Sunday, November 24, 2024

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

Because In Politics Everything Is Connected To Everything Else--

-- TribLive: Western PA Experts Offer Tips On Navigating Lingering election-related Tensions Over Holidays


-- Gov. Shapiro

-- Gov. Shapiro: PA Secretary Of Education Dr. Khalid Mumin To Resign Dec. 6; Angela Fitterer Named Interim Acting Secretary 

-- AP: Shapiro Taps Federal Highway Funding To Help Philadelphia Transit System

-- The Center Square: Lt. Gov. Austin Davis Promotes State Grants To Fill Police Vacancies [Video]

-- Liquor Control Board: Darrell Clarke Named Chairman Of Liquor Control Board

-- PennLive: Shapiro Picks Ex-Philly Councilman To Head PA Liquor Control Board

-- Gov. Shapiro Signs Executive Order Creating PA Permit Fast Track Program; Can't Blame DEP Anymore For Delaying Projects  [PaEN]

-- DEP Reduces Permit Backlog By 75%, Completely Eliminates Backlog For Oil & Gas Permits; You Can’t Blame DEP Anymore For Permit Delays  [PaEN] 

-- Guest Essay: Protecting Public Health Means Enforcing Environmental Regulations While Helping Businesses Thrive - By Jessica Shirley, Acting DEP Secretary  [PaEN]

-- DCNR Speeds Up Endangered, Threatened Species Environmental Permit Review Times, ATV Permitting, Ginseng Certification  [PaEN] 

-- PA Sen. Joe Pittman: Senate Republicans Spearheading PA Permitting Reforms 

-- PA Capital-Star: Shapiro Signs Executive Order Aimed At Streamlining Permitting Process For Infrastructure Projects

-- WNEP: Gov. Shapiro Highlights PA Permit Fast Track Program In Luzerne County

-- NFIB: Small Businesses Applaud Gov. Shapiro’s PA Permit Fast Track Program

-- PA Independent Oil & Gas Assn.: Shapiro Signs Executive Order Aimed At Streamlining Permit Process For Infrastructure Projects

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: Shapiro’s New Permitting System Gives A Green Light To Economic Development


-- Budget 2025

-- The Center Square: PA Senate Republicans Double Down On Fiscal Restraint Post Election [Video]

-- The Center Square: Lt. Gov. Austin Davis Promotes State Grants To Fill Police Vacancies [Video]

-- PA Gaming Control Board Reports October Revenue Increased 2.81% Over October 2023


-- PA House/Senate

-- The Center Square: PA Senate Republicans Double Down On Fiscal Restraint Post Election [Video]

-- The Center Square: PA House Republicans - Taxpayers Want More Divided Government

-- Post-Gazette: PA Senate Republican Leader Exhorts Shapiro To Publicly Engage In US Steel Sale Drama

-- The Center Square: Shapiro’s ‘Critical’ Engagement In US Steel Sale Questioned

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Shapiro Says He’s Working As Honest Broker On Nippon Steel-US Steel Deal

-- The Center Square: Shapiro, Senate Republicans Trade Blame On SEPTA Funding Standoff

-- Erie Times: After Nov. 5 Election Win, Sen. Laughlin Pushes On With Libel Suit vs. Erie Reader Newspaper

-- Post-Gazette - Ford Turner: State Reps. Abney, Mihalek Picked To Lead PA House Regional Delegations


-- US Senate/House

-- AP: Bob Casey Concedes To David McCormick In PA US Senate Race 

-- The Center Square: Casey Concedes US Senate Race In Pennsylvania

-- Spotlight PA: PA Calls Off Recount In US Senate Race After Casey Concedes To McCormick

-- WITF: With Recount Canceled, Counties Move To Finalize Election Results

-- Inquirer: Bob Casey Will Leave The US Senate With A Reputation  As A Quiet Fighter For Working People

-- AP: PA Supreme Court Orders Counties Not To Count Mail-In Ballots That Lack Date On Return Envelope In US Senate Race

