News Digest :: January 13, 2022

Legislature

Rep. Bizzarro: GOP using redistricting amendment to grab full control (buckscountycouriertimes.com)

Congressional redistricting map approved by Pennsylvania House | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com

Republican-favored congressional redistricting plan passes Pa. House, but there’s still a long way to go | WITF

Proposed Pa. congressional district map approved by House, moves on to Senate (abc27.com)

House approves congressional map plan despite Democratic opposition | City & State PA (cityandstatepa.com)

Republican state House lawmakers shouldn’t be allowed to get away with their latest power grab [editorial] | Our Opinion | lancasteronline.com

State House approves new redistricting map as court challenges loom | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Pa.’s bitter, chaotic redistricting cycle likely to reach crescendo in court – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Pennsylvania redistricting puts incumbents, potential challengers in limbo – The Morning Call (mcall.com)

Pa. House approves proposed congressional map as court challenges loom · Spotlight PA

Last chance to comment on new legislative districts looms (dailylocal.com)

Twitter backlash over Lehigh County controller claim of GOP creating ‘ghetto’ – lehighvalleylive.com

Are Venmo and PayPal the future of Pa. Turnpike tolling? A Pa. lawmaker wants to make the switch – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

PA Lawmakers Renew Plea To Halt Mariner East 2 Pipeline | Lower Providence, PA Patch

3 SEPA Legislators Ask AG Shapiro to Illegally Shut Down ME2 Pipe | Marcellus Drilling News

Inspection Finds DelVal Dems’ Pipeline Complaints Unfounded – DV Journal (delawarevalleyjournal.com)

EXCLUSIVE Interview with Pennsylvania Senator and President Pro Tempore, Jake Corman, on Current Investigation into 2020 Election Results in the State (thegatewaypundit.com)

Taxpayers’ high price for secrecy | Editorial | citizensvoice.com

 

Coronavirus – COVID-19

The coronavirus in Pennsylvania, by the numbers | City & State PA (cityandstatepa.com)

Biden redoubling focus on testing amid shortages, confusion – Daily Local

Central Bucks officials vote against CDC coronavirus guidelines (buckscountycouriertimes.com)

Is Omicron Peaking? – The New York Times (nytimes.com)

What employers need to know about new rules for covering at-home Covid-19 testing – Philadelphia Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

China: Over 20 million in COVID-19 lockdown ahead of 2022 Olympics : NPR

The public is tuning out health messaging about omicron, as cases surge : Shots – Health News : NPR

COVID is raging and Americans are tuning out | WITF

Fauci: Omicron will infect ‘just about everybody’ (abc27.com)

Soaring COVID-19 cases renew US debate over mask mandates | News | standardspeaker.com

Debates over school mask policies intensify as COVID numbers spike | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Berks doctors watching to see if high level of COVID cases will soon peak (readingeagle.com)

Cannabis compounds may stop COVID-19 infection, study suggests – pennlive.com

Kids’ low COVID-19 vaccination rates called a ‘gut punch’ | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Philly-area schools are adopting some CHOP guidelines while ignoring others (inquirer.com)

Philadelphia and N.J. might be near COVID omicron peak as hospitals fill and deaths rise (inquirer.com)

COVID-19’s omicron sends Erie hospital admisisons soaring (goerie.com)

COVID cases at Cambria prison continue to climb; in-person visits halted | News | tribdem.com

Experts: Omicron tidal wave makes COVID-19 case counts less meaningful | Coronavirus | tribdem.com

 

Business/Jobs

Bucks County businesses raise wages, offer bonuses in worker shortage (buckscountycouriertimes.com)

Grocery store shortages are back. Here are some of the reasons why : NPR

US shoppers find some groceries scarce due to virus, weather | News | phillytrib.com

Unionization efforts spread across US for Amazon, Starbucks (abc27.com)

With U.S. inflation hitting a 39-year high, Federal Reserve knows its next move – pennlive.com

Lehigh Valley businesses face another year of COVID-19 uncertainty amid surge – The Morning Call (mcall.com)

Inflation at 40-year high pressures consumers, Fed and Biden | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Economists Predict Highest Inflation Rate In 40 Years Should Ease Later In 2022 – CBS Pittsburgh (cbslocal.com)

