Congress passes a bill avoiding a government shutdown, while Trump is expected to declare a national emergency for additional border security beyond the bill. A third Democrat officially enters the race for State Superior Court. Here is the Playbook.

Tarasi Announces Bid for Superior Court: The Allegheny County attorney has appeared and argued before the Superior Court and the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.

PA12: Keller Announces Bid For GOP Primary: The state Representative from Snyder County believes his conservative record in Harrisburg coupled with his business background has prepared him to represent the 12th District.

PA12: Wheeland Announces Intentions For GOP Nomination: The state Representative from Lycoming County said he supports term limits and wants to drain the swamp.

Harrisburg & DC
Morning Call: Pa. lawmakers vote on border funding bill as Trump prepares to declare national emergency
Morning Call: Pennsylvania Supreme Court relents for now on medical malpractice changes
AP: Drug bust: 170K doses of heroin, fentanyl seized in Philly
AP: Judge sued over calling immigration on couple’s wedding day
WESA: A Tax Credit Designed To Create Jobs Might Just Be Losing PA Money
Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: Schools haven’t caught up with sex abuse reporting law, auditor general says
KDKA: Gov. Tom Wolf Wants Towns To Pay For State Police Protection
The Times Leader: Legislative Report: Casey backs bill on paid family leave  
Beaver County Times: Pennsylvania now has roadmap to increase electric vehicle use
Pennsylvania Capital-Star: Should lawmakers prop up Pennsylvania’s struggling nuclear industry? The debate, explained
Pennsylvania Capital-Star: State lawmakers question Wolf admin’s plan to fund environmental agencies
Pennsylvania Capital-Star: Here’s Bob Casey and Pat Toomey on that government funding bill – and Trump’s looming end-run
Pennsylvania Capital-Star: State lawmakers introduce ‘red flag’ gun bills on anniversary of Parkland shooting
Pennsylvania Capital-Star: Honoring ‘The Great Migration,’ Pa. state agencies celebrate Black History Month
Pennsylvania Capital-Star: Pennsylvania Supreme Court delays malpractice rule change
Pennsylvania Capital-Star: Amazon is pulling out of New York, won’t reopen HQ2 search
Pennsylvania Capital-Star: New report: Pa’s public health outcomes ‘generally lag’ the rest of the U.S. | Thursday Morning Coffee
WHYY Newsworks: Mulling presidential run, Howard Schultz appears in Philly
WITF: Pennsylvania ‘fake milk’ concerns get a (minor) spotlight in D.C.
Inquirer: From an Iowa kitchen, the crazy but kind of reassuring path toward the presidency | Analysis
Inquirer: Pa.’s FedLoan cited for ‘failed-call rate’ for student loans. U.S. Education Dept. ‘asleep at the wheel,’ report says.  
PLSReporter: VIDEO: Turzai reintroduces legislation that would ban abortions based on a diagnosis of down syndrome
PLSReporter: VIDEO: DePasquale announces 244,000 students attend schools that lack proper child abuse reporting laws
Patriot News: Finding younger farmers: Gov. Tom Wolf proposes tax breaks, loans in new Pa. Farm Bill
Patriot News: See the proposal that could create private, public PIAA championships, and a timeline for it to ‘move forward’
Patriot News: Pa. Senate footing legal bills of former security chief accused of sexual harassment: report
Patriot News: Pa. university can give long-serving professor a 20 percent pay cut, federal court says
Patriot News: Pa. proposal to change medical malpractice lawsuit rules put on hold to allow study
StateImpactPA: EPA says it will start process to regulate PFOA and PFOS this year

Philadelphia
Philly Clout: Mike Stack is back and aiming for City Council
WHYY Newsworks: Philly GOP taps first African-American woman as mayoral candidate
WHYY Newsworks: Philly Housing Authority gets thousands to help residents become more self-sufficient
WHYY Newsworks: Mulling presidential run, Howard Schultz appears in Philly
WHYY Newsworks: Landlords must exterminate bed bugs under City Council bill
Billy Penn: How fear helps Philly politicians stay in power
KYW Newsradio: Philly City Council passes bill requiring businesses to accept cash
KYW Newsradio: Philly City Council approves two charter change questions for May primary
Philadelphia Magazine: Inside the Controversy Over Philly’s Effort to Get New Voting Machines  
Philadelphia Magazine: Philly Activist Who Shared Starbucks Arrest Video Confronts Howard Schultz  
Philadelphia Magazine: Uber for House Hunting and Other Start-ups Changing the Philly Real Estate Game
PLSReporter: City Council passes cashless businesses ban
Inquirer: Amazon warns it may rethink plans to open a Philly store if the city bans cashless retailers
Inquirer: From ‘councilman’ to ‘councilmember’? Change part of bigger push to rid gender from titles  

SEPA
Inquirer: ‘We’re moving as quickly as we can’: EPA announces plan to address PFAS water contamination
Bucks County Courier Times: Lawmakers, others have mixed reaction to EPA’s PFAS action plan
Bucks County Courier Times: Preliminary Bensalem Township School District budget has 3.64 percent tax increase
Pottstown Mercury: Killion’s gun bill aimed at reducing shootings, suicides
Pottstown Mercury: Sen. Mensch helps unveil Leonard Joseph Taglieber Memorial Highway

Pittsburgh
KDKA: Mayor Peduto Vows To Defend Gun Legislation While Fighting Lawsuits Alleging Overreach
KDKA: Pittsburgh Public Schools Students Caught With Marijuana Offered Shorter Suspension With Drug Counseling   
Pittsburgh Business Times: Some of Amazon’s HQ2 jobs could be coming to Pittsburgh
Post-Gazette: What’s the value of transit? Study says $929 million annual impact from Port Authority
Post-Gazette: Amazon won’t reopen HQ2 search but Pittsburgh may still benefit
Post-Gazette: Religious leaders, government officials discuss responding to hate
Inquirer: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette employees say they remain on edge after publisher’s ‘bizarre’ and ‘violent’ behavior
The Incline: Block Communications: ‘We disagree with the characterization of Saturday evening’s events as expressed by the Newspaper Guild’  
The Incline: Who’s Next: Community Leaders & Activists; Meet 20 people making change in Pittsburgh
PLSReporter: Pittsburgh Environmental groups to file lawsuits against US Steel
Tribune Review: Allegheny County Democrats sponsor campaign kickoff in Harmar next week
Tribune Review: HUD distributes to area housing authorities
Tribune Review: Unity OKs tax break for volunteer firefighters  
Tribune Review: Carnegie exploring new banking options
Tribune Review: Norwin considers refinancing debt

SWPA
Beaver County Times: Former U.S. House candidate Beth Tarasi running for PA Superior Court
Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: Lieutenant governor announces Cambria County stop on marijuana listening tour
Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: Penn Highlands president: Community colleges get ‘forgotten’   
Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: Langerholc appointed to sentencing commission    
Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: Lt. gov. Fetterman to make pot stop in region  
Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: Cambria commissioners approve two grants for 911 improvements
Observer-Reporter: Monessen man seeks election to city council
Observer-Reporter: Work progresses toward 2021 opening of Southern Beltway’s middle section
Observer-Reporter: Charleroi council gets resignation letter from Celaschi
Observer-Reporter: Monessen School District to hold anti-bullying program
Altoona Mirror: GOP tribute dinner set    
Altoona Mirror: Cambria approves 911 funding requests
Altoona Mirror: Hollidaysburg ordinance focuses on e-cigarettes

NEPA
Times-Tribune: Charged former Scranton School District business manager may keep his pension
Times-Tribune: Three former employees of Scranton Sewer Authority claim it stiffed them on pension contributions
Times-Tribune: Domenick will continue as public defender during commissioner campaign
The Times Leader: Meuser asks state to suspend stormwater fees until questions are answered  
The Times Leader: Ex-councilwoman announces run for Hazleton mayor
Citizens Voice: Christy curses at judge during hearing

South Central   
Carlisle Sentinel: At packed town hall in Mechanicsburg, most participants support legalizing marijuana
Carlisle Sentinel: Former Harrisburg mayor Linda Thompson publishes autobiography
Carlisle Sentinel: Travis announces Democratic bid for county commissioner
Carlisle Sentinel: Cumberland Valley teacher announces bid for county treasurer
Carlisle Sentinel: ABC27, Partnership for Better Health to host call-in show on opioids, addiction
Carlisle Sentinel: New Perry County stop announced for marijuana listening tour
LNP | LancasterOnline: On Politics: Susquehanna National Heritage Area moves forward; state Sen. Martin to re-introduce Medicaid work requirements
LNP | LancasterOnline: Trump wedding cake, made by Lancaster chef Cedric Barberet, bought at auction for $1.8K
LNP | LancasterOnline: Report: Lancaster County school districts could save $8M a year under charter school reform
LNP | LancasterOnline: Gov. Wolf, state officials reveal $24 million package to aid, protect agriculture
York Dispatch: Auditor hired to study York County 911 Center has history of privatizing facilities  
York Dispatch: UPDATE: Clerk of Courts Don O’Shell to vacate position, asks Wolf to allow chief deputy to hold job until 2020
York Daily Record: Updates: Who’s planning to run for judge, other elected offices in York County in 2019
Patriot News: Perry County DA seeks re-election

Lehigh Valley   
Morning Call: Macungie officials seek resignation of councilman who has missed 80 percent of meetings
Morning Call: Pa. Department of Revenue urges caution with tax refund anticipation loans
Morning Call: On the first anniversary of the school shooting in Florida, marchers in Bethlehem call for ‘common sense’ gun laws
Morning Call: Lower Nazareth Township wants to give volunteer firefighters a tax break
Morning Call: Eliminate Pennsylvania constables, lawmaker argues
Reading Eagle: Lawmakers call for new focus on truancy after Reading Eagle report  
Reading Eagle: Reading mayor appoints Berks commissioner, finds out he cannot, then appoints doctor who supported campaign
Reading Eagle: Venezuelans in Berks call for political change in their native country
Reading Eagle: Constituents call on Rep. Jim Cox to support minimum wage increase
Express Times: Former councilman to run for Northampton County controller
Express Times: Bethlehem Township man is running for Northampton County Council
Express Times: These 5 Lehigh Valley schools didn’t have updated child abuse policies, auditor general says

North by Northwest
Erie Times-News: Democratic Socialists of America aim for Erie chapter
Erie Times-News: Schember touts Erie trade programs
Erie Times-News: County Council approves raises for elected officials
Williamsport Sun-Gazette: Clarion County man seeks House seat
Williamsport Sun-Gazette: Bradford County resident, veteran seeks 12th seat
Centre Daily Times: State Rep. Scott Conklin discusses PIAA playoff legislation

Opinion
Inquirer Editorial Board: Amazon dumps New York: What Philly politicians should learn
Post-Gazette Editorial Board: Sherrod Brown goes low: Claiming Trump is a racist was beyond the pale
Post-Gazette Editorial Board: Giant of the House: John Dingell put people before party
Post-Gazette Editorial Board: Unhealthy competition: The city needs to bring order to towing industry
Tony Norman: Kamala Harris is not your ‘meme girl’
Shira Goodman: Parkland, One Year Later: You’re either part of the problem or part of the solution to gun violence
Christian D. Pulcini: A year after Parkland, still not enough research into gun violence prevention
Jeffrey A. Singer: Department of Justice’s shameful attempt to block a proven life-saving program
George Parry: Background checks will not prevent gun deaths
Christine Flowers: Class warfare driving Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Bernie Sanders, and the rest
Signe Wilkinson: Political Cartoon: Parking Philadelphia City Council
Dorothy Butler Gilliam: Washington Post’s first black female reporter: Newsrooms still aren’t diverse enough