Legislature
Bill requiring public schools to post course information online wins Senate approval but it lacks Gov. Tom Wolf’s support – pennlive.com
Congressional redistricting process inches forward in Pa. House – pennlive.com
Editorial: Public input needed in redistricting (readingeagle.com)
Vote coming on redrawn Pennsylvania Assembly districts (wtae.com)
State committee to hold redistricting hearing today in Harrisburg | Times Leader
Pa. Republicans are moving a new draft congressional map. It’s still mostly a mystery | WITF
Leaders face vote on redrawn Pennsylvania Assembly districts | News | tribdem.com
State Senate Passes Bill To Eliminate School Vaccine Mandate – ButlerRadio.com – Butler, PA
Pennsylvania Senate aims to bar school COVID-19 vaccine rule | National | ncnewsonline.com
Street hopes shooting in front of his office forces urgency of gun violence prevention efforts | Local News | phillytrib.com
State Sen. Sharif Street’s Office, Philadelphia NAACP Struck By Bullets In Philadelphia Shooting That Left Man In Critical Condition – CBS Philly (cbslocal.com)
Multiple shootings with injuries reported across Philadelphia overnight (fox29.com)
$9.2 million in RACP funds includes 20-block riverfront park in the Strip District (nextpittsburgh.com)
Warren, Santarsiero announce grants for substance abuse, mental health, police training resources in Bucks County – Lower Bucks Times
Placeholder legislation sparks debate over Pennsylvania congressional map-drawing process | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com
Constitutional amendment would term-limit Pennsylvania Supreme Court judges | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com
Legislation introduced to cap Pennsylvania co-pay costs for insulin | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com
Bill aimed to stop vaccine mandates for kids seems it’s going nowhere | City & State PA (cityandstatepa.com)
Pa. AG Shapiro heading to court over GOP legislators’ subpoena for voter information | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
AG Shapiro suing Republicans who subpoenaed Pennsylvanians private information (abc27.com)
Why we’re fighting in Commonwealth Court to protect your vote | Opinion – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)
Formerly incarcerated kids call for Pa. juvenile system reform (abc27.com)
In Cumberland Co., state and local officials ask Pennsylvanians to license dogs in 2022 – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)
Pa. House moves to reform bridge naming process – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)
W.Pa. Rep. Austin Davis to enter Pa. Lt. Gov race with Dem Josh Shapiro’s backing – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)
Bill banking on Pa. organics has Dept. of Ag’s support – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)
If you want to help police, don’t make it easier to carry a concealed weapon | Opinion – pennlive.com
Republican lawmakers advance bill to post Pennsylvania school textbook names online; Gov. Wolf calls it potentially harmful – The Morning Call (mcall.com)
Bill to ban private money from Pennsylvania elections passes House amid heated debate; Lehigh County got $762,000 last year – The Morning Call (mcall.com)
Gina Curry sworn in as new state rep from 164th Legislative District (delcotimes.com)
Coronavirus – COVID-19
Why Gov. Tom Wolf says he has no plans to issue new mask mandates (buckscountycouriertimes.com)
COVID-19 milestones — U.S. passes 800,000 deaths as vaccine anniversary is reached (abc27.com)
800,000 Americans have died of COVID. Now the U.S. braces for an omicron-fueled spike | WITF
Philly issues Vax Mandate as DelVal COVID Cases and Hospitalizations Rise – DV Journal (delawarevalleyjournal.com)
Omicron spreading rapidly in U.S., could bring punishing wave of infections, CDC warns (inquirer.com)
COVID outbreak rattles Chester County Prison (dailylocal.com)
Business/Jobs
Starbucks employees at two Boston locations move to unionize (wgbh.org)
SEPTA union head Willie Brown steps down (inquirer.com)
Kellogg’s facing political pressure to resume contract talks | WITF
Behind fintech firm’s Investor Cash Management move to Wilmington – Philadelphia Business Journal (bizjournals.com)
Crime/Punishment
Why aren’t Biden and the Democrats doing more to stop crime in big cities like Philly? | Opinion (inquirer.com)
Education
Schools ‘need to be creative’ to handle staffing shortages | ABC27
Philly-area districts weigh whether to continue masking after school mandate is struck down (inquirer.com)
New ‘narrative’ for Harrisburg district would reopen Steele Elementary, turn William Penn into magnet school – pennlive.com
Villanova University plans $200M in capital projects, eyes $1B fundraising campaign – Philadelphia Business Journal (bizjournals.com)
Penn President Amy Gutmann questioned on China donations at ambassador hearing – Philadelphia Business Journal (bizjournals.com)
Omicron variant forces colleges to reconsider relaxing safety measures : NPR
Neshaminy residents weigh in on new school at Maple Point in Middletown (buckscountycouriertimes.com)
Inside a week in August that shaped Bucks County’s school mask policy (buckscountycouriertimes.com)
Elections/Politics
Editorial: Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senate race will be critical | Editorials | phillytrib.com
‘Dr. Oz Show’ canceled by Sony Pictures amid host’s Senate run in Pennsylvania | PhillyVoice
Senate Candidate Dr. Oz Decries Facebook Censorship – DV Journal (delawarevalleyjournal.com)
W.Pa. Rep. Austin Davis to enter Pa. Lt. Gov race with Dem Josh Shapiro’s backing – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)
