Former Rep. Lou Barletta rules out a run for PA’s 12th Congressional District. Here is the Playbook.

Republican Leadership Finds Common Ground in Wolf’s Budget Proposal: Sen. Corman believes there is a lot that the Republicans can embrace and get behind in the Governor’s budget proposal.

Barletta Rules Out Run For PA12: The former Congressman said that he received many calls urging him to run.

HD114: Candidates To Debate On Feb. 27: The debate sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Lackawanna County will take place at 7 pm at the Dickson City Borough Building.

Harrisburg & DC
Inquirer: Sources: Supreme Court Justice Kevin Dougherty received union-paid benefits in Local 98 case
Inquirer: Pa.’s deepening red-blue divide could create gridlock in Harrisburg and chaos in the 2020 presidential race
Inquirer: County election officials say Pa. Gov. Tom Wolf’s budget falls short for new voting machines
Inquirer: What’s fresh in the latest Pa. bill to legalize cannabis for recreational use?  
Inquirer: Pa. weighs up to $30 million a year in tax breaks for historic preservation projects
AP: US attorney in Philadelphia sues over safe injection site
Post-Gazette: Community Colleges want more from state budget
Patriot News: How much money does your school district get in Gov. Tom Wolf’s 2019-20 budget proposal?  
Patriot News: Lt. Gov. John Fetterman to kick off pot legalization listening tour next week: ‘I want it to be an open exchange’
Pennsylvania Capital-Star: In State of the Union, Trump calls for unity – will Pa. lawmakers buy in?
Pennsylvania Capital-Star: To build ‘civic muscle,’ this group is giving out cash for citizen-drawn congressional maps  
Pennsylvania Capital-Star: With plant shutdowns looming, Pa.’s nuclear industry braces for a policy showdown  
Pennsylvania Capital-Star: Top Pa. Senate Dem. moves to halt Highmark/UPMC divorce
Pennsylvania Capital-Star: Today is the first day of the rest of the 2019 budget season | Wednesday Morning Coffee
LNP | LancasterOnline: Advisory board supports making anxiety disorders approved condition for Pa. medical marijuana
PLSReporter: As Wolf pushes for minimum wage increase, lawmakers hear from skeptics of the proposal
PLSReporter: Freshman Focus: Rep. Lori Mizgorski
Morning Call: Taxpayer-funded nuclear power bailout pushed in Pennsylvania   
Philadelphia
Inquirer: U.S. attorney sues to stop supervised injection sites in Philadelphia
Inquirer: Philly DA Larry Krasner unveils plan to shrink juvenile justice system. Does it go far enough?
WHYY Newsworks: Joining the Philly club: Henon to run while indicted
Philadelphia Magazine: Philly Pols Roast Trump After State of the Union Address
Billy Penn: What the feds’ safe injection site lawsuit could mean for the rest of the country
KYW Newsradio: Legal expert weighs in on indictment into city councilman, union leader  
KYW Newsradio: Philly Assistant DAs apply policies to help children in criminal justice system
PLSReporter: Committee amends, passes deadline extension on senior tax refund program

SEPA
Bucks County Courier Times: Columbine survivor, Abington resident attends SOTU, wanted to hear more about gun violence
Bucks County Courier Times: Fitzpatrick revives push for cockpit safety, in honor of Lower Makefield pilot killed on 9/11
Delco Daily Times: Delco council to intervene in complaint against Mariner East 2
Delco Daily Times: Scanlon invites victims of gun violence to State of Union
Philly Voice: Delco state representative trying, once again, to tax mature video games in Pennsylvania
Daily Local News: Auditor General visits WCU

Pittsburgh
Post-Gazette: Local leaders highlight need for Career and Technical Education to address ‘workforce gap’
Post-Gazette: Second grand jury report finds questionable hiring, conflicts with Penn Hills solicitor
Post-Gazette: County Council: What will you do about Clairton pollution? Health Dept: Enforcement coming.
Post-Gazette: Pittsburgh school board questions Imani Christian leaders in quest for charter
Post-Gazette: Plum school board member criticized for Facebook post
Tribune Review: General Carbide expanding, adding new jobs
WESA: Local Lawmaker Proposing Bill To Compel UPMC, Highmark To Play Nice
WESA: Pittsburghers Still Feel Safer Beside Self-Driving Cars Than Those Driven By Humans
The Incline: Everything you need to know about the criminal case against the PWSA

SWPA
Observer-Reporter: Snyder introduces bill to allow early voting
Observer-Reporter: Local lawmakers react to Trump’s State of the Union address
Observer-Reporter: W&J student, businessman seeking city council seats
Observer-Reporter: Greene candidates asked to meet
Beaver County Times: Chamber of commerce director seeks commissioner’s seat
Altoona Mirror: Ward helps propose health bill
Altoona Mirror: Local nurse running for coroner
Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: WATCH VIDEOS | Governor: Initiative will help communities deal with blight removal, reuse  
Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: WATCH VIDEO | ‘It makes a huge difference’: Record $369K in tourism-related grants handed out  