Amazon is focus of push to curb ‘rank-and-yank’ worker ratings in its home state | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Four ways Americans are feeling inflation (inquirer.com)

Vanguard CEO, top execs offer stock & bond, inflation forecasts for 2022 and beyond (inquirer.com)

 

Crime/Punishment

Pittsburgh parishes ask state Attorney General Shapiro to get involved in Jim Rogers case | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

 

Education

University of Pennsylvania receives multimillion-dollar gift from private equity billionaire – Philadelphia Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

Americans choose jobs over college : NPR

Most Scranton schools to go virtual after COVID cases spike | Education | thetimes-tribune.com

Hazleton Area schools finished 2020-21 in the black, audit shows | Education | standardspeaker.com

Staff shortages lead to temporary closure of Gov. Mifflin high and middle schools. (readingeagle.com)

Pa. school board member wants to stop using CNN as ‘instructional resource’ for students | Today in Pa. – pennlive.com

Pa. school board returns district’s Native American mascot, puts ‘red’ back in its name – pennlive.com

Bellefonte school board returns to Native American logo and ‘Red Raiders’ nickname | WITF

Wilkes-Barre Area could seek new deal to sell Meyers | Education | citizensvoice.com

Central Bucks officials vote against CDC coronavirus guidelines (theintell.com)

 

Elections/Politics

It’s up to Democrats in Pa. and D.C. to defend democracy. So far, that isn’t happening | Opinion – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Special election to be held to replace State Senator on May 17th | WOLF (fox56.com)

New poll finds abortion rights is a top priority for Democrats : NPR

Pittsburgh-area senate candidates call for Congressional stock trading ban | News | Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh City Paper (pghcitypaper.com)

Luzerne County parties seek letters of interest for 116th District state House election | Election | standardspeaker.com

Who are the real ‘Pennsylvanians?’ GOP candidates to replace Pat Toomey in Senate attack rivals as ‘political tourists’ – The Morning Call (mcall.com)

David McCormick makes Senate campaign official after Democrats asks for investigation | WITF

A new poll shows Pennsylvania voters remain divided about the 2020 presidential election more than a year later | WITF

Costa aide, lifelong Homewood resident Martell Covington to run for Gainey’s state House seat | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Trumpworld descends on the Pennsylvania Senate race – NewsBreak

‘Why lie to me?’ Pennsylvania senate race rivals attack carpetbaggery (fox29.com)

West Manchester Township supervisor testifies against preliminary state Senate proposal (ydr.com)

 

Environment

Biden administration will lease a half-million acres off N.J. and N.Y. coasts for wind power (inquirer.com)

 

Transportation

‘Superload’ hauling huge tank to slow traffic on Interstates 81, 80 in Northeast Pennsylvania | News | standardspeaker.com

 

Health

COVID-19 staffing woes hit everywhere in healthcare, causing hospital ERs to overflow with patients (inquirer.com)

ALEXANDER: PA Leaders Must Come Together to Access Opioid Treatment Funds and Save Lives – DV Journal (delawarevalleyjournal.com)

Pennsylvania faces fentanyl overdose crisis; not enough beds for teens (buckscountycouriertimes.com)

Center for Breakthrough Medicines receives $350M investment from SK Inc. of South Korea (dailylocal.com)

‘The pain never really goes away’: Lehigh County launches coalition to prevent suicides – The Morning Call (mcall.com)

Editorial: Amid a cascade of health crises, one thing we can do (mainlinemedianews.com)

 

State News

Pat Toomey: Voting rights bills will undermine the rights Democrats claim to protect | Opinion (inquirer.com)

Pennsylvania fair share union case sent to lower court for constitutionality ruling | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com

Investigators probe wreckage of crashed medical helicopter | State & Region | phillytrib.com

Pa. Farm Show provides one-stop-shop for politicians as public phase of their campaigns begins – pennlive.com

Popular Pennsylvania spot named among 10 best winter fishing destinations in country – pennlive.com

The state of agriculture in Pennsylvania | Smart Talk (witf.org)

 

National News

US lawmakers pay honor to late Sen. Harry Reid | ABC27

Germany’s Syria torture trial results in a guilty verdict : NPR

Clyde Bellecourt, co-founder of the American Indian Movement, dies at 85 : NPR

Ronnie Spector, ’60s icon who sang ‘Be My Baby,’ dies at 78 (abc27.com)

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice ‘extremely unwell’ after positive COVID-19 test : Coronavirus Updates : NPR

U.S. Army increases bonuses to $50,000 for some new recruits : NPR

The Taliban Have Staffing Issues. They Are Looking for Help in Pakistan. – The New York Times (nytimes.com)

Hochul Unveiled a Sweeping Vision for New York. Now Comes the Hard Part. – The New York Times (nytimes.com)

No Ukraine breakthrough, but NATO and Russia eye more talks | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Ohio Supreme Court strikes down GOP-drawn plan for legislative districts | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Tax refunds could be delayed this year because of pandemic and budget issues, treasury officials say | TribLIVE.com

 

Local News

Lower Makefield welcomes 2022 with swearing in ceremony, new board leadership – thereporteronline

New designation will help improve West Scranton | News | thetimes-tribune.com

Luzerne County Council starts process of placing charter amendment before voters | News | standardspeaker.com

Shenandoah council adopts 2022 budget with no tax increase | News | standardspeaker.com

Berks weather: Some kind of storm is likely Sunday into Monday (readingeagle.com)

Coastal storm expected to bring ‘a substantial threat for winter weather’ this weekend – The Morning Call (mcall.com)

Quakertown lifts condemnation for Bush House Hotel. Displaced tenants can return ‘soon’ – The Morning Call (mcall.com)

Martin Luther King Jr. events in Lehigh Valley – The Morning Call (mcall.com)

What MLK meant by justice. And how one central Pa. community is commemorating it | Opinion – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Montgomery County town is fighting over last large undeveloped parcel (inquirer.com)

Winter storm could bring all snow or a wintry mix to central Pa. (ydr.com)

Warner Theatre in Erie: After $27M makeover iconic theater ready to reopen (goerie.com)

Erie Refocused tackles the ‘really big lifts’ of community development (goerie.com)

Count it again: City of Erie to challenge 2020 U.S. Census (goerie.com)

Receiver intends to go to court over Chester elected officials’ salaries (delcotimes.com)

Lancaster County commissioners approve new community testing site in East Hempfield to be run by LGH [update] | PA Power and Policy | lancasteronline.com

 

Pitt

Pittsburgh physical therapist and Pitt professor to compete on Jeopardy! | News | Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh City Paper (pghcitypaper.com)

Pittsburgh to undertake comprehensive Americans with Disabilities Act self-evaluation | News | Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh City Paper (pghcitypaper.com)

Allegheny Co.’s decision to suspend trials didn’t surprise local lawyers | Thursday Morning Coffee – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Six months into the school year, here’s how the Pgh. schools are managing the pandemic | Analysis – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Pittsburgh Public Schools updates its list of closures | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh says 4 schools will need to go remote or extend virtual learning | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Port Authority, operators union at odds over vaccination mandate | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Yes to Wilkinsburg annexation | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Health Care Workers Gather Downtown To Demand Changes – CBS Pittsburgh (cbslocal.com)

 

Philly

President Biden called Philadelphia’s fire union head Monday to discuss last week’s Fairmount blaze (inquirer.com)

‘We have work to do’: Councilmember hopes 2022 is a year for Philadelphia to change its business-averse stigma – Philadelphia Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

Krasner blames gun prosecution failures on stop-and-frisk policing (broadandliberty.com)

Why were so many people living in a Philly apartment before fatal fire? ‘They did what they had to do’ – pennlive.com

Construction starts at South Philly site after Post Bros. takes development lead from longtime landholder Blatstein (inquirer.com)

Netflix remaking ‘The Raid,’ but setting it in Philadelphia’s Kensington neighborhood (inquirer.com)

 

Washington

Dems switch strategy on voting bill as Biden pushes action – Daily Local

The top House Republican won’t comply with Jan. 6 panel request to voluntarily testify : NPR

Democrats chart path forward on voting rights legislation : NPR

Senate passes bill to honor Emmett Till and his mother | News | phillytrib.com

Congressional Black Caucus calls for Senate action on voting rights – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

At MLK alma mater, Biden pitches Senate rule change to safeguard voting rights – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

McEnany sits down with Jan. 6 investigators (theworldnews.net)