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

Because In Politics Everything Is Connected To Everything Else--

-- Gov. Shapiro

-- AP: Gov. Shapiro’s Budget Is Expected To Seek More For Schools, Transit, Emphasize Frugality

-- Gov. Shapiro Proposes ‘Lightning’ Energy Plan To Increase & Diversify Energy Generation; Reduce Climate Changing Pollution; Lower Energy Costs; Create Jobs  [PaEN]

-- Gov. Shapiro Reaches Agreement With PJM To Prevent Unnecessary Price Hikes And Save Consumers Over $21 Billion On Utility Bills  [PaEN]

-- PA Senate Republican Leader: ‘Every Consumer Of Electricity In This Commonwealth Is Going To Pay More;’ ‘What You’re Going To Face Is Going To Be Really Unpleasant’  [PaEN]

-- Post-Gazette - Ford Turner: PA Republicans Planning ‘Unified And Strategic’ Approach To Unseating Josh Shapiro In 2026 

-- Budget 2025

-- AP: Gov. Shapiro’s Budget Is Expected To Seek More For Schools, Transit, Emphasize Frugality

-- Wall Street Journal: New Federal Administration Memo Orders Agencies To Broadly Pause All Federal Grants, Loans, Financial Assistance Programs Pending Review  [PDF of Article] 

-- AP: Federal Judge Temporarily Blocks New Administration’s Freeze On Federal Grants And Loans  

-- AP: President Rescinds Memo Freezing  Federal Money After Widespread Confusion; Executive Orders Requiring Funding Review Still In ‘Full Force’

-- AP: President Rescinds Funding Freeze But Uncertainty Lives On For Wide Array Of Environmental Programs 

-- E&ENews/Politico: EPA Freezes Federal Solar For All Program Funding Until Further Notice  [PA Was Due To Receive $156 Million]

-- Financial Times: President Wiped Out Dozens Of Biden’s Climate Initiatives In First-Week Blitz

-- Post-Gazette: PA Again Receives Dismal Grades In State Of Tobacco Control Report

-- PA House/Senate

-- Spotlight PA: Will A Tied PA House Halt Harrisburg Again?  Democrats Won’t Say

-- House Energy Committee To Hold Feb. 4 Hearing On Bill Establishing  $156 Million Federally-Funded Solar For All Program [PaEN] 

-- US Senate/House

-- Post-Gazette -Ford Turner: Republicans US Sen. McCormick, Cong. Reschenthaler Defend Funding Freeze 

-- The Hill: Fetterman: RFK, Jr.’s Nomination In Trouble After Rocky Hearing

-- 2025 Elections

-- Post-Gazette - Ford Turner: PA Republicans Planning ‘Unified And Strategic’ Approach To Unseating Josh Shapiro In 2026 

-- Wilkes-Barre Times/AP: Battlegrounds Pennsylvania, Wisconsin Are Back In The Spotlight With High-Stakes Court Elections

-- 2024 Elections

-- PA Dept. Of State Reports Record-High Voter Turnout In November General Election

-- AP: PA Elections Chief Touts Progress In Reducing Mail Ballot Rejection Rate

-- Elections

-- PA Capital-Star: Advocates Push For Independent Redistricting Commission To Draw Political Maps

-- Spotlight PA: Efforts To Replace PA’s Outdated Glitchy Voter Registration System Months Behind Schedule

-- New Federal Administration

-- White House: President Launches Initiative To Eliminate 10 Regulations For Every New Regulation Issued; Cost Of New Regulations Must Be ‘Significantly’ Less Than Zero  [PaEN]

-- Wall Street Journal: New Federal Administration Memo Orders Agencies To Broadly Pause All Federal Grants, Loans, Financial Assistance Programs Pending Review  [PDF of Article] 

-- AP: Federal Judge Temporarily Blocks New Administration’s Freeze On Federal Grants And Loans  

-- AP: President Rescinds Memo Freezing  Federal Money After Widespread Confusion; Executive Orders Requiring Funding Review Still In ‘Full Force’

-- AP: President Rescinds Funding Freeze But Uncertainty Lives On For Wide Array Of Environmental Programs 

-- Financial Times: President Wiped Out Dozens Of Biden’s Climate Initiatives In First-Week Blitz

-- Post-Gazette -Ford Turner: Republicans US Sen. McCormick, Cong. Reschenthaler Defend Funding Freeze 

-- TribLive Editorial: Government Must Be Reliable To Function

-- TribLive/AP: Wall Street Journal Takes Critical Eye To Start Of President’s 2nd Term: ‘Remarkably Poor Judgment’ 

-- Inquirer: Gov. Shapiro Says Federal Funding Freeze Is Creating ‘Havoc,’ As PA, NJ Officials Scramble

-- Post-Gazette - Ford Turner: PA Can’t Access Medicaid, Other Portals Because Of Federal Funding Freeze, Shapiro Says

-- MCall: Lehigh Valley Officials React To Rescinded Federal Funding Freeze With Mix Of Relief, Skepticism

