Legislature
A $10 minimum wage in Pa.? Two GOP senators are calling for it
https://www.pennlive.com/news/2021/03/a-10-minimum-wage-in-pa-two-gop-senators-are-calling-for-it.html
Debating $15: Should Pa., US raise minimum wage?
https://www.timesleader.com/news/1153017/debating-15-should-pa-us-raise-minimum-wage
Local lawmaker reintroduces ‘Breonna’s Law’ to ban no-knock warrants
https://www.phillytrib.com/news/local_news/local-lawmaker-reintroduces-breonna-s-law-to-ban-no-knock-warrants/article_e3453b48-9021-11eb-a10f-ef75b285fb8a.html
Chancellor Greenstein’s frank comments should inspire us to save PASSHE | By State Sen. Judy Schwank
https://www.pennlive.com/opinion/2021/03/chancellor-greensteins-frank-comments-should-should-inspire-us-to-save-passhe-opinion.html
Here’s why a bill to ban transgender athletes in Pennsylvania won’t become law
https://www.ydr.com/story/news/2021/03/29/transgender-athletes-bill-ban-pennsylvania/4758965001/
Bucks County police chiefs support radar bill for local speed enforcement
https://www.buckscountycouriertimes.com/story/news/2021/03/28/bucks-county-police-chiefs-support-radar-bill/7014226002/
Pa. House would require students to pass civics test to graduate | Monday Morning Coffee
https://www.penncapital-star.com/commentary/pa-house-would-require-students-to-pass-civics-test-to-graduate-monday-morning-coffee/
Pa. needs a common agenda to fight for policies to end gun violence | Opinion
https://www.inquirer.com/opinion/commentary/gun-violence-shootings-philadelphia-boulder-colorado-20210326.html
Coronavirus – COVID-19
Inside Pennsylvania’s race to expand who’s eligible for the coronavirus vaccine
https://www.inquirer.com/health/coronavirus/spl/pa-coronavirus-covid-vaccine-phase-1a-march-31-waitlist-tom-wolf-joe-biden-20210329.html
Some counties lag in COVID-19 vaccinations for elderly
https://www.citizensvoice.com/news/coronavirus/some-counties-lag-in-covid-19-vaccinations-for-elderly/article_fa6e37b6-e648-5b1e-9124-d7bd7557a10c.html
Luzerne County coronavirus cases and hospitalizations still rising
https://www.timesleader.com/news/1159188/luzerne-county-coronavirus-cases-and-hospitalizations-still-rising
COVID-19 cases increase across region
https://www.thetimes-tribune.com/news/coronavirus/covid-19-cases-increase-across-region/article_f4ab3798-d916-5d90-a2d1-8bcc3d827c5d.html
Chester County holds memorial events honoring COVID-19 victims
https://www.dailylocal.com/news/coronavirus/chester-county-holds-memorial-events-honoring-covid-19-victims/article_4979c446-8fc4-11eb-ba7f-c76f7a84e278.html
Pitt virologist discusses vaccine hesitancy, variants, why we may never fully eradicate covid-19
https://triblive.com/local/pitt-virologist-discusses-vaccine-hesitancy-variants-why-we-may-never-fully-eradicate-covid-19/
What the pandemic has taught us about care for seniors
https://www.readingeagle.com/news/local/what-the-pandemic-has-taught-us-about-care-for-seniors/article_3de58e42-8b4d-11eb-9971-ebdd2715bd90.html
Pandemic means far fewer eyes on kids’ welfare in Pennsylvania and other states
https://www.witf.org/2021/03/29/pandemic-means-far-fewer-eyes-on-kids-welfare-in-pennsylvania-and-other-states/
WHO report says animals likely source of COVID
https://www.post-gazette.com/news/health/2021/03/29/WHO-world-health-organization-report-animals-likely-source-COVID-19-virus-pandemic-china/stories/202103290063
Redistricting
Census data delay scrambles plans for state redistricting
https://www.timesleader.com/news/1160294/census-data-delay-scrambles-plans-for-state-redistricting
Business
Working from home in slippers? Proceed with caution
https://www.post-gazette.com/opinion/editorials/2021/03/29/Working-from-home-in-slippers-Proceed-with-caution-Ford-Remote/stories/202103190010
The pros and cons of working from home during a pandemic | The Numbers Racket
