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 Kicks Off Process For Developing First Statewide Economic Development Strategy In Nearly 2 Decades

-- Gov. Shapiro Announces $10 Million Shovel-Ready Business Sites Pilot Program

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: Shapiro’s Pragmatic Voter Registration Measure Deserves Unanimous Support

-- Spotlight PA - Stephen Caruso, Katie Meyer: Gov. Shapiro’s Legislative Secretary Accused Of Sexual Harassment Before Resigning

-- AP: Before Shapiro’s Legislative Secretary Resigned, Coworker Accused Him Of Sexual Harassment

-- PennLive - Jan Murphy: Gov. Shapiro’s Legislative Secretary Resigns Abruptly, Replaced With Wolf Administration Official

-- PennLive - Jan Murphy: Sen. Muth Takes Issue With ‘Degrading Lie’ In Sexual Harassment Claim Against Shapiro’s Former Legislative Secretary

-- The Center Square - Anthony Hennen: Commonwealth Foundation Poll: Voters Like Shapiro, Even If They Aren’t Sure Why

-- Post-Gazette - Ford Turner: Shapiro Tells New Hampshire Democrats ‘We Can Do Big Things’

-- PennLive: Shapiro Touts Accomplishments, Warns Of Republican ‘Extremists’ In New Hampshire Speech

-- PA Capital-Star: PA Gov. Shapiro Rallies Democrats In New Hampshire

-- Post-Gazette: Gov. Shapiro Is Going To New Hampshire, With 2028 (far) On The Horizon, Here’s What To Watch

-- WESA/Lehigh Valley News: As Presidential Gossip Grows, Gov. Shapiro Readies For Trip To New Hampshire

-- AP: Democratic Rising Stars Rally Around Biden’s Reelection, They’re Also Eyeing 2028 Bids Of Their Own [Includes Gov. Shapiro]

-- PennLive - John Baer: Governors Shapiro In PA, Youngkin In VA Could Be Shaping The Future Of Politics In Dealing With Divided Government

-- Budget 2023

-- Spotlight PA - Stephen Caruso, Kate Huangpu: PA Lawmakers Still Trying To Finish The Budget 3 Months  After The Deadline

-- PA Capital-Star: PA House Democrats Renew Call For End To Blockade On State-Related University Aid

-- Independent Fiscal Office: PA Treasury Investment Income Increased ‘Dramatically’ Over Past 15 Months

-- The Center Square: PA’s $650 Million Tax Revenue Windfall May Soon Vanish

-- PA Gaming Control Board Releases 2022-23 Annual Report

-- PA Gaming Control Board Releases Annual Diversity Report On Casino Industry

-- PA House/Senate

-- PennLive - Jan Murphy: Sen. Muth Takes Issue With ‘Degrading Lie’ In Sexual Harassment Claim Against Shapiro’s Former Legislative Secretary

-- TribLive Editorial: Put Brake On Revolving Capitol Door

-- The Center Square Guest Essay: It Takes 26 Votes In The Senate, 102 Votes In House To Pass Legislation And The Governor Has To Sign It - By Senate Republican Leader Joe Pittman

-- US Senate/House

-- Post-Gazette: PA Republicans Endorse McCormick For US Senate In Early Show Of Unity

-- PennLive: Republican McCormick’s US Senate Chances In PA Could Hinge On Ex-President: Political Analysts

-- The Hill: PA US Senator Fetterman: ‘I’m Done Normalizing This [Budget] Dysfunction’  [‘These Same Losers Will Try To Pull The Same S--- In 45 Days’] 

-- PennLive: Progressive Democrat In Western PA Announces Challenge To Bob Casey

-- PennLive - Charles Thompson: Republican Con. Perry, So Often Working From The Extremes, Seeks Federal Budget Compromise - To A Point

-- PennLive: PA US Senator Fetterman Back To Wearing Suits As US Senate Resets Dress Code

-- November 2020 Election

-- Chambersburg Public Opinion: State Requesting Reimbursement Of $448,000 In Legal Fees From Fulton County In Case Involving Illegal Inspection Of Voting Machines Used In 2020

-- Election Reforms

-- WITF: In A World Of Partisan Fighting On Election Security, This Board Tackles PA Issues Without Division 

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: Shapiro’s Pragmatic Voter Registration Measure Deserves Unanimous Support

-- Erie Times Guest Essay: Erie’s Tom Ridge, 4 Other Former Governors Push To Open State’s Closed Primaries

-- WITF: Gettysburg College Students Express Concerns Over PA Elections During Democracy Week

-- National Politics

-- Post-Gazette - Salena Zito: They’ll Vote For Joe Biden No Matter What - Part I  [Butler, PA]

-- The Hill: PA US Senator Fetterman: ‘I’m Done Normalizing This [Budget] Dysfunction’  [‘These Same Losers Will Try To Pull The Same S--- In 45 Days’] 

-- TribLive: How A Federal Government Shutdown Would Impact Western PA

-- Post-Gazette: Federal Government Is Careening Toward A Shutdown, Here’s What It Will Cost PA - And What Happens Next

-- WHYY: Possible Government Shutdown Draws Closer, Here’s How Millions of Pennsylvanians Could Be Impacted

-- York Dispatch: On Eve Of Potential Federal Government Shutdown, What Can PA Expect?

