Legislature

Hidey-ho neighbor: GOP backs Dems’ home improvement bill in bipartisan effort to fight blight | City & State PA (cityandstatepa.com)

Why are Republican legislators backing Philadelphia Democrats housing bill? | WITF

Kane, Isaacson Get Famous | Philadelphia Public Record (phillyrecord.com)

Santarsiero, Warren, Galloway announce $1 million in funding for Morrisville Borough School District – Lower Bucks Times

Bill would give Pennsylvania voters power to reject any new taxes | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com

Gov. Wolf welcomes panel’s approval of updates to Minimum Wage Act – Daily Local

What makes a political map fair? Here’s what we learned during Pa.’s recent redistricting cycle. · Spotlight PA

Pennsylvania redistricting changes legislators for third of Bucks County (buckscountycouriertimes.com)

Marijuana Policy Project names Pennsylvania one of 19 states with worst weed laws | News | Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh City Paper (pghcitypaper.com)

Meeting the challenge of bringing broadband to communities that need it (readingeagle.com)

Is the push to ban smoking in Pa. casinos gaining traction? – pennlive.com

Will Pa. ever get serious about property tax reform? | Mark O’Keefe – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Pa. lawmakers unveil bipartisan plan to prevent abuse within guardianship system – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

 

Coronavirus – COVID-19

Fauci doesn’t expect COVID-19 surge with case increase looming; Somerset adds one death | Coronavirus | tribdem.com

Scientists worry virus variant may push up COVID cases in US | Coronavirus | tribdem.com

Bucks County reported 247 additional COVID-19 cases this week (theintell.com)

Berks COVID update: No big surge is likely for the U.S. (readingeagle.com)

Officials wary of new variant fueling COVID-19 comeback | Coronavirus | thetimes-tribune.com

 

Business/Jobs

Inflation: Why Central PA restaurants are raising prices (ydr.com)

Lehigh Valley economy withstood pandemic, continues to evolve, chief economic official says – The Morning Call (mcall.com)

Pennsylvania medical marijuana director says retail prices are not decreasing with wholesale prices | WITF

Pa.’s top marijuana regulator decries stubbornly high retail prices for medical cannabis (inquirer.com)

 

Crime/Punishment

Police departments in Chester County targeting aggressive drivers – Daily Local

Murder charges filed in crash that killed Pennsylvania state troopers, man | WITF

U.S. Gun Violence Surges After Deadly Weekend – The New York Times (nytimes.com)

‘Cowboys for Trump’ leader is given a mixed verdict in his Jan. 6 Capitol riot trial | WITF

 

Education

West Chester University receives $3.5M gift, the largest cash donation in its history – Philadelphia Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

E-town School Board votes to not make any cuts for now (abc27.com)

Elizabethtown Area school board votes against eliminating over $1 million in programs [update] | Local News | lancasteronline.com

Elizabethtown athletes urge school board to save school sports | News | lancasteronline.com

Make education spending a priority in Pennsylvania’s budget (goerie.com)

Start school later? Lehigh Valley school district officials say pushing back start times won’t work – The Morning Call (mcall.com)

‘Trash to Treasure’ is ending at Penn State – The Morning Call (mcall.com)

Penn State lifts indoor mask mandate and pauses required COVID-19 testing | WITF

Drexel’s Ubuntu Center launches teach-in series on health equity | Health | phillytrib.com

Grove City College awaits committee’s findings on critical race theory | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Temple University sees increase in applications, including from international students (inquirer.com)

Black Girls Love Math offers a potential future in STEM jobs (inquirer.com)

 

Elections/Politics

Super PAC signals Pennsylvania primary could get rough – POLITICO

PAC hosts elected officials, candidates | Local News | phillytrib.com

Special PA Elections Just Two Weeks Away – PoliticsPA

Irwin’s Petition Signatures Are Called into Question – PoliticsPA

Democrats outraise Republicans by 33% in Pennsylvania House races | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com

Cities and towns across the state are electing female mayors at record rates. | City & State PA (cityandstatepa.com)

Pennsylvania Governor candidates target commonwealth’s gas tax (abc27.com)

Opinion | Democrats Are Making Life Too Easy for Republicans – The New York Times (nytimes.com)

GOP’s Gerow campaigns for governor in Cambria County | News | tribdem.com

State House, Senate candidates ‘in a crunch’ to get signatures on petitions | News | tribdem.com

Pa. House and Senate open seats in Lehigh Valley draw at least 11 candidates – The Morning Call (mcall.com)

Eric Greitens accusations revive GOP worries about Senate bids | WITF

Four GOP gov. candidates demand Republican moderator, no yes or no q’s for primary debates – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Steve Irwin’s congressional campaign admits some petition signatures were forged | TribLIVE.com

Costello leaves 119th District race; says he is supporting Williams | Times Leader

 

Transportation

Trenton-Mercer Airport gets FAA green light for major expansion (buckscountycouriertimes.com)

Turnpike officials say travelers should plan ahead to avoid turnpike sticker shock this year – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Study aims to get passenger rail back on track for Wilkes-Barre | Times Leader

 

Health

Frustrated nurses waiting months to get licensed : Shots – Health News : NPR

Lehigh Valley Health Network enters into Montgomery County with new health center – Philadelphia Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

Does the GOP want to repeal Obamacare? Take them literally and seriously | Wednesday Morning Coffee – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

With cases rising again, flu not done in Northeast Pennsylvania | News | thetimes-tribune.com

 

State News

PA Candidates Weigh In On Ketanji Brown Jackson – PoliticsPA

Pennsylvania gas tax cut could issue $650M bond to cover shortfall | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com

Pennyslvania Fish and Boat Commission hosts Mentored Youth Day 2022 (ydr.com)

Sen. Bob Casey tests positive for COVID-19 | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

 

National News

Ohio’s state legislative redistricting process is in a messy place : NPR

Tornado kills at least 1 after it rips through New Orleans and its suburbs : NPR

Tornado strikes New Orleans as storms move into Deep South (abc27.com)

Disney employees walk out over response to so-called ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill : NPR

BuzzFeed is cutting jobs and top editors are leaving its news division : NPR

With war on its doorstep, Germany plans a major military buildup : NPR

As Russia Stalls in Ukraine, Dissent Brews Over Putin’s Leadership – The New York Times (nytimes.com)

Affordable housing is harder to find, leaving renters asking: Where do we go? | Opinion – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Lawsuit says Google discriminates against Black workers | Across America | phillytrib.com

Murder charges filed in I-95 crash that killed troopers, man | Local News | phillytrib.com

Bitcoin miners want to recast themselves as eco-friendly | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

U.S. scales back metal tariffs as Britain lifts duties on American whiskey and jeans | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

 

Local News

Midstate organizations are in need of volunteers to send supplies to Ukraine (abc27.com)

Erie community rallies to support those in war-torn Ukraine (goerie.com)

Lancaster County workforce board’s decision to return a grant and scrap a promising project is puzzling [editorial] | Our Opinion | lancasteronline.com

Collection for Ukraine again brings large response (mainlinemedianews.com)

Montgomery County OKs nearly $5M in contracts (mainlinemedianews.com)

Reading mayor engages high-schoolers in effort to stem city violence (readingeagle.com)

Crestwood picks new superintendent, tables assistant superintendent post | Times Leader

Community crime forum set for Saturday in Hazleton | News | standardspeaker.com

 

Pitt

Pittsburgh Planning Commission backs big Oakland development proposal — with caveats | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Homewood residents talk with Mayor Ed Gainey about how to stop neighborhood violence | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Vaccine mandate update: Port Authority fires four, returns 28 to work with one dose on probationary basis, six retire | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Keystone Park among state rec sites hoping to tap pandemic funds; new park office planned | TribLIVE.com

In surprise, Allegheny County Council rejects nominees for Alcosan, Jail Oversight Board seats | TribLIVE.com

 

Philly

Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia receives a $5 million ‘unrestricted’ donation from Mackenzie Scott | WITF

Philadelphia Flower Show preparing for another year of summer sun | Lifestyle | phillytrib.com

Wilma Theater returns donation from group close to Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich (inquirer.com)

City Council wants police to crack down on disability benefit abuse as the department admits: ‘We’ve made very little progress’ (inquirer.com)

Philly schools principals call next year’s budget a massacre. The district says it’s more fair to all. (inquirer.com)

 

Washington

What Biden will do in Brussels and Warsaw at meetings on Ukraine and Russia : NPR

Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson confirmation hearings: What happened on Tuesday : NPR

Jackson pushes back at GOP critics, defends judicial record – Daily Local