https://www.penncapital-star.com/covid-19/the-pros-and-cons-of-working-from-home-during-a-pandemic-the-numbers-racket/
Amid loss of Iron City contract, City Brewing eyes ownership, management changes, adds jobs in Latrobe
https://triblive.com/local/westmoreland/amid-loss-of-iron-city-contract-city-brewing-eyes-ownership-management-changes-adds-jobs-in-latrobe/
Olympus Energy pays $1.2M to extend waterlines near Marcellus well sites in Upper Burrell, Allegheny Township
https://triblive.com/local/valley-news-dispatch/olympus-energy-pays-1-2m-to-extend-waterlines-near-marcellus-well-sites-in-upper-burrell-allegheny-township/
Education
Time is running out for Wolf to repopulate shorthanded charter school appeals board
https://www.penncapital-star.com/education/gov-tom-wolf-hasnt-nominated-a-single-new-member-to-pa-s-powerful-charter-school-appeal-board-and-time-is-running-out/
Wilkes-Barre Area teacher furloughs determined by 2017 state law
https://www.citizensvoice.com/news/education/wilkes-barre-area-teacher-furloughs-determined-by-2017-state-law/article_f124dc80-f8f1-5b39-8e3c-b79e89657e44.html
Five years after last search, Allentown School Board again looking for new superintendent. Community members say it’s time to look locally
https://www.mcall.com/news/education/mc-prem-nws-allentown-school-district-superintendent-search-20210328-ltsb5qwmebh73kmlfbu4ziuz2y-story.html
Substitute teachers do not replace full, professional staffing
https://www.post-gazette.com/opinion/editorials/2021/03/29/Substitute-teachers-do-not-replace-full-professional-staffing/stories/202103180095
Fencing club owner maintains Penn State has tried to cover up sexual assault incident
https://www.pennlive.com/news/2021/03/fencing-club-owner-maintains-penn-state-has-tried-to-cover-up-sexual-assault-incident.html
Health Care
Tower Health and its Philly area hospitals are for sale. Is anyone interested?
https://www.inquirer.com/business/health/tower-health-looking-partner-upmc-penn-medicine-jefferson-20210329.html
Wright Center illuminates basic problem
https://www.thetimes-tribune.com/opinion/editorial/wright-center-illuminates-basic-problem/article_17b6ab0f-f465-5ef0-b1fb-245d3832a05a.html
Local News
Scranton ordinance would ban controversial conversion therapy for LGBTQ minors
https://www.thetimes-tribune.com/news/scranton-ordinance-would-ban-controversial-conversion-therapy-for-lgbtq-minors/article_d13e12f2-9ad6-5b26-8eb5-b79b87d20a41.html
More apartments on the way in Scranton
https://www.thetimes-tribune.com/news/business/more-apartments-on-the-way-in-scranton/article_968d4d04-2093-54d0-aea8-83e263d5a595.html
New exhibit aims to highlight various cultures of anthracite region
https://www.thetimes-tribune.com/news/new-exhibit-aims-to-highlight-various-cultures-of-anthracite-region/article_d32418c2-54dc-54e5-be7f-b60ab1300662.html
Local pro teams feel impacts of pandemic
https://www.citizensvoice.com/news/local-pro-teams-feel-impacts-of-pandemic/article_d7cc3e9c-74f0-5bea-8e6c-e656a0bfe8b6.html
Barber leaving Luzerne Foundation at the end of June
https://www.timesleader.com/news/1148164/barber-leaving-luzerne-foundation-at-the-end-of-june
One year of COVID-19: Greater Hazleton officials say curfew a tough decision, but it helped
https://www.standardspeaker.com/news/one-year-of-covid-19-greater-hazleton-officials-say-curfew-a-tough-decision-but-it/article_d01ab7d8-a1a6-5b43-b898-689b12d30173.html
Over $9 million allocated for rent relief in Schuylkill County
https://www.standardspeaker.com/news/coronavirus/over-9-million-allocated-for-rent-relief-in-schuylkill-county/article_a4202e77-2a8c-56c8-b2d8-0a2fddb2dbef.html
National News
Chauvin trial: A dozen people will decide whether a police officer broke the law
https://www.post-gazette.com/news/crime-courts/2021/03/29/police-officer-Derek-Chauvin-trial-jury-george-floyd-death-minneapolis/stories/202103290066
Why doesn’t the U.S. value child care? A historic look.
