back Production In Anticipation Of Lower Weather-Related Demand 

-- Reuters: Iran’s Navy Tells Ships Strait Of Hormuz Shut Again, 2 Vessels Report Gunfire  

-- PennLive: Fetterman Shrugs Off Concerns About Rising Gasoline Prices, Blames Media

-- The Hill: US DOE Secretary Predicts Energy Prices May Rise, Hit Peak In ‘Next Few Weeks’ 

-- OilPrice.com: President Says Gasoline Prices Will ‘Stay The Same, Or Maybe A Little Bit Higher’ Through November Mid-Term Elections  

-- Bloomberg: How The Iran War Triggered A Natural Gas Shock

-- Protesting The President

-- TribLive: Weeklong March For Immigrant Rights Ends With Relief, Calls For Closure Of Clearfield County Detention Center

-- Federal Funding Loss

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: Presidents Wants To Spend On Military While Gutting American Infrastructure

-- Reversing Course

-- Chesapeake Bay Journal - Karl Blankenship: Federal Funding For Climate Smart A Program Restored To PASA Sustainable Agriculture, With Less Climate

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: ARCH2 Hydrogen Hub Retained By US DOE Despite Earlier Doubts

-- PA Impacts Of President’s Policies

-- PA Capital-Star: With Republican Defections, Including PA’s Fitzpatrick, US House Passes Bill Extending Legal Status For 350,000 Haitians

-- Post-Gazette: PA Insurance Group Rules County Deals With President’s ICE Won’t Be Covered Under Current Liability Insurance

-- PennLive: Detainees Start Hunger Strike At Clearfield County ICE Detention Facility: ‘Something Is Fundamentally Wrong’

-- TribLive: Sewickley Father Detained By President’s ICE Since February Reunited With Family

-- WITF: 2 More Bhutanese Refugees Detained By President’s ICE In Central PA

-- WHYY: University Of Pennsylvania Appeals Court Ruling Requiring Turn Over Of Information On Jewish Staff To President’s Equal Employment Opportunity Commission   

-- Post-Gazette: President Signs Order To Speed Review Of Psychedelics ‘Magic Mushrooms,’  Including Controversial Drug Ibogaine, To Consumers 

-- New Federal Administration

-- TribLive: Western PA Catholics Weigh In On President’s Comments About Pope Leo: Insulting, Blasphemous, Disgrace 

-- PennLive: President Posts Photo Of Himself As Jesus On Sunday, Attacks Pope Leo

-- TribLive: President Stokes Controversy By Posting New A.I. Jesus Image 

-- NPR: Pope Leo Says He Does Not Fear US President, As He Pushes Back In Feud Over President’s War On Iran: He’s ‘Not Understanding What The Message Of The Gospel Is’ 

-- TribLive Editorial: Call For Peace Is Not Political

-- Republican Herald Editorial: People, Not Leaders Rule: Hungary Shows Use A Blueprint For Restoring Democracy

-- Miscellaneous State/Harrisburg Politics

-- PennLive - John Baer: Did NASA’s Moon Mission Knock The White House Out Of Orbit?

-- Post-Gazette Guest Essay: If Only The US Attorney General Were Like Dick Thornburgh - By Murray Dickman, Former Cabinet Secretary For Gov. Dick Thornburgh

-- TribLive Editorial: How Long Is Too Long?  A Question Of Term Limits

-- A.I. /Data Centers

-- In Case You Missed It: A.I./Data Center Articles - NewClips From Last Week - April 20 [PaEN] 

-- TribLive Guest Essay: This Summer, Your Air Conditioner Is Going To Compete With An A.I. Data Center For Power - By Destenie Nock, Carnegie Mellon University 

-- Spotlight PA: Gov. Shapiro Repeats Threat To Pull Pennsylvania Out Of PJM Regional Grid Operator, If Electricity Costs Keep Rising  

-- WESA/The Allegheny Front: Electric Transmission Line Company Wants Authority To Condemn Property From PA PUC For Proposed Power Line In SW PA To Feed A.I. Data Centers In Virginia

-- PennLive Guest Essay: PA Electric Utilities Want Ratepayers To Foot The Bill For Their Power Plant Ambitions - By James H. Cawley, Former Chair of PA PUC

-- PECO Withdraws Proposed 12.5% Electric, 11.4% Natural Gas Rate Increases From PUC Consideration  [PaEN]  

-- PUC Opens Investigation Into UGI Electric Proposed 12.8% Rate Increase  [PaEN] 

