News Digest :: July 28, 2022

Legislature

‘A maternal mortality crisis’ – the crux of Dems’ second ‘Post-Roe’ hearing on abortion – City & State Pennsylvania (cityandstatepa.com)

Advocates for homeless veterans tell Pa. lawmakers: We need more money, less red tape. | WITF

Local leaders discuss opioid epidemic at Naloxone training session | chescotimes.com

Wolf admin. adds intramuscular injection to expanded naloxone order – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

MENSCH: Ensuring Election Integrity Has Never Been More Important – DV Journal (delawarevalleyjournal.com)

Lancaster County farmers hurt by avian flu given access to $25 million in state grants | Local News | lancasteronline.com

 

Coronavirus – COVID-19

Biden emerges from COVID isolation, tells public: Get shots – Daily Local

Study: Two boosters effective against severe COVID-19 strain | Local News | tribdem.com

How to ride out COVID-19’s new wave: Boost now or wait? (inquirer.com)

COVID-19 spread still going strong statewide, less so regionally | Coronavirus | thetimes-tribune.com

 

Business/Jobs

U.S. economy just had a 2nd quarter of negative growth. Is it in a recession? : NPR

How higher interest rates affect ordinary Americans : NPR

Spirit Airlines terminates merger deal with Frontier Airlines – Philadelphia Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

JetBlue agrees to buy Spirit for $3.8 billion – The Morning Call (mcall.com)

SBA’s Restaurant Revitalization Fund still has money left. This group wants it spent. – Philadelphia Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

Planned Parenthood workers turn to unions for support | WITF

Comcast awards $1 million to minority-owned businesses to offset pandemic impacts | Local News | phillytrib.com

Wall Street points down after rate hike, ahead of GDP report | Business | tribdem.com

 

Crime/Punishment

Rally held outside Yeadon borough hall regarding 22-year-old’s hanging (delcotimes.com)

Advisory committee for new jail to meet next week with selected community members | Local News | lancasteronline.com

 

Education

Central Bucks votes for library policy despite legal threats (buckscountycouriertimes.com)

Central Bucks School District passes library book policy, opens the door for censorship | WITF

In Face of Protests, Central Bucks Bans Explicit Sexual Materials From Elementary, Middle Schools – DV Journal (delawarevalleyjournal.com)

These are the most commonly banned books in U.S. schools — and in Pennsylvania (inquirer.com)

Pennsylvania universities reject GOP call to freeze tuition (abc27.com)

Pennsylvania universities reject GOP call to freeze tuition | WITF

Judge hears impassioned closing arguments in Pennsylvania school funding case – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Op-Ed: In property tax fight, PA school spending takes center stage (buckscountycouriertimes.com)

New Lancaster County-wide coalition plans to educate, advocate on public school issues | Local News | lancasteronline.com

Penn Manor board approves hiring assistant superintendent | Community News | lancasteronline.com

 

Elections/Politics

Poll: Fetterman, Shapiro Hold Commanding Leads (politicspa.com)

Josh Shapiro pitches economic plan during visit to Pittsburgh’s robotics row | TribLIVE.com

Josh Shapiro tells Pittsburgh his ‘business-friendly’ administration would slash corporate tax | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

PA-07: Wild Holds $2M Fundraising Advantage Over Scheller (politicspa.com)

Gubernatorial Spotlight Series: Energy (broadandliberty.com)

Toomey’s Silent on Mastriano, On Board With Dr. Oz – DV Journal (delawarevalleyjournal.com)

Was Doug Mastriano Trump’s ‘point person’ in Pa. fake elector plot? (inquirer.com)

Pennsylvania GOP Senate candidate Oz backs same-sex marriage bill (abc27.com)

Houlahan Can Handle the GOP; But Can She ‘Beat’ Joe Biden? – DV Journal (delawarevalleyjournal.com)

Pa. Democrats remind voters of Doug Mastriano’s ties to anti-Semites and conspiracy theorists. | WITF

Jan. 6 and Pennsylvania: What role could Capital riot play in midterm elections? (inquirer.com)

 

Environment

How climate change will increase storm surge flooding in NYC, Miami and D.C. : NPR

Here’s what Biden, Congress can do right away to fight climate change, help Appalachia | Opinion – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

 

Health

How to fix Kensington’s opioid problem (inquirer.com)

Tower Health hospitals recognized for their performance (dailylocal.com)

The Abortion Surge Engulfing Clinics in Pennsylvania | The New Yorker

Guest Opinion: Roe v. Wade decision was the correct one (buckscountycouriertimes.com)

Geisinger, Lehigh Valley confirm first monkeypox cases, won’t say where | News | standardspeaker.com

Monkeypox cases are on the rise in this Pa. county, ramping up vaccine efforts – pennlive.com

Allegheny County counts 20 monkeypox cases as local vaccination efforts ramp up  | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

 

State News

Pa. redlining case yields ‘historic’ settlement · Spotlight PA

A Pennsylvania mortgage company discriminated against potential Black and Latino homebuyers, DOJ says | WITF

Feds reach $20M redlining settlement with Philadelphia mortgage lender | Local News | phillytrib.com

DOJ: Warren Buffett’s mortgage company redlined in Philly | Local News | phillytrib.com

Trident’s loans in Philadelphia went to whiter and wealthier neighborhoods, Inquirer analysis shows

Pennsylvania vets waiting more than a year for federal records required for benefits | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com

Pennsylvania county, second-oldest and smallest, a ‘hidden gem’ weathering the pandemic | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com

Fate of 800 mail-in primary votes gets 1st court hearing (abc27.com)

Family sues Sesame Place for racial discrimination, alleging characters ignored 5-year-old Black girl – The Morning Call (mcall.com)

Despite economic headwinds, most state budget experts aren’t worried | Analysis – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

 

National News

Voting drop box restrictions in certain Georgia counties make it harder to vote : NPR

U.S. offers Russia a deal for releasing Brittney Griner : NPR

Kremlin says U.S. swap offer to free Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan must be negotiated quietly (inquirer.com)

Meta, Facebook’s parent company, reports revenue drop for first time ever : NPR

 

Local News

27 new citizens sworn in during Berks ceremony (yahoo.com)

Officials laud planned Coatesville sports/entertainment complex | The Coatesville Times

Bucks County home insurance rates rising after floods, tornadoes (buckscountycouriertimes.com)

Bucks County ratepayers question how they will benefit from sewer sale (buckscountycouriertimes.com)

Lehigh County capital plan for 2023-27 gets unanimous vote (mcall.com)

Harrisburg developer says creating affordable housing means more than new apartments | WITF

Chester County officials touts 23% drop in homelessness; shelters say otherwise | Community News | lancasteronline.com

Former school could provide new public safety center for Hazleton police, firefighters | News | standardspeaker.com

New plan to cleanup Reading block by block (readingeagle.com)

Central Pa. county’s residents among those with highest purchasing power in state – pennlive.com

 

Pitt

Allegheny County homicides concentrated in small number of neighborhoods, report says | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Pgh Planned Parenthood workers say more support, resources needed to keep up with demand – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

‘What was that?’ Building manager, business owners describe parking lot collapse in Penn Hills | TribLIVE.com

Utility workers and inspectors investigating damage from Penn Hills parking lot collapse | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Pittsburgh School Board officially appoints new superintendent, Wayne N. Walters | TribLIVE.com

From Heinz to Acrisure: Converting stadium name is taking hustle, spreadsheets and lots of attention to detail | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Pittsburgh City Council announces new public engagement office, health and human services manager | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

 

Philly

Sixers stadium is existential threat to Philly’s Chinatown | Opinion (inquirer.com)

WWE WrestleMania returns to Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field in 2024 (inquirer.com)

Last stop Wawa! SEPTA to open new station, rename Regional Rail line – Philadelphia Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

Philly Community College program aims to fight nationwide truck driver shortage – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Frankford residents hope new affordable housing complex is a sign of things to come | Local News | phillytrib.com

The billionaires backing the Philadelphia 76ers’ new arena proposal (inquirer.com)

 

Washington

Jan. 6 committee divided on Dem meddling in GOP primaries (axios.com)

Sen. Joe Manchin, fellow Democrats reach deal on economy, climate bill (inquirer.com)

What’s in, and out, of Democrats’ inflation-fighting package – Daily Local

Democrats’ trimmed-down inflation-fighting package still has plenty in it – pennlive.com

Manchin and Schumer strike a deal on a climate, health care and inflation bill : NPR

Biden, Xi to hold fifth talk of their presidencies Thursday | National News | lancasteronline.com

Toomey and Sinema team up on cryptocurrency bill that would exempt small retail purchases from current tax rules | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette