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

Because In Politics Everything Is Connected To Everything Else--

-- Gov. Shapiro

-- Williamsport Sun: Pennsylvanians Deserve A Competitive Governor’s Race

-- Post-Gazette: Gov. Shapiro Stands Out At High-Profile A.I. Energy Summit; Other Democrats Used Summit To Bash President’s Policies 

-- Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader: Gov. Shapiro: VP Vance Parachutes Into NE PA To Lie About Benefits Of President’s Federal Mega Tax, Budget Bill

-- Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader Guest Essay: Rich And Powerful Are Taking From The Poor - By Lt. Gov. Austin Davis

-- Inquirer: PA Republicans Plan To Endorse Challenger To Josh Shapiro In September, Gearing Up For 2026

-- Spotlight PA: Big-Dollar Donors Are Helping Fund Fixes At Governor’s Mansion, We Don’t Know Who They Are, For Now

-- Budget 2025

-- Post-Gazette: As State Budget Negotiations Drag On, PA Lawmakers Put Big Spending Bill On Shelf

-- WESA: PA Budget Is Over 2 Weeks Late, We Still Don’t Know What’s In It

-- ABC27: PA Senate Holds Morning Session On Weeks-Late State Budget

-- Inquirer: Gov. Shapiro, Senate Republican Leader Say They’re Getting Closer To Reaching A State Budget Deal

-- WITF: PA House Democrats Pass State Budget Without Buy In From Senate Republicans

-- Post-Gazette: PA House Passes Budget Bill With Negotiations Incomplete And Many Steps Remaining

-- PA Capital-Star: PA House Passes Budget Bill: ‘Still Much Work To Do,’ Senate Republicans Say

-- Post-Gazette: Ripple Effects Of Lack Of PA State Budget Already Hitting K-12 Schools

-- Post-Gazette: PA ‘Skill’ Gambling Games Political Fray Gets Personal, With No End In Sight

-- TribLive Guest Essay: It’s Time To Rein In The ‘Skill’ Gambling Games Industry - By Pete Shelly, Consultant to Parx Casino

-- Sen. Gene Yaw Guest Essay: Killing ‘Skill’ Gambling Industr

-- WITF/LancasterOnline: Key PA Senate Republican Shoots Down Recreational Marijuna Proposals During Late Budget Update

-- City & State PA Guest Essay: Legalizing Marijuana Could Be Public Transit’s Pot Of Gold - Sen. Sharif Street

-- Gaming Control Board Reports Year-Over-Year 15.4% Increase In Gambling Revenues For June

-- Spotlight PA - Stephen Caruso: How Legislative Vehicle Bills Lets Leaders Pass Deals Fast

-- PA House/Senate

-- Republican Herald: Fmr Rep. Edward Lucyk Remembered As Family Man, Fighter For Coal Region People

-- US Senate/House

-- The Derrick - Luka Krneta: PA Cong. Glenn Thompson Addresses Concerns, Angst Over ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’ [PDF of Article] 

-- AP: Democrat Janelle Stelson Wants Another Chance To Beat Republican Con. Scott Perry In 2026 

-- PennLive - Charles Thompson: Fmr Newscaster Jenelle Stelson Launches New Run For Congress Against Republican Con. Scott Perry

-- TribLive: Gov. Shapiro, DNC Chair Say Sen. Street Should Step Down As State Democratic Party Leader While Running For Congress

-- Inquirer Editorial: Sen. Street Can Run For Congress, But Shouldn’t Run State Democratic Party At The Same Time

-- MCall: Here Lehigh Valley’s Congressional Candidates’ Money Is Coming From, How They Are Spending It

-- TribLive: $5,000/Plate Dinner With Sen. McCormick At Carnegie Museum Spurs Backlash

-- Elections

-- Republican Herald: Fair Districts PA Advocates For Transparent Redistricting Process

-- Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader: PA Announces Redesign Of Provisional Ballot Envelopes

-- TribLive: Independents Who Want To Vote In PA’s Closed Primaries Seek Help From PA Supreme Court

-- PA Capital-Star: US Dept. Of Justice Wants Pennsylvania And Other States To Turn Over Voter Lists, Election Info

-- PA Impacts Of President’s Tariffs

-- Wall Street Journal: New Data Show President’s Tariff, Immigration Policies Are Boosting Inflation, Weighing On Jobs

-- AP: Less Selection, Higher Prices: How President’s Tariffs Are Shaping The Holiday Shopping Season

-- Impacts Of Federal Mega Budget Bill

-- Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader: Gov. Shapiro: VP Vance Parachutes Into NE PA To Lie About Benefits Of President’s Federal Mega Tax, Budget Bill

-- PA Capital-Star: In Luzerne County, VP Vance Touts President’s Tax Cuts, But Ignores Medicaid Cuts

