PA Environment Digest Blog: PA Capitol News: Top 10 Stories From Harrisburg Last Week

Because In Politics Everything Is Connected To Everything Else--

-- AP: State Lawmakers, Officials, Judges Get Big Automatic Pay Raises In 2022

Inflation is driving up consumer prices and will drive a big salary increase for Pennsylvania state lawmakers, judges and top executive branch officials in 2022. For many of these positions, it’s the biggest increase in three decades. Salaries across the board will rise 5.6%

-- MCall - Paul Muschick: How PA’s Overpaid Lawmakers Got Their Biggest Raise Since At Least 1995

-- TribLive - Deb Erdley: Group Again Lobbies Lawmakers For ‘People’s Maps’ Over Traditional PA Politics

A citizens group that solicited public input to create “People’s Maps” to guide officials in drawing new legislative districts for the Pennsylvania General Assembly will make a final pitch on Monday.

-- WHYY Guest Essay: How PA Can Lead The Fight Against Structural Racism In Our Elections [End Gerrymandering]

-- PA Cap-Star Guest Essay: Wins On Bills Are Good, But Fixing Gerrymandering And Campaign Finance Reform Is Even Better

-- Nov. 2 Election Continues

-- MCall - Ford Turner: House Republicans Threaten To Remove Lehigh County Elections Board Unless It Rescinds Counting Of 260 Undated Mail-In Ballots

Top Republicans in the House of Representatives on Wednesday threatened to remove members of the Lehigh County Board of Elections unless they rescind a decision to allow counting of mail-in ballots without dates that were submitted in the municipal election this month.

-- MCall - Ford Turner: House Democrats Condemn Republican Impeachment Threat As Lehigh County Elections Board Controversy Heats Up

-- MCall - Paul Muschick: Why Undated Mail-In Ballots Should Not Be Counted

-- PennLive - Jan Murphy: Gov. Wolf Says He Put His Wife Up To Breaking Election Law To Deliver His Mail-In Ballot

-- MCall: Postal Delays Meant One Allentown Resident Received Her Mail-In Ballot After Election Day

-- LancasterOnline: Lancaster County On Track To Finish Write-In Vote Count

-- CitizensV: Luzerne County Completes Write-In Vote Count From Nov. 2 Election

-- LancasterOnline: Lancaster Judge Accepts Write-In Misspellings Changing Some Election Outcomes

-- TribLive: Ties In 39 Election Races To Be Broken Friday In Westmoreland County

-- Inquirer: Here’s What Really Happened In PA, NJ Elections In November

-- ReadingE: 5 Takeaways From This Year’s Election In Berks County

-- City & State: Influence Of Latino Vote In PA Is Growing

-- MCall/AP: PA Among States ‘One Election Away’ From Shift In Abortion Laws, Whatever Happens With Roe v. Wade

-- Governor’s Race

-- AP: Republican Sen. Corman Emphasizes Experience In Run For Governor

-- PA Cap-Star: Republican Sen. Corman Officially Enters Governor’s Race

-- Inquirer: Republican Sen. Corman Joins Governor’s Race As A Familiar Name In Crowded Field

-- PennLive - Jan Murphy: Republican Sen. Corman, Part Of PA’s Political Dance For 20+ Years, Says He’s Ready To Call The Tune As Governor

-- PA Cap-Star: Republican Sen. Corman Officially Enters 2022 Governor’s Race

-- PA Cap-Star: Republican Sen. Corman Says He’d Support Gift Ban As Governor; Advocates Ask Why Not Now?

-- ABC27: Fmr Republican House Speaker Mike Turzai To Enter Gubernatorial Race

-- LancasterOnline/The Caucus: Fmr Republican House Speaker Turzai Running For Governor

-- TribLive Guest Essay: Republican Sen. Jake Corman Runs For Governor, Democratic AG Josh Shapiro Rejoices

-- City & State: Democrat Josh Shapiro Frames Himself ‘The Fighter’ For The Governorship

-- PA Cap-Star Editorial Cartoon: A Dozen Republican Candidate For Governor And Counting

-- Election Reform

-- PennLive - Jan Murphy: Senate Republicans To Spend $270,000 In Taxpayer Money To ‘Investigate’ Nov. 2020 Election

-- AP: Senate Republicans Hire Firm For $270,000 In Taxpayer Money To ‘Investigate’ Nov. 2020 Election

-- Spotlight PA: What We Know About The Firm Hired By Republicans To Review 2020 Election

-- ErieT: PA Voting Rights: What We Know About Republican Efforts To Change Laws, Create Barriers To Voting

-- MCall - Ford Turner: PA Election Reform Standoff: Republican Lawmakers, Democrats Led By Gov. Wolf Remain At Odds

-- PennLive - Jan Murphy: House [Republicans] To Try Again To Bring Sweeping Changes To PA Election Laws

-- WITF: House Republicans Could Vote On Broad Election Law Changes Next Month

-- WESA: PA’s Fmr Top Election Official Debunks Misinformation In Real Time At Election Forum

-- CourierT: Can The ‘Bucks County Turnout Commission’ Expose Voter Records?

-- ErieT: PA Man Who Led A Dozen Fully Armed Men To White Supremacist March In Charlottesville, Virginia Wants To Change Image Of Paramilitary Militia Forces In The State

-- WITF: Police, Constables In PA Joined ‘Anti-Government’ Oath Keepers Part Of Assault On U.S. Capitol

-- PG: Western PA Man Pleads Guilty To Charges On His Role In Assaulting The U.S. Capitol

-- ScrantonT: Feds Want Luzerne County Man Jailed For His Role In Assaulting The U.S. Capitol

-- CitizensV: Luzerne County Woman Pleads Not Guilty For Her Role In Assaulting U.S. Capitol After Photos Show Her There

-- ScrantonT: The Story Of Luzerne County’s Frank Scavo And His Day Amid The Chaos Of The Assault On The U.S. Capitol

-- WBTimes Editorial: Scavo Lied Until He Couldn’t Hide His Actions In Assault On U.S. Capitol

-- PG Editorial: ‘Let’s Go Brandon’ Isn’t Clever, It’s Vulgar

-- PG Editorial: Republicans Must Stop Defending Ex-President

-- KYW: Philadelphia Leader Says Rittenhouse Verdict ‘The Epitome Of White Privilege’

-- CourierT: Mailer In Central Bucks School District Warned Of Replacing Teachers Based On Race Sparks Call For Doylestown Official Who Delivered It To Resign

-- WITF: Fulton County Commissioners Withheld Money From Library Over Its LGBTQ Support; Then The Online Fundraisers Began

-- WHYY: 4 Teens Charged With Ethnic Intimidation For Attacking Asian Classmate On SEPTA

-- Harrisburg Political Potpourri

-- PA Cap-Star: Republican Sen. Corman Says He’d Support Gift Ban As Governor; Advocates Ask Why Not Now?

-- PA Cap-Star Guest Essay: Wins On Bills Are Good, But Fixing Gerrymandering And Campaign Finance Reform Is Even Better

-- ScrantonT Editorial: Automatic Pay Raises Deliver For Lawmakers, Judges, Executive Branch Employees

-- WHYY: As PA’s Republicans Get More Conservative, Labor Unions Are Back In The Crosshairs

-- PA Cap-Star: Democrats Stage Walkout Of House Hearing On Bills Tightening Public Sector Labor Laws

-- City & State: House Democratic Leader Joanna McClinton’s Evangelical Upbringing Shaped The Way She Works

-- ScrantonT Editorial: Republican ‘Posing’ To Fire Up Republican Voters Tops Public Welfare

-- CourierT Editorial: Compromise A Lost Art In Harrisburg

-- LancasterOnline Editorial: Latest Republican Constitutional Amendment Further Evidence Of Utter Dysfunction In Harrisburg

-- MCall/AP: PA Among States ‘One Election Away’ From Shift In Abortion Laws, Whatever Happens With Roe v. Wade

-- PA Cap-Star Guest Essay: PA Courts Need More Diversity, Not Dark Money

-- PennLive - John Baer: Fetterman, Lamb, PA Democrats Face Big Challenges In 2020 U.S. Senate Race

-- ScrantonT: Cong. Cartwright Aims To Win 3rd Tough Election With Republicans In Hot Pursuit

-- MCall: Republican Rep. Ryan Mackenzie Files To Run Against Cong. Susan Wild

-- WITF: Republican Cong. Scott Perry To Head House Freedom Caucus [He worked to overturn the 2020 election results]

-- PG: Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta Picks Up Important Endorsement For U.S. Senate Run

