Legislature
Wolf, Philly Democrats unveil ‘environmental justice’ initiatives | City & State PA (cityandstatepa.com)
Nearing the end of his term, Wolf issues executive order to bolster environmental efforts – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)
Pennsylvania Governor: Actions to Prioritize Environmental Justice | STL.News
PA Environment Digest Blog: Gov. Wolf, Legislative Black Caucus Members Announce Actions To Prioritize Environmental Justice (paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com)
Pennsylvania Senate adopts resolution thwarting carbon pricing | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com
Pa. Senate moves to block key part of Wolf’s climate plan – WHYY
Pa. senate disapproves joining Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative | WJET/WFXP/YourErie.com
Pennsylvania senator introduces Castle Doctrine expansion | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com
Pennsylvania lawmaker says taxpayer-funded grant program lacks oversight | Pennsylvania | thecentersquare.com
This week’s biggest Winners & Losers | City & State PA (cityandstatepa.com)
State Senators Lisa Baker and Kristin Phillips-Hill: Fostering fairness in Pennsylvania’s election operations (broadandliberty.com)
Pa. Democrats take aim against firearm-carry legislation | News | bradfordera.com
PA Senate passes bill allowing businesses a higher tax deduction on new equipment – Central Penn Business Journal (cpbj.com)
Pennsylvania Senate aims bill at preventing all-electric building codes (wearecentralpa.com)
Coronavirus – COVID-19
The pandemic in Bucks County appears to be slowing through October (buckscountycouriertimes.com)
When the COVID vaccine is coming for kids under 12 : Shots – Health News : NPR
A cheap antidepressant is showing promise treating COVID-19 in high-risk adults : NPR
Vaccination status of COVID patients: All Pennsylvania hospitals should publish data – The Morning Call (mcall.com)
Daily COVID report: Berks has fallen out of top rates of COVID cases in Pa. (readingeagle.com)
Business/Jobs
US jobless claims drop to pandemic low of 281,000 – Daily Local
SEPTA strike update: Strike avoided as TWU reaches contract agreement (inquirer.com)
Childcare industry facing unprecedented challenges | Smart Talk (witf.org)
For Allentown Latinos, ending English as city’s official language would excise a hateful legacy – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)
Pennsylvania construction jobs hard to fill despite good pay (poconorecord.com)
Education
Your federal student loan payments will likely resume early next year : NPR
Grownups at school board meetings aren’t the victims here (buckscountycouriertimes.com)
Temple University endowment increases 28% on strong financial performance – Philadelphia Business Journal (bizjournals.com)
Penn becomes first Ivy League school to accept cryptocurrency as tuition – Philadelphia Business Journal (bizjournals.com)
West Chester Area School District pulls book with sexual images after parent’s criticism (broadandliberty.com)
Parents in Pa. school district fight mask mandate, say they are worried vaccine requirement will follow – pennlive.com
Substitute teacher shortage: Lehigh Valley school districts are struggling – The Morning Call (mcall.com)
University of Pittsburgh issues inclusive language guide | WITF
Carnegie Mellon ordered all on campus to get vaccinated in May, and now 98% have | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Penn students could lose access to buildings, early class registration for failing to comply with COVID-19 protocols (inquirer.com)
Alvernia University inks transfer deal with Community College of Philadelphia. (readingeagle.com)
Elections/Politics
Joe Biden job approval in Pennsylvania drops sharply in new poll – The Morning Call (mcall.com)
Chester County early voting favors Democrats, figures show – Daily Local
Delco officials admit sending hundreds of ballots to wrong voters (broadandliberty.com)
Leaders call on Berks ‘to honor’ incorrect voting deadline sent to voters as county establishes new proofing protocol | WITF
A last-minute guide to essential Pa. voter prep for the 2021 general election | WITF
Mysterious texts discouraging voters befuddle politicos in Harrisburg mayoral race – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)
GOP U.S. Senate hopeful Parnell hit with FEC complaint over book sales | Friday Morning Coffee – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)
Two Pa. swing counties’ elections could offer clues for the year ahead (inquirer.com)
Democrats say GOP school board candidates in E-town violated election code | Local News | lancasteronline.com
Environment
Letter: Pa. voters want better health protections from pollution (buckscountycouriertimes.com)
Faith and science mandate a more aggressive plan to address climate change (buckscountycouriertimes.com)
Climate campaign pressures Vanguard to act faster on fossil fuels (inquirer.com)
‘Everything is at stake’ as world gathers for climate talks | TribLIVE.com
Erie weather: Record high temps in October benefitted outdoor activities (goerie.com)
Health
Ohio Medicaid contractor, Aetna, accused of denying kids care in Pa. – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)
How Planned Parenthood v. Casey started the attack on abortion rights | Opinion – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)
Hurt by hospitals: Medicare punishes W. Pa. hospitals for medical complications | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
State News
After winning $600M contract, Pa. Lottery’s longtime partner says it’s selling its lottery business to another firm – pennlive.com
PSERS chief counsel steps down as board approves contested lawyer fees (inquirer.com)Rachel Levine’s Failed Pennsylvania Record Disregarded | National Review
Abuse kills more Pennsylvania children than COVID and flu combined (goerie.com)
Letter to the Editor: Pa. needs impartial judges without policy agendas – Delco Times
Pennsylvania secretary of education discusses germs, mask-wearing with Abington Heights first-graders | Education | thetimes-tribune.com
Time to end childhood lead poisoning in Pennsylvania (goerie.com)
National News
What is the metaverse? Here’s what’s behind Facebook’s new name : NPR
I’m disabled and on a fixed income. The child tax credit is helping me make ends meet | Opinion – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)
The US needs as many as 7 million homes to solve its housing crisis. Congress is offering about 1 million instead. (dailymagazine.news)
U.S. cites ‘crisis’ as road deaths rise 18% in first-half 2021 | TribLIVE.com
Local News
Harrisburg workers remove 28 tons of trash from single illegal dump site – pennlive.com
Allentown is looking to close the ‘digital divide’ with broadband service program – The Morning Call (mcall.com)
Bethlehem mayor debate: J. Williams Reynolds, John Kachmar discuss city finances, climate plan – The Morning Call (mcall.com)
For Allentown Latinos, ending English as city’s official language would excise a hateful legacy – Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)
Ballot demo set for Friday; officials urge voters to use drop boxes | Election | citizensvoice.com
Wilkes-Barre council OKs railroad crossing upgrade projects | News | citizensvoice.com
American Rescue Plan: Jacqueline Spry tabbed to oversee Erie’s $76M (goerie.com)
Receiver orders Chester Aggregated Pension Board to recalculate some police pensions (delcotimes.com)
Pitt
‘From the drawing board to digging dirt’: Turnpike to build new interchange in Westmoreland County | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Allegheny County voters will select 10 Common Pleas judges on Tuesday | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Advocates calling for Allegheny County to extend its local eviction moratorium | News | Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh City Paper (pghcitypaper.com)
Philly
Philadelphia settles in fatal shooting of Walter Wallace Jr. | WITF
Philadelphia settles Walter Wallace Jr. wrongful death lawsuit with his family (inquirer.com)
Philadelphia School District plans to pay community members to keep kids safe on their way to and from school (inquirer.com)
Washington
Biden Meets With Pope Francis: Live Updates – The New York Times (nytimes.com)
Biden, pope to talk virus, climate, poverty at Vatican | News | tribdem.com
How Biden’s $2 trillion in tax increases target companies and the rich – Philadelphia Business Journal (bizjournals.com)
Biden announces ‘historic’ deal — but still must win votes | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
What stays and what’s gone from Biden’s spending bill (so far) | WITF
Paid family leave gets slashed as Democrats try to reach consensus on spending plan : NPR