-- PUC To Investigate Proposed 13.1% Rate Increase Request by Peoples Natural Gas  [PaEN] 

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: PA Electric Utilities Appreciate ‘Market Signals,’ But Not Market Prices; Some Utilities Want More Direct Role In Securing Power, Managing Prices For Customers

-- Post-Gazette - Laura Legere: Fearing ‘Unsustainable’ Cost Increases, PA Utilities And Lawmakers Move To Curb Payments To Smaller Than Utility-Scale Solar Energy Facilities

-- House Energy Committee Reports Out GeoThermal Energy, Advanced Transmission Technology, Energy Financing Authority Bills  [PaEN]   

-- PA House Passes Bills To Develop Model Zoning Ordinance To Help Local Governments Regulate, Mitigate The Impacts Of A.I. Data Center Developments; Report Water, Energy Use  [PaEN] 

-- PA House Blue-Green Labor, Environmental Caucus Endorses 9-Bill Package To Expand Clean Energy Generation, Strengthen Workforce  [PaEN] 

-- PennLive/LehighValleyLive: Republican Sen. Coleman Calls For Giving Local Governments Authority To Put A Moratorium On A.I. Data Centers While They Revise Zoning Ordinances

-- Morning Call: Republican Sen. Coleman Pitches Idea To Repeal Of State A.I. Data Center Development Tax Breaks

-- Rep. Craig Williams (R-Delaware) Introduced Legislation Requiring A.I. Data Centers To Pay All the Costs Associated With Connecting To The Electric Grid  [House Bill 2372]

-- TribLive: Construction Begins On $10 Billion Natural Gas Power Plant For 3,200 Acre A.I. Data Center Campus In Homer City, Indiana County

-- Scranton Times: Developer Of Archbald A.I. Data Centers And One Power Plant Proposes Building 3 More Power Plants In Dickson City; Hearings Set April 27, May 13 

-- Utility Dive: PJM Proposes Adding 14.9 GW With Bilateral Contracts, Central Procurement; Will Help Match Data Center Buyers To New Electric Generation

-- Report: President Canceled 28.2 Gigawatts Of US Electric Generation- Funding For 13 Gigawatts Lost In Pennsylvania- In Face Of Unprecedented A.I. Data Center Demand, Grid Reliability Concerns  [PaEN] 

-- Shapiro Administration Secures $14 Million From US DOE For Enhanced GeoThermal Systems Pilot Demonstration Project In Indiana County [PaEN] 

-- Center For Rural Pennsylvania April 17 Hearing On A.I. Data Centers, Coolidge Theatre At The Deane Center, Wellsboro, Tioga County.  Watch On-Demand.

-- Better Path Coalition To Host May 13 A.I. Data Centers Virtual Town Hall Meeting, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.

-- Senate Environmental Resources & Energy Committee holds another hearing April 28 on electric generation resource adequacy, PJM market update, barriers to entry for new power generation. Energy Innovation Center, 1435 Bedford Ave., Pittsburgh. 10:00 a.m.  Watch online.  

-- International/National Impacts On PA Natural Gas

-- TribLive Guest Essay: This Summer, Your Air Conditioner Is Going To Compete With An A.I. Data Center For Power - By Destenie Nock, Carnegie Mellon University 

-- April 19: PA Average AAA Gasoline Price Dropped 1 More Penny Yesterday, Now $0.98/Gallon Higher To $4.09 Since Feb. 27  [Warren County, PA highest at $4.296]

-- April 19: Average AAA Gasoline Prices: National- $4.04 Ohio- $3.70  PA- $4.09

-- Feb. 27: Average AAA Gasoline Prices: National- $2.98  Ohio- $2.79  PA- $3.11

-- Baker Hughes: PA Natural Gas Drilling Rigs - 18 - Same As Last 3 Weeks

-- PennLive: Fetterman Shrugs Off Concerns About Rising Gasoline Prices, Blames Media

-- Bloomberg: US Natural Gas Prices Higher For 3rd Day Erasing Earlier Losses; Producers Scale Back Production In Anticipation Of Lower Weather-Related Demand 

-- Reuters: Iran’s Navy Tells Ships Strait Of Hormuz Shut Again, 2 Vessels Report Gunfire  

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: PA Electric Utilities Appreciate ‘Market Signals,’ But Not Market Prices; Some Utilities Want More Direct Role In Securing Power, Managing Prices For Customers

