Legislature

Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court will hear the suit on special election dates, as Democrats, GOP pick candidates | WITF

The power struggle in the Pennsylvania House is unseemly [editorial] | Our Opinion | lancasteronline.com

Republican State Rep. Gaydos running for Pennsylvania House Speaker (abc27.com)

Doylestown Borough councilman Tim Brennan moving to state House of Representatives | The Bucks County Herald

Gov. Tom Wolf talks why the plan for $2,000 stimulus checks failed – pennlive.com

Oxford Police Department Adds Live Scan Fingerprinting Capabilities – MyChesCo

Bucks County farm part of state’s recent preservation efforts | The Bucks County Herald

2 Berks projects receive a total of nearly $230,000 in state grants (readingeagle.com)

 

Business/Jobs

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette contract talks stall, no new sessions scheduled | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Pennsylvania gaming revenue in November was up from 2021 (dailylocal.com)

Pennsylvania’s labor force participation continues to fall | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com

Wells Fargo to pay $3.7 billion settling charges it wrongfully seized homes and cars : NPR

Hotels turn to robots and room cleanings every 4 days to ease staffing shortages : NPR

WATCH VIDEO | Johnstown company wins $18M contract for part of underwater mine detection unit | Local News | tribdem.com

Firm buying Pa. mall plans to transform it into an economic center – pennlive.com

 

COVID-19

Coronavirus FAQs: Outdoor risks, one-way masking, boosters, faint test lines : Goats and Soda : NPR

As Covid Deaths Climb, Even Seniors Skip the Latest Booster – The New York Times (nytimes.com)

Doctors, pharmacies offer tips to keep healthy during holidays (buckscountycouriertimes.com)

N.J. school district reinstates mask mandate as COVID-19 cases rise – pennlive.com

 

Crime/Punishment

West Philadelphia gang members arrested in Sircarr Johnson Jr., Salahaldin Mahmoud fatal shooting (inquirer.com)

‘An unjust system’: Philly advocates hold 24-hour bailout ahead of the holidays | Local News | phillytrib.com

Hire of Tamir Rice’s killer tore apart PA borough · Spotlight PA

 

Education

Pa. school pension trims taxpayer cost, details $1.7 billion paid to Wall Street managers (inquirer.com)

Philly’s Paul Robeson High School is hailed as a model for Pa. in Gov. Wolf visit (inquirer.com)

School Board Series: A day in the life of a school board director (broadandliberty.com)

Philadelphia Inquirer goes overboard in hyperbolic judgment (broadandliberty.com)

Lawsuit looms over zoning of Phoenixville kindergarten center property (dailylocal.com)

Bethlehem Area School Board remains mum on personnel investigation and timeline; says findings won’t be public – The Morning Call (mcall.com)

 

Elections/Politics

National

What’s happened with Florida’s controversial voter fraud cases : NPR

Statewide

Shapiro casts wide transition net; team makeup hints at how he might govern the commonwealth | PA Power and Policy | lancasteronline.com

Akbar Hossain’s American Dream is inspiring his work on Josh Shapiro’s transition team (inquirer.com)

Pennsylvania election maps from the 2022 midterm elections (inquirer.com)

District/Local

Bucks County vote moves Pennsylvania closer to certifying election | WITF

Philadelphia transit workers endorse Democrat Jeff Brown for mayor | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com

Harvie, Marseglia announce reelection bid for Bucks county commissioners race – City & State Pennsylvania (cityandstatepa.com)

Allegheny County Democrats pick nominees for key special elections in Pa. House | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

 

Environment

DCNR to host ‘first day’ hikes at Pa. state parks to boost health, foster connection to public lands – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

 

Transportation

Airlines have begun waiving flight change fees ahead of adverse winter weather : NPR

Authority launches website about effort to bring back rail service (dailylocal.com)

 

Gun Safety

Philadelphia records 500th homicide in 2022 (inquirer.com)

City to redeploy 100 police officers to districts with worst gun violence | Local News | phillytrib.com

 

Health

Feds sending Pa. $98M for health infrastructure upgrades | Wednesday Morning Coffee – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Pennsylvania, federal officials see small signs of hope as opioids ravage communities | WITF

Here’s how many U.S. hospitals sue patients for debts or threaten their credit : Shots – Health News : NPR

Malvern medical device maker pays U.S. $45 million for work outsourced to India (inquirer.com)

Children’s cold medicine shortage adds stress to parents amid ‘tripledemic’ (inquirer.com)