-- PA Capital-Star: Casey And McCormick Are Fighting Over Provisional Ballots In A Dozen PA Counties


-- Statewide Offices

-- PA Capital-Star: Fmr Gov. Corbett, Bob Asher Will Lead Attorney General-Elect Dave Sunday’s Transition Team

-- PennLive: Attorney General-Elect Dave Sunday Announces Transition Team, Adds Tom Corbett


-- November Election

-- AP: Bob Casey Concedes To David McCormick In PA US Senate Race 

-- The Center Square: Casey Concedes US Senate Race In Pennsylvania

-- Spotlight PA: PA Calls Off Recount In US Senate Race After Casey Concedes To McCormick

-- WITF: With Recount Canceled, Counties Move To Finalize Election Results

-- AP: PA Supreme Court Orders Counties Not To Count Mail-In Ballots That Lack Date On Return Envelope In US Senate Race

-- PA Capital-Star: Casey And McCormick Are Fighting Over Provisional Ballots In A Dozen PA Counties

-- TribLive Editorial: Courts Need To Decide Election Question On More Than A Race-By-Race Basis

-- Inquirer: Bucks County Officials Face Calls To Resign For Violating Court Order At Rowdy Commissioners Meeting

-- Erie Times: How Republicans Won Pennsylvania: Increased Turnout In Rural Counties Subdued Democratic Vote 

-- Inquirer: Philly Voter Turnout Didn’t Meet Democrats’ Expectations; Here’s What Happened

-- Inquirer Guest Essay: What Green Party And Third-Party Voters In PA Might Tell Us About The Future Of Close Elections

-- PennLive Guest Essay: PA Democrats Have No Mandate Except To Compromise - By Andrew Lewis


-- Elections

-- TribLive Editorial: Let’s Change The Tone Of Elections In 2025

-- PA Capital-Star: Questions About Provisional Ballots Remain As Casey, McCormick Withdraw Lawsuits

-- Post-Gazette - Ford Turner: PA Lawmakers Say Candidates Pay $250 Fine For Failing To File Campaign Finance Reports On Time To Avoid Revealing Donors

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: The People Have The Power To Enforce Campaign Finance Laws


-- National Politics

-- KDKA: Antisemitic Stickers Found In Pittsburgh Neighborhoods

-- TribLive: Pittsburgh Police Investigating Reports Of Antisemitic Stickers

-- PennLive: More Racist Texts Go Out, This Time To Kids, Latinos, LGBTQ People 

-- Columbus Dispatch: Ohio Governor, Columbus Leaders Condemn Neo-Nazis Marching Through Columbus Neighborhood


-- The Feds - New Administration

-- PennLive: PA Farm Industry Braces For Raids, Deportations Under Republican Administration

-- PA Capital-Star: ‘Drill, Drill, Drill:’ New Federal Energy Council Signals Incoming Republican Administration To Prioritize Energy Production  

-- WSJ: Republican Oil & Gas Donors Don’t Really Want To ‘Drill, Baby, Drill’  [PDF of Article]

-- ABC27/AP: Republican Administration Gave Interior Nominee One Directive For US Land - ‘Drill’

-- The Energy Age Blog: Oil Executive Chris Wright Tapped As US Energy Secretary Once Drank Fracking Fluid On Camera To Demonstrate It Wasn’t Dangerous 

-- City & State PA: Tracking New Republican Administration’s Nominees With PA Ties

-- The Center Square: Dr. Oz Picked To Lead Centers For Medicare & Medicaid Services

-- PennLive: Walmart Reveals Impact Of Republican Tariff Plan-- Prices Will Go Up; Social Media-- Why Didn’t The Company Say That Before Election?

-- PennLive - John Baer: Can Republicans, Musk Really Gut Big Government?


-- PA Politics Of Russian Invasion

-- AAA Gasoline Prices: National- $3.05  Ohio- $2.86  PA- $3.24

-- WTAJ: Winter Heating Bills Should Be Same Or Less Than Last Year

-- PUC Approves 9.06% Rate Increase Columbia Gas Customers

-- PUC Approves Rate Increases For FirstEnergy PA Utilities Ranging From 1.9% to 6.2%

-- TribLive: PUC OKs Smaller West Penn Power, Columbia Gas Rate Hikes

-- Post-Gazatte - Anya Litvak: Gas And Electric Bills For Southwest PA Customers Set To Rise With Utility Settlements

-- Baker Hughes: No Change In PA Natural Gas Drilling Rigs From Last Week - 15; Aug. 23- 21

-- National Review: Northeast Pennsylvania Needs Natural Gas - New Congress, New Federal Administration Should Overturn Delaware River Basin Commission Moratorium On Shale Gas Fracking - By Jason Adams  [PDF of Article

-- Erie Times Letter: A Boon? Consider The Price Pennsylvania Pays For Fracking - By Katie Jones, FracTracker Alliance, Johnstown

-- Bloomberg: Europe’s Natural Gas Storage Being Emptied Faster Than Usual, Gas Prices Surged Raising Echoes Of 2022 Shock

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: PA Environmental Groups Urge Biden To Keep Block On LNG Gas Export Projects  [PDF of Article

-- WSJ: Republican Oil & Gas Donors Don’t Really Want To ‘Drill, Baby, Drill’  [PDF of Article]

-- ABC27/AP: Republican Administration Gave Interior Nominee One Directive For US Land - ‘Drill’

-- AP: Ukraine Has Seen Success In Building Clean Energy, Which Is Harder For Russia To Destroy 

-- The Economist: New Republican Administration’s Natural Gas War Is About To Begin  [PDF of Article

-- Institute For Energy Economics & Financial Analysis: New Fortress Energy, Leader Of LNG Gas Export Growth Bubble, Facing Bankruptcy [Proposed Building Facilities In PA] 

-- Reuters: Freeport Texas LNG Gas Export Facility Shuts Down 1 Of 3 Liquefaction Lines Due To High Air Pollution Emissions Lasting 11 Hours 

-- Bloomberg: Asian LNG Gas Prices Jump To Highest This Year Following Europe’s Rise

-- Reuters: US LNG Gas Exports Primed To Jump As Price In Europe Hits One-Year High 

-- Reuters: US Natural Gas Drillers To Lift 2025 Output, Reversing Year Of Cuts- US EIA

-- Bloomberg: China’s Surging LNG Gas Imports From US Threatened By Next Trade War

-- Reuters: LNG Gas Tankers Divert To Europe From Asia After Russia Halts Supplies To Austria  [11.18.24]

-- Bloomberg: LNG Gas Traders Choose To Pay Penalties For Not Shipping Gas To Germany To Chase Higher Profits In Asia  [10.1.24]

-- Financial Times: Canada Imports US Electricity As Drought Curb Hydropower

-- Reuters: Gauging The Likely Republican Effect On US Energy, Power Sectors  [PDF of Article


-- Three Mile Island Restart

-- Financial Times: Restart Of Three Mile Island Tests US Appetite For Nuclear Revival

-- Utility Dive: Ohio Consumer Counsel Urges FERC To Shield Utility Customers From Expected Grid Costs Due To 1.5 GW Amazon Data Center 

-- Reuters: US Natural Gas Producers Chase AI-Driven Surge In Power Demand To Weather Low Prices

-- Reuters: Data-Center Reliance On Fossil Fuels May Delay Clean Energy Transition

-- WPost: AI’s Hunger For Electric Power Is Threatening US Climate Goals


-- Drought

-- Delaware River Basin Commission Meets Dec. 5 To Consider Resolution To Preserve And Protect Water Supplies During Persistent Dry Conditions  [PaEN] 

-- MCall: How Recent Rains Impacted Lehigh Valley’s River, Drought Status

-- WNEP: Aqua Pennsylvania Issues Mandatory Water Conservation Notice In Northumberland, Columbia, Schuylkill Counties 

