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

Because In Politics Everything Is Connected To Everything Else--

-- Gov. Shapiro

-- PA Dept. Of Revenue Guest Essay Highlights Pennsylvania’s Strong Revenue Collections, Economic Growth Under Gov. Shapiro’s Leadership

-- PA Capital-Star: Garrity And Shapiro Have Accused Each Other Of Flip-Flopping On A.I. Data Centers - Are They Both Right?

-- AP: Shapiro, Democratic Governors Press US Postal Service To Drop Plan To Not Deliver Mail-In Ballots In States Not Complying With President’s Election Order

-- The Center Square: Shapiro Says ‘Radical Reform’ Needed On US Supreme Court 

-- PennLive - John Baer: Should Shapiro Have Shunned President’s ‘Great’ American State Fair? 

-- Race For Governor

-- PA Dept. Of Revenue Guest Essay Highlights Pennsylvania’s Strong Revenue Collections, Economic Growth Under Gov. Shapiro’s Leadership

-- PA Capital-Star: Garrity And Shapiro Have Accused Each Other Of Flip-Flopping On A.I. Data Centers - Are They Both Right?

-- PennLive: PA Scrapple Poll: 59% Disapprove Of President’s Performance (Down From 65% In May), 48% ‘Strongly;’ Shapiro Leads Garrity 54% to 29%

-- Budget 2026

-- TribLive Editorial: Why Does Pennsylvania Even Have A Budget Deadline?

-- Spotlight PA: Pennsylvania’s Budget Is Late For 5th Year In A Row

-- WESA: PA Budget Officially Late, Though Hope Remains For Deal Next Week

-- TribLive: PA Lawmakers Miss State Budget Deadline Again

-- PennLive: PA Blows Budget Deadline Again, Is A Deal Coming Anytime Soon?

-- WHYY: PA Leaders And Service Providers Brace For Late State Budget As Deadline Passes For 6th Year In A Row

-- Spotlight PA: Will Education Again Divide The PA Legislature This Budget Cycle?  Signs Of Smoother Sailing 

-- TribLive: Amid $41 Billion Shortfall, Pennsylvania Teachers’ Pension Fund Cites Private Equity As Biggest Drag 

-- PA Dept. Of Revenue Reports FY 2025-26 Tax Collections $1.1 Billion (2.4%) Over Governor’s Estimates 

-- Independent Fiscal Office Reports June Tax Revenue $159 Million (4.2%) More Than IFO Estimates; Fiscal Year To Date $1 Billion (2.1%) More Than IFO Estimates 

-- PA House/Senate

-- TribLive: Westmoreland Republican Rep. Eric Davanzo Kicked Out Of PA House Chamber For Wearing Patriotic Red/White Stripped Suit, Blue Tie  

-- Statewide Offices

-- Inquirer: AG Sunday Talks PA Supreme Court’s Philly DA Ruling, Abortion Appeal

-- AP: Attorney General Settles Charges With Egg Producers Over Inflated Prices, They’ll Donate 3.4 Million Eggs To Food Banks In Settlement

-- 2026 Elections

-- WITF: Franklin & Marshall Poll: What PA Voters Want, And What They’re Getting

-- Altoona Mirror: Election Laws Still Point Of Debate In Pennsylvania

-- TribLive: Businessman Who Lost PA Senate Primary To Bartolotta Sues Washington County Officials Over Canceling His Voter Registration And Public Comments 

-- Elections

-- AP: Shapiro, Democratic Governors Press US Postal Service To Drop Plan To Not Deliver Mail-In Ballots In States Not Complying With President’s Election Order

-- WESA: PA Voting Rights Advocates Hail Federal Court Ruling Rebuking President’s Voter Files Demand

--  Reuters: US Supreme Court Asks President’s Administration Views On Republican Challenge To PA Mail-In Ballot Dating Issue

-- WITF/NPR: US Supreme Court Strikes Down Limits On Political Party Spending

-- President’s War On Iran

-- July 5: PA Average AAA Gasoline Price Down 1 Penny Since Yesterday, Now $3.95/Gallon - $.84/Gallon Higher Than On Feb. 27 [Beaver County Average Price Still Highest at $4.42]

-- July 5: Average AAA Gasoline Prices: National- $3.80 Ohio- $3.61  PA- $3.95

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

-- PA Impacts Of President’s Policies

-- PA Capital-Star: PA Joins Multi-State Lawsuit Against President’s Administration Over Medicaid Work Rules, Enrollees Are Even Sure That Applies To Them

-- PennLive: Federal ICE Officer Opens Fires After Wanted Man Hit Agent’s Vehicle In Harrisburg, Feds Say 

-- TribLive: Pittsburgh Detectives Investigating Death Of Haitian Woman After Release By ICE

-- Observer-Report: Thousands Of Haitians, Syrians Face Deportation After US Supreme Court Ruling 

-- Post-Gazette: Charleroi Braces For Uncertain Future After US Supreme Court Ruling Leaves Haitians In Limbo In Washington County

-- Inquirer: Ukrainian Family Was Welcomed To Philly When Russia Attacked, Now They’re Leaving As Pressures Rise On Immigrants

-- Centre Daily Times: ‘Increased Fear, Anxiety And Stress:’ How Federal ICE Is Impacting Centre County, Immigrants

-- PennLive Guest Essay: We Are Americans, Not Criminals - Bhutanese Community Responds To Baseless Fraud Accusations - By Youraj Koirala, Chairman of the Board of the Bhutanese Community of Central Pennsylvania 

-- WHYY/AP: US Supreme Court Upholds Birthright Citizenship, President Asks Congress To Limit Citizenship [Which It Has No Constitutional Authority To Do]

-- New Federal Administration

-- PennLive: PA Scrapple Poll: 59% Disapprove Of President’s Performance (Down From 65% In May), 48% ‘Strongly;’ Shapiro Leads Garrity 54% to 29%

-- Federal Government

-- Inquirer: President’s Administration Removes Mentions Of Slavery From Independence Hall, Thomas Jefferson Portrait

-- The Guardian: Inside President’s Campaign To Erase US History From National Parks: ‘A Sanitized View Of America’

-- WHYY/AP: US Supreme Court Upholds Birthright Citizenship, President Asks Congress To Limit Citizenship [Which It Has No Constitutional Authority To Do]

-- WITF/NPR: US Supreme Court Upholds Bans On Transgender Athletes Participating In Women And Girls’ Sports

-- WITF/NPR: US Supreme Court Strikes Down Limits On Political Party Spending

-- New York Times: President’s Administration Pays Duke Energy $129 Million To Halt Offshore Wind Energy Generation Facility, To Reinvest In ‘Reliable, Diverse Energy Sources’

-- Miscellaneous State/Harrisburg Politics

-- TribLive: Western PA Democrats Outside Allegheny County Losing Ground In State Legislature

-- AP: From Chocolate Avenue To The World Cup, How Hershey, PA Shaped Soccer Player Christian Pulisic

-- Erie Times: State Buys $500,000 Worth Of Erie County Grapes After Contracts Canceled By Beverage Maker; Grapes Will Be Used By Food Banks

-- PennLive: More Than 1,000 State-Paid Workers Make $200,000 Or More A Year

-- TribLive Editorial: Free Speech, However, Vile, Is Vital To Democracy

-- A.I. /Data Centers

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

-- PUC Invites Comments On Potential Regulations For Interconnecting Electric Loads, Including Large Loads, Like Data Centers [PaEN]  

-- DEP Issues 2 Chapter 105 Permits For Project Hazelnut A.I. Data Centers Offsite Utilities In West Hazleton Borough, Luzerne County  [PaEN] 

-- DEP Invites Comments On Renewal Of Title V Air Quality Permit For Keystone Coal-Fired Power Plant In Armstrong County  [PaEN] 

-- Inside Climate News - Jon Hurdle: New Environmental Integrity Project Report Shows How Gas/Fossil Fuel Power Plants Would Significantly Increase Pollution In Pennsylvania 

