News Digest :: June 22, 2022

Legislature

A longstanding political dance between Pitt and the Pa. Legislature heads to the wire | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Pa. lawmaker wants Penn State to report location, condition of Paterno statue in exchange for state funding – pennlive.com

Balanced education funding is critical to Pa.’s ability to compete (buckscountycouriertimes.com)

Pennsylvania child care workers push for more state funding (abc27.com)

PA Democrats, Advocates Seek Increase In Child Care Funding – WENY News

Pennsylvania lawmakers to discuss moving presidential primary election (abc27.com)

Pennsylvania bill for gender identity, sexual orientation in schools passes committee (abc27.com)

Bills limiting classroom discussion on gender, sexual orientation pass state Senate Education Committee | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Senate GOP, Dems split on bills targeting explicit content, gender identity in schools | News | dailyitem.com

Bill to limit sexual content in PA schools heading to Senate | fox43.com

Judiciary committee deletes age restrictions for assault weapon ownership – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Pa. Senate committee advances public school voucher proposal | News | dailyitem.com

State Senate passes legislation to protect children from lead poisoning | News | standardspeaker.com

Pa. Republican lawmakers block assault-style gun ban for those under 21 | WITF

GOP PA lawmakers block assault-style gun ban for those under 21 (poconorecord.com)

State Senate Judiciary Committee recommends county prosecutor, private attorney for 2 county judge vacancies | Local News | lancasteronline.com

Judiciary committee deletes age restrictions for assault weapon ownership – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Age minimum bill gutted in committee as Pa. lawmakers again clash on gun laws – pennlive.com

Pa. House eyes expanding who can bring sexual misconduct complaints against lawmakers | TribLIVE.com 

Pa. House approves bill to decriminalize fentanyl test strips | TribLIVE.com 

Disability leaders look to Pa. General Assembly with optimism | News, Sports, Jobs – The Express (lockhaven.com) 

Bill that would decriminalize fentanyl test strips passes Pennsylvania House | PhillyVoice

PA. House GOP lawmakers block assault weapons ban for those under 21, (mcall.com)

Pennsylvania advances one step closer to allowing driverless vehicles following passage of House bill | Daily Herald

In Harrisburg, Crime Victims’ Rallying Cry: ‘Impeach Krasner!’ – DV Journal (delawarevalleyjournal.com)

As Pa. teacher shortage looms, legislators consider bill to smooth out-of-state certification | TribLIVE.com

Pittsburgh Inno – Pennsylvania advances one step closer to allowing driverless vehicles following passage of House bill (bizjournals.com)

PA Senate reviewing bill that could result in prison time for setting off fireworks (fox29.com)

$400,000 PA Grant For Coatesville Home Repairs | West Chester, PA Patch

 

Coronavirus – COVID-19

How to get COVID shots for kids under 5 in Lehigh Valley (mcall.com)

 

Business/Jobs

Pennsylvania’s cities, big and small, have yet to recover from the pandemic’s downturn | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com

Bankruptcies have fallen, but economic pressures could send more small businesses looking for cover (inquirer.com) 

Kellogg Co. will spin off its cereal segment including Lancaster plant | Local Business | lancasteronline.com

Tourism and hospitality top the charts for Pocono labor force (poconorecord.com)

Biden has a plan to fight inflation. Republicans need to help or get out of the way | Opinion – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

These states are getting hit the hardest by inflation | Wednesday Morning Coffee – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Gas prices slowly sink but Pa. stays at average of $5 per gallon – pennlive.com

 

Education

Aavin Mangalmurti: As a Pittsburgh student, I don’t feel safe, because no one will do one simple thing | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

LCCC Board of Trustees approves budget with tuition increase | Times Leader

Coatesville Area Schooll Board OKs 2022-23 budget with 3.85% tax increase | Community News | lancasteronline.com

Owen J. Roberts School Board votes 6-2 on $127M budget, raising taxes 2% – Daily Local

LCCC replacing sidewalks and “54 steps” with $1.5 M repaving project | News | citizensvoice.com

Sullivan resigns from Spring-Ford School Board – Daily Local

No, hardening schools doesn’t make students safer | Opinion – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

 

Elections/Politics

Pa. Governor race: Future of abortion laws in Pennsylvania on the ballot (abc27.com)

2022 Pa. primary election set voter turnout records, and more data highlights (inquirer.com)

Who is Jeff Yass? Meet the billionaire GOP mega-donor gaming the tax system. (inquirer.com)

5 Takeaways from ProPublica’s Profile of Jeffrey Yass – PoliticsPA

Lackawanna County Republicans choose new leaders | News | thetimes-tribune.com

 

Environment

Bucks towns could be models in PA for EPA response to PFAS levels (buckscountycouriertimes.com)

 

Transportation

Airport authority: Security breaches, defaults prompted attempted eviction of Airmall operator | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Passenger rail study for Wilkes-Barre back on track | Times Leader

American Airlines cutting 2 regional routes out of Philadelphia due to pilot shortage – Philadelphia Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

American Airlines to cancel service in 3 cities amid pilot shortage (fox29.com)

Airline still interested in bringing commercial flights to Reading Regional Airport (readingeagle.com)

 

Health

Guest Opinion: Medication abortion safe, effective but not reversible (buckscountycouriertimes.com)

Op-Ed: Hospital fines boost price transparency (buckscountycouriertimes.com)

2 Philadelphia-area counties rank among nation’s 100 healthiest, U.S News & World Report says – Philadelphia Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

Chronic pain patient becomes advocate for health care reforms | Pittsburgh City Paper (pghcitypaper.com)

New data show big drops in teen pregnancies in Berks and Reading (readingeagle.com)

Penn State Health to open new outpatient center this week on the site of a former Toys R’ Us store – pennlive.com

 

State News

Cutler tells Jan. 6 panel he felt post-election calls from Trump lawyers were ‘inappropriate’ – City & State Pennsylvania (cityandstatepa.com)

How Pennsylvania played a role in a fake elector scheme during the 2020 election | WITF

U.S. House committee examines efforts to pressure GOP state officials — including in Pa. — to overturn 2020 election – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Jan. 6 hearings: PA Speaker Cutler received daily voicemails from Trump’s lawyers (abc27.com)

Pennsylvania can’t control inflation, but it can reform its tax, subsidy system | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com

Fitzpatrick Introduces Bill to Boost Domestic Rare Earth Production  – DV Journal (delawarevalleyjournal.com)

Fish and Boat plans to use 90 Million in lake improvements across PA (poconorecord.com)

Pa. Game Commission’s executive director highlights the upcoming year (ydr.com)

Wolf administration reminds seniors and families about Farmers Market Nutrition Program for access to fresh, local produce | The Bucks County Herald

 

National News

Afghanistan earthquake kills at least 1,000, injures 1,500 more in deadliest temblor in 2 decades | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Texas top cop: Uvalde police response an ‘abject failure’ | Across America | phillytrib.com

A Ukraine journalist was ‘coldly executed’ in the Russian war, a press group says (inquirer.com)

With Supreme Court abortion ruling pending, protesters rally and wait | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

SCOTUS to hear arguments over future of Waterfront Commission (poconorecord.com)

The world swimming body effectively bans transgender women from women’s events | WITF

 

Local News

Easttown Township Supervisors Vote to Ban Single-Use Plastic Bags – DV Journal (delawarevalleyjournal.com)

Denied: Dallas Twp. zoning board rejects proposed development off Irem Road | News | citizensvoice.com

Elizabeth Township supervisors take no action on exploring proposal to join regional EMS authority | Community News | lancasteronline.com

Lackawanna County property reassessment to start next month | News | thetimes-tribune.com

City to seek grant funding to address Keyser Avenue flood issues | News | thetimes-tribune.com

 

Pitt

Community members say Pittsburgh school board should choose interim superintendent as next district leader | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

A dozen young people become U.S. citizens in special Heinz History Center ceremony | TribLIVE.com

Squirrel Hill community honors beloved retiring crossing guard | Pittsburgh City Paper (pghcitypaper.com)

 

Philly

Beech celebrates neighborhood transformation over 30 years | Local News | phillytrib.com

Philly parks draw visitors from 6 countries during international conference | Local News | phillytrib.com

‘It’s terrible:’ Philadelphia mayor sorry for death of Filipino lawyer who was shot and killed in the city | WITF

76-Year-Old Man Killed, 5 Others Shot in Philadelphia Overnight | Local News | phillytrib.com

Here’s how we can make housing affordable | Guest Commentary (thephiladelphiacitizen.org)

What we know about Philly’s new ward leaders (thephiladelphiacitizen.org)

 

Washington

Biden to call on Congress to suspend gas tax for three months (abc27.com)

Biden to call for a three-month suspension of gas and diesel taxes (inquirer.com)

Senators say agreement on gun violence compromise is at hand | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Senators reach bipartisan compromise on gun violence bill | TribLIVE.com

Select Committee Hearing Focuses on Fake Electors – PoliticsPA

1/6 panel focuses on Trump’s pressure on elected officials | News | phillytrib.com

Trump team didn’t have the evidence and 4 other takeaways from the Jan. 6 hearing | WITF

January 6th panel recounts Trump’s state playbook; ‘hateful’ threats | WITF