Gov. Tom Wolf signed a fourth renewal of his COVID-19 disaster declaration. Here is the Playbook.
February 19th Ups and Downs: Sen. Pat Toomey votes to convict former President Donald Trump, the state GOP chair is reelected, plus a Philly City Councilmember is elected to serve as chair of a politically powerful government board. All of that and more are in this week’s Ups and Downs.
Twardzik Appointed to Serve on Legislative Budget and Finance Committee: House Speaker Bryan Cutler (R-Lancaster) announced the appointment of state Rep. Tim Twardzik (R-Schuylkill) to serve on the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee (LBFC) for the 2021-22 legislative session.
Delozier to Chair Executvie Board of PHEAA: According to a press release from House Republicans, state Rep. Sheryl Delozier (R-Cumberland) has been appointed to serve as the chair of the executive board for the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA).
Harrisburg & DC
Spotlight PA: Pa.’s new auditor general says his election was fair, but he won’t talk about the others
AP: Toomey, who once unified the GOP, now on the outs over Trump
AP: Pennsylvania man charged with firing into Democratic office
AP: Pennsylvania looks to boost electric vehicle sales
AP: Pennsylvania police officer facing charges in Capitol riot
KDKA: Young Philadelphia State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta Takes On Fetterman For US Senate
Post-Gazette: New Senate candidate Kenyatta backs moratorium on fracking
Post-Gazette: Rising student homelessness in Pa. will likely worsen during pandemic, report says
Post-Gazette: SPECIAL REPORT | COVID-19’s new deadly path: Cases surge in personal care homes
Inquirer: Pa. Treasurer Joe Torsella tried to reform the state’s biggest pension funds. Then he lost his job.
Inquirer: Cop from central Pennsylvania the latest to be charged in attack on U.S. Capitol
Inquirer: Pa. utilities urge a resumption of shutoffs as pandemic subsides and unpaid bills soar
Inquirer: How bad bets with Wall Street cost two Pa. public school systems and a hospital millions of dollars
Pennsylvania Capital-Star: Democrat Kenyatta brings his ‘working poor’ Philly upbringing to 2022 Senate race
Pennsylvania Capital-Star: DEP announces new funding to expand Pa.’s electric vehicle infrastructure
Pennsylvania Capital-Star: U.S. Senate hears from Ohio on the need for economic relief, minimum wage boost; Pa’s Toomey questions need
Pennsylvania Capital-Star: Join us on Goodreads | Five for the Weekend
Pennsylvania Capital-Star: Hbg biz group launches push to help Black-owned businesses | Friday Morning Coffee
Patriot News: Pa. Gov. Tom Wolf signs another extension of COVID-19 disaster declaration
WHYY Newsworks: ‘Stalin-like cancel culture’: Infighting among Pa. GOP pits ‘Never Trumpers’ against loyalists
WHYY Newsworks: Pa. Dems push for school infrastructure to be priority in next federal stimulus
WITF: State and counties say they plan to do more to inform Pa. Spanish-speaking voters
WITF: ‘Don’t Hold Back Any Doses’: How A Conference Call With The PA Health Dept. Led To Vaccine Delays
Fox News: Pennsylvania cop arrested in connection to Capitol riot, allegedly charged line of officers
National Journal: State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta Enters Senate Race
The Hill: Pennsylvania cop arrested, charged with pushing police during Capitol riot
WESA: State House Bill Would Create A Central COVID-19 Vaccine Registry
CNN: Pennsylvania cop charged in Capitol riot: ‘FBI may arrest me ..lol’
PLSReporter: Wolf renews COVID-19 disaster declaration for fourth time
PLSReporter: Philadelphia Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta announces U.S. Senate bid
PLSReporter: Right 2 Know Episode 81: Vaccine Blues
CBS21: Face the State | Rep. Tim O’Neal and Rep. Jennifer O’Mara
Philadelphia
KYW Newsradio: Pa. Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta announces bid for U.S. Senate
KYW Newsradio: Kenney promises more transparency on gun violence efforts following hunger strike, shooting near Olney Transportation Center
KYW Newsradio: House Democrats push COVID-19 rescue plan, but Penn economists have concerns
KYW Newsradio: Outlaw criticizes DA’s office for covering police ‘Wall of Remembrance’
KYW Newsradio: Philadelphia radio legend Cody Anderson dies at 78
Inquirer: City Council moves to add transparency and oversight to vaccine partnerships after Philly Fighting COVID scandal
Inquirer: Philly readies for new neighbors as Biden plans to resettle more of the world’s most vulnerable people
Inquirer: Controversy erupts over police memorial in Philly D.A.’s office
Inquirer: Massive turnout at Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium walk-up site, with thousands being vaccinated at 24-hour clinic
Philadelphia Tribune: City Council, Kenney administration at odds over COVID-19 vaccination plan
Philadelphia Tribune: Cody Anderson, radio pioneer and long-time general manager of WDAS 105.3, dies
Philadelphia Business Journal: Startup Spotlight: TiP working to pilot political activism platform with members of City Council
Billy Penn: Why aren’t there any Black-owned supermarkets in Philly? These grocers are helping blaze a trail
WHYY Newsworks: Philly opens three new mass vaccine sites Monday. Here’s what you need to know.