-- Senate Committee Moves Bills Authorizing Individual Municipalities To Enact Moratoriums On Consideration Of A.I. Data Center Proposals-- After Voting Down A Statewide 3-Year Moratorium  [PaEN]  

-- The Center Square: Individual Municipal A.I. Data Center Moratoriums Get Support In Republican-Run PA Senate

-- Inquirer Guest Essay: Instead Of Diving Headfirst - PA Lawmakers Must Pass A Full Moratorium On Considering Hyperscale A.I. Data Center Proposals - By Ginny Marcille-Kerrslake, Food and Water Watch In West Whiteland Twp. 

-- House Committee Amends Senate-Passed Tax Code Bill On Data Centers, Then Adjourned To Sept. 28  [PaEN] 

-- The Center Square: House Passes [3rd] Bill Putting Conditions On Qualifying For State Sales Tax Exemption For Data Centers, Including A Ban On Nondisclosure Agreements

-- PennLive: With A.I. Data Centers In Mind, PA House Votes 193-9 To Close Sunshine Act Public Meeting Notice Loophole After PA Supreme Court Ruling  [House Bill 2146] [Senate Passed Senate Bill 1150 In June] 

-- PJM Hot Weather Alert Remains In Place For July 4 For Entire Service Area, July 5 For Mid-Atlantic And Dominion Energy Transmission Zones [PaEN] 

-- York Daily Record: Firefighters Battle Blaze At The 839 MW Hunterstown Natural Gas Power Plant In Adams County

-- NRDC: PJM Membership Votes On Recommendations To Help Prevent A.I. Data Centers From Overloading The Electric Grid; PJM Board Will Have Final Say  [PaEN]  

-- PA House Republicans Unveil Energy Package To Eliminate Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards; Take Away Citizen Appeal Rights; Eliminate Right Of Citizens To Petition For Rule Changes; Limit Environmental Standards To Federal Standards  [PaEN] 

-- Inside Climate News: Echoes Of The Past In PA Coal Towns’ Fight Against A.I. Data Centers 

-- Scranton Times: Jessup Boro Considers Suing State Over Not Considering Cumulative Impact Of 7 A.I. Data Center Projects In Their Community: ‘Say Yes Or Get Sued Into Oblivion’

-- Republican Herald: Six A.I. Data Center Hearings Set For Next 8 Days By PUC, Kline Twp. Planning Commission In Schuylkill County

-- Inquirer: East Whiteland Twp. Directs A.I. Data Center Developer To Stop Work On Data Center Project On Superfund Hazardous Waste Site So Township, EPA Can Review Health And Safety Plans In Chester County

-- The Shenandoah Sentinel: Former Rep. Todd Eachus Dragged Out Of Kline Twp. Planning Commission Hearing On A Proposed A.I. Data Center Development In Schuylkill County  

-- PennLive - Charles Thompson:  Middlesex Twp. A.I. Data Center Project Gets More Green Lights For 2nd Of 3 Data Center Campuses Even As Legal Hurdles Loom In Cumberland County

-- ExploreJeffeersonPa.com: A.I. Data Center Debate Heats Up In Jefferson County Over Massive Water Demands 

-- WVIA: Residents Testify Against PPL Electric Transmission Line Project Planned For Data Centers In Luzerne County

-- PA Capital-Star: Advanced Electricity Transmission Tech Could Cut Costs For Consumers, Advocates Say; PA House Passed Bill To Assess Its Uses In Building New Power Lines  

-- International/National Impacts On PA Natural Gas

-- July 5: PA Average AAA Gasoline Price Down 1 Penny Since Yesterday, Now $3.95/Gallon - $.84/Gallon Higher Than On Feb. 27 [Beaver County Average Price Still Highest at $4.42]

-- July 5: Average AAA Gasoline Prices: National- $3.80 Ohio- $3.61  PA- $3.95

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

-- Baker Hughes: PA Natural Gas Drilling Rigs - 17 - Same For Last 8 Weeks

-- Fox Business: President Demands Gasoline Stations Lower Pump Prices Immediately, Renews Push For $2.50 Gasoline

