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

Because In Politics Everything Is Connected To Everything Else--

-- Gov. Shapiro

-- TribLive: Josh Shapiro Doesn’t Take Bill Maher’s ‘Bait’ About Presidential Bid

-- Inquirer: Josh Shapiro Is Talking A Lot About Judaism And Its ‘Shared Humanity’ With Other Faiths

-- AP: Gov. Shapiro Criticizes White House Over Iran War: ‘Explain The Mission To The Troops’ [Video]

-- Tribune-Democrat: Students Ask Governor, Attorney General To Better Educate School Communities On A.I., Don’t Support School Cell Phone Ban

-- White House: President Unveils National A.I. Legislative Framework; Prevents A ‘Patchwork Of Conflicting State Laws’ That Would Undermine American Innovation, Compete Globally In A.I. Race

-- Race For Governor

-- Spotlight PA: State Treasurer Stacy Garrity Bought Israel Bonds With State Funds; Candidate Garrity Then Campaigned At The Firm’s Gala

-- PA House/Senate

-- PA Senate Republicans Pass Bill To Protect The Right Of Pennsylvanians To Drive Diesel And Gasoline Powered Vehicles; Average PA Price Of Gasoline Rose 69 Cents To $3.80/Gallon Since Feb. 27  [PaEN]  [????] 

-- The Center Square: PA Senate Passes A.I. Chatbot Warning Bill

-- Erie Times: Why Some State Senators Want The PA Higher Education Board Gone

-- PennLive: Republican State Senator Mastriano Laments Pride Festivals, Rainbow Flags In Gettysburg: ‘Reject The Activism’ 

-- White House: President Unveils National A.I. Legislative Framework; Prevents A ‘Patchwork Of Conflicting State Laws’ That Would Undermine American Innovation, Compete Globally In A.I. Race

-- Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader/AP: President Urges Congress To ‘Preempt State A.I. Laws’ That He Views As Too Burdensome 

-- US Senate/House

-- PennLive: Fetterman Hit With Brutal Polling Drop: ‘He Is Below The Lowest Of The Low’ 

-- TribLive/PennLive: Fetterman Says President Derangement Syndrome Controls Democratic Party; Has No Leader

-- PennLive: Fetterman’s Support For President’s War Against Iran Has Fired Up Critics Like Never Before

-- Post-Gazette: Fetterman’s Vote Allows US Senate Committee To Confirm President’s Pick To Run Homeland Security

-- Statewide Offices

-- WESA: PA Attorney General Sunday Continues Lawsuit Against Live Nation Entertainment Ticketing Company After President’s DOJ Settles

-- Tribune-Democrat: Students Ask Governor, Attorney General To Better Educate School Communities On A.I., Don’t Support School Cell Phone Ban

-- Special Elections

-- PennLive - Charles Thompson: PA House Republicans Hold On To Key Seats In Special Elections

-- 2026 Elections

-- Post-Gazette: Pennsylvania Primary Races Set For May: Governor, Lt. Gov., Congress, State Legislative Contests

-- WESA: PA Politicos Seek To Knock Foes Off Ballot Before May 19 Primary

-- Observer-Reporter: Washington County Reducing Number Of Voting Precincts From 180 to 156 Due To Population Changes, Poll Worker Shortage, Cost

-- Elections

-- Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader Editorial: Citizenship-proof Laws Chase Phantom Fraud And Threaten Voters’ Access

-- Republican Herald Editorial: Open PA Primaries A Matter Of Fairness To Independent Voters

-- TribLive Editorial: Opening Primaries Isn’t Simple, But Deserves Debate

-- President’s War On Iran

-- AP: Gov. Shapiro Criticizes White House Over Iran War: ‘Explain The Mission To The Troops’ [Video]

-- PennLive: Fetterman’s Support For President’s War Against Iran Has Fired Up Critics Like Never Before

-- March 22: PA Average AAA Gasoline Price Still Going Up-- 82 Cents/Gallon To $3.93 Since Feb. 27  

-- March 22: Average AAA Gasoline Prices: National- $3.94 Ohio- $3.71  PA- $3.93

-- Feb. 27: Average AAA Gasoline Prices: National- $2.98  Ohio- $2.79  PA- $3.11

-- Wall Street Journal: Sick Of High Gasoline Prices? Electric Vehicle Deals Are Everywhere Right Now

