News Digest :: December 10, 2021

Legislatura

2021 Pa. congressional district map drafts become public – WHYY

Pa. food banks to receive $11.4M allocation to expand storage infrastructure – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Pa. legislators pitch plans to end automatic pay raises for lawmakers, other public officials – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

What we know about the House GOP’s preliminary congressional map | City & State PA (cityandstatepa.com)

Gun control advocates gather in Cheswick to protest state rep’s vote in favor of constitutional carry bill | TribLIVE.com

Berks County food banks and pantries to benefit from new state funds (readingeagle.com)

Coronavirus - COVID-19

Philly could require COVID vaccine proof for indoor dining (inquirer.com)

FDA expands Pfizer’s COVID-19 booster, opens extra dose to age 16 (inquirer.com)

Rapid coronavirus tests hard to find, despite Biden vows (inquirer.com)

Philadelphia School District changes course, excluding hundreds of athletes from teams with a new vaccine policy (inquirer.com)

Penn bans indoor social gatherings in response to rising COVID-19 cases (inquirer.com)

Delta variant, not omicron, will be the bigger coronavirus threat this winter: Fauci – pennlive.com

North Allegheny School Board approves mask-optional policy once state mandate lifts | 90.5 WESA

Covid-driven hospital surge ‘not a sustainable situation’ in Western Pa., expert says | TribLIVE.com

Doctor: ‘Pandemic of the unvaccinated’ as COVID-19 surge overwhelms hospitals | Coronavirus | tribdem.com

Lehigh Valley hospitals under pressure as COVID and increased need for care put heavy stress on staff and facilities – The Morning Call (mcall.com)

Pennsylvania hospitals report COVID, surge and some at capacity (buckscountycouriertimes.com)

Empresa/Trabajo

Report explores a decarbonized future for PGW, cites challenges – WHYY

City Council approves changes in food-delivery fees paid by restaurants (inquirer.com)

In a ‘symbolic victory for the labor movement,’ Starbucks workers agree to union in Buffalo, NY – pennlive.com

Editorial: Labor shortage affects safety on the road and crossing it | TribLIVE.com

U.S. jobless claims hit lowest point since September 1969 | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

US jobless claims at 52-year low amid seasonal volatility – Daily Local

Delito/Castigo

Too late, Larry. Now we know what you really think about what’s going on in the streets of Philly | Jenice Armstrong (inquirer.com)

Philly DA Larry Krasner: I was ‘inarticulate’ to say the city is not experiencing a violence crisis (inquirer.com)

Jussie Smollett convicted of staging attack, lying to police. Attorney says actor will appeal. (inquirer.com)

Beaver County district attorney consulted with Pennsylvania State Police before shooting, then ruled it justified (inquirer.com)

A diversionary program for drug offenders that worked for years in Philly is hoping for similar success in Montgomery County (inquirer.com)

Duquesne police chief faces intimidation count in sex assault case | 90.5 WESA

Educación

Parental involvement crucial for Philly’s early learners, advocates say – WHYY

Pennsylvania could get universal preschool. Here’s how – WHYY

New Philadelphia school policy: students can choose nonbinary gender – On top of Philly news (billypenn.com)

Penn State names Louisville president Neeli Bendapudi as its next leader (inquirer.com)

Penn State hires first woman, person of color to head school | WITF

Threat closes Susquehanna Twp. school buildings to students on Friday: superintendent – pennlive.com

Substitute teachers in Erie: Pay raises may help schools cover classes (goerie.com)

Elecciones/Política

Mehmet Oz’s campaign for the Pa. Senate race is rock bottom for a GOP running on empty | Will Bunch (inquirer.com)

With new maps and Sharif Street looming, Brendan Boyle polls his odds for reelection (inquirer.com)

Pa. redistricting: Draft congressional map pits Democrats Brendan Boyle, Sharif Street against each other (inquirer.com)

DA Larry Krasner’s campaign and Real Justice PAC have admitted to breaking Philly’s campaign finance law, again (inquirer.com)

Philly lawyer may join GOP field running for US Senate seat | WITF

Street says Senate congressional draft is fair, protects minority voters; Democrats say he sold out – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Here’s how to weigh in on Pennsylvania’s next congressional map – pennlive.com

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich endorses Carla Sands for Senate | City & State PA (cityandstatepa.com)

Susek starting as Luzerne County’s new election director Monday | Times Leader

Medio ambiente

Komodo dragons hatched at zoo marks a big win for the endangered species (inquirer.com)

Pa. releases final rule to cut methane leaks from existing oil and gas well sites | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Single-use plastic bag ban: Here’s the details of the bill tabled by Lehigh County officials – The Morning Call (mcall.com)

Infraestructura

Pennsylvania and other cold weather states are struggling to hire snowplow drivers | WITF

Could Biden’s infrastructure bill help heal the scars highways created? | Opinion – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Salud

Jennersville and Brandywine hospitals in Chester County to close – WHYY

What’s really happening when your back ‘cracks’ | Expert Opinion (inquirer.com)

New U.S. suicide hotline to launch July 2022 (inquirer.com)

Repeated opioid overdoses can change the brain, Drexel study suggests (inquirer.com)

Flu cases increase significantly in Pa., showing up in nearly every county – pennlive.com

Noticias del Estado

How the Supreme Court decision on abortion would affect Pa. – WHYY

Report: Affordable, home-based childcare is key to economic recovery | Friday Morning Coffee – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

DCNR seeks applicants for new public input council – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Bucks County treasurer offering 2022 Pennsylvania dog licenses (buckscountycouriertimes.com)

Noticias nacionales

New York City aims to allow legal permanent residents to vote – WHYY

49 migrants dead, 58 injured in truck crash in south Mexico – WHYY

Filling the void: For some veterans, militias offer a misguided sense of purpose | Opinion (inquirer.com)

Michigan School Shooting: How online threats become real-world tragedy | Opinion – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

British court says WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange can be extradited to the U.S. – pennlive.com

Noticias locales

Market forces — not just Amazon — bolster Cumberland County economy – pennlive.com

‘My vote will be no:’ Majority of Wilkinsburg council members oppose annexation | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

No tax increase in West Hazleton for 2022 | News | standardspeaker.com

Johnstown telehealth facility plans to open in 2022 after pandemic delay; renovations needed to Cambria-Rowe site early next year | Local News | tribdem.com

Reading wants to reopen its greenhouse (readingeagle.com)

Forecasters say a strong cold front Saturday could bring damaging winds and brief tornadoes to the region – The Morning Call (mcall.com)

Chester County public safety, crime prevention programs get $830K grant – Daily Local

EPA again finds no exposure from Norwood landfill – Delco Times

Visit Bucks County: Patrons return driven by pent-up demand, weddings (buckscountycouriertimes.com)

Pitt

Pittsburgh Penguins sale to Fenway Sports Group wins city-county and NHL approval | 90.5 WESA

Conozca al Papá Noel no oficial de Pittsburgh | TribLIVE.com

Filadelfia

Broad Street Ministry launches mobile community drugstore — WHYY

Philly Fed report shows racial disparity in pandemic economic blows – WHYY

Philly raises the bar on green design for city buildings – WHYY

Philly Council passes bill targeting illegal auto work – WHYY

Picking a new commerce director is a tough but critical decision for Mayor Kenney | Editorial (inquirer.com)

Philly police investigating after crude anti-Biden stickers were spotted on a cop car (inquirer.com)

Reliving my own resettlement through the hope and struggle of Afghans new to Philly | Opinion (inquirer.com)

Spergo teen CEO Trey Brown plans expansion after $300K investment on Shark Tank (inquirer.com)

Washington

Jan. 6 panel: Court rejects Trump’s efforts to shield records (whyy.org)

President Joe Biden pays tribute to Bob Dole at Capitol service (inquirer.com)

Former Pa. Gov. Tom Ridge to be among those in attendance at Bob Dole’s funeral – pennlive.com