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

-- PJM Hot Weather Alert Remains In Place For July 4 For Entire Service Area, July 5 For Mid-Atlantic And Dominion Energy Transmission Zones [PaEN] 

-- Inquirer: PECO Electric/Natural Gas Company Workers On Strike - IBEW Local 614- First In Company History; Company Says There Should Be No Service Disruptions

-- WHYY: PECO Electric/Natural Gas Company Workers On Strike July 4th For First Time In Utility’s History  [During Extreme Heat Wave]

-- PJM Activated Pre-Emergency Demand Response Program To Increase Reserve Generation; Again Extends Maximum Generation And Load Management Alerts To July 3  [PaEN] 

-- PJM Extends Maximum Generation And Load Management Alerts To July 2; Forecast Power Peak On July 2 Still Above All Time Record  [PaEN] 

-- PJM Interconnection Issues Maximum Generation, Load Management, Low Voltage Alerts For July 1; Received Emergency Order To Put Data Centers On Backup Generators; Forecasts Peak Power Above 2006 Record For July 2  [PaEN] 

-- PA Capital-Star: PJM Gets Green Light To Push Data Centers Onto Back-Up Power During Heat Wave

-- Bloomberg: Power Prices Soar As  Energy Emergency Grows In PJM, US Northeast; PJM Electricity Prices Exceed $2,500/MWhour

-- TribLive: More Frequent Heat Waves Tax Power Systems, Increasing Demand

-- WESA - Rachel McDevitt: How The Heatwave Is Straining Pittsburgh’s Electric Grid

-- WPXI: As Extreme Heat Settles In, Some West Deer Twp. Duquesne Light Customers Try To Stay Cool Without Power In Allegheny County  

-- WPXI: Beaver County Community Sweats It Out During Day-Long Blackout Amid High Temperatures

-- TribLive: West Penn Power: Demolition Contractor Hits Utility Line In Irwin Causing Power Outage For 1,200 Customers In Westmoreland County

-- NRDC: PJM Membership Votes On Recommendations To Help Prevent A.I. Data Centers From Overloading The Electric Grid; PJM Board Will Have Final Say  [PaEN]  

-- Inquirer - Frank Kummer: Negotiations On Proposed LNG Natural Gas Export Facility In Eddystone Boro On Delaware River Occurring In Secret Under Nondisclosure Agreements With State Officials In Delaware County 

-- Bloomberg: Fracking, Booming Energy Demand, Enthusiastic Political Support Power Natural Gas Rise, But For How Long?; LNG Exports Likely To Raise Domestic Prices Undermining Competitive Advantage Of Gas

-- Reuters: US LNG Natural Gas Exporters Divert Cargoes To Asia Where Prices Surge ​

-- Bloomberg: Bad News For LNG Natural Gas Buyers As Qatar’s Export Revival Falters

-- Inside Climate News: What Happened When An LNG Natural Gas Export Facility Came To A Louisiana Town 

-- Flooding

-- TribLive: Roads Restricted By Flash Floods In Allegheny County Sunday

-- Train Derailments

-- Inquirer: Shelter-In-Place Order Lifted After Freight Train Derailment In Bucks County, No Hazmat Leaks

-- WHYY: CSX Freight Train Derails In Bensalem, Bucks County: ‘No Threat To Public Safety’

-- Courier Times: Train Derailments Like The One This Week In Bucks County Appear To Be On The Decline

-- Storms/Power Outages

-- PennLive: July 4th Storms Pummel PA, Stories From A Chaotic Night

-- Morning Call: New Round Of Storms In Lehigh Valley Downs Trees, Cuts Power To Thousands

-- Morning Call: Severe Storms Down Trees, Cut Power To 13,000 Amid Extreme Heat In Lehigh Valley; Communities Declare Emergencies  

-- The Citizens’ Voice: Quick Moving Storm Knocks Out Power To Thousands In Luzerne County

-- WNEP: Thousands Without Power Across Central And Northeastern PA

-- Pennsylvania Power Outages: 202,051 Households Without Power - July 5 - 7:00 a.m.

