Gov. Tom Wolf discussed healthcare in a visit to Pittsburgh on Friday. Here is the Playbook. 

July 30th Ups and Downs: UPMC selects a new leader, a Chester County Republican gets a second term as National Chairman of the Young Republicans, plus a former state Rep. is sentenced to three years of probation for a credit card case. All of that and more are in this week’s Ups and Downs.

‘Nordenberg pledges open, honest redistricting process for Pennsylvanians’: The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that “Mark Nordenberg, chancellor emeritus at the University of Pittsburgh and chair of its Institute of Politics, says his message to redistricting advocates — groups that have spent the last decade scratching and clawing for reform, but ultimately left with an unfulfilled wish list and a mostly self-governed process — is that he has a reputation for being fair and nonpartisan.”

‘Why critics believe proposals to reform lobbying in Pennsylvania don’t go far enough’: The Caucus reports that “lobbyists in Harrisburg and throughout Pennsylvania will soon have to disclose any financial interest they have in organizations for which they lobby, the first step in what the General Assembly’s top two Republicans describe as a comprehensive lobbying reform push.”

‘Democrats Raise Jan. 6 Insurrection In Governor’s Race’: WESA reports that “as Democrats in Washington, D.C. press their investigation of the Jan. 6 storming of the U.S. Capitol, Democrats in Pennsylvania are seeking to keep the issue in the minds of voters closer to home — this week by targeting Republican gubernatorial candidate Lou Barletta’s endorsement by a conservative Pittsburgh radio host.”

‘Pennsylvania court vacancies allow voters to shape judiciary’: The Associated Press reports that “six sitting judges and two lawyers hope Pennsylvania voters this fall will issue a favorable verdict of their own and elevate them to one of the four state appeals court seats that are up for grabs in the November election.”

‘Wolf wants lawmakers to extend opioid emergency declaration’: The Associated Press reports that Gov. Tom Wolf “is asking state lawmakers to return to Harrisburg within a month to extend a statewide disaster emergency intended to help stem the commonwealth’s opioid addiction crisis.”

‘Wolf, task force urge lawmakers to promote COVID-19 vaccines’: The Associated Press reports that “Gov. Tom Wolf and Pennsylvania’s coronavirus task force are asking state lawmakers to urge their constituents to get vaccinated, citing the highly contagious delta variant, and one of the state’s most populous counties acknowledged Friday that it mishandled students’ confidential COVID-19 health data.”

‘Experts raise alarms over fundraising for GOP ballot reviews’: The Associated Press reports that “in just over a month, the crowdfunding page dedicated to bringing an Arizona-style review of the 2020 presidential election to Pennsylvania had collected $15,339 from 332 donors. Today, the effort has morphed into a full-fledged campaign to “Audit the Vote PA.”

‘Congressman Conor Lamb’s Entry Into Senate Race Will Shake Up Political Chess Board’: KDKA highlights the impact of Rep. Conor Lamb’s expected entrance into the U.S. Senate race. 

‘Davidson indictment prompts reviews as parties eye special election’: The Delaware County Daily Times reports that “​​House State Government Committee Chairman Seth Grove, R-196 of York, announced this week that he would set up hearings to look into the state’s Ethics Act and legislative per diem process after state Rep. Margo Davidson, D-164, of Upper Darby, was indicted on theft charges.”

‘Gov. Wolf promotes affordable health care during Pittsburgh visit’: The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that “Gov. Tom Wolf visited Pittsburgh on Friday to recognize the importance of Obamacare and affordable health care during the COVID pandemic.”

‘Governor releases plan for Pennsylvania’s 121 state parks’: The Associated Press reports that “a state report released Friday lays out a plan for the Pennsylvania state park system that has seen considerable use by the public during the ongoing pandemic.”

‘Here are the big developments this week coming out of the Capitol’: City & State PA reports on “what to watch this week” in Pennsylvania.

‘Philadelphia City Commissioners reject state senator’s request for election materials’: KYW Newsradio reports that “the Philadelphia City Commissioners voted unanimously on Friday to reject a request from Pennsylvania Sen. Doug Mastriano for ballots and equipment from the November election.”

‘PA prisons release dashboard tracking race, populations’: The Associated Press reports that “a new dashboard of real-time data on Pennsylvania’s prison and parole populations shows the state has made strides to reduce racial inequity, but Black and Latino residents are still greatly overrepresented in prisons and on parole.”