 

State News

Scott Perry: Kevin McCarthy must lead Congress out of status quo (ydr.com)

Perry Referred To House Ethics Committee For Refusing Subpoena (politicspa.com)

2023 begins with an increase in the gas tax in Pennsylvania – CBS Pittsburgh (cbsnews.com)

Blame rise in Pa. gas tax for likely increase at the pump in January – pennlive.com

The deadline to apply for a property tax rebate or rent rebate is Dec. 31. Here’s how – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Pennsylvania hunting opportunities still open into 2023 (abc27.com)

White Christmas unlikely in central PA; coldest holiday in decades (ydr.com)

Traveling for the holidays? Here’s what forecasts say about the conditions you can expect – pennlive.com

Game Commission and Fish and Boat Commission seek funds for wildlife (goerie.com)

Redner’s Markets providing over 200,000 meals to food banks (dailylocal.com)

Ukrainian refugee family finds Christmas spirit in Pa. one day at a time – pennlive.com

Brittney Griner is home, but my brother is still in a maximum security penal colony in Russia (inquirer.com)

 

National News

Musk says he will resign as Twitter CEO once he finds replacement (abc27.com)

‘The Shortest Day’: Susan Cooper And Carson Ellis Celebrate The Solstice : NPR

Overflow crowds in Buenos Aires forced the end of a World Cup celebration parade : NPR

Taliban bans women in Afghanistan from attending university : Goats and Soda : NPR

Lennar expects national slowdown in residential construction – Philadelphia Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

After N.C. substation shooting, federal regulator orders review of security standards – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Christmas at Dollywood, With Streetmosphere and a Chicken Lady – The New York Times (nytimes.com)

 

Local News

30-bed shelter for the homeless opens in Upper Darby (delcotimes.com)

‘A monumental day for Norristown’: Officials praise future development of state hospital land (timesherald.com)

Conowingo Dam license vacated by Court of Appeals (ydr.com)

City of Erie 2023 budget: Here are some key details (goerie.com)

Coordinator: Johnstown OK to exit Act 47 as planned | News | tribdem.com

Lancaster City Council passes $71.8 million general budget, along with hikes in real estate tax, fees | Local News | lancasteronline.com

Lancaster County commissioners differ on strategy for giving ARPA dollars to affordable housing | Local News | lancasteronline.com

What to expect with Christmas cold in Bucks County this year (buckscountycouriertimes.com)

Kennett Square property owners will see significant tax hike – Daily Local

City Council adopts responsible contractor ordinance (readingeagle.com)

A Topgolf and massive development are planned for Route 222. Planners say traffic would be ‘crazy’ dangerous’, a ‘death zone’ for pedestrians – The Morning Call (mcall.com)

Bethlehem passes 2023 budget at meeting marked by discussion of antisemitism – The Morning Call (mcall.com)

 

Pitt

Franco Harris, Hall of Fame Steelers running back dies at 72 – CBS Pittsburgh (cbsnews.com)

Franco Harris of Pittsburgh Steelers ‘Immaculate Reception’ fame dies at 72: reports – pennlive.com

Steelers great Franco Harris dies at 72 | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Frigid, white Christmas likely in forecast for Southwestern Pa. | TribLIVE.com

Honor Flight Pittsburgh: Serving veterans in a meaningful way | Helping the Helpers – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Fern Hollow Bridge remake nears completion, with reopening expected within a week | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

 

Philly

City of Philadelphia releases workforce diversity review | Local News | phillytrib.com

Philadelphia School District’s Tony B. Watlington Sr. announces changes to his leadership team (inquirer.com)

Philanthropists Wallo267 and Gillie Da King get some Philly love | Local News | phillytrib.com

Philly judge Genece Brinkley, who once jailed Meek Mill, has had all her criminal cases reassigned (inquirer.com)

Two more Johnny Doc codefendants plead guilty in union embezzlement case (inquirer.com)

Eagles’ Christmas album ‘A Philly Special Christmas’ raised $250k for charity (inquirer.com)

 

Washington

Congress rolls out $1.7T spending deal in race to Friday deadline – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy plans to visit Washington on Wednesday : NPR

The IRS failed to audit Donald Trump during his presidency, House report finds : NPR

I.R.S. Didn’t Audit Trump for 2 Years in Office, House Committee Says – The New York Times (nytimes.com)

The U.S. asks court to end asylum limits, with a short delay : NPR

What the criminal referral of Trump means. A constitutional law expert explains | Opinion – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)