News Digest :: August 27, 2021

Legislature

‘The money is there’: Senate Democrats propose an alternative to immediate evictions, foreclosures | Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

‘These are issues that affect our families’: Pa. Dems call on Congress to pass infrastructure bill | Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Delco senators call on GOP colleagues to direct funds towards Pennsylvania’s needs – Delco Times

Senators Saval, Costa, Hughes, Haywood Announce New Legislation to Keep Struggling Pennsylvanians Housed – MyChesCo

County legislator to introduce bill that will allow kids 14 and older to be immunized without parental consent | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

PA Push For Kids To Get Vaccine Without Parental Consent Advances | Patch

Pa. DHS wants to move Medicaid assessments to Maximus, angering legislators (inquirer.com)

Republican leaders reject Wolf’s call to pass school mask mandate · Spotlight PA

Pa Republicans refuse to Gov. Wolf’s mask mandate; Physicians blast caucus leaders | WJET/WFXP/YourErie.com

No mask mandate from Pennsylvania legislators | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com

The battle over masks continues as lawmakers reject statewide mandate | City & State PA (cityandstatepa.com)

Infrastructure bill can make good on Biden-Harris’ pledges for racial equity | Opinion (inquirer.com)

Paroled murderer accused of killing 8-year old boy can’t sue Pa. legislator who named proposed law for the victim: U.S. court – pennlive.com

Working PA bipartisan gambling suggestions target skill games – Pennsylvania News Today

PA Ends ‘Prison Gerrymandering’ With Closely Divided Committee Vote | WSKGWSKG

Sens. Unveil Measure To Keep Pennsylvanians In Homes | Abington, PA Patch

Extended opioid emergency proved vital, AICDAC director says | News | indianagazette.com

Pa. Sen. Cris Dush talks about election review, his doubts of the vote count and how Donald Trump ‘is watching’ – pennlive.com

GOP leaders set to review 2020 election, though Pa. results are not in question. How did we get here? | WITF

The Pa. Senate leader resisted his pro-Trump wing for months. Now he wants a MAGA makeover. · Spotlight PA

A Pa. election audit will change nothing. It’s time to move on | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Pa.’s legislative leaders wield extraordinary power, and the audit fight proves it · Spotlight PA

Election ‘audit’ sows intra-GOP fight, attacks by Democrats | Tri-City Herald

Pennsylvania southwestern 14th congressional district asks to stay whole | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com

This week’s biggest Winners & Losers | City & State PA (cityandstatepa.com)

Our Town Foundation of Hamburg gets $200,000 grant from Pa. (readingeagle.com)

After flash floods, Wolf calls on feds to lower thresholds for assistance | Friday Morning Coffee | Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Gov. Wolf urges FEMA lower threshold for relief aid after Bucks flood (theintell.com)

 

Coronavirus – COVID-19

100,000 more COVID-19 deaths seen unless U.S. changes its ways | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

More than 100,000 people are hospitalized with COVID-19, the most since January | WITF

Chester County in position to boost virus testing – Daily Local

 

Business/Jobs

These are the 10 best employers in Pennsylvania, according to Forbes – Philadelphia Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

Here are the top 50 employers in Cumberland County | The Sentinel: News | cumberlink.com

SBA cites Covid-19 in relaxing location requirement for 8(a) contracting program – Philadelphia Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

Businesses still struggling to find workers; Messiah Lifeways raises minimum wage to $15 (abc27.com)

Delta’s extra $200 insurance fee shows vaccine dilemma for employers – Philadelphia Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

Local businesses can apply for energy efficiency grants – Daily Local

Wanted: City of Pittsburgh looks to fill jobs after receiving federal COVID-19 relief funds | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Pittsburgh hiring for labor, other jobs frozen amid pandemic budget cuts | TribLIVE.com

South Carolina company to close central Pa. facility as part of consolidation – pennlive.com

Everything we know about work is wrong. The pandemic proved it | John L. Micek | Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Stauffers of Kissel Hill to boost starting pay to $15 an hour as it looks to hire 300 people | Local Business | lancasteronline.com

 

Crime/Punishment

Pa. youth detention center closing after state revokes license – pennlive.com

 

Education

Here’s how Pennsylvania schools want to spend pandemic money – The Morning Call (mcall.com)

Pennsylvania schools making plans to spend pandemic windfall | WITF

Here’s why school board meetings have become so wild as districts decide mask mandates – The Morning Call (mcall.com)

Parents of Philly school kids: You might qualify for free internet access through PHL ConnectED | Opinion (inquirer.com)

Some North Allegheny students walk out of school to protest masks | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Education Dept. extends debt relief to 115,000 former ITT Tech students | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Wilkes-Barre Area officials celebrate new high school at ribbon cutting | News | citizensvoice.com

Pittsburgh Public Schools, teachers union approve new contract | TribLIVE.com

Grant to allow University of Scranton to explore, celebrate Scranton’s story | Education | thetimes-tribune.com

Grant to Lackawanna College will help growing field | Education | thetimes-tribune.com

Reading School Board regretfully and tearfully accepts superintendent’s resignation – Reading Eagle

Pennridge schools pause diversity initiatives; NAACP calls it ‘slap in the face’ | WITF

Central Bucks officials keep mask optional plan after special meeting (theintell.com)

Southwestern High School dismisses Learning 2025 initiative (ydr.com)

Philadelphia superintendent discusses COVID-19 protocols for upcoming school year | Local News | phillytrib.com

 

Elections/Politics

County Democratic picnic planned at Boswell Community Park | News | tribdem.com

U.S. Senate Candidate Val Arkoosh Discusses The Issues With Patch | Abington, PA Patch

Sean Parnell Blasts Biden On Afghanistan, Says He ‘Basically Installed A Global Jihadist All-Star Team’ | The Daily Caller

Luzerne County election board agrees to work with election consultant | | standardspeaker.com

Capital-Star Q+A: 2022 GOP gov. candidate Jason Richey on taxes, hyperloop, and voting | Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

U.S. voting rights events reflect multiracial reform agenda | News | phillytrib.com

 

Environment

Advocates tell DOE that the cost of Appalachian petrochemicals too great – Pittsburgh Business Times (bizjournals.com)

Smoke From Caldor Fire Suffocates Lake Tahoe – The New York Times (nytimes.com)

Guest Opinion: America’s climate leadership rests in Appalachia (theintell.com)

Biden steers away from Trump’s disastrous automobile emissions standards (ydr.com)

 

Transportation

Airport passenger departures jump, but short of pre-pandemic levels | News | thetimes-tribune.com

Amtrak: NYC-Scranton route’s economic impact would be $87M per year (poconorecord.com)

 

Health

Jefferson rolls out mobile cancer screening unit thanks to $1.4M Dietz & Watson donation – Philadelphia Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

UPMC touts growing North Hills hospital hub, $12B in midyear revenue | TribLIVE.com

LVHN has fewer than 100 COVID patients in all hospitals, Hazleton chief says | Coronavirus | standardspeaker.com

Pa. celebrates Reading Hospital’s help for the addicted – Reading Eagle

Op-Ed: It’s time for hospitals to put patients first (poconorecord.com)

 

State News

Pennsylvania closes in, at least temporarily, on top gas producing spot – Pittsburgh Business Times (bizjournals.com)

Pennsylvania could mark its 13th hot car death after four-year-old found dead in York County (abc27.com)

750,000 residential accounts are facing utility shut-offs says Pa. PUC (abc27.com)

NEPA Purple Heart recipient fighting for Afghan translator’s rescue | Times Leader

NEPA’s D.C. delegation weighs in on Kabul attack | Times Leader

Mom’s criminal conviction for not having daughter, 3, secured in a car safety seat voided by split Pa. Supreme Court – pennlive.com

25% of Pennsylvania’s rental assistance funds have been distributed to residents – The Morning Call (mcall.com)

Pennsylvania’s billionaires more than doubled their wealth during pandemic, says report | News | Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh City Paper (pghcitypaper.com)

 

National News

Supreme Court Ends Biden’s Eviction Moratorium – The New York Times (nytimes.com)

