News Digest :: March 9, 2022

Legislature

Pennsylvania state lawmakers call for bridge funding as PennDOT releases new Fern Hollow design | WITF

Nursing home staffing regulations a sticking point in Pennsylvania DHS hearing | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com

Pa. Bill Would Make Drunk Drivers Pay Child Support | News, Sports, Jobs – Post Journal (post-journal.com)

The 2022 Construction Power 75 | City & State PA (cityandstatepa.com)

Wolf Urges PLCB to Remove Russian Products From Liquor Stores | The Legal Intelligencer (law.com)

Restaurant takes ‘poutine’ off menu because it sounds like Putin | WHNT.com

How a Pa. lawmaker wants to protect transgender kids and their parents (theintell.com)

pennsylvania lawmakers should support, not suppress trans children (goerie.com)

Pa.’s new legislative maps are better, but not good enough | Opinion – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Pennsylvania Republicans Pushing To Dissolve State-Run Liquor System – CBS Philly (cbslocal.com)

Philly liquor store workers fight plan to end state liquor stores – WHYY

 

Coronavirus – COVID-19

Face mask mandates ending as COVID cases fall (theintell.com)

Delaware County commemorates the 1,800 lost to COVID (delcotimes.com)

WHO says COVID boosters needed, reversing previous call – Delco Times

State 7-day COVID-19 average drops below 1,000 new cases | Local News | tribdem.com

Pennsylvania counties where masks still recommended – The Morning Call (mcall.com)

As U.S. COVID deaths near 1 million, advocates press for a memorial day | WITF

 

Business/Jobs

Bacon, Gas and Essentials: Where 2,200 Americans Have Noticed Inflation – The New York Times (nytimes.com)

Pennsylvania famers see fertilizer prices spike and Russia’s war in Ukraine could make it worse | WITF

Walmart plans large fulfillment center in Pennsylvania | WITF

Walmart to open massive 1.8 million-square-foot fulfillment center in central Pa. – pennlive.com

New report argues it’s time for public-sector union reform in Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com

Peddler’s Village sees record sales amid pandemic – Philadelphia Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

Businesses say it’s a labor shortage. For workers, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime job market. – Philadelphia Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

Gas prices skyrocketing: How to save money in central Pennsylvania (ydr.com)

Paying for child care shouldn’t be this hard | Opinion (inquirer.com)

WBGH nurses ratify new contract with ‘historic’ raises | Times Leader

 

Crime/Punishment

Former Yeadon Police Chief Files Lawsuit Claiming He Was Fired For Being White – DV Journal (delawarevalleyjournal.com)

1st trial for Capitol rioter ends with conviction by jurors (wlwt.com)

 

Education

Pennridge board, administration do not understand transparency (theintell.com)

Court to hear closing arguments in landmark school funding trial – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Penn faculty, staff call on university to pay its ‘fair share’ to support Philly public schools – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

School of the Week: Learning is a community effort at Hackett School | The Learning Key | phillytrib.com

New CDC mask guidance upends lawsuits against schools (readingeagle.com)

Susquehanna Twp.’s school mascot discussion devolves into fighting, with no decision – pennlive.com

Standardized test scores fell sharply in Erie and statewide in 2021 (goerie.com)

 

Elections/Politics

Pa. Supreme Court weighs future of state’s popular mail voting law · Spotlight PA

Pennsylvania’s mail-in voting law has its day in Supreme Court – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

‘We want to win’: Pa. Democrats face choice in key Senate race | News | bradfordera.com

Mike Pompeo endorses Lisa Scheller in 7th Congressional District race | City & State PA (cityandstatepa.com)

McCormick Tops Fox News Poll | PoliticsPA

Republican Governors Association Plans Ad Blitz Sans PA | PoliticsPA

McSwain wins support for Pa. governor of state GOP delegation from Chester County (dailylocal.com)

Democrats launch early, aggressive national campaign effort in Pennsylvania | WITF

In a big year, here’s how Pa.’s progressive groups are making their presence felt | Analysis – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Analysis: GOP plan would be a tax hike for 35% of Pa. residents | Wednesday Morning Coffee – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

The Pa. Constitution belongs to all of us. Not one political party | Patrick Beaty – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

