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 Announces Amazon Plans To Invest $20 Billion In Pennsylvania For A.I. Data Center Infrastructure; Amazon Told PUC It Has Net-Zero Carbon Emissions Goal By 2040  [PaEN] 

-- Utility Dive: Talen Energy To Sell Amazon 1.9 GW From Susquehanna Nuclear Power Plant In PA In ‘Front Of The Meter Deal’ To Supply Data Centers In PA 

-- WPost: Gov. Shapiro Says He’s ‘Prepared’ If President Sends Military To Pennsylvania: It’s Not The President’s Job To Police American Cities  [PDF of Article] 

-- PennLive: Josh Shapiro ‘Won’t Be Afraid To Stand Up’ To President If He Tries To Send Troops Into PA

-- Post-Gazette: Gov. Shapiro Says President Brings ‘Chaos’ In Militarized Protest Response

-- WHYY/AP: Gov. Shapiro Says President Shouldn’t Deploy Troops To Philly Protests As LA Response Divides Governors

-- PA Capital-Star: PA Leaders Vow To Protect Protesters’ Rights But Warn About Giving In To Anger And Violence

-- The Center Square: How Does Gov. Shapiro Wield The PA National Guard?  At His Discretion

-- KYW: President Preparing To Send Federal ICE Tactical Teams To Philadelphia

-- AP: Finding A Strong Candidate For Governor In PA May Help Republicans Protect Its US House Majority 

-- Budget 2025

-- Spotlight PA: Low-Income Pennsylvanians Could Lose Access To Weight-Loss Drugs As Harrisburg Searches For Savings

-- PA House/Senate

--  The Center Square: Another Minimum Wage Bill Passes The PA House

-- PennLive: PA Democrats Try New Approach To Raising State Minimum Wage In Some Counties

-- The Center Square: House Passes 2 Bills To Help Survivors Of Childhood Sexual Abuse, Including A Window For Lawsuits

-- TribLive Editorial: PA Senate Should Pass Childhood Sexual Abuse Lawsuit Bills

-- US Senate/House

-- TribLive: President Coming To Pittsburgh For PA US Senator McCormick’s July 15 PA Energy & Innovation Summit  

-- Sen. McCormick: President Coming To July 15 PA Energy Innovation Summit In Pittsburgh

--  TribLive: Fetterman, McCormick Team Up On Bill To Bring Federal DOE Office Of Fossil Energy & Carbon Management To Pittsburgh

-- TribLive: Fetterman: Dems Lose ‘Moral High Ground’ When They Don’t Condemn Protest Violence, Vandalism

-- ABC27: PA Republican Con. Meuser Pushes Back Against Critics Of Using Natural Guard Troops In LA

-- WESA: Some Pittsburgh-Area Members Of Congress Seek Restoration Of EPA, Cultural Funds

-- PA Capital-Star: DOJ Attorney Who Quit Over Eric Adams Case Dismissal Joins Lehigh Valley Congressional District Race

-- Statewide Offices

-- AG Sunday Joins Multi-State Lawsuit To Block 23andMe’s Sale Of Consumer Data

-- 2025 Elections

-- TribLive Editorial: Political Parties In Allegheny Need To Stop Infighting

-- Elections

-- WESA/WITF: PA Improves Election Data Transparency, With More Upgrades To Come

-- Post-Gazette: PA Leaders Push To Tackle Election Threats, Disinformation

-- PA Impacts Of President’s Tariffs

-- TribLive: Doubled Steel, Aluminum Tariffs Leave Western PA Businesses Uneasy

-- PA Impacts Of President’s Policies

-- Spotlight PA: President’s Budget Bill Could Strip 300,000 Pennsylvanians Of Medicaid Coverage, Push Rural Hospitals To The Brink  

-- TribLive Editorial: What Could Medicaid Cuts Mean For Pennsylvanians?

-- WHYY: Philly DA Supports Federal Lawsuit Against President’s $500 Million Cut To Public Safety Programs

-- Reuters: President Says FEMA Will Be ‘Phasing Out’ After Hurricane Season, States To Receive Less Federal Aid, Will Dispense Aid Directly From President’s Office

-- Bloomberg: President Keeps Denying Disaster Preparedness Aid To States

-- Post-Gazette: Western PA Food Banks Face Crisis As USDA Pulls Funding And Food Stamps Overhaul Looms

-- PA Capital-Star: Foreign Aid Cuts Could Impact Agriculture Industry In PA And Other States, Advocates Say

-- Inquirer - Frank Kummer: $60 Million In Trail Projects In Manayunk, Chester, Camden In Limbo Under Federal Scrutiny 

-- Pittsburgh Business Leaders Deliver Letter Urging PA’s US Senators To Preserve Federal Energy Tax Credits And 100,000 Jobs In Pennsylvania  [PaEN] 

-- WESA: PA Clean Energy Businesses Call On McCormick, Fetterman To Preserve Federal Clean Energy Tax Credits 

-- TribLive: Congressional Republican Budget Bill Will Cost Thousands Of Clean Energy Jobs, Millions In Investment In PA, Advocates Say

-- WESA: Some Pittsburgh-Area Members Of Congress Seek Restoration Of EPA, Cultural Funds

-- Spotlight PA: Immigrant Detentions Surge At PA Center Accused Of Abuse As President’s Crackdown Intensifies 

-- WHYY: Montgomery County Correctional Facility Says It Will No Longer Honor Federal ICE Detainers

-- Post-Gazette: Pittsburgh-Area Immigration Advocacy Groups Caution About Federal ICE ‘Wellness Checks’

-- TribLive: Pittsburgh Unions Rally Against Immigration Crackdown After Protests In Lost Angeles

-- MCall: Bethlehem Protests Call For Action After Federal ICE Raid At Five 10 Flats

-- Inquirer: Clash During Anti-ICE Protest In Philadelphia Leds To 15 Arrests, 2 Injured Police Officers, 2 Hurt Demonstrators

-- WHYY: Philly Labor Unions Call For An End To Federal ICE Raids Following Arrest Of Union Leader During LA Protests

-- Reading Eagle: Hundreds Rally In Norristown To Support Immigrants In Fact Of Federal ICE Uptick

-- WESA: Deadline Approaching On US Steel Sale To Nippon Steel, But Details Still Scarce 

-- Post-Gazette: How International Student Declines Could Impact The Bottom Line For Pittsburgh Colleges

-- Post-Gazette: University Of Pittsburgh’s Federal Research Losses Top $42 Million

-- Post-Gazette: Pitt Throws Support Behind Harvard Research Funding In Amicus Court Brief 

-- AP: National Institutes Of Health Scientists Publish Declaration Criticizing President’s Deep Cuts In Public Health Research

-- New Federal Administration

-- Republican Herald Guest Essay: President’s Unconstitutional Actions Threaten Democracy

-- Financial Times - Edward Luce: Sending National Guard Into LA Is President’s Clearest Step Yet Towards Authoritarianism

-- Economist: What’s Happening In LA Could Be Template For President; Cycle Of Protest, Violence, Repression Often Benefits The Right

-- National Politics

-- Republican Herald Guest Essay: Republicans’ Fiscal Hawk Era Is Officially Over

-- Miscellaneous State/Harrisburg Politics

-- Beaver Times: No Kings Rally In Beaver Counter To President’s Military Parade

-- Erie Times: No Kings Protest In Erie, Nationwide

-- Observer-Reporter: No Kings Rallies Planned In Washington, Fayette Counties

-- TribLive: Where And When Saturday’s No Kings Protests Will Happen In Western PA

-- York Daily Record: ‘No Kings’ Rallies To Be Held In Several Locations In Southcentral PA

-- Courier Times: Massive ‘No Kings’ Protest In Philly This Weekend; More PA Locations

-- PennLive: Groups Protest President On I-83 Overpasses From Harrisburg To Maryland

-- PA Capital-Star: PA National Guard Soldiers To Help With Traffic, Crowd Saturday At President’s Military/Birthday Parade 

-- PennLive: Juneteenth Events In Central PA Include Harrisburg’s First Parade Celebrating The Holiday

-- International/National Impacts On PA Natural Gas

-- TribLive: President Coming To Pittsburgh For PA US Senator McCormick’s July 15 PA Energy & Innovation Summit  

-- Sen. McCormick: President Coming To July 15 PA Energy Innovation Summit In Pittsburgh

--  TribLive: Fetterman, McCormick Team Up On Bill To Bring Federal DOE Office Of Fossil Energy & Carbon Management To Pittsburgh

-- PUC Releases Electric Utility, PJM Summer Readiness Reports: Sufficient Generation Capacity, But Extreme Demand May Result In Energy Shortfall  [PaEN]

-- Reuters: Data Center Demand To Push US Power Use To Record Highs In 2025-26, EIA Says

-- Financial Times: US Oil Output Set For First Annual Drop Since Pandemic

-- Flooding

-- TribLive: Murrysville, Export Begin Assessing Damage From Weekend Storm, Flooding In Westmoreland County

-- Reuters: President Says FEMA Will Be ‘Phasing Out’ After Hurricane Season, States To Receive Less Federal Aid, Will Dispense Aid Directly From President’s Office

-- Bloomberg: President Keeps Denying Disaster Preparedness Aid To States

-- Train Derailments

-- Beaver Times: Pitt Researchers Visit Norfolk Southern Train Derailment Site For Environmental Testing

-- Three Mile Island Restart/Data Centers

-- Gov. Shapiro Announces Amazon Plans To Invest $20 Billion In Pennsylvania For A.I. Data Center Infrastructure; Amazon Told PUC It Has Net-Zero Carbon Emissions Goal By 2040  [PaEN] 

