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

Because In Politics Everything Is Connected To Everything Else--

-- In Memoriam: Fmr State Sen. Noah Wenger, Longtime Lancaster County Farming, Chesapeake Bay Advocate Dies At 89

-- Gov. Shapiro

-- AP: PA Sets Up Election Security Task Force Ahead Of 2024 Presidential Contest

-- PennLive - Jan Murphy: Shapiro Administration Launches Election Integrity Task Force

-- Erie Times: Why Shapiro’s Agenda Could Hinge On 3 Election Updates In State Senate

-- TribLive: Shapiro Releases Specifics Of Higher Education Restructuring Plan In Pittsburgh Visit

-- Budget 2024

-- Post-Gazette - Ford Turner: PA Senate Republicans Tee Off On Shapiro Education Proposals

-- PennLive: Republican Senators ‘Troubled’ By Lack Of Funding Source For Increase In Education Funding In Shapiro Budget

-- PA Capital-Star: Lt. Gov. Davis Pushes $100 Million In Funding To Combat An ‘Epidemic Of Gun Violence’ In PA

-- The Center Square: PA Income Tax Plan Raising $2.6 Billion In Revenue Up For Discussion In House

-- The Center Square - PA Lawmakers Rally For Medical Debt Relief

-- TribLive Editorial: Does Robert Morris University Need State Money For A Hockey Arena?

-- Dept. Of Revenue Reports February Tax Collections 2.6% Higher Than Expected; Fiscal Year-To-Date Up 0.3% Over Estimates

-- Independent Fiscal Office Reports February State Revenues 4.1% Above IFO Estimates; Fiscal Year-To-Date Revenue Down 0.1% Lower Than IFO Estimates

-- PA House/Senate

-- Inquirer: How PA House Speaker McClinton Uses Her Historic Role Differently Than Her Predecessors

-- PennLive - Jan Murphy: PA Taxpayers Spent Nearly $1 Million Filling Legislative Vacancies Over Past Year

-- US Senate/House

-- PennLive: What Should PA Voters Expect In US Senate Race?  Lots Of Ads And No Crudite Gaffes

-- TribLive: Casey Fights ‘Shrinkflation At Grocery Stores: ‘Families Are Sick And Tired’

-- WESA: Republican US Senate Candidate Says Less Red Tape, More Natural Gas Are Key To PA’s Economic Future

-- TribLive: Republican PA Con. Scott Perry Wants House To Cancel Biden’s State Of the Union  Address

-- Post-Gazette: Democratic PA Con. Summer Lee’s Appearance Before Group Accused Of Antisemitism Sparks New Controversy

-- Post-Gazette: Democratic Con. Summer Lee Pulls Out Of Council On American-Islamic Relations Banquet This Weekend

-- 2024 Elections

-- AP: PA Sets Up Election Security Task Force Ahead Of 2024 Presidential Contest

-- PennLive - Jan Murphy: Shapiro Administration Launches Election Integrity Task Force

-- WHYY: Ballot Order Is Critical For Candidates, In PA It’s Determined By Luck

-- TribLive: Western PA Elections Officials Say Higher Pay For Poll Workers Helped To Ease Staffing Crunch

-- Spotlight PA - Stephen Caruso: State House Races To Watch As Democrats Try To Keep The Majority

-- Erie Times: Which 5 State Senate Seats Do PA Republicans See As Flip Opportunities?

-- Erie Times: Why Shapiro’s Agenda Could Hinge On 3 Election Updates In State Senate

-- PennLive - Jan Murphy: Lots Of Outside Dollars Expected To Be Spent In PA House Campaigns

-- WITF: PA Lawmakers Target Dark Money In Political Campaigns

-- Spotlight PA: How Counites, State Keeps Voting Machines Safe, And More

-- Election Reforms

-- Post-Gazette - Ford Turner: State’s Top Election Official Faces Hours Of Questions, Some Accusations, Over State’s Election Process

-- WITF: Top State Election Official Addresses Voting Concerns Ahead Of Primary Election

-- PennLive - John Baer: The Longer PA’s Mail-In Voting Issues Linger, The Worse It Is For Democracy

-- Post-Gazette: Officials In PA, Around US Race To Secure Elections In ‘A New Era’ Of Unprecedented Threats

-- KYW: Fmr Gov. Corbett Aims To Rebuild Trust In Elections With New Group

-- Republican Herald Editorial: Misinformation Poses Gravest Threat To Our Election System

-- Politics PA: Republican Senator Seeks To Add Mental Competency, Re-Registration To Voter Prerequisites

-- PennLive - Jan Murphy: PA Taxpayers Spent Nearly $1 Million Filling Legislative Vacancies Over Past Year

-- National Politics

-- Post-Gazette: PA Presidential Primaries Don’t Affect The Results; Same With Super Tuesday This Year

-- Scranton Times: Fmr President Clinton To Headline St. Patrick’s Dinner In Lackawanna County

-- PA’s Role In Assault On US Capitol

-- WITF: Lancaster Man Gets Federal Prison For Crimes Related To Assault On US Capitol

-- LancasterOnline: Lancaster County Man Gets 9 Months In Prison For Crimes Related To Assault On US Capitol

-- Miscellaneous State/Harrisburg Politics

-- Beaver County Times: Women Of The Year: Chief Justice Debra Todd Always Knew She Would Practice Law