-- TribLive: Eradicate Hate Global Summit Returns To Pittsburgh For 3rd Year

-- Post-Gazette: A Turning Point Beyond Tragedy [Eradicate Hate Summit]

-- PA’s Role In Assault On US Capitol

-- AP: Former PA State Police Cadet Sentenced To Prison For Crimes Related To Assault On US Capitol

-- MCall: Lehigh County Man Sentenced To 8 Years In Federal Prison For Crimes Committed During Assault On US Capitol

-- LancasterOnline: Media Coalition Renews Request To Unseal Criminal Records Of Lancaster County Man Related To Assault On US Capitol

-- Flooding

-- FEMA Denies Gov. Shapiro’s Request For Federal Disaster Declaration For July 9 Flooding In Berks County; SBA Approves Disaster Relief Loans  [PaEN]

-- County Of Berks: US Small Business Administration Declares Disaster In Berks County Offers Disaster Relief Loans

-- Reading Eagle: Berks County Gets US Small Business Administration Emergency Declaration Related To Flood Damages After Disaster Declaration Denied By FEMA

-- MCall: FEMA Denies Emergency Declaration Request For July Storm That Devastated Berks County; Request For Northampton County Storm Still Pending

-- Scranton Times: Recovery, Repairs From Flash Flooding Continue In Scranton, Abingtons

-- WNEP: Residents In Luzerne County Frustrated Over Major Flooding Issues

-- Bloomberg: Climate Disasters Drain US Emergency Fund, Adding To Government Shutdown Risk

Natural Gas Explosions

-- PUC Investigating Delaware County Natural Gas Pipeline Leak, House Explosion And Evacuation Of 100+ People  [PaEN]

-- Insurance Journal: Information Security Issue Stalls Federal Probe Of Fatal Natural Gas Explosion At Reading Factory

-- WTAE: Natural Gas Pipeline Leak In Collier Twp., Allegheny County Forces People Out Of Their Homes

-- Observer-Reporter: Pipeline Operator Faces $100,000 PUC Penalty For 2020 House Explosion In Greene County

-- PUC Commissioner Kathryn Zerfuss Appointed To Presidential Task Force On Evolving Natural Gas Infrastructure Planning

-- PUC PA One Call Underground Utility Damage Prevention Committee Issues $174,950 In Penalties To 150 Companies For Violations

-- PUC Now Accepting New Member Applications For PA One Call Damage Prevention Committee

-- PA Politics Of Russian Invasion

-- Reuters: US Winter Heating Costs To Rise For Most, Natural Gas Customers To See Drop Of -- 1% From Last Year  

-- Baker Hughes: PA Natural Gas Drill Rigs Down 1 From Last Week to 20

-- AAA Gasoline Prices: PA Average- $3.89; National Average- $3.82; Ohio- $3.44

-- Post-Gazette: Pittsburgh Region Gasoline Prices Continue To Climb While National Average Slightly Drops

-- KDKA: Pittsburgh-Area Gasoline Prices Leaving Drivers Frustrated As Prices In Rest Of Country Drop

-- Bloomberg: Gasoline Prices This Winter Will Be Determined By Saudi Arabia 

-- Reuters: US Crude Oil Production Climbs To Near Record High In July [Global Oil Prices Still Pushing Up]

-- AP: Oil Prices Have Risen Making Gasoline More Expensive For US Drivers And Helping Russia’s War [Saudi Arabia’s Decision To Cut Production Having Impact]

-- Wall Street Journal: $100 Oil Needs Western Drills To Stay Quiet

-- US EIA: Natural Gas Weekly Update Ending Sept. 20

-- US EIA: US Natural Gas Prices Fall 34% In First Half Of 2023

-- Reuters: US Drillers Cut Oil And Gas Rigs For First Time In 3 Weeks  [Producers Focused On Returning Money To Investors, Paying Down Debt Not Boosting Oil & Gas Production]

-- S&P Global: Transco Pipeline Expansion Startup, Elevated Gas Storage Levels, Mild Weather To Weigh On Mid-Atlantic Natural Gas Prices This Winter

Train Derailment-Related Issues

-- PennLive: Plan To Bring Trains Carrying LNG Natural Gas Thru PA, NJ Towns Hits Another Roadblock

-- WNEP: Lock Haven Fire Dept. Monitoring Hazmat Incident Involving A Rail Car Leaking Carbon Dioxide Saturday In Clinton County

-- Altoona Mirror Editorial: Railroad Industry Making Strides To Better Safety

-- TribLive Guest Essay: $200 Million In Public Money To Upgrade PA Rail Line To Increase Passenger Service A Great Deal For…. Norfolk Southern - By Colin McNickle, Allegheny Institute for Public Policy

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: Boosting Pittsburgh’s Economy With A 2nd Train To New York

-- PittsburghUnionProgress.com: A Voice From Buried Town Of Times Beach, Missouri Has Advice For Residents Impacted By Norfolk Southern Train Derailment - Get Out  [Times Beach Roads Were Sprayed With Waste Oil Containing Dioxin To Suppress Dust ]

-- PA/Harrisburg Political Potpourri

-- AP: Democrat Sees Abortion, Extremism As Wedge Issues In Bid To Unseat Republican State Treasurer

-- Broad & Liberty Guest Essay: Progressive PACs Heavily Outspend Free-Market, Limited-Government Advocates In Pennsylvania - By Kevin Mooney, Commonwealth Foundation

-- Health Care

-- TribLive: Here’s How To Get Your Free COVID Tests

-- Republican Herald: Schuylkill County Sees COVID Uptick, Mimicking Flu Trends

-- TribLive: If Sale Of Western PA Nursing Homes Is Blocked, They May Close Displacing Hundreds Of Residents

-- Education

-- PennLive Guest Essay: PA Legislature Is Famous For Supporting An Illegal And Unconstitutional Public School Funding System - By Jill Sunday Bartoli

-- The Center Square - Anthony Hennen: More Money Means More Transparency In Higher Ed, Lawmakers Say

-- PA Capital-Star Guest Essay: Taxpayer Funded Private School Vouchers In PA Would Violate Principles Of ‘Public’ Education - By Marc Stier, PA Policy Center

-- PA Capital-Star: PA House Democrats Renew Call For End To Blockade On State-Related University Aid

-- WHYY: PA Lawmakers Push For State Funding For School Monitoring Program In Hopes Of Slowing Gun Violence

-- Post-Gazette: Pittsburgh Police: A Community Response ‘Thwarted Another School Shooting,’ Juveniles Arrested

-- WTAE: Peruvian Man Charged With Making Hoax Bomb Threats To Schools, Synagogues In Pennsylvania

-- Inquirer: How A Moms For Liberty-Aligned Attack On Library Content Is Upending Politics In Philly Burbs

-- Courier Times: Pennridge School Library Book Policy Leads To Lawsuit In Bucks County

-- WESA: Amid Enrollment Decline, Pittsburgh-Area Colleges Ponder Combined Operations As Way To Save Money

-- TribLive: Pitt Trustees OK $100 Million In Campus Renovations, Hear From New Chancellor

-- Post-Gazette: Indiana University Of PA Reports First Year-To-Year Enrollment Increase In Over A Decade [418 Students]

-- Post-Gazette: Penn State’s New Head Of Branch Campuses Wants To Redefine Those Branches

-- Post-Gazette: College Student Loan Payment Resume In October, Here’s What Borrowers Need To Know

-- Law Enforcement

-- Post-Gazette/Capitowire.com - Robert Swift: PA House Panel Approves Juvenile Justice Reform Bill By Party-Line Vote [Republicans Opposing]

-- PennLive: Clean Slate Criminal Record Expansion, Probation Reform Held Up As PA House, Senate Seek Trade-Off

-- Post-Gazette/Capitolwire.com: Bill To Offer Compensation To Wrongfully Convicted Could Begin Moving In PA House

-- Spotlight PA: Jailbreaks In PA Not As Common As Recent Events Imply

-- AP: State Police Applicant Pool Expands After Dropping College Credit Requirement

-- AP: Mob Of Over 100 Masked Teens Ransack, Loot Philadelphia Stores Leading To Several Arrests

--Triblive/AP: Over 50 Arrested After Teen Mob Ransacked Philadelphia Stores, Dozens Of Liquor Outlets Are Shut Down

-- Inquirer: All Philly Liquor Stores Are Closed Today After At Least 18 Were Broken Into Overnight

-- KYW: West Philadelphia Business Owner Says Positive As Restaurant Hit Twice After Looting

-- WHYY: Philly Considering Drones For Community Policing

-- The Economy

-- Gov. Shapiro Kicks Off Process For Developing First Statewide Economic Development Strategy In Nearly 2 Decades

-- Gov. Shapiro Announces $10 Million Shovel-Ready Business Sites Pilot Program

-- TribLive: Pittsburgh Had Record Low Unemployment Rate In August, State Says

-- Erie Times: Unemployment Claims In PA Declined For The Week Ending Sept. 23

-- PennLive: Latino Economic Output In PA Among Highest In US, Study

-- Attorney General Henry Joins FTC Lawsuit Against Amazon To Lesson Monopoly Power In Online Sales

-- Post-Gazette: These Western PA Small Businesses Deny Claims Made In FTC, State Attorneys General [Including PA] Lawsuit Against Amazon

-- Post-Gazette: Tom Conway, International President Of United Steelworkers, Dies At 71

-- Post-Gazette: David McCall Takes Helm At United Steel Workers

-- Warren Times Editorial: State’s Lost Peace On Sundays [Blue Laws]

[Posted: October 1, 2023]