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

Because In Politics Everything Is Connected To Everything Else--

-- Gov. Shapiro

-- Gov. Shapiro Secures Over $800 Million Investment From GSK To Expand Montgomery County Operations

-- Washington Post - Salena Zito: In Pennsylvania, Gov. Shapiro Faces A Data Center Controversy Burning Where Coal Once Did 

-- Race For Governor

-- TribLive: New Poll Shows Shapiro Up 25 Points In Race For PA Governor

-- TribLive: Shapiro, Garrity Spar In PA’s First Gubernatorial Debate In 8 Years

-- Spotlight PA: Top Takeaways From The Only Debate Between Shapiro, Garrity

-- WITF: Shapiro, Garrity Talk Data Centers, School Vouchers, Measles In Only PA Gubernatorial Debate

-- TribLive: Shapiro, Garrity To Face Off In Oct. 7 Debate

-- Inquirer: Republican Stacy Garrity Hopes ‘The Cavalry Will Be Coming’ With Less Than A Month Until PA’s Election For Governor

-- Budget 2027

-- Spotlight PA: PA Is Getting At Least $516 Million From Meta/Facebook Settlement; It Could Spark A Political Fight

-- PA House/Senate

-- TribLive: PA Supreme Court Lets ‘Skill’ Gambling Machines Deadline Stands

-- TribLive Editorial: Why Haven’t PA Lawmakers Fixed The ‘Skill’ Gambling Games Misstep?

-- Tribune-Democrat: 3 Legal Filings With PA Supreme Court Seek Delay In Enforcement Against ‘Skill’ Gambling Games

-- TribLive: PA Lawmakers Debate Opening ‘Skill’ Gambling Games To Former Criminals

-- TribLive: Clock Ticking For ‘Skill’ Gambling Games As PA Lawmakers Come Up Empty On Regulations 

-- TribLive Guest Essay: PA’s Senate, House Has A Productivity And Transparency Problem - By Doug Webster, Fair Districts PA

-- PennLive Guest Essay: Stealing A Home [Or Oil & Gas Rights] With Fraudulent Deed Documents Shouldn’t Be Easier Than Proving You Own It - By Reps. Chris Rabb And Tim Bonner

-- TribLive: Republican Rep. Bernstine Accused Of Making Slurs About Gay Colleague Resigns From House Committees 

-- Beaver Times: Republican Rep. Bernstein Shared Snapchat Videos Enticing Son, 5, To Smoke A Cigar: ‘Hit It Harder’  [Oct. 7, 2020] 

-- US House/Senate

-- WVIA: Republican US House Speaker Johnson Visits NE PA, Calls Democrats ‘Crazy’

-- Bloomberg: Stock Trades By PA Republican Congressman Rob Bresnahan Put Seat In Play

-- AP: Federal Homeland Security Targets Democratic Campaign Of Janelle Stelson After Unrelated ICE Arrest In Pennsylvania  

-- TribLive/AP: President Urges Fetterman To Switch Parties And Become A Republican  

-- Statewide Offices

-- Spotlight PA: PA Is Getting At Least $516 Million From Meta/Facebook Settlement; It Could Spark A Political Fight

-- 2026 Elections

-- Reading Eagle: Berks County Officials Outline Limits To Law Enforcement Presence At Polling Places

-- WESA: Pennsylvania Voting Advocates Preparing For Federal ICE To Disrupt The 2026 Election

-- PA Capital-Star: PA Proposal To Ban Law Enforcement At Polling Places Reflects Activist Concerns

-- Spotlight PA - Stephen Caruso: Independent Candidate Jodi Borello Closes In On Republican State Senate Incumbent Camera Bartolotta As Dark Money Spending Surges

-- Politics PA: Poll Shows Dead Heat Between Incumbent Republican State Sen. Bartolotta And Independent Jodi Borello In Washington County 

-- AP: Federal Homeland Security Targets Democratic Campaign Of Janelle Stelson After Unrelated ICE Arrest In Pennsylvania  

-- Elections

-- Reading Eagle: Berks County Officials Outline Limits To Law Enforcement Presence At Polling Places

-- WESA: Pennsylvania Voting Advocates Preparing For Federal ICE To Disrupt The 2026 Election

-- PA Capital-Star: PA Proposal To Ban Law Enforcement At Polling Places Reflects Activist Concerns

-- President’s War On Iran

-- October 11: PA Average AAA Gasoline Price Same As Yesterday $4.45/Gallon - $1.34/Gallon Higher Than On Feb. 27 [Crawford County $4.69 Highest Average Price]

-- October 11: Average AAA Gasoline Prices: National- $4.35  Ohio- $3.89  PA- $4.45

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

-- Reading Eagle: Ongoing US War With Iran Has Heating Oil Prices Near Record Highs

-- CBS21: President’s Executive Order Allowing Use Of Red Dyed Diesel In On-Road Vehicles Does Not Apply In Pennsylvania Because State Law Prohibits It 

-- PA Impacts Of President’s Policies

-- PA Capital-Star: PA Proposal To Ban Law Enforcement At Polling Places Reflects Activist Concerns

-- TribLive/AP: Cost Of Drugs From Canada Set To Soar For Millions Of Americans Because Of Rule Change By President’s Administration

-- The Allegheny Front: As Black Lung Disease Surges In Appalachia Coal Miners, President’s Administration Halts Enforcement Of New Dust Rules

-- AP: Federal Homeland Security Targets Democratic Campaign Of Janelle Stelson After Unrelated ICE Arrest In Pennsylvania  

-- Spotlight PA: Federal ICE Detained A Disabled Dad After A Noise Compliant, Cambria County Let Him Languish In Jail, He Says 

-- The Citizens’ Voice: Federal ICE Pacts With Luzerne, Schuylkill Police Have Chilling Effect On Immigrants 

-- Republican Herald: Political Battle Lines Drawn in Protest Of Schuylkill Haven Police Acting As Federal ICE Agents

-- Observer-Reporter: Uniontown Council Says It Won’t Partner With Federal ICE

-- Pittsburgh Business Times: US DOE Secretary Tours Buckeye Pipeline Terminal In Coraopolis, Allegheny County

-- Federal Administration

-- AP: Pentagon Says Firing Squad Execution Of Fort Hood Shooter Will Be Livestreamed

-- NOTE: Iran, Afghanistan, Somalia and North Korea are the other countries in the world that do public executions, according to Amnesty International. 

-- Miscellaneous State/Harrisburg Politics

-- TribLive Guest Essay: Time For A Ban On Gifts To PA Senate, House Members

-- A.I. /Data Centers

-- Hundreds Of Protesters Tell Governor Shapiro, Legislators, “We Won’t Back Down;” Call For Data Center Moratorium  [PaEN] 

-- Erie Times/USAToday: Capitol Rally Pushes Pennsylvania A.I. Data Center Moratorium; Protesters Compare Data Centers To Unfulfilled Promises Of Jobs, Eco-Friendly Of Shale Gas Fracking Industry

-- The Center Square: Disgust, Frustration, Concern Over A.I. Data Centers Unleashed In State Capitol

-- PA Capital-Star: A Call For Gov. Shapiro And State Lawmakers To Pass An A.I. Data Center Moratorium In PA

-- Altoona Mirror: Protesters Demand Legislative Action On A.I. Data Center Moratorium

-- In Case You Missed It: A.I./Data Center Articles - NewClips From Last Week - October 12  [PaEN]  

-- PUC Chairman Calls For Preemption Of Local Decisions On Needed Electric Generation Facilities; A Firm Bring Your Own Power Before Data Centers Connect To The Grid; PUC Study Identifies 21 Potential Generation Sites [PaEN]  [Warning] 

-- The Citizens’ Voice: Newport Twp. Supervisors Release Documents Outlining Plan For $35 Billion Data Center, 3 Natural Gas Power Plants Only After Right-To-Know Request By The Citizens’ Voice In Luzerne County  [Warning] 

-- PennLive: Swatara Township Commissioners Approve $120 Million Community Benefits Agreement With Developer Of 2 Proposed A.I. Data Centers In The Township At The Same Meeting The Agreement Was Unveiled To The Public For The First Time In Dauphin County  [Warning]

-- Scranton Times Chris Kelly Opinion: Local Newspapers Are Critical To Keeping The Public Informed As Money-Hungry A.I. Data Center Developers Invade Their Communities

-- Utility Dive: PJM To File Revised Backstop Plan With FERC By Oct. 29 To Procure 6.8 GW Of Needed Generation; In Rare Filing, DOE Presses PJM To Better Protect Ratepayers  [Warning]

-- PJM Selects 860 MW Battery Storage Project, 455 MW Natural Gas Plant In Pennsylvania For Expedited Interconnection [PaEN] 

-- DEP Soliciting Energy Generation, Storage Projects For 2027 Round Of PJM Expedited Interconnection  Program Reviews  [PaEN] 

-- International/National Impacts On PA Natural Gas

-- October 11: PA Average AAA Gasoline Price Same As Yesterday $4.45/Gallon - $1.34/Gallon Higher Than On Feb. 27 [Crawford County $4.69 Highest Average Price]

