Saccone weighs a Senate race, Fitzpatrick to sit on high-profile committees and Shapiro names major deputies. Good morning politicos, here’s the Playbook!

PA-Sen: Saccone Considering 2018 Senate Campaign: The State Representative may jump into the GOP Senate primary.

Trio of Superior Court Candidates Emerge: More judicial hopefuls are coming out of the woodwork.

PA-8: Fitzpatrick Appointed to Homeland Security and Foreign Affairs Committees: The freshman lawmaker scored two high-profile assignments.

Shapiro Unveils Choices for Executive Deputy Attorney Generals: The AG-Elect selects some chief staff members.

Statewide
Capitolwire: Federal government to invest $25 million with hopes of transforming PA’s rural hospitals
Capitolwire: DHS announces planned closures of two facilities for people with intellectual disabilities, mental illness
StateImpactPA: Gas industry talks pipelines, bird flu, at the Farm Show
State House Sound Bites: Pilot program to focus on improving PA’s rural hospitals
State House Sound Bites: In cost-cutting effort, Treasury to absorb three state funds

Philadelphia
Inquirer: Wolf: Pa. to save $5.6 million by managing own investment funds
Inquirer: Pa. troopers union slams plan to scrap lie-detector tests for recruits
Inquirer: Request denied, Fattah one step closer to a prison cell
Inquirer: City puts up ‘no sitting’ signs in Rittenhouse Square, targets weed
Inquirer: Atlantic City casinos post 1st revenue hike in 10 years
WHYY Newsworks: Fast-food workers continue protest for minimum-wage hike
WHYY Newsworks: Shapiro, to be sworn in as AG next week, announces top aides

SEPA
Bucks County Courier-Times: Newtown meeting probes potential dangers of proposed fracking amendment
Bucks County Courier-Times: Environmentalists, industrialists see different futures under Donald Trump
Delco Daily Times: Leaders retain positions on Haverford board

Pittsburgh
Post-Gazette: Company restarting U.S. Steel McKeesport mill says workers needed
Post-Gazette: Pennsylvania to try new payment model for rural hospitals
Post-Gazette: Seneca Valley to launch digital course registration system
Post-Gazette: Pittsburgh-area employers stuck in uncertainty over Obamacare changes
Tribune-Review: Zambelli attributes $200K fine to ‘poor recordkeeping’
Tribune-Review: Westmoreland commissioners could raise revenues by selling assets

Southwest
Altoona Mirror: Altoona moves to take over water authority
Altoona Mirror: Altoona Area committee discusses elementary options
Beaver County Times: Shell releases more information on 94-mile ethane pipeline
Beaver County Times: Casey, Toomey unveil legislative initiatives in new session
Beaver County Times: Blackhawk could change grading scale

NEPA
Times Leader: Wilkes-Barre residents rail against seeking $1 million grant for Guard expansion
Times Leader: Eligibility of Luzerne County Election Board member questioned
Times-Tribune: Petition launched to defend county arts funding
Times-Tribune: State police fight double pension subpoena

South Central
Patriot-News: ‘There is still a fight to be fought’: Women’s March on D.C. will include 10,000 from Pa.
Patriot-News: Is Pa. House Majority Leader Dave Reed running for Guv in 2018? He’s not saying no
Patriot-News: ‘This is our yard’: Pipeline opponents build structures to block $3B Atlantic Sunrise project
Patriot-News: Harrisburg Police Chief Tom Carter on his nephew’s killer: ‘This is a tragedy for everyone involved’
York Dispatch: Trump’s inauguration draws Yorkers for ‘pivotal’ moment
York Dispatch: York County Rail Trail Authority receives $884K state grant

Lehigh Valley
Morning Call: Allentown School District selects Thomas Parker, superintendent of Detroit suburb school, as its new chief
Morning Call: Bethlehem planners back Wilbur mansion redevelopment
Morning Call: Allentown mayor poised to announce run for 4th term, sources say
Reading Eagle: Reading takes control of Penn Square buildings
Reading Eagle: Zoning relief granted for Union Township brew pub project

North by Northwest
Erie Times-News: Wagner brings gubernatorial campaign to Erie
Erie Times-News: Merski announces candidacy for Erie mayor
Sun-Gazette: Montoursville Area School District faces $2 million shortfall

Opinion
Inquirer: Trump’s solution to business conflicts problem is no solution at all
Inquirer: Just say no to Comcast
Daily News: Welcome steps toward ending opioid crisis in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Daily News: Problem with soda tax? Stop whining, says Kenney
Post-Gazette: Healthy incentives: A new Highmark program motivates all parties
Post-Gazette: For democracy’s sake: Follow a possible Russian connection to the end
Patriot-News: Join community leaders on Thursday to fight bias in Harrisburg
Patriot-News: Donald Trump tweets ‘Buy L.L. Bean’ and Twitter goes a little nuts
Patriot-News: W.Pa GOP Guv hopeful taps top Trump adviser for possible run: report

Blogs
Billy Penn: Bill Clinton’s lawyer asks President Obama to pardon Chaka Fattah
Billy Penn: Passing Philly soda tax to consumers = a $32 million windfall for PA & the city
Billy Penn: More cuts hit Philly Mag: Writers laid off, Birds 24/7 shut down
Keystone Crossroads: Trump infrastructure plans buoy area lawmakers worried over transit safety