WHYY Newsworks: Pa. Dems push for school infrastructure to be priority in next federal stimulus
WHYY Newsworks: In-person classes. Old buildings. Almost no COVID. Are Philly Catholic schools a blueprint?
WHYY Newsworks: ‘People want to live’: Huge turnout, long lines at Black Doctors Consortium’s 24-hour vaccine clinic
SEPA
Delco Daily Times: Democrats endorse candidates for countywide races
Daily Local News: Man arrested for threats, shots fired into Montgomery County Democratic Party office
Daily Local News: Chester County officials frustrated over vaccine delays
Daily Local News: Toomey scores low, Houlahan high in National Environmental Scorecard
Daily Local News: Norley sworn in as new West Chester mayor
Daily Local News: Confusion reigns over Magisterial District Court judicial vote in West Chester
Daily Local News: McCabe bows out of Common Pleas race in Chester County
KYW Newsradio: Man charged with shooting into Montco Democratic Committee office on Inauguration Day
KYW Newsradio: Pennsylvania sees decline in COVID-19 cases since December
Inquirer: Eagleville man arrested for firing into the Montgomery County Democratic Committee’s headquarters
Pottstown Mercury: Montgomery County renews coronavirus disaster declaration ahead of anniversary
Bucks Local News: Experience Yardley leader David Appelbaum announces candidacy for mayor
Pittsburgh
Post-Gazette: New Senate candidate Kenyatta backs moratorium on fracking
Post-Gazette: Advocates urge Peduto to ban evictions; administration could introduce bill as soon as next week
Post-Gazette: Activists looking to remake police oversight in Pittsburgh
Post-Gazette: Apprenticeships poised to expand to new industries as Washington eyes job growth
Post-Gazette: COVID-19 Update: Pennsylvania reports 2,818 more cases as WVU announces U.K.-variant infections
KDKA: Pittsburgh Mayoral Candidate Ed Gainey Receives Endorsement From SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania
KDKA: Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto Takes Part In Climate Change Event
KDKA: COVID-19 In Pittsburgh: Allegheny Co. Health Dept. Reports 285 New Coronavirus Cases
Pittsburgh Business Times: Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto hails U.S. return to Paris Climate Agreement
Tribune Review: Allegheny County reports 285 new coronavirus cases, 1 death
WESA: Supply Shortage Forces Allegheny County Health Dept. To Delay Some Vaccine Appointments
SWPA
Altoona Mirror: Toomey incites local GOP outrage
Altoona Mirror: Gregory closes office indefinitely
Altoona Mirror: The right voice
Altoona Mirror: Free virus tests planned for Huntingdon
Altoona Mirror: Weather disrupts vaccine delivery
Altoona Mirror: COVID-19 cases continue to fall
Beaver County Times: FBI: Allegheny Co. man threatened Congress members
Beaver County Times: PA: Communication error leads to vaccine mixup
Beaver County Times: How Trump, Pa. GOP convinced some voters of election fraud
KDKA: Leslie Rossi, Creator Of The ‘Trump House’, Announces Bid For Pennsylvania House Of Representatives
Tribune Review: Trump House creator Leslie Rossi says she is ‘humbled’ at receiving GOP nod for open state House seat
Tribune Review: Westmoreland County records 98 covid-19 cases, 3 deaths
Observer-Reporter: Former Washington detective a candidate for district judge
Observer-Reporter: I-79 bridge at Bridgeville could end up being tolled under state plan
Observer-Reporter: Winter weather could delay COVID-19 vaccine appointments in state
Observer-Reporter: WHS not among providers impacted by Moderna mix-up
Observer-Reporter: Six new coronavirus deaths reported in Washington County over weekend
Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: City, unions come to terms on contracts
Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: Mock seeks another term on Johnstown City Council
Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: Cambria records 77 cases over weekend, Blair adds two deaths
Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: Cambria’s 58 new virus cases among 2,818 statewide
NEPA
Citizens Voice: State Rep. Tarah Toohil announces run for Luzerne County judge
Citizens Voice: Bobeck announces bid for Luzerne County judge
Citizens Voice: Two county municipalities receive state funding
Citizens Voice: Dems host drive-thru petition signing amid pandemic
Citizens Voice: 44 new cases of COVID-19 reported in Luzerne County on Sunday
Times-Tribune: Casey opposes landfill expansion as decision looms
Times-Tribune: Scranton to offer rent, mortgage assistance
Times-Tribune: Medalis praised for the way she ran county elections
Times-Tribune: Scranton no longer enforcing zoning regulation on vulgar signs
Times-Tribune: COVID-19 cases slow in region
The Times Leader: Mullery co-introduces bill to improve ‘overburdened’ unemployment system
The Times Leader: Baker, Yudichak, Kaufer announce funding for Luzerne and Forty Fort
The Times Leader: Cartwright announces $2.4M in COVID-19 relief for WB/Scranton Airport
The Times Leader: Luzerne County Council holding five public hearings before Tuesday’s meeting
The Times Leader: Democrats hold walk-through signing event
The Times Leader: House GOP committee launches economic recovery survey for business
The Times Leader: All but one county ZIP code reported 50 or fewer new COVID-19 cases this week
The Times Leader: 44 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Luzerne County on Sunday; 1 more death
South Central
Patriot News: Q&A: Tolling the I-83 South Bridge seen as the fairest way to pay for its replacement
Patriot News: Businesswoman Crystal Davis to run for Harrisburg City Council
Patriot News: Ralph Rodriguez says he would bring leadership to Harrisburg council seat he seeks
Patriot News: Judge allows criminal charges to move forward against Harrisburg judge
Patriot News: Feds charge central Pa. cop for participating in Capitol riot
York Daily Record: I-83 bridge tolling: How soon it could start, the cost and more
York Dispatch: Casey, York officials debunk COVID-19 vaccine myths, encourage inoculations
York Dispatch: Saturday update: Four new deaths linked to COVID-19 in York County
Carlisle Sentinel: DOH: 64 new COVID-19 cases, 3 new deaths reported in Cumberland County Saturday
LNP | LancasterOnline: Fixing Pa.’s bungled vaccine rollout: Lancaster could receive more vaccines under new distribution formula [Lancaster Watchdog]
Lehigh Valley
Express Times: With on-time mail delivery ‘drastically’ down, Wild joins call for new Postal Service appointments
Express Times: Express-Times wins general excellence award, numerous other top honors from state press association
Express Times: COVID in Pa.: Northampton Co. virus hotspot as Valley records 56K total cases; St. Luke’s celebrates 100Kth vaccine | Coronavirus and vaccine updates for Pa. and Lehigh Valley (2/19/21)
Morning Call: It’s too cold and snowy for social justice marches in the Lehigh Valley, but that doesn’t mean the summer’s movement has ended
Morning Call: Eager to have Lehigh Valley schools allow students back five days a week, hundreds of Lehigh Valley parents are organizing and pressing the point
Morning Call: From the editor: Diving into coronavirus data
Reading Eagle: Weekly Pa. report shows falling COVID cases in Berks County
Reading Eagle: Berks coroner reports 2 more COVID-19 deaths
Reading Eagle: Weather cuts into COVID vaccine distribution in Berks, rest of Pa.