-- Spotlight PA: Gov. Shapiro Repeats Threat To Pull Pennsylvania Out Of PJM Regional Grid Operator, If Electricity Costs Keep Rising  

-- Guest Essay: Why PJM's Price Cap On Electricity Costs Pennsylvanians - By Conservative Commonwealth Foundation [Why They Want You To Pay More For Electricity] [You Paid $28.92 In 2023, $269.92 In 2024, $329 In 2025 With Cap, In 2025 You Would Have Paid $529 Without The Cap] 

-- The Guardian: Top Oil, Natural Gas Companies Set To Make An Extra $234 Billion By End Of 2026 

-- In Case You Missed It: A.I./Data Center Articles - NewClips From Last Week - April 20 [PaEN] 

-- TribLive: Construction Begins On $10 Billion Natural Gas Power Plant For 3,200 Acre A.I. Data Center Campus In Homer City, Indiana County

-- DEP Issues 2nd Air Quality General Permit For Diesel-Fired Nonroad Engines At Homer City A.I. Data Center Campus In Indiana County  [PaEN] 

-- The Hill: US DOE Secretary Predicts Energy Prices May Rise, Hit Peak In ‘Next Few Weeks’ 

-- OilPrice.com: President Says Gasoline Prices Will ‘Stay The Same, Or Maybe A Little Bit Higher’ Through November Mid-Term Elections  

-- Bloomberg: How The Iran War Triggered A Natural Gas Shock

-- Bloomberg: Oil Prices Rally [Above $104] As US President Vows To Blockade Iran, Heightens Supply Risks  

-- Bloomberg: European Natural Gas Prices Jump 18% As US President Set To Blockade Iran Ports  

-- Reuters: US Power And Natural Gas Prices Turn Negative In Texas, California As Mild Weather Cuts Demand, And Hydro, Renewables Meet The Demand

-- Flooding

-- Delaware River Basin Commission Releases Framework For Water Resources Resilience; April 30 Webinar Set  [PaEN]

-- StreamSmart Stormwater House Calls Can Help Property Owners Reduce Stormwater Pollution In 5 Target Watersheds In Southeast PA  [PaEN]  

-- Education

-- Post-Gazette: How Pennsylvania’s Falling School Vaccination Rates, Enforcement Failures Put Thousands Of Children At Risk

-- WHYY: University Of Pennsylvania Appeals Court Ruling Requiring Turn Over Of Information On Jewish Staff To President’s Equal Employment Opportunity Commission   

-- Health Care

-- PA Capital-Star: PA Attorney General Dave Sunday Signs Letter Supporting Federal Prescription Benefit Manager  Transparency Rule

-- Erie Times/USA Today: Study Highlights How PA Hospital Price Confusion Can Cost Patients

-- Erie Times/USA Today: Some PA Nursing Homes Are Closing Beds, Declining Admissions Due To Workforce Shortages

-- Post-Gazette: How Pennsylvania’s Falling School Vaccination Rates, Enforcement Failures Put Thousands Of Children At Risk

-- Post-Gazette: Predicting Outbreaks: Pitt Research Team Tracks Critical Data To Predict Spread Of Dangerous Diseases

-- Post-Gazette: President Signs Order To Speed Review Of Psychedelics ‘Magic Mushrooms,’  Including Controversial Drug Ibogaine, To Consumers 

-- Law Enforcement

-- PA Capital-Star: PA Advocates Criticize Delay On Moving Felony Murder Sentencing Legislation; 102 Days Until Court Deadline For Action

-- Inquirer: Head Of PA’s Civil Rights Agency To Resign As Gov. Shapiro Launches Inquiry Into Agency’s Spending

-- Post-Gazette: PA Insurance Group Rules County Deals With President’s ICE Won’t Be Covered Under Current Liability Insurance

-- PennLive: Detainees Start Hunger Strike At Clearfield County ICE Detention Facility: ‘Something Is Fundamentally Wrong’

-- TribLive: Sewickley Father Detained By President’s ICE Since February Reunited With Family

-- WITF: 2 More Bhutanese Refugees Detained By President’s ICE In Central PA

-- The Economy

-- TribLive: Mobile Home Park Owner Takes Over As Westmoreland County’s Top Taxpayer [County Ranks #7 In Shale Gas Production]

-- Other

--TribLive: Post-Gazette Newspaper Sold To Nonprofit Venetoulis Institute For Local Journalism

-- WESA: New Ownership Means New Questions For Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Union Members

[Posted: April 19, 2026]