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

Because In Politics Everything Is Connected To Everything Else--

250th Celebration Of American Independence

-- TribLive: US Treasury Unveils Draft Design For $1 Coin With Raised-Fist Presidential Likeness To Mark 250th Independence Celebration 

-- Post-Gazette: US Treasury Proposes $1 Coin Design Referencing Raised-Fist President To Mark 250th Anniversary Of US

-- Gov. Shapiro

 -- Post-Gazette: Gov. Shapiro Says Senate Republicans Need To ‘Show Up For Work,’ And Pass A Budget; Republican Sen. Kim Ward Said She’s Trying To Protect Taxpayers From $51.5 Billion Shapiro ‘Wish List’

-- Post-Gazette: Shapiro Calls On Republicans To ‘Get Their Act Together’ Over Federal Shutdown, State Budget Impasse 

-- WITF: Gov. Shapiro: ‘We’ll Be Prepared’ For Federal Shutdown In PA

-- TribLive: ‘Cleaner, Safer Streets’: Shapiro Visits Pittsburgh To Praise Downtown Upgrades

-- Inquirer: Gov. Shapiro Making $250,000 Donation And Big Imprint On PA Democratic Party

-- Shapiro Administration Announces 2025 PA Farm Show Theme - Growing A Nation

-- Race For Governor

-- PennLive: Poll: Shapiro’s Job Approval With Republicans Nearly As High As Fetterman’s With Democrats; Shapiro Leads Garrity With 55% Of Voters

-- PennLive - John Baer: Republican State Treasurer Garrity’s Fast-Start Challenge To Gov. Shapiro Rare, Noteworthy

-- Budget 2025 (Almost 2026)

-- Post-Gazette: Shapiro Calls On Republicans To ‘Get Their Act Together’ Over Federal Shutdown, State Budget Impasse 

-- PA State Treasurer Expands Short-Term Loan Program To Help Service Providers Caught In State Budget Impasse

-- PA Capital-Star: Republican State Treasurer Garrity Expands Loan Program To Service Providers Impacted By State Budget Impasse 

-- AP: PA Agencies Warn Of Mounting Damage As State Enters Its 4th Month Of Budget Stalemate 

-- WESA: ‘Unconscionable’ PA Budget Impasse Forces Area Counties, Local Services To Scale Down 

-- York Dispatch: Federal Shutdown Could Take Problems Caused By PA State Budget Impasse From ‘Bad To Worse’

-- PA Capital-Star: Dual Budget Crises Threaten $40 Billion In Federal Funding For Pennsylvania

-- Spotlight PA: Taxpayers [Will] End Up Footing The Bill As Counties Weigh Borrowing To Survive State Budget Impasse

-- Tribune-Democrat: Counties, School Boards Call For End To State Budget Stalemate 

-- TribLive: Westmoreland Commissioners [Republicans] Cancel Public Meetings Amid State Budget Crisis 

-- TribLive Editorial: County Meetings Canceled, Latest Casualty Of PA State Budget Battle

-- TribLive Editorial: Irish Trip During State Budget Impasse Is Tone-Deaf For Lawmakers 

-- TribLive: As State Budget Impasse Drags On, Proposals Aim To Prevent Future Ones

-- Dept. of Revenue September Revenue $4.1 Billion, Year To Date $10.1 Billion

-- Independent Fiscal Office Reports September Tax Revenue $5 Million Below Estimates; Fiscal Year To Date Income Meeting IFO Projections

-- PA House/Senate

-- WITF: PA House Passes Universal Background Checks For Guns, Fails To Pass Other Reforms

-- TribLive: PA House Gun Bill Vote Debate Leads To Expletive-Fueled Shouting Match Among Lawmakers

-- TribLive Editorial: What Is The Point Of A Fight In The PA State House?

-- US Senate/House

-- Post-Gazette: Fetterman Again Shows Independent Streak Votes To Keep Federal Government Open

-- Spotlight PA/AP: Alleged Outburst At Union Meeting Adds To Concerns About PA Sen. Fetterman’s Behavior

-- Inquirer: Janelle Stelson Raised $1.2 Million So Far In Her Rematch With Republican Con. Scott Perry

-- Statewide Offices

-- PA State Treasurer Expands Short-Term Loan Program To Help Service Providers Caught In State Budget Impasse

-- PA Capital-Star: Republican State Treasurer Garrity Expands Loan Program To Service Providers Impacted By State Budget Impasse 

-- 2025 Elections

-- Spotlight PA: The Group Behind Misleading Mailer Targeting The PA Supreme Court Retention Elections 

-- Spotlight PA: How To Serve As A Poll Worker On Nov. 4

-- Elections

-- Observer-Reporter: PA Supreme Court Rules [Against] Washington County’s Mail-In Ballot Lawsuit

-- PA Impacts Of President’s Tariffs

-- Centre Daily Times: President’s H-1B Visa Surcharges Could Cost Penn State, Centre County Businesses Millions 

-- WHYY: How President’s $100,000 H-1B Work Visa Surcharge Could Impact Philly Region

-- Post-Gazette: Fayette County Soybean Farmer Is Philosophical About President’s Tariff Hits 

-- TribLive: PA Apple Growers More Concerned With Dry Weather Than Tariffs

-- PA Impacts Of President’s Policies

-- Inquirer: 150,000 PA Health Insurance Customers Could Be Priced Out Of Plans In 2026 If Republican Congress Lets Tax Credits Expire  

-- WITF: A Closer Look A Congressional Republican Health Care Argument Over Federal Government Shutdown [Spoiler- Republican Line Of Attack Is Baseless] 

-- Post-Gazette: Dismissing ‘Conspiracy Theories,’ Gov. Shapiro Signs Order To Provide Free Vaccines To 1.5 Million PA Children

-- York Dispatch Editorial: On Public Health, PA, Other States Are On Their Own [Vaccines, EPA, Education]

-- PennLive: Medical Experts Slam President’s Administration On Tylenol And Autism Link At PA House Hearing

-- WESA: Federal Judge Protects PA- For Now- From Federal Reprisal In Food Stamp Dispute 

-- Republican Herald: Helping Harvest Forced To Cut 12 Food Distribution Sites In Schuylkill County Due To Federal Cuts 

-- Warren Times Editorial: Ending Longstanding Federal Hunger Survey Won’t Make The Problem Go Away 

-- Morning Call: School Nurse’s Condemnation Of Charlie Kirk Sparks Fierce Backlash Against Easton Area School Board

-- Inquirer: University Of Pennsylvania Cut Doctoral Student Admissions By 20% Citing President’s Threats To Federal Research Funding 

-- AP: President Asks 9 Colleges To Be First To Commit To His Political Agenda And Get Favorable Access To Federal Money [University of Pennsylvania]

-- Post-Gazette: Some Pittsburgh-Area Teachers Tread Carefully In Classrooms And Online During Heightened Political Climate 

-- Post-Gazette: Pittsburgh Residents Push For Sanctuary City Law

-- PennLive: Harrisburg Bishop Amplifies Catholic Church’s Condemnation Of President’s Immigration Policy 

-- Observer-Reporter: Reunited: Washington County Father Back With Family After Months In Federal ICE Detention Facility

-- AP: National Parks ‘Generally’ Open During Federal Shutdown, But Liberty Bell In Philadelphia Is Closed

-- TribLive/Reuters: Apple Removes Federal ICE Tracking Apps After Pressure By President’s Administration 

-- New Federal Administration

-- Republican Herald Editorial: There Are No Winners In A Government Shutdown, But Democrats Are Right To Fight 

-- Wilkes-Barre Times Leader Editorial: Don’t Always Follow The Leader: President, Secretary Of Defense’s Blundering Show For Military Brass

-- Tribune-Democrat: ‘All We Can Do Is Pray’: Federal Shutdown Forces Flood City Youth Fitness Academy To Pause After-School Programs 

-- TribLive: President Eyes Cuts To ‘Democrat Agencies’ In Federal Government Shutdown

-- AP: Federal Shutdown Will Deprive Policymakers, Investors Of Economic Data, Including Friday Jobs Report

-- TribLive/Reuters: President’s Secretary Of Defense Denounces ‘Decades Of Decay’ In Military Caused By Policies Promoting Diversity And Inclusion  

-- AP: President No Longer Distancing Himself From Project 2025 As He Uses Shutdown To Further Pursue Its Goals

-- Miscellaneous State/Harrisburg Politics

-- PennLive: Poll: Shapiro’s Job Approval With Republicans Nearly As High As Fetterman’s With Democrats; Shapiro Leads Garrity With 55% Of Voters