WFMZ: Monroe County GOP censures Toomey
WFMZ: Northampton County gets $3.4M to preserve open space
North by Northwest
Erie Times-News: Arrington’s sentencing in Erie fraud pushed back to May
Erie Times-News: State reports 50 new COVID-19 cases for Erie County
Erie Times-News: COVID-19 battered Erie-area tourism in 2020
Centre Daily Times: Dr. Anthony Fauci among 4 honorees to take part in Penn State’s Page Center Awards
Centre Daily Times: Feb. 20 update: Centre County adds 36 COVID-19 cases, 1 death, state Health Department says
Williamsport Sun-Gazette: Incumbent councilman seeks Democratic nomination
Williamsport Sun-Gazette: Activist groups: Fair legislative districts needed
Williamsport Sun-Gazette: Lycoming County 42 new COVID-19 cases
Opinion
Kerry Benninghoff: Getting Pennsylvania ready for its economic recovery
Ryan Bizzarro, Austin Davis, Jennifer O’Mara, Pam Snyder: PA needs a vaccine registry, not a vaccine lottery
Seth Grove: Gov. Wolf’s income tax hike impacts us all
Ed Rendell: Enough is enough: It’s time to impose term limits on Congress
Mark S. Singel: Lessons from New York, Pennsylvania, Texas and . . . Mars
Nathan Benefield: Pennsylvania Doesn’t Have a Friend in Tom Wolf
Charlie Gerow: We have to do better managing COVID-19 and energy
Paul Muschick: Pennsylvania should open up nursing homes to visitors: ‘What they are doing to our seniors is despicable’
Abbie Newman: Restoring survivors’ rights to pursue justice empowers them to change the narrative of abuse
Patricia Vickers: Gov. Wolf can — and must — save the lives of our incarcerated loved ones
Emily Persico: Lawmakers can save $2 billion if they stop subsidizing the fossil fuel industry in Pennsylvania
Fletcher McClellan and Paige Oustrich: Intimate partner violence, Pa.’s silent pandemic, can be silent no longer
David Callahan: Natural gas is a cornerstone for climate, economic progress
John J. “Ski” Sygielski: We celebrate our Black colleagues, students and alumni for making our college great
Inquirer Editorial Board: Fracking puts Pa. at an energy crossroads. It’s time to pick a direction.
Inquirer Staff: Teachers, students, parents, and Dr. Hite told us what safe schools during COVID-19 looks like to them
LNP | LancasterOnline Editorial Board: Pennsylvania’s COVID-19 vaccine distribution process has been awful, unacceptable … and worse
LNP | LancasterOnline Editorial Board: There’s room for refinement, but Congress must go big with COVID-19 relief package
PennLive Editorial Board: Misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccine is killing Black and Brown people
Post-Gazette Editorial Board: Is there Trumpism after Trump?
Post-Gazette Editorial Board: Rush in the arena
Post-Gazette Editorial Board: Worthwhile recycling effort
Post-Gazette Editorial Board: Alert to the signs of depression
Post-Gazette Editorial Board: A communal pandemic diary
York Dispatch Editorial Board: The GOP has hit bottom
Maria Pulzetti: Struggling Pa. families need more support; Lawmakers, Wolf need to boost TANF payments
Salena Zito: Business is booming in this small-town gun shop
Rasheedah Phillips: Expanding Black futures requires ending racist housing policies that plague Philadelphia
Jenice Armstrong: Done right, Philly officer’s new podcast could help demystify police work as well as the people behind the badge
Ruth Ann Dailey: Does Pa. need sackcloth and ashes?
David M. Shribman: Whither go the unsettled Republicans?
Bernie Rabik: Rabik: Where did our unity go?
John Cole: Pa.’s long journey to fair school funding | Editorial Cartoon
Sharmain Matlock-Turner, Stephen P. Fera, and Rev. Dr. Mark Tyler: This Black History Month, help us be the generation that ends systemic racism
Keith C. Burris: Will we come through?
Tony Norman: Rush Limbaugh: From KQV to infamy
Chris Kelly: ‘QAnon Casualties’ on both sides of conspiracy divide
Lisa Smith Molinari: Extremism: Don’t throw the honorable out with the bathwater
Maria Panaritis: #blueforMatthew in suburban Philly shows love and kindness trump all in our darkest hour.
Will Bunch: How Biden got it wrong about Penn, the Ivies, student debt, and America’s ‘college problem’
4 Responses
“2 Thoughts”? Where is the second one?
the same place your finger is, up your ass
Your first link was funny. Auditor General says his election was fair but he won’t talk about the others. That’s sort of flunking his first test of leadership. That appears to be saying, “I won and, in fact, even though I was on the same ballot as others in the same election I cannot vouch for their victories.” Really? Has politics boiled down to this intellectual gymnastics? Some Dems have been trying to deny Toomey credit for voting to convict Trump but at least he had integrity and did the right thing. Saying, “ I won but I’m not sure about the others on the ballot” sounds silly and evasive.
And you are the head skunk, cowardly imposter.