Legislature
House, Senate bills aim to reform PA’s Equal Pay Law
https://www.buckscountycouriertimes.com/news/20190405/house-senate-bills-aim-to-reform-pas-equal-pay-law
Reform sought as cyber charter school costs top $42M in NEPA districts
https://www.citizensvoice.com/news/reform-sought-as-cyber-charter-school-costs-top-42m-in-nepa-districts-1.2467158
House speaker Turzai wants more state influence on the airport authority board
https://www.post-gazette.com/business/development/2019/04/06/Turzai-airport-authority-Pittsburgh-International-Fitzgerald-Peduto/stories/201904060030
Report: Pa. Rep. Murt is top supporter of controversial ‘model legislation’
https://www.post-gazette.com/news/politics-state/2019/04/05/Pennsylvania-house-Rep-tom-Murt-model-legislation/stories/201904050150
Pass parole reform, focus on crime
https://www.thetimes-tribune.com/opinion/pass-parole-reform-focus-on-crime-1.2466785
Pennsylvania should drop the nuclear option
https://www.citizensvoice.com/opinion/pennsylvania-should-drop-the-nuclear-option-1.2467036
Business
Lawmakers must recognize that cash is no longer king for retailers | Opinion
https://www.philly.com/opinion/commentary/cashless-store-ban-philadelphia-new-jersey-20190407.html
Pittsburgh Mills mall’s uncertain future worries shoppers, Frazer officials
https://triblive.com/local/valley-news-dispatch/pittsburgh-mills-malls-uncertain-future-worries-shoppers-frazer-officials/
ATI lands $45M pipeline contract, plans to hire workers in Harrison
https://triblive.com/local/valley-news-dispatch/ati-lands-45m-pipeline-contract-plans-to-hire-workers-in-harrison/
Vape shop owners worry they are doomed as FDA moves to restrict flavored e-cigarettes
https://www.citizensvoice.com/news/vape-shop-owners-worry-they-are-doomed-as-fda-moves-to-restrict-flavored-e-cigarettes-1.2467022
Nearly half of all Erie jobs will be disrupted by automation, tech
https://www.goerie.com/news/20190407/nearly-half-of-all-erie-jobs-will-be-disrupted-by-automation-tech
Chesco mushroom grower inducted into Business Hall of Fame
https://www.dailylocal.com/business/chesco-mushroom-grower-inducted-into-business-hall-of-fame/article_e0f95d9f-e010-5b5f-a96b-a53a3c64be6d.html
Catholic Church
Erie Catholic diocese will open files to priest sex abuse victims
https://triblive.com/news/pennsylvania/erie-catholic-diocese-will-open-files-to-priest-sex-abuse-victims/
Crime/Punishment
In Radnor Wawa, 30 seconds of terror: How a years-long custody battle escalated to murder
https://www.philly.com/news/pennsylvania/wawa-shooting-radnor-delaware-county-main-line-20190406.html
Think you can lie about hitting a deer? 25 charged in Western Pa. insurance fraud sweep
https://triblive.com/local/pittsburgh-allegheny/think-you-can-lie-about-hitting-a-deer-25-charged-in-western-pa-insurance-fraud-sweep/
1957 Wilkes-Barre murder remains unsolved 62 years later
https://www.timesleader.com/news/739499/1957-wilkes-barre-murder-remains-unsolved-62-years-later
Education
School districts are paying to burnish their brands to counter images and compete with charters
https://www.philly.com/education/norristown-upperdarby-coatesville-branding-charters-20190406.html
On heels of Rosfeld verdict, fighting gun violence remains a priority with Woodland Hills students
https://www.post-gazette.com/news/education/2019/04/07/Rosfeld-verdict-antwon-rose-gun-violence-Woodland-Hills-students-east-pittsburgh/stories/201904070070
Some easy elements of recovery
https://www.thetimes-tribune.com/opinion/some-easy-elements-of-recovery-1.2466970
Looping them in: Teachers learn how to make cursive writing fun for kids
https://www.post-gazette.com/news/education/2019/04/06/Workshop-educators-handwriting-techniques-cursive-fun-experience-pittsburgh/stories/201904060040
Wilkes University streetscape project to begin May 20
https://www.timesleader.com/news/739418/wilkes-university-streetscape-project-to-begin-may-20
Safety concerns prompt indoor graduation for West Mifflin
https://triblive.com/local/pittsburgh-allegheny/safety-concerns-prompt-indoor-graduation-for-west-mifflin/
Celebrating women’s voices in higher education | Opinion
https://www.pennlive.com/opinion/2019/04/celebrating-womens-voices-in-higher-education-opinion.html
Tuition changes at the Pa. State System of Higher Education: Quick takeaways
https://www.pennlive.com/news/2019/04/tuition-changes-at-the-pa-state-system-of-higher-education-quick-takeaways.html
Tuition call good start
https://www.thetimes-tribune.com/opinion/tuition-call-good-start-1.2466972
Local News
Female contractor embarks on big housing project in Hanover Twp.
https://www.citizensvoice.com/news/female-contractor-embarks-on-big-housing-project-in-hanover-twp-1.2467161
For first time, father and daughter to serve on Scranton’s police force
https://www.thetimes-tribune.com/news/for-first-time-father-and-daughter-to-serve-on-scranton-s-police-force-1.2467138
Healthy Food Festival provides families with produce, lessons on good choices
https://www.thetimes-tribune.com/news/healthy-food-festival-provides-families-with-produce-lessons-on-good-choices-1.2467202
Upper Burrell considers fire tax
https://triblive.com/local/valley-news-dispatch/upper-burrell-considers-fire-tax/
Reading families checking out bilingual programs at city library
https://www.readingeagle.com/news/article/offer-of-family-portraits-give-reading-families-a-chance-to-check-out-the-library
Boys reel in trash bag filled with ‘suspicious items’ at former mining hole
https://www.readingeagle.com/news/article/boys-reel-in-trash-bag-filled-with-suspicious-items-at-former-mining-hole
Why are taxpayers still paying Washington Township supervisor Stacy Diehl, who hasn’t shown up for a meeting in 10 months?
https://www.mcall.com/news/watchdog/mc-nws-missing-meetings-20190406-kbxswo4ievdd7evi76skyflmum-story.html
County prepares for health emergency
http://www.altoonamirror.com/news/local-news/2019/04/county-prepares-for-health-emergency/
Marijuana
Support for legalizing pot on Lt. Gov. John Fetterman’s listening tour has some suspicious
https://www.pennlive.com/news/2019/04/support-for-legalizing-pot-on-lt-gov-john-fettermans-listening-tour-has-some-suspicious.html
Lehigh Valley residents make their pitch for legalizing marijuana to Lt. Gov. John Fetterman
https://www.mcall.com/news/pennsylvania/mc-nws-pa-fetterman-marijuana-allentown-20190406-tnyehbngr5dmrfudu7fwupsyry-story.html
100,000 Pennsylvanians now have passports to medical marijuana
https://www.readingeagle.com/news/article/100000-pennsylvanians-now-have-passports-to-medical-marijuana
Legalizing pot doesn’t come without societal costs. Just look at Colorado, anti-marijuana advocate says
https://www.pennlive.com/news/2019/04/legalizing-pot-doesnt-come-without-societal-costs-just-look-at-colorado-anti-marijuana-advocate-says.html
National News
Judge rules New York county can’t ban unvaccinated children from schools, parks
https://www.philly.com/health/anti-vaxxer-rockland-country-new-york-measles-judge-rolf-thorsen-20190406.html
Philly
Why do we need a Sheriff’s Office?
https://www.philly.com/opinion/editorials/sheriff-jewell-williams-john-green-democratic-endorsement-editorial-20190407.html
When this ROTC cadet, 17, saw an overdose victim, he knew: ‘I need to do something’ | Mike Newall
https://www.philly.com/opinion/kensington-opioid-crisis-rotc-cadet-saves-life-overdose-edison-high-20190406.html
Pitt
Not his problem?: Rich Fitzgerald should try to get UPMC to the table
https://www.post-gazette.com/opinion/editorials/2019/04/07/Rich-Fitzgerald-Allegheny-County-executive-UPMC-Highmark-health-care-deal-consent-decree/stories/201904070086
3 hurt when Duquesne police car chasing speeder crashes into Port Authority bus
https://triblive.com/local/pittsburgh-allegheny/2-transported-from-scene-of-crash-with-port-authority-bus-in-duquesne/
Parkland survivors visit Tree of Life to help community find voice
https://triblive.com/local/pittsburgh-allegheny/parkland-survivors-visit-tree-of-life-to-help-community-find-voice/
State News
Could a parking garage ruin an iconic church on a Pennsylvania mountain?
https://www.philly.com/news/thorpe-church-episcopal-architecture-rural-20190406.html
Freed from prison nine years ago, Brandon Flood is new secretary of Pa.’s pardon board | Will Bunch
https://www.philly.com/columnists/attytood/brandon-flood-former-inmate-pennsylvania-new-pardons-secretary-john-fetterman-20190407.html
U.S. Army Sgt. from Pa. receives nation’s second-highest honor for valor at veterans museum in Oakland
https://www.post-gazette.com/local/east/2019/04/05/Army-Sgt-from-Pittsburgh-receives-nation-s-second-highest-honor-for-valor-at-veteran-memorial/stories/201904050096
Census director: 2020 count will be test of technology, public trust
https://triblive.com/local/regional/census-director-2020-count-will-be-test-of-technology-public-trust/
So you want to be a farmer: Farm Service offers beginning and under-served farmer loans
https://triblive.com/local/valley-news-dispatch/so-you-want-to-be-a-farmer-farm-service-offers-beginning-and-under-served-farmer-loans/
Someday we’ll never touch cash anymore, just not quite yet
https://www.citizensvoice.com/news/someday-we-ll-never-touch-cash-anymore-just-not-quite-yet-1.2467020
Editorial: Honor Grace Packer’s memory by pushing for change
https://www.readingeagle.com/news/article/honor-grace-packers-memory-by-pushing-for-change
Toxic chemicals in Pennsylvania’s drinking water remain unregulated
https://www.pennlive.com/news/2019/04/why-is-it-taking-so-long-to-regulate-toxic-pfas-chemicals-in-pennsylvanias-drinking-water.html
Three Mile Island nuclear reactor dismantling could take six decades, more than $1 billion
https://www.poconorecord.com/news/20190406/three-mile-island-nuclear-reactor-dismantling-could-take-six-decades-more-than-1-billion
Could Bethlehem become the 1st town in the Valley to ban single-use plastic bags?
https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/bethlehem/2019/04/could-bethlehem-become-the-1st-town-in-the-valley-to-ban-single-use-plastic-bags.html
Transportation
Rt. 924 work set to begin in Schuylkill County
https://www.standardspeaker.com/news/rt-924-work-set-to-begin-in-schuylkill-county-1.2467105
COLTS advisory board to meet
https://www.thetimes-tribune.com/news/colts-advisory-board-to-meet-1.2467250
Beaver County records second-fewest drunken-driving fatalities in state
https://www.timesonline.com/news/20190407/beaver-county-records-second-fewest-drunken-driving-fatalities-in-state