-- Inquirer: Gov. Shapiro Making $250,000 Donation And Big Imprint On PA Democratic Party

-- TribLive: Pittsburgh Native Larry Hailsham Jr. Named Executive Director PA Democratic Party

-- A.I. /Data Centers

-- In Case You Missed It: A.I./Data Center Articles - NewClips From Last Week - October 6  [PaEN] 

-- International/National Impacts On PA Natural Gas

-- AAA Average Gasoline Prices: National- $3.14  Ohio- $3.01  PA- $3.26  

-- Baker Hughes: PA Natural Gas Drilling Rigs - 17 - Down One From Last 9 Weeks

-- Union Of Concerned Scientists Reports 16 A.I./Data Center Electric Transmission Projects In PA Imposed $461.8 Million In Costs On Ratepayers In 2024  [PaEN] 

-- Bloomberg: A.I. Data Centers Are Sending Power Bills Soaring, Wholesale Electricity Costs Up As Much As 267%  [PDF of Article] 

-- Utility Dive: Report: Customers In PJM States Paid $4.4 Billion For A.I. Data Center Electric Transmission In 2024; In Pennsylvania $492 Million

-- Utility Dive: A.I. Data Centers ‘Primary Reason’ For High PJM Electricity Capacity Prices, According To Market Monitor [‘Misleading’ To Say Its Tightening Of Supply And Demand] 

-- WIRED: Why US Power Bills Are Surging: Rising Electricity Demand, Volatile Fuel Prices, Tariffs, Long Delays Adding New Generation [Not Renewables, The Cheapest Source Of New Generation]

-- Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader Guest Essay: Don’t Let A.I. Data Centers Stick Us With The Bill - By Frank Lasee, Truth In Energy and Climate 

-- PPL Utilities Files For 6.98% Electric Rate Increase Boosting Residential Customer Bills By $160.44 A Year Or $13.37/Month  

-- Morning Call: PPL Electric Requesting Nearly 7% Rate Increase; Here’s What It Could Mean To Your Bill

-- The Center Square: State Legislation On A.I. Data Centers Taking Shape  [Warning] 

-- TribLive Guest Essay: Preserve Local Control On Regulating Natural Gas Facilities - By Karen Feridun, Better Path Coalition  

-- Natural Resources Defense Council Blog: Building A.I. Data Centers Without Breaking Electric Ratepayers Or Reliability In PJM

-- PA Environmental Council: Is Pennsylvania Ready For An A.I. Data Center Boom?  Risk Factors And Possible Solutions - By John Walliser, VP for Legal & Government Affairs  

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: PA Lawmaker Rep. Matzie Seeks Study Of Costs Of Leaving PJM Electric Grid Operator  [PDF of Article]  

-- TribLive Guest Essay: Southwestern PA Must Plan Smarter For A.I. Data Centers - By Panini A. Chowdhury, Professional Planner

-- DEP Invites Comments On Air Quality Permit For 77 Emergency Power Generators At The Amazon Data Center In Salem Twp., Luzerne County  [PaEN] 

-- Environmental Advocates Call On DEP To Reject Permit For A 4.5 GW Natural Gas Power Plant At The Homer City A.I. Data Center Complex In Indiana County [PaEN] 

-- Bloomberg: A.I.- Driven Demand For Natural Gas Generation Turbines Vastly Outpacing Supply, Threatening World’s Ability To Keep Up With Electricity Demand 

-- In Case You Missed It: A.I./Data Center Articles - NewClips From Last Week - October 6  [PaEN] 

-- Financial Times: US Rush To Expand LNG Gas Exports Heightens Fears Of Global Natural Gas Glut

-- Flooding

-- PA Capital-Star: Flood Disclosure Bill To Help Home Buyers Recognize Risks Passes PA House

-- Tribune-Democrat: Johnstown Flood Museum Reopens After 8-Month Hiatus Following Storm Damage

-- Wall Street Journal: FEMA Is Paralyzed, Disaster-Torn Communities Are Paying The Price [Bad News For Pennsylvania, One Of The Most Flood-Prone States In US]  [PDF of Article]

