Former Lt. Governor Mike Stack joins the race for Philadelphia City Council, while Sen. Pat Toomey joined Democrats in opposing Trump’s border emergency order. Here is the Playbook.

Stack Joins Philadelphia City Council At-Large Race: A spokesperson for Stack believes that his record as Lt. Gov and state Senator positions him well with powerful connections to help deliver services to the whole city of Philadelphia.

Green-Hawkins Joins Race for Superior Court: The former Allegheny County Councilwoman said her passion for the law and public service are powering her run for this seat.

NYT Takes On HD114: The special election in the state House that the Democrats captured this week was profiled by the New York Times linking President Trump’s effect on this race and others across the country.

Harrisburg & DC  
AP: Toomey votes to oppose Trump’s border emergency order
Patriot News: Pa. may raise legal age to buy tobacco from 18 to 21
PLSReporter: Legislators weigh how best to tackle vaping’s continued popularity with Pennsylvania teens
PLSReporter: Freshman Focus: Rep. Steven Malagari
Morning Call: Pat Toomey opposes President Trump in Senate vote rebuking border emergency
Morning Call: In his words: Pat Toomey’s statement on his vote against the president’s national emergency declaration
Pennsylvania Capital-Star: Pa. U.S. Sens. Casey, Toomey vote to terminate Trump’s emergency border declaration  
Pennsylvania Capital-Star: Gov. Wolf touts support from academics, economists for $15 minimum wage  
Pennsylvania Capital-Star: ‘The American people have a right to know:’ Pa. lawmakers back U.S. House vote to make Mueller report public  
Pennsylvania Capital-Star: Senate security employee escorted out of Capitol as harassment suit works through court: report  
Pennsylvania Capital-Star: In break with Trump, Pa. U.S. Sen Pat Toomey will vote to disapprove White House’s border wall grab  
Pennsylvania Capital-Star: ‘Bad public policy and an unfair burden:’ Electric utility PPL warns that nuke bailout will cost customers $130M a year  
Pennsylvania Capital-Star: Local officials would be able to ban guns on public grounds under state Senate proposal  
Inquirer: Are Pa. school districts paying too much for cyber charter students?
WESA: Toomey Bucks Trump, Votes To Overturn Emergency Declaration
StateImpactPA: Amid global push to reduce carbon emissions, Japan looks past battery-powered electric cars and envisions a ‘hydrogen society’  

Philadelphia
Philly Clout: Sheriff Jewell Williams is getting his face out there and the city controller wants to see the receipts
Inquirer: Council introduces bill to phase out, potentially eliminate soda tax
Inquirer: ‘Meek Mill Weekend’ in Philly declared by City Council
Inquirer: Penn bribery case predates national college admissions scandal
Inquirer: ‘We’re heartbroken’: Customers say goodbye to ShopRite that is closing and blaming soda tax
PLSReporter: City Council passes two referendum questions, laud Meek Mill
Philadelphia Magazine: How Meek Mill Became a Movement

SEPA
Bucks County Courier Times: Bills aim to improve access to addiction treatment across Pa.
Pottstown Mercury: Chester County Commissioners upset with redacted Sunoco pipeline statement
Pottstown Mercury: Local officials approve plans for casino in Berks County
Pottstown Mercury: Lower Pottsgrove eyes bamboo ban
Daily Local News: Report: Mushroom industry a huge economic driver in Chester County

Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh Business Times: Pittsburgh region hits lowest unemployment rate in almost 50 years
Post-Gazette: A spiritual assembly — Mayor Peduto meets with the Dalai Lama
Post-Gazette: County: Send state money for transportation, or let us raise it ourselves
Post-Gazette: Pittsburgh-area educators welcome Wolf’s proposal to change compulsory school age
Tribune Review: Harm reduction movement pushes addiction advocacy, needle exchange in Westmoreland County

SWPA  
Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: Six pursue nomination for Johnstown City Council
Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: Candidates submit petitions for places on primary ballots
Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: Nurse will run for Somerset County commissioner seat
Altoona Mirror: Hollidaysburg resident eyes school board seat  
Altoona Mirror: Logan applies for DEP grant
Observer-Reporter: Washington School District eliminates contract with city police
Beaver County Times: Egley, Guy spar over possible addition to county K-9 unit   
Beaver County Times: ‘I wasn’t ready to retire,’ former Sheriff George David says of comeback bid   

NEPA
Citizens Voice: Gifts a hot topic at W-B council meeting
Citizens Voice: W-B councilman running unopposed after all
The Times Leader: Wyoming mayor alleges irregularities in police car purchases  
The Times Leader: Councilman worried street-sweeping deal could take WB to the cleaners
The Times Leader: Corrected petitions add candidate to Wilkes-Barre District B council race
Times-Tribune: Auditor General: Scranton School District can legally cancel bus contract  
Times-Tribune: Hyperloop tunnel eyed for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre  

South Central  
Patriot News: Term limits: Proposal would end career politicians serving in Pa. Legislature
Patriot News: Ex-state official who held elected office learns he’s not allowed to run again
York Daily Record: See how your representatives voted in Congress
Carlisle Sentinel: Area residents vie for county, municipal government and school board seats in primary
York Dispatch: Candidate List: Four running for three York City Council seats  
York Dispatch: Democrat Ryan Supler vies to oust York County Treasurer Bair
LNP | LancasterOnline: DA Stedman sues Lancaster County commissioners

Lehigh Valley   
Morning Call: Audit finds Allentown School District has under-budgeted for programs
Morning Call: East Allen Township moves forward on Keystone Cement’s plan to switch from coal to gas
Reading Eagle: Here are the notable races in this year’s Berks County primary
Reading Eagle: Mayor Wally Scott calls developer ‘the Devil’ after article about church redevelopment  
Reading Eagle: Facing robbery charges, Kirk Mullen resigns from West Reading Borough Council seat
Reading Eagle: Second poll finds majority of Berks voters oppose selling Berks Heim
Express Times: Easton mayor draws challengers, in 1 of 29 contested Lehigh Valley primary races   
Express Times: Meet the candidates for Northampton County district attorney
Express Times: Easton mayor, Republican challenger to hoist American Legion centennial flag in Centre Square   
Express Times: Following mayor’s raise, Easton councilman wants to cut his own pay

North by Northwest
Erie Times-News: Erie County councilman challenges opponent’s residency  
Erie Times-News: Erie awarded $250,000 for downtown streetscape plan
Erie Times-News: Erie to ticket violators of large-item trash program
Erie Times-News: City of Erie hires Early Intervention Program consultant
Williamsport Sun-Gazette: Voters to cast ballots for judge
Williamsport Sun-Gazette: Commissioners talk opioid legislation, rental rehab
Williamsport Sun-Gazette: City Council tackles Park Avenue Plan
Centre Daily Times: ‘There’s a sense that we have to act now’: No time to waste in tackling climate change, experts say at Penn State

Opinion  
York Dispatch Editorial Board: Vaccines continue to save lives
Inquirer Editorial Board: Fully funding eviction defense is the fiscally responsible thing to do
Post-Gazette Editorial Board: Suppressing the truth: Google must not aid Chinese censorship
Sen. Pat Toomey: Why I don’t support Trump’s national emergency declaration
John L. Micek: New poll: Open records requests aren’t really the hassle some public officials have claimed | Thursday Morning Coffee
Maria Panaritis: First came Trump. Then Sunoco’s Mariner East pipeline mess. No wonder Republicans are scared.
Jenice Armstrong: Legacy admissions are affirmative action for the rich, and other lessons from the college cheating scandal
Rick Eckstein: The Operation Varsity Blues college admission scandal grew out of a system that was ripe for corruption
Natasha Warikoo: Operation Varsity Blues cheating scandal shows why elite colleges should use a lottery to admit students
Abraham Gutman: The Green New Deal is the anti-despair program we need to end the addiction crisis
Sara Goldrick-Rab and Abigail Seldin: Why did it take a celebrity scandal to talk absurd college costs?
Christine Flowers: Tucker Carlson shouldn’t apologize, even in this age of overhyped, PC contrition
Will Bunch: Stop Joe McCarthy-ing the ‘socialist’ bogeyman and fix America’s broken capitalism
Stu Bykofsky: A higher power enters the Philly mayoral conversation
Joseph N. DiStefano: Is PennDot verdict an opening for non-union builders? They say yes. Not so fast, says Johnny Doc.
Brian O’Neill: A Pittsburgh history of hype for loops and levitation
Mike Newall: A brother’s gift — and love of the game — keeps a 78-year-old judge hitting liners
Jeffrey W. Perkins: Are corporations really afraid of shareholder proposals?
Signe Wilkinson: Political cartoon: College admissions prep for the spawn of wealth
Tony Norman: Schadenfreude, meet Scooby Doo
Paul Muschick: Taxpayers taken for a ride when FBI ignores vehicle abuses