News Digest :: September 24, 2021

Legislature

Pa. Senate Democrats ask for courts to push back subpoena deadline, block hiring of vendor for GOP election review | Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Dems try to block hiring a third-party vendor in GOP election probe | City & State PA (cityandstatepa.com)

Pennsylvania prosecutor sues to block GOP election subpoena – WHYY

Pa. nurses sound the alarm on unsafe working conditions – WHYY

Wolf urges community groups to apply for anti-violence grants- WHYY

Draft report of Arizona’s Republican-backed ballot review confirms Joe Biden’s win (inquirer.com)

Wolf admin sues Pa. Senate Republicans over bid to collect private voter information (inquirer.com)

Republican-led election reviews take shape in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin | WITF

AG sues Senate Republicans over election investigation subpoenas | City & State PA (cityandstatepa.com)

Pennsylvania Democrats ramp up effort to derail GOP election subpoenas | TribLIVE.com

PA Rep. Borowicz speaks against mask mandate to BEA school board  | Centre Daily Times

Coronavirus – COVID-19

COVID-19 surge slows; nearly 8,000 Pa. school-aged kids test positive over 7 past days | Coronavirus | tribdem.com

COVID vaccine boosters: CDC endorses for older Americans – WHYY

U.S. sets the stage for COVID-19 booster shots for millions (inquirer.com)

Orphaned, infected, in crisis: How the pandemic is traumatizing kids | Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Are your symptoms COVID-19 or a cold? Here’s what to know – pennlive.com

Fla.’s governor says natural immunity is equal to vaccines. Experts say it’s not so simple – pennlive.com

2021 PA COVID cases and deaths to surpass totals seen last winter (buckscountycouriertimes.com)

Business/Jobs

Public Jobs Are Recovering Slower Than Private Sector, Straining Basic Government Operations | 90.5 WESA

Crime/Punishment

Unfulfilled promises of ‘21st-century policing’ haunt Delco – WHYY

U.S. court revives lawsuit against Facebook over Philadelphia TV host’s image – pennlive.com

Critic can keep suing Pa. township over supervisor’s ‘intimidating’ demand for his personal business records, U.S. court says – pennlive.com

Pa. trooper suspended after being charged with harassing 15-year-old boy | TribLIVE.com

Jurors deliberating fate of Norristown man accused in 1980 fatal shooting are deadlocked | Local News | pottsmerc.com

Education

Philly school board approves more nurses amid COVID – WHYY

Local colleges ask for vaccination or testing compliance – WHYY

Mitchell Elementary students go hungry amid Philadelphia School District staff woes (inquirer.com)

How do Pennsylvania universities determine in-person teaching exemptions? (inquirer.com)

The Philadelphia School District’s calendar is adding monthly half days for students (inquirer.com)

Pa. educators ask for a seat at the table in response to K-12 mask mandate, COVID-19 mitigation | Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

TikTok challenge to vandalize school bathrooms plagues Pa. districts: ‘It’s inexcusable. It’s nonsense.’ – pennlive.com

Pa. school choice advocates use desire for in-person instruction to press their agenda – pennlive.com

Food supply shortages hit school districts across Allegheny County | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Bus driver shortage causing problems for Boyertown School District (readingeagle.com)

New Allentown School District superintendent’s salary debated – The Morning Call (mcall.com)

Pennsylvania educators testify about mask-order confusion; ‘Young children do not know how to read eyes’ – The Morning Call (mcall.com)

Elections/Politics

Eastman memo shows how close Georgia GOP chair came to enabling Trump coup | Jay S. Bookman | Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Berks County elections officials turn possible voter fraud case over to the district attorney (readingeagle.com)

Environment

Can Jersey Shore’s fishing industry coexist with wind farms? – WHYY

Pa. won’t hit climate goals without increasing efforts now, report says – WHYY

The missing piece in the response to climate change: carbon pricing | Opinion (inquirer.com)

PennEast natural gas pipeline hits the brakes (inquirer.com)

Without action on climate change, Hurricane Ida is just the beginning | Opinion | Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Increased mosquito activity in Western Pa. spurred by recent rain, high humidity | TribLIVE.com

Health

Sickle cell disease patients struggle to find compassionate treatment for painful symptoms (inquirer.com)

Philly’s Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium is opening a primary care clinic to combat health inequity (inquirer.com)

Study Shows Significant Health Benefits From Pennsylvania Joining Cap-And-Trade Program, But Some Harms For Neighboring States | 90.5 WESA

State News

Gov. Tom Wolf’s opioid disaster declaration is over, but Pennsylvania’s overdose crisis is not | Editorial (inquirer.com)

Unemployment refunds going out to those Pa. overcharged five years after issue discovered | WITF

How states like Pa. are using Hurricane Ida to push infrastructure bill | Friday Morning Coffee | Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Don’t bother checking the forecast this weekend. The weather will be perfect – pennlive.com

Pennsylvania on short list for new Nucor sheet mill | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

National News

Black and Latino homeowners are about twice as likely as whites to get low appraisals – WHYY

When did people first reach the Americas? Footprints analyzed in New Mexico suggest at least 23,000 years ago – pennlive.com

Tropical Storm Sam speeding west in the Atlantic, where it could grow into a Category 3 hurricane – pennlive.com

Unemployment increases again as debate over federal benefits continues | National | thecentersquare.com

Texas anti-abortion law: It’s dangerous (buckscountycouriertimes.com)

Local News

Tracking downpours, localized flash flooding, gusty thunderstorm – WHYY

Pa. court says Chester city owns the Chester Water Authority, making Aqua purchase more likely (inquirer.com)

Some Penn Hills residents under boil water advisory after mouse found in reservoir | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Erie’s immigrant population: Penn State Behrend study looks their impact (goerie.com)

Berks County commissioners praised for funding recovery services (readingeagle.com)

Tempers flare at Montgomery County commissioners’ meeting | News | pottsmerc.com

Extremism report says Proud American Patriots Network in Bucks has militia roots (buckscountycouriertimes.com)

On L.O.V.E. is the Answer Day, mural takes shape in Morrisville Borough | News | buckslocalnews.com

Pitt

Pgh City Council bill seeks to ban cats from being declawed | Pennsylvania Capital-Star (penncapital-star.com)

Allegheny County Takes Aim At Air Pollution During Inversions | 90.5 WESA

Pittsburgh unveils 50-year mobility plan with hyperloop, gondolas, bike network | TribLIVE.com

5 things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend: Sept. 24-26 | TribLIVE.com

Rising insurance rates for Pittsburgh-area teen drivers are a shocker, but parents can fight back | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Philly

Philadelphia weather brings flash flood warnings, rain, road closures (inquirer.com)

Philly property manager charged with theft after eviction battle (inquirer.com)

Three men killed in separate Philly shootings in a one-hour span (inquirer.com)

State presses Philadelphia agency over elder abuse, neglect | WITF

Washington

Frustration grows with setback on immigration reform in D.C. – WHYY

Jan. 6 panel subpoenas former Trump officials – WHYY

Biden may disclose information about Trump, Jan. 6 attack | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

White House tells U.S. agencies to prepare for first government shutdown of pandemic | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

House to vote on abortion rights as Roe is challenged | News | tribdem.com