‘Philly leaders continue pushing Kenney to do more for neighborhoods hit hardest by gun violence’: WHYY reports that “a July 30 deadline for Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney to lay out a plan to more aggressively work to stop the gun violence epidemic in 14 of the city’s hardest-hit zip codes came and went with little fanfare.”

‘Why Philadelphia schools won’t require vaccines for teachers and staff, at least not yet’: KYW Newsradio reports that “masks will be mandatory for all, but vaccinations will not be when the Philadelphia school year begins in-person on August 31.”

‘DA Stephen Zappala sues state attorney general over opioid settlement’: The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that “Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr. has filed a lawsuit against the state Attorney General’s office to stop a national opioid settlement between multiple states and three pharmaceutical companies.”

‘Judge largely denies Cutler’s request to bar evidence of racial disparities in school funding lawsuit’: LNP | LancasterOnline reports that “a Commonwealth Court judge this week largely denied a motion from Pennsylvania House Speaker Bryan Cutler to bar evidence of racial discrimination in the landmark school funding case involving the School District of Lancaster.”

Barletta Campaigns in Indiana County: The Indiana Gazette reports that former Congressman Lou Barletta, who is seeking the GOP nomination for Governor, took a tour of businesses in Indiana County on Thursday. 

Bartos Campaigns in Washington County: The Observer-Reporter reports that Jeff Bartos, a Montgomery County real estate developer who was the GOP Lt. Governor nominee in 2018 and is seeking the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate, campaigned in Washington County. 

Barnette Talks to Delaware Valley Journal Podcast: Kathy Barnette, a conservative commentator and former GOP congressional candidate who is seeking the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate, talked to the Delaware Valley Journal podcast about “her experience growing up in poverty as a Black girl in the rural South, the values she believes helped make her a success and why she’s running for the GOP U.S. Senate nomination.”

‘GOP Senate Candidate Barnette Blasts CRT: Will ‘Make America Racist Again’’: The Delaware Valley Journal reports that Kathy Barnette, a conservative commentator and former GOP congressional candidate who is seeking the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate, told the Delaware Valley Journal “during a podcast interview (click here to listen) the race-based ideology is “evil,” and it undermines the values her family taught her growing up.”

Bartos Completes Statewide Bus Tour: Jeff Bartos, a Montgomery County real estate developer who was the GOP Lt. Governor nominee in 2018 and is seeking the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate, completed his twelve day, 67 county tour of Pennsylvania, according to a press release from his campaign. Bartos is the “first statewide candidate of either party to visit each of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties this cycle, to our knowledge,” according to his campaign. 

Harrisburg & DC   
The Caucus: Why critics believe proposals to reform lobbying in Pennsylvania don’t go far enough
AP: Pennsylvania court vacancies allow voters to shape judiciary
AP: Wolf wants lawmakers to extend opioid emergency declaration 
AP: Wolf, task force urge lawmakers to promote COVID-19 vaccines
AP: Experts raise alarms over fundraising for GOP ballot reviews
AP: Governor releases plan for Pennsylvania’s 121 state parks
AP: PA prisons release dashboard tracking race, populations
Post-Gazette: Nordenberg pledges open, honest redistricting process for Pennsylvanians
Post-Gazette: In climate push, federal reviews to nudge new infrastructure projects toward clean energy
Post-Gazette: With historic infrastructure deal, will Dems let perfect be the enemy of the good?  
WESA: Democrats Raise Jan. 6 Insurrection In Governor’s Race
Pennsylvania Capital-Star: Philadelphia County won’t comply with Mastriano-backed election ‘investigation’ 
Pennsylvania Capital-Star: Why do they call them ‘the dog days of summer?’ Its origins, explained | Five for the Weekend
Pennsylvania Capital-Star: What Pa. county has the most miles of hiking trails? | The Numbers Racket
Inquirer: Democrats are counting on Biden’s big economic agenda, while Republicans point to inflation
City & State PA: Here are the big developments this week coming out of the Capitol
Delaware Valley Journal: PODCAST: Kathy Barnette Loves America, Hates CRT and Has No Apologies
Delaware Valley Journal: GOP Senate Candidate Barnette Blasts CRT: Will ‘Make America Racist Again’
Delaware Valley Journal: Biden’s PA Visit Highlights Debate Over Energy Policy, Jobs
USA Today: Here’s why the Pa. House GOP is pushing back on state’s plan to text vaccine reminders
KDKA: Report: Pa. Has At Least An $8 Billion Annual Funding Deficit, Proposes To Replace Gas Tax
WFMZ: PA transportation commission weighing options to generate revenue
StateImpactPA: Pa. fire officials ask people to be aware of wildfire risk
Patriot News: Plan lays out 25-year vision for Pennsylvania’s state park system
City Paper: Pennsylvania among worst states in nation in outdoor economic value, says study
City Paper: Pennsylvania health officials say no current plans for new mask mandate
Tribune Review: Empty dorm rooms pose financial problems for Pennsylvania public universities
Politico: The Unusual Group Trying to Turn Biden into FDR
CNN: Audit push by Pennsylvania GOP lawmaker hits roadblock as counties decline to hand over election materials
CNN: Philadelphia man convicted of murder is freed by evidence that was on file for more than 30 years
WTAE: COVID-19 transmission levels in Pennsylvania by county  

Philadelphia 
WHYY Newsworks: Philly election commissioners deny ‘audit’ request for 2020 ballots and voting machines
WHYY Newsworks: Philly leaders continue pushing Kenney to do more for neighborhoods hit hardest by gun violence
WHYY Newsworks: AI-powered survey finds Philly roads rank best in the nation
WHYY Newsworks: Philly, several suburban counties now seeing substantial COVID-19 transmission
KYW Newsradio: Philadelphia City Commissioners reject state senator’s request for election materials
KYW Newsradio: Why Philadelphia schools won’t require vaccines for teachers and staff, at least not yet
KYW Newsradio: New app aims to clean streets by letting users report litter, pay for pickup
KYW Newsradio: CCP president on why Black male students most affected by pandemic 
Inquirer: Philadelphia elections officials reject ‘audit’ request for 2020 ballots and voting equipment 
Inquirer: Philadelphia and the School District may owe $48 million after losing a property-tax case 
Inquirer: Philly schools will be open 5 days a week come fall — with masks for all and COVID-19 testing 
Inquirer: Almost 90% of Philly’s Asian residents are vaccinated. In the rest of Pa., health officials aren’t sure
Philadelphia Tribune: Kenney says he’s showing ‘urgency’ on gun violence 
Billy Penn: How vaccination rate in Philly varies by race/ethnicity and age

SEPA
Delco Daily Times: Davidson indictment prompts reviews as parties eye special election
KYW Newsradio: COVID-19 numbers back on the rise in Southeastern Pennsylvania
Bucks Local News: PennDOT rejects request by Arcadia for direct access to the Newtown Bypass
Bucks Local News: Bucks County homeowners, renters and businesses impacted by July flooding may be eligible for loans
Delaware Valley Journal: Member’s Arrest Brings Ethics to the Foreground for PA House 
Delaware Valley Journal: PodQuotes: Philly Shootings, Vaccine Mandates, and Ted Lasso
Pottstown Mercury: Millions of COVID stimulus dollars now in bank accounts of Berks County municipalities
Pottstown Mercury: Big Berks County COVID vaccine provider seeing inoculations surge
Pottstown Mercury: Pa. adds more than 1,000 COVID cases for first time since May

Pittsburgh 
KDKA: Congressman Conor Lamb’s Entry Into Senate Race Will Shake Up Political Chess Board
KDKA: Gov. Tom Wolf Visits East Liberty To Promote Affordable Health Care
KDKA: Allegheny Co. DA Zappala Suing State Attorney General Josh Shapiro Over Opioid Settlement
KDKA: Pittsburgh Public Schools Leaders Discuss Ways To Spend Federal Funding Through American Rescue Plan 
KDKA: Six Historic Buildings In Allegheny County Being Restored And Rehabilitated With Help From Tax Credits
KDKA: COVID-19 In Pittsburgh: Allegheny County Reports 247 New Cases In 48 Hours
WESA: As Federal Infrastructure Bill Progresses, New Report Shows How Public Transit Investment Would Impact Pittsburgh
WESA: Allegheny County Sues Over Landmark Opioid Settlement
WESA: City Releases New Neighborhood Plan Guide To Direct Development In Pittsburgh Neighborhoods
WESA: Few Alarms Sounded Over Schools In Discussion of ‘Educational Emergency’
Post-Gazette: Gov. Wolf promotes affordable health care during Pittsburgh visit
Post-Gazette: UPMC’s Leslie Davis takes a new leadership tack
Post-Gazette: DA Stephen Zappala sues state attorney general over opioid settlement
Post-Gazette: Deadly fentanyl overdoses mount in Pittsburgh region
Tribune Review: Allegheny County DA Zappala suing state AG Shapiro over opioid settlement 
Tribune Review: To mask or not: School districts debate health, safety plans for year ahead 
Pittsburgh Business Times: Highmark, Allegheny Health Network announce appointments of new board members
City Paper: Unionized tech workers at Pittsburgh Google contractor ratify first contract

SWPA 
Indiana Gazette: CAMPAIGN 2022: Barletta brings gubernatorial hopes to Indiana
Observer-Reporter: Bartos visits Washington County to stir support for U.S. Senate bid
Observer-Reporter: Local businesses split on helpfulness of Biden’s Right to Repair executive order
Observer-Reporter: Pennsylvania sees boost in COVID-19 cases
Observer-Reporter: Voters to decide on government study commission in Nov. 2 election
Tribune Review: Westmoreland residents seek input on spending $105M in pandemic funds
Tribune Review: U.S. House passes legislation to support continued development of the 9/11 National Memorial Trail
Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: Cambria has 51.1% of residents partly covered; Westmoreland hits vaccination milestone 
Altoona Mirror: Planners support waterline funding

NEPA
The Times Leader: Meuser supports infrastructure investment, but opposes $3.5T spending bill
The Times Leader: House passes appropriations package with $14.5M for NEPA projects
The Times Leader: Capitol Roundup: Wolf announces $520,000 to clean up and renew Ashley Rail Yard
The Times Leader: Luzerne County receives Children and Youth director applications
The Times Leader: Luzerne County administration monitoring rising virus stats  
The Times Leader: Murray retiring as Times Leader publisher 
The Times Leader: Report: Municipal governments have great impact on day-to-day life 
The Times Leader: 61 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in county over the weekend; 2,106 statewide
Times-Tribune: Scranton may require COVID-19 testing for city employees who don’t provide vaccine proof
Times-Tribune: Scranton mayor, others call for bold federal investment in electric vehicle and clean transportation infrastructure 
Times-Tribune: Times Leader publisher retires
Times-Tribune: Local History: Judge, senator had rocky career, personal life
Times-Tribune: NEPA adds 149 COVID-19 cases since Friday
Citizens Voice: Meuser backs Senate $1T bipartisan deal on infrastructure, opposes $3.5T package on Democratic domestic priorities
Citizens Voice: House passes package with $14.5 million for NEPA projects
Citizens Voice: U.S. House passes bill with $3.5 million in funding for WVSA
Citizens Voice: Times Leader publisher retires
Citizens Voice: 61 new cases of COVID-19 reported in Luzerne County over weekend
Citizens Voice: 7-day COVID-19 case total, incidence rate up in Luzerne County 

South Central 
LNP | LancasterOnline: Judge largely denies Cutler’s request to bar evidence of racial disparities in school funding lawsuit
LNP | LancasterOnline: Lancaster County without plan for American Rescue Plan funds as Lancaster city, other counties move forward
LNP | LancasterOnline: Debunking claims about long-term side effects from COVID-19 vaccines [Lancaster Watchdog]
LNP | LancasterOnline: Lancastrians behind on rent could face eviction proceedings Monday, assistance still available
LNP | LancasterOnline: ‘Kirra is forever 10’: Families hurt by pediatric cancer join Sen. Martin to fund research in Pa.
York Dispatch: York County landlords filed thousands of new eviction cases during pandemic 
Carlisle Sentinel: DOH: 10 new cases of COVID-19 reported Friday in Cumberland County

Lehigh Valley      
Reading Eagle: Millions of COVID stimulus dollars now in bank accounts of Berks County municipalities
Reading Eagle: Berks judge issues order allowing for delays in eviction cases
Reading Eagle: As Berks Cares Vaccine Center closes, a county official looks back on the effort
Reading Eagle: Help is available for struggling renters as the federal eviction moratorium ends Saturday
Reading Eagle: Berks sees COVID cases rise in the weekly update but not as much as Pa. and some nearby counties
Morning Call: From the editor: Providing wall-to-wall coverage of President Biden’s Lehigh Valley visit
Morning Call: Racism in road projects — PennDOT looking at how highways have harmed neighborhoods of color
Morning Call: Q&A with Allentown interim police Chief Charles Roca: ‘Not policing the community, policing with the community’
Express Times: Bethlehem wants to boost affordable housing. How much should developers pay to opt out?
Express Times: The reporter who revealed Jeffrey Epstein’s criminal dark side got her start in the Lehigh Valley 
Express Times: Pa. weekly COVID update: Cases continue to climb as Delta runs rampant, Northampton County is a hotspot
WFMZ: Lehigh and Northampton counties offering small business grants for up to $15K
WFMZ: Court order aims to reduce Berks Co. evictions 