-- Post-Gazette: Sweeping Federal Funding Freeze Order Caused Chaotic Scramble Across Western PA  

-- TribLive: Western PA Leaders React To Federal Funding Freeze

-- MCall: Federal Funds Freeze Means Some Agencies Temporarily Suspending Food, Housing Programs

-- Erie Times: City Of Erie Seeks Answers On Federal Funding Freeze

-- Altoona Mirror: Federal Freeze Worries Local Agencies

-- Scranton Times: Officials Concerned Federal Funding Pause Could Hurt Local Communities

-- The Center Square: New Federal DEI Order Revokes Funding For Homeless Aid Programs

-- Republican Herald: Local Businesses Express Concerns Over Proposed Tariffs By New Administration

-- The Hill: Fetterman: RFK, Jr.’s Nomination In Trouble After Rocky Hearing

-- TribLive/AP: Wall Street Journal Takes Critical Eye To Start Of President’s 2nd Term: ‘Remarkably Poor Judgment’ 

-- PA’s Role In Assault On US Capitol

-- PA Capital-Star: Pardoned PA Defendants Charged With Crimes Related To Assault On US Capital Range From Remorseful To Defiant

-- WITF: ‘It Was Ordained’: Former Cop Charged With Crimes In Assault On US Capitol On Dismissing His Case 

-- Inquirer: Bucks County Man Pardoned For Crimes Related To Helping Spark The Assault On US Capitol, Injuring Police Officer Says He Was Mistreated By Prosecutors, In Prison

-- The Guardian: Proud Boys Leader Thanks President For Pardon And Vows Revenge  

-- PA Energy Politics

-- AAA Gasoline Prices: National- $3.11  Ohio- $2.89  PA- $3.35

-- Baker Hughes: PA Natural Gas Drilling Rigs Still 15 - Same For 7 Weeks

-- Gov. Shapiro Proposes ‘Lightning’ Energy Plan To Increase & Diversify Energy Generation; Reduce Climate Changing Pollution; Lower Energy Costs; Create Jobs  [PaEN]

-- Gov. Shapiro Reaches Agreement With PJM To Prevent Unnecessary Price Hikes And Save Consumers Over $21 Billion On Utility Bills  [PaEN]

-- PA Senate Republican Leader: ‘Every Consumer Of Electricity In This Commonwealth Is Going To Pay More;’ ‘What You’re Going To Face Is Going To Be Really Unpleasant’  [PaEN]

-- PA Republican Senator To Introduce Bill Suspending State Taxes On Natural Gas Producers; Cut DEP Permit Fees; End Drilling Moratorium On DCNR Lands; Exempt Coal-Fired Power Plants From EPA Regulations  [PaEN]

-- Citizens Voice: Lawmakers Raise Concerns Over Proposed UGI Natural Gas Rate Hike

-- UGI Gas Division Filed A Request With PUC To Increase Residential Gas Rates By 10.8%

-- Scranton Times: UGI Seeking To Raise Natural Gas Rates 10.8% For Residential Customers

-- NYT: Oil, Gas Companies Embrace New President, But Not ‘Drill, Baby, Drill’  [No Plans To Increase Production Unless Prices Rise Significantly]

-- PA Marcellus Shale Gas Coalition Doubles-Down On Support For Exporting PA Natural Gas To China, Our Economic, Military Competitor  [PaEN]

-- US EIA: Electric Power Sector Has Driven Rising PA Natural Gas Consumption Since 2013

-- Utility Dive: Calpine To Sell 2 PA Gas Power Plants To Avoid Market Power Concerns From Constellation Merger

-- Bloomberg: US Natural Gas Producers Likely To Gain Asian Market Share [China Buying 50% More US LNG, Cap Price At $10 - Currently $3.89]  

-- Bloomberg: Europe’s Gas Traders Now Fear Summer More Than Winter

-- Reuters: Venture Global Given FERC OK To Start Up Another Louisiana LNG Gas Export Plant

-- Reuters: FERC Reinstates Certificate For Williams NE US Transco Gas Pipeline Expansion Project

-- Reuters: US EIA Sees 7% Higher US Wholesale Power Prices In 2025; Residential Increase Of 2%

-- Three Mile Island Restart

-- ABC27: Could Three Mile Island Restart Be At Risk Due To Federal Funding Freeze?

-- LancasterOnline: Activist Urges Lancaster County Commissioners To Fight Three Mile Island Opening

-- LancasterOnline: Three Mile Island Nuclear Plant Owner Defends Safety Record And Planning Of Restart

-- Reuters: Talen Goes To Court Over FERC’s Amazon Co-Located Data Center Rejection

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: PennEnvironment Warns Of Environmental, Cost Impact Of A.I. Buildout 

-- ABC27: Could Three Mile Island Restart Be At Risk Due To Federal Funding Freeze?

