CNN changes PA’s rating from a Battleground to Leans Democratic for the presidential race, while two GOP congressional hopefuls are upgraded to Young Gun status by the NRCC. Here is the Playbook.

CNN Shifts PA From Battleground to Leans Dem for Presidential Race: Biden has 268 electoral votes at least leaning to him, while Trump has 170, and 100 electoral votes remain in the Battleground category.

NRCC Upgrades Bognet, Scheller to Young Gun Status: There are now three Pennsylvania Republicans to achieve “Young Gun” status in the NRCC program.

PA17: Parnell Celebrates Pens Return in 1st TV Ad: GOP congressional hopeful Sean Parnell’s first television ad is all positive – a celebration of the Pittsburgh Penguins and the NHL’s return.

Harrisburg & DC   
AP: Ex-state lawmaker ordered to begin house-arrest sentence
AP: Lawmakers hear schools face range of challenges in reopening
WHYY Newsworks: The partisan conflict behind a quest to purge up to 800,000 voters from Pa.’s rolls
Spotlight PA: Pa.’s public universities recruit students of color but fail them on campus
Spotlight PA: Students of color offer solutions to make Pa. public universities more equitable
Pennsylvania Capital-Star: Pennsylvania got $104M from the feds to expand internet access to students. Much of it is still unspent
Pennsylvania Capital-Star: State officials say Pa.’s dog law enforcement is on ‘life support’
Pennsylvania Capital-Star: Three days of talk in Harrisburg yield scant consensus on critical school reopening questions
PLSReporter: School leaders lay out legislative wishlists ahead of fall reopenings
PLSReporter: Benninghoff open to bringing House back for election changes
Post-Gazette: Fee hike more than doubles price for shale gas drilling permits in Pa.
National Journal: Parnell Releases First TV Ad 
National Journal: Biden Campaign Places $280M Ad Reservation
Tribune Review: Pa. lawmakers propose 1st dog license fee increase in 24 years 
Patriot News: Coronavirus in Pa.: 705 new cases reported, new infections have dipped over past week 
Morning Call: Kids on buses, internet access and lawsuit protection among issues as coronavirus-era school year approaches
The Hill: Biden campaign plans red-state media blitz
CNN: Biden campaign to hammer Trump over pandemic response with $280 million in ads across 15 states
CNN: High school student forced to take off Black Lives Matter mask at graduation ceremony, family says
KDKA: Pa. Auditor General Urges Action As Bureau Of Dog Law Enforcement Runs Out Of Money
Delaware Valley Journal: Levine’s Dept. of Health Denies Two ‘Right-To-Know’ Requests from Delaware Valley Journal

Philadelphia  
Inquirer: Former State Rep. Movita Johnson-Harrell ordered to house arrest in her nonprofit theft case
Inquirer: Jannie Blackwell’s step-grandson admits taking bribes while working for the city
Inquirer: Philly lawmakers are warning of an ‘unmitigated disaster’ as post office problems lead to big mail delays
Inquirer: Philly is seeing a spike in shootings of children. But motives and arrests are lagging.
Inquirer: Coronavirus has Philly falling way behind on trash pickup — but it’s not the only city
Inquirer: Philly’s WHYY holding steady as National Public Radio endures furloughs
Inquirer: Neighbors recognize plight of Parkway homeless, but are fed up with trash, needles, nudity, and human waste
Inquirer: As criticism over college reopening plans mounts, Penn students who work in residence halls demand hazard pay, safer conditions
KYW Newsradio: Postal workers, some of their Congressional supporters gather in Philly to demand a cut of next stimulus package
KYW Newsradio: Ex controller employee pleads guilty to accepting bribes in exchange for city permits, contracts
WHYY Newsworks: Philly congressional reps call for increased Postal Service funding
Billy Penn: Philly recycling is a mess everywhere. Here’s how you can help.
Philadelphia Tribune: NAACP national leadership backs Rodney Muhammad despite his anti-Semitic post
Philadelphia Tribune: Lincoln, Cheyney share $3 million award in COVID-19 relief
Philadelphia Citizen: Rocking The Youth Vote, No Matter What

SEPA
Bucks County Courier Times: Rep. Tom Murt claims LGBT protection bill led to threats from Brian Sims
Daily Local News: Shusterman bill would suspend cost-of-living raises for lawmakers
Montgomery Media: Montgomery County officials issue disaster declaration in wake of Isaias
Montgomery Media: Montgomery County records 1 new coronavirus death, 44 positive tests
Bucks Local News: AUGUST 3 BUCKS COUNTY COVID-19 UPDATE: Number of cases increase slightly over past week
Delco Daily Times: Cheyney, WCU get $1.1 million in emergency education relief funds

Pittsburgh 
WESA: State AFL-CIO Snubs Lee In Election Endorsement
WESA: Restaurants And Bars Urge Gov. Wolf To Ease COVID-19 Rules
Post-Gazette: Fee hike more than doubles price for shale gas drilling permits in Pa.
Post-Gazette: As COVID-19 rages, teachers unions fielding myriad questions before school year starts
Post-Gazette: COVID-19 Update: Allegheny County reporting 70 new cases
KDKA: Pennsylvania Lawmakers Insist Voting By Mail Is Safe And Reliable
KDKA: Southwestern Pa. Restaurant & Tavern Association Want Coronavirus Restrictions Loosened 
KDKA: Allegheny County Officials: Number Of New Coronavirus Cases Going To Bars, Restaurants Drops By Half
KDKA: Wilkinsburg Council Releases Name Of Police Officer Who Shot, Killed Romir Talley
KDKA: Pittsburgh Public Schools Pledges To Get Every Student A Device For Online Learning
KDKA: Allegheny Co. Health Dept. Reports 5 More Deaths And 70 New Coronavirus Cases
Pittsburgh Business Times: Allegheny County backs continued limits on restaurants, bars
City Paper: Second group of union workers at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette will vote to strike
City Paper: How to vote by mail in Pennsylvania and why it matters