-- October 11: Average AAA Gasoline Prices: National- $4.35  Ohio- $3.89  PA- $4.45

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

-- Baker Hughes: PA Natural Gas Drilling Rigs- 15 - Same For Last 5 Weeks

-- Reading Eagle: Ongoing US War With Iran Has Heating Oil Prices Near Record Highs

-- CBS21: President’s Executive Order Allowing Use Of Red Dyed Diesel In On-Road Vehicles Does Not Apply In Pennsylvania Because State Law Prohibits It 

-- AP: President Says Ukraine Should Get A New President As He Blames Zelenskyy For US Diesel Prices  

-- AP: President Says US To Get Diesel From Russia, In ‘Stunning Reversal’ Of US Pressure On Moscow To Ease Prices Before Midterm Elections

-- US EIA Winter Residential Heating Cost Outlook Based On Forecast Temperatures In Northeast: Natural Gas 14% Lower; Propane 15% Lower; Electricity 3% Lower; Heating Oil 21% Higher

-- In Case You Missed It: A.I./Data Center Articles - NewClips From Last Week - October 12  [PaEN]  

-- DEP Soliciting Energy Generation, Storage Projects For 2027 Round Of PJM Expedited Interconnection  Program Reviews  [PaEN] 

-- Kleinman Center For Energy Policy Podcast: Paying More For Less - The Rising Cost Of Home Natural Gas From Utilities

-- TribLive: Power Surge: PA Coal Miners Eye Rising Demand Amid Environmental Battles

-- Reuters Commentary: Cheap Coal, Expensive Natural Gas Set Stage For Year-End Coal Export Surge

-- Reuters Commentary: Renewables Help US Power System Survive Summer Stress Test [PJM Included]

-- Flooding

-- York Daily Record: York County Falls Short Of Disaster Threshold As School Faces $10 Million In Repairs

-- PA Interfaith Power & Light, PA Environmental Council Host Oct. 21 Webinar On Green Stormwater Infrastructure  [PaEN] 

-- Health Care

-- Inquirer: Chester County High School Closed Friday Due To Confirmed Measles Case

-- WHYY: McKean County Community’s Fight To Save Their Only Hospital, Healthcare Services In A ‘Forgotten Land’

-- PA Solar Center: North Side Christian Health Center Solar Energy/Battery Project Helps Ensure Uninterrupted Access To Healthcare In Pittsburgh

-- TribLive/AP: Cost Of Drugs From Canada Set To Soar For Millions Of Americans Because Of Rule Change By President’s Administration

-- Law Enforcement

-- TribLive: PA Supreme Court Lets ‘Skill’ Gambling Machines Deadline Stands

-- TribLive Editorial: Why Haven’t PA Lawmakers Fixed The ‘Skill’ Gambling Games Misstep?

-- Tribune-Democrat: 3 Legal Filings With PA Supreme Court Seek Delay In Enforcement Against ‘Skill’ Gambling Games

-- TribLive: PA Lawmakers Debate Opening ‘Skill’ Gambling Games To Former Criminals

-- TribLive: Clock Ticking For ‘Skill’ Gambling Games As PA Lawmakers Come Up Empty On Regulations 

-- PA Capital-Star: Pennsylvania Has Record Numbers Of Problem Gamblers; Lawmakers Have Yet To Address Spike In Problem Gambling

-- PennLive Guest Essay: Stealing A Home [Or Oil & Gas Rights] With Fraudulent Deed Documents Shouldn’t Be Easier Than Proving You Own It - By Reps. Chris Rabb And Tim Bonner

-- AP: Federal Homeland Security Targets Democratic Campaign Of Janelle Stelson After Unrelated ICE Arrest In Pennsylvania  

-- Spotlight PA: Federal ICE Detained A Disabled Dad After A Noise Compliant, Cambria County Let Him Languish In Jail, He Says 

-- Observer-Reporter: Uniontown Council Says It Won’t Partner With Federal ICE

-- The Citizens’ Voice: Federal ICE Pacts With Luzerne, Schuylkill Police Have Chilling Effect On Immigrants 

-- Republican Herald: Political Battle Lines Drawn in Protest Of Schuylkill Haven Police Acting As Federal ICE Agents

-- The Economy

-- Gov. Shapiro Secures Over $800 Million Investment From GSK To Expand Montgomery County Operations

-- Washington Post: A.I. Data Center Boom Is Pushing Prices Higher, According To Fed Officials 

-- Other

-- WESA: Union Celebrates Legal Win As US Supreme Court Rejects Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Appeal

[Posted: October 11, 2026]