News Digest:: November 22, 2023

Legislature

State, local officials talk possibility of Reading CRIZ designation | Berks Regional News | wfmz.com

City of Reading launches CRIZ Working group for economic revitalization (berksweekly.com)

Kutztown returns home to a heroes welcome following national title win | Sports | wfmz.com

Pennsylvania Senate Committee Explores Impacts of Generative AI in Public Hearing – MyChesCo

Getting in the holiday spirit – Northeast Times

State, local officials talk possibility of Reading CRIZ designation | Berks Regional News | wfmz.com

Reading Salvation Army kicks of annual Red Kettle campaign (readingeagle.com)

State Sen. Vincent Hughes paid it forward in Roxborough with the Food For The Brain campaign – CBS Philadelphia (cbsnews.com)

Community calls for more safety improvements 2 months after deadly school van crash | #schoolsaftey | National Cyber Security Consulting

Pennsylvania insurance fraud agency warns of “wreck chasers” charging thousands after towing cars – CBS Pittsburgh (cbsnews.com)

Prominent Democrats Endorse Ryan Bizzarro in Pennsylvania State Treasurer Race – MyChesCo

Allegheny County Housing Authority and Pennrose Celebrates Grand Opening of Heritage Highlands – Maven (mavenagency.com)

Shop with a Cop event returns to provide children with winter necessities – CBS Pittsburgh (cbsnews.com)

Nonconsensual pelvic exams officially banned | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com

Business/Jobs

Thanksgiving 2023: These retailers will be closed on the holiday – pennlive.com

Crime/Punishment

At least 70 shots fired during Pa. gun battle that left 2 dead: police – pennlive.com

Central Pa. school administrator and music director charged with sex crimes: state police – pennlive.com

Pa. mayor charged with DUI: reports – pennlive.com

Education

State Senate approves budget bills that exclude extra funding for Wilkes-Barre Area, other underfunded school districts | Education | citizensvoice.com

Education Department opens school probes over alleged antisemitism, Islamophobia : NPR

Elections/Politics

Judge rules Pa. mail-in ballots returned on time with wrong or missing dates must be counted – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Professor raises concerns over the effect AI could have on 2024 elections | Illinois | thecentersquare.com

Pa. counties must accept undated, incorrectly dated mail ballots | WITF

Former Pa. secretary of state talks election issues ahead of 2024 | WITF

Environment

Forest Service plans carbon dioxide storage on federal lands : NPR

Transportation

State’s first federally-backed EV charging station in the works | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com

Robust Thanksgiving travel expected in NEPA and beyond | News | thetimes-tribune.com

PHL among nation’s worst airports, according to 2023 Wall Street Journal rankings – Philadelphia Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

Gun Safety

The Supreme Court’s Search for a More Attractive Gun Rights Case – The New York Times (nytimes.com)

PA gun control legislation awaits Senate consideration · Spotlight PA

Health

FDA issues warning about ‘illegally harvested’ raw oysters that may be contaminated – pennlive.com

Firefighters feel grateful and bonded this Thanksgiving, a year after kidney transplant – pennlive.com

State News

Shapiro says state will appeal Commonwealth Court’s RGGI decision – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Gov. Josh Shapiro touts his administration’s ‘GSD’ attitude at Press Club luncheon – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Josh Shapiro talks vouchers, more school funding, higher minimum wage | WITF

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro reflects on highs, lows of first year (abc27.com)

Pa. families want fracking recommendations adopted now | StateImpact Pennsylvania (npr.org)

Rolling Stones to perform in Pennsylvania in 2024 (abc27.com)

State appeals carbon ‘tax’ decision | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com

$100M settlement could fix Frontier’s phone, internet service | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com

National News

Treasury fines Binance $3.4 billion for failure to report suspicious activity by terrorists | National | thecentersquare.com

In El Paso human smuggling bust, troopers seize weapons, body armor tied to cartels | Texas | thecentersquare.com

Report: Economic recession coming for the U.S. | National | thecentersquare.com

Every member of Congress was asked about child care policy. Only 5 Republicans answered. – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Local News

Primanti Bros. restaurants giving away free beer – pennlive.com

PennDOT closes covered bridge that was hit by too-big truck – pennlive.com

Pitt

Pittsburgh Public Schools extends moratorium on use of summary citations | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Slow-speed getaway: Shaler police seek person who stole construction vehicle | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Pittsburgh may create areas specifically for homeless camps | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Philly

Philadelphia planning for its big year in 2026 | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com

Concordville Inn demolition underway as Encompass Health targets 2025 opening for 50-bed rehabilitation hospital – Philadelphia Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

SEPTA police union cites ‘disconnect’ as strike looms | Local News | phillytrib.com

Mayor-elect Cherelle Parker mentored by political group as a teen | Local News | phillytrib.com

SEPTA continues talks with police union | Local News | phillytrib.com

Could Philly’s mayor-elect run the city like Gov. Shapiro leads the state? | Local News | phillytrib.com

Washington

Casey’s latest ‘greedflation’ report zeroes in on price increases for Thanksgiving staples – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Senate votes to pass funding bill and avoid government shutdown. Here’s the final vote tally. – CBS New York (cbsnews.com)