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

Because In Politics Everything Is Connected To Everything Else--

-- Politics PA: Pennsylvania Society Weekend Calendar Of Events In NYC

-- Gov. Shapiro

-- The Atlantic: The Operator - Josh Shapiro Has Spent His Life Preparing To Lead An America That Might No Longer Exist  [PDF of Article]

-- TribLive/Inquirer: Gov. Shapiro Says Kamala Harris’ Descriptions Of Him Were False And Intended To Sell Books

-- Gov. Shapiro Announces Leadership Change At Office Of The Budget: Monson Resigns, Zachary Reber Appointed Budget Secretary

-- TribLive/PennLive: Shapiro Pushes Back On Federal Policy Change- Urges Continuation Of Hepatitis B Vaccines At Birth 

-- Race For Governor

-- Post-Gazette: Shapiro, Garrity Poised For Costly Governor’s Race In Midterm Year 

-- Budget 2026

-- Gov. Shapiro Announces Leadership Change At Office Of The Budget: Monson Resigns, Zachary Reber Appointed Budget Secretary

-- The Center Square: Pennsylvania Budget Woes: Too Much Still Isn’t Enough

-- Altoona Mirror Editorial: State’s Fiscal Challenges Are Alarming [Facing $5.84 Billion Deficit In FY 2025-26]

-- Post-Gazette: State Budget Was 135 Days Late, But PA Lawmakers Got Their 3.25% Pay Raise On Schedule

-- TribLive Editorial: A State Budget Failure Doesn’t Earn A Pay Raise For Lawmakers

-- Spotlight PA: State Funding Cuts, New Oversight Rules Hit PA’s 14 Private Taxpayer-Funded Cyber Charter Schools

-- WESA: PA Medicaid To Stop Paying For Use Of Ozempic-Type Meds To Cover Only Weight Loss, But Will Pay For Use By Diabetics, People With Other Conditions

-- TribLive: PA Wine, Spirits Sales Slip As President’s Tariffs, Dwindling Bar Crowds Take Toll 

-- Inquirer Editorial: If ‘Skill’ Gambling Games Cannot Be Banned, Harrisburg Must Act To Regulate And Tax

-- Independent Fiscal Office: November State Tax Revenue Exceeded IFO Estimate By 2.7% ($81 Million); Year-To-Date Up 0.2% ($32 Million)

-- Dept. Of Revenue Reports November Tax Revenue Of $3 Billion [No Comparison To Projected Revenue]

-- PA House/Senate

-- Post-Gazette: State Budget Was 135 Days Late, But PA Lawmakers Got Their 3.25% Pay Raise On Schedule

-- TribLive Editorial: A State Budget Failure Doesn’t Earn A Pay Raise For Lawmakers

-- PA Capital-Star: Democrats Eye A PA Senate Flip: ‘Prepared To Marshal Every Resource’

-- US Senate/House

-- Post-Gazette: PA Republican US Sen. McCormick Says He Supports Health Care Subsidies Extension During Tele-Town Hall

-- TribLive/AP: Chances For Congressional Action For Renewal Of Health Care Subsidies, Risking Premium Spikes For Millions

-- TribLive: Poll Shows Fetterman Still Tanking Among Democrats, While Republicans Give Him A Thumbs Up

-- TribLive: Legislation From PA Democratic Member Of Congress Summer Lee Would Combat Discriminatory A.I. 

-- WITF: PA Republican Con. Smucker Positions Himself For Powerful Role As House Budget Committee Chair

-- PennLive: PA Republican Con. Scott Perry Underwater With Voters On Job Approval; Trails Democratic Challenger In Poll

-- 2025 Elections

-- WHYY: Chester County Certifies Election Results In Tense Meeting Amid Poll Book Controversy

-- 2026 Elections

-- PA Capital-Star: Democrats Eye A PA Senate Flip: ‘Prepared To Marshal Every Resource’

-- WHYY: Pennsylvania Will Help Determine Control Of US House In 2026 Election

-- Elections

-- WITF: PA Election Directors Call For Reforms To 3rd Party Voter Registration Drives 

-- Post-Gazette: A.I. Poised To Play Increased Role In PA Election Campaigns In 2026 And Beyond

-- Protesting The President

-- Erie Times Guest Essay: We Need People Of Faith To Speak Out For Democracy And Liberty From The Pulpit, The Streets, Community Centers And Podcasts - It Is The Moral Imperative Of This Time - By Rev. Richard Cizik, Evangelicals For Democracy

-- PennLive Opinion: Punishing 200,000 Refugees For One Man’s Crime Repeats America’s Darkest Mistakes

-- PA Impacts Of President’s Tariffs

-- TribLive: PA Wine, Spirits Sales Slip As President’s Tariffs, Dwindling Bar Crowds Take Toll 

-- LancasterOnline Editorial: Gaslighting On Economy Won’t Warm Lancaster County Residents This Holiday Season And Winter [President’s Tariffs, Surging Electricity, Natural Gas Prices] [PDF of Article] 

-- PA Impacts Of President’s Policies

-- TribLive/AP: Chances For Congressional Action For Renewal Of Health Care Subsidies, Risking Premium Spikes For Millions

-- PA Capital-Star: President’s USDA Says It Will Withhold Food Stamp Benefits From Democratic-led States-- Including PA-- If They Don’t Provide Personal Data On Recipients

-- TribLive Guest Essay: Prosperity Without Workers - The A.I. Paradox Shaping President’s Economy 

-- TribLive/AP: National Park Service Drops Free Admission On Martin Luther King Day, Juneteenth, Adds President’s Birthday 

-- New Federal Administration

-- Reuters: President’s Push For More A.I. Data Centers Faces Backlash From His Own Voters [PA Highlighted]  

-- LancasterOnline Editorial: Gaslighting On Economy Won’t Warm Lancaster County Residents This Holiday Season And Winter [President’s Tariffs, Surging Electricity, Natural Gas Prices] [PDF of Article] 

-- WESA/AP: President To Visit PA Tuesday To Highlight Efforts To Curb Inflation As High Prices Squeeze Americans [Tariffs?]

-- Inquirer: President To Visit NE PA Tuesday To Promote His Economic Agenda

-- Inquirer Editorial: President Dismisses Affordability Concerns As He Personally Rakes In Billions

-- Federal Government

-- TribLive/PennLive: Shapiro Pushes Back On Federal Policy Change- Urges Continuation Of Hepatitis B Vaccines At Birth 

-- The Center Square: President’s USDA Beat PA Court Challenge To Cutting Funding For PA Farmers, Now What?

-- Triblive/AP: Social Security Administration Plants To Cut Field Office Visits By Recipients By 50%; Fear Closures Are Coming 

-- PennLive: President’s DHHS Agency Changes Admiral Rachel Levine’s Name Under Official Portrait To Richard Levine, Her Birth Name As Insult To Transgender People

-- PA’s Role In Assault On US Capitol

-- TribLive: Philadelphia Man Guilty Of Threatening Political Party Employee Seeking To Recruit Poll Watchers

-- Miscellaneous State/Harrisburg Politics

-- Inquirer Editorial: If ‘Skill’ Gambling Games Cannot Be Banned, Harrisburg Must Act To Regulate And Tax

-- Inquirer: PA Fires Vendor For Failing To Sort, Deliver State Agency Mail To Post Office For Delivery

-- A.I. /Data Centers

-- In Case You Missed It: A.I./Data Center Articles - NewClips From Last Week - December 8  [PaEN]

-- On The Eve Of New PJM Capacity Auction: Gov. Shapiro, 5 Other Governors Say PJM's Efforts To Deal With A.I. Data Center Demands Have Failed; Urge 'Decisive Action' To Avoid 'Extraordinarily’ High Prices  [PaEN]

-- Reuters: President’s Push For More A.I. Data Centers Faces Backlash From His Own Voters [PA Highlighted]  

-- NYTimes: The Political Shocks Of A.I. Data Centers, Electric Bills: ‘The New Price Of Eggs’ [PDF of Article]

-- Financial Times: Surging Natural Gas Prices Worsens Affordability Crisis For Americans   [PDF of Article] 

-- PUC Approves Reduced Columbia Gas Rate Hike Of 6.05%, And A Per Month Residential Customer Charge Increase Of 33%  [PaEN]

-- Independent Fiscal Office: Quarterly PA Natural Gas Production Up 5.1% From Last Year; Natural Gas Price Up 51.4%  [PaEN]

-- LancasterOnline Editorial: Gaslighting On Economy Won’t Warm Lancaster County Residents This Holiday Season And Winter [President’s Tariffs, Surging Electricity, Natural Gas Prices] [PDF of Article]

-- International/National Impacts On PA Natural Gas

-- AAA Average Gasoline Prices: National: $2.96   Ohio: $2.75  PA: $3.18

-- Baker Hughes: Natural Gas Drilling Rigs In PA- 18 - Same As Last 2 Weeks

-- PUC Approves Reduced Columbia Gas Rate Hike Of 6.05%, And A Per Month Residential Customer Charge Increase Of 33%  [PaEN] 

