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

Because In Politics Everything Is Connected To Everything Else--

-- New Voting Districts - Senate, House, Congressional

-- Spotlight PA: PA Lawmakers Spent At Least $3 Million Of Taxpayer Money On Private Lawyers, Experts During Redistricting Battle, Invoices Show

-- TribLive Editorial: House/Senate Redistricting Legal Bills Are Cost Of Putting Party Before People

-- Governor’s Race

-- The Guardian: Republican PA Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano Prayed For Ex-President To ‘Seize The Power’ Before Assault On U.S. Capitol

-- Politics PA: Could Toni Shuppe From Audit The Vote PA Be PA’s Next Head Of State Elections Under A Mastriano Administration?

-- PennLive: 2 Months Before Election A Confident Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano Says He’s Putting Transition Team To Work 

-- AP: Amid Campaign, Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano’s Disputed Doctoral Thesis Made Public, With 6 Pages Of Corrections

-- Post-Gazette - Julian Routh: Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano Proposes Site, Date, Moderator For Debate; Shapiro Camp Calls It A ‘Stunt’

-- TribLive Editorial: Candidates Need To Participate In Debates

-- PennLive - Charles Thompson: Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano’s Political Success Happened With A Little Luck And A Big Pandemic

-- Inquirer: Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano’s Security Bubble Insulates Him From Prying Eyes And Dissenting Views

-- Centre Daily Times: As PA Governor’s Race Kicks Into High Gear, Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano Is Dark On TV

-- Erie Times Guest Essay: Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano’s Confederate Uniform At Odds With PA Values - Rep. Austin Davis (Democratic Lt. Gov. Candidate)

-- PennLive - Jan Murphy: PA School Directors Speak Out Against Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano’s Education Funding Plan

-- Post-Gazette: Shapiro Campaign’s First Add Of $16.9 Million Buy Declares Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Mastriano’s Anti-Abortion, Anti-LGBTQ Beliefs ‘Too Risky For PA’

-- Erie Times: 5 Developments Have Reshaped The PA Governor’s Race This Summer

-- U.S. Senate Race

-- WHYY: How PA U.S. Senate Candidates Compare On Jobs And Labor

-- TribLive/AP: Fetterman Agrees To 1 Debate With Dr. Oz In U.S. Senate Race

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: Beneath Campaign Nastiness, Legitimate Concerns About Fetterman’s Health

-- Post-Gazette: Toomey Appears With Dr. Oz, Criticizes Fetterman For Declining Debate

-- Inquirer: Toomey Says Fetterman Is ‘Not Up To The Job’ Of U.S. Senator

-- TribLive Editorial: Candidates Need To Participate In Debates

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: Dr. Oz: Drop Attacks On Fetterman, Now That He Will Debate

-- Inquirer: Dr. Oz Pivoting Toward Suburbs That Have Abandoned Republicans

-- Inquirer: ‘Dr. Oz Wears Pants’ Republican Rally In Bucks County To Support Dr. Oz

-- PA Capital-Star: Dr. Oz Clarifies Abortion Views, Fetterman Capitalizes On Conflicting Views In U.S. Senate Race

-- Post-Gazette - Salena Zito: McCormick And Dr. Oz Talk National Security In Beaver County

-- PennLive: Will The Ugly PA U.S. Senate Race Get Worse Over Next 2 Months?  Well….

-- November 2022 Election

-- PA Capital-Star: What To Know So You’re Registered Ready To Vote Nov. 8 Election

-- PA Capital-Star: These Are The Election-Deniers On The PA Ballot In 2022

-- Erie Times: 5 Seats The PA Republicans Feels It Can Flip To Secure Veto-Proof State Senate Majority 

-- York Daily Record: 4 PA House Seats Democrats Believe They Can Flip In November

-- MCall - Ford Turner: Candidates Vying To Replace State Sen. Pat Browne Agree To Debate

-- Inquirer: Philly’s Black Republican Ward Leaders: ‘I Know It’s An Uphill Battle, But My Role Is To Engage’

-- LancasterOnline: Republican Cong. Smucker Declines Debates With Lancaster Paper, In Part Due To ‘Bias’

-- TribLive: Westmoreland Democrats Say Concerns Abound As November Election Nears

-- WITF: A Chambersburg Church Wants Members To Bring Their Political Differences To The Service

-- Post-Gazette Guest Essay: What Went Wrong With My Party, And The Other? - Jim Roddey (Republican)

-- Courier Times: Biden Was In PA 3 Times In A Week, Why State Is Key To Midterms And Beyond

-- PennLive - John Baer: Biden And Ex-President, Thought Not On The Ballot, Dominate Politics And Polarization

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: Meltdown: Ex-President’s Lies, Smears Show He’s A Menace

-- York Dispatch Editorial: Ex-President’s PA Speech Proves Biden Right, Amps Up Race To November

-- PennLive: Ex-President Posted Private Photo With State Troopers Without Authorization, Police

-- PennLive: Ex-President Takes Down Unauthorized Photo With PA State Police

-- Election Reform/2020 Election Fallout

-- Gov. Wolf Expands Voter Registration Access For Eligible Pennsylvanians

-- WHYY: New PA Project Ramps Up To Make Fall Voting Accessible To All

-- WITF: PA Senate Republicans Argue State Legislatures Should Have Sole Power Over Elections In U.S. Supreme Court Brief

-- Altoona Mirror: Republicans Move To Keep Up Fight On Mail-In Voting Policies

-- LancasterOnline: Republican Lancaster County Commissioner Attended Conference Hosted By Election Denier Before Vote To Remove Mail-In Drop Boxes

-- PennLive: Lycoming County Ballot To Include Question Of Keeping Electronic Voting System

-- York Dispatch: Petition For Voter Referendum To Throw Out Dominion Voting Machines In York County Falls Short Of Signatures

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

-- PA Capital-Star: These Are The Election-Deniers On The PA Ballot In 2022

-- Inquirer: Delaware County Man Charged With Crimes Related To Assault On U.S. Capitol Sentenced To 9 Months In Prison

-- Scranton Times: Federal Magistrate To Handle Lackawanna County Woman’s Criminal Charges Related To Assault On U.S. Capitol

-- AP: Elected Officials, Police Chiefs On Leaked Right-Wing Extremist Oath Keepers List  [In PA - 4 Elected Officials, 19 Law Enforcement, 8 Military, 3 First Responders, 1,499 Total Signups In PA]

-- WITF: Police, Constables In PA Joined ‘Anti-Government’ Oath Keepers

-- Inquirer: What You Need To Know About The Report On The Anti-Government Oath Keepers Members

-- Scranton Times: Anti-Terrorism Exercise Planned At Scranton Army Ammunition Plant

-- PennLive/Huffington Post: Police Officers Hurt In The Assault On U.S. Capitol Say PA State Troopers Posting With Ex-President Was ‘Unacceptable,’ ‘Slap In The Face’ 

-- Erie Times: Catch Up On Fetterman, Dr. Oz U.S. Senate Race, Republican Cong. Scott Perry’s Brush With FBI, More

-- Courier Times Guest Essay: Republican Cong. Fitzpatrick Has Enabled Republican Lies

-- PA Capital-Star Guest Essay: MAGA Threat Isn’t Just In Washington, We’re Facing It In PA Too - Defend Democracy Project

-- WITF: ‘You Belong, You Matter’ Inclusion Campaign In Nazareth, Northampton County Sparks Protest, Business Boycotts Against Campaign 

-- NYT: New Mexico County Commissioner Convicted Of Crime Related To Assault On U.S. Capitol Removed From Office Under 14th Amendment Which Bars Insurrectionists From Holding Public Office

-- State Constitutional Amendments

-- Spotlight PA: Complete Guide To More Than 70 Proposed Amendments To State Constitution

 

-- PA Politics Of Russian Invasion

-- Explainer: So Why Does A Susquehanna County Gas Company Have To Raise Rates 33.2% When Susquehanna County Is The #1 Shale Gas Producer In PA?  [PaEN]

-- NBCPhiladelphia: Following The Steps Of PA Utilities, NJ Utility Companies Will Increase Natural Gas Rates By As Much As 25% 

-- Altoona Mirror: Penelec Raises Electricity Rates 18.69% Due To Natural Gas Price Spikes

-- WHYY: Environmentalists Decry DRBC Permit Extension Approval For LNG Natural Gas Terminal In South Jersey To Export PA Natural Gas  -  By Zoe Read, WHYY, with Jon Hurdle of NJ Spotlight contributing [PaEN]

-- Reuters: America Exports Natural Gas, Imports High Price

-- Post-Gazette/NYT: Steeper Winter Heating Bills Loom, With Less Federal Aid

-- Reuters: Russia Warns The West - Energy Price Cap On Oil, Natural Gas Will Be Your Undoing 

-- U.S. EIA: Short-Term Energy Outlook Projects Continued Natural Gas Price Increases Thru 2022 

-- Financial Times: U.S. Natural Gas Rescue Plan For Europe Threatens Domestic U.S. Backlash As Prices Surge To Triple What They Were

-- Bloomberg: Natural Gas Buyers Hoarding Fuel At Sea To Prepare For Winter As Market Faces Severe Shortage 

-- Williamsport Sun Guest Essay: U.S. Natural Gas Key To Helping Families - American Petroleum Institute  [Cost Of Natural Gas In PA Increased Up To 154% Over Last Year.]

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: Gasoline Prices: They’re Down, Then They’re Up, Now They’re Down, But Why?

-- Reuters: Top Shale Executive Says U.S. Oil Output Gains To Disappoint 

-- Post-Gazette/Bloomberg: Storage Of Frack Gear Is Helping To Hold Back U.S. Oil Production

-- Reuters: U.S. Coast Guard Probes Natural Gas Pipeline Explosion In Louisiana 

-- Harrisburg Politics Potpourri

-- Spotlight PA: PA Lawmakers Spent At Least $3 Million Of Taxpayer Money On Private Lawyers, Experts During Redistricting Battle, Invoices Show

-- PA Capital-Star: Advocates Optimistic Gift Ban Will Advance Farther ‘Than Ever Before’ As PA House Returns

-- PennLive - Jan Murphy: Giant Pink Pig Protests Politicians’ Prospective Pay Raise At PA Capitol

-- Spotlight PA - Stephen Caruso: How General Assembly Works: The Rules For PA Lawmaker Per Diems, Speake v. Leader, And Other Q&As

-- TribLive Editorial: House/Senate Redistricting Legal Bills Are Cost Of Putting Party Before People

-- PennLive Guest Essay: There Are Signs Of A Return To Good Government - Mark Singel

-- PennLive Guest Essay: Thanks To The Queen And The Obamas For Providing A Little Shelter From The Storm - Mark Singel

-- PA Capital-Star: Philly DA Not Alone Among Progressive Prosecutors Fighting Republican Attacks

-- MCall - Ford Turner: PA Craft Operators Support Bill To Brew Beer, Distill Spirits In Same Location As Pocono ‘Beverage Trail’ Takes Off

 

-- Budget 2023

-- TribLive: PA Roads, Bridges To Get Extra $175 Million As Funding Is Freed Up From State Police

-- Post-Gazette: Stimulus Package Billions Short Of Fixing All Poor PA Budges, Study Finds

-- Auditor General DeFoor Reports On PA Turnpike Debt, Calls Annual Toll Increases To Fund PennDOT Programs Unsustainable

-- AP: PA Turnpike Audit Finds Uncollected Toll Problem Grows To $155 Million

-- Scranton Times Editorial: Legislature Drives Turnpike Into Ditch

-- COVID Pandemic/Health

-- MCall: PA COVID Update: 16,909 Cases Mark Continuing Decline, Deaths, Hospitalizations Fall

-- MCall: One Lehigh Valley Health Network Skeptical Of New COVID Booster Vaccine Effectiveness

-- Erie Times: As COVID Masking In Erie County Declined, Flu Cases Rose. Get A Flu Shot

-- WESA: Fewer School Children Getting Vaccines In Allegheny County, But Rate Remains Above Average

-- Altoona Mirror: State Of Emergency: UPMC Altoona Attempting To Combat Nursing Shortage

-- WESA: Pittsburgh Colleges, Universities Look To Keep Student body Healthy, Monkeypox-Free

-- PennLive: Striking PA Nursing Home Workers Enter 4th Day On Picket Line: ‘We’re Worth More Than That’

-- AP: Deal Reached With Strikers At 4 PA Nursing Homes

-- PennLive Guest Essay: The $600 Million For PA Nursing Homes Came At A Critical Time - LeadingAgePA

-- Centre Daily Times: Healthy Relationships - What Message Is Penn State Sending If Alcohol Is Sold At Football Stadium?

-- COVID - Schools

-- Centre Daily Times: Penn State Expands COVID Isolation Space As Cases See ‘Anticipated’ Rise Early In Semester

 

-- Opioid Epidemic

-- PennLive: PA Doctor Sent To Prison After Prescribing More Than 422,000 Opioid Doses

-- School Districts/Higher Education

-- Gov. Wolf Announces Universal Free Breakfast Program For 1.7 Million PA School Children

-- MCall: As The Battle Over ‘Book Bans’ Wages On, Lehigh Valley Schools Are Ready

-- WITF: ‘You Belong, You Matter’ Inclusion Campaign In Nazareth, Northampton County Sparks Protest, Business Boycotts Against Campaign 

-- PennLive Editorial: Adults Should Be Held Accountable For Abhorrent Behavior In Middletown Schools

-- Inquirer: Philadelphia Libraries Are Struggling To Stay Open, Short Hundreds Of Workers