-- Financial Times: US Fertilizer Companies Cash In As Iran War Boosts Prices, Shares

-- Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader/AP: Energy Fallout From President’s War On Iran Signals A Global Wake-Up Call For Renewable Energy 

-- Bloomberg TV: As Iran War Continues, Natural Gas Prices Soar; How The Market For Natural Gas Is Being Upended By The War

-- Reuters: President, Iran Step Up Threats Over Energy Infrastructure Targets As War Escalates 

-- Bloomberg: Attacks On Qatar LNG Natural Gas Facilities Make Worst Nightmare A Reality Leaving Buyers Scrambling For Supplies [American Customers Must Now Compete For Their Own US Gas As Prices Spike] 

-- AP: US Drivers See Gasoline Prices Jump To Their Highest Level Since 2023 As President’s War On Iran Drags On 

-- Reuters: Iran War’s Energy Impact Forces World To Pay Up, Cut Consumption: ‘You’re Not Going To Conserve Your Way Around This’

-- Bloomberg: Oil And Natural Gas Prices Jump As Strikes On Gulf Facilities Escalate Threatening Long-Term Damage  

-- Food & Water Watch Blog: President’s War Against Iran Exposes The Lie Of How ‘Energy Independence’ Based On Oil & Natural Gas Will Lower Prices For Consumers - Prices Are  Unbreakably Linked To International Markets As War Price Spikes Again Show 

-- Inside Climate News: Iran War Shows That Doubling Down On Oil/Natural Gas Is ‘Delusional,’ UN Climate Chief Says 

-- Financial Times: US Oil Executive: We Want To Support The President, But He’s Working Against Us, He Wants $50 Oil And Cheap Gasoline Forever  [PDF of Article]

-- WESA/NPR: Oil/Natural Gas Prices Are Soaring As The US-Israeli War Against Iran Continues, Some Counties Are Ready With Solar Panels And Electric Vehicles [Not The US]

-- Wall Street Journal: Oil/Gas Industry Warns President Fuel Crunch, Prices Will Likely Worsen, Go Higher

-- AP: Fears Of Global Energy Crisis Rise As Iran Keeps Stranglehold On Shipping [Price]

-- Protesting The President

-- WHYY: Bucks County DA Drops Felony Charges Against 1 Of 5 Quakertown H.S. Students Arrested During ICE Protest

-- Erie Times: Three ‘No Kings’ Rallies To Take Place In Erie Area March 28

-- Republican Herald: Dozens Gather For Region’s First Protest Against Proposed ICE Warehouse Detention Facility In Schuylkill County

-- Republican Herald: Across The Country, DHS Discretely Purchased Warehouses For ICE Detention Centers With No Local Input: ‘There Has Been No Process’  [PDF of Article]

-- PA Impacts Of President’s Tariffs

-- Post-Gazette Guest Essay: President’s Tariffs Hurt Pennsylvanians - Up To $1,000 Per Household - By Matt Colyar, Moody’s Analytics

-- PA Impacts Of President’s Policies

-- TribLive: Haitian Woman’s Death Prompts Pittsburgh Immigration Lawyer To Question President’s ICE Procedures 

-- WESA: In Charleroi, Washington County, A Haitian Women’s Group Helps Community Navigate Work, Money & Immigration Challenges

-- Post-Gazette: Habeas Filings Soar In Western PA Amid Immigration Detention Surge

-- TribLive: Still Little Word From Springdale Officials On Agreement With President’s ICE As Residents Protest

-- TribLive: Month After Springdale Police Helped President’s ICE Detain Resident, Anxiety Remains For Local Immigrants In Allegheny County

-- WPSU: Bradford Police Chief Responds To Community Questions About New ICE Agreement

-- Republican Herald: Orwigsburg Council Approves Police Agreement With President’s ICE

-- The Citizens’ Voice: Salem Township Police Join Federal ICE Program In Luzerne County

-- Morning Call: Federal ICE Responds To DEP Order For Proposed Berks County Warehouse Detention Center On Water, Sewage Issues, Said It Will Appeal The Order

-- PA Capital-Star: Federal ICE Responds To DEP Order, Asks For More Time To Address Concerns With Proposed Berks Warehouse Detention Center; DEP Has No Plans To Modify Order

-- Spotlight PA: Berks Officials Grappling With Federal ICE’s Warehouse Detention Center Plans Want Assurances From The Feds 

-- PennLive: President’s ICE Considered 3 Sites In Dauphin County For Detention Centers, Including Former Villa Maria Nursing Home

-- Republican Herald: Schuylkill County Commissioners Say President’s ICE Will Not House Children Or Families At Proposed Tremont Warehouse Detention Center

-- Republican Herald: Across The Country, DHS Discretely Purchased Warehouses For ICE Detention Centers With No Local Input: ‘There Has Been No Process’ [PDF of Article]

-- Spotlight PA: President’s Secretive, Fast-Tracked Process To Pick Who Will Run PA’s New Warehouse Detention Centers 

-- New Federal Administration

-- PennLive - John Baer: D.C.’s Decency Deficit Is Costing Americans More Than Money 

-- The Economist: Operation Blind Fury: War On Iran Is Making President Weaker And Angrier; His Reckless Campaign May Make Him More Dangerous

-- The Hill: President Reacts To Death Of Former FBI Director Robert Mueller: ‘Glad He’s Dead’ 

-- NBC: 24-Karat Gold Coin Approved With President’s Image For 250th Birthday Of The US

-- PennLive: President Sells Hat Like He Wore At The Dignified Transfer Of Six US Soldiers Killed In The War With Iran

-- Federal Government

-- White House: President Unveils National A.I. Legislative Framework; Prevents A ‘Patchwork Of Conflicting State Laws’ That Would Undermine American Innovation, Compete Globally In A.I. Race

-- A.I. /Data Centers

-- In Case You Missed It: A.I./Data Center Articles - NewClips From Last Week - March 23 [PaEN] 

-- PennFuture Calls For A Statewide Pause On A.I. Data Center Development Until Lawmakers Can Adopt Strict Policies To Site These Facilities Properly  [PaEN]  

-- City & State PA Guest Essay: PA Lawmakers Must Do More To Protect Residents From A.I. Data Centers - By Joseph Minott, former Executive Director Of The Clean Air Council

-- Post-Gazette: Winds Of President’s War: Consumers Across Western PA Feeling Impact Of Price Spikes

-- Scranton Times: Advocacy Groups, Constituents Rally In Favor Of Affordable Energy [PDF of Article]

-- TribLive Letter: Legislators Must Help Bring Down Skyrocketing Utility Bills - By Diana Vahabzadeh, Pittsburgh

-- Financial Times: World Faces Natural Gas Supply Cliff As Gulf’s Final LNG Gas Shipments Approach Ports Sending Prices Soaring 

-- Scranton Times: National Developer Spends $580 Million On Dozens Of Properties In Salem Twp. For Data Center Campus In Luzerne County [PDF of Article] 

-- WNEP: Archbald Boro Ousts Council President, Vice President, President Pro Tem From Their Leadership Positions Over A.I. Data Center Issues

-- DeSmog: A.I. Data Centers Poised To Engulf Archbald Boro In Pennsylvania; Developers Weakened Local Limits On Giant Projects

-- Scranton Times: Throop Declares Own Zoning Invalid, Buys Time To Regulate A.I. Data Centers [PDF of Article]

-- PA House Committee Hears How Virtual Power Plants, Advanced Transmission Line Technologies Allow Us To Quickly Get More Out Of Our Energy Infrastructure In Less Time, Without Huge Investments Or Delays  [PaEN] 

-- Utility Dive: North American Electric Reliability Corp: January’s Winter Storm Fern Was ‘Classic Near-Miss’ For US Electric Grid As Reliability Risks Are Risking

-- Scranton Times: PPL Utilities: A.I. Data Centers Are Poised To Consume More Electricity Than Northeast PA Can Deliver [PDF of Article]

-- WHYY - Susan Phillips: Precedent-Setting PPL Utility Rate Proposal Would Protect Residential Electricity Customers From A.I. Data Center Costs 