https://www.inquirer.com/news/american-child-care-racism-sexism-pandemic-20210327.html
Editorial: Let’s celebrate women’s role in our history
https://www.readingeagle.com/opinion/editorials/editorial-lets-celebrate-womens-role-in-our-history/article_ee96b736-900f-11eb-84e2-f3b8e5b25222.html
Philly
Shuttered El stop illuminates depth of Philly’s entrenched social problems
https://www.inquirer.com/transportation/el-train-somerset-stop-septa-kensington-heroin-20210328.html
Mayor Kenney’s lack of involvement in Somerset El closure isn’t just a transit issue. It’s a leadership failure.
https://www.inquirer.com/real-estate/inga-saffron/septa-mayor-kenney-market-frankford-el-somerset-station-closure-opioid-crisis-leadership-governance-failure-20210328.html
Latino leaders lost during COVID-19 pandemic leave a void in the Philadelphia communities they shaped
https://www.inquirer.com/news/inq2/philadelphia-latino-community-pandemic-leaders-20210328.html
Temple medical school dean John M. Daly dies
https://www.inquirer.com/education/john-daly-temple-medical-school-dean-dies-20210327.html
10 ideas to stem the tide of Philly’s gun-violence crisis | Opinion
https://www.inquirer.com/opinion/commentary/homicides-philadelphia-spike-gun-violence-solutions-20210326.html
Pitt
Sick leave veto, police review board on Allegheny County Council’s loaded agenda for Tuesday meeting
https://www.post-gazette.com/news/politics-local/2021/03/29/Allegheny-County-Council-loaded-agenda-Tuesday-meeting/stories/202103270043
Car Bazaar parking garage flea market to put a Pittsburgh twist on boot sale tradition
https://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2021/03/29/Pittsburgh-Downtown-Car-Bazaar-event-boot-sale-Sixth-and-Penn-garage-April/stories/202103280016
Some libraries slowly reopening their doors
https://www.post-gazette.com/ae/books/2021/03/28/Carnegie-Library-of-Pittsburgh-libraries-slowly-reopening-covid-pandemic-allegheny-county/stories/202103240168
Pittsburgh school board president faces two challengers in May primary
https://www.post-gazette.com/news/education/2021/03/29/PPS-pittsburgh-public-schools-board-president-faces-two-challengers-May-primary-sylvia-wilson/stories/202103250158
Fresh look: Shadyside’s Walnut Street getting new lights, pavement
https://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2021/03/28/Walnut-Street-Shadyside-Pittsburgh-new-lights-pavement-Councilwoman-Erika-Strassburger/stories/202103280064
‘A perfect place to be’: Arlington Park gets a Saturday spring cleaning
https://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2021/03/27/Arlington-Spray-Park-Jessica-Benham-Arlington-Civic-Council-Hilltop-Alliance/stories/202103270060
Many young workers opting for target date retirement funds
https://www.post-gazette.com/business/money/2021/03/28/retirement-planning-target-date-stocks-bonds-life-cycle-aged-based-funds-risk/stories/202103280053
Great Allegheny Passage, named 20 years ago, continues to grow in popularity, importance
https://triblive.com/local/westmoreland/great-allegheny-passage-named-20-years-ago-continues-to-grow-in-popularity-importance/
State News
Losing faith in government? Look to your local town council
https://www.inquirer.com/politics/pennsylvania/pennsylvania-town-councils-20210329.html
Pennsylvania state parks, overwhelmed in 2020, prepare for more visitors in 2021
https://www.post-gazette.com/life/outdoors/2021/03/29/pennsylvania-state-parks-covid-19-pandemic-attendance-DCNR-safety/stories/202103290011
Transportation
Wrong-way driving deaths show sharp increase nationally
https://www.post-gazette.com/news/transportation/2021/03/28/traffic-deaths-wrong-way-driving-sharp-increase-AAA-Foundation-Safety/stories/202103280068
When will Route 1 overhaul be done? It’s ahead of schedule, but years from completion.
https://www.buckscountycouriertimes.com/story/news/2021/03/27/route-1-road-work-ahead-schedule-but-bucks-county-project-take-years/6963827002/
Washington
Republican Senators need to do the right thing and pass the DREAM Act | Opinion
https://www.inquirer.com/opinion/commentary/dream-act-2021-senate-undocumented-immigrants-pennsylvania-20210329.html
Other Voices: Improving the standard for equality across Pa.
https://www.post-gazette.com/opinion/Op-Ed/2021/03/28/Other-Voices-Improving-the-standard-for-equality-across-Pa-Matt-Shorraw/stories/202103280023