-- US Steel Clairton Coke [Coal] Works Explosion

-- TribLive: Carbon Monoxide, Gas Alarms Triggered Before Fatal Explosion At US Steel Clairton Coke [Coal] Works Facility, Authorities Say 

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: Federal Investigators Zero In On Cast Iron Valve In US Steel Clairton Coke [Coal] Works Explosion 

-- Breathe Project Response To US Chemical Safety Board’s Report On Fatal Explosion At The US Steel Clairton Coke [Coal] Works

-- Education

-- WNEP: Lackawanna Trail  School Parents Still Processing Alleged Threats Made By Student That Postponed Football Game 

-- Morning Call: School Nurse’s Condemnation Of Charlie Kirk Sparks Fierce Backlash Against Easton Area School Board

-- Post-Gazette: Some Pittsburgh-Area Teachers Tread Carefully In Classrooms And Online During Heightened Political Climate 

-- LancasterOnline: Millersville University, Other PA Colleges Targeted In Active Shooter ‘Swatting’ Hoax Sunday  

-- Inquirer: University Of Pennsylvania Cut Doctoral Student Admissions By 20% Citing President’s Threats To Federal Research Funding 

-- Health Care

-- Inquirer: 150,000 PA Health Insurance Customers Could Be Priced Out Of Plans In 2026 If Republican Congress Lets Tax Credits Expire  

-- WITF: A Closer Look A Congressional Republican Health Care Argument Over Federal Government Shutdown [Spoiler- Republican Line Of Attack Is Baseless] 

-- Post-Gazette: Dismissing ‘Conspiracy Theories,’ Gov. Shapiro Signs Order To Provide Free Vaccines To 1.5 Million PA Children

-- TribLive: Older, Disabled Pennsylvanians Bear Brunt Of Home Care Staffing Crisis

-- PennLive: Medical Experts Slam President’s Administration On Tylenol And Autism Link At PA House Hearing

-- Spotlight PA/Next Generation NewsRoom: Parents In Southwest PA Worried About Rising Vaccine Exemption Rates 

-- WESA: Routine Vaccination Rates Continue To Decline Among PA Kindergarteners 

-- WHYY: Montgomery County Offers Free COVID, Flu Vaccines At Community Clinics 

-- York Dispatch Editorial: On Public Health, PA, Other States Are On Their Own [Vaccines, EPA, Education]

-- Republican Herald Editorial: Consistency Key For Those Seeking COVID Vaccines

-- Law Enforcement

-- WITF: PA House Passes Universal Background Checks For Guns, Fails To Pass Other Reforms

-- TribLive: PA House Gun Bill Vote Debate Leads To Expletive-Fueled Shouting Match Among Lawmakers

-- TribLive: ‘Cleaner, Safer Streets’: Shapiro Visits Pittsburgh To Praise Downtown Upgrades

-- WNEP: Lackawanna Trail  School Parents Still Processing Alleged Threats Made By Student That Postponed Football Game 

-- LancasterOnline: Millersville University, Other PA Colleges Targeted In Active Shooter ‘Swatting’ Hoax Sunday  

-- TribLive: Swastikas Found On Signs In Mt. Pleasant Borough, Surrounding Communities In Westmoreland County 

-- Spotlight PA: Being Suspected Of Child Abuse Can Land You In This PA Database, Even Without A Conviction

-- Post-Gazette: Pittsburgh Residents Push For Sanctuary City Law

-- Observer-Reporter: Reunited: Washington County Father Back With Family After Months In Federal ICE Detention Facility

-- KYW: Community Rallies To Support Downingtown Man Detained By Federal ICE In December 2024

-- Erie Times Guest Essay: In Erie, I Found A Home And A Mission To Unite New Americans - By Saeed Taraky, Afghan Immigrant

-- TribLive/Reuters: Apple Removes Federal ICE Tracking Apps After Pressure By President’s Administration 

-- The Economy

-- Centre Daily Times: President’s H-1B Visa Surcharges Could Cost Penn State, Centre County Businesses Millions 

-- WHYY: How President’s $100,000 H-1B Work Visa Surcharge Could Impact Philly Region

-- WESA: Federal Judge Protects PA- For Now- From Federal Reprisal In Food Stamp Dispute 

-- AP: Federal Shutdown Will Deprive Policymakers, Investors Of Economic Data, Including Friday Jobs Report

[Posted: October 5, 2024