Legislature
Pennsylvania State Senator Sharif Street discusses gun violence, solutions, shooting at NAACP office in Nicetown, on Gun Violence – 6abc Philadelphia
$50,000 State Grant Announced for Women’s Resource Center – MyChesCo
Pa on legislative rights and privacy. Court battle over subpoena for GOP’s confidential voter data center | Spotlight Pa – Pennsylvania News Today
State Sen. Lisa Boscola: ‘This is an assault on the Lehigh Valley’ – WLVR FM
New Pennsylvania law addresses state’s substitute teacher shortage | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com
Gov. Wolf signs executive order to coordinate implementation of No Surprises Act (abc27.com)
Kim Ward shares reports of covid-fueled burden on hospitals, but opposes vaccine mandates | TribLIVE.com
Editorial: Pennsylvania fireworks law subject of useful hearing (readingeagle.com)
Winners and losers in Lancaster County under potential state House and Senate redistricting plans | PA Power and Policy | lancasteronline.com
Delco 911 Center receives $4.5M state grant for radio upgrades – Delco Times
Coronavirus – COVID-19
To Fight Omicron, Biden Plans Aid From Military and 500 Million Tests – The New York Times (nytimes.com)
Biden to announce free at-home COVID tests, more aid for hospitals : NPR
Wolf talks COVID strategy as omicron spreads, 2022 plans and more (poconorecord.com)
Omicron is now the dominant COVID strain in the U.S., making up 73% of new infections | WITF
As U.S. surpasses 800,000 virus deaths, 1 of every 100 older Americans has perished | Coronavirus | standardspeaker.com
It’s an omicron pandemic now. But U.S. hospitals are already full, and exhausted : Shots – Health News : NPR
Japan tries to solve the riddle of its dramatic drop in COVID cases : Goats and Soda : NPR
Vaccine mandates take center stage at high court | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Less than a quarter of Philly’s kids are vaccinated as a COVID-19 surge looms (inquirer.com)
Pharmacists: COVID test demand grows as holidays near | coronavirus | citizensvoice.com
Despite COVID surge, many expected to travel for Christmas (readingeagle.com)
Moderna says its COVID booster increases protection against omicron | WITF
Business/Jobs
How the 2020s Economy Could Resemble the 1980s – The New York Times (nytimes.com)
Low pay is causing a staffing crisis for disability care. Advocates say Pa.’s plan to raise wages isn’t enough. · Spotlight PA
Meat lovers feeling the sting of higher holiday season prices for beef | TribLIVE.com
Casinos, wedding venues, large retailers and more: More than 50 businesses that opened in central Pa. in 2021 – pennlive.com
Crime/Punishment
PODCAST: Scott Bohn of the PA Chiefs of Police Assn. on the Surge in Retail Crime – DV Journal (delawarevalleyjournal.com)
Pa. death row inmates want payouts for forced isolation – pennlive.com
Girl accused of Emmaus High School threats ID’d through online accounts – The Morning Call (mcall.com)
Police brutality lawsuits have cost Allentown $2 million over six years – The Morning Call (mcall.com)
Southern Chester County Regional Police Department continues to make a difference, looks to expand – Daily Local
Education
ExpressCells forms distribution partnership with Funakoshi Co. – Philadelphia Business Journal (bizjournals.com)
Science Center receives $4M federal grant to improve middle school STEM programming – Philadelphia Business Journal (bizjournals.com)
Student loan forgiveness no longer taxable in Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com
Philly’s health department guidance results in segregating unvaccinated children at one Northeast elementary school (broadandliberty.com)
Harrisburg University will be face-to-face in spring semester, keeps eye on omicron variant (abc27.com)
NHL entering temporary shutdown as COVID surges: AP source (abc27.com)
Peduto’s chief of staff to become Duquesne president’s staff chief | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Advocates for preschool education urge passage of Build Back Better plan | News | thetimes-tribune.com
School District of Lancaster CFO: ‘Draconian’ cuts possible if state doesn’t step up | Local News | lancasteronline.com
Schools addressing concerns of Tik Tok posts containing threats | The Bucks County Herald
Elections/Politics
Unfair or fair game? The economic gains of private election grants. | City & State PA (cityandstatepa.com)
State Rep. Dave Hickernell to retire in 2022 (abc27.com)
Lancaster County Rep. Hickernell won’t seek reelection in 2022 | PA Power and Policy | lancasteronline.com
