Administration
Gov. Tom Wolf is asking the feds to offer disaster loans to arson victims during Philly’s George Floyd protests
https://www.inquirer.com/news/gov-tom-wolf-philadelphia-disaster-declaration-george-floyd-protests-20200807.html
Editorial: Sit-down could serve Wolf solutions for restaurants
https://triblive.com/opinion/editorial-sit-down-could-serve-wolf-solutions-for-restaurants/
Wolf to distribute $10.5 million in grants to career and technology centers
https://triblive.com/news/pennsylvania/wolf-to-distribute-10-5-million-in-grants-to-career-and-technology-centers/
Legislature
PIAA delays start of fall sports two weeks; lawmakers argue decisions should be made locally
https://www.tribdem.com/news/piaa-delays-start-of-fall-sports-two-weeks-lawmakers-argue-decisions-should-be-made-locally/article_83a778f0-d8e2-11ea-82f5-fb7af4b143fb.html
COVID-19
Saturday’s COVID-19 updates: Pa. surpasses 117K total cases to date; 5.8K coming from Lancaster County
https://lancasteronline.com/news/local/saturdays-covid-19-updates-pa-surpasses-117k-total-cases-to-date-5-8k-coming-from/article_f126db22-d96f-11ea-b90a-2f795703d2dc.html
Washington County’s COVID-19 deaths double in less than a month
https://observer-reporter.com/series/coronavirus/washington-countys-covid-19-deaths-double-in-less-than-a-month/article_723107b4-d8cc-11ea-9566-bf64a19b2f17.html
EDITORIAL: Coronavirus has made life even harder for rural hospitals
https://observer-reporter.com/opinion/editorials/editorial-coronavirus-has-made-life-even-harder-for-rural-hospitals/article_f00f0be4-d68e-11ea-84be-53c34cdd3525.html
Colleges, businesses and contact tracers feel the challenge as pandemic hits five-month mark
https://www.inquirer.com/news/coronavirus-covid-19-pa-philly-nj-cases-contact-tracing-closures-university-20200807.html
Montgomery County has lowest coronavirus percent-positivity rate in SE Pa.
https://www.pottsmerc.com/news/montgomery-county-has-lowest-coronavirus-percent-positivity-rate-in-se-pa/article_d6f7b5b4-d8ed-11ea-8d6f-cbd4f60ee7de.html
State
Pennsylvania says greenhouse gas plan could create jobs and raise $300 million in revenue
https://www.readingeagle.com/news/local/pennsylvania-says-greenhouse-gas-plan-could-create-jobs-and-raise-300-million-in-revenue/article_ceaa4ec4-d827-11ea-87fa-b7ce7e0cd5d9.html
More calls about self-harm, suicidal thoughts made to Pa. schools hotline after quarantine
https://www.pennlive.com/news/2020/08/more-calls-about-self-harm-suicidal-thoughts-made-to-pa-schools-hotline-after-quarantine.html
Retiree who didn’t file for unemployment receives 40 UC letters addressed to other people
https://www.pennlive.com/news/2020/08/cumberland-county-retiree-receives-40-unemployment-compensation-letters-addressed-to-other-people.html
Lawsuit challenges signature verification of mail-in ballots
https://www.post-gazette.com/news/politics-state/2020/08/07/federal-lawsuit-is-seeking-to-force-Pennsylvania-election-officials-voters-signatures-mail-in-ballots-verified/stories/202008070140
Loading the truck and checking for bugs: Invasion of the spotted lanternfly seen as threat to industries
https://www.post-gazette.com/business/career-workplace/2020/08/08/Commercial-drivers-pandemic-SLF-spotted-lanternfly-truckers-agriculture-transportation/stories/202008040121
Business
Cancer-causing ‘forever chemicals,’ found in McDonald’s, Wendy’s and Burger King food packaging: reports
https://www.pennlive.com/news/2020/08/cancer-causing-forever-chemicals-found-in-mcdonalds-wendys-and-burger-king-food-packaging-reports.html
Building concerns: Lumber shortage a ‘strange disaster’ amid COVID-19
https://www.tribdem.com/features/building-concerns-lumber-shortage-a-strange-disaster-amid-covid-19/article_05af10e8-d8d8-11ea-98dc-fff1625e4f8f.html
Bike sales, number of local riders increasing during coronavirus-ravaged summer
https://observer-reporter.com/living/bike-sales-number-of-local-riders-increasing-during-coronavirus-ravaged-summer/article_51289776-bd04-50d3-9c36-76e1d216561f.html
COVID-19 makes boat sales soar as families seek social distancing on the water
https://www.inquirer.com/business/retail/boating-sales-shortage-virus-philadelphia-20200808.html
Education
Your View by PA Association of School Administrators: How schools are set up for reopening failure
https://www.mcall.com/opinion/mc-opi-pennsylvania-schools-reopen-dirocco-20200808-umxnbmozyndqnkp3btn6k5p7gu-story.html
