News Digest :: March 2, 2022

Legislature

Sen. Maria Collett Named Co-Chair Of PA Rare Disease Caucus | Montgomeryville, PA Patch

State lawmakers, officials discuss measures to show support for Ukraine | Pennsylvania News | wfmz.com

Pennsylvania Lawmakers Move to Divest Holdings in Russian Assets – NBC10 Philadelphia (nbcphiladelphia.com)

PA Republicans call for pipeline expansions following invasion of Ukraine | City & State PA (cityandstatepa.com)

Pennsylvania Senate committee spars over importance of city revitalization zones | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com

PA talks more funding to expedite gun background checks | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com

YAW: Are We Nuts? American Energy is Key to Undermining Putin’s War – DV Journal (delawarevalleyjournal.com)

What does the Jan. 6 committee hope to learn from Sen. Doug Mastriano? | Bruce Ledewitz – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Legalizing weed in Pennsylvania faces complicated demands (inquirer.com)

Pennsylvania Supreme Court redistricting decision puts it in political spotlight (inquirer.com)

 

Coronavirus – COVID-19

COVID cases, deaths continue to fall globally, WHO reports – The Morning Call (mcall.com)

Central Pa. man suffers pain of ‘long COVID,’ grief over death of unvaccinated brother – pennlive.com

Changing pandemic safety guidelines cause Philadelphians to live by their own rules (inquirer.com)

 

Business/Jobs

Green jobs could grow in Pa. | Smart Talk (witf.org)

‘It’s all about creating jobs’: Urban League, feds partner to boost minority-owned businesses – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Ford, GM among automakers suspending business in Russia (abc27.com)

ExxonMobil’s Russia projects are off as the energy giant joins a business exodus : NPR

Apple pauses sales in Russia and stops all exports : NPR

Oil prices surge past $100 a barrel as war in Ukraine rages (inquirer.com)

 

Crime/Punishment

Paul Davis: Is there a war on cops? (broadandliberty.com)

Fired Yeadon police chief to file civil suit against borough council (delcotimes.com)

 

Education

Inside the four bids to host PIAA State Championships (abc27.com)

Resident Files Petition to Recall Great Valley School Board Members – DV Journal (delawarevalleyjournal.com)

For now, no more masks in West Chester schools – Daily Local

Inequity also found on the path to college (mainlinemedianews.com)

Schuylkill Valley schools: Board still taking criticism over COVID policies (readingeagle.com)

East Stroudsburg University wants to go to flat-rate tuition – The Morning Call (mcall.com)

A third Pa. state-owned university wants to lower prices by returning to flat-rate tuition for full-time students | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Activism grows in parts of Pennsylvania and nationwide in response to school book bans | WITF

 

Elections/Politics

Pennsylvania mail-in voting law stays in place for now, justices rule | WITF

Biden’s SOTU Speech Offers Little Aid to PA Dems as Midterms Approach – DV Journal (delawarevalleyjournal.com)

What Biden SOTU address and Russian-Ukraine war mean to Pa. elections (buckscountycouriertimes.com)

How Pa. pols reacted to President Joe Biden’s debut State of the Union speech – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

PA Sen. Toomey Endorses Lt. Gov. Candidate Jeff Coleman – DV Journal (delawarevalleyjournal.com)

Lancaster GOP declines to endorse someone to replace Rep. Dave Hickernell | PA Power and Policy | lancasteronline.com

Political newcomer sets his sights on congressional seat (dailylocal.com)

PA 4th Legislative District: Four Republicans vying for Sonney’s seat (goerie.com)

U.S. Rep. Fred Keller ends his run for his reelection in competitive Republican primary | WITF

Conor Lamb needs to take down John Fetterman with little money in Pa. Senate race (inquirer.com)

2022 is ‘poised to become the year of the most anti-LGBTQ legislation’ in the United States | Opinion (inquirer.com)

 

Environment

Bucks County files lawsuit against 3M, other PFAS manufacturers (buckscountycouriertimes.com)

Wildfires and water scarcity: How U.S. kids will have to adapt to a changing climate | Opinion – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

 

Transportation

EMTA awarded $2.25 million from bipartisan infrastructure bill (goerie.com)

 

Health

The ACLU sues to block Texas from investigating parents of trans youth : NPR

Commonwealth expands access to health care through new qualifying event for low-income Pennsylvanians | The Bucks County Herald

 

State News

U.S. Rep. Dwight Evans: New infrastructure law is once-in-lifetime opportunity if we do it well – Philadelphia Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

Fitzpatrick: U.S. needs to cut Russian imports, help Ukrainians more (theintell.com)

Scott Perry on Ukraine: More needed from POTUS to thwart red menace (ydr.com)