Malcolm Kenyatta’s internal poll shows a path for his Senate run — if he can get his message out (inquirer.com)
Mastriano expected to officially announce run for Pa. governor in January – pennlive.com
Mastriano all but declares in race for Pennsylvania governor | WITF
Anti-government group Three Percenters hold ‘recruitment’ meeting at Miller’s Ale House | PA Power and Policy | lancasteronline.com
Environment
EPA announces tighter fuel economy standards for cars and trucks | WITF
Quaker investors urge EPA to advance strong methane emissions rules (theintell.com)
Health
Inspira Health is acquiring Salem Medical Center (inquirer.com)
Wolf, Insurance Dept. highlight federal law to curb surprise medical bills | Tuesday Morning Coffee – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)
State News
Pennsylvania politicos react to Joe Biden’s Build Back Better setback | City & State PA (cityandstatepa.com)
Opioid settlement: Here’s how much money Pa. counties would see | WITF
National News
After ‘very unusual year,’ U.S. apartment market poised for continued growth in 2022 – Philadelphia Business Journal (bizjournals.com)
Affordable housing is on everyone’s wish-list | Smart Talk (witf.org)
Mexican cartels turning to meth and fentanyl production : NPR
Donald Trump files suit against New York Attorney General Letitia James : NPR
China’s Peng Shuai resurfaces in new video, says she was not assaulted : NPR
No verdict yet in Kim Potter trial for Daunte Wright’s death | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Millennials will spend almost $1,000 hosting holiday parties this year: study – pennlive.com
Cobalt in electric car batteries mined by exploited children (theintell.com)
Local News
Lt. Patty Simons food drive scores a huge win for Montco food cupboards – timesherald
Companies pitching in with relief effort | News | thetimes-tribune.com
Haverford police mourn the loss of Sgt. Kevin Redding to complications related to COVID-19 (delcotimes.com)
Montgomery County OKs grant to conduct trail feasibility studies (mainlinemedianews.com)
Upper Makefield rejects 77-house Toll plan near national cemetery | The Bucks County Herald
Pitt
Pittsburgh City Council approves $613 million operating budget | TribLIVE.com
Ed Gainey says rapid COVID test is positive, awaits confirmation | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
‘It’s huge’: URA forgives more than $2.9 million in loans awarded to small businesses hit by pandemic | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Allegheny County Mental Health Court program marks 20th anniversary, graduation | TribLIVE.com
Westmoreland doles out retroactive pandemic hazard pay to top administrators | TribLIVE.com
Westmoreland County signs on to $26B settlement in opioid lawsuit | TribLIVE.com
Pittsburgh council to vote on whether police can make minor traffic stops | TribLIVE.com
Pittsburgh looking for participants for its Snow Angels shoveling program | News | Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh City Paper (pghcitypaper.com)
Long awaited sidewalk planned for Pittsburgh’s Hazelwood neighborhood | News | Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh City Paper (pghcitypaper.com)
Philly
Philadelphia restaurants respond to omicron with temporary closures, capacity limits – Philadelphia Business Journal (bizjournals.com)
Philly restaurant owners wrestle with omicron closures (inquirer.com)
Two Philadelphia law firms return to remote work due to omicron variant – Philadelphia Business Journal (bizjournals.com)
Benjamin Mannes: With Henon and Dougherty convicted, all eyes turn to indicted Philly Councilman Kenyatta Johnson (broadandliberty.com)
In Philly’s holiday stocking? A lump of coal for the dumping trolls. | City & State PA (cityandstatepa.com)
COVID-19 testing across the Philly region, explained | Morning Newsletter (inquirer.com)
Philly public school advocates call for PPA to drop $11 million debt against School District and more financial oversight (inquirer.com)
Philadelphia eviction diversion program gets extended through 2022 | Local News | phillytrib.com
Washington
Lawmakers press for RRF, grant funding for small businesses – Philadelphia Business Journal (bizjournals.com)
House Jan. 6 panel seeks interview with GOP Rep. Scott Perry (abc27.com)
Jan. 6 panel seeks interview, records from Rep. Scott Perry | WITF
Manchin’s private offer to Biden included pre-K, climate money, Obamacare — but excluded child benefit | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Schumer vows to bring spending plan back to Senate | News | phillytrib.com
