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 Signs Executive Order Directing State Agencies To Prepare To Fill The Gaps In Disaster Response And Recovery Left By Changes In Federal Emergency Disaster Response Policies  [PaEN]

-- AP:  24 States, Including PA, Sue President Over New Tariffs Calling Them A ‘Pretext’ To Replace His Previous Tariffs Declared Illegal By US Supreme Court 

-- AP: States, Including PA, Sue To Block President From Giving Wide Access To Personal Data On Millions Who Receive Social Service Benefits

-- WHYY: PA Joins States Asking US Supreme Court To Block President’s Administration’s Mail Ballot Rules

-- Race For Governor

-- PennLive: Garrity Slices Into Shapiro’s Lead In New PA Governor’s Race Poll - 50% to 43%

-- Inquirer: Ahead Of PA Governor’s Race, The Cost Of Living Weighs Heavily For Latino Voters: ‘People Are Sacrificing Necessities’

-- Budget 2027

-- PA Dept. Of Revenue Reports July Tax Collections Totaled $3.4 Billion In General Fund Revenue

-- Independent Fiscal Office Reports July Tax Revenue Increased $322 Million (10.6%) Over Last July

-- The Citizens’ Voice: Stagnant State Funding Alarms PA Community Colleges

-- PA House/Senate

-- WPSU/WHYY: Democrats Haven’t Held The PA Senate In Nearly 50 Years, Philly’s Suburban Swing Districts May Change That

-- City & State PA: Understanding The Debate Over 2nd Degree Murder Felony Sentencing In PA 

-- The Center Square: Fate Of Illegal ‘Skill’ Gambling Machines Pondered By Prosecutors, Police [After General Assembly Takes No Final Action]

-- Warren Times Editorial: Missed Deadline On Fixing Unconstitutional Felony Murder Sentencing Law In Excusable

-- PA Capital-Star: More Than 2 Dozen PA Lawmakers Reported Stakes In Business With Overdue State Business Filings

-- US House/Senate

-- TribLive: Jon Stewart Presses Fetterman On Israel And Playing Into ‘Republican Caricatures’ When He Attacks Democrats

-- Statewide Offices

-- PA Attorney General Sunday Joins Coalition Demanding Transparency From OpenAI Following An Unauthorized AI Hack Of Another Company

-- PennLive: Attorney General Sunday Files More Criminal Charges Against Eureka Resources, This Time For Releasing Oily Oil & Gas Wastewater From Its Williamsport Plant Last August  [PaEN]

-- 2026 Elections

-- TribLive: PA Republicans Say They’re Gaining On Democrats In Number Of Active Registered Voters

-- LancasterOnline: 4 Noncitizens On Lancaster County Voter Rolls, 1 Voted In At Least 1 Election, State Officials Find 

-- Elections

-- City & State PA: PA’s Lack Of Campaign Contribution Limits Has Led To A ‘Wild West’ Of Campaign Fundraising

-- Inquirer:  Routine Voter Roll Update In PA Prompted Misinformation From Conservative Activists, Here’s What The Numbers Actually Mean

-- LancasterOnline: 4 Noncitizens On Lancaster County Voter Rolls, 1 Voted In At Least 1 Election, State Officials Find 

-- Erie Times: Erie Benedictine Sisters Celebrated For Responding To False Social Media Accusations Of Voter Fraud, Receive Democracy Award 

-- WESA: Conservative Activists Believe PA Juror Records Could Purge Non-Citizens From Voter Rolls [PA Election Officials Say Records Don’t Have Enough Information]

-- WHYY: PA Joins States Asking US Supreme Court To Block President’s Administration’s Mail Ballot Rules

-- President’s War On Iran

-- August 9: PA Average AAA Gasoline Price Down 1 Penny From Yesterday To $4.11/Gallon - $1.00/Gallon Higher Than On Feb. 27 [Pike County Average Price Highest at $4.32] 

-- August 9: Average AAA Gasoline Prices: National- $4.01  Ohio- $3.90  PA- $4.11

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

-- Wall Street Journal Editorial: President Has Ended His War With Iran 8 Times, Will The 9th Time Be The Charm? 

-- Wall Street Journal Editorial: Everyone Knows The President Plays The Role Of Political Populist, But All You Can Do Is Laugh When He Lashes Out At Oil Companies For ‘Making Too Much Money’ As A Result Of His War With Iran

-- Reuters: President Blasts Exxon, Chevron For Making ‘Too Much Money,’ Demands Lower Gasoline Prices

-- The Guardian: Greenland Issues ‘Strong Warning’ As Oil Company Linked To US President Prepares To Drill Without Approval

-- PA Impacts Of President’s Tariffs/Trade

-- AP:  24 States, Including PA, Sue President Over New Tariffs Calling Them A ‘Pretext’ To Replace His Previous Tariffs Declared Illegal By US Supreme Court 

-- Wall Street Journal: President To Impose 15% Tariff, Set Minimum Prices On Solar Panels, Components  [Continuing President’s Effort To Raise The Cost Of The Cheapest Electric Generation In US] 

-- PennLive Guest Essay: Why Your Electric Bill Keeps Rising, And How Pennsylvania Can Fix It By Pairing Solar Energy With Energy Storage - By Tim Pawlenty, Solar Energy Industries Assn.

