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 Capital-Star: Gov. Shapiro Is ‘Very Open’ To President’s Education Tax Credit Program

-- Inside Climate News: With A Trifecta, PA Democrats Would Pass Energy Reforms And Rein In A.I. Data Centers; But Gov. Josh Shapiro May Be ‘The Limiting Factor’ 

-- Inquirer: Republicans In Competitive PA Senate, House Races Are Tying Themselves To Josh Shapiro

-- Race For Governor

-- PennLive: Scrapple Poll: 61% Of PA Voters Disapprove Of President; Shapiro Leads Garrity By 30 Points

-- LancasterOnline: Garrity (30%) Struggles To Keep Up With Shapiro’s (52%) Lead In PA Governor Race In Latest F&M Poll

-- WHYY: What Happened To Republicans’ High Hopes For PA Governor Candidate Stacy Garrity? 

-- Erie Times: What Would Pennsylvania Look Like Under A Libertarian Governor?

-- PA House/Senate

-- Spotlight PA: PA Legislature Set To Wrap Up Its Session, Many Bipartisan Bills Left Stranded [Data Centers, Allowing Sexual Abuse Survivors To Sue, Rewriting Illegal 2nd Degree Murder Law, No Gift Ban]

-- TribLive Editorial: Harrisburg Is Leaving Work Undone

-- PA Capital-Star: What Legislation PA Lawmakers Sent To Gov. Shapiro This Week

-- Tribune-Democrat: Chemicals Posing Health Risks Banned From IV Bags (DEHP), Firefighting Foam (PFAS) With Exceptions  

-- The Allegheny Front: PA Restricts Use Of PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ In Firefighting Foam, Protective Equipment [With Some Exceptions]

-- WPSU/WHYY: These PA House, Senate Races Could Change The Balance Of Power In Harrisburg

-- Post-Gazette: A Handful Of State Senate Races Could Shape Pennsylvania’s Future

-- PennLive: PA Senate Majority Is The Biggest Prize In This Year’s Midterms

-- Inquirer: Republicans In Competitive PA Senate, House Races Are Tying Themselves To Josh Shapiro

-- PennLive: Democratic Candidate For State Senate Convicted Of Assault Suspends Campaign Against Republican Incumbent Kristin Phillips-Hill In York County 

-- Washington Examiner - Salena Zito: In Pennsylvania Coal Country, Follow The Climate Money  [Jodi Borello v. Camera Bartolotta State Senate Race] 

-- Observer-Reporter: Republican Incumbent Sen. Bartolotta Facing Challenge From Independent Jodi Borello

-- WHYY - Susan Phillips: How A.I. Data Center Battles In Philadelphia Suburbs Could Impact Party Control Of The PA General Assembly

-- The Citizens’ Voice: Tioga County Man Charged With Threatening To Execute Republican Rep. Jamie Walsh And His Family

-- US House/Senate

-- Inside Climate News: A.I.Data Centers Are ‘Front And Center’ In PA’s Competitive Congressional Elections

-- PennLive: Republican Con. Scott Perry Airs Attack Ad With Unproven Nudity Claim Against Democratic Opponent Janelle Stelson

-- WVIA: Democrat Brooks Drops Out Of Only Congressional Set Debate In Lehigh Valley Saying He Would Not Give Republican Opponent ‘A Platform To Spread His Slander’

-- Post-Gazette: Congressmember Summer Lee And Others See Themselves Fighting A Civil Rights Battle An Earlier Generation Thought It Won 

-- WVIA: Debate Between Republican Meuser, Democrat Wallace  For 9th Congressional District Set For Tuesday [Oct. 20]

-- WTAE: Bomb Squad, Hazmat Teams Respond To Suspicious Package In Downtown Pittsburgh Building Housing PA US Sen. McCormick’s Office; Confirmed It Was Non-Hazardous

-- Politico: PA Congressmember Chris Deluzio Sees An Opening To Beat John Fetterman In 2028

-- Post-Gazette: Republican Donors Biggest Contributors To New Fetterman, McCormick Joint Fundraising Committee

-- 2026 Elections

--  The Center Square: Pollster Say Political Environment ‘Toxic’ For Republicans Ahead Of PA Legislative Elections

-- Spotlight PA: PA Democrats Requested Fewer Mail-In Ballots Than In 2020, 2024

-- PA Capital-Star: PA Elections Chief Highlights Voter Rights 2 Weeks Ahead Of Election Day  [Video From Event]

