Legislature

Gov. Wolf changes course, says he’s now open to some stricter voter ID rules | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Pennsylvania voter ID is no longer a nonstarter for Gov. Tom Wolf (inquirer.com)

Report: In a shift, Wolf says he’d support ‘reasonable’ voter ID requirements | Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Election reform in PA.: Where it stands and what it means for 2022 (buckscountycouriertimes.com)

‘We are committed to competition’: Top Wolf ofc says as admin faces scrutiny for pandemic procurement practices | Wednesday Morning Coffee | Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Proposed law bearing fallen Scranton officer’s name would add penalties for running from arrest | Cops and Courts | standardspeaker.com

Pa. senators dig into details of plans to consolidate State System universities | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

PSERS’ FBI probe finally prompts Pa. lawmakers to action (inquirer.com)

Berks lawmaker wants to roll back jobless benefits, and give incentive to job seekers | Local News | readingeagle.com

Luzerne County communities awarded more than $23 million in casino revenue grants | News | citizensvoice.com

City of Hazleton tops among local communities that received gaming grants | News | standardspeaker.com

PA State Rep Wants to Invoke Anti-BDS Law Against Ben & Jerry’s – DV Journal (delawarevalleyjournal.com)

What is Pennsylvania’s pesky preemption law? | City & State PA (cityandstatepa.com)

New Pennsylvania law flags proposals exceeding $50 million for taxpayer impact analysis | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com

Bill Advances In Harrisburg To Ban Cell Phone Use by Drivers, But Some Lawmakers Worry About Racial Profiling – CBS Pittsburgh (cbslocal.com)

‎Life Out Loud with LZ Granderson: “I Didn’t Run to Be a Symbol” on Apple Podcasts

Letter: Hold the energy industry accountable for fracking | Letters to the Editor | readingeagle.com

 

Coronavirus – COVID-19

McConnell urges Americans to ‘get vaccinated’ as cases spike | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

One dose of J&J vaccine is ineffective against delta variant, study suggests | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Contact tracers say this is the time they can stop coronavirus outbreaks: ‘This is the crux of public health’ (inquirer.com)

Everyone should wear a mask in schools, vaccinated or not, U.S. pediatricians say | WITF

The Push For More Delaware Valley Residents to Get Vaccinated Continues – DV Journal (delawarevalleyjournal.com)

 

Business/Jobs

Why Pa. nursing home workers will hold one-day strike at 21 sites (buckscountycouriertimes.com)

Nursing home workers plan to strike | News | citizensvoice.com

Gov. Carney officially sets Delaware on path to $15 minimum wage | State & Region | phillytrib.com

Pennsylvania among the worst states for start-ups, study finds | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com

More than 200 added to county’s fully vaccinated list | coronavirus | citizensvoice.com

When it comes to the staffing shortage, is paying more the answer? | Business | readingeagle.com

Low pay, no benefits, rude customers: Restaurant workers quit at record rate | WITF

Could inflation slow economic recovery? | Smart Talk (witf.org)

Unemployed advocates call for benefits to be restored | WITF

Regional virtual career fair connecting veterans in the eastern U.S. with jobs (abc27.com)

US retail real estate market showed improvement in Q2. But supply chain, labor shortage continue to weigh on industry. – Philadelphia Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

Labor shortage to hit small businesses harder post Covid – Philadelphia Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

Downtown York businesses to receive funds from the YoCo Bloom Grant (ydr.com)

 

Crime/Punishment

Former Shaler teacher to be detained in Capitol riot case pending trial | TribLIVE.com

Westmoreland commissioner says sheriff ‘derelict’ for refusing to transport sick inmates | TribLIVE.com

 

Education

In Focus: Education Funding, Mothers In Charge, Helping Students Overcome “Summer Slide,” Destination Pennsylvania | PHL17.com

Pittsburgh Public Schools holds first public forum to help determine federal COVID relief spending | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Pa. education leaders call on schools to boost teacher diversity with stimulus funds | WITF

How will consolidation affect Pa. State System athletics? The NCAA has yet to decide | Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Behrend will build a $28.2 million fitness and rec center on campus (goerie.com)

 

Elections/Politics

The Governor And House Primary Races We’re Watching So Far | FiveThirtyEight

Street Raises Close to $245K in Q2 | PoliticsPA

Kenyatta Raises $500K in Q2 | PoliticsPA

 

Environment

Smoke in Philadelphia skies from Pacific Northwest wildfires (inquirer.com)

Unhealthy pollution levels threaten the Midstate (abc27.com)

Bootleg Fire, The Biggest In The U.S., Gives Scientists An Unexpected Experiment : NPR

 

Transportation

Amtrak, local rail authority sign deal to study NYC train | News | thetimes-tribune.com

PennDOT plans 31-mile detour for road closure at roundabout project in Perry County – pennlive.com

Johnstown jet service soaring; June was airport’s busiest month in at least 10 years, officials report | News | tribdem.com

Interstate 83 Exit 4: Watch for closures at Shrewsbury interchange (ydr.com)

