Legislature
Sen. Steve Santarsiero introduces assault weapons ban bill (buckscountycouriertimes.com)
Pennsylvania House Republicans want to save billions in surplus tax money | WITF
As Pa. lawmakers work out a budget, trans athletes, liquor, and election money take center stage | WITF
Pennsylvania is sitting on billions in stimulus money. Lawmakers may actually agree on a plan to spend some of it. | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Amid complaints, Pa. state lawmakers move to restrict fireworks (inquirer.com)
Pennsylvania state lawmakers move to restrict fireworks (abc27.com)
Amid complaints, state lawmakers move to restrict fireworks | State | standardspeaker.com
Giving radar to local police for speed enforcement in Pa. has never been closer to becoming law – pennlive.com
Higher ed: Bill would fund voucher program instead of state-related colleges | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com
GOP advances efforts to privatize liquor system via constitutional amendment – City & State Pennsylvania (cityandstatepa.com)
Pa. Senate passes bill allowing Reading, other cities to dispose of confiscated dirt bikes and ATVs (readingeagle.com)
Pa. senators to introduce legislation similar to Fla.’s ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Pennsylvania Senate passes bill that would ban transgender athletes from playing women’s sports | PhillyVoice
New Bill Would Increase The Number Of Poll Watchers Allowed – ButlerRadio.com – Butler, PA
Pennsylvania State Rep. Diamond diagnosed with cancer (abc27.com)
Pa. lawmaker wants more state control over millions in outside spending on federal elections · Spotlight PA
Wolf announces additional $8.25 million investment in Berks infant formula plant (readingeagle.com)
Boscola Announces $2.641 Million in Criminal Justice & Prevention Grants | The Valley Ledger | Its All About The Lehigh Valley
Chester County gets $538,740 in grants for local justice programs – Daily Local
Coronavirus – COVID-19
Pennsylvania COVID-19 update: Infection rates decline again to 22,564 for the week, with 159 deaths – The Morning Call (mcall.com)
Uptake of COVID-19 booster shots in Pennsylvania is steady | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Allegheny County COVID risk lowered from ‘high’ to ‘medium’ | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Business/Jobs
Inflation costing Pa. consumers $3,000 more a year on gas and food (mcall.com)
Jonathan Koehler: Why unions will fix working conditions and help businesses build back better (broadandliberty.com)
Economists hope a rebound in immigration helps curb inflation : NPR
Life sciences firm Aviridi extends its push into Montgomery County with purchase of Pottstown building (delcotimes.com)
Starbucks notches legal win in battle against union organizers : NPR
Crime/Punishment
Philadelphia South Street shooting: Suspects arrested, victims identified (inquirer.com)
DA: A fistfight devolved into gunfire in Philadelphia, random shots in crowd along South Street | WITF
‘Enforce the laws’: South Side business owners fear for patron, employee safety after rash of shootings | TribLIVE.com
Police believe more officers could prevent escalation of violence | Local News | phillytrib.com
4 NEPA residents participated in Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riot | News | citizensvoice.com
How solitary confinement changes people (inquirer.com)
Education
New Website For Parents to See Ratings, Excerpts From Explicit School Library Books – DV Journal (delawarevalleyjournal.com)
Pennsylvania tax breaks for the rich: 529 plans help the wealthy, not the poor, pay for college | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com
More states allow students to take mental health days off : Shots – Health News : NPR
‘The most relief to the most people’: Sen. Warren’s plea for wiping out $50,000 in student debt | Will Bunch (inquirer.com)
Mt. Lebanon mothers sue school district, teacher over gender identity lessons | TribLIVE.com
Elections/Politics
These popular Pennsylvania potato rolls are being boycotted nationwide over ties to GOP governor candidate – The Morning Call (mcall.com)
Justices allow counting of mail-in ballots in Pennsylvania | ABC27
Recount confirms Dr. Oz’s victory in Pennsylvania’s GOP Senate primary – City & State Pennsylvania (cityandstatepa.com)
Analysis moves Pa.’s closely watched governor’s race to ‘Leans Dem’ | Friday Morning Coffee – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)
Environment
EPA joins partners to introduce innovative trash capture devices to Delaware River Watershed | The Bucks County Herald
Transportation
Federal Highway Administration releases guidelines for competitive $12.5 billion bridge replacement program | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Amtrak’s new bus service links Reading and Pottstown to Philly. Is it a precursor to rail service? (inquirer.com)
Health