-- WITF: PA Schools Looking For Solutions To Retain Staff, Attract New Teachers

-- Post-Gazette: Pittsburgh, School District Announce New Workforce Development Program For Students

-- TribLive: How Will Student Loan Relief Impact The Economy, Higher Education?  Western PA Professors Weigh In

-- Inquirer Guest Essay: Biden’s Student Loan Forgiveness Helps Those Who Need It Least

-- Inquirer Guest Essay: Student Loan Forgiveness Unfairly Shifts Burden Of College Debt To Everyday Americans - Commonwealth Foundation

-- TribLive Guest Essay: To Curb Student Debt, Reduce College Costs - Sen. Aument

-- TribLive Guest Essay: Bipartisan Education Reforms Set Up Students For Success - Sen. Martin

-- TribLive: Twitter Removes CMU Professor’s Tweet Wishing ‘Excruciating Pain’ For Queen Elizabeth II

-- TribLive: California U. Students Step Into New Era As PennWest University

-- Centre Daily Times: Healthy Relationships - What Message Is Penn State Sending If Alcohol Is Sold At Football Stadium?

-- WESA: University Of Pittsburgh Spent $750,000 Lobbying For State Budget Fight, 9 Times Their Usual Amount

-- TribLive: Duquesne Law School Renamed After $50 Million Gift From Thomas R. Kline

-- Gun Violence/Law Enforcement

-- Scranton Times: Scranton Teachers, Staff Receive Active Shooter Training

-- Williamsport Sun: Bail Denied For Williamsport Man After Alleged Threats To Central Elementary School

-- TribLive: Pine-Richland School Officials Taking ‘Appropriate Next Steps’ To Address Racist Homecoming Sign

-- MCall: Lehigh Valley School Closed Thursday After Threat To Middle School Students, Staff

-- MCall: Lehigh Valley School Remains Closed Friday After Threat To Students, Staff

-- KDKA: 14-Year-Old Student Found With Knives At Westmoreland County School

-- Inquirer Editorial: With 750 Shootings Since Memorial Day, Philadelphia Records Another Summer Of Mayhem

-- Inquirer: 3 People Have Died Among 10 Shot In Less Than 7 Hours In Philly

-- Inquirer: Teenager Fatally Shot 8 Times, Woman Shot 10 Times As Violent Weekend In Philly Continued

-- WHYY: Center City Shooting Incident Highlights Philly Violence Over The Weekend

-- Inquirer: A Triple Shooting Outside This Philly Elementary School, But For Kensington Families, The Risk Of Violence Is Constant

-- Inquirer: 2 Philadelphians In 2 Days Shot And Killed Just Going About Their Routine

-- WHYY: Philly Resumes Gun Violence Listening Tours, But What Impact Have They Had?

-- Gov. Wolf Highlights $355 Million Commitment To Safer Communities, Announces Opening Of Violence Intervention Programs

-- TribLive: Wolf Announces $100 Million In New Funds To Curb Gun Violence

-- MCall: State Police Shoot, Kill Monroe County Man During A Wellness Check At His Home Thursday

-- LancasterOnline: FBI Implements New Crime Reporting System; State Hasn’t Shifted Yet

-- Post-Gazette - Robert Swift: House Panel Examines Bill To Expand Clean Slate Law

-- Reading Eagle: Explosions Heard Near Reading Were Part Of Bomb Squad Training Exercise On Fritz Island

-- Scranton Times Editorial: Pot Pardons Right Policy At Right Time

-- PA Economy

-- WITF/WHYY: PA Workers, Businesses Grapple With Tight Job Market This Labor Day

-- PA Capital-Star: From Steelworkers To Baristas: The New Face Of Pittsburgh’s Labor Movement

-- Post-Gazette: Pittsburgh, School District Announce New Workforce Development Program For Students

-- WESA: Biden And Parade Will Cap Pittsburgh’s Labor Day Celebrations After 2-Year Hiatus

-- TribLive - Mary Ann Thomas: Labor Leaders See Growth In Unionism

-- MCall Guest Essay: The Future Of Semiconductor Chips Is In Pennsylvania

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: In The Beginning, There Was Work

-- Post-Gazette Editorial: An Economic Development Agenda All Can Agree On

-- Post-Gazette: Investors Fear Millions Lost In PA’s Latest Crypto Currency Scandal

-- Spotlight PA: New Maps Will Help Decide Where Up To $1 Billion In Federal Money Goes For PA Broadband Expansion

-- Inquirer: 6 Takeaways From A New Report On Philadelphia’s Property Tax System

-- Other

-- PA Capital-Star: Poll: PA Voters Back Dreamers, Path To Citizenship For Undocumented

[Posted: September 11, 2022]