With Ukraine War, Republicans get religion on democracy | John L. Micek – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Mehmet Oz campaigns in Pa. Senate race as David McCormick airs TV ads against him (inquirer.com)

 

Environment

The most expansive drought in 10 years is creeping across the country. After a lack of snowfall, the Lehigh Valley is also ‘abnormally dry’ – The Morning Call (mcall.com)

Allegheny Co. hits U.S. Steel hit with historic $1.8M fine for ‘rotten egg’ pollution – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

 

Health

Canyon Atlantic withdraws lawsuit, ends efforts to buy two shuttered Tower Health hospitals – Philadelphia Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

 

State News

Six Democrat governors ask U.S. Congress to suspend federal gas tax temporarily | Colorado | thecentersquare.com

Wolf Backs Federal Gas Tax Holiday | PoliticsPA

Pa. gas price-gouging investigation seems unlikely (abc27.com)

Tick season returning with warm weather in Pennsylvania (abc27.com)

PA DEP Eyes Higher Standards for Forever Chemicals in Water – DV Journal (delawarevalleyjournal.com)

Wolf wants $2M to help Ukrainians fleeing war · Spotlight PA

 

National News

Ukraine war at 2-week mark: Russians slowed but not stopped | WITF

Loss of Russian Oil Leaves a Void Not Easily Filled, Straining Market – The New York Times (nytimes.com)

Ukraine Maps: Tracking Where Russian Forces Are Invading – The New York Times (nytimes.com)

McDonald’s, Starbucks, Coke, Pepsi join exodus out of Russia (inquirer.com)

PepsiCo suspends sales of Pepsi, 7Up in Russia, donates $4 million to help refugees – pennlive.com

‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill passes in Florida, goes to governor (inquirer.com)

End of monthly child tax credit payments sent nearly 4 million kids back into poverty – pennlive.com

 

Local News

Bulletin Board: Women’s History Month events and more in Berks County (readingeagle.com)

Lancaster County seeking citizens for Youth Intervention Center advisory board | Local News | lancasteronline.com

Bart Twp. putting $352,000 in federal relief funds toward fire department, bridge work and road repairs | Community News | lancasteronline.com

Allentown nonprofit says proposed senior affordable housing next door poses ‘existential threat’ – The Morning Call (mcall.com)

Berks food bank gets a $10,000 donation from Dunkin’ (readingeagle.com)

 

Pitt

Proposed 1% tax on consumers is aimed at Pittsburgh’s educational, medical nonprofits | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Pittsburgh Councilman Ricky Burgess proposes 1% tax on higher-ed students, medical patients | TribLIVE.com

Pittsburgh’s 21 bridges in poor condition slated for additional inspections, Mayor Ed Gainey says | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Mayor Gainey says Pittsburgh will reinspect all city-owned bridges in poor condition | TribLIVE.com

Decision on Port Authority COVID-19 vaccine mandate coming soon | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Police won’t check parked cars in Allegheny County parks after objections are raised | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

‘Transformational’ Oakland building plan gets some key support but won’t happen right away | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Allegheny Health Network to boost nurses’ pay | TribLIVE.com

 

Philly

Officer to be fired for fatally shooting Philadelphia boy | Pennsylvania State News | lancasteronline.com

PPD commissioner will fire officer who shot boy, 12, to death | Local News | phillytrib.com

Philadelphia police officer who shot 12-year-old TJ Siderio will be fired (inquirer.com)

Philadelphia’s other dangerous roads should be redesigned with past missteps in mind (inquirer.com)

The animal tranquilizer xylazine is present in a quarter of Philadelphia’s fatal overdoses (inquirer.com)

 

Washington

Biden declares U.S. ban on Russian oil, warns of gasoline price spikes – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Biden bans Russian oil, warns of ‘Putin price hike’ at pump | News | phillytrib.com

Top lawmakers reach deal on Ukraine aid, $1.5T spending (abc27.com)

Congress passes bill to shore up Postal Service, ensure delivery six days a week (abc27.com)

Pa. GOP leaders share proposals for divesting from Russia (abc27.com)

POWELL: Biden Assessment–Year One – DV Journal (delawarevalleyjournal.com)

Biden signing order on cryptocurrency as its use explodes | News | tribdem.com

Republicans, Once Harsh Ukraine Critics, Pivot to Strong Support – The New York Times (nytimes.com)