News Digest :: April 3, 2023

Legislature

Potential Merger of Two Bucksco School Districts the Topic of Conversation at Senate Budget Hearing

Call to Harrisburg to raise minimum wage | WOLF (fox56.com)

Advocates rally for local control of minimum wage in Pa. | Times Leader

Pa. voting and licensing database improvement plan questioned | 90.5 WESA

Pa. Democrats propose overhauling Philly’s landlord-tenant officer system – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

EDITORIAL: Motor License Fund bill could force municipalities in a corner | Opinion | thederrick.com

With Democratic House majority, advocates hopeful progressive policy goals will become law – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Pa.’s physician-legislator Arvind Venkat talks gun control, medical debt relief and school funding – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Bipartisan Pa. bill would authorize community solar projects | Monday Morning Coffee – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Bucks County Dem Back With Another ‘Assault Weapons’ Ban Proposal – DV Journal (delawarevalleyjournal.com)

Campaign finance, lobbying reform still receiving little attention in Pa. legislature | Election | citizensvoice.com

Shapiro plans to create safer communities by investing in county 9-1-1 systems | Times Leader

Gov. Shapiro to visit Altoona to discuss investing in first responder services – CBS Pittsburgh (cbsnews.com)

Gov. Shapiro announces long-term health resource network for residents impacted by derailment – CBS Pittsburgh (cbsnews.com)

Editorial: Cheers to state’s two senators for leading the way in holding the rail industry accountable (msn.com)

Business/Jobs

Pa. Courts: Thirty-two percent of active judges in state are women – Daily Local

Johnny Paisano’s closes Baltimore Pike location (delcotimes.com)

Rallying around new entrepreneurs, Johnstown Region Startup Meetup networks at downtown center | Local News | tribdem.com

Wells Fargo’s departure leaves Chester with a single bank branch – Philadelphia Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

Crime/Punishment

13-year-old boy killed on Carlisle Pike was on a quest for sweet treats – pennlive.com

Pa. woman killed, two men injured in all-terrain vehicle accident – pennlive.com

Woman gets probation in charges related to Lancaster protest disorder (abc27.com)

At least 2 injured in collision involving RRTA bus | Local News | lancasteronline.com

NPS IDs suspects, will remove graffiti from structures at Childs Park (poconorecord.com)

Pa. State Police investigating after man shot, killed by police officers in Washington Co. – CBS Pittsburgh (cbsnews.com)

Education

After-school programs financed with pandemic funds making a difference in Chester County – Daily Local

Cambria County school board members, newcomers ready for challenge | News | tribdem.com

Part 4: Candidates respond to questions before Hazleton Area School Board primary | Education | standardspeaker.com

W-B Area hoping for more diverse faculty with a new program for high school seniors | Education | citizensvoice.com

Ambassadors to introduce students to manufacturing jobs | News | citizensvoice.com

Philly schools need billions in repairs and upgrades, district leaders tell City Council | Local News | phillytrib.com

Elections/Politics

Paper ballot voting procedure will be discussed by Luzerne County election officials this week | Election | citizensvoice.com

Political Scene: Fahey announces bid; Barrett plans rally | Election | citizensvoice.com

Danielle Walker named next ACLU of West Virginia leader – CBS Pittsburgh (cbsnews.com)

Philadelphia democratic primary 2023: Voting groups that will decide the mayoral candidate (inquirer.com)

Pennsylvania Democrats like John Fetterman, Josh Shapiro channeling populism (inquirer.com)

Democrats, bedeviled by absences, hope to get back to full strength | NBC4 WCMH-TV (nbc4i.com)

Environment

 Dept. of Ag expands Spotted Lanternfly quarantine ahead of hatching season | Five for the Weekend  – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

 Sales of heat pumps are rising. We answer your heat pump questions. : NPR

Transportation

PennDOT lists road projects for Fayette, Greene, Washington and Westmoreland counties | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Pittsburgh to get $1.5M for electric vehicles, natural gas trucks | TribLIVE.com

Gun Safety

The Nashville school shooting highlights the partisan divide over gun legislation | WITF

Bucks County Dem Back With Another ‘Assault Weapons’ Ban Proposal – DV Journal (delawarevalleyjournal.com)

Hoax active shooter calls highlight rural schools’ risks during emergencies | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Pittsburgh leaders tout efforts to stem violence | TribLIVE.com