High rates of suicide, suicidal thoughts in transgender teens (abc27.com)
These Philadelphia-area hospitals had the highest profits, biggest losses in fiscal 2021 – Philadelphia Business Journal (bizjournals.com)
State News
A fight over public records could threaten novel approach to broadband in rural Pennsylvania · Spotlight PA
This week’s biggest Winners & Losers – City & State Pennsylvania (cityandstatepa.com)
5 trans women in Pa. on the problems facing their community | Opinion (inquirer.com)
National News
Check my ads aims to defund Fox after going after right-wing websites : NPR
Judge denies gun supply business restraining order against ATF over ‘cease-and-desist’ letter to stop selling gun parts | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
3 people died in a shooting at a Maryland manufacturing facility, officials say : NPR
Median rents have crossed the $2,000 threshold for the first time. : NPR
Facebook fails again to detect hate speech in ads (inquirer.com)
Facebook’s ban on gun sales gives sellers 10 strikes before booting them (inquirer.com)
White supremacists are riling up thousands on social media | News | tribdem.com
Gov. Sununu’s veto keeps New Hampshire’s districts toss-ups : NPR
Ukraine fears a long war might cause West to lose interest – pennlive.com
Local News
3 takeaways on how Allentown could spend its remaining $28 million from American Rescue Plan – The Morning Call (mcall.com)
Plans move forward for $800 million development that will include 2,429 residential units as well as restaurants and retail – pennlive.com
FERGUSON: Towamencin Officials Presented Fishy Numbers to Public to Push Sewer Sale – DV Journal (delawarevalleyjournal.com)
UDC to revisit Upper Delaware ban on cell towers; public safety cited (poconorecord.com)
Upper Makefield OKs Sunoco pipeline replacement with conditions for work in Washington Crossing, Newtown (buckscountycouriertimes.com)
Op-Ed: Lease — don’t sell — your water and wastewater systems (buckscountycouriertimes.com)
PECO reviewing infrastructure around Pottstown explosion site (dailylocal.com)
$800M central Pa. development to include 2,429 homes, plus restaurants and retailers – pennlive.com
Allentown waterfront project almost ready to open (mcall.com)
Scranton discovers 1,000 tires improperly stored in vacant, condemned building in South Side | News | thetimes-tribune.com
Officials hear presentation on Abington Regional Police Department | News | thetimes-tribune.com
Pitt
Gainey to walk the South Side this weekend amid concerns about shootings, violence | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Goodbye Port Authority, hello Pittsburgh Regional Transit: Agency unveils new name, branding | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Port Authority rebrands to Pittsburgh Regional Transit | TribLIVE.com
Project to better connect Pittsburgh’s Larimer neighborhood to Bakery Square | TribLIVE.com
High gas prices are leaving Pittsburghers on the side of the road | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
‘That’s what neighbors do’: Jewish Community Center, 10.27 Healing Partnership support children of Uvalde | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Pittsburgh City Council approves landmark status for Prohibition bootlegger Joe Tito’s Uptown home, garage | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Philly
Councilmember Gilmore Richardson introduces a bill to amend the teen curfew during the summer | Local News | phillytrib.com
Bill Hite, Philadelphia School District superintendent, says goodbye after 10 years (inquirer.com)
Philadelphia employers will soon be required to offer commuter benefits – Philadelphia Business Journal (bizjournals.com)
Philadelphia is planning a massive celebration of America in 2026 – Philadelphia Business Journal (bizjournals.com)
Lifeguard shortage threatens to close some beaches and pools in the Philadelphia region and down the Shore (inquirer.com)
Washington
Bennie Thompson says Jan. 6 was the ‘culmination of an attempted coup’ | WITF
Liz Cheney offers a stark message to the GOP members who continue to support Trump, including Scott Perry | WITF
Rep. Scott Perry sought pardon from Trump, other details from first January 6 committee hearing | Local News | lancasteronline.com
Scott Perry denies seeking pardon after Jan. 6 attack (abc27.com)
Rep. Cheney: ‘Trump and his advisers knew’ he lost election | ABC27
Watch: Jan. 6 committee shows montage of Capitol attack (abc27.com)
New revelations and 3 other takeaways from the first Jan. 6 committee hearing : NPR
Biden visiting LA port as high inflation persists as threat – Daily Local
Biden seeks unity, finds discord at Summit of the Americas – Daily Local
U.S. House Ag panel mulls safety net changes in farm bill amid soaring costs – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)
House approves ‘red flag’ gun bill unlikely to pass Senate | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