-- PA Impacts Of President’s Policies

-- Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader Editorial: We Have Concerns About President’s Administration Deregulating Head Start; There Is Ample Evidence This Is A Back-Door Attempt To Destroy The Program

-- TribLive Guest Essay: Shapiro Can Protect Immigrant Families - He Should Act Now - By Andrea Pena-Vasquez, PA Immigrant Coalition

-- York Daily Record Editorial: Our Nation Should Keep Its Promise To Our Haitian Neighbors

-- TribLive: PA Congress Members Deluzio, Lee Demand Answers From President’s ICE On Possible Violations At Clearfield County Detention Center 

-- AP: Loss Of Work Authorization Sows Confusion For Thousands Of Haitian Immigrants And Their US Employers [Impacts 15,000 Haitians In PA] 

-- TribLive/Pittsburgh Public Source/AP: How Federal ICE Immigration Policy And An A.I. Data Center Turned Springdale, Allegheny County Into A Civic Battleground

-- AP: States, Including PA, Sue To Block President From Giving Wide Access To Personal Data On Millions Who Receive Social Service Benefits

-- Post-Gazette: Federal Medical Research Grant Cancellations Continue Piling Up At The University Of Pittsburgh

-- AP: US Job Market Stalled In July As Employers Cut 23,000 Jobs, Delivering Political Setback To President

-- New Federal Administration

-- The Guardian: Greenland Issues ‘Strong Warning’ As Oil Company Linked To US President Prepares To Drill Without Approval

-- Morning Call/AP: President Stands To Personally Profit Off US Policy Announcements By Selling Fast Access To His Social Media Posts

-- The Guardian: Greenland Issues ‘Strong Warning’ As Oil Company Linked To US President Prepares To Drill Without Approval

-- Miscellaneous State/Harrisburg Politics

-- WPSU/WHYY: Democrats Haven’t Held The PA Senate In Nearly 50 Years, Philly’s Suburban Swing Districts May Change That

-- City & State PA: PA’s Lack Of Campaign Contribution Limits Has Led To A ‘Wild West’ Of Campaign Fundraising

-- A.I. /Data Centers

-- In Case You Missed It: A.I./Data Center Articles - NewClips From Last Week - August 10  [PaEN] 

-- PA Environmental Council In Case You Missed It In July: State Budget Leaves Data Center Issues Unresolved; Western PA Trails & Greenways Summit - Aug. 26 & 27  [PaEN]

-- Morning Call: Electricity Prices In PA Will Continue To Rise Through 2030 As PJM Regional Grid Strains To Meet Increased Demand From A.I. Data Centers 

-- Williamsport Sun Editorial: Rising Electric Bills Cause Concern, Legislators Need To Prioritize This Issue

-- PennLive Guest Essay: Why Your Electric Bill Keeps Rising, And How Pennsylvania Can Fix It By Pairing Solar Energy With Energy Storage - By Tim Pawlenty, Solar Energy Industries Assn.

-- Wall Street Journal: President To Impose 15% Tariff, Set Minimum Prices On Solar Panels, Components  [Continuing President’s Effort To Raise The Cost Of The Cheapest Electric Generation In US] 

-- TribLive Guest Essay: PA Can’t Let A.I. Data Centers Write Their Own Rules - By Dana Kuhnline, ReImagine Appalachia  

-- Inquirer: Federal Legislation Proposing ‘Data Center Bill Of Rights’ Took Lessons From Philly Suburbs And Western PA Shale Gas Fracking Country

-- PennFuture Blog: Bring Your Own Generation Isn’t The Solution - Homer City 3,200 Acre A.I. Data Center Case Study - Bring Your Own CLEAN Energy Is 

-- PA Capital-Star/Inside Climate News: A.I. Data Centers - Coming To Some Of Pennsylvania’s Most Picturesque Places 

-- Environmental Health Project: Resources For Communities Concerned About Health Impacts Of A.I. Data Centers  [PaEN] 

-- PJM Issues Hot Weather Alert Aug. 9 - 11 For Mid-Atlantic - Including PA - Southern Regions Of Service Area  [PaEN]  

-- PPL Electric Reports 31.8 GW In A.I. Data Center Demand Pipeline, Including 11 GW Under Signed Agreements; Its Joint Venture With Blackstone Has Secured Sites To Build Up To 14 GW Of Generation In PA  [PaEN]

-- WVIA: Wildcat Ridge A.I. Data Center Developer Wants 6 of 7 Archbald Boro Council Members To Recuse Themselves From Voting On Their Proposal; Air Quality In Focus Again 

-- PennLive - Charles Thompson: A.I. Data Center Developer Had A More Than A Year’s Headstart With Township Officials On Looking At Monroe Twp., Cumberland County For Data Center Project Before Public Knew