13 Pa. schools recognized for support of National Guard students, including 3 from this region
https://www.delcotimes.com/business/13-pa-schools-recognized-for-support-of-national-guard-students-including-3-from-this-region/article_795759bc-9767-5aae-914b-7395f8cae7ab.html
Johnstown native to study impact of virus on education among minority students in her home region
https://www.tribdem.com/news/johnstown-native-to-study-impact-of-virus-on-education-among-minority-students-in-her-home/article_85b8f0d6-d911-11ea-a864-e389510d5ff2.html
Washington School District moves back start of school
https://observer-reporter.com/news/localnews/washington-school-district-moves-back-start-of-school/article_ec884a88-d8ca-11ea-9eb6-0f32ac8cde87.html
Few Black teachers in county, but they make a difference in the classroom
https://observer-reporter.com/news/localnews/few-black-teachers-in-county-but-they-make-a-difference-in-the-classroom/article_76468fb4-d4d9-11ea-9815-dfee7ed17c7e.html
PIAA decision to postpone sports by two weeks met with excitement, concerns
https://triblive.com/local/regional/piaa-decision-to-postpone-sports-by-two-weeks-met-with-excitement-concerns/
Hempfield plans to play fall sports despite state recommendation
https://triblive.com/local/westmoreland/hempfield-plans-to-play-fall-sports-despite-state-recommendation/
‘We all have different sides’: How parents are making back-to-school choices
https://www.poconorecord.com/news/20200808/lsquowe-all-have-different-sidesrsquo-how-parents-are-making-back-to-school-choices
Philly
How the Black community is using yoga to heal from the trauma of George Floyd’s murder
https://www.inquirer.com/health/yoga-healing-trauma-racism-black-lives-matter-protests-20200808.html
Pittsburgh
Allegheny County judge adds protections to moratorium on evictions
https://triblive.com/local/pittsburgh-allegheny/allegheny-county-judge-adds-protections-to-moratorium-on-evictions/
Jail Oversight Board to review housing policies for transgender inmates
https://triblive.com/local/pittsburgh-allegheny/jail-oversight-board-to-review-housing-policies-for-transgender-inmates/
Steelers and U.S. Steel donate to Mon Valley school districts
https://triblive.com/local/pittsburgh-allegheny/steelers-and-u-s-steel-donate-to-mon-valley-school-districts/
A roadblock on next relief bill? $200 million in unspent funds by Allegheny County
https://www.post-gazette.com/news/politics-nation/2020/08/08/A-roadblock-on-next-relief-bill-200-000-in-unspent-by-Allegheny-County/stories/202008090007
Local
NIZ authority can resume public improvement projects with backing, greater say from developer
https://www.mcall.com/news/local/allentown/mc-nws-allentown-niz-public-improvements-20200807-rmq7rs4ltjfyjjwbdxelazwfma-story.html
Hazleton Public Transit secures $10 million grant for bus maintenance and storage facility
https://www.standardspeaker.com/news/hazleton-public-transit-secures-10-million-grant-for-bus-maintenance-and-storage-facility/article_dba77ac3-a68c-5db4-8193-51bde68f2bbf.html
Group calls for 5 a.m. protest on Sunday after 3 demonstrators were arrested in Lancaster city Aug. 5
https://lancasteronline.com/news/local/group-calls-for-5-a-m-protest-on-sunday-after-3-demonstrators-were-arrested-in/article_8eaea6d0-d8d6-11ea-9bf2-bbc2add5d5af.html
Mon transit authority to receive federal COVID-19 grant
https://observer-reporter.com/news/localnews/mon-transit-authority-to-receive-federal-covid-19-grant/article_92bd6c12-d8d0-11ea-9828-bf99ba750c98.html
Heidelberg mayor named Pennsylvania Mayor of the Year
https://www.post-gazette.com/local/west/2020/08/07/Heidelberg-mayor-named-Pennsylvania-Mayor-of-the-Year-for-2020-Ken-LaSota/stories/202008070012
Public shows support for Wilkes-Barre police with ‘Adopt a Cop’ event
https://www.timesleader.com/news/795684/public-shows-support-for-wilkes-barre-police-with-adopt-a-cop-event
National
New video shows Black man pleading ‘I can’t breathe,’ before dying in police custody; 5 corrections officers, 1 nurse face charges: reports
https://www.pennlive.com/news/2020/08/new-video-shows-black-man-pleading-i-cant-breathe-before-dying-in-police-custody-5-corrections-officers-1-nurse-face-charges-reports.html
Census Bureau: In-person census counts to ‘present low risk’ of transmitting coronavirus
https://triblive.com/local/regional/census-bureau-in-person-census-counts-to-present-low-risk-of-transmitting-coronavirus/
