Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate holds the line, and the ups and downs from the week.  Good morning politicos, here’s the Playbook!

Pennsylvania’s Unemployment Holds Steady at 5%: Pennsylvania’s June unemployment remained at 5%, ending a two month run of increases.

7/21 Ups & Downs: Turzai’s week has its ups and downs, women legislators show their effectiveness, PWSA has some good and bad news, and top hats see a resurgence in importance. See who made this week’s Ups & Downs!

Statewide
State House Sound Bites: Weekend state budget talks yield little progress
StateImpact: Longwall mining bill becomes law, angering environmentalists
Capitolwire: Finding revenue package consensus remains elusive for state lawmakers.

Philadelphia
Inquirer: New DA measured about her forthcoming time in office
Inquirer: McCain’s primary rival urges him to step aside after diagnosis – and suggests she could replace him
Inquirer: White House indicates Trump would sign new sanctions bill
Inquirer: Trump accuses NY Times of foiling plot to kill ISIS leader in bizarre tweet
WHYY: Republican effort to fund Pa. budget with no tax increases stalls
WHYY: Report: Pennsylvania women legislators ‘few but mighty’
WHYY: ‘Spicy Out!’ 9 Highlights from Sean Spicer’s Combative Tenure
WHYY: Pennsylvania’s budget impasse is blocking state-related universities from receiving funding
KYW Newsradio: Taxes, Borrowing, Gaming At Heart Of PA Budget Impasse
Philadelphia Business Journal: In Philadelphia, AG Sessions calls for end to sanctuary cities but Mayor Kenney disagrees
Philly Voice: GOP leaders plan Tuesday health vote, it’s an uphill climb
Philadelphia Tribune: City’s new interim D.A. praised among peers

SEPA
Pottstown Mercury: Security concerns: Rep. Costello says town hall could have been a ‘death trap’
Delco Daily Times: Pols, Middletown residents focus on pipeline
Bucks Local News: Libertarians meet, talk Trump at ‘Freedom Fest’
Bucks Local News: Trump Tweeted He Has “Complete Power to Pardon.’ But Does He?
Daily Local News: Pipeline activists hold day of resistance in Sleighton Park
Daily Local News: Comitta joins call for halt to pipeline construction

Pittsburgh
KDKA: Highmark Leads The Way In Boosting Obamacare Insurance Rates
KDKA: Venture Capitalist & Pension Investor Speaks Out On Investing County Dollars In Medical Cannabis
WESA: House To Hold Session Amid Swirling Budget Disagreements
Tribune Review: Ruling raises questions about sex offender registry’s future in Pa.
Post-Gazette: Pa. House Speaker Mike Turzai’s big budget gamble
Post-Gazette: House Republicans boot balancing budget to Senate
Post-Gazette: The story behind Monroeville’s split political identity
Post-Gazette: Sen. Bob Casey blasts GOP health care bills, calls them ‘obscene’
Post-Gazette: Gov. Wolf to let coal mining subsidence bill become law
Post-Gazette: PA Turnpike shifts to 4-year financing plan
Post-Gazette: Highmark seeks 20% rate increase for ACA participants

Southwest
Altoona Mirror: Sessions: Law enforcement should consider harm of sanctuary city
Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: Ruling raises questions about sex offender registry’s future
Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: House takes a turn at trying to solve state budget puzzle
Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: House revenue proposal faces thorny path
Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: Wolf nominates teachers union leader as labor chief
Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: Sessions to Philly: Consider the harm of sanctuary city

NEPA
Times Leader: Millions could be owed to struggling Game Commission in dispute with mining company
Times Leader: New structural report finds more problems at Meyers, deems it still safe
Times-Tribune: Rally targets gerrymandering
Times-Tribune: Judge approves additional $55K in Frein defense fees
Standard-Speaker: Cash crunch: No definitive answer for Hazleton

South Central
Patriot News: Plan B revenue package hits wall in Pa. House; Speaker Turzai challenges Senate, governor to lead
Patriot News: Sales job begins on Pa. House Speaker’s budget proposal
Patriot News: Putting the Paterno back in (official) Penn State: Son Jay joins board of trustees
Patriot News: Pipeline construction causes drilling fluid spills, resulting in DEP notices of violation
Patriot News: State universities’ makeover report is in; now the hard work begins
LNP: Lunch shaming? Some Lancaster County school districts enact strict policies to cut down student meal debt
LNP: Fines for violating state lobbying law would double under Rep. Bryan Cutler’s bill
LNP: Democrats swap candidate in Manheim Township school board race

Lehigh Valley
Reading Eagle: State seems AWOL in regulating public access to information on medicinal marijuana companies
Reading Eagle: State lawmakers fail to plug $2 billion budget gap
Reading Eagle: Lancaster man running for Congress
Morning Call: Republican effort to fund Pennsylvania budget without taxes stalls
Morning Call: Pennsylvania House’s $2 billion no-new-taxes revenue plan could be thorny
WFMZ: Pennsylvania’s budget stalemate continues
WFMZ: Republican effort to fund Pa. budget without taxes stalls

North by Northwest
Williamsport Sun-Gazette: Democrats herald agreement on sweeping Russia sanctions bill
Williamsport Sun-Gazette: Trump asserts all agree he has ‘complete power’ to pardon
Erie Times-News: Sen. Casey talks health care at Erie town hall
Erie Times-News: Roll Call: How Erie’s representatives voted this past week
Centre Daily Times: Trump insiders face congressional investigators as president mulls pardons

Opinion
Patriot News: Republicans still have a chance to repeal Obamacare – if they can take it: Charlie Gerow
Patriot News: Republicans are on a kamikaze mission to destroy healthcare: Tony May
Patriot News: Here’s the educator’s case for a severance tax: Opinion
Patriot News: A budget conclusion? Maybe? But it has to come with a sound foundation: Editorial
Patriot News: From Pa. Democrats – This is how to end Pa’s budget stalemate: Opinion
Post-Gazette: Ballots in balance: No need for outside commission on county voting
Beaver County Times: Money talks, especially in politics
Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: Editorial | Pennsylvania’s drug treatment centers must prove their worth
Reading Eagle: Editorial: Education policy should focus on lifelong opportunity
Express Times: Pa. leaders gambling with state’s fiscal health | Editorial
Inquirer: Obamacare needs a nip-and-tuck job, not major surgery to survive
Daily News: America’s top lawman lied under oath. Can we seize his stuff?
WHYY: Trump at six months: The diva of dysfunction junction
Bucks County Courier Times: Blame Republicans for state budget and pension mess
Daily Local News: Law change brings hope to sick kids
York Dispatch: EDITORIAL: Support grows in GOP for shale drilling tax
Beaver County Times: Money talks, especially in politics
LNP: The shameless saga of Lancaster County Sheriff Mark Reese continues