North by Northwest
Erie Times-News: Roll Call: Casey, Senate advance bipartisan infrastructure bill. Toomey votes no
Erie Times-News: Razing of bridge over Ravine Drive draws nearer; City Council to vote on $200K demolition bid
Williamsport Sun-Gazette: State social services group opposes giving contract to out-of-state business
Williamsport Sun-Gazette: City of Williamsport seeks input on how to spend rescue plan funds
Williamsport Sun-Gazette: Pennsylvania adds 1,088 cases of COVID-19
Williamsport Sun-Gazette: City of Williamsport trusted legal team on land swap with Lycoming County
Centre Daily Times: COVID-19 case totals reach 2-month highs as hospitalizations rise in Centre County, PA

Opinion  
Deb Haaland: Biden infrastructure plan targets state’s coal communities
Bill Shuster and Joe Crowley: Congress should lower drug costs, but look beyond numbers
Bridget M. Kosierowski: Nurses care for us – it’s time we stand up and do more for them 
Mark S. Singel: Let’s get beyond the sideshow and put country above party
Keith C. Burris: How Gainey can change the city
Paul Muschick: Why we should dump Pennsylvania’s gas tax for 8-cents-per-mile fee
Paul Muschick: 29 more years of rising tolls on the Pennsylvania Turnpike – that’s highway robbery!
Feyisola Akintola and Amy Eusebio: Why Philly’s and Pittsburgh’s mayors want immigration action from Congress
Chris Kelly: Stop the Squeal!
Bruce Katz, Ian O’Grady, Colin Higgins, and Michael Tolan: The Virus and the City: The Key To Inclusive Business Recovery 
Joseph Minott: Pennsylvania has a methane problem 
Larry Platt: The Phillies Strikeout 
Salena Zito: The Everett Railroad brings back the magic of the steam engine 
Cassie Miller: Wolf admin. debuts new long-term plan to improve Pa.’s state parks | Monday Morning Coffee
LNP | LancasterOnline Editorial Board: Our thoughts on necessary infrastructure spending and governing for a better future
LNP | LancasterOnline Editorial Board: Schools need to heed the science and require all students and staff to wear masks this fall to protect against delta variant
Post-Gazette Editorial Board: Gov. Wolf should have negotiated with the GOP on election reform
Post-Gazette Editorial Board: Regardless of whether proceeds fund infrastructure, the IRS needs more funding
Post-Gazette Editorial Board: Fireworks bring safety concerns
Post-Gazette Editorial Board: Protecting Alaska
PennLive Editorial Board: Some questions need to be answered about the prosecution of Judge Sonya McKnight 
Nancy Eshelman: Get the vaccine? There was a time when you didn’t think twice about it 
Jill Sunday Bartoli, PhD: We are losing our teachers 
Dr. Frank P. Castrina: We should all care about the air we breathe 
William Darity Jr. and A. Kirsten Mullen: Local ‘reparations’ plans make promises they can’t keep 
Hamid Mehran: Make police officers pay for keeping quiet about colleagues’ misconduct 
Dick Polman: MAGA values Blue Lives? Remind them of how they treated Ofc. Michael Fanone
Ruth Ann Dailey: Call me crazy, but sex is real
Lindsay Becker: Why food waste is a major issue in the United States
Michiko Kobayashi: The CDC hung frontline workers out to dry 
Will Bunch: The U.S. is cutting poverty in half. Shame on us for not doing this sooner 
Bob Potter: Penn State is putting people at risk by not requiring students to be vaccinated 
David M. Shribman: ‘This is a thing to do now’
Carey Harris: Im­mi­grants and ref­u­gees help boost our econ­o­mies
Kevin Brezler: City schools face a reckoning
Inga Saffron: Urban forest or urban boulevard? Philadelphia tries to reimagine the Parkway — again.
Karen Williams: Ask Congress to expand the Child Tax Credit
Kelly Woodward: There is no hidden agenda in children’s books with diverse themes
Tony Norman: The answer my friend, is spinning in the wind…
Thomas Tay: Critical Race Theory is detracting from our real concerns
Michael Wright: Take real problems seriously
Rob Tornoe: Political cartoon: Simone Biles versus the trolls
Tim Hartman: The good news about that Pa. Turnpike toll hike | Editorial Cartoon