Legislature
Pennsylvania redistricting panel enters final stretch to complete House, Senate maps · Spotlight PA
Local Lawmaker Concerned Over Proposed Legislative Redistricting – LevittownNow.com
WAHRHAFTIG: Yet Another Threat to Personal Data – DV Journal (delawarevalleyjournal.com)
Pa. Democrats want to get rid of sex on birth certificates (poconorecord.com)
Pa. Senate passes bills aimed at ransomware, data breaches | Politics | cumberlink.com
Coronavirus – COVID-19
New Zealand will not impose lockdown when omicron hits : NPR
Carhartt blowback shows tightrope companies face over vaccine mandates : NPR
COVID Tests in High Demand as Omicron Surges – DV Journal (delawarevalleyjournal.com)
Gov. Wolf, it’s time to declare an emergency on Omicron in PA (poconorecord.com)
COVID-19 surging again at Luzerne County nursing homes | coronavirus | citizensvoice.com
At least a quarter COVID-19 positive at Lackawanna County testing site | News | thetimes-tribune.com
Starbucks among highest-profile companies to nix vaccine mandate – pennlive.com
Doylestown Health asks Central Bucks School District to help curb virus | The Bucks County Herald
Business/Jobs
PA OKs Parx plan to open mini casino in Shippensburg in 2022 (buckscountycouriertimes.com)
Mini-casino approved for Shippensburg, casinos major economic driver for state (abc27.com)
Grocery shopping in central Pa: Trying to keep the shelves full (ydr.com)
Crime/Punishment
Jan. 6 Capitol riot Patriot Freedom Fund raises red flags for charity experts : NPR
Police: Teen dead after being shot outside school on Pittsburgh’s North Side | TribLIVE.com
Student dies after 2 shoot into school van at dismissal time in Pittsburgh | WITF
PPD arrested three juvenile offenders for carjackings | Local News | phillytrib.com
Philadelphia police arrest about a dozen homicide suspects (audacy.com)
Education
Pocono schools are aiming to get kids back in the classroom (poconorecord.com)
North Penn board, parents sound off on mask-taping photo (delcotimes.com)
Central Bucks president Dana Hunter shoots down COVID-19 changes (buckscountycouriertimes.com)
Spring-Ford schools to add Muslim, Hindu holidays to calendar (dailylocal.com)
Angry that school is closed? Don’t blame teachers or unions. | Opinion (inquirer.com)
HACC faculty prepare for union vote | WITF
Elections/Politics
Commonwealth Partners set to endorse Bill McSwain in governor’s race (broadandliberty.com)
Pa. candidate for governor Bill McSwain lands endorsement of big GOP campaign donor | WITF
A Pennsylvania county’s voting machine review has its roots in 2020 election fraud lies | WITF
Gregory to seek third House term | News, Sports, Jobs – Altoona Mirror
Mike Turzai opts against run for Governor of Pennsylvania in 2022 (abc27.com)
Candidate withdraws from race for Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey’s former Pa. House seat | TribLIVE.com
TV personality and Senate candidate Mehmet Oz visits Old Forge | News | thetimes-tribune.com
Pa. U.S. Senate race: Kenyatta gets key union endorsement – WHYY
Biden’s approval has declined across the board — from independents to the base (nbcnews.com)
Environment
Letter: Politicians bear much of blame for climate crisis (readingeagle.com)
PA Pans NY Ban on Natural Gas Hookups – DV Journal (delawarevalleyjournal.com)
DEP: Number of polluted waterways in Pa. up | Smart Talk (witf.org)
Transportation
Roughly $858M headed to fix aging Ohio River lock-and-dam in Beaver County | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Health
Hospitals at the max, Crozer medical chief says (delcotimes.com)
Hospitals get COVID surge help from Delaware County Medical Reserve Corps volunteers (inquirer.com)
Investigation finds Pitt’s use of fetal tissue in research is above board | WITF
Marvin and Dee Ann Woodall endow first health system chair | The Bucks County Herald
State News
Pa. city ranks among top 10 pet-friendly places in U.S.: study – pennlive.com
Human trafficking in Pa. spotlighted by state courts (poconorecord.com)
New Pa. academy accepting applications for first-ever cadet class – pennlive.com
Unemployment fraud problems continue for state, laid-off claimants in Pennsylvania | 90.5 WESA
National News
Russia calls to ‘end the hysteria’ over talk it will invade Ukraine : NPR
Mayors from across US focus on local recovery efforts during annual DC meeting (abc27.com)
Archaeologists dig into human behavior on the International Space Station : NPR
New Mexico is pushing to be a ‘model’ for how race is taught in U.S. schools : NPR
U.K. Conservatives may oust Boris Johnson — here’s how they can do that : NPR
EXPLAINER: Microsoft’s Activision buy could shake up gaming – Delco Times
North Korea slams US, hints at resuming nuclear, ICBM tests | News | tribdem.com
Rising mortgage rates cool the refinancing market | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Jewish leaders renew antisemitism fight after hostage case | WITF
Local News
Thomas chosen as Forty Fort’s next mayor | Times Leader
ROSICA: West Chester Reign of Error – DV Journal (delawarevalleyjournal.com)
Zoning Board continues vote for Dover Solar Project (ydr.com)
Consumer confidence in Lancaster County bucks national trend | Local Business | lancasteronline.com
Coatesville community working toward revitalization – Daily Local
No action on former Luzerne County Children and Youth director’s pension | Times Leader
Abington Heights board amends district’s health and safety plan | Education | thetimes-tribune.com
Project proposals could bring 60 apartment units to Hazleton | News | standardspeaker.com
Reading School Board to form museum committee (readingeagle.com)
Contractors working on city projects may be held to new standards (readingeagle.com)
Pitt
Patience, due diligence key in Wilkinsburg annexation | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
City Council to consider bill involving warrantless stop of residents | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Covid hospitalizations high among young children in Allegheny County | TribLIVE.com
Philly
Philly stresses need to file taxes to get full child tax credits – WHYY
Firefighters seek cash to reopen ladder near Fairmount fire (audacy.com)
Philadelphia’s Joseph Fox Bookshop closing after 70 years – On top of Philly news (billypenn.com)
Black-owned Philly developer Mosaic gets $10M from Sixers’ Josh Harris to expand (inquirer.com)
Delco group welcomes charges in shooting of Fanta Bility | State & Region | phillytrib.com
Washington
Five moments that mattered in Biden’s 1st year in the White House : NPR
President Joe Biden to hold first news conference of 2022 (abc27.com)
Biden says nation weary from COVID but rising with him in WH – Delco Times
Democrats fail to change Senate rules to overcome GOP opposition on voting rights : NPR
The Supreme Court denies Trump’s bid to block release of records to Jan. 6 panel : NPR
Biden nominates the 1st Muslim woman to serve as a federal judge : NPR
Power struggle among Biden appointees gets personal over race | Across America | phillytrib.com
New year, new push for Build Back Better plan (abc27.com)
Sen. Ted Cruz asks Supreme Court to void anti-corruption campaign rule | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette