Hope you enjoyed our annual April Fools Day stories. If you missed any, we have all of them collected below. Good morning politicos, here’s the Buzz!
Wolf Staffers Struggle to Adapt to Life in Harrisburg: The nearest organic juice bar is in Lancaster, a four hour trip by bicycle. Researchers warn that the sudden change could take months or even years to absorb.
Capitol Police Confiscate Bizzarro Selfie Stick: “Sir, I’ve asked you six times now.”
Staffer Earning $225 Per Week in the Zone on Sestak Living Wage Op-Ed: “How can we expect anyone to live on $7.25 per hour,” wrote Turner, whose effective rate is $1.78. “Every single study shows that indexing wages to inflation boosts productivity and actually improves economic growth.”
Burn, PA Dems Complete Move to New Office: “We’re happy to be a part of Governor Wolf’s team,” Burn said.
Source: Fina Used Official Email Address to Download Entire Nickelback Catalog: Long-simmering tensions boiled over Wednesday when an unnamed individual leaked droves of sensitive material about the Philadelphia prosecutor.
Shapiro Weighs Bid to Lose to Sestak: A potential primary in the race for U.S. Senate.
Kane Announces Open Tryouts for Spokesperson Position: Pennsylvania’s Attorney General hopes the seventh time is the charm.
Jesse White Seeks Elected Office: Jesse White is a candidate for elected office. He is running a campaign and asking people to vote for him. He has a website and everything.
PA-Sen: Sestak, Toomey Partner to Introduce Sestak to Every Voter: In a rare show of bipartisanship, Sen. Toomey and his staff are offering travel advice to prospective 2016 opponent Joe Sestak.
Corbett Urges Fiscal Discipline, Chore Reform in Annual Budget Address: “It’s my job to make the right decisions, not the popular ones,” Corbett said. “My plan calls for a 5% reduction in overall spending, which we will accomplish through a decrease in birthday card appropriations and a shift to generic groceries.”
PHL-15: Williams: Did I Mention My Father Was Hardy Williams?: The Mayoral front-runner will focus more intently on his family’s history.
Statewide
PLSReporter: Lawmakers seek to end public school prevailing wage requirements
PA Independent: City’s bad decisions sink public pensions
State House Sound Bites: Death penalty task force could work into next year
State House Sound Bites: For the State Police, the horses are hand-me-downs
StateImpactPA: As drilling slows, lawmakers question Wolf’s gas tax projections
Capitolwire: Poll numbers for Clinton, Obama drop in PA, other swing states
Capitolwire: E-911 structure must be ‘fair and equitable across the board,’ Governor says
Philadelphia
Inquirer: Williams: Use Tax Breaks to Lure Biz to Philly Nabes
Inquirer: Council Considers Conditions of Phila.’s Police, Fire Stations
Inquirer: UPDATE: PA Supreme Court Rejects AG Kane’s Bid to End Criminal Probe
Inquirer: AG Kane Quashed Subpoenas in Casino Investigation, Sources Say
Daily News: Coalition Calls for Extra Tax on ‘Flipped’ Houses to Keep Long-Term Residents in Homes
Daily News: Kenney ‘Embarrassed’ by Stop-and-Frisk, Crimefighting Stances from 1997
Daily News: Of Kane, Castille, Courts and Campaigns
WHYY Newsworks: Pa. Task Force Studying Death Penalty Eyes Another Extension
WHYY Newsworks: Question of Kane Prosecution Now Up to Montgomery County District Attorney
WHYY Newsworks: Group Backing Williams’ Philly Mayoral Bid Spends More Than $1 Million
WHYY Newsworks: Student Meteorologist Tackles Challenge of Predicting Philadelphia’s Ozone Pollution
WHYY Newsworks: Philly Mayoral Candidates Talk Public Education, Movies and Weed with Central High School Students
SEPA
Pottstown Mercury: Shapiro to Head State Crime Panel
Bucks Courier-Times: Superintendent Candidate Forum Available for View
Bucks Courier-Times: Bristol Borough School District Cancels One Meeting This Month
Bucks Courier-Times: Bristol Township OKs Housing Development Off Bath Road
Bucks Local News: PennDOT Encouraging Motorists to Report Pothole Conditions by Calling Hotline
Delco Daily Times: Council Inks Two-Year Deal with PPL Energy Plus
Delco Daily Times: County, Crozer-Keystone Exec Huddle Over Possible Sale of Health System
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Pennsylvania Shale Drillers to Release Monthly Reports on Gas Production
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Pittsburgh City Council Approves Changes for Naming Public Property
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Gov. Tom Wolf Uses Facebook to Field Questions on Budget
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: District Attorney Will Review Grand Jury’s Report on AG Kane
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: Figure in Probe of Improper Influence In Federal Investor Visa Program Gave Rendell $15K Illegally
Pittsburgh Business Times: How Big is the Marcellus Shale in the U.S.?
Pittsburgh Business Times: Consol Begins Fracturing Pittsburgh International Airport Gas Wells
Southwest
Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: Prosecutor Says She’ll Review Allegations Against AG Kane
Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: Ads Featuring Hitler, Arab Leader to Appear on Philly Buses
Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: Wolf Taps Josh Shapiro of Chairman of State Crime Commission
Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: Final Four Host City Scrambles to Recover From Religious Law Fallout
Altoona Mirror: Student Carrying Guns Expelled
Altoona Mirror: Rates at Lowest Point Since 1992 for Peoples Natural Gas Customers
Beaver County Times: Candidates Seek to Drop Endorsements by Beaver County Democratic Committee
Beaver County Times: Lawsuit Dropped Against Beaver County Blogger
Beaver County Times: Consol Energy Touts New EPA-Compliant Fracking Operations at Pittsburgh International Airport
NEPA
Times Leader: Virtual Dissection Table Now Available for Misericorida University Students
Times Leader: Berwick Anti-Drug Alliance to Hold Informational Meeting on April 20
Pocono Record: Ads Featuring Hitler, Arab Leader, Appearing on Philly Buses
Pocono Record: Next Generation GMOs: Pink Pineapples and Purple Tomatoes
Citizens Voice: Funding Blamed for Stalled Building Bridges
Citizens Voice: Bill Seeks Tax Exemption for Proctor & Gamble Gas Wells
South Central
Patriot News: ‘Unique’ Arrangement Cost PA Lottery $13,150 for Executive’s Commute
Patriot News:Washington Flags Harrisburg University for Heightened Financial Scrutiny
Patriot News: PA Revenues Just Miss March Targets
Patriot News: PA has a Religious Freedom Law Too, but not like Indiana’s
Patriot News: Philly DA ‘Judge Shopping’ by Trying Bribery Case in Harrisburg, Lawmaker’s Attorney Says
Patriot News: Keystone Q&A
Intelligencer: Lancaster Bells to Ring April 9 on 150th Anniversary of Civil War’s End
Sentinel: Expansion Proposed for Cumberland County Prison-Reduction Program
Lehigh Valley
Morning Call: Montgomery County DA to Investigate Perjury Charges Against Kane
Morning Call: Ads Featuring Hitler, Arab Leader Start Appearing on Philly Buses
Morning Call: Judge Hears Upper Macungie Truck Zoning Dispute
Morning Call: ISIS Lists Santorum Among its Enemies
Morning Call: Tax Scams Surging as Filing Deadline Nears
Reading Eagle: Wolf’s Sales Tax Proposal Would Affect College Students
Express Times: Bat Species Listed as Threatened, Offering New Federal Protection
North by Northwest
Sun Gazette: County Seeking Agency to Run Housing Initiative
Erie Times News: Paving Plan Likely to Cost City $8M-$11M
Opinion
Inquirer: Far from Shipshape
Daily News: The Charter News Is Mixed
Patriot News: PA House Republicans Rejected Real Reforms to Charter Schools
YDR: We Need a Tom Wolf Cam
Morning Call: 9/11 Scaring off Volunteers?
Sun Gazette: Electorate Needs to be Educated, Not Drowned in Propaganda
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: David Brooks: Religious Liberty vs. Equality
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: Confidentiality & Carnage: Something Has to Give
Blogs
Keystone Crossroads: At community forum, Lehigh Valley residents say they want more for their cities
Keystone Crossroads: Pa. auditor general wraps up constitutional amendment campaign
Citified: The Brief: Ed Rendell “Not Likely” to Endorse a Mayoral Candidate
Citified: Thursday Night, Join Us for a Live Jim Kenney Interview
Citified: Millennials Aren’t Flocking to Cities Anymore—Can Philly Buck the Trend?
Citizens Call: ‘Meet the Candidates’ Monday Night at All Hallows Church
Commonwealth Foundation: Injustice is a Product of Labor Disputes
Commonwealth Foundation: Shine a Light on the Collective Bargaining Process