-- DEP Issued Chapter 105 Permit For Homer City Generation LP A.I. Data Center Campus Natural Gas Power Plant Site In Indiana County  [PaEN] 

-- Post-Gazette: PA Awaits Information About New 4.3 GW Natural Gas Power Plant In SW PA: ‘Will Play A Critical Role In Meeting The Rapidly Growing Electricity Demand’ [Code Words For Data Centers]

-- Utility Dive: US DOE Emergency Orders For Fossil Power Plants Complicate Utility Planning, Experts Say; Orders Cost Ratepayers $230 Million So Far 

-- Scranton Times: NE PA A.I. Data Centers Could Look To Abandon Mine Water To Cool Server Farms

-- PennLive - Charles Thompson: With A.I. Data Center, Housing Growth Coming, Middlesex Authority Approves Boost In Water Storage In Cumberland County

-- E&E News: Nuclear Regulatory Commission Taking Steps To End ‘As Low As Reasonably Achievable’ Radiation Exposure Standard For Nuclear Power Plants As Three Mile Island Other Plants Go Thru Restart

-- NPR: President Threatens To ‘Obliterate’ Iran’s Power Plants [Further Straining Supply Chains For Power Generation]

-- Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader/AP: President Urges Congress To ‘Preempt State A.I. Laws’ That He Views As Too Burdensome 

-- International/National Impacts On PA Natural Gas

-- March 22: PA Average AAA Gasoline Price Still Going Up-- 82 Cents/Gallon To $3.93 Since Feb. 27  

-- March 22: Average AAA Gasoline Prices: National- $3.94 Ohio- $3.71  PA- $3.93

-- Feb. 27: Average AAA Gasoline Prices: National- $2.98  Ohio- $2.79  PA- $3.11

-- TribLive: Gasoline Prices Close To $4/Gallon In Pittsburgh Region

-- Inquirer: Philly-Area Residents Share How Much They Paid To Keep Warm This Winter

-- TribLive Column: The War At Your Gas Pump Is Local - By Lori Falce 

-- Post-Gazette: Winds Of President’s War: Consumers Across Western PA Feeling Impact Of Price Spikes

-- PA Capital-Star: Pain Of Soaring Gasoline, Diesel, Heating Oil, Propane Prices Compounded By Electricity, Natural Gas Increases Across Pennsylvania

-- Baker Hughes: PA Natural Gas Drilling Rigs - 20 - Same For Last 5 Weeks

-- Financial Times: World Faces Natural Gas Supply Cliff As Gulf’s Final LNG Gas Shipments Approach Ports Sending Prices Soaring 

-- Reuters: President Allows 30-Day Sale Of Iran Oil At Sea In Bid To Tame Prices

-- NPR: President Threatens To ‘Obliterate’ Iran’s Power Plants [Further Straining Supply Chains For Power Generation]

-- In Case You Missed It: A.I./Data Center Articles - NewClips From Last Week - March 23 [PaEN] 

-- Scranton Times: Advocacy Groups, Constituents Rally In Favor Of Affordable Energy [PDF of Article]

-- TribLive Guest Essay: Pennsylvania Energy Helps Stabilize A Volatile World - By Luke Bernstein, PA Chamber Of Business & Industry  [????]

-- PA Senate Republicans Pass Bill To Protect The Right Of Pennsylvanians To Drive Diesel And Gasoline Powered Vehicles; Average PA Price Of Gasoline Rose 69 Cents To $3.80/Gallon Since Feb. 27  [PaEN]  [????]