-- PennLive: Postal Union Leader Says Postal Service Investigating 4 Undelivered Mail-In Ballots In Dauphin, Lancaster Counties 

-- LancasterOnline Editorial: Postal Service May Not Be The Most Reliable Means Of Getting Your Mail-In Ballot In On Time

-- WPSU: Centre County Mobile Voting Van Brings Election Access To Local Communities

-- AP: Faith Leaders Unite Across Religions To Counter Voter Intimidation On Election Day [PA Included]

-- Financial Times: Bethlehem, PA - Americans Are Unhappy, Dislike The President - How Will They Vote?   

-- Post-Gazette: Federal Judge Orders President’s Administration To Halt Noncitizen Voting Investigation In 9 States Saying Effort Is Relying On Inaccurate Data And Is Intimidating Voters, Including PA 

-- President’s War On Iran

-- October 25: PA Average AAA Gasoline Price Down 3 Pennies Since Last Sunday $4.44/Gallon - $1.33/Gallon Higher Than On Feb. 27 [Venango County $4.77, Warren County $4.74 Highest Average Price] 

-- October 25: Average AAA Gasoline Prices: National- $4.28  Ohio- $4.41  PA- $4.44

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

-- Reuters: US To Release Heating Oil From Reserve In Bid To Tame Prices

-- Financial Times: Iran War Sparks Heating Crisis In US Northeast As Heating OIl Prices Rise, Winter Approaches

-- Erie Times-News: PA Republican Con. Mike Kelly Says End To War With Iran Will Reduce Fuel, Grocery Prices 

-- Williamsport Sun: Lycoming County Area Continues To Feel Sting Of Rising Fuel Costs

-- Williamsport Sun: High Fuel Prices Prompted Rate Increase At Lycoming County Landfill

-- PA Petroleum Distributors Assn.: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Extends Hours Of Driver Service Waivers Until Dec. 16 Due To ‘Current Global Supply Chain Disruptions’

-- USDA Announces $8 Billion Harvest Fuel Relief Program To Help Pay For Increased Fuel Costs

-- National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition: Harvest Fuel Relief Program Offers Little Hope For A Brighter Future For Farmers

-- WV Gov. Morrisey Declares Emergency To Provide Diesel Price Relief By Allowing The Use Of Red-Dyed Diesel Fuel  [Eliminates Penalties For Not Paying, But Tax Remains Just Like President’s Order] 

-- Reuters: Crude Oil Price At 5 Month High Due To Mideast Tensions; European Natural Gas Prices Up 30% This Month

-- Grist: President Vowed To Stop An ‘Energy Emergency,’ Then He Created A Real One

-- Federal Funding Loss

-- Politico: Federal Emergency Management Agency Tells States To Handle Disasters On Their Own Without Federal Help

-- Reversing Course

-- Post-Gazette: In Reversal, President’s Administration Will Keep American Access To Low-Cost Canadian Pharmacies Until January

-- PA Impacts Of President’s Policies

-- WVIA: PA Health Insurance Marketplace Rates Rise Across The Board For 2027, Despite Being Lower Than Insurers’ Initial Proposals

-- PA Capital-Star: Emails Reveal Mahoning Twp. Police Were More Involved In Geisinger Medical Center Campus Federal ICE Raid In Montour County Than Initially Admitted; Drones Were Used To Track ‘Targets’

-- Observer-Reporter: Washington County Man Released After Spending More Than 10 Months In ICE Custody Without Justification

-- PennLive: List Of 146 Law Enforcement Agencies In PA With Agreements With Federal ICE

-- PA Capital-Star: Analysis: President Deports Near 1 Million, Well Below Level Of 2000s, But Few Criminals

-- Inside Climate News: After A Decade Of Efforts To Regulate Methane From Oil & Gas Industry, The President’s Administration Promises New Rules, Has Rolled Back Or Blocked Previous Attempts

-- New York Times: How The President Gave The Worst Polluters A Free Pass

-- Politico: Federal Emergency Management Agency Tells States To Handle Disasters On Their Own Without Federal Help

-- Federal Administration

-- Wilkes-Barre Times Leader/AP: Analysis: For President, Results Have Often Revealed The Art Of No Deal

-- Miscellaneous State/Harrisburg Politics

-- The Center Square: Philly House Democrat Outlines What He Hopes To Accomplish NEXT Legislative Session

-- WHYY: Who Are The Future Voters Of PA And What Do They Want From Their Legislators?