Americans think political divisiveness is bad for the country but expect it to get worse. | WITF
Far too little vote fraud to tip election to Trump, AP finds | WITF
Pennsylvania had only 26 potential voter fraud cases in 2020 election: AP review – The Morning Call (mcall.com)
Pennsylvania tries again to move up ’24 presidential primary | WITF
Pennsylvania eyeing early 2024 presidential primary – The Morning Call (mcall.com)
The U.S. military men spreading Trump’s baseless fraud claims (theworldnews.net)
Four Republican Party candidates campaign in Cambria County | News | tribdem.com
Environment
Power PA Jobs Alliance: PA’ians will see higher energy bills if RGGI resolution defeated (broadandliberty.com)
U.N. climate summit leaders pledged to end deforestation; skeptics want proof : NPR
Transportation
PennDOT will provide $1.4 million for Pittsburgh Pedestrian Wayfinding Project | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Bucks County road projects could shared in federal infrastructure funds (buckscountycouriertimes.com)
Health
Flu cases rising sharply in Pennsylvania | News | citizensvoice.com
‘It’s beyond frustrating’: Patients share fears as some procedures are delayed due to COVID-19 surge | Health | lancasteronline.com
State News
Skyrocketing expenses for Hero Thrill Show questioned by some first responders (broadandliberty.com)
Pa. sees record alcohol sales of $2.9B last year, unflavored vodka crowd favorite (abc27.com)
Live Christmas Trees Plentiful in PA But Prices May Be Higher, Growers Say – DV Journal (delawarevalleyjournal.com)
Report: States, incl. Pa., take varied approaches to broadband funding | Wednesday Morning Coffee – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)
Pennsylvania revises Confederate markers, recasts forces as ‘enemy’ soldiers | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
National News
Young people need a purpose to cut violence | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Officials forecast long, expensive recovery for Kentucky. ‘Hundreds of millions of dollars at least’ | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
As federal budget stalemate continues, funding for local research is in limbo | Opinion (inquirer.com)
Fed to accelerate withdrawal of economic aid as prices surge – Reading Eagle
Keechant Sewell will become the NYPD’s first female commissioner : NPR
Trump loses bid to block his tax returns from Congress | TribLIVE.com
Lifelines for the poor help the economy more than tax cuts for the rich (buckscountycouriertimes.com)
Local News
First graduating class of Lancaster EMT academy helps with staffing shortages (abc27.com)
Pa. town that inspired ‘Winter Wonderland’ gets early Christmas present from historical and museum commission – pennlive.com
Luzerne County Council adopts no-tax-hike 2022 budget | Times Leader
Hazleton City Council approves contracts for police, City Hall workers | News | standardspeaker.com
Reading passes a $95 million 2022 budget with no tax increase (readingeagle.com)
200 acres preserved in five conservation deals in Berks County (readingeagle.com)
York Mayor Michael Helfrich offers plan for ARPA covid relief fund (ydr.com)
Erie County businesses get federal aid to stay afloat (goerie.com)
Union assistant Pat Noonan gets top job in Cincinnati – Delco Times
Bucks County plans no tax hike to cover $474.1 million 2022 operating budget (buckscountycouriertimes.com)
Southern Chester County residents launch petition to save Jennersville Hospital from closing on New Year’s Eve – Daily Local
Aqua Pennsylvania employees recognized by residents (dailylocal.com)
Pitt
Pittsburgh Public Schools to seek 3% property tax increase | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Makeover on the Ohio: North Side development to include a giant Ferris wheel, apartments, splash park and marina | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Pittsburgh City Council looks to update city code to deploy 5G infrastructure | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Pittsburgh looks to designate 6 new city parks | TribLIVE.com
Philly
Philadanco returns with ‘Fast Forward… To The Future’ | | phillytrib.com
As the murder rate soars, DA Larry Krasner plays ‘Good cop/good cop’ | City & State PA (cityandstatepa.com)
Nutter on homicide crisis: “I wish some of these woke people would go back to sleep.” (broadandliberty.com)
Philly took $5 million in foster children’s Social Security payments without telling them (inquirer.com)
Dispute escalates between Mayor Kenney and two elected officials over Philly’s gun violence plan (inquirer.com)
The Philly Four: Black people less likely to get mortgage in Philly, Senate passes bill requiring public curriculums | Sam Britt | NewsBreak Original
District Attorney Larry Krasner ready to move forward after last week’s backlash | Local News | phillytrib.com
Washington
Biden’s first year handling the economy, Afghanistan, and COVID-19 : It’s Been a Minute with Sam Sanders : NPR
Dems, GOP at odds over Islamophobia bill | ABC27
Democrats hope to pass Build Back Better plan by Christmas (abc27.com)
Toomey, Reschenthaler use defense spending bill as vehicle to combat illicit fentanyl from China, Mexico | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
House votes to hold Meadows in contempt in Jan. 6 probe | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Senate passes $2.5 trillion debt limit increase | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Congress raises the debt limit, sending a bill to Biden : NPR
D.C.’s attorney general is suing the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers over Capitol attack | WITF