-- PennLive - Charles Thompson: PA AFSCME Chapter Taken Over By National HQ For Unspecified But ‘Serious’ Financial Problems

-- PA Politics Of Russian Invasion

-- AAA Gasoline Prices:  PA- $3.51; National- $3.33;  Ohio- $3.15

-- Williamsport Sun: Gasoline Prices Surging As March Nears

-- WTAJ: UGI Set To Lower Cost Of Natural Gas 3% March 1

-- Scranton Times: UGI Natural Gas Bills To Drop Again In March

-- Utility Dive: 2024 PJM Outlook - Tough Choices Loom On Capacity Market, Plant Retirements, Transmission Planning  [PJM To Process 230,000 MW Of New Generation Over 3 Years]

-- Utility Dive: Report Ranks PJM Grid Interconnection Process Worst Of Regional Grid Operators

-- Baker Hughes: PA Natural Gas Drilling Rigs Same At 24; Added 3 Rigs During February

-- PA Utility Law Project March 15 Webinar On Impacts Of LNG Gas Exports On Energy Costs For Pennsylvania Families; LNG Export Capacity To Double, Even With Permit Pause  [PaEN] 

-- Bloomberg: Gov. Shapiro Calls On Biden To Keep Pause On Permits For New LNG Gas Export Facilities Short  [PaEN] 

-- Reuters: European Union Receives Bids For Nearly 3 Times The Volume Of Gas They Need 

-- Bloomberg: Europe Awash With Gas Is Set To Rely More On Ukraine For Storage

-- Reuters: Qatar’s New LNG Gas Expansion Plans To Squeeze Out US, Other Rivals

-- Bloomberg: Qatar Has Eyes On More Long-Term Deals As It Bets Big On LNG Gas

-- Bloomberg: China’s February LNG Gas Imports Climb To Highest Ever For The Month

-- Reuters: Demand For Diesel Fuel, Heating Oil Fell In December To Lowest Since June 2020, EIA Says

-- Train Derailments

-- PA House Passed Train Safety Legislation In June 2023; PA Senate Has Failed To Act

-- MCall: 3 Norfolk Southern Trains Involved In Northampton County Derailment Sending 2 Engines Diesel Fuel, Plastic Pellets Into Lehigh River; Officials Say No Danger To Public 

-- AP: 3 Norfolk Southern Trains Involved In ‘Collision And Derailment’ In Northampton County

-- KYW: Norfolk Southern Train Derailment Spills Diesel Fuel, Plastic Pellets Along Lehigh River Near Bethlehem

-- Post-Gazette - Mary Ann Thomas: Green Party’s Stein Slams Government, Norfolk Southern Railroad During Town Meeting In Beaver County

-- AP: Latest Freight Railroad Layoffs And Wall Street Pressure Renew Concerns About Safety And Service

-- Gas Explosions

-- MCall: Gas Leak Reported In Hellertown, Northampton County Prompting Evacuations  

-- Education

-- Post-Gazette - Ford Turner: PA Senate Republicans Tee Off On Shapiro Education Proposals

-- PennLive: Republican Senators ‘Troubled’ By Lack Of Funding Source For Increase In Education Funding In Shapiro Budget

-- The Center Square: Education Spending Trends Deliver Mixed Results In PA

-- TribLive: Shapiro Releases Specifics Of Higher Education Restructuring Plan In Pittsburgh Visit

-- Post-Gazette: PA Teacher Preparation Programs See Slight Increase In Diversity, Report

-- PA Capital-Star: PA Lawmakers Consider How To Measure Success Of Taxpayer-Funded Universities

-- Spotlight PA: Before Penn State Pledged More Money For ‘Promising’ Diversity Efforts, Some Of their Budgets Were Cut

-- TribLive Editorial: Does Robert Morris University Need State Money For A Hockey Arena?

-- Health Care

-- The Center Square - PA Lawmakers Rally For Medical Debt Relief

-- Post-Gazette: 6 County Swath Of Northern PA Will Soon Have No Hospital Maternity Care [Cameron, Clarion, Clinton, Elk, Forest, McKean]

-- TribLive: Here’s Why Pharmacies Are On A Financial Precipice

-- TribLive: Pharmacy Company Cyberattack Has Impact On Western PA Pharmacies, Chains

-- TribLive Editorial: Billionaire, Small Businesses, Bipartisan Lawmakers Sick Of Pharmacy Management Firms

-- PennLive: Where The Best COVID Testing Is Happening - The Proof Is In The Sewage

-- Inquirer: Philly Saw Surge In Medical Malpractice Filings After PA Courts Change On Location Rules

-- Law Enforcement

-- PA Capital-Star: Lt. Gov. Davis Pushes $100 Million In Funding To Combat An ‘Epidemic Of Gun Violence’ In PA

-- AP: Philadelphia Death Row Inmate Was Never In The Photo Lineup That Helped Convict Him, Now He’s Free

-- The Economy

-- TribLive: Here’s Why Pharmacies Are On A Financial Precipice

-- TribLive: Pharmacy Company Cyberattack Has Impact On Western PA Pharmacies, Chains

-- TribLive: Weights And Measures Are The Unsung Consumer Protection Watchdogs

[Posted: March 3, 2024]