News Digest:: December 07, 2023

Legislature

State Senator Steve Santarsiero Calls for the Resignation of the President of the University of Pennsylvania, Elizabeth Magill, and vows not to vote for any state appropriation for the university until she does so. | Erie County Democratic Party (eriedems.com)

Penn students, donors call for Magill to resign as Pa. Gov. Shapiro slams testimony before Congress | The Daily Pennsylvanian (thedp.com)

Hammerstein Museum and Education Center now owns Highland Farm | The Bucks County Herald

Lt. Gov. Austin Davis named Vice Chair of Democratic Lieutenant Governors Association – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Austin Davis elected vice chair of Democratic Lieutenant Governors Association – City & State Pennsylvania (cityandstatepa.com)

Free school breakfast funding questioned | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com

Senators probe private equity hospital deals following CBS News investigation (msn.com)

Policy Hearing Focuses on Minimizing Risk and Harm in Development of PA’s Hydrogen Infrastructure | Erie County Democratic Party (eriedems.com)

Doylestown Gains a Museum and Theatre Education Center | Doylestown, PA Patch

Parker introduces Intergovernmental Roundtable (audacy.com)

Legislation Combating the Rising Cost of Flood Insurance Signed into Law | Erie County Democratic Party (eriedems.com)

Democrats make battleground investment in Pa. House race – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Business/Jobs

These 36 business locations in Pa. are closing, including 27 Rite Aid stores – pennlive.com

New milkshake flavor announced for 2024 Pennsylvania Farm Show (abc27.com)

N.Y.’s minimum wage will be more than double Pennsylvania’s – pennlive.com

From warehouses to restaurants, here are 34 recent real estate deals in central Pa. – pennlive.com

Crime/Punishment

14-year-old killed in stabbing at central Pa. park: police – pennlive.com

Man found guilty in visa scheme that involved a staged Pa. robbery – pennlive.com

Police say 3 dead, 1 wounded and shooter also dead in Las Vegas attack – pennlive.com

Pilot hospitalized after plane crash at Pa. airport: reports – pennlive.com

Education

College Presidents Under Fire After Dodging Questions About Antisemitism – The New York Times (nytimes.com)

3 Contentious Exchanges at the College Antisemitism Hearing – The New York Times (nytimes.com)

Penn Hillell leaders, Gov. Shapiro blast president Liz Magill’s comments before Congress (inquirer.com)

Penn students, donors call for Magill to resign as Pa. Gov. Shapiro slams testimony before Congress | The Daily Pennsylvanian (thedp.com)

School District of Philadelphia may extend lobbying contract | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com

Bucknell student uses “ugly” fruit to create hard create hard cider | WITF

Penn State trustees sued over private meetings | WITF

Free school breakfast funding questioned | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com

Darryl George: Black Texas school student suspended again for natural hairstyle : NPR

Environment

PA Environment Digest Blog: Wednesday PA Environment & Energy NewsClips – 12.6.23 (paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com)

Transportation

PennDOT mulls several big fixes for truck parking problem | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com

Deaths and injuries lead to calls for technology to reduce speeding : NPR

Pa. Amtrak services to receive $144 million in upgrades, expansions – pennlive.com

Casey, Fetterman announce $144M grant to expand Amtrak’s Philadelphia to Pittsburgh service – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Gun Safety

Gun violence as a public health crisis explored by U.S. Senate Democrats – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Gun violence prevention rally set at Philadelphia church | Local News | phillytrib.com

Health

Deadline to enroll in Pa.’s health insurance is Jan. 15 | WITF

Opioid settlement: Allegheny County missed out on $822K · Spotlight PA

Pa. to receive grant funding for development of wildlife corridors – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Penn State Health regains ‘good standing’ for kidney and liver transplants – pennlive.com

White House delays menthol cigarette ban, alarming anti-smoking advocates : NPR

State News

Governor Shapiro Signs Act 11A Boosting Funding for State-Related Universities – MyChesCo

Shapiro decries antisemitism, Penn president testimony (audacy.com)

Penn students, donors call for Magill to resign as Pa. Gov. Shapiro slams testimony before Congress | The Daily Pennsylvanian (thedp.com)

Governor Shapiro Hosts Ceremonial Bill Signing for HB 735 with Insurance Commissioner Humphreys, Bipartisan Legislative Leaders at the Yardley Inn in Bucks County | Erie County Democratic Party (eriedems.com)

Shapiro joins call for clarity on Affordable Care Act coverage of OTC birth control pills – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Gov. Shapiro Creates Task Force To Study Flood Insurance Premiums | Yardley, PA Patch

Gov. Shapiro Signs Bill To Establish Flood Insurance Premium Assistance Task Force In Bucks County – New Hope Free Press

Pennsylvania may see biggest drop in decade for new gas wells | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com

Pa. Supreme Court will consider whether officials’ Facebook posts are public records – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Roof damage delays 2024 legislative work | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com

Credit card debt rises 12% compared to pre-COVID | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com

National News

How the Biden campaign will tackle a possible Trump rematch in 2024 : NPR

Woman Sentenced to Fast-Food Job After Throwing Food at Chipotle Worker – The New York Times (nytimes.com)

White House delays menthol cigarette ban, alarming anti-smoking advocates : NPR

Five Takeaways From the Republican Debate – The New York Times (nytimes.com)

Abortion could appear on the ballot in 2024 in these states | National | thecentersquare.com

3 dead, as well as shooter, in University of Nevada, Las Vegas shooting : NPR

Pilots want rule changes that discourage mental health treatment : NPR

Thousands of Santas swarm downtown Milwaukee for bike charity event : NPR

Pitt

A court sides with Rich Fitzgerald in his fight with lawmakers over the minimum wage for county employees | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Residents of a Mars community say wayward livestock are terrorizing the neighborhood | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Pittsburgh looks to close the digital divide by 2030 | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Pittsburgh police seek missing juvenile | TribLIVE.com

Pitt students, friends hold memorial vigil for pedestrian killed by UPMC shuttle bus | TribLIVE.com

Philly

Mayor-elect Parker names intergovernmental roundtable | Local News | phillytrib.com

School District of Philadelphia may extend lobbying contract | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com

Second Philadelphia law firm increases starting salaries to $225K – Philadelphia Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

Two Jewish students sue Penn over ‘relentless’ antisemitism on campus – Philadelphia Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

Anti-arena coalition launches social media campaign against city’s studies | Local News | phillytrib.com

Two families reflect on life and loss of loved ones murdered | Local News | phillytrib.com

Washington

WATCH: John Fetterman Does it Again! – VINnews

Pennsylvania senator pushes review of U.S. investments in China but hits roadblock in House – Wisconsin Examiner

Casey, Fetterman announce $144M grant to expand Amtrak’s Philadelphia to Pittsburgh service – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

In remarks from PA Society gathering, Casey and McCormick disagree on ‘greedflation’ – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Fetterman enlists Santos to send a video message to Menendez – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Pa. Sen. John Fetterman hired George Santos to troll Sen. Menendez | WITF

Bob Casey and Dave McCormick play nice and the attorney general race heats up at Pennsylvania Society (msn.com)

Steps to reestablish train from Scranton to NYC continue (msn.com)