 

Health

US opioid lawsuits on verge of settlements with 4 companies | WITF

Worrisome health disparities persist in Pennsylvania, according to new report | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com

Doylestown Health, Redeemer Health form joint venture to improve heart care access – Philadelphia Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

‘People aren’t getting the care they need’: Ex-‘Conestoga View’ nursing home gets troubling June inspection | Local News | lancasteronline.com

Brandywine Hospital takes on opioid overdose in community | Local-news | dailylocal.com

Costly PBM drug pricing tactics impede the pursuit of health equity (ydr.com)

 

State News

Some Pa. workers still waiting on unemployment benefits more than a month after new system launch | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Houlahan leads effort to secure paid family leave for all working Americans | Local-news | dailylocal.com

Pennsylvania casinos hit record revenue as COVID wanes. Here’s where (poconorecord.com)

Door-to-door energy sales may resume, Pa. regulators say | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Oldest, largest bowhunting festival is back on in Pennsylvania this year – pennlive.com

More mentored hunting, deer hunting changes, endangered species moves on agenda for Pennsylvania Game Commission – pennlive.com

Roads and bridges aren’t enough. For a strong economy, we need to invest in ‘care’ infrastructure | Opinion | Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Federal ban on evictions set to end July 31, state help for Pennsylvanians (abc27.com)

Pennsylvania ranks in top 10 for internet scams (abc27.com)

Pennsylvanians encouraged to apply for emergency rental assistance (abc27.com)

Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture funds special crop projects | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com

Morgan Lewis partner Kenneth Polite confirmed to lead Justice Department’s criminal division – Philadelphia Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

PA trout season could start on same day statewide (theintell.com)

 

National News

Bucks’ 50-year wait ends with a title behind 50 from Giannis | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Thomas Barrack, Former Trump Adviser, Is Arrested : NPR

U.S. life expectancy in 2020 saw biggest drop since WWII, CDC reports | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Bezos’ comments on Amazon workers after spaceflight draw rebuke | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

This ‘infrastructure week,’ let’s think beyond concrete and toward child care | Opinion (inquirer.com)

Low-income people who don’t file tax returns will have a hard time accessing child tax credit checks (inquirer.com)

 

Local News

Hundreds flock to Lower Bucks resource center for post-flood assistance (buckscountycouriertimes.com)

Harrisburg Foreign Policy Association Welcomes USAWC International Fellows

Sears mail-order homes prove plentiful in Western Pennsylvania | TribLIVE.com

Luzerne County manager search committee appointments delayed again | Times Leader

Scranton City Council approves renaming roads for President Joe Biden | News | thetimes-tribune.com

Hazleton library gets grant to stabilize historic church after decision to raze the building | News | standardspeaker.com

Lawsuit to save White Haven, Polk centers can continue, judge says | News | standardspeaker.com

Reading prepares to exit financial oversight by next year | Local News | readingeagle.com

Team USA gymnasts will wear leotards by Pa. company – one features 7,600 Swarovski crystals – pennlive.com

Water main break in Hershey prompts temporary boil water advisory for customers (abc27.com)

Lancaster’s housing market remains strong (abc27.com)

Erie Overview w/ County Executive Kathy Dahlkemper – Pennsylvania Political Podcast (papoliticspodcast.org)

Former employees ask newly-formed Juvenile Detention Board for help | News | delcotimes.com

Editorial: Blood shortages plague region in wake of pandemic | Opinion | delcotimes.com

York ranked behind Lancaster and Harrisburg as best place to live in Pa. (ydr.com)

Erie’s bayfront on tap for $8M worth of dock wall/boardwalk upgrades (goerie.com)

 

Pitt

Pittsburgh City Council gives final approval to $335M in federal COVID-19 relief | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Pa. agriculture secretary tours 4 Pittsburgh urban farms | TribLIVE.com

Squonk gives itself a hand with a return to live performances in Pittsburgh | Music | Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh City Paper (pghcitypaper.com)

 

Philly

Proposed developments could add 1,300 new homes to help transform Philly’s Callowhill neighborhood (inquirer.com)

‘People are really, really suffering’: Philly area Cubans help amplify protesters’ cries for freedom | WITF

Philadelphia street sweeping set to expand after pandemic delay, but won’t fulfill Kenney promise (inquirer.com)

Promised jobs, North Philly community backs Beury redevelopment on N. Broad | Local News | phillytrib.com

 

Washington

Hoping Sen. Rob Portman is right on infrastructure compromise | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

‘If anybody is lying here, senator, it is you,’ Dr. Anthony Fauci, Sen. Rand Paul clash on virus origins, trade charges of lying | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Big infrastructure bill in peril as GOP threatens filibuster (abc27.com)

Dept. of Defense promises reforms to handling of military sexual assault cases | ABC27

House Democrat Introduces Bill To Block Trump From Becoming Speaker (forbes.com)

Biden’s 3rd trip to reddish Ohio pushes his economic agenda | National News | lancasteronline.com