Philly Council renews call for state to give city lawmakers the ability to implement stricter gun laws | Local News | phillytrib.com

Philly youth march against gun violence (inquirer.com)

Health

Wellspan expands services, Hamilton Health breaks ground on clinic and other central Pa. medical projects – pennlive.com

Boil water advisory lifted for Hershey residents (abc27.com)

Public health officials warn of tick-borne disease Babesiosis – CBS Pittsburgh (cbsnews.com)

Pa. faces a shortage of benefits workers as health coverage for thousands is on the line (inquirer.com)

How much north-central Pennsylvania nonprofit hospital executives are paid (inquirer.com)

State News

How much north-central Pennsylvania nonprofit hospital executives are paid | WITF

West Reading factory explosion survivor fell into chocolate vat | WITF

Casey introduces legislation supporting seniors | Community News | gettysburgtimes.com

Fetterman talks about battle with depression in sit-down interview: ‘I had stopped leaving my bed’ – pennlive.com

Capitol Digest: Casey, colleagues introduce legislation to invest in local fire stations | News | citizensvoice.com

Fetterman outlines ‘downward spiral’ that led to depression diagnosis (abc27.com)

1000s in PA could lose Medicaid as state lacks workers · Spotlight PA

‘Tranq dope’ turning up in central Pa., hindering overdose reversal, causing ‘rotting’ flesh wounds – pennlive.com

Small businesses take part in R.M. Palmer fundraisers | Berks Regional News | wfmz.com

Allentown’s Liberty Bell museum closes | Lehigh Valley Regional News | wfmz.com

Chester County allocates nearly $7 million in pandemic funds for community safety – Daily Local

Amtrak trains between Philadelphia and Harrisburg canceled through Monday morning due to power line issues [update] | Local News | lancasteronline.com

Delaware County moving forward with parking lot on former Toal building site – Delco Times

What is a ‘Second Amendment Sanctuary’? Pocono counties declare it (poconorecord.com)

DEI Commission recognizes all nine members despite legal roadblocks (goerie.com)

New union contracts will cost Lackawanna County substantially more money | News | thetimes-tribune.com

Prominent politicians appear around Pennsylvania on Saturday – CBS Pittsburgh (cbsnews.com)

Central Pa. Muslims gather to celebrate Ramadan | photos – pennlive.com

National News

As other states attack LGBTQ+ kids, Michigan emerges as a safe haven | Susan J. Demas – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Houlahan’s Bill to Protect U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserves Passes House – DV Journal (delawarevalleyjournal.com)

At least 26 dead after tornadoes rake Midwest, South – Delco Times

U.S. leads world in weather disasters and here’s why – Delco Times

Trump faces setbacks in other probes as NY case proceeds | News | tribdem.com

Former Arkansas governor announces run for president | Nation-world | citizensvoice.com

32 dead as tornadoes torment from Arkansas to Delaware | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

After Nashville, Congress confronts limits of new gun law | News | phillytrib.com

Wisconsin Supreme Court race breaks records : NPR

The Year’s Biggest Election – The New York Times (nytimes.com)

Donald Trump and New York City Brace for a Consequential Week – The New York Times (nytimes.com

Pitt

Public defenders Matt Dugan, Patrick Sweeney seek to bring reform to local justice system – Pittsburgh Union Progress

Understaffed department faces Pittsburgh’s daunting infrastructure needs – Pittsburgh Union Progress

Pittsburgh-area women’s center launches domestic violence resource app – Pittsburgh Union Progress

Federal funding set to help reconnect neighborhoods on Pittsburgh’s North Side – CBS Pittsburgh (cbsnews.com)

Pitt expected to name next chancellor Monday morning | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Philly

Bystander fatally shoots dog attacking a woman and her dog, Philly police say (mcall.com)

Robot security guards at Lowe’s, other stores could soon be everywhere (phillyburbs.com)

Pennsbury eases bathroom regulations; as student calls for counselors (phillyburbs.com)

Philly youth march against gun violence (inquirer.com)

President Joe Biden dropped in for brunch at Philly’s Parc (inquirer.com)

Washington

China urges Japan not to back U.S. chip export restrictions as Washington tries to rally allies (msn.com)

Justice Department has more evidence of possible Trump obstruction in documents probe, Washington Post reports | Reuters

Federal officials fear U.S. won’t pursue some unpaid covid aid loans (msn.com)

Members of Congress on TikTok defend app’s reach to voters | Associated Press | wfmz.com