News Digest :: November 29, 2022

Legislature

PA Senate Sets January Trial Date for Philly DA Larry Krasner – DV Journal (delawarevalleyjournal.com)

Pa. Senate set to begin constitutional role in Krasner impeachment – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

State Senator John Gordner Resigns – PoliticsPA

Senator set to represent Mountain Top, more of Luzerne County resigns to take new job | Election | standardspeaker.com

STRAW: GOP State Senate Will Continue to Lead in PA – DV Journal (delawarevalleyjournal.com)

Pennsylvania state lawmakers form House Freedom Caucus in Harrisburg (abc27.com)

Freedom Caucus brings its national brand of conservatism to the Pennsylvania state House – The Morning Call (mcall.com)

Pa. redevelopment grants for Lehigh Valley projects now up to $50.5M awarded this fall – lehighvalleylive.com

$125M Pa. program to help fund home repairs will soon go to interested counties – lehighvalleylive.com

Pennsylvania’s legislative pay raises are obscene. Stop the madness. (mcall.com)

T. Milton Street Sr., former Pennsylvania state senator, dies at 83 | Obituaries | phillytrib.com

Milton Street dies: The Philadelphia activist and politician was 83 (inquirer.com)

Africatown to receive $9 million in state funding | Local News | phillytrib.com

 

Business/Jobs

With Federal Aid on the Table, Utilities Shift to Embrace Climate Goals – The New York Times (nytimes.com)

BlockFi seeks bankruptcy protection as FTX collapse shakes crypto (inquirer.com)

 

COVID-19

Allegheny County to close Curative test sites for COVID-19 | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

 

Crime/Punishment

A cartel allegedly responsible for a third of Europe’s cocaine has been busted : NPR

$1.5 million in fentanyl seized in Somerset interstate stop | News | tribdem.com

Lancaster County Prison testing medication-assisted treatment program for opioid use disorder | Local News | lancasteronline.com

Dauphin County hired ‘expert’ to review jail deaths, but won’t release report | WITF

States, including Pa., have replaced prison mail with scanned copies | Tuesday Morning Coffee – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

A win for the police union should not be a loss for Philadelphia | Editorial (inquirer.com)

 

Education

Erie students’ academic growth increased in 2021-22: PVVAS data (goerie.com)

School library book bans in PA and US spark culture wars (goerie.com)

Warwick parent group plans meeting to recruit church leaders to fight ‘woke curriculum’ | Local News | lancasteronline.com

Moms for Liberty urge restrictions on reading materials, training in Nazareth Area School District | WITF

We need an honest discussion about charter school reform in Pa. | Opinion – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

2022 PSSA results: Still worse than pre-pandemic scores (inquirer.com)

Philadelphia School District aims to ease fears after four Overbrook students were shot (inquirer.com)

Hazleton Area OKs bus pact with Crestwood | Education | standardspeaker.com

 

Elections/Politics

National

Cochise County, Arizona, has not certified midterm results : NPR

Trump’s Jewish Allies Denounce Dinner With Kanye West and Nick Fuentes – The New York Times (nytimes.com)

2024 Pa. primary: Ron DeSantis leads Donald Trump in early poll of Republicans (inquirer.com)

Statewide

Whose 2022 election mail ballots were rejected in PA? · Spotlight PA

As Pennsylvania certifies and audits election, lawsuits and a deadlock may slow it down | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com

Pennsylvania counties’ certified election results due Monday (abc27.com)

Pa. Society weekend, the annual political gabfest in NYC, stages a comeback – pennlive.com

Pennsylvania U.S. Senator-elect John Fetterman turns to governing | WITF

District/Local

Judge Lou Mincarelli Announces Candidacy for Chester County Court of Common Pleas – DV Journal (delawarevalleyjournal.com)

Berks cannot certify election results due to pending recount petitions (readingeagle.com)

Westmoreland election results certified; hearing Tuesday for challenges | TribLIVE.com

Election board now set to certify results of Nov. 8 election; Schramm says his questions were answered | Election | citizensvoice.com