Sen. Pat Toomey, Ukrainian official push for sanctions on Russian oil and gas, other banks | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

$20 million in federal funds for rural broadband in Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com

Pa treasurer divesting $2.9 million of state investments from Russian companies | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Where people in Pennsylvania are moving to most (abc27.com)

Pennsylvania school pension board to discuss Russian assets | WITF

Worried about lanternflies coming this spring? Pa. spells out ways to prevent them – pennlive.com

Twitter suspends U.S. Senate candidate whose tweet targeted Penn’s Lia Thomas (inquirer.com)

 

National News

U.N. set to vote on condemning Russia : NPR

In Putin’s Ukraine war, some experts worry about possible nuclear escalation : NPR

Tech’s crackdown on Russian propaganda is a geopolitical high-wire act : NPR

Some Takeaways From Texas’s 2022 Primary Elections – The New York Times (nytimes.com)

The MLB’s season start is canceled as players and owners fail to reach a deal : NPR

Yellowstone turns 150. Here’s a peek into the national park’s history : NPR

This is the changing face of American gun ownership | Wednesday Morning Coffee – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Carnival spirit takes over New Orleans as Mardi Gras returns from COVID-19 hiatus | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

 

Local News

CNS Cleaning Services on ‘No Retreat: Business Bootcamp’: Bucks County company kicks off CNBC show – Philadelphia Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

During a heated session, Reading City Council discusses a return to in-person meetings (readingeagle.com)

Lehigh Valley Developer Lou Pektor accused of defaulting on loans, not disclosing liens – The Morning Call (mcall.com)

Allentown Mayor Matt Tuerk won’t support contractor law without changes – The Morning Call (mcall.com)

People with mental illness to lose home over Norristown land deal | WITF

Up-close look at local government brings awe, appreciation | Centre Daily Times

As stores ban Russian vodka, Nanticoke distillery pledges funds for pro-Ukrainian cause | News | citizensvoice.com

Luzerne Foundation announces ‘Closing Cases’ cold-case fund | Crime-emergencies | citizensvoice.com

Lackawanna County Prison warden blasts Domenick over her Facebook post | News | thetimes-tribune.com

Scranton neighborhood groups raise concerns over proposed zoning ordinance | News | thetimes-tribune.com

 

Pitt

Extraordinary exhibit pays tribute to Pittsburgh street artist Danny Devine | Visual Art | Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh City Paper (pghcitypaper.com)

Drusky helps form national collective to bring more concerts to Pittsburgh | Music | Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh City Paper (pghcitypaper.com)

Pittsburgh moves forward with rental property inspection program | WITF

Pgh. advocates call on Scaife-linked foundation to stop funding anti-immigrant groups – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

President Biden gives nod to Western Pa. steelworker to promote his jobs plan | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

A bridge forward: Pittsburgh officials to better examine, shed light on city’s infrastructure | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Allegheny County 911 dispatchers authorize strike for day of St. Patrick’s Day parade | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Pittsburgh adopts measures intended to strengthen focus on city’s infrastructure | TribLIVE.com

Pittsburgh woman takes first place on ‘Jeopardy!’ | TribLIVE.com

 

Philly

SBA Administrator Isabel Guzman visits minority-owned businesses in Philly to end Black History Month | Al Día News (aldianews.com)

Philly’s own metrics create confusion over fate of indoor mask mandate (broadandliberty.com)

Philly Debate Over Utility Hook-Ups May Hurt Struggling Hospitality Industry, Housing Market – DV Journal (delawarevalleyjournal.com)

Phillies opening day canceled over MLB labor dispute – Philadelphia Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

Alarms raised after hundreds of trees removed from city-owned Cobbs Creek Golf Course | Local News | phillytrib.com

Washington Avenue in South Philly will vary between 3 and 5 lanes (inquirer.com)

Philly quietly added surprise fees and ‘burdensome’ rules for restaurant streeteries (inquirer.com)

Philadelphia COVID-19 alert tiers make it hard to lift mask mandate (inquirer.com)

 

Washington

GOP senators push back hard on Trump’s praise of Putin (abc27.com)

Biden to discuss Putin, economy in his 1st State of the Union (abc27.com)

5 takeaways from Biden’s State of the Union address : NPR

Five things Biden didn’t talk about in State of the Union (abc27.com)

Analysis: Biden seeks ‘reset’ on pandemic and his presidency – Delco Times

State of the Union: Biden vows to halt Russia, hit inflation – Daily Local

GOP response: Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds holds Hawkeye State up as ‘an alternative’ to Dem policies – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Biden admin to implement nursing home reforms (abc27.com)

Jackson off to swift start on Supreme Court confirmation | News | phillytrib.com

Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson heading to Capitol Hill for meetings (inquirer.com)