News Digest :: August 5, 2022

Legislature

Hughes and El-Mekki: Building a Better Student-to-Teacher Pipeline Can Ease Staffing Crisis (broadandliberty.com)

Critics call water quality bill moving through Pa. legislature a back door to privatization · Spotlight PA

Gov. Tom Wolf celebrated a historic $1.8 billion boost in state education spending during a stop in Reading. (readingeagle.com)

After the U.S. Supreme Court ruling, it’s open season on gun laws in Pennsylvania and across the country | WITF

Activist groups to protest at Sen. Kim Ward’s office over abortion bill | TribLIVE.com

Legislators, parents, employees search for First Hospital solutions | Times Leader

 

Coronavirus – COVID-19

With COVID-19 surging again, is Pa. headed for another deadly fall wave? – pennlive.com

Allegheny County’s COVID-19 level jumps to ‘high,’ though cases remain steady | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

 

Business/Jobs

Parents prepare for school lunches amid high inflation (abc27.com)

Comcast Expands Access to its RISE Small Business Grant Program – DV Journal (delawarevalleyjournal.com)

Cranes, scaffolding, construction workers signal Erie renaissance (goerie.com)

Lancaster County Career and Technology Center sees increase in demand, waitlists nearly 200 students | Local News | lancasteronline.com

Tipped workers will have new protections under new PA rules starting Friday (buckscountycouriertimes.com)

Parx Casino eyes hotel in Bensalem (buckscountycouriertimes.com)

Rite Aid ends plan for regional hubs – pennlive.com

Industries with the largest wage increases since 2020 (mcall.com)

Worker shortages are only half the battle for small businesses. Retaining employees is just as important. (inquirer.com)

 

Crime/Punishment

Delco Council extends prison recruiting contract as staffing issues persist (broadandliberty.com)

Harrisburg Catholic Diocese reaches settlement with abuse survivors, needs court’s OK | News | tribdem.com

Cash, school tuition and cemetery plots may be part of Harrisburg diocese’s final settlement with sex abuse survivors – pennlive.com

 

Education

Pennsylvania’s lowest funded school districts lay out their plans for millions in new funding | WITF

5 of the biggest threats today’s K-12 students and educators face don’t involve guns | Opinion – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Cocalico board approves contract with River Rock Academy; agreement with Blue Ridge Cable to provide student-produced content | Community News | lancasteronline.com

Guest Opinion: Library policy erodes trust in Central Bucks’ leaders (buckscountycouriertimes.com)

Penn State did not prove its legal standing to have public court filing sealed, experts say | WITF

Buckingham supervisors approve multi-million dollar project at Friends school | The Bucks County Herald

As a teacher, I’m tired of begging for what I need to do my job | Opinion (inquirer.com)

 

Elections/Politics

4th county adds to ballot dispute as candidate sues to quit | ABC27

Investigation into Berks County primary election day chaos finds chain of mistakes (readingeagle.com)

Report: Berks County’s May primary was a maelstrom of failures | WITF

As lawsuit over undated ballots continues, at least one more Pa. county didn’t tally votes: ‘We followed the law’ – The Morning Call (mcall.com)

Pennsylvania state House races to watch – City & State Pennsylvania (cityandstatepa.com)

Sen. Mensch on Fetterman: ‘Four Years, And He Still Doesn’t Know What He’s Doing’ – DV Journal (delawarevalleyjournal.com)

How Eight Philly Candidates Say They’ll Address Gun Violence (thetrace.org)

Butler County is reviewing its 2020 election mail ballots. The Pa. Department of State calls it a ‘waste of time.’ | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Op-Ed: Dr. Oz jilts the Jerseyans (ydr.com)

Dr. Oz makes his way through Central Pa. ahead of midterm elections | fox43.com

Bucks County Democrats want Jan. 6 protestor to resign from GOP office (buckscountycouriertimes.com)

Playing Politics With The Media (politicspa.com)

Research suggests one way to fight voting misinformation : NPR

How the 2022 midterms strategy could change after the Kansas abortion vote | WITF

Local Jewish group condemns Moosic native, far-right social media platform founder | | citizensvoice.com

Doug Mastriano’s pick to run Pa. elections: Toni Shuppe could be secretary of state (inquirer.com)

John Fetterman’s campaign asks Pa. TV stations to remove ad saying he wants to ‘eliminate life sentences for murderers’ | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

 

Environment

Study: Drilling wastewater on Pa. roads dangerous to human health, environment – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

 