-- Pennsylvania Power Outages: 263,261 Households Without Power - July 4 - 9:45 p.m. 

-- PPL Electric Power Outages: 125,398 Customers Without Power - July 5 - 7:00 a.m.            

-- PPL Electric Power Outages: 146,454 Customers Without Power - July 4 - 9:45 p.m. 

-- FirstEnergy Electric Power Outages: 52,992 Customers Without Power - July 5 - 7:00 a.m.

-- FirstEnergy Electric Power Outages: 60,919 Customers Without Power - July 4 - 9:45 p.m. 

-- PECO Electric Power Outages: 17,328 Customers Without Power - July 5 - 7:00 a.m. [Union Workers Currently On Strike] 

-- PECO Electric Power Outages: 45,469 Customers Without Power - July 4 - 9:45 p.m.  [Union Workers Currently On Strike]

-- Education

-- Spotlight PA: Will Education Again Divide The PA Legislature This Budget Cycle?  Signs Of Smoother Sailing 

-- TribLive: Amid $41 Billion Shortfall, Pennsylvania Teachers’ Pension Fund Cites Private Equity As Biggest Drag 

-- WITF: Thaddeus Stevens College In Lancaster Wins National Advanced Manufacturing Competition  

-- TribLive Editorial: Declining School Enrollment Reflects Pennsylvania’s Demographic Reality

-- Post-Gazette: PennWest University Cutting More Than 40 Majors And Minors In Academic Redesign

-- WTAE: President Launches Program To Give Babies Born During His 2nd Term  $1,000 To Invest In The Stock Market; Does Your Child Qualify?

-- WITF/NPR: US Supreme Court Upholds Bans On Transgender Athletes Participating In Women And Girls’ Sports

-- Health Care

-- PA Capital-Star: PA Joins Multi-State Lawsuit Against President’s Administration Over Medicaid Work Rules, Enrollees Are Even Sure That Applies To Them

-- Law Enforcement

-- Inquirer: AG Sunday Talks PA Supreme Court’s Philly DA Ruling, Abortion Appeal

-- AP: Attorney General Settles Charges With Egg Producers Over Inflated Prices, They’ll Donate 3.4 Million Eggs To Food Banks In Settlement

-- Republican Herald: DHS Says Driver Involved In Fatal Crash That Killed State Police Officer Is An Illegal Immigrant From Haiti  

-- PennLive: Federal ICE Officer Opens Fires After Wanted Man Hit Agent’s Vehicle In Harrisburg, Feds Say 

-- TribLive: Pittsburgh Detectives Investigating Death Of Haitian Woman After Release By ICE

-- Observer-Report: Thousands Of Haitians, Syrians Face Deportation After US Supreme Court Ruling 

-- Post-Gazette: Charleroi Braces For Uncertain Future After US Supreme Court Ruling Leaves Haitians In Limbo In Washington County

-- Inquirer: Ukrainian Family Was Welcomed To Philly When Russia Attacked, Now They’re Leaving As Pressures Rise On Immigrants

-- Centre Daily Times: ‘Increased Fear, Anxiety And Stress:’ How Federal ICE Is Impacting Centre County, Immigrants

-- PennLive Guest Essay: We Are Americans, Not Criminals - Bhutanese Community Responds To Baseless Fraud Accusations - By Youraj Koirala, Chairman of the Board of the Bhutanese Community of Central Pennsylvania 

-- The Economy

-- PA Dept. Of Revenue Guest Essay Highlights Pennsylvania’s Strong Revenue Collections, Economic Growth Under Gov. Shapiro’s Leadership

-- WESA: Kroger To Buy Pittsburgh-Based Giant Eagle Grocery Store Chain

-- AP: US Employers Pull Back On Hiring In June Amid Elevated Inflation, Global Turmoil, Add Only 57,000 Jobs, Less Than Half Of Last Month’s Total

[Posted: July 5, 2026]