-- Independent Fiscal Office: Quarterly PA Natural Gas Production Up 5.1% From Last Year; Natural Gas Price Up 51.4%  [PaEN] 

-- Financial Times: Surging Natural Gas Prices Worsens Affordability Crisis For Americans   [PDF of Article] 

-- The Guardian: Cooking With Natural Gas Gets More Expensive As Americans Face Rising Prices Into 2026: 4% For Residential Users, 21% For Industrial, 37% For Power Generators 

-- Reuters: Soaring US Natural Gas Prices Are Eroding LNG Producers’ Profit Margin That Could Force Exports Drop

-- PennLive: December May Bring Some Of Earth’s ‘Most Extreme Cold’ To Northeastern US, Including PA

-- In Case You Missed It: A.I./Data Center Articles - NewClips From Last Week - December 8  [PaEN]

-- York Dispatch: Constellation Energy To Divest From York 1, York 2 Natural Gas Power Plants [Dedicated To Feeding A.I. Data Centers] [PDF of Article]

-- Reuters: Constellation Energy, US DOJ Agree On Conditions For Acquisition Of Calpine Gas Power Plants To Feed A.I. Data Centers [Sell York 2 Natural Gas Plant In PA]

-- NYTimes: The Political Shocks Of A.I. Data Centers, Electric Bills: ‘The New Price Of Eggs’ [PDF of Article]

-- Reuters Opinion: High And Rising Natural Gas Costs May Spur Fresh Climb In US Coal Use

-- Bloomberg: There’s Too Much Oil: Who Are The Winners And Losers?  

-- Flooding

-- Natural Resources Conservation Service-PA: Emergency Watershed Protection Program Helps Northern PA Residents After Tropical Storm Debby  [PaEN] 

-- TribLive: Greensburg Signs Most Easements For Northmont Flood Control Project In Westmoreland

-- The Guardian: Zillow Deletes Flooding, Wildfire, Wind, Extreme Heat, Poor Air Quality Risks From Real Estate Listings After Complaints It Harms Sales 

-- Gas Explosions

-- TribLive: Penneco Oil Co. Report Finds No Evidence Penneco Liable For Plum Natural Gas Explosion In Allegheny County 

-- Train Derailments

-- Morning Call/AP: Railroads Will Be Allowed To Reduce Inspections, Rely More On Technology To Spot Track Problems 

-- Education

-- Spotlight PA: State Funding Cuts, New Oversight Rules Hit PA’s 14 Private Taxpayer-Funded Cyber Charter Schools

-- City & State PA: As A.I. Enters PA Classrooms, Teachers And Students Face A Learning Curve

-- Health Care

-- Spotlight PA: Deaths Of Older Pennsylvanians During Abuse, Neglect Probes Would Be Subject To Mandatory Reviews Under New Bill

-- Spotlight PA: PA Loses Hundreds Of Pharmacies After A Law Promised Help

-- Post-Gazette: PA Lawmakers Renew Stalled Plan To Curb Hospital Closures As Crisis Continues

-- WESA: PA Medicaid To Stop Paying For Use Of Ozempic-Type Meds To Cover Only Weight Loss, But Will Pay For Use By Diabetics, People With Other Conditions

-- TribLive/PennLive: Shapiro Pushes Back On Federal Policy Change- Urges Continuation Of Hepatitis B Vaccines At Birth 

-- TribLive Guest Essay: Protect PA Children From Hepatitis B Infection - By Dr. Debra Bogen, Secretary of Health & Dr. Val Arkoosh, Secretary of Human Services

-- Post-Gazette: PA Republican US Sen. McCormick Says He Supports Health Care Subsidies Extension During Tele-Town Hall

-- TribLive/AP: Chances For Congressional Action For Renewal Of Health Care Subsidies, Risking Premium Spikes For Millions

-- Law Enforcement

-- The Center Square: PA Prosecutors Face No Punishment For Violating Wiretap Act

-- TribLive Editorial: Could A.I. Be The New Twinkie Defense For Crimes?

-- The Economy

-- Spotlight PA: Amazon, SpaceX Could Receive Millions In Federal Grants; Will It Help PA Residents In Need Of Faster Internet?

-- AP: Federal Review Finds 44% Of US Truck Driver Schools Don’t Comply With Government Rules, May Have To Close [PA Highlighted]

-- City & State PA: Pennsylvania Businesses Are All In On A.I.

-- TribLive Guest Essay: Prosperity Without Workers - The A.I. Paradox Shaping President’s Economy 

-- Other

-- WITF: Nonprofit Led By Veteran NPR Journalist David Greene To Acquire LPN/LancasterOnline

[Posted: December 7, 2025]