-- Better Path Coalition: Data Centers - Dirty Energy Deals Anything But Cheap [PaEN]

-- WHYY: Gov. Shapiro Announces $20 Billion Amazon A.I. Investment; Concerns Remain About Powering New A.I. Centers 

-- The Center Square: Amazon Pledges $20 Billion For New Data Centers In PA; Data Center Energy Consumption Strains Consumers’ Wallets, Compounds Burdens On Energy Grid  

-- TribLive/AP: Amazon To Spend $20 Billion On Data Centers In PA, Including One Next To Luzerne County Power Plant

-- MCall/AP: Amazon, Which Backed Out Of Data Center Plans For Lehigh Valley, To Spend $20 Billion On A.I. Centers In PA, Including One In Bucks County

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: Amazon To Invest $20 Billion In PA Data Centers, Creating 1,250 Permanent Jobs

-- Post-Gazette: Amazon Invests Historic $20 Billion For A.I. Infrastructure In PA

-- Utility Dive: Talen Energy To Sell Amazon 1.9 GW From Susquehanna Nuclear Power Plant In PA In ‘Front Of The Meter Deal’ To Supply Data Centers In PA 

-- Beaver Times: For First Time, PJM Power Grid Operator Concerned Supply Might Fall Short Of Summer Deman

-- PUC Releases Electric Utility, PJM Summer Readiness Reports: Sufficient Generation Capacity, But Extreme Demand May Result In Energy Shortfall  [PaEN]

-- Wall Street Journal: US Electric Bills Headed Higher: Forecast Of Hotter-Than-Normal Summer, More Expensive Natural Gas Mean Pricier Power 

-- Reuters: Data Center Demand To Push US Power Use To Record Highs In 2025-26, EIA Says

-- Education

-- PennLive: Explosive Growth In Autism Classes Has Central Dauphin School District Rethinking Special Ed Services

-- PennLive: PA Private Charter School CEOs Earn More Money Than School District Superintendents, Oversee Fewer Students

-- Spotlight PA: Penn State Trustees Agree To Improved Transparency In Settlement With Spotlight PA

-- PennLive: Federal Court Approves $1.5 Million Settlement In Suit Against Bucknell Over COVID Remote Learning 

-- Post-Gazette: How International Student Declines Could Impact The Bottom Line For Pittsburgh Colleges

-- Post-Gazette: University Of Pittsburgh’s Federal Research Losses Top $42 Million

-- Post-Gazette: Pitt Throws Support Behind Harvard Research Funding In Amicus Court Brief 

-- AP: National Institutes Of Health Scientists Publish Declaration Criticizing President’s Deep Cuts In Public Health Research

-- Health Care

-- Spotlight PA: Low-Income Pennsylvanians Could Lose Access To Weight-Loss Drugs As Harrisburg Searches For Savings

-- Spotlight PA: President’s Budget Bill Could Strip 300,000 Pennsylvanians Of Medicaid Coverage, Push Rural Hospitals To The Brink  

-- TribLive Editorial: What Could Medicaid Cuts Mean For Pennsylvanians?

-- Law Enforcement

-- The Center Square: House Passes 2 Bills To Help Survivors Of Childhood Sexual Abuse, Including A Window For Lawsuits

-- TribLive Editorial: PA Senate Should Pass Childhood Sexual Abuse Lawsuit Bills

-- Spotlight PA: Immigrant Detentions Surge At PA Center Accused Of Abuse As President’s Crackdown Intensifies 

-- WHYY: Montgomery County Correctional Facility Says It Will No Longer Honor Federal ICE Detainers

-- Post-Gazette: Pittsburgh-Area Law Enforcement Seeking Partnerships With Feds To Assist In Deportation Efforts; 11 Agencies In PA Have Agreements

-- Post-Gazette: Pittsburgh-Area Immigration Advocacy Groups Caution About Federal ICE ‘Wellness Checks’

-- TribLive: Pittsburgh Unions Rally Against Immigration Crackdown After Protests In Lost Angeles

-- MCall: Bethlehem Protests Call For Action After Federal ICE Raid At Five 10 Flats

-- WHYY: Philly Labor Unions Call For An End To Federal ICE Raids Following Arrest Of Union Leader During LA Protests

-- Reading Eagle: Hundreds Rally In Norristown To Support Immigrants In Fact Of Federal ICE Uptick

-- WHYY: Philly DA Supports Federal Lawsuit Against President’s $500 Million Cut To Public Safety Programs

-- The Economy

--  The Center Square: Another Minimum Wage Bill Passes The PA House

-- PennLive: PA Democrats Try New Approach To Raising State Minimum Wage In Some Counties

-- WESA: Deadline Approaching On US Steel Sale To Nippon Steel, But Details Still Scarce 

-- Erie Times: Erie Insurance Works With Law Enforcement, Cyber Experts As Computer Problems Persist

[Posted: June 13, 2025]