News Digest :: November 29, 2021

Legislature

PA Turnpike Reform Package Planned In Harrisburg – LevittownNow.com

Guest editorial | Compromise a lost art in Harrisburg | Editorials | tribdem.com

$5M in Pa. funding OK’d for Lehigh Valley transportation projects – lehighvalleylive.com

Democratic, Republican Lawmakers in Pennsylvania Struggle To Find Overall Strategy To Help Manage the Drug Crisis in the State | HNGN – Headlines & Global News

Pennsylvania without unified drug crisis strategy as overdose deaths soar – The Morning Call (mcall.com)

Clean water bills will benefit hunters, anglers and others who love the outdoors | Columns | dailyitem.com

PA-Sen: Fetterman (D) Pushes To Process As Many Marijuana Pardons As Possible Before Leaving Office (dailykos.com)

‘We have a litter problem’: Gov. Wolf unveils statewide litter action plan | TribLIVE.com

Wolf Administration releases first-ever statewide Litter Action Plan | Times Leader

 

Coronavirus – COVID-19

Wary, weary world slams doors shut, fearing omicron variant – Daily Local

Omicron: What we know and don’t know on new COVID variant (abc27.com)

COVID-19 omicron variant shows need for global accord on pandemics, WHO leader says (inquirer.com)

South Africa informed the world of Omicron. Then it was hit with travel bans : Coronavirus Updates : NPR

For patients with long COVID, chronic fatigue syndrome may offer a guiding star : NPR

Fauci fires back at Cruz over COVID claims about Chinese lab (abc27.com)

Omicron variant showing ‘unusual but mild’ symptoms, South African doctor says (abc27.com)

How vaccine makers plan to address the new COVID-19 omicron variant | WITF

As Omicron spreads, studies suggest that travel bans alone don’t do much good | WITF

COVID variant spreads to more countries as world on alert | WITF

South African scientists brace for wave propelled by omicron | Health | phillytrib.com

COVID-19 cases in Erie County too many for contact tracing (goerie.com)

Even as COVID-19 continues, a doctor’s gratitude for how far we’ve come | Expert Opinion (inquirer.com)

Coronavirus hospitalizations rise again in Luzerne County | Times Leader

 

Business/Jobs

Black tech founders work to improve health care for people of color : Shots – Health News : NPR

How understaffed are stores? Smaller retailers feel the holiday-shopping strain | WITF

Historic holiday sales expected in 2021 | The Numbers Racket – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Wages rise while pols apply pressure | News, Sports, Jobs – The Sentinel (lewistownsentinel.com)

Pennsylvania’s child care and staffing crisis, by the numbers | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

A workforce program delivers more recruits to Philly Shipyard (inquirer.com)

Philly teens entering workforce in droves, filling holiday gaps amid ongoing labor shortage (inquirer.com)

Cyber Monday increasingly important for area shops | Business | thetimes-tribune.com

 

Crime/Punishment

Midstate towns on the list of safest from crime | Smart Talk (witf.org)

Swarthmore College students compile Delaware County homicide database (delcotimes.com)

 

Education

Faculty retirements at Pa. state universities are double the number of a typical year – pennlive.com

State Reps. Harkins/Merski on Erie School District autonomy: They’re ready (goerie.com)

RACC hopes to build a $33 million early childhood education center (readingeagle.com)

‘Hallelujah’: Allentown School District’s aging buildings will finally get air conditioning thanks to the American Rescue Plan – The Morning Call (mcall.com)

The author whose piece triggered Temples college rankings scandal reflects (inquirer.com)

Philadelphia School District teacher vacancies, absences have created a staffing crisis in some buildings (inquirer.com)

Cyberattack forces closure of Butler County Community College on Monday and Tuesday | TribLIVE.com

 

Elections/Politics

Voting rights advocates say Ohio congressional map is gerrymandered : NPR

The Electoral College or a National Popular Vote: The debate among conservatives (broadandliberty.com)

Sean Parnell: National Popular Vote would be bad for Pennsylvania … and the nation (broadandliberty.com)

Patrick Rosenstiel: Enough of the lies about National Popular Vote! (broadandliberty.com)

GOP field in Pennsylvania’s Senate race heads for reshuffle | WITF

Berks officials say distrust in elections is damaging the process (readingeagle.com)

How Sen. Jake Corman’s background led him to run for governor | Centre Daily Times

Parnell’s Withdrawal From PA Senate Race Opens Door For Dr. Oz, Others | Patch

 

Environment

Sage-grouse protection plans in the West under review by Biden administration – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

How Pa. can get charged up for an electric vehicle future – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Big Oil’s pivot to carbon capture/storage, as it keeps drilling, isn’t a climate solution | Opinion – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

 

Transportation

Old railroad tracks should be used for trains, not trails (buckscountycouriertimes.com)

Police seeing less crashes, fatalities at roundabouts in Bucks County (buckscountycouriertimes.com)

Report: Pa. ranks 39th nationwide for the condition, cost-effectiveness of its highways – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Roundabouts can be a driver’s worst nightmare. But officials say they make Pa. roads safer – The Morning Call (mcall.com)

 

Health

NJ rabbi: Hanukkah offers lesson on dealing with addiction (buckscountycouriertimes.com)

