News Digest :: June 9, 2022

Legislature

We’ve seen firsthand that to defend reproductive rights and protect our freedoms, we need a Democratic governor – City & State Pennsylvania (cityandstatepa.com)

Pennsylvania is sitting on billions in stimulus money. Lawmakers may actually agree on a plan to spend some of it. · Spotlight PA

It’s budget season in Pennsylvania. Here are five issues to look for – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Business owners, other officials call on Pa. legislature to release more American Rescue Plan Act funds to help small businesses – pennlive.com

Pennsylvania Senate passes bill allowing seizure and disposal of illegal dirt bikes, ATVs | WITF

Pennsylvania Senate approves bills to help aspiring barbers, cosmetologists (abc27.com)

‘A declaration of war’: GOP lawmakers eviscerate PennDOT’s bridge tolling plan – City & State Pennsylvania (cityandstatepa.com)

Republicans rally against Pennsylvania bridge tolling plan | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com

Pa. House votes to erase ‘homosexuality’ from state crimes code | WITF

Pa. House bill hikes cost of birth, death certificates to fight veteran suicides | Thursday Coffee – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Senate bill barring third party election funding advances in House – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Pennsylvania liquor privatization bill passes House committee (abc27.com)

Bill that would ask Pa. voters whether to privatize liquor system advances in House | TribLIVE.com

This Pa. Senate bill will shortchange app-based workers. We can’t let that happen | Opinion – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Pennsylvania senate passes bill against trans girls playing girls’ sports | TribLIVE.com

Why Lisa Boscola crossed the aisle to vote for banning trans girls in school sports – lehighvalleylive.com

Pa. bill on transgender school athletes passes state Senate (mcall.com)

Pa. Bill Would Lower Income Tax, Impose Tax On Some Gains – Law360

Pennsylvania lawmakers look for ways to curb inflation (abc27.com)

Hennessey among targets for fair school funding protestors (dailylocal.com)

State grant supports local work to improve health outcomes for pregnant people | News | Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh City Paper (pghcitypaper.com)

 

Coronavirus – COVID-19

State officials add $3.4 million to little-used student Covid testing contract (broadandliberty.com)

New Pitt study finds healthcare workers reluctant to post about Covid-19 vaccine on social media (nextpittsburgh.com)

Moderna says its new vaccine booster shows ‘superior’ response to omicron : NPR

Paxlovid keeping COVID patients out of Lehigh Valley hospitals (mcall.com)

 

Business/Jobs

Pennsylvania gas hits $5, Philadelphia consumer price index at 40-year high | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com

Erie investments have topped $600 million; has it made a difference? (goerie.com)

Wilkes-Barre boosts pay for summer jobs, gets more applicants | News | citizensvoice.com

 

Crime/Punishment

PPD offering $30,000 for info on another South Street shooting suspect | Local News | phillytrib.com

Survivors of long-term solitary confinement to speak on panel | News | Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh City Paper (pghcitypaper.com)

 

Education

Tens of millions of Pennsylvania school dollars ‘unauditable’ | TribLIVE.com

Guest commentary: Unified Sports can involve all students (mainlinemedianews.com)

With record enrollment, Johnson College announces building projects, $5M capital campaign | Education | thetimes-tribune.com

Hazleton Area enters contracts for arts and humanities high school | Education | standardspeaker.com

Daniel Boone School Board still being criticized over reansportation decision (readingeagle.com)

 

Elections/Politics

PA Senate Race: Mehmet Oz wins statewide recount by approx. 900 votes (abc27.com)

Southeast PA Key Battlefield In National GOP’s Hopes to Flip House – DV Journal (delawarevalleyjournal.com)

Fetterman and Oz Sparring Already – DV Journal (delawarevalleyjournal.com)

Former Congressman pleads guilty to election fraud charges | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com

Op-Ed: Could the PA primary signal rock bottom? (goerie.com)

What is Kathy Barnette’s future in politics after nearly pulling upset? (ydr.com)

How Doug Mastriano promoted election lies between Election Day and January 6 | WITF

How Scott Perry promoted election lies between Election Day and January 6 | WITF

Oz and Fetterman face distinct challenges heading into the general election campaign – pennlive.com

Former Philadelphia Parking Authority leader Vince Fenerty takes over the city’s Republican Party (inquirer.com)

 

Environment

Lancaster to hold listening sessions to combat climate change (abc27.com)

Report: Chesapeake Bay’s health making gains; Pa. still needs to meet its clean-up commitments – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Increasing oil and gas well inspections is a crucial step toward addressing climate change | Editorial (inquirer.com)

Federal officials release uniform guidelines for electric vehicle charging stations | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

 

Transportation

Editorial: Amtrak bus service a step in right direction (delcotimes.com)

 

Health

PHC4 financial report: 1 LECOM Health hospital thrives, other struggles (goerie.com)

Guest Opinion: Abortion Pill Reversal neither ‘rogue’ nor ‘unproven’ (buckscountycouriertimes.com)

Supporting safe abortion is a moral and responsible stance [column] | Local Voices | lancasteronline.com

 

State News

Joe Biden coming to Philly for AFL-CIO’s Constitutional Convention (inquirer.com)

Pennsylvania Supreme Court denies Philadelphia’s appeal on property reassessment case – Philadelphia Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

State releases audit on three Delco fire relief associations – Delco Times

2,000 W.Pa. residents without power; forecast has sunshine returning | TribLIVE.com

 

National News

After Uvalde, poll finds increased support for gun measures : NPR

After Uvalde and Buffalo, growing calls to raise the age limit for gun sales : NPR

Here’s a path to practical, immediate gun reform | Bruce Ledewitz – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

The federal government plans to phase out single-use plastics at national parks : NPR

LGBTQ+ health in the spotlight during Pride Month | Smart Talk (witf.org)

Supreme Court: Armed man arrested near Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s Maryland house (inquirer.com)

 

Local News

Hydrant leak adds $20K to water bill for Cambria County Prison | Local News | tribdem.com

Warminster’s Centennial Station residents fear elevator shut-down plan (buckscountycouriertimes.com)

PECO fixing gas line leak less than a block from Pottstown blast site (mainlinemedianews.com)

Radnor breaks ground for new stormwater mitigation project – Mainline Media News

UDC to revisit Upper Delaware ban on cell towers; public safety cited (poconorecord.com)

Luzerne Borough leaders respond to investigation into missing guns, deny wrongdoing | News | citizensvoice.com

Former Reading Mayor Joseph Eppihimer remembered as caring for the city (readingeagle.com)

 

Pitt

Pittsburgh bouncing back from the pandemic toward a technological future, report shows | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Pitt to help Ukrainian lawyers bring the war against Russia into the courtroom | WITF

Motorists urged to ‘find other ways’ around affected areas ahead of Parkway East, Bates Street road work | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Pittsburgh City Council approves landmark status for Prohibition bootlegger Joe Tito’s Uptown home, garage | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

 

Philly

Juneteenth flag raised at Philadelphia City Hall | Local News | phillytrib.com

Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney says he has $184 anti-violence plan. What’s in it? (inquirer.com)

Philadelphia South Street shooting: Mayor Jim Kenney and DA Larry Krasner clash over charging man involved (inquirer.com)

Mortgage lending is down sharply nationwide as interest rates rise, but the Philly area bucks trends (inquirer.com)

 

Washington

House passes sweeping gun package in largely party-line vote; Gov. Wolf comments (abc27.com)

As Survivors of Gun Violence Demand Action, House Passes Bill Doomed in the Senate – The New York Times (nytimes.com)

‘My mom’s life mattered’: Son of Buffalo shooting victim urges Congress to act – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Justice Dept. names 9 to aid in review of Uvalde shooting | Across America | phillytrib.com

Jan. 6 panel to put Trump at center of ‘coordinated, multistep effort’ to overturn election (abc27.com)

January 6th Committee begins hearings today, here are the Pennsylvania details to watch for | PA Power and Policy | lancasteronline.com

Key questions the Jan. 6 committee will tackle in its hearings : NPR