President Trump will be making his way back to PA to campaign with Lou Barletta, while a new poll shows Pennsylvania’s statewide officials are less popular than their peers. Happy Thursday politicos, here is the Playbook!

PA16: Sabato’s Crystal Ball moves race from Likely Republican to Leans Republican: The election analyst cited the district’s similarities with Rep. Conor Lamb’s 18th District.

PA Politicians Less Popular Than Peers: According to a national Morning Consult poll, Wolf, Casey, and Toomey don’t stand out among Governors and Senators.

Trump to Campaign for Barletta in Luzerne County: Time to bring in the head honcho.

The Impeachment Eleven: Rep. Scott Perry (R-York) is one of 11 House Republicans cosponsoring articles of impeachment against Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein.

Harrisburg & DC

AP: Pennsylvania takes the ax to North Coventry logging law

AP: Wolf, Wagner make questionable claims about school funding

AP: Federal grant supports Lake Erie algae bloom warning system

AP: Gas drilling not damaging forests’ waterways, state finds

Capitolwire: DCNR report shows slack in Marcellus Shale forest drilling

The PLS Reporter: Pittsburgh waits for state review of new accessibility codes, passes on expanding animal control

The PLS Reporter: State officials and leaders fight for clean car standards

The PLS Reporter: Governor, Philly mayor emphasize early education investments

StateImpact: Natural gas development in Pa. state forests has slowed significantly

WITF: Group insists budget earmarks have to go

USA Today: House conservatives file articles of impeachment against Deputy AG Rod Rosenstein

AP: Trump to hold Pennsylvania rally, stump for GOP’s Barletta

Pocono Record: H.R. 2353 heads to Trump’s desk

Philadelphia

Inquirer: Delco Council commissions long-debated study of Sunoco pipeline

Inquirer: The wait for Social Security disability benefits in Pa. might grow longer under new proposal

Inquirer: Feds meet with Montco residents on water contamination at bases

Philly Voice: Philadelphia Sheraton to host sensitivity training session after racial slur incident

Philadelphia Business Journal: Pennsylvania’s sweeping gambling expansion rolls on

KYW: EPA receives feedback from residents exposed to polluted water near military bases

SEPA

Daily Local News: Costello bill to protect deploying servicemembers from fees passes House

Daily Local News: Chamber of Business and Industry to honor Rep. Lewis as “Citizen of the Year”

Delco Daily Times: County council OKs $115,000 risk assessment study on pipeline

Bucks County Courier Times: EPA officials hear directly from residents at Horsham meeting

Pottstown Mercury: Boyertown School Board accepts $255,000 Pre-K grant

Pittsburgh

WESA: Conservative Organization Criticizes $35M in Earmarks in PA Budget

WTAE: Allegheny County Sheriff’s clerk accused of leaking information to targets of federal drug probe

Pittsburgh Business Times: Peduto supports UPMC Mercy Vision and Rehabilitation Hospital

Post-Gazette: Pittsburgh Public Schools board passes resolution opposing armed teachers in school

Post-Gazette: DA freezes bank accounts of Carnegie Library theft defendants, spurring legal challenge

Post-Gazette: State Rep. Jake Wheatley wants to legalize marijuana in Pennsylvania

Tribune Review: Pittsburgh City Council postpones vote on new UPMC hospital while mayor backs plan

Tribune Review: Residents, lawmakers react to proposed Westmoreland Mall casino

SWPA

Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: JARI grant to foot cost of training classes for welders

Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: Pittsburgh mayor to address chamber

Altoona Mirror: Labor, Industry secretary visits Blair’s CareerLink

Observer-Reporter: State officials, businesses discuss workforce development

Observer-Reporter: Charleroi Area to enhance security for new school year

Observer-Reporter: Monessen spends $26K to settle sexual harassment lawsuit

Beaver County Times: Controller: Making pension payment would net county extra $232,000

Beaver County Times: Economy councilwoman appeals court ruling on prayer at council meetings

NEPA

Times-Tribune: Trump to appear next week in NEPA

Times-Tribune: Cummings suggests countywide ban on edibles infused with marijuana, pot extracts

Standard Speaker: City council step toward finalizing moving and yard sale permits

Citizens Voice: Councilwoman returns to serve in Swoyersville

The Times Leader: Congressional candidate Chrin meets with DA Salavantis on sanctuary cities

South Central

LNP | Lancaster Online: Appeals court rejects Columbia nuns’ religious-freedom lawsuit against Atlantic Sunrise pipeline

York Dispatch: Springetts to host public hearings, vote on casino, gambling ordinances

Carlisle Sentinel: Toomey, Keefer looking to provide medals for Korean War veterans

PennLive: Harrisburg School District explains grading policy that gives students a 50 percent for free

PennLive: Graham Spanier says law school fight should have disqualified judge in child endangerment appeal

Lehigh Valley

Express Times: Easton’s ‘Voice of City Hall’ retires after 44 years

Express Times: Easton rejects Centre Square billboard that sparked $7.2M lawsuit against city

WFMZ: Reading to Trans-Bridge: City ‘a good business decision’

Reading Eagle: Gov. Wolf to tour flood-ravaged areas in western Schuylkill

Morning Call: Wake-up Call: Could Conor Lamb topple a fellow member of Pa.’s congressional delegation?

Morning Call: Surge in membership leads Sierra Club to hire Lehigh Valley staffer

Morning Call: Northampton County offers financial support for fish-friendly hydropower plant in Easton

North by Northwest

Williamsport Sun Gazette: Farmers plead for better milk prices

Williamsport Sun Gazette: Foundation awards nearly $177K in grants toward local improvement

Williamsport Sun Gazette: City mayor accused of ‘backroom deal’ with insurers

Williamsport Sun Gazette: City seeks help from state to avoid financial distress

Erie Times-News: Millcreek to appeal court ruling in landslide case

Opinion

Express Times: Poll: Should the U.S. add a 25% tariff to foreign-made cars?

Paul Muschick: Sky-high medical helicopter costs could come down under new Pennsylvania budget

Bill White: Pennsylvania redistricting reform is dead

LNP | LancasterOnline Editorial Board: Tariffs are not ‘the greatest’ for farmers, business owners and American consumers

York Dispatch: Oped: Time to improve Pennsylvania’s cybersecurity

York Daily Record: Why I’m running for state rep in 92nd District

PennLive Editorial Board: Philly lawmaker’s ban on ‘gay, trans panic defense’ is an idea whose time has come

John L. Micek: Another GOP headache: Female voters hand Dems a double-digit edge in new poll

Dan Simpson: The drums are beating for a war with Iran

Richard M. Englert & JoAnne A. Epps: Temple: We will fix the rankings, and your trust

Inquirer Editorial Board: Controller’s sex harassment audit is only a partial picture

Trudy Rubin: Will we ever know what Trump told Putin in Helsinki?

Inquirer Editorial Board: States have a role to play on war on poverty (why, by the way, isn’t over)