Philadelphia International Medicine and ALYN hospital in Israel form pediatric care partnership – Philadelphia Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

‘We don’t get treated the same’: Implicit racial bias is another barrier to quality health care – pennlive.com

Recent opioid settlement is a ‘slap in the face’ to suffering families | Opinion (inquirer.com)

 

State News

Editorial: Hanukkah reminds us all to bring light into the world (dailylocal.com)

Philadelphia, Montco saw low numbers of investors buying homes in 3Q, bucking the national trend – Philadelphia Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

Report: Pennsylvania middle of the road for fiscal transparency | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com

Miss Pennsylvania competing in Miss America competition (abc27.com)

ISER: Pennsylvania Needs Driver’s Licenses for All – DV Journal (delawarevalleyjournal.com)

Pa. Supreme Court says worker was still on job, even at work-sponsored happy hour | News | Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh City Paper (pghcitypaper.com)

Pa. Labor & Industry Dept. donates 600 stuffed toys to families in need | Five for the Weekend – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Changes to Pennsylvania’s hunting calendar have helped boost license sales (readingeagle.com)

Pennsylvania deer season opens to shifting hunter patterns – pennlive.com

Pennsylvania electricity prices will be rising by as much as 50% this week. Here’s how you can save. – The Morning Call (mcall.com)

Surge of funds for plugging abandoned wells offers hope, challenges for Pa. | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

 

National News

Rural leaders fear they’ll miss out on infrastructure money | Analysis – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Keeping a watchful eye on social media’s impact on our children (buckscountycouriertimes.com)

Iran nuclear talks are restarting. Here’s what’s at stake : NPR

Leftist claims victory in Honduran vote, setting up a showdown with National Party : NPR

Renowned fashion designer Virgil Abloh dies at 41 after a private battle with cancer : NPR

Biden tapped the strategic petroleum reserve. What is it and where does it come from? | Analysis – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Ahmaud Arbery’s mom: Thankful for justice and son’s legacy | News | phillytrib.com

N.J. bill would create a new heritage trail celebrating Black history | Local News | phillytrib.com

Gun violence soared during the pandemic for complex reasons (goerie.com)

Merriam-Webster chooses vaccine as the 2021 word of the year | Coronavirus | thetimes-tribune.com

 

Local News

Radnor BOC Votes to Keep Sweetheart Deal With Ardrossan Farmer – DV Journal (delawarevalleyjournal.com)

Dioramas at Neshaminy Mall in Bensalem remain as old Macy’s still not sold (buckscountycouriertimes.com)

Downtown Development | ‘People just like me’: Transplants, young entrepreneurs energize city’s business sector | News | tribdem.com

How the infrastructure bill can close northwest Pa.’s digital divide (goerie.com)

NFG sues Erie: City ready to change fee structure to end federal case (goerie.com)

Springfield Ambulance Corps, president recognized for exceptional service – Delco Times

Pandemic ‘Rescue’ a godsend for 100s of Northampton County merchants – The Morning Call (mcall.com)

Westchester officials have banned the mayor from holding two positions – Daily Local – Pennsylvania News Today

Brandywine River Museum of Art reopens with holiday cheer – The Mercury (pottsmerc.com)

Local news outlets could reap $1.7 billion in Build Back Better aid | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Project to replace deteriorating wall in downtown Scranton stalls | News | thetimes-tribune.com

Scranton settles lawsuits against code enforcement office for $1.1 million | News | thetimes-tribune.com

Hazleton administrators view payments in 2022 budget as progress | News | standardspeaker.com

Luzerne County Council faces lame duck questions, such as LCTA funding match | | standardspeaker.com

 

Pitt

South Side awarded grant to transform South 21st Street into “Complete Green Street” | News | Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh City Paper (pghcitypaper.com)

CMU adds to cultural offerings for those with autism | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

New Southern Beltway increasing traffic on the Findlay Connector near Pittsburgh International Airport | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Pittsburgh project to remake South Side street, reduce stormwater impact gets $963K state grant | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Kidsburgh program seeks to build better engagement between schools, families | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

 

Philly

Seth Williams: Fighting Philly’s scourge of gun homicides (broadandliberty.com)

Philly reaches 500 homicides | Local News | phillytrib.com

Philly’s Black youth offer solutions to city’s gun violence problem | Monday Morning Coffee – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

SEPTA moving to zero emissions future | Local News | phillytrib.com

How an activist family got a new park built in Logan Square | Local News | phillytrib.com

Philly is 44% Black, yet our companies get less than 12% of city contracts | Opinion (inquirer.com)

I help people accused of crimes, but I still get accused — just for being Black | Opinion (inquirer.com)

Temple University student killed in shooting Sunday (inquirer.com)

Philly’s free holiday parking tradition ends. Here’s what residents, store owners are saying. (inquirer.com)

 

Washington

Democrats say Build Back Better agenda won’t repeat Obamacare messaging mistakes : NPR

‘Gifts from the Heart’ is Biden White House Christmas theme – Daily Local

Supreme Court Justices’ views on abortion in their own words and votes | WITF

Supreme Court set to take up all-or-nothing abortion fight | WITF

How paid leave, a tax cut for the rich, and more could get axed from Biden’s social policy bill – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)