-- Spotlight PA: Lawmakers Send Shapiro Bill To Close Meeting Notice Loophole In Sunshine Law

-- A.I./Data Center Politics

-- Inside Climate News: With A Trifecta, PA Democrats Would Pass Energy Reforms And Rein In A.I. Data Centers; But Gov. Josh Shapiro May Be ‘The Limiting Factor’ 

-- WHYY - Susan Phillips: How A.I. Data Center Battles In Philadelphia Suburbs Could Impact Party Control Of The PA General Assembly

-- Inside Climate News: A.I.Data Centers Are ‘Front And Center’ In PA’s Competitive Congressional Elections

-- PA Capital-Star: Voter Backlash Against A.I. Data Centers Consumes Midterm Elections

-- Scranton Times Chris Kelly Opinion: ‘Yellow Wave’ [Data Center Opposition] Points Way To Midterm Election Wrath

-- A.I. /Data Centers

-- In Case You Missed It: A.I./Data Center Articles - NewClips From Last Week - October 26  [PaEN] 

-- ABC27: Bills That Could Ease High Electric Rates Trapped In PA Senate Legislative Limbo

-- Spotlight PA: PA Legislature Set To Wrap Up Its Session, Many Bipartisan Bills Left Stranded [Data Centers, Allowing Sexual Abuse Survivors To Sue, Rewriting Illegal 2nd Degree Murder Law, No Gift Ban]

-- PA House Sends Clean Energy, PA EDGE Tax Credits, New Fee For Electric Ratepayer Rebates Legislation Back To Senate For Action; Does NOT Repeal Data Center Tax Exemption  [PaEN] 

-- PUC Launches Working Group To Review Electric, Natural Gas, Water & Wastewater Utility Ratemaking, Address Affordability, Transparency And Changing Economic Conditions  [PaEN]

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: Electric Bills In The Pittsburgh Region Will Rise Again This Winter

-- KDKA: Electric Rates To Rise This Winter In PA As Power Demand Outpaces Supply Due To A.I. Data Center Demand, Experts Say

-- Joint State Government Commission Issues Update On Report Looking At The Costs, Benefits And Risks Of Pennsylvania Participating In The PJM Interconnection; Hearings To Be Held  [PaEN]

-- Pittsburgh Business Journal: Washington & Jefferson College Survey Finds 64% Of Adults In PA Want More Regulation Of Data Centers; 59% See No Or Little Benefit Of Data Centers; 47.5% Oppose Data Centers 

-- AP: Facing Pushback On A.I. Data Centers, Tech Giants Are Promising Hosts More Money, Fewer Secrets [PA Included]

-- Sen. Yaw To Introduce A.I. Data Center Impact Fee Modeled On Act 13 Shale Gas Impact Fee To Help Address Local Impacts  [PaEN] 

-- KYW: PA One Of First States To Require Disclosures On A.I.-Generated Advertisements

-- International/National Impacts On PA Natural Gas

-- October 25: PA Average AAA Gasoline Price Down 3 Pennies Since Last Sunday $4.44/Gallon - $1.33/Gallon Higher Than On Feb. 27 [Venango County $4.77, Warren County $4.74 Highest Average Price] 

-- October 25: Average AAA Gasoline Prices: National- $4.28  Ohio- $4.41  PA- $4.44

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

-- PUC Launches Working Group To Review Electric, Natural Gas, Water & Wastewater Utility Ratemaking, Address Affordability, Transparency And Changing Economic Conditions  [PaEN]

-- Joint State Government Commission Issues Update On Report Looking At The Costs, Benefits And Risks Of Pennsylvania Participating In The PJM Interconnection; Hearings To Be Held  [PaEN]

-- In Case You Missed It: A.I./Data Center Articles - NewClips From Last Week - October 26  [PaEN] 

-- Baker Hughes: PA Natural Gas Drilling Rigs-- 15-- Same As Last 7 Weeks

-- PUC Approves 3.94% Increase In National Fuel Gas Rates; One-Time $30 Credit For Low Income Customers; Enhanced Energy Efficiency Pilot; Extended Temporary Weather Normalization Charge

-- Reuters: US To Release Heating Oil From Reserve In Bid To Tame Prices

-- Financial Times: Iran War Sparks Heating Crisis In US Northeast As Heating OIl Prices Rise, Winter Approaches

