Legislature
On 15th Anniversary Of Last Minimum Wage Increase, Gov. Wolf Urges General Assembly To Hike The Wage – CBS Pittsburgh (cbslocal.com)
Wolf, top Dems push for hourly wage increase | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Gov. Wolf calls Pa. minimum wage a national embarrassment during rally (abc27.com)
Governor and Democratic Lawmakers Rally for Minimum Wage Increase – PennWatch
Beyond the Byline: Time to raise Pa.’s minimum wage | Times Leader
We Are Lawmakers From 5 States That Ended Child Marriage, Other 45 States Should Follow (businessinsider.com)
Will Harrisburg Republicans save SEPTA and other transit agencies in time? (inquirer.com)
‘We have two options: Do something or do nothing’: New app connects conflict resolution volunteers to those in need | Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)
‘This Is Beyond Politics’: Philly Leaders Hold Press Conference to Address Gun Violence | NBC10 – The Chestnut Post
Structural reviews should be a local concern | Opinion | dailyitem.com
Pennsylvania’s leaders sided with fracking, despite the health risks | PennLive letters – pennlive.com
Cosby accusers and their supporters hold vigil to denounce court decision overturning his conviction (inquirer.com)
Pennsylvania is 36th state to adopt multistate nursing license (beckershospitalreview.com)
Legislation to regulate 5G wireless infrastructure passes in PA Senate | Around the Web – Pennsylvania | delconewsnetwork.com
Pennsylvania Department of State Tells Counties Not to Allow Outside Access to Voting Systems (ntd.com)
What you need to know about the GOP-backed audit of Pa.’s elections | Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)
With audit, Pa. Sen. Mastriano is obscuring his own role in fomenting election chaos | Opinion | Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)
Editorial | County leaders should reject baseless call for third-party election probe | News | tribdem.com
Why A Funding Boost For The Office That Exposes Pennsylvania Puppy Mills Stalled Again | 90.5 WESA
Four states propose laws to ban ransomware payments | #malware | #ransomware – National Cyber Security News Today
Lawmakers hope work search requirement helps solve restaurant staffing shortage; L&I starting it this week (abc27.com)
New Pennsylvania law aims to protect seniors from abuse | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com
After pushback, a widely criticized mandatory minimum bill is on hold | WITF
Coronavirus – COVID-19
How we’ll know when the COVID-19 crisis is over | WITF
Pfizer to discuss vaccine booster with US officials Monday | National and World | dailylocal.com
Chesco, Delco Covid-19 Agreement to End – DV Journal (delawarevalleyjournal.com)
COVID-19 wards: Erie hospitals appreciate lack of coronavirus cases, worry about the future (goerie.com)
Pittsburgh region’s young adults hesitant to get vaccinated | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Business/Jobs
Bonus pay for essential workers varied widely across states (abc27.com)
Tori Shriver named political director of EAS carpenters union | City & State PA (cityandstatepa.com)
Pilot Freight enhances employee-focused programs, looks to hire 150 employees | Business | dailylocal.com
Op-Ed: Northeastern Pa. communities reflect national workforce challenges | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com
SBA preps new PPP loan forgiveness portal for small businesses – Philadelphia Business Journal (bizjournals.com)
SBA Restaurant Revitalization Fund ends in uncertainty following suit (ydr.com)
On-demand pay gains steam amid labor shortage, Covid-19 pandemic – Philadelphia Business Journal (bizjournals.com)
Erie economy shows strength, but workforce is a worry, economist says (goerie.com)
‘Struggling to hire folks’: As travel jumps, many Turnpike restaurants remain closed. The worker shortage is blamed – The Morning Call (mcall.com)
‘This is a real job’: Philly’s restaurant workers dissect the labor shortage, and contemplate a different future (inquirer.com)
Crime/Punishment
Pennsylvania State Police overwhelmingly white, and officials offer few remedies for increasing racial diversity | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Erie diversity: City police say women, minorities apply for latest test (goerie.com)
Bradford County DA sex charges: Chad Salsman sentenced to Pa. prison (poconorecord.com)
Education
As Penn and other Philadelphia colleges search for new presidents, here’s what schools look for in their next leaders – Philadelphia Business Journal (bizjournals.com)
Pennsbury viral video raises question on edits to public meeting recordings (buckscountycouriertimes.com)
What is critical race theory, and could it be taught in PA schools? (buckscountycouriertimes.com)
All but 3 Lancaster County school districts raise property taxes in 2021-22 | Local News | lancasteronline.com
Vote on state university consolidation plan set for Wednesday | News | tribdem.com
With merger vote looming: Do we want universities that help us remember and reimagine Pa.? | Opinion | Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)
Should colleges offer Freshman Year 2.0 to make up for COVID? (ydr.com)
2021-22 Budget Breakdown: Education, Higher Ed | The Numbers Racket | Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)
School bus driver shortage: Pa. districts are having trouble filling openings – pennlive.com
Area schools offer summer programs to combat COVID-19 learning loss | Education | thetimes-tribune.com
Philadelphia School District plans gender-neutral bathrooms for ever school (inquirer.com)
Elections/Politics
Philadelphia lawmaker eyes U.S. Senate run | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com
Democratic Rep. and Penn alumnus Conor Lamb considers running for Pennsylvania Senate seat | The Daily Pennsylvanian (thedp.com)
Rudy Giuliani insisted that Trump declare victory in Michigan before the state was called, a new book says (msn.com)
New Back to School PA PAC For School Board Candidates Statewide – DV Journal (delawarevalleyjournal.com)
Senate Republicans Will Air Attack Ad During MLB All-Star Game : NPR
With Pa. in play, nat’l party committees raise $337M through June | Monday Morning Coffee | Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)
Environment
E.P.A. Approved Toxic Chemicals for Fracking a Decade Ago, New Files Show – The New York Times (nytimes.com)
Heat wave blankets US West as fires rage in several states | WITF
Death Valley posts 130-degree heat, potentially matching a record high | WITF
Transportation
Travel through Harrisburg International Airport lagging behind U.S. (abc27.com)
Health
Don’t fix what’s not broken: Medicaid assessments should stay local (ydr.com)
Geisinger buys land, preparing for new Hill Section expansion | News | citizensvoice.com
State News
Yes, States Got More Money from Washington than they Needed for Covid Relief | FlaglerLive
Jobless Pennsylvanians, attorneys fear more problems as work-search requirement returns · Spotlight PA
Department of Labor admits it overcharged unemployed Pennsylvanians millions of dollars · Spotlight PA
Poison hemlock is spreading through Pennsylvania: How can you spot it and remove safely? | Home & Garden | lancasteronline.com
Pennsylvania to receive $225M from Sackler family opioid settlement | News | Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh City Paper (pghcitypaper.com)
Pa. Youth Congress hits Keystone State corporations for lack of LGBTQ support | Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)
Smoking returns to Pennsylvania casinos after 1-year ban – pennlive.com
Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission state fish hatcheries reopen to public without restrictions – pennlive.com
Delivering road upgrades: State considers package fee to help fund transportation | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
State’s instant firearm background check system sees drop in applications for first time in nearly a year | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
National News
Haiti Live Updates: U.S. Doctor Held in President’s Assassination – The New York Times (nytimes.com)
The U.S. Is Sending A Team Of Investigators To Haiti, But Not Military Assistance : NPR
Prepping for a cyber pandemic: worldwide drill underway (abc27.com)
‘An incredible day’ as Lee statue removed in Charlottesville | News | phillytrib.com
Experts say national gas prices could reverse course in the coming weeks (abc27.com)
Supreme Court wraps up high profile docket with several noteworthy rulings | Smart Talk (witf.org)
Demonstrators In Havana Protest Shortages, Rising Prices : NPR
A Record Number Of Manatee Deaths Are Reported In Florida : NPR
Richard Branson Has Completed A Historic Trip To The Edge Of Space On Virgin Gal : NPR
Italy Defeats England In Emotional Battle For European Soccer Championship : NPR
Djokovic Wins Wimbledon Final, Secures Record-Tying 20th Grand Slam Title : NPR
This is why reparations are always about more than money | Opinion | Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)
Why Jane Goodall Still Has Hope for Us Humans – The New York Times (nytimes.com)
Traveling this summer? Plan to spend more money on just about everything – pennlive.com
After the Florida building collapse, condos struggle to fund big repairs (inquirer.com)
Local News
Former Berks extension agent is the first woman named to the national hall of fame | Local News | readingeagle.com
‘Saving Our Streets’ event continues conversation to stop gun violence in Harrisburg (abc27.com)
Lancaster nonprofit opens locally sourced farm market; hopes to combat food insecurity (abc27.com)
Even with aid, finding affordable housing difficult in Bucks County (buckscountycouriertimes.com)
Erie looks to create new job to oversee $76M from American Rescue Plan (goerie.com)
Four people have drowned in the Upper Delaware in the past two weeks (poconorecord.com)
PVSD tables furloughs and increases taxes as super submits resignation (poconorecord.com)
Bucks Knocks Out Hunger provides food pantries with healthy options (theintell.com)
These Lehigh Valley towns look to add open space tax to push back against development – The Morning Call (mcall.com)
Home values have risen by 10% or more in most of Berks County | Local News | readingeagle.com
Lackawanna County officials explain why COLTS/LCTA bus agency merger fell apart | Business | standardspeaker.com
Luzerne County wins civil case brought by ex-H/R director | News | standardspeaker.com
Council to discuss proposed homestead exemption Tuesday | News | citizensvoice.com
Streetscape improvements coming to Wilkes-Barre | News | citizensvoice.com
More public art in the works for Northeast Art Project | News | thetimes-tribune.com
Report: NEPA, Pennsylvania face physical, economic or social challenges | Times Leader
Pitt
City of Pittsburgh launches Move PGH with promise of more accessible and equitable mobility | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Scooter share legalized in Pittsburgh, banned in Philadelphia – On top of Philly news (billypenn.com)
For Good PGH raising funds to continue food and essential items distribution program | News | Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh City Paper (pghcitypaper.com)
Pittsburgh’s Chinatown receives historic designation, group seeks funds for a plaque | Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)
Pittsburgh’s Heinz Endowments to dole out $10M to Western Pa.’s Black arts, cultural groups | TribLIVE.com
Annexing Wilkinsburg would be good for Pittsburgh, city controller says | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Philly
Biden to deliver major voting rights speech Tuesday in Philadelphia – CNNPolitics
Jul 13 | Press Conference and Rally for Child Tax Credit Checks | Philadelphia, PA Patch
Video shows gunmen firing 100 shots into Fourth of July party, killing 2 in Philadelphia – pennlive.com
Cambodian Philadelphians denounce threatening letter (audacy.com)
EDWARDS: Proposed Gun Sale ‘Blockade’ A Silly Non-Solution to Philly’s Crime Crisis – DV Journal (delawarevalleyjournal.com)
How can Philadelphia save its struggling transit system? | City & State PA (cityandstatepa.com)
Grief counselors in short supply with gun violence rising | National and World | dailylocal.com
Philly Health Department makes changes to HIV testing strategies — and funding (inquirer.com)
Coronavirus wanes, vaccinations rise, and Philly-area health officials look to the future (inquirer.com)
Washington
House considering another voting rights bill as some states toughen laws | ABC27
Biden’s executive order targets tech, mergers, monopolies | ABC27
Police reform negotiations hit gridlock in Congress | ABC27
Biden’s Abortion Actions Are Both Too Little Or Too Much, Depending Who You Ask : Shots – Health News : NPR
With The U.S. Military Gone, The CIA Faces Tough Challenges In Afghanistan : NPR
Imitate China to compete with it? Lawmakers debate science funding bills as a way to seed U.S. industry | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Kamala Harris slammed for claiming rural Americans can’t photocopy their IDs | Fox News
