Legislature

Pa. GOP answered Wolf’s pandemic vetoes with constitution changes. The strategy is here to stay. · Spotlight PA

Unable to win the battle of ideas, Pa. Republicans are damaging the state Constitution | Opinion – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Gov. Wolf responds to redistricting maps by releasing his own (abc27.com)

Where to draw the lines in Black, Latino communities at center of Pa. legislative map fight – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Letter: Redistricting measure intended to preserve GOP power (readingeagle.com)

Philly pols call for Penn to revoke tenure over racist remarks – WHYY

Amy Wax’s tenure at Penn Law should be revoked, lawmakers say (inquirer.com)

Penn under pressure to fire law professor over anti-Asian comments – Axios Philadelphia

Amy Wax controversy: Calls continue for action against Penn professor who made anti-Asian comments – 6abc Philadelphia

UPenn law professor accused of making hateful remarks about Asian immigrants (fox29.com)

Pa. State Senator Plans To Introduce Bill That Would Allow Payment Apps To Be Used On Turnpike – CBS Pittsburgh (cbslocal.com)

Pennsylvania lawmaker wants Venmo, PayPal to become turnpike toll payment methods | PhillyVoice

Republican-flavored congressional redistricting plan passes PA House, but there’s still a long way to go | WSKGWSKG

Deadline approaching for Pa. lawmakers to finalize the state’s redistricting maps | State | tiogapublishing.com

Knife Rights’ PA Switchblade Ban Repeal & Knife Law Preemption Bill Introduced – AmmoLand.com

Pa. legislature’s redacted legal bills flout court ruling, leave taxpayers guessing | TribLIVE.com

Gov. Wolf Celebrates Expansion of Senior Prescription Assistance Programs – MyChesCo

Pa. Republicans’ hedged language may have saved them from prosecution over electoral vote scheme | PA Power and Policy | lancasteronline.com

Howard: MLK Jr. would want lawmakers to pass voting rights bill – Daily Local

State senator seeks Wolf administration testimony on rising cost of greenhouse initiative | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com

Gene Yaw: What critics get wrong about energy choice (poconorecord.com)

Dave Reed: Don’t let courts decide congressional maps (broadandliberty.com)

End prison gerrymandering: Count people in Philly-run jails in their home districts | Opinion (inquirer.com)

Prison Gerrymandering: Who counts in Pennsylvania? That depends on who’s counting | Opinion – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Megan’s Law for nursing homes gaining traction in Harrisburg | TribLIVE.com

What Gov. Tom Wolf’s 54 vetoes mean for his last year in office | News | citizensvoice.com

 

Coronavirus – COVID-19

CDC assists FDA by reducing time between initial and booster doses of Pfizer vaccine – CBS Pittsburgh – Pennsylvania News Today

The C.D.C.’s New Challenge? Grappling With Imperfect Science – The New York Times (nytimes.com)

You’ll be able to order free at-home COVID test kits starting on Jan. 19 : NPR

COVID deaths and cases in nursing homes climbing again (abc27.com)

Employers are on their own after court guts Biden vaccine-or-testing mandate (inquirer.com)

Extra covid tests from feds unlikely to make much difference in Western Pa. schools | TribLIVE.com

New COVID-19 cases hit quadruple digits Sunday in Luzerne County | coronavirus | citizensvoice.com

Bucks County orders 300,000 COVID-19 rapid tests | The Bucks County Herald

Essential workers face a tough choice: Find a test or miss work | WITF

Area vaccination events held to mark Martin Luther King Jr. Day | Local News | phillytrib.com

In light of Omicron in the Poconos, is it time for COVID restrictions? (poconorecord.com)

Businesses react to ruling against Biden vaccine mandate – Delco Times

 

Business/Jobs

Supply Chain Woes Could Worsen as China Imposes Covid Lockdowns – The New York Times (nytimes.com)

Restaurants without RRF grants are in desperate straits — and Omicron has made it worse. – Philadelphia Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

Rising costs add to pandemic pain for small businesses | ABC27

Guest column: Inflation, rising energy prices could squeeze U.S. families (mainlinemedianews.com)

Here’s why spending $2T won’t make inflation worse than it already is | Opinion – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Worker shortages create job opportunities in U.S. | Local News | phillytrib.com

Central Pa.’s labor market still ailing from pandemic’s ‘Great Disruption’ (ydr.com)

 

Crime/Punishment

Community-based violence prevention works, but it needs sustained support | Opinion (inquirer.com)

For Oath Keepers and founder, Jan. 6 was weeks in the making | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Allentown Police in line to undergo active bystander training. We found out what it’s all about – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

 

Education

Tackling student loan debt during the pandemic – WHYY

Guest editorial | To help Pennsylvanians, Biden must alleviate student loan debt | Editorials | tribdem.com

Penn to invest nearly $5M over 5 years in another West Philly school (inquirer.com)

State-of-the-art esports facility coming to Albright College (readingeagle.com)

School can’t ‘cure every societal ill’ GOP lawyers argue in cross-examination of Hite | Local News | phillytrib.com

Editorial: Fair funding trial shows the tale of haves and have-nots (mainlinemedianews.com)

 

Elections/Politics

Voters could be flooded with proposed changes to the Pa. Constitution in 2023 · Spotlight PA

City-wide voter outreach rally begins on King Day | Local News – Pennsylvania News Today

Two US Senate Candidates in Pennsylvania Weigh In on Voting Legislation (theepochtimes.com)

Corman, top Republican in Pa. Senate, says he has $3 million for governor’s race | PA Power and Policy | lancasteronline.com

Who Is King of Florida? Tensions Rise Between Trump and Ron DeSantis – The New York Times (nytimes.com)

Mehmet Oz is spending millions on TV to boost his Senate campaign in Pa. He’s not alone in an ultra-wealthy GOP field | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Trump is front and center in Pennsylvania’s race for governor. Will it stay that way? (inquirer.com)

Lou Barletta warns of ‘ghost flights’ for immigrants. Critics call that a political ‘stunt.’ (inquirer.com)

Philly’s largest city worker union is backing Malcolm Kenyatta for U.S. Senate (inquirer.com)

Government watchdog latest to sue Fulton County over missing 2020 election review documents – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

To honor MLK’s legacy, pass voting rights.  Democrats and Republicans will benefit | Opinion – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Former Pennsylvania House Speaker Mike Turzai is running for governor … again | News | Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh City Paper (pghcitypaper.com)

 

Environment

2021 was 6th hottest year ever recorded, NASA report says (abc27.com)

 

Transportation

Pennsylvania to receive $1.6B for bridge repairs | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com

Buttigieg touts $1.6B from infrastructure bill to fix PA’s bridges | City & State PA (cityandstatepa.com)

Traffic will be using new, nearly mile-long bridge over the Susquehanna River by late summer: PennDOT – pennlive.com

Allentown weather: Roads remain icy after snow and ice turn to rain – The Morning Call (mcall.com)

 

Health

BAUMLIN: Healthcare Remains Unequal 56 Years After MLK Called for Change – DV Journal (delawarevalleyjournal.com)

New rule to stop insurance brokers from fraudulently enrolling people in plans : Shots – Health News : NPR

American Lung Association reminds Pa. residents to check homes for radon (abc27.com)

Staff at a Montco addiction and behavioral hospital say they’re understaffed and unprotected from COVID-19 (inquirer.com)

There is life after addiction. Most people recover | WITF

Poll: Mental health of LGBTQ youth takes a hit from anti-transgender bills – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

 

State News

Biden returns to Philadelphia to visit food bank | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Bidens pack carrots, apples into boxes during food bank stop – Daily Local

Pa. Supreme Court delays Fulton County election review – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Eye on the Capitol: Congressional votes for Jan. 7-13 | Local News | tribdem.com

With snowstorm on the way, here’s a winter roadway safety and Title 75 reminder (abc27.com)

Transition to 5G Cellular Service Will Cause Older 3G Phones to Stop Operating in 2022 – PennWatch

State officials say to watch for 1099 forms coming to your mailbox soon | Local Business | lancasteronline.com

 

National News

Voting rights, racial justice: Under challenge, Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy is being reinvigorated | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

MLK Day 2022: Volunteering in the U.S., by the numbers | The Numbers Racket – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Voting rights, racial justice: Under challenge, Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy is being reinvigorated – pennlive.com

GIORDANO: Examining the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Legacy – DV Journal (delawarevalleyjournal.com)

Coretta Scott King, ‘thought partner’ in building the dream | Mlk | phillytrib.com

Let the challenges begin! Time for contesting census is here | WITF

China’s economy grows 8.1% in 2021, slows in second half | News | tribdem.com

Fund to preserve, assist Black churches gets $20M donation | News | tribdem.com

Two Views: Learn the history before we do something dumb in Ukraine (buckscountycouriertimes.com)

Viewpoint: Why cities should embrace life sciences as an economic driver – Philadelphia Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

FBI identifies the British man it says took hostages at a Texas synagogue : NPR

Iowa town translates its diverse population into a majority Latino city council | Iowa Public Radio

Netanyahu in talks to reach plea bargain in corruption trial : NPR

University of Michigan fires president Mark Schlissel : NPR

DirecTV says it will sever ties with far-right network One America News | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

NPR showed us the best way to interview a totalitarian liar | Dick Polman – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

 

Local News

Central PA MLK Day of Service | ABC27

Newtown Township starts making safety improvements along Sycamoare St. (buckscountycouriertimes.com)

White Clay Creek sees land preservation – Daily Local

Many in county not applying for COVID-19 funeral benefits | coronavirus | citizensvoice.com

Carbon County welcomes ARP funds guidance | News | standardspeaker.com

Code Blue warning extended in Reading (readingeagle.com)

Winter storm causing problems on local roads (readingeagle.com)

Young baker from York County is a contestant on Food Network’s ‘Kids Baking Championship’ – pennlive.com

Pennsylvania PUC approves sale of Lower Makefield sewer system to Aqua Pennsylvania (theintell.com)

Winter storm blankets Central Pa. with snow, ice, rain and heavy winds | WITF

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

Lower Merion officials, community groups report signs promoting racism and white supremacy found in Ardmore – Mainline Media News

Committee greenlights latest Suburban Square expansion – Mainline Media News

Change.org petition seeks removal of Stroudsburg board member (poconorecord.com)

Delaware County Health Department Director to start Tuesday amid COVID and syphillis surge (delcotimes.com)

 

Pitt

Staffing issues stress Pittsburgh region’s 911 centers | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

‘Unchecked flood’ of guns driving wave of shootings, deaths in Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

This time, get the new Pittsburgh Public Schools superintendent right | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

A new Pittsburgh well-plugging company and a leak detection firm tackle landscape of abandoned gas and oil wells | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

In Pittsburgh, news of synagogue incident sparks worry and calls for resilience | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Pittsburgh native Bartley Griffith is behind breakthrough pig heart transplant | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Pittsburgh shelters ‘bursting at the seams’ with surrendered pets adopted during pandemic | Today in Pa. – pennlive.com

 

Philly

Dr. King spoke truth at Villanova field house nearly 57 years ago | Opinion (inquirer.com)

In honor of their ‘Fallen Angel,’ parents of slain Philly entrepreneur reopen his clothing store in a new location (inquirer.com)

How to give back in Philly: Ways to volunteer, donate, and support local groups (inquirer.com)

Philadelphia housing market: Expert forecasts what 2022 will bring for residential real estate – Philadelphia Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

Philly-area homeowners are building wealth quickly, thanks to rising prices (inquirer.com)

Step Up to the Plate ends services after almost two years of helping Philadelphians (inquirer.com)

Be a climate city or own a natural gas utility? Philly can’t do both. | Editorial (inquirer.com)

How are Trump appointees are shaping Philly’s 3rd Circuit Court? | Monday Morning Coffee – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

 

Washington

Senate Democrats pointed to MLK Day for hope, but new push on voting rights still falling flat | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

President Joe Biden prods Senate, but Sen. Kyrsten Sinema blunts voting bill’s chances (inquirer.com)

After Biden’s first year, the virus and disunity rage on – Daily Local

Census interference by Trump administration detailed in email : NPR

Senate weighs options as Russia poses threat to Ukraine | ABC27

MURPHY: Fugitive Methane Emissions: Deployed Technologies vs. New Taxes – DV Journal (delawarevalleyjournal.com)