-- PUC Schedules 10 Hearings On Proposed UGI Utilities 8.05% Natural Gas Distribution Rate Increase Starting March 30  [PaEN] 

-- PUC Sets Hearings On Proposed National Fuel Gas 7.4% Natural Gas Distribution Rate Increase Starting March 31  [PaEN] 

-- TribLive Letter: Legislators Must Help Bring Down Skyrocketing Utility Bills - By Diana Vahabzadeh, Pittsburgh

-- Utility Dive: North American Electric Reliability Corp: January’s Winter Storm Fern Was ‘Classic Near-Miss’ For US Electric Grid As Reliability Risks Are Risking

-- CapitolWire: Pennsylvania Scraps RGGI Carbon Market, Races To Build More Natural Gas Power Plants [For A.I. Data Centers]

-- Post-Gazette: President’s Spokesperson Announces $17 Billion South Mon Natural Gas Power Plant To Produce 4.3 GW Of Power In SW PA [No Details Available, Fetterman, McCormick Have No Information] 

-- NextEra Energy Receives Approval From President For Up To 10 GW Of Natural Gas Power Generation, Including 4.3 GW Plant In SW PA [No Details On How Much Power Will Be Available To Anyone Other Than Data Centers]

-- Post-Gazette: PA Awaits Information About New 4.3 GW Natural Gas Power Plant In SW PA: ‘Will Play A Critical Role In Meeting The Rapidly Growing Electricity Demand’ [Code Words For Data Centers]

-- Scranton Times: A.I. Data Center Developer Applies To Archbald Boro For Power Plant Permit Close To School, Park; Few Details Available

-- Financial Times: US Fertilizer Companies Cash In As Iran War Boosts Prices, Shares

-- The Economist: America May Be A Petrostate, But The Energy Price Shock Still Hurts, Further Angers Economically Frustrated Citizens

-- Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader/AP: Energy Fallout From President’s War On Iran Signals A Global Wake-Up Call For Renewable Energy 

-- Bloomberg TV: As Iran War Continues, Natural Gas Prices Soar; How The Market For Natural Gas Is Being Upended By The War

-- Food & Water Watch Blog: President’s War Against Iran Exposes The Lie Of How ‘Energy Independence’ Based On Oil & Natural Gas Will Lower Prices For Consumers - Prices Are  Unbreakably Linked To International Markets As War Price Spikes Again Show 

-- Inside Climate News: Iran War Shows That Doubling Down On Oil/Natural Gas Is ‘Delusional,’ UN Climate Chief Says 

-- Reuters: President, Iran Step Up Threats Over Energy Infrastructure Targets As War Escalates 

-- Bloomberg: Attacks On Qatar LNG Natural Gas Facilities Make Worst Nightmare A Reality Leaving Buyers Scrambling For Supplies [American Customers Must Now Compete For Their Own US Gas As Prices Spike] 

-- Reuters: Iran War’s Energy Impact Forces World To Pay Up, Cut Consumption: ‘You’re Not Going To Conserve Your Way Around This’

-- Bloomberg: Oil And Natural Gas Prices Jump As Strikes On Gulf Facilities Escalate Threatening Long-Term Damage  

-- AP: US Drivers See Gasoline Prices Jump To Their Highest Level Since 2023 As President’s War On Iran Drags On 

-- The Guardian: Congressional Democrats Urge Windfall Profits Tax As Big Oil/Gas Set To Make Billions From President’s War On Iran 

-- Bloomberg: Oil And Natural Gas Prices Soar As Iran Vows To Retaliate For Strikes On South Pars Natural Gas Field

-- Financial Times: US Oil Executive: We Want To Support The President, But He’s Working Against Us, He Wants $50 Oil And Cheap Gasoline Forever  [PDF of Article]

-- WESA/NPR: Oil/Natural Gas Prices Are Soaring As The US-Israeli War Against Iran Continues, Some Counties Are Ready With Solar Panels And Electric Vehicles [Not The US]

-- Wall Street Journal: Oil/Gas Industry Warns President Fuel Crunch, Prices Will Likely Worsen, Go Higher

-- AP: Fears Of Global Energy Crisis Rise As Iran Keeps Stranglehold On Shipping [Price]

-- Reuters: President Allows 30-Day Sale Of Iran Oil At Sea In Bid To Tame Prices

-- Gas Explosions

-- PUC: Deadly West Reading Chocolate Factory Explosion Prompts PUC Safety Complaint Against UGI Proposing $2,576,627 In Penalties  [PaEN] 

-- AP: PUC Seeks $2.6 Million In Penalties For Deadly 2023 Chocolate Factory Natural Gas Explosion In Reading 

-- Storms/Power Outages

-- Morning Call: Lehigh Valley Residents React With Shock To Storm Damage As Cleanup Begins 