-- Reuters: Talen Goes To Court Over FERC’s Amazon Co-Located Data Center Rejection

-- Marcellus Drilling News: China’s A.I. Announcement Tanks US Stocks, Including Shale Gas Drillers   [PDF of Article]  

-- Utility Dive: Generator, Advanced Nuclear Stocks Reel As China’s Low-Cost DeepSeek A.I. Chills Load Growth Outlook 

-- Reuters: Tech Selloff Deepens As China’s DeepSeek Upsets Global A.I. Race

-- Reuters: US Power Stocks Plummet As China’s DeepSeek A.I. Raises Data Center Demand Doubts  

-- Financial Times: Tech Stocks Tumble As China’s DeepSeek AI Sows Doubts About AI Spending 

-- Bloomberg: A.I. Fueled Stock Rally Dealt $1 Trillion Blow By Chinese A.I. DeepSeek

-- The Guardian: ‘Sputnik Moment’: $1 Trillion Wiped Off US Stocks After Chinese Firm Unveils A.I. Chatbot, Raises Doubts About Sustainability Of Western A.I Boom 

-- Reuters: China’s DeepSeek AI’s ‘Sputnik Moment’ Prompts Investors To Sell Big AI Players 

-- NYT: Stocks Fall Sharply As Investors Worry About China’s A.I. Advances  [Investors Rethinking Enormous Investments To Build A.I. Businesses] 

-- Flooding

-- Commonwealth Financing Authority Announces $16 Million In Act 13 Funding For Watershed Restoration, Flood Mitigation, Recreation; Small Water & Sewer Application Period Opening  [PaEN] 

-- TribLive: Allegheny River Ice Raises Safety, Flooding Concerns

-- The Guardian: Pennsylvania Flood Museum In Johnstown Temporarily Closed Due To Flooding

-- Interfaith Partners For The Chesapeake Bay Hosts 3-Part Online Faithful Green Leaders Training Starting March 11  [PaEN] 

-- Altoona Mirror: Rain Garden Projects Get Logan Township Approval In Blair

-- Train Derailments

-- Beaver Times: Two Years Ago: Remember Norfolk Southern Train Derailment 

-- WESA: PA Cong. Deluzio Calls On Vance To Push Rail Safety On Eve Of Norfolk Southern Derailment Anniversary

-- TribLive: PA Cong. Deluzio Pushes Rail Safety Bill With Visit To Tarentum, Allegheny County 

-- TribLive Editorial: Railway Safety Is Worth Congressional Action  

-- The Allegheny Front: 2 Years After Norfolk Southern Train Derailment Some Residents Worry About Liver Disease

-- TribLive/AP: Norfolk Southern And East Palestine Announce $22 Million Settlement After 2023 Derailment 

-- Education

-- Inquirer: Commonwealth Charter School Spent Nearly $600,000 On Cars, Car Washes In One Year

-- PA Capital-Star: State Rejects Application For Cyber Private Charter School With A.I. Teacher

-- TribLive: Conservative Group Objects To Slippery Rock University STEM Program’s Minority Recruitment  

-- TribLive Editorial: No Excuse Justifies Silencing Student Journalism

-- PennLive: Central Dauphin School District Teacher Accused Of Racist Remark Resigns

-- PennLive: Racism In PA Schools Is All Too Common, PA Human Relations Commission Leader Says

-- LancasterOnline: Lancaster County’s Largest, Most Diverse District Mum On Executive Order Letting ICE Into Schools

-- Centre Daily Times: State College Officials Discuss District Policies Amid Concerns Of ICE Raids In Schools

-- Spotlight PA: Students, Faculty Nervous For Future Of Penn State Branch Campuses

-- Health Care

-- WESA: Pennie Officials Warn State-Based Health Insurance Customers Could Face 81% Price Hike Next Year Without Congressional Action

-- Post-Gazette: Some PA Lawmakers Seek To Shield Federal Health Insurance Benefits From Cuts

-- Post-Gazette: PA Again Receives Dismal Grades In State Of Tobacco Control Report

-- Law Enforcement

-- Spotlight PA - Stephen Caruso: Fiery Resignation By PA’s Consumer Advocate Breeds Fear Office Will Lose Independence

-- LancasterOnline: Lancaster County’s Largest, Most Diverse District Mum On Executive Order Letting ICE Into Schools

-- Centre Daily Times: State College Officials Discuss District Policies Amid Concerns Of ICE Raids In Schools

-- Post-Gazette: Fear, Anxiety Ripple Through Western PA Communities Amid Immigration Crackdown

-- PennLive: Prospect Of ICE Raids Sends Fear Through Central PA Nepali Refugee Community

-- Inquirer: Fake ‘ICE Volunteer Corps’ Truck Stirs Fear In Chester County Immigrant Community

-- TribLive: Pittsburgh Mayor Rejects Cooperation With ICE Amid Immigration Crackdown

-- PennLive - John Baer: President’s Deportation Goals Need More Scrutiny amid Overall DC Chaos

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: It’s Not Pittsburgh’s Job To Enforce Federal Immigration Law

[Posted: February 1, 2025]