Transportation

American Airlines cuts more than 1,800 flights at Philadelphia International Airport (inquirer.com)

 

Health

Monkeypox declared a public health emergency in the U.S. : Shots – Health News : NPR

Monkeypox now a national health emergency following Biden declaration (ydr.com)

Monkeypox declared a U.S. health emergency; Allegheny County cases rise | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

988 suicide hotline: Why mental health activists are concerned (ydr.com)

Opposition mounts against First Hospital closure | News | citizensvoice.com

 

State News

Pennsylvania tax collections dip; increases from income, sales taxes | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com

Opinion: More than 4 million people visited Delaware Water Gap in 2021 (poconorecord.com)

Stimulus checks update: Here’s what you need to know about ‘relief payment checks’ – pennlive.com

Pa. congressional members lobby Secretary of State to help Oakmont teacher in Russian prison | TribLIVE.com

Toomey, Reschenthaler and bipartisan colleagues call on State Department to fight for Pittsburgh-area native jailed in Russia | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

 

National News

Blinken: China military drills are ‘significant escalation’ – Daily Local

Brittney Griner sentenced to 9 years on drug charges in Russian court : NPR

4 current and former cops were federally charged in Breonna Taylor’s death : NPR

In California, Abortion Could Become a Constitutional Right. So Could Birth Control. – Daily Local

Animal tranquilizer xylazine is making street drugs even more dangerous : Shots – Health News : NPR

CPAC gives Viktor Orbán, Hungary’s autocratic leader, star role in Dallas : NPR

GOP governors sent buses of migrants to D.C. — with no plan for what came next : NPR

A jury says InfoWars’ Alex Jones must pay 2 Sandy Hook parents more than $4 million | WITF

China halts climate, military ties over Pelosi Taiwan visit (inquirer.com)

DeSantis suspends Tampa prosecutor who vowed not to criminalize abortion | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

 

Local News

New solar installation planned for Cumberland County (abc27.com)

Humane Society of Harrisburg Area facing surge of strays (abc27.com)

Hershey’s Chocolate World attraction closing next month (abc27.com)

Media Borough to ban single use plastic bags and straws starting in January (delcotimes.com)

Construction boom continues in Kennett; nearly 170 luxury lofts coming to West State Street – Daily Local

Dixie Cup tax break gets initial thumbs down by Northampton County (mcall.com)

Proposed Allentown laws to protect abortion rights prompt mixed reactions at council meeting – The Morning Call (mcall.com)

Montco commissioners OK update to county housing plan (mainlinemedianews.com)

Termination letter details reasons for former deputy warden’s firing | News | thetimes-tribune.com

 

Pitt

Fayette County coal patch draws a line in the sand against blight and decline | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Teens are learning how to sail on Pittsburgh’s rivers | WITF

Parkway East, Oakland traffic could be a mess this weekend | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Pittsburgh loosens residency requirement for firefighters | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com

LEVEL: Equity Buildings is empowering homebuyers in McKees Rocks (nextpittsburgh.com)

Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Pennsylvania facing challenges to help kids (nextpittsburgh.com)

Pittsburgh hosts recycling drop-off days for electronic and chemical waste | Pittsburgh City Paper (pghcitypaper.com)

Pittsburgh-area lawyers call legal blunder in Alex Jones trial a ‘breathtaking set of multiple catastrophes’ | TribLIVE.com

Fire breaks out in heart of Strip District at building housing new brewery | TribLIVE.com

Pittsburgh’s Department of Mobility and Infrastructure needs more staff, city controller recommends after audit | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

 

Philly

Philly is donating half-a-million dollars to a group that helps patients pay for abortions (inquirer.com)

Philly transplants have over $150,000 more to spend on homes than locals — and it’s driving up home prices (inquirer.com)

Spring Garden Street makeover to connect Delaware, Schuylkill Trails; redesign to begin (inquirer.com)

Philly domestic violence victims can now get free Amazon Ring doorbells — despite lingering privacy concerns (inquirer.com)

Month-long encampment protesting sale of University City Townhomes to end Monday (inquirer.com)

 

Washington

Sinema will move forward with Senate Democrats’ climate, health and tax bill : NPR

Sen. Sinema, Democratic leaders reach deal on changes to health and climate bill | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Democrats say they’ve reached agreement on economic package (inquirer.com)

Lawmakers, Activists Join ‘Warrior Call Day’ Cause – DV Journal (delawarevalleyjournal.com)

Violence prevention receives less than 1% of NIH funding | Opinion (inquirer.com)