SWPA 
Beaver County Times: PA Department of Health responds to Lamb’s call for investigation
Beaver County Times: Beaver County to roll out $14.8 million in CARES grants
Altoona Mirror: PSU’s faculty blasts restart
Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: Key safety questions linger unanswered as schools prepare to reopen
Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: Loretto federal prison sees outbreak spike as Cambria County reports record 30 new COVID-19 cases

NEPA
The Times Leader: Cartwright pushes for restaurant relief
The Times Leader: Pedri, Salavantis weigh in on inmate video release
The Times Leader: ‘Very disturbing to watch’: Prison restraint video posted to social media
The Times Leader: 25 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Luzerne County; 705 statewide
Times-Tribune: Lackawanna County Commissioners approve final bills for AG probe legal fees
Times-Tribune: Facebook user leaks graphic video of Luzerne County Correctional facility inmate death
Times-Tribune: Restaurateurs tell congressman what they need to stay afloat
Times-Tribune: No new regional COVID-19 deaths, but Luzerne cases spike again
Citizens Voice: Pedri: Mackey video “heartbreaking to watch”
Citizens Voice: Restaurateurs tell congressman what they need to stay afloat
Citizens Voice: Facebook user leaks graphic video of LCCF inmate death
Citizens Voice: Levine spokesperson refers to transphobic statements in response to meme posted by Hanover Area School Board member
Citizens Voice: 25 new COVID-19 cases reported in Luzerne County

South Central 
York Dispatch: County board to commission feasibility study on county health department
York Dispatch: 35 new COVID-19 cases in York County, state has 12 new deaths
York Dispatch: Officials investigating ‘children’s lives matter’ graffiti on York County Judicial Center
York Daily Record: Wolf’s ‘no fans policy’ sparks petition drive
Patriot News: Education leader: Providing public education during pandemic is ’impossible scenario… with few explicit answers’
Patriot News: York City Hall closed until further notice following a ’physical attack’ on the IT infrastructure housed there
Carlisle Sentinel: Cumberland County reminds residents of housing assistance as eviction solution remains unclear
Carlisle Sentinel: Carlisle proposes ordinance to ban fireworks on borough property
LNP | LancasterOnline: Wednesday’s COVID-19 updates: Pa. up to 115K total cases; Lancaster County sees 5.7K
LNP | LancasterOnline: Protesters march through Lancaster city against plan to redevelop St. Joseph Hospital, Lancaster County prison conditions
LNP | LancasterOnline: Police arrest 3 during Wednesday’s protest in Lancaster city

Lehigh Valley      
Express Times: Bethlehem council decides its plan to regulate Airbnb rentals goes too far
Express Times: Pa. coronavirus update: 705 new cases, 12 more deaths; Lehigh Valley has 1st COVID-19 death in 4 days; as schools reopen, can buses be safe? | Pa. COVID-19 county case map (08/05/20)
Reading Eagle: Reading mayor explains why Wacky Water Wednesdays continue despite suspension of special events permits
Reading Eagle: Medical professionals share what they know about coronavirus with Berks County officials
Reading Eagle: Reading School Board votes to go full virtual learning and suspends sports
Reading Eagle: Coronavirus cases rise by 19 in Berks County
Morning Call: Bethlehem Council fails to pass short-term rental regulations, questions whether they are too restrictive
Morning Call: Less than half of the Lehigh Valley’s police departments have any kind of accreditation

North by Northwest
Erie Times-News: Erie City Council OKs licensing/inspection rules for clubs
Erie Times-News: Erie School District considers going all online in fall
Erie Times-News: Virtual town hall to address unemployment questions
Williamsport Sun-Gazette: Lycoming County nine new COVID-19 cases
Centre Daily Times: Not wearing a mask? Hosting a small party? Under a new State College ordinance, you’ll face fines
Centre Daily Times: Reopening updates: Centre County adds 2 new cases of COVID-19, and other updates for Aug. 5

Opinion  
John Fetterman and Gisele Barreto Fetterman: Let all the Dreamers dream of a home in America 
LNP | LancasterOnline Editorial Board: Nursing home deaths in Lancaster County were a failure of government
Post-Gazette Editorial Board: Legislature has work to do
Post-Gazette Editorial Board: TikTok gambit hits a wall
York Dispatch Editorial Board: NBA protests and Chinese cash 
Mark O’Keefe: Biden is trying to have it both ways on fracking. That could cost him in Pa. 
JD Mullane: A Trump guy observes a Black Lives Matter rally in Doylestown
Joseph R. Powers: Why Joe Biden might be the Warren Harding we need right now
John L. Micek: How the COVID economy is crushing Pa.’s student borrowers | Wednesday Morning Coffee
Paul Muschick: Back to class: Parents must be ready to roll with changes as schools reopen
Alexandra Jones: Reopening restaurants is a death sentence for workers and the industry 
Signe Wilkinson: Political Cartoon: Hurricane “Gun Violence” hits America
Maria Panaritis: The barge, the rain, the pandemic: Is 2020 real, or a nightmare with no end? 
The Angry Grammarian: Is Trump’s use of question marks deceptively strategic??? A Twitter investigation.