-- PG: New Pittsburgh Mayor’s Victory Opens 2 State House Seats In City Districts

-- PG: Pair Of Advocates Lining Up To Run For Rep. Gainey’s House Seat In Pittsburgh

-- PA Cap-Star: Race For Philly House Seat Is Getting Crowded

-- ErieT Guest Essay: Erie County United Is Fighting For A New Kind Of Politics In PA

-- State Treasurer Garrity Unveils Webpage Highlighting Non-Budgeted Expenditures [No Information Posted]

-- ABC27: State Treasurer Unveils Website To Let Public See When State Spends Beyond Its Budget

-- MCall/AP: House Votes To Stop PennDOT Plan To Add Tolls To Pay For Bridge Repairs

-- TribLive Editorial: Toll Bridges Could Cost Municipalities

-- PG: Colleges In PA Absorb Historic International Enrollment Losses

-- PG: As 6 State-Owned Universities Merge, What Happens To Student Costs?

-- WITF: Fmr Slaves Made An Impact At Dickinson College, The School Is Now Honoring Their Names

-- PA Cap-Star: President Of Community College Of Philadelphia Receives National Honor For Promoting Democracy On Campus

-- TribLive: Pitt Study Focuses On Reversing ‘Brain Drain’ From Western PA

-- AP: Top 2 PA School Pension Fund Execs Out Of Jobs

-- Inquirer Guest Essay: Gov. Wolf: Make PA School Pension Fund Investigation Results Public

-- AP: Lawmakers Try Again To Toughen Penalty For Repeat DUI Drivers

-- Inquirer: Judge Puts Liquor Control Board On Hot Seat For Its Wine Fees To Restaurants

-- PA Cap-Star: Bail Funds Help Poor Get Out Of Jail, Advocates Say House Bill Could Shut Them Down

-- PA Cap-Star: Bills That Fill Jails Are Harrisburg’s Version Of Bipartisanship We Can Do Without - Sen. Saval, Rep. Krajewski

-- Inquirer: Union Official John Dougherty, Councilmember Bobby Henon Found Guilty In Federal Bribery Trial In Philly

-- Inquirer: Bill On Magic Mushrooms Aims To Make PA National Leader In Psychedelic Research

-- Inquirer: Narcan Dispensers To Be Installed In South Philadelphia By End Of Year To Reverse Opioid Overdoses

-- AP: Judge Rules School Mask Mandate Must Expire Dec. 4

A Pennsylvania judge on Tuesday said an order that requires masks inside K-12 schools and child care facilities to contain the coronavirus must expire Dec. 4, although that is unlikely to be the final legal development in the case.

-- Dept. Of Health: All Adults In PA Now Eligible For COVID Vaccine Boosters

-- Inquirer: Philly School District Likely To Still Require Masks After PA Order Expires

-- LancasterOnline Editorial: Republican Battle Over School Masks Is About Politics Not Public Health

-- WBTimes Editorial: Anti-Maskers, School Boards Should Take A Step Back

-- CitizensV Editorial: Want Your Say? Wear A Mask

-- PG: 40,044 COVID Cases Last Week, Highest In 10 Months; 3,095 Hospitalized

-- PennLive: PA COVID Positivity Rate Barometer Turns Darker

-- WHYY: Amid Stable COVID Rates, PA School Officials Tout Success Of Reopening

-- NextPittsburgh: Chronic Post-Pandemic Absenteeism Continues To Plague Pittsburgh Schools

-- ErieT: Rising Number Of Erie County Schools Go Remote Because Of COVID Cases

-- PennLive: PA COVID Hospitalizations Rise As Summer Surge Remains Stubborn

-- PG: COVID Cases Continue To Climb In PA, Most Hospital Patients Are Not Vaccinated

-- ErieT: PA COVID Cases Surge 79%, Ranks 5th For Fastests Per-Person Spread

-- CitizensV: Thousands Of Pennsylvanians Have Had COVID Twice

-- WHYY: Philadelphia Health Officials Concerned About Winter COVID Surge

-- TribLive Editorial: CDC And PA COVID Numbers Need To Agree

-- WBTimes: Anti-Maskers Accuse Luzerne County School Board Of Communism

-- PA Cap-Star: Republican Cong. Scott Perry Tests Positive For COVID [He worked to overturn the 2020 election results]

-- WilliamsportS: PA Republican Cong. Keller Opposes Federal Vaccine Mandate

-- PG: PA Not Following Other States In Opening COVID Boosters To All

-- ReadingE: COVID Vaccine Has Been Popular With Families Of Younger Children Now Able To Get It

-- PG: New Study Identifies Stark Health Care Disparities For Black Pennsylvanians

-- PennLive - Jan Murphy: PA Nurses Could Get Up To $7,500 Of Student Loans Paid Off Thanks To COVID Relief Dollars

-- WESA: ‘Hundreds’ Of UPMC Hospital Workers In Pittsburgh Set To Walk Off Job Today

-- TribLive: Several Dozen UPMC Workers Demand Right To Unionize In 1-Day Walkout

-- PennLive: Geisinger Health System Grants Reprieve To Unvaccinated Employees Who Refuse COVID Testing

-- Inquirer Editorial: Philly Needs Stricter Vaccine Mandate For City Employees

-- TribLive Editorial: Big Paychecks Can Be Bad Look Amid Health Care Struggles

-- MCall: House Committee Votes To Endorse Proposed Constitutional Amendment On Right To Refuse Vaccines

A state lawmaker wants to protect Pennsylvanians’ right to decide whether to refuse a vaccine of any type or medical treatment or procedure without being questioned or discriminated against for their decision.

-- PennLive - Jan Murphy: COVID Vaccine Mandates Give Rise To Call For Protecting Medical Freedom In PA Constitution

-- PA Gaming Control Board Reports Record Overall Gambling Revenue In October

The PA Gaming Control Board reported total gaming and fantasy contests revenue generated in the Commonwealth during October 2021 was $425,916,762 which represents an increase of 33% compared to revenue generated in October 2020. It also eclipsed the all-time monthly revenue high set in July of this year.

-- TribLive: Report - PA Casinos Shatter Record, Generate $425 Million In Revenue

-- MCall/AP: Auditor General: Lottery Retailer’s Spouse Wins 17 Times Over 3-Year Period

-- PA Cap-Star: Auditor General - PA Lottery Needs To Keep Closer Tabs On Frequent Winners

-- MCall - Paul Muschick: How Could One PA Lottery Player Win Big 155 Times? The Auditor General Has A Theory

-- ScrantonT Editorial: Grant PA Lottery Inquiry Approval To Auditor General

-- PennLive Guest Essay: PA’s Small Family Businesses Count On [Illegal] Skill Gambling Games To Keep Their Doors Open

-- WHYY: ‘We’re Broke’: At State School Funding Trail, Educators Say They’re Doing Their Best With Less

First witnesses take the stand in the landmark case on school funding last week.

-- MCall: School Funding Trial: Carbon County School Superintendent Says His Rural District Is Broke

-- WHYY: School Funding Trial: ‘75 Kindergartners, One Toilet’

-- ErieT: How Big A Problem Is Violence Against Referees In High School Athletics?

-- AP: House Passes Bill To Allow Concealed Gun Carry Without Permit, Wolf To Veto

A bill to allow people to carry concealed weapons without a permit was passed by a divided Pennsylvania House on Tuesday, but faces a veto threat from the governor.

-- MCall: House Gives Final Approval To Bill Allowing Concealed Carry Of Guns Without Permit; Wolf Plans Veto

-- PG: Bill To Allow Concealed Guns Without Permits Draws Protesters On Both Sides

-- Spotlight PA: Monroe County Teen Had His Hands Up When Killed By State Police, New Videos Show

-- Spotlight PA: Who Investigates Killings By Police In PA, And Why There Are Few Checks And Balances

-- PennLive Guest Essay: To Prevent More Gun Violence Legislators Must Stop Allowing Guns Everywhere

-- PG: Pittsburgh Council Considers Ordinance To Reduce Traffic Stops For Minor Violations

-- Inquirer: Rebuilding Philly: Here Are 6 Steps To Make Law Enforcement Fairer And More Equitable - Charles Ramsey

-- AP: Lancaster County School District Went Too Far When It Expelled A Student Over Memes Calling Student School Shooter, PA Supreme Court Rules

-- PG Editorial: Juvenile Lifers Highlight Prisoner Re-Entry Struggles

-- PG: Cindy Chung Confirmed As New U.S. Attorney In Pittsburgh

PA Economy

-- PA Cap-Star: Why State Personal Income Is Up From Pre-Pandemic Levels, Despite Less Aid