Allegheny County election board certifies 2022 results; deputies called after crowd gets raucous | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

 

Transportation

Rail strikes are rare, and this would be the first in three decades (inquirer.com)

 

Gun Safety

Emotions run high as friends, family say goodbye to Harrisburg teen: ‘justice shall prevail’ – pennlive.com

 

Health

Thousands of veterans deluge VA with claims for toxic exposure benefits, health care – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

What’s a Black life worth to insurance companies? (inquirer.com)

Training service dogs for military members is therapy for veterans at Penn’s new program (inquirer.com)

Why some Western Pa. hospitals choose to remain independent | TribLIVE.com

 

State News

Pennsylvania hunters donate 187,000 pounds of venison for families in need | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com

Pennsylvania releases plan to expand broadband access (abc27.com)

Nonpartisan journalism is vital. Here’s how you can keep it going. (theintell.com)

 

National News

Soccer takes a back seat to politics in the lead-up to the U.S.-Iran match : NPR

Mauna Loa erupts in Hawaii: World’s biggest active volcano was dormant 38 years : NPR

Christmas tree supply down nationwide (abc27.com)

China Protests Over ‘Zero Covid’ Follow Months of Economic Pain – The New York Times (nytimes.com)

Students sent home, police on patrol as China curbs COVID protests (inquirer.com)

Elon Musk Takes On Apple’s Power, Setting Up a Clash – The New York Times (nytimes.com)

Iranian general acknowledges over 300 have died in unrest surrounding protests (inquirer.com)

 

Local News

Cumberland County announces no tax increase for 2023 (abc27.com)

Montgomery County public safety warehouse project adds $1.1 million in contracts (mainlinemedianews.com)

Montgomery County capital budget introduced at $268.9 million (mainlinemedianews.com)

Monroe County’s average home sold for a higher price year over year (poconorecord.com)

Loss of services tax funding concerns Johnstown City Council; church members protest lack of funding | News | tribdem.com

Akron residents ‘outraged and angered’ over cuts to Ephrata Public Library at borough council meeting | Local News | lancasteronline.com

Ephrata library, zeroed out in Akron borough’s budget, gets public support at council meeting | WITF

Lancaster Pride announces date, new location for 2023 festival after 2022 event hit max capacity | Entertainment | lancasteronline.com

Which Lehigh Valley road projects are receiving funding? Here are some you may notice in the next few years – The Morning Call (mcall.com)

Need for volunteers at Advocates for the Homeless of Upper Bucks homeless shelter continues | The Bucks County Herald

Demolition day arrives for longtime Nanticoke eyesore stretching a city block | News | citizensvoice.com

Scranton City Council to recommend lower tax increase for 2023 | News | thetimes-tribune.com

 

Pitt

Over 30 Pittsburgh organizations receive nearly $1 million in Stop the Violence Grants | TribLIVE.com

A day for charity: Nonprofits get ready for Giving Tuesday | TribLIVE.com

Western Pa. school districts dealing with uptick in sick kids | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

 

Philly

Crane Watch: Nearly 2,800 new residential units in the works in Philadelphia area – Philadelphia Business Journal (bizjournals.com)

Village View: Philadelphia Flower Show returning to the Convention Center – Mainline Media News

Philadelphia City Council swears in four new members | Local News | phillytrib.com

Nicetown’s Zion Annex has sat neglected since 2014. An $11 million renovation aims to bring it back to life | Local News | phillytrib.com

Philadelphia property taxes: Are you one of thousands of homeowners losing millions in tax relief each year? (inquirer.com)

Philly’s Chinatown to get new affordable apartments for senior citizens (inquirer.com)

 

Washington

U.S. Supreme Court to hear arguments on Biden’s immigration guidelines : NPR

White House reveals Christmas decorations with ‘We the People’ theme : NPR

Biden calls on Congress to head off potential rail strike – Daily Local

When it comes to prosecuting Trump, Merrick Garland needs to decide already | Bruce Ledewitz – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Virginia Rep. McEachin dies at 61 after cancer battle | Obituaries | phillytrib.com