-- Republican Herald Editorial: Math Doesn’t Lie, Even Though Politicians Might [VP Vance Visit To Luzerne County]

-- The Derrick - Luka Krneta: PA Cong. Glenn Thompson Addresses Concerns, Angst Over ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’ [PDF of Article] 

-- WESA: How Federal Safety Net Cuts In President’s Tax Bill Will Impact Pennsylvania  

-- Post-Gazette: Mon Valley Braces For Federal Program Cuts: ‘It Is A Scary Thing, And It’s Very Real’  [Not Just Medicaid, Food Stamps]

-- LancasterOnline Editorial: Lancaster County Government Should Prepare For Federal Cuts Of ‘One Big Beautiful’ Law

-- TribLive Guest Essay: ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ Is Robbing Working-Class Americans

-- TribLive Guest Essay: President’s Tax Bill Is Built For The Working Class, Not The Donor Class

-- York Dispatch Editorial: On President’s Budget Bill, PA’s Lone Republican No Vote Not Enough

-- TribLive Editorial: Deep In A Fiscal Hole, Congress Just Keeps Digging

-- PA Capital-Star: Pennsylvania Public Media Organizations Brace For Loss Of Federal Funding

-- MCall: What Funding Cuts Mean For Lehigh Valley’s Public Media

-- WITF: Congressional House Republicans Cost WITF $1.3 Million

-- Inquirer: Republicans Defund NPR, PBS, Here’s How WHYY And Other PA Public Stations Will Be Impacted

-- PA Impacts Of President’s Policies

-- TribLive/AP: 20 States, Including PA, Sue Over $6 Billion+ Education Funding Pause 

-- TribLive/AP: US Education Dept. Will Release Some Frozen Grants Supporting After-School And Summer Programs 

-- WESA - Rachel McDevitt: PA Could Foot More Of The Bill For Disaster Response Under Proposed FEMA Cuts 

-- Republican Herald: PEMA Urges FEMA To Reconsider Cuts, Changes That Would Impact Communities 

-- York Daily Record: President’s Medicaid Cut Would Cause Hardship For Families With Special Needs Kids

-- Post-Gazette - Adriana Ramirez: The Republican Betrayal Of Rural America 

-- TribLive: Allegheny County Prepares For ‘Painful Reductions’ Due To Federal Spending Cuts

-- Independent Fiscal Office Estimates New Federal Income Tax Deduction For Seniors Will Reduce Taxes By $1.1 Billion   

-- MCall: Allentown Grandfather’s Family Told He Died In Federal ICE Custody; Then They Learned He’s Alive - In A Hospital In Guatemala, They Say 

-- PennLive: Fear Grips PA Haitian Communities In Washington County As President Ramps Up Anti-Immigrant Policy 

-- Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader: Local Coalition Organizes For Immigrants’ Rights

-- MCall: PA Court Officials Say Federal ICE Can Operate In Lehigh County Courthouse Public Areas

-- New Federal Administration

-- Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader Guest Essay: Rich And Powerful Are Taking From The Poor - By Lt. Gov. Austin Davis

-- Erie Times: ‘Good Trouble’ Protests Thursday Against President’s Policies Follow ‘No Kings’ Day  

-- The Derrick: Franklin ‘Good Trouble’ Rally Protests President’s Policies In Venango County 

-- Erie Times: Meadville ‘Good Trouble’ Protest

-- Scranton Times: ‘Good Trouble Lives On’ Rally Brings Large Crowd To Downtown Scranton

-- Observer-Reporter: ‘Good Trouble’ Rally Stage In Washington County As Part Of Nationwide Protest Against President’s Policies

-- TribLive: Presidential Protestors Make ‘Good Trouble’ In Front Of Westmoreland County Courthouse

-- MCall: ‘Good Trouble Lives On’ Protest In Bethlehem

-- MCall Guest Essay: Surrendering Common Sense, Decency And Democracy To Join MAGA - By Bill White, Long-Time Allentown Morning Call Columnist  [No Longer On Morning Call Website] 

-- TribLive Editorial: What Are The Limits Of Expression On College Campuses? Censoring ‘The Fence’ At CMU  [CMU College Republicans President said, “The decision to censor made by the administration is an uncharacteristic and deeply concerning (breach) of commitment, as well as the trust it has fostered.”

