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

Because In Politics Everything Is Connected To Everything Else--

-- Gov. Shapiro

-- WPost Guest Essay: We Fixed I-95 In 12 Days, Here Are Our Lessons For U.S. Infrastructure - By Gov. Josh Shapiro

-- Post-Gazette - Ford Turner: Budget Mess Stalls Priorities For Gov. Shapiro And Others As Impasse Hits 18 Days Without A Deal

-- Reading Eagle: Gov. Shapiro Says Rodale Institute Key To Economic Future

-- Gov. Shapiro, Agriculture Secretary Redding Visit The Rodale Institute In Berks County To Celebrate Organic Field Day, Meet Veteran Farmers

-- Budget 2023

-- ABC27: Republican Senate Leader Kim Ward Says ‘At Some Point In August’ The Republicans Can Get The General Appropriations Bill Signed

-- Politics PA: House Republican: ‘Not Going To See Any Budget Movement Until October At The Earliest’

-- PennLive Guest Essay: No One Lied To Senate Republicans, they Chose Not To Hear The Truth On State Budget - By House Democratic Leader Matt Bradford

-- Erie Times: The Budget Deal That Wasn’t: 5 Things To Know About The State Budget In Harrisburg

-- Post-Gazette - Ford Turner: Budget Mess Stalls Priorities For Gov. Shapiro And Others As Impasse Hits 18 Days Without A Deal

-- Inquirer Guest Essay: State’s Budget ‘Impasse’ Is A Self-Inflicted Wound - By House Democratic Leader Matt Bradford

-- AP: PA Counties Plan To Miss Big Social Services Payment As Budget Stalemate Drags On

-- PennLive: Funding For Government Flows During PA Budget Impasse - But Some Agencies Fear Well Will Run Dry

-- Spotlight PA - Stephen Caruso: What PA’s Past Budget Impasses Can Tell Use About The Current Standoff

-- Spotlight PA: Dark Money Group Puts Pressure On PA Lawmakers After Shapiro Vows Private School Voucher Veto

-- PA Gaming Control Board Reports Record Tax Revenue In 2022-23 -- $2,369,249,258

-- PA Gaming Control Board Reports June Revenue Increased 13% Over June 2022

-- PA Senate/House

-- AP: House Democratic Rep. Innamorato Resigns Leaving Chamber Tied at 101-101 With Special Election Set For September 19, A Week Before House Returns To Session

-- TribLive: Rep. Innamorato’s State House Resignation Triggers Allegheny County Special Election, 5 Candidates Have Expressed Interest

-- Spotlight PA: Rep. Innamorato Resigns Amid State Budget Impasse, Costing Democratic Caucus One-Vote Advantage

-- TribLive Editorial: Did We Really Need Another Special Election?

-- Spotlight PA: Dark Money Group Puts Pressure On PA Lawmakers After Shapiro Vows Private School Voucher Veto

-- TribLive Editorial: PA Lawmakers - Carpe Diem - End Per Diems

-- U.S. Senate/House

-- Post-Gazette: Bob Casey Builds U.S. Senate Reelection Campaign Coffers By $4 Million; Fetterman Raises $717,000

-- November 2020 Election

-- Warren Times Editorial: Nov. 2020 Election Distraction Yet To Go Away

-- National Politics

-- Post-Gazette Guest Essay: Government Is An Invasive Species - By Republican Cong. Mike Kelly [Repeatedly Tried To Overthrow PA Election Results]

-- Wilkes-Barre Editorial: How About Making Current Form Of Government Work?

-- Election Reforms

-- Politics PA: Clock Ticking On Moving PA’s Presidential Primary Date

Flooding

-- WHYY: Bucks County Flood Victims Identified, Search For Missing South Carolina Family’s Children Expands

-- AP: Search Continues For South Carolina Family’s Kids Swept Away In Bucks County Flood

-- Inquirer: Bucks County Tragedy Occurred In A FEMA Hazardous Flood Zone

-- MCall: Bushkill Park, Under Several Feet Of Water, Hopes To Reopen Next Week; Asking For Volunteers To Help With Cleanup

-- MCall: After Disastrous Weekend Flooding, Slate Belt Begins Long Process Of Recovery

-- Courier Times: It Happened Quickly, How The Fatal Bucks County Flooding Unfolded

-- Gov. Shapiro: State Continues To Support Communities In Flood Recovery Efforts

-- Penn State Extension: After The Flood: Recovery Considerations For Rural Pennsylvanians 

-- Reading Eagle: Antietam Officials Discuss Steps Forward After Flooding Of Middle-Senior High School; Bringing Students Back To That Building Not An Option For 2023-24 School Year

-- WESA: After Fatal Flash Floods, PA Officials Urge Residents To Stay Aware And Avoid Flooded Roads

-- MCall: What Caused The Flash Flooding In Northampton County This Weekend? Can We Expect More?

-- WHYY: Climate Scientists Say Extreme Rain Behind Deadly Bucks County Flood Is Becoming More Frequent

-- Inquirer Guest Essay: Bucks County Flooding Showed The Violent Forces Of Natur

-- WHYY: 5 Deaths Confirmed In Bucks County Flash Flooding, 2 Still Missing

-- AP: Heavy Rains Swamp Northeast Again As Flash Flooding Claims At Least 5 Lives In Pennsylvania

-- MCall: ‘Severe’ Flash Flooding In Northampton County Leads To Business, Road Closures, Water Rescues

-- MCall: Flood Damages Now Exceed $5 Million In Northampton County

-- MCall: Bushkill Park, Under Several Feet Of Water, Hopes To Reopen Next Week; Asking For Volunteers To Help With Cleanup

-- Reading Eagle: Reading’s Youth Interns Clear Storm Drains After July 9 Storm

-- Williamsport Sun: Flood Levee Relief Well Project Scope Changes May Mean Cost Savings

-- PittsburghUnionProgress.com: Pittsburgh Region Faces Increasing Rain, Flood Risks As Planet Warms

-- WHYY: The Next Big Storm Could Hit Coatesville, Will The Flood-Prone City Be Ready?

-- Train Derailments

-- WITF/LancasterOnline: Toxic Trains - Real-Time Hazmat Info Hard To Get, Even For Lancaster County’s First Responders 

-- WITF/LancasterOnline: At Least 28 Hazardous Materials Moved Through Lancaster County In 2021

-- WITF/LancasterOnline: Who Responds?  When Do You Evacuate?  A Look At Lancaster County’s Hazardous Rail Transit Plan

-- WITF/LancasterOnline: We Sought Railroad Hazmat Records From 12 Central PA Counties, Only 3 Provided Detailed Lists

-- WITF/LancasterOnline: Hazardous Material On PA Trains, How We Got The Information

-- KYW: Homes Being Evacuated After Train Derailment In Whitemarsh Twp., Montgomery County

-- Inquirer: Montgomery County Train Derailment Spilled Plastic Pellets, But No Toxic Chemicals

-- WHYY: Sinkhole May Be To Blame For Montgomery County Train Derailment

-- City & State PA: PA Lawmakers Renew Calls For Rail Safety Reforms After State’s Latest Train Derailment

-- Inquirer: It’s Imperative Officials Look At The Bigger Picture Of Train Derailments, Says Drexel Environmental Expert

-- PittsburghUnionProgress.com: Activists Bring Supplies And Support To Residents Impacted By Norfolk Southern Train Derailment

-- WTAE: Ahead Of Ohio Rally, Activists Argue Residents Impacted By Norfolk Southern Train Derailment Should Get Free Health Care

-- WTAE: Study To Explore Human Side Of Environmental Impacts And Crisis Communications Related To Norfolk Southern Train Derailment

-- KDKA: Testing Finds Toxic Chemical Levels Near Norfolk Southern Train Derailment Site Substantially Higher Than Samples In Neighboring Towns

-- PA Politics Of Russian Invasion

-- The Intercept: Energy Company Plotted LNG Natural Gas Plant In Chester, Delaware County

-- GridPhilly.com: A Global Climate Debate Heats Up  As A Liquefied Natural Gas Terminal Looks For A Home In Chester, Delaware County

-- Baker Hughes: PA Natural Gas Drilling Rigs Same As Last Week - 23

-- Bloomberg: European Natural Gas Prices Slump 7.5% As Key Norway Gas Processing Plant Maintenance Ends

-- Bloomberg: European Natural Gas Market Still Prone To Price Volatility Risks This Winter, IEA Warns 

-- Bloomberg: US, European Commission, Japan, South Korea, Australia Collaborate On LNG Natural Gas Supply Chain Methane Emission Reductions 

-- PA/Harrisburg Politics Potpourri

-- Warren Times Editorial: Legislature Should Pass Law Requiring Constitutional Amendments At Elections Where More People Vote

-- Post-Gazette: For Biden And Republicans, ‘The Stakes Feel Existential’ In Pennsylvania

-- PA Role In Assault On U.S. Capitol

-- AP: Mercer County Woman Who Used Bullhorn To Direct Assault On U.S. Capitol Convicted Of Crimes

-- PittsburghUnionProgress.com: Mercer County Woman Convicted Of Crimes Related To Assault On U.S. Capitol

-- WITF/LancasterOnline: Ephrata Man Charged With Crimes Related To Assault On U.S. Capitol Out Of Federal Prison; Mystery Surrounds The Case

-- Education

-- Spotlight PA: Dark Money Group Puts Pressure On PA Lawmakers After Shapiro Vows Private School Voucher Veto

-- Spotlight PA: PA’s Latest Bid To Regulate Private Cyber Charter Schools Would Lower Tuition Payments, Boost Transparency

-- Spotlight PA: Fear, Distrust And An Ethics Office In Chaos Erode Penn State’s Post-Sandusky Child Protection Reforms

-- TribLive: Penn State Tuition To Increase By 2% For In-State University Park Students

-- TribLive: Tuition Remains Frozen For PA State-Owned Universities

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: Funding For State-Related Universities Should Not Be A Political Game

-- TribLive Editorial: Are Legacy Admissions The Real Problem For Colleges?

-- Law Enforcement

-- Spotlight PA: Fear, Distrust And An Ethics Office In Chaos Erode Penn State’s Post-Sandusky Child Protection Reforms

-- The Economy

-- PA Dept. Of Labor & Industry Reports Pennsylvania’s June Unemployment Rate At Record Low 3.8%

-- PA Capital-Star: PA Unemployment Rate Drops To Record Low Of 3.8% In June

-- Other

-- Wilkes-Barre Times: Luzerne County Community College To Unveil Statue Of Patrick J. Solano 

-- Wilkes-Barre Times: Patrick Solano Remembered As ‘A Mentor, A Confidant, A Genius And Our Backbone’

[Posted: July 23, 2023]