NEPA
Times-Tribune: Judge questions why Scranton School District has not tried to recoup losses
Times-Tribune: Lackawanna County Commissioner Jerry Notarianni picks a running mate
Times-Tribune: Former Pike County superintendent chosen to lead recovery in Scranton School District
Citizens Voice: Election board seeks new member; must be a Democrat
Citizens Voice: City defends disciplining police union officials
Citizens Voice: Hanover Area board could face lawsuit
The Times Leader: Report gives Pennsylvania ‘F’ grades on tobacco
The Times Leader: Casey, Toomey, Cartwright, Meuser differ on Trump’s State of Union
The Times Leader: Three Luzerne County Council members to seek another term; fourth will not
The Times Leader: Public demonstration of paper-trail voting machine options set for Feb. 27
The Times Leader: Study: Americans will lose nearly 1 million jobs if trade wars continue

South Central   
York Dispatch: Former GOP state senate candidate Julie Wheeler running for York County commissioner
York Dispatch: York City to launch community ecosystem initiative
York Dispatch: York County’s lawmakers react to Trump’s State of the Union address
LNP | LancasterOnline: Thaddeus Stevens College left without a funding increase in Gov. Wolf’s budget proposal — again
LNP | LancasterOnline: Former prosecutor alleges DA candidate Mark Fetterman made unwanted romantic advance in 2008  
Carlisle Sentinel: Mechanicsburg to be third stop in Lt. Gov. Fetterman’s marijuana legalization ‘listening tour’
Carlisle Sentinel: Cumberland County cancels Sunoco public meeting after other parties drop out
Carlisle Sentinel: Carlisle borough continues discussions on rental ordinance
Patriot News: How much money does your school district get in Gov. Tom Wolf’s 2019-20 budget proposal?  
Patriot News: Lt. Gov. John Fetterman to kick off pot legalization listening tour next week: ‘I want it to be an open exchange’

Lehigh Valley   
Express Times: Mayor will run again: ‘We’re going to run for Easton, not for me.’
Express Times: The bills Lehigh Valley towns face for state police coverage under new budget plan
Reading Eagle: Bart Ganster wants to be Berks County sheriff  
Reading Eagle: Wernersville holds closed-door session to discuss future of police protection in the borough
Morning Call: Allentown School Board member Cheryl Johnson-Watts to run for mayor  
Morning Call: Sentencing for Mike Fleck, ex-Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski’s campaign manager, pushed to April

North by Northwest
Centre Daily Times: County commissioners: Body cams coming to Centre County prison, new hotel tax is official
Williamsport Sun-Gazette: Attorney seeks GOP nomination for DA  
Williamsport Sun-Gazette: Mayor plans run for county seat
Williamsport Sun-Gazette: Heavy rain, snowmelt takes city financial toll
Williamsport Sun-Gazette: Lock Haven City Council discusses use of live-streaming for meetings
Williamsport Sun-Gazette: Linden woman seeks prothonotary post
Erie Times-News: City of Erie launches redesigned website  
Erie Times-News: Erie City Council doubles vendor fee  
Erie Times-News: Erie native appointed to state post  
Opinion
Post-Gazette Editorial Board: Trump’s resilience: State of the Union address was upbeat, on track
Post-Gazette Editorial Board: Get a loan?: Remark shows the disconnect of man of power, wealth
Post-Gazette Editorial Board: Man vs. machine: Super Bowl ads show a growing anxiety
Inquirer Editorial Board: The State of the Union address skipped the most pressing crises of our time
Maureen Swanson: Pa. children deserve better than Andrew Wheeler in the EPA
Frank Dermody: This is why House Democrats are focusing on economic security for working families
Alan Butkovitz: Was Mayor Kenney really blind to soda tax motivations?
Dom Giordano: My lunch — and other encounters — with Johnny Doc
David Kennedy: Wolf, lawmakers can’t forget the challenges facing the Pa. State Police
Marc Thiessen: Our political center is up for grabs. Trump just made a play for it.
Trudy Rubin: Why Trump downplayed foreign policy in State of Union
Shoba Sivaprasad Wadhia: Two years later, the ‘Muslim ban’ still shuts the door on Pennsylvanians
Jeffrey Barg: How passive voice makes the Roger Stone indictment sound less damning than Johnny Doc’s | The Angry Grammarian
Jenice Armstrong: R. Kelly is not Philly’s problem
Brian O’Neill: Choo-choo times two equals double trouble