-- Ohio River Valley Institute: Jobs, Wages Falling Behind In PA's Fracking Counties; New Data Center, Natural Gas Development Will Fail To Deliver Long-Term Economic Growth, Report Suggests 

-- Pittsburgh Business Times/National Observer: The A.I. Data Center Tsunami Is Coming, But One Critical Factor Is Missing - Permanent Jobs Supported By The Millions In Public Tax Subsidies 

-- Utility Dive: Facing 374 GW Of Grid Connection Requests, Texas Governor Hits Brakes On Data Centers Saying Development ‘Could Endanger The Reliability And Stability Of The Texas Electric Grid’ 

-- Utility Dive: Texas Governor’s Pause On A.I. Data Center Grid Connections Puts 20% Of US Data Center Proposals At Risk

-- International/National Impacts On PA Natural Gas

-- Baker Hughes: Natural Gas Drill Rigs In PA - 16-- Down 1 From Last Week

-- PennLive Guest Essay: Why Your Electric Bill Keeps Rising, And How Pennsylvania Can Fix It By Pairing Solar Energy With Energy Storage - By Tim Pawlenty, Solar Energy Industries Assn.

-- Wall Street Journal: President To Impose 15% Tariff, Set Minimum Prices On Solar Panels, Components  [Continuing President’s Effort To Raise The Cost Of The Cheapest Electric Generation In US] 

-- PJM Accepts 715 Projects With 201.4 GW Of New Electric Generation For 1 to 2-Year Review; 39.8 GW Of Projects In PA; PJM Also Accepting State Identified Projects For Expedited Process  [PaEN]

-- Inside Climate News: Natural Gas Dominates PJM’s First Reformed Grid Connection Queue, Driven By A.I. Data Center Demand 

-- PJM Issues Hot Weather Alert Aug. 9 - 11 For Mid-Atlantic - Including PA - Southern Regions Of Service Area  [PaEN]  

-- Wall Street Journal Editorial: Everyone Knows The President Plays The Role Of Political Populist, But All You Can Do Is Laugh When He Lashes Out At Oil Companies For ‘Making Too Much Money’ As A Result Of His War With Iran

-- Reuters: President Blasts Exxon, Chevron For Making ‘Too Much Money,’ Demands Lower Gasoline Prices

-- The Guardian: Greenland Issues ‘Strong Warning’ As Oil Company Linked To US President Prepares To Drill Without Approval

-- Flooding

-- Gov. Shapiro Signs Executive Order Directing State Agencies To Prepare To Fill The Gaps In Disaster Response And Recovery Left By Changes In Federal Emergency Disaster Response Policies  [PaEN]

-- WTAE: Heavy Rainfall Results In Flooding, Cleanup In Washington County

-- WTAE: Dozens Of Tires Left Behind In Union Twp. Flooding In Washington County

-- WNEP: Sunbury Practices Putting Flood Barriers In Place With Annual Flood Defense Exercise

-- Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader Editorial: Never Forget The Importance Of Flood Protection To The Wyoming Valley

-- Clairton Coke [Coal] Works Explosion

-- Post-Gazette: A Year After Deadly US Steel Clairton Coke [Coal] Works Explosion, Heartache And Trauma Linger

-- Education

-- Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader Editorial: We Have Concerns About President’s Administration Deregulating Head Start; There Is Ample Evidence This Is A Back-Door Attempt To Destroy The Program

-- The Citizens’ Voice: Stagnant State Funding Alarms PA Community Colleges

-- Post-Gazette: Federal Medical Research Grant Cancellations Continue Piling Up At The University Of Pittsburgh

-- Health Care

-- TribLive: Report: Private PA Colleges Blunted Worst Of Nursing Staff Shortages With Education Programs

-- Law Enforcement

-- City & State PA: Understanding The Debate Over 2nd Degree Murder Felony Sentencing In PA 

-- The Center Square: Fate Of Illegal ‘Skill’ Gambling Machines Pondered By Prosecutors, Police [After General Assembly Takes No Final Action]

-- Warren Times Editorial: Missed Deadline On Fixing Unconstitutional Felony Murder Sentencing Law In Excusable

-- TribLive Guest Essay: Shapiro Can Protect Immigrant Families - He Should Act Now - By Andrea Pena-Vasquez, PA Immigrant Coalition

-- York Daily Record Editorial: Our Nation Should Keep Its Promise To Our Haitian Neighbors

-- TribLive: PA Congress Members Deluzio, Lee Demand Answers From President’s ICE On Possible Violations At Clearfield County Detention Center 

-- AP: Loss Of Work Authorization Sows Confusion For Thousands Of Haitian Immigrants And Their US Employers [Impacts 15,000 Haitians In PA] 

-- TribLive/Pittsburgh Public Source/AP: How Federal ICE Immigration Policy And An A.I. Data Center Turned Springdale, Allegheny County Into A Civic Battleground

-- The Economy

-- AP: US Job Market Stalled In July As Employers Cut 23,000 Jobs, Delivering Political Setback To President

[Posted: August 9, 2026]