-- Inquirer - Frank Kummer: Drought Conditions Have Caused Aqua PA Water To Suddenly Stink, But Safe To Drink In Abington, Montgomery County; Using Different Source Of Water 

-- WHYY - Sophia Schmidt: Delaware River Basin Managers Could Take Conservation Efforts If Drought Worsens

-- Courier Times: Part Of Bucks County Enters ‘Extreme Drought’ This Week Amid Worst Dry Spell In 22 Years 

-- Inquirer - Frank Kummer: Delaware River Water Levels At 60% As Salt Front Increases Amid Drought

-- KYW: Officials Eyeing Delaware River Salt Levels As Philly-Area Drought Worsens

-- PennLive: Susquehanna River Level Drops Due To ‘Very Bad’ Drought Across Much Of Central PA 

-- Citizens Voice: Drought Has Susquehanna River At Exceedingly Low Levels 

-- TribLive: Youghiogheny River Level Remains Low After Relatively Dry Summer, Fall In Westmoreland, Fayette Counties

-- Post-Gazette: Despite Drought, Christmas Tree Crop And Prices Holding Steady In PA

-- PennLive: From PA’s Christmas Tree Mega-Auction, Here’s What Buyers Can Expect To Pay This Season

-- PennLive: Will Drought Impact Central PA Christmas Tree Sales, Prices?

-- WNEP: Drought Impacts Lake At Beltzville State Park In Carbon County

-- DCNR Lifts Open Burn Ban In State Parks, Forests 

-- Game Commission Lifts State Game Lands Campfire Ban

-- WNEP: 60 Acre Wildfire Contained On Montage Mountain In Lackawanna County

-- Williamsport Sun Editorial: Firefighters Take Service Across State To Fight Wildfires

-- New York Governor Declares 15 Counties In Drought Warning, Drought Watch Statewide


-- Flooding

-- Appalachian Voices: Statement On Request For $98 Billion In Federal Disaster Funding 

-- PA Emergency Management Agency, Delaware River Basin Commission: Nov. 26 Hazard Mitigation Grant Funding Webinar, 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. 

-- Spotlight PA: Flood Damage That Destroyed Antietam Middle School Reveals Deep Divisions Between Berks County Communities Over How And Where To Continue Schooling Students 

-- WHYY: Philly Launches Flood Alerts For Eastwick Neighborhood: ‘A Long Time Coming’

-- Citizens Voice: Cemetery Headstones Washed Away In 1972 Flood Found In Forty Fort

-- TribLive Editorial: Another Step Forward For River Recreation? 

-- Post-Gazette/AP: Climate Change Increased Hurricane Wind Strength By 18 MPH Since 2019, Study Says 


-- Gas Explosions

-- DEP Prints Corrected Notice Inviting Comments On New Air Pollution Permit For Revolution Natural Gas Cryogenic Processing Plant In Washington County; Plant Suffered Major Explosion, Fire In 2022  [PaEN] 

-- WTAE: Residents Smelled Natural Gas Prior To Explosion At Allegheny County Apartment


-- Education

-- Gov. Shapiro: PA Secretary Of Education Dr. Khalid Mumin To Resign Dec. 6; Angela Fitterer Named Interim Acting Secretary 

-- Erie Times: Erie Rise Private Charter School Settles Lawsuit Over ‘Hostile Work Environment’ As It Dissolves

-- TribLive: Need For English As 2nd Language Education Growing In Westmoreland Schools

-- TribLive Editorial: Teaching English As 2nd Language Turns Immigrants Into Community

-- TribLive: 17-Year-Old Boy Charged 2nd Time For Threats Targeting Chartiers Valley School District, Police Say

-- WNEP: Delay In PHEAA State Grant Payments Threatens College Students’ Fates Across Pennsylvania 

-- WESA: Carnegie Mellon University Announces Free Tuition For All Students Of Families Earning $75,000 Or Less

-- Post-Gazette:  PennWest, 2 Other PA State Universities Begin Directly Admitting Students Without An Application To Bolster Enrollment 