ISIS-K: What We Know About The Group Behind The Kabul Airport Attacks : NPR

President Biden tells Kabul attackers: ‘We will hunt you down and make you pay’ | WITF

Biden Pledges To Strike Back After Attack Kills 13 U.S. Service Members In Kabul : NPR

Afghanistan airlifts resume with added urgency in wake of deadly Kabul blasts | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

U.S. forces preparing for more ISIS attacks in Kabul, top commander says | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

PENNYCUICK: Biden Failed US – DV Journal (delawarevalleyjournal.com)

Republican-Led Texas House Passes New Voting Restrictions : NPR

Tropical Storm Ida Is Threatening Louisiana’s Coastline This Weekend : NPR

The U.S. Is Pledging Aid To Haiti But The Success Of Past Efforts Has Been Mixed : NPR

Jail Where Jeffrey Epstein Killed Himself In NYC Will Be Closed : NPR

Time’s Up CEO Tina Tchen resigns in wake of Cuomo scandal | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

 

Local News

Giffords memorial honors Pennsylvanians gunned down in 2020 (audacy.com)

State College Borough Plans To Request A Census Recount, Suspecting A Pandemic-Related Undercount | 90.5 WESA

Residents Share Concerns Over Proposed Amazon Facility In Lawrenceville | 90.5 WESA

LCTA names COLTS chief as new executive director | News | thetimes-tribune.com

Chester County plans for International Overdose Awareness Day include ‘Light the Night’ evening of remembrance and hope – Daily Local

Carbon’s hotel tax collections soar | News | standardspeaker.com

Lehigh County executive unveiled the proposed 2022 budget. Will taxpayers see a hike? – The Morning Call (mcall.com)

Eisenhower Drive project: York County transportation planners voice support for controversial bypass (ydr.com)

EMI pedestrian bridge over West 12th Street in Erie to be removed (goerie.com)

Erie stormwater infrastructure: Sewer line failure raises concerns on costs (goerie.com)

Lancaster agencies prepare to welcome Afghan refugees | News | lancasteronline.com

 

Pitt

Pittsburgh plans to add 36 electric vehicles to its fleet with $10.4 million in federal funds – Pittsburgh Business Times (bizjournals.com)

Bobby Wilson appointed to Pittsburgh Land Bank board; Council returns to Chambers | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

‘The biggest story of my life’ – Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Interactive

Pittsburgh Public Schools superintendent ordered to pay more than $7,000, forfeit vacation days for ethics violations | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Pittsburgh Controller calls for PPS leadership change after superintendent’s ethics violations | News | Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh City Paper (pghcitypaper.com)

Allegheny County, RIDC agree to develop Carrie Furnaces site | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Pittsburgh’s new CitiParks website puts fun on the map | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Pittsburgh groups trying to set up homes for Afghan refugees who fled chaos of Taliban takeover | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

RADical Days returns with month of free admissions and events throughout Pittsburgh | Arts + Entertainment | Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh City Paper (pghcitypaper.com)

 

Philly

Persistent drug crime stokes fear in Philly neighborhood (broadandliberty.com)

Philadelphia’s Broad Street Run to require Covid-19 vaccination for all runners – Philadelphia Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

How is enforcement of Philly’s mask mandate going? The city can’t say. (inquirer.com)

Ex-MOVE members say they were raised in a ‘cult’ where abuse and homophobia ran rampant (inquirer.com)

Afghan evacuees expected at Philly airport as soon as Friday (inquirer.com)

Philadelphia’s Cuban community comes together on the hope, stress of Cuba protests (inquirer.com)

Philly Parking Authority needs a new leader. The guy who wants the job can’t get a vote. (inquirer.com)

This Pa. city is ranked among the top 5 best for sports fans: study – pennlive.com

Peace rally in North Philadelphia targets at-risk youth | Local News | phillytrib.com

 

Washington

Panel requests records in connection to Jan. 6 Capitol attack | ABC27

Lawmakers call for declassification of U.S. intelligence report on COVID-19 origins | ABC27

Vice President Kamala Harris says she urged Vietnam to free political dissidents | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Capitol Police officers sue Trump and allies over election lies, Jan. 6 | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette