Larry Sabato’s Crystal Ball changes the ratings for two races in the Pennsylvania Democrats favor, while Wagner is set to receive some help from a Koch-backed conservative group. Happy Friday politicos. Here is the Playbook!

Sabato’s Crystal Ball Moves PA7 & PA17 to Lean Democratic: The newly drawn map makes these districts within reach for Democrats.

AFP to bat for Wagner: Koch-backed group is throwing its support behind GOP candidate Scott Wagner for Governor.

Harrisburg & DC
PLSReporter: SWOT results show positive impacts from PA military installations
PLSReporter: In Philadelphia, Democrats pitch free tuition at state schools
PLSReporter: Details of expanding rural broadband get tricky at committee hearing
StateImpactPA: A missing gene could make marine mammals more vulnerable to common pesticides
Inquirer: The McDonnell ruling: All you need to know about the case that upended the legal landscape for political corruption
AP: Instead of tax cuts, GOP candidates motivate with anxiety
Inquirer: Appeals court overturns U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah’s bribery convictions, upholds guilty verdict on other counts
Philadelphia Business Journal: Pennsylvania worst in nation for average college student debt
Billy Penn: Gov. Wolf says Pennsylvania’s not ready for legal pot. Other elected officials disagree.
Post-Gazette: Koch-backed Americans for Prosperity is now for Scott Wagner
WHYY Newsworks: Will youth voting surge in Pa.? The data is mixed
York Dispatch: Wolf LGBTQ commission ‘gives community hope’ during Equality Fest, founder says

Philadelphia
Inquirer: Appeals court overturns U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah’s bribery convictions, upholds guilty verdict on other counts
Philadelphia Business Journal: Phila. nabs new film featuring ‘Black Panther’ star Chadwick Boseman. Here’s what the city & Pa. gets.
KYW Newsradio: 12 local institutions awarded grants to promote digital literacy
KYW Newsradio: Pro-federal worker rally challenges Trump’s executive order
Billy Penn: Gov. Wolf says Pennsylvania’s not ready for legal pot. Other elected officials disagree.
Billy Penn: Several Eagles players wore shirts with criminal justice messages during warmups before the preseason opener at the Linch
Billy Penn: After US Attorney McSwain slammed Philly’s sanctuary city policies, DA Krasner clapped back: ‘The Trump administration has made it so that immigrant children can get raped because they’re afraid to call the police’
WHYY Newsworks: Parking Authority chief Petri offers up a sweeping legislative agenda for change
Inquirer: 165,000 Philly homeowners may be paying too much in property taxes. Is the city assessing property fairly?

SEPA
Daily Local News: West Chester resident first Hispanic to lead Philly federal court
Bucks Local News: Newtown Supervisors begin public hearings for controversial Buck Road housing development; 76 single-family homes now proposed
Montgomery Media: Monto DA unveils mobile drug take back initiative
Bucks County Courier Times: State Rep. Tina Davis schedules telephone town hall next week

Pittsburgh
KDKA: Casey, Barletta Campaign In Pittsburgh-Area In Must-Win Senate Race
WESA: Pennsylvania Auditor General To Assess Pittsburgh Public Schools Transportation Costs
WTAE: $3 million in state funds will help preserve some of Pittsburgh’s most historic buildings
KDKA: Greensburg Diocese Issues Apology, Will Release Names of Clergy Accused of Sex Abuse
Pittsburgh Business Times: State commits $2M to Pitt-Titusville training hub
Post-Gazette: Allegation from half a century ago confirmed, bishop says
Post-Gazette: Mayor: City may reopen probe of Beechview house sale
Post-Gazette: Obituary: Stuart Brown/Longtime journalist was driven by curiosity and respectful storytelling
Post-Gazette: With hospital construction boom underway in W.Pa., opposition is unusual
Post-Gazette: Missing from Hazelwood Green preliminary plans: firm commitments on affordable housing

SWPA
Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: Somerset County coal plant project receives state support
Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: New lawsuit filed alleging abuse by Brother Stephen Baker
Altoona Mirror: Gallitzin Borough targets dilapidated houses
Observer-Reporter: New Monessen councilwoman sworn in; mayor still absent
Observer-Reporter: Sen. Casey discusses miners’ pensions during visit to Greene County Fair
Beaver County Times: Hopewell zoning board to hear drug and alcohol center appeal

NEPA
Times-Tribune: WRight Center gets $1M state grant to help opioid addicts
Times-Tribune: Atheist group appeals COLTS verdict
Citizens Voice: W-B schools plan still divisive after addition of GAR
Citizens Voice: Dallas union, district will resume negotiations
The Times Leader: Attorney General urges Pa. residents to sign up for scam alerts
The Times Leader: Fired Wilkes-Barre police officer launches new lawsuit at county level

South Central
PennLive: Harrisburg Diocese didn’t protect him from a predator priest, former altar boy says
PennLive: No casino coming to South Middleton Twp., gaming group to look at other nearby options
Carlisle Sentinel: UPDATE: With South Middleton still opting out, Greenwood Gaming looks at Shippensburg Township, Franklin County’s Greene Township
York Daily Record: York Catholic ‘dropped the ball’ in case of former teacher accused of clergy sexual abuse, alumni say
LNP | LancasterOnline: School funding would undergo seismic shift under new House bill cosponsored by Mike Sturla

Lehigh Valley
Morning Call: Jockeying begins over Lehigh County’s proposed $5 vehicle registration fee
Morning Call: As part of new security measures, Allentown School District weighs active shooter training
Morning Call: Wake-Up Call: Harrowing police video, Jenkins First Amendment right, Libertarian shindig
Reading Eagle: The business of addiction: How a Pa. treatment center allegedly made millions from drug addicts

North by Northwest
York Daily Record: Diocese of Erie names priests, lay people ‘credibly accused’ of abuse
Erie Times-News: Erie City Council, Schember discuss quality-of-life-ticketing
Williamsport Sun Gazette: Local political parties host candidates
Centre Daily Times: Is State College construction ‘never-ending?’ PennDot, borough give project updates

Opinion
Stu Bykofsky: Given sanctuary in Philly, he raped a child
Jenice Armstrong: When a white woman from Old City wears a Black Lives Matter T-shirt in Cherry Hill
Will Bunch: Despite Lenfest’s generosity, trickle-down philathropy can’t save the American Dream
Ernest Owens: Remove Bill Cosby’s star from the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Christine Flowers: By protecting Jeff Mancuso’s parental rights, the legal system failed his daughter
Daily Local News: Spending by Pa. judges should be open to scrutiny
Delco Daily Times: Editorial: Medical marijuana delivers some fiscal relief for Chester
Tony Norman: Dumb and Dumber, according to Donald Trump
Donald Boudreaux: Some wisdom on ‘the will of the people’
Nancy Eschelman: Don’t like the news? That doesn’t mean it’s fake