-- Erie Times-News: PA Republican Con. Mike Kelly Says End To War With Iran Will Reduce Fuel, Grocery Prices 

-- Williamsport Sun: Lycoming County Area Continues To Feel Sting Of Rising Fuel Costs

-- Williamsport Sun: High Fuel Prices Prompted Rate Increase At Lycoming County Landfill

-- PA Petroleum Distributors Assn.: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Extends Hours Of Driver Service Waivers Until Dec. 16 Due To ‘Current Global Supply Chain Disruptions’

-- USDA Announces $8 Billion Harvest Fuel Relief Program To Help Pay For Increased Fuel Costs

-- National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition: Harvest Fuel Relief Program Offers Little Hope For A Brighter Future For Farmers

-- Reuters: Crude Oil Price At 5 Month High Due To Mideast Tensions; European Natural Gas Prices Up 30% This Month

-- Grist: President Vowed To Stop An ‘Energy Emergency,’ Then He Created A Real One

-- Bloomberg Commentary: President’s Arm-Twisting For New York’s Constitution Natural Gas Pipeline May End In Regret

-- Financial Times: US Executives Quit Alaska LNG Natural Gas Project Favored By President’s Administration, Family Over Claims Of Secret Russian Control

-- Flooding

-- WESA - Rachel McDevitt: Recent Rain Tested ALCOSAN’s Clean Water Upgrades To Prevent Sewage Overflows In Pittsburgh Region 

-- TribLive: ALCOSAN Breaks Ground On $1 Billion Ohio River Tunnel To Prevent Discharges Of Untreated Sewage Overflows During Storms 

-- TribLive: Allegheny County Secures Funding To Combat Flooding, Landslides And Heat

-- Lancaster-Based LandStudies Keva Flats Floodplain Restoration Project Wins 2026 Excellence Award In Chester County Citizens Planning Award Competition

-- Penn State Oct. 26 EarthTalks Features American Rivers’ Adam Schellhammer On Centering Rivers For Healthier Communities, Watersheds, 4:00 p.m.

-- Inquirer: A Dam Is Removed, But The Brandywine Creek’s Battle Against Flooding May Never End 

-- Wilkes-Barre Times Leader: Flood Wall Exercise Planned In Brookside Wilkes-Barre Thursday

-- WNEP: First Responders Conduct Flood Levee Drill In Wilkes-Barre 

-- Observer-Reporter: City Of Washington To Begin Stream Cleanup To Prevent Flooding In Coming Weeks

-- Politico: Federal Emergency Management Agency Tells States To Handle Disasters On Their Own Without Federal Help

-- Train Derailments

-- Altoona Mirror: Norfolk Southern Train Derailment In Altoona, Including 3 LNG Natural Gas Cars, No Leaks

-- Storms/Power Outages

-- Politico: Federal Emergency Management Agency Tells States To Handle Disasters On Their Own Without Federal Help

-- Education

-- PA Capital-Star: Gov. Shapiro Is ‘Very Open’ To President’s Education Tax Credit Program

-- Health Care

-- WVIA: PA Health Insurance Marketplace Rates Rise Across The Board For 2027, Despite Being Lower Than Insurers’ Initial Proposals

-- Post-Gazette: In Reversal, President’s Administration Will Keep American Access To Low-Cost Canadian Pharmacies Until January

-- Law Enforcement

-- PA Capital-Star: Emails Reveal Mahoning Twp. Police Were More Involved In Geisinger Medical Center Campus Federal ICE Raid In Montour County Than Initially Admitted; Drones Were Used To Track ‘Targets’

-- Observer-Reporter: Washington County Man Released After Spending More Than 10 Months In ICE Custody Without Justification

-- PennLive: List Of 146 Law Enforcement Agencies In PA With Agreements With Federal ICE

-- PA Capital-Star: Analysis: President Deports Near 1 Million, Well Below Level Of 2000s, But Few Criminals

-- The Citizens’ Voice: Tioga County Man Charged With Threatening To Execute Republican Rep. Jamie Walsh And His Family

-- WTAE: Bomb Squad, Hazmat Teams Respond To Suspicious Package In Downtown Pittsburgh Building Housing PA US Sen. McCormick’s Office; Confirmed It Was Non-Hazardous

[Posted: October 25, 2026]