-- Republican Herald Editorial: President Finally Realizes Russian Despot Isn’t Reliable 

-- National Politics

-- Post-Gazette: Gov. Shapiro Stands Out At High-Profile A.I. Energy Summit; Other Democrats Used Summit To Bash President’s Policies 

-- Miscellaneous State/Harrisburg Politics

-- WESA: Lawsuit Calls On PA To Change ‘Grossly Non-Uniform’ Property Tax Assessment System

-- International/National Impacts On PA Natural Gas

-- AAA Gasoline Prices: National- $3.15  Ohio- $2.97  PA- $3.23

-- Environmental Groups Rallying To Protect Delaware River Watershed From Shale Gas Fracking  [PaEN] 

-- Baker Hughes: PA Natural Gas Drilling Rigs Stays At 17 For 3rd Week

-- List Of More Than $90 Billion In Energy, A.I. Data Center Investments, Commitments Or Plans Announced At The PA Energy & Innovation Summit [PaEN] 

-- NewsClips - PA Energy & A.I. Summit Pittsburgh July 15, 2025

-- PA Republican Lawmakers Rush To Introduce Bills To Give New Tax Breaks, Waive Regulations, Environmental Standards For A.I. Data Centers Already Flocking Into Pennsylvania And Locking Up PA Power  [PaEN] 

-- PA Capital-Star: A.I. Data Centers Like The Ones Coming To PA Are Using More Power, Regular Customers Are Footing The Bill

-- Fox News: Electricity Prices May Spike Due To A.I. Data Center Demand If US Doesn’t Boost Energy Output, White House Warns 

-- NPR: Power Prices Expected To Soar Under New Federal Megabill Tax Cut And Spending Law  

-- Indiana Capital Chronicle: A.I. Data Centers Are Using More Power, Regular Consumers Are Footing The Bill [In PJM Grid] 

-- Utility Dive: Bipartisan Group Of 9 Governors, Including Gov. Shapiro, Say PJM Interconnection Facing ‘Unprecedented Crisis Of Confidence’ And Want A Hand In Filling 2 Vacant Board Seats  [PaEN]   

-- Tribune-Democrat: President’s Tariff Pressure Pushes Asia Toward American LNG Gas To Ease Trade Tensions

-- Bloomberg: Puerto Rico Idles Power Plants As New Fortress Withholds LNG Gas Threatening To Strain The Grid At Height Of Summer Demand  [New Fortress Proposed PA LNG Export Facility] 

-- Bloomberg: European Natural Gas Prices Extend Increases As Asia Attracts LNG Gas Cargoes

-- Emergency Response

-- TribLive Editorial: Faith In 911 System Needs To Be Maintained

-- Flooding

-- DEP, PEMA Announce Matching Funding For More Than $6 Million In NRCS Flood Recovery Projects In 9 Counties Related To Damage From Tropical Storm Debby In 2024  [PaEN]  

-- Tribune-Democrat: Anniversary Of 1977 Johnstown Flood That Killed 140 People, Recent Disaster In Texas Prompt Thoughts Of Safety 

-- Williamsport Sun: Lycoming County Property Owners Struggle To Recover From Tropical Storm Debby Damage That Left Tons Of Rock, Dirt On Their Property

-- TribLive: Western PA Storms Impact Power, Roads In Allegheny, Westmoreland Counties

-- Centre Daily Times: Power Restored To State College Area After Thousands Reported Outages Again

-- MCall: Flash Flooding Prompts Water Rescues Around Lehigh Valley As Storms Dump Torrential Rain Across Region

-- Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader: Storm Damages Luzerne County-Owned Infrastructure

-- WNEP: Swift Floodwaters Cause Chaos For Campers, Animals In Luzerne County

-- WNEP: Flooded Roads Disrupt Sullivan, Lycoming Counties, Closes Roads

-- LancasterOnline: Dozens Of Water Rescues, Flooded Homes Report In Lancaster County Monday

-- PennLive: PA Farms, Food At Risk From Too Much Rain: ‘There Is No Normal Anymore’

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: The Real Reason Four Mile Run Is Still A Flood Trap In Pittsburgh [Local Politicians Opposed Green Solutions & Offered None Of Their Own] 

-- TribLive: Flash Flood Warnings Surge To 20-Year High Across Western PA  

-- PA Capital-Star: In A Summer Marked By Flash Floods, PA Lawmaker Wants Homeowners To Be Aware Of Flood Risks

-- DCNR: Using Natural Solutions, Engineering Upgrades And Technology-Based Mapping To Prevent Flooding  [PaEN]

-- WHYY: PA, DE, NJ Sue President’s FEMA Over End Of Grant Program That Helps States Prevent Flooding

-- AP: 20 States, Including Pennsylvania, Sue Federal Emergency Management Agency For Canceling Resilient Infrastructure &  Communities Program Grants  

-- WESA - Rachel McDevitt: PA Could Foot More Of The Bill For Disaster Response Under Proposed FEMA Cuts 

-- Republican Herald: PEMA Urges FEMA To Reconsider Cuts, Changes That Would Impact Communities 

-- DCNR: Using Natural Solutions, Engineering Upgrades And Technology-Based Mapping To Prevent Flooding  [PaEN]

-- Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader: Bipartisan Lawmakers To Advance Bill On Requiring Home Buyers Get Information On Flood Risks