-- WTAE: Day 4: Power Outages Continue To Impact Communities In Allegheny County 

-- Post-Gazette: Dayslong Power Outages Leave Some Pittsburgh Residents, Schools, Businesses Reeling 

-- Post-Gazette: Fast-Moving Brush Fire Challenges Firefighters As Pittsburgh Region Again Faces Strong Winds 

-- Education

-- TribLive: Pittsburgh Public Schools Plan Online Learning During NFL Draft

-- WESA- Rachel McDevitt: PA Lays Out Plan To Boost Higher Education Enrollment, Affordability

-- Erie Times: Why Some State Senators Want The PA Higher Education Board Gone

-- Tribune-Democrat: Students Ask Governor, Attorney General To Better Educate School Communities On A.I., Don’t Support School Cell Phone Ban

-- Health Care

-- WESA: Study Finds PA’s Maternity Health Desert Growing With 23 Counties Without Hospital Labor And Delivery Units

-- Tribune-Democrat: Prescription Benefit Managers And Access To Prescriptions Series - State, Federal Lawmakers Advocate For Community Drug Store In Lawsuit With Express Scripts 

- Morning Call Guest Essay: Hospital Monopolies Driving Pennsylvania’s Health Care Crisis - By Adam Buckalew, Hospital Watch

-- Law Enforcement

-- TribLive: Haitian Woman’s Death Prompts Pittsburgh Immigration Lawyer To Question President’s ICE Procedures 

-- WESA: In Charleroi, Washington County, A Haitian Women’s Group Helps Community Navigate Work, Money & Immigration Challenges

-- WHYY: Bucks County DA Drops Felony Charges Against 1 Of 5 Quakertown H.S. Students Arrested During ICE Protest

-- Post-Gazette: Habeas Filings Soar In Western PA Amid Immigration Detention Surge

-- Morning Call: Federal ICE Responds To DEP Order For Proposed Berks County Warehouse Detention Center On Water, Sewage Issues, Said It Will Appeal The Order

-- PA Capital-Star: Federal ICE Responds To DEP Order, Asks For More Time To Address Concerns With Proposed Berks Warehouse Detention Center; DEP Has No Plans To Modify Order

-- Spotlight PA: Berks Officials Grappling With Federal ICE’s Warehouse Detention Center Plans Want Assurances From The Feds 

-- Republican Herald: Schuylkill County Commissioners Say President’s ICE Will Not House Children Or Families At Proposed Tremont Warehouse Detention Center

-- PennLive: President’s ICE Considered 3 Sites In Dauphin County For Detention Centers, Including Former Villa Maria Nursing Home

-- TribLive: Still Little Word From Springdale Officials On Agreement With President’s ICE As Residents Protest

-- TribLive: Month After Springdale Police Helped President’s ICE Detain Resident, Anxiety Remains For Local Immigrants In Allegheny County

-- WPSU: Bradford Police Chief Responds To Community Questions About New ICE Agreement

-- Republican Herald: Orwigsburg Council Approves Police Agreement With President’s ICE

-- The Citizens’ Voice: Salem Township Police Join Federal ICE Program In Luzerne County

-- Republican Herald: Dozens Gather For Region’s First Protest Against Proposed ICE Warehouse Detention Facility In Schuylkill County

-- Republican Herald: Across The Country, DHS Discretely Purchased Warehouses For ICE Detention Centers With No Local Input: ‘There Has Been No Process’ [PDF of Article]

-- Spotlight PA: President’s Secretive, Fast-Tracked Process To Pick Who Will Run PA’s New Warehouse Detention Centers 

-- The Economy

-- Financial Times: US Fertilizer Companies Cash In As Iran War Boosts Prices, Shares

-- Post-Gazette Guest Essay: A.I.’s White-Collar Economic Pandemic - Kelly McKinney, NYU Langone Health

-- Inquirer: Bill Gates’ Nuclear Company Plans $450 Million Plant In Philly’s Bellwether District Making Radioactive Cancer Treatments

-- Spotlight PA: PA Labor Law Could Become Sticking Point Between State And Feds With $711 Million For Broadband At Stake

[Posted: March 22, 2026]