-- Spotlight PA: Penn State Trustees Rarely Discuss Key Issues Before Voting-- Unless They’re Related To Athletics Or Rules For Members

-- Post-Gazette: University Of Pittsburgh Graduate Students Vote To Unionize

-- PennLive: Susquehanna University Settles Lawsuit Over Pandemic Shutdown For $675,000


-- Health Care

-- The Center Square: Report: Uncompensated Medical Care On The Rise

-- Tribune-Democrat/CNHI: Report: PA Still Among States With Highest Count Of Kids Without Health Insurance

-- PA Insurance Dept. Reminds Pennsylvanians Of Available, Affordable Health Insurance Options Through Pennie Health Insurance Marketplace

-- PA Insurance Dept. Releases Comprehensive Study On Health Insurer Provider Directories, Aiming To Improve Healthcare Access For Pennsylvanians

-- PA Insurance Dept. Releases New Report On State’s Health Insurance Market

-- Inquirer: Philly’s Soda Tax Had An Impact On Health In The City, New Research Finds

-- The Center Square: Dr. Oz Picked To Lead Centers For Medicare & Medicaid Services


-- Law Enforcement

-- The Center Square: Lt. Gov. Austin Davis Promotes State Grants To Fill Police Vacancies [Video]

-- PA Capital-Star: PA Supreme Court Upholds State Laws Blocking Local Gun Control

-- WESA: Pittsburgh Efforts To Regulate Firearms Likely Dead After PA Supreme Court Ruling

-- PennLive: Sexual Assault Victims Find PA Prosecutors Take On Few Cases, Why?  ‘I Felt Attacked By Them’

-- PennLive: How Some Areas Get Sex Crime Prosecutions Right

-- PennLive: Lehigh County DA Promises Change In County With PA’s Lowest Rate Of Prosecuting Sex Offenses

-- Citizens Voice: Protection From Abuse Filings Surge Across NE PA, State

-- Fox43: Protection From Abuse Fillings On Rise Across Pennsylvania

-- TribLive: 17-Year-Old Boy Charged 2nd Time For Threats Targeting Chartiers Valley School District, Police Say

-- Post-Gazette: Mother Of Murdered Transgender Teen From Mercer County Calls For LGBTQ Hate Crimes Legislation

-- PennLive: PA Capitol Gathering Commemorates Transgenender Lives Lost Amid Growing Political Hostility

-- PA Capital-Star: PA Officials Mark Transgender Day Of Remembrance In Increasingly Hostile Political Environment

-- PA Capital-Star: US House Speaker Bans Trans Women From Women’s Bathrooms At The US Capitol


-- The Economy

-- PennLive: PA Farm Industry Braces For Raids, Deportations Under Republican Administration

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: How Pittsburgh Can Develop A Workforce For The Future

-- Post-Gazette: PA Senate Republican Leader Exhorts Shapiro To Publicly Engage In US Steel Sale Drama

-- The Center Square: Shapiro’s ‘Critical’ Engagement In US Steel Sale Questioned

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Shapiro Says He’s Working As Honest Broker On Nippon Steel-US Steel Deal

-- TribLive: Steelworkers Union Boss Rips PR Blitz Pushing US Steel-Nippon Deal

-- Post-Gazette: Japanese Steelmaker Nippon Says It Will Not Accept Presidential Block Of US Steel Deal

-- TribLive Editorial: Are There Any Guarantees With Nippon Steel Purchase Of US Steel?

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: Time For Post-Election Sanity: Approve Nippon - US Steel Deal

-- PennLive: Walmart Reveals Impact Of Republican Tariff Plan-- Prices Will Go Up; Social Media-- Why Didn’t The Company Say That Before Election?


-- Other

-- PennLive: Dauphin County Commissioner Criticizes Contracts With Political Consultant Worth $870,000

-- PennLive: Dauphin County Agency To End Ex-Official’s Questionable $60,000 NRA Gun Show Contract

[Posted: November 24, 2024]

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