-- Train Derailments

-- KDKA: EPA, Norfolk Southern Manipulated Train Derailment Soil Testing Data, Government Accountability Project Report Says 

-- PittsburghUnionProgress.com: Residents Near Norfolk Southern Train Derailment To Get Results Of Tests For Vinyl Chloride And Liver Damage

-- PittsburghUnionProgress.com: Greed And Deceit Define The History Of Vinyl Chloride

-- PA Energy & A.I. Summit Pittsburgh

-- List Of More Than $90 Billion In Energy, A.I. Data Center Investments, Commitments Or Plans Announced At The PA Energy & Innovation Summit [PaEN]  [Warning]

-- NewsClips - PA Energy & A.I. Summit Pittsburgh July 15, 2025

-- PA Republican Lawmakers Rush To Introduce Bills To Give New Tax Breaks, Waive Regulations, Environmental Standards For A.I. Data Centers Already Flocking Into Pennsylvania And Locking Up PA Power  [PaEN] 

-- Kleinman Center For Energy Policy: What Wasn’t Discussed At Pennsylvania’s Energy & A.I. Summit - By John Quigley, Senior Fellow

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: Energy And Innovation Summit Is A Great Opportunity For Pittsburgh, But People Must Come First  [PaEN] 

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: What Does Pittsburgh’s A.I. And Energy Future Hold? 

-- Observer-Reporter Editorial: Good Things Await The Mon Valley

-- TribLive: Is The Labor, Funding There To See Through $90 Billion In Energy, Tech Projects In PA? 

-- Post-Gazette - Benjamin Kail, Anya Litvak: Energy & A.I. Summit Made Bold Predictions, Announced Billions In Investments - What Happens Next? 

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: What’s Next After Big-Time A.I., Energy Summit?  Shapiro: The Proof Will Be When Shovels Go In The Ground  [PDF of Article] 

-- Post-Gazette: Gov. Shapiro Stands Out At High-Profile A.I. Energy Summit; Other Democrats Used Summit To Bash President’s Policies 

-- TribLive Editorial: PA Energy & A.I. Summit - It’s Easy To Promise Big, But Corporate Investments Can Change With Market Winds 

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: McCormick’s Energy, A.I. Summit Accomplished What It Set Out To Do, But What’s Next?

-- Education

-- Post-Gazette: Ripple Effects Of Lack Of PA State Budget Already Hitting K-12 Schools

-- TribLive/AP: 20 States, Including PA, Sue Over $6 Billion+ Education Funding Pause 

-- TribLive/AP: US Education Dept. Will Release Some Frozen Grants Supporting After-School And Summer Programs 

-- TribLive Editorial: What Are The Limits Of Expression On College Campuses? Censoring ‘The Fence’ At CMU  [CMU College Republicans President said, “The decision to censor made by the administration is an uncharacteristic and deeply concerning (breach) of commitment, as well as the trust it has fostered.”

-- TribLive: State-Owned Universities Approve Tuition Increase, First In 7 Years

-- Inquirer: Penn State Moves To Hike Tuition For State College Campus Students

-- Inquirer: Story Behind University Of Pennsylvania’s Deal With President On Trans Athletes

-- Health Care

-- York Daily Record: President’s Medicaid Cut Would Cause Hardship For Families With Special Needs Kids

-- Post-Gazette - Adriana Ramirez: The Republican Betrayal Of Rural America 

-- TribLive Guest Essay: Opioid Settlement Fails To Fund Full Cost Of Crisis - By Ted Kopas and Jeff Balzer, Westmoreland County Commissioners

-- WITF/LancasterOnline: Key PA Senate Republican Shoots Down Recreational Marijuna Proposals During Late Budget Update

-- City & State PA Guest Essay: Legalizing Marijuana Could Be Public Transit’s Pot Of Gold - Sen. Sharif Street

-- Law Enforcement

-- Post-Gazette: Fmr Greene County District Attorney Accused In Criminal Case Of Targeting Political Enemies 

-- MCall: Allentown Grandfather’s Family Told He Died In Federal ICE Custody; Then They Learned He’s Alive - In A Hospital In Guatemala, They Say 

-- PennLive: Fear Grips PA Haitian Communities In Washington County As President Ramps Up Anti-Immigrant Policy 

-- Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader: Local Coalition Organizes For Immigrants’ Rights

-- MCall: PA Court Officials Say Federal ICE Can Operate In Lehigh County Courthouse Public Areas

-- The Economy

-- Dept. Of Labor & Industry Reports June PA Unemployment Ticks Up 0.1% To 4% In June

-- TribLive: New Report Lauds Pittsburgh Region For A.I. Talent, Innovation

-- Wall Street Journal: New Data Show President’s Tariff, Immigration Policies Are Boosting Inflation, Weighing On Jobs

[Posted: July 20, 2025]