House Speaker Mike Turzai (R-Allegheny) is set to hold a press conference today at 11 AM. A third Republican joins the race for Auditor General. Here is the Playbook. 

Dush Launches Bid for Auditor General: The Jefferson County Republican touted his work over various state budgets and believes his reputation of seeking and calling out fraud, waste, and abuse would suit him well to lead the Auditor General’s office.

Kenney Campaigns for Warren in New Hampshire: On Tuesday, Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney hosted a business walk in Concord on behalf of Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s presidential campaign.

PA1: PSEA PAC for Education Endorses Fitzpatrick: The Pennsylvania State Education Association PAC for Education announced their endorsement of Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Bucks) in his reelection bid for the 1st Congressional District. 

SEIU PA State Council Releases Early 2020 Endorsements: The SEIU (Service Employees International Union) Pennsylvania State Council released its first round of endorsements for the 2020 primary election on Wednesday, which included 11 incumbents in the state House, state Sen. Larry Farnese (D-Philadelphia), plus G. Roni Green, who is the Democratic candidate for the upcoming special election in the 190th state House District, and Jessica Benham, who is seeking the Democratic Party nomination for the state House’s 36th District.

Media Mayor Bob McMahon Endorses Bloomberg for President: Michael Bloomberg’s presidential campaign rolled out new endorsements from 11 Mayors across five states on Wednesday, including one endorsement in Pennsylvania from Media Mayor Bob McMahon. McMahon cites Bloomberg’s work on gun control and climate change for his endorsement. 

Legislative Election Update: 

HD-75: State Rep. Matt Gabler (R-Clearfield) announced that he will not seek reelection in the state House in 2020. Gabler, who has represented the district for the past 11 years, ran unopposed in his most recent reelection bid in 2018. 

Harrisburg & DC   
AP: Speculation grows about Pennsylvania House speaker’s future
AP: GOP state lawmaker announces bid for auditor general 
Pennsylvania Capital-Star: 14 and counting: Here’s our map tracking 2020’s Pa. legislative retirements
Pennsylvania Capital-Star: Pa. Republican Rep Cris Dush joins race for Auditor General
Pennsylvania Capital-Star: With vote looming Pa. probation officers line up against parts of House reform bill 
WITF: Federal judge delays voting machine case against Pa. Department of State
WITF: Pa. House may make it easier to terminate rapists’ parental rights
WITF: Pa. House votes to allow agency commercial records request fees
WITF: Deaths of people with intellectual disabilities in Pa. went unreported, says federal regulator 
WESA: Freshman Democratic Sen. Katie Muth On The ‘Transactional Morality’ Of Harrisburg
KDKA: Around The Table: Impeachment Trial Of President Donald Trump Is Underway
KDKA: Around The Table: Shift In Polling For Upcoming Iowa Caucuses
PLSReporter: 3 takeaways from the first day of Performance-Based Budget Board hearings
PLSReporter: Programs to break down barriers for suspended drivers gain traction in Harrisburg
Inquirer: U.S. Supreme Court hears landmark case over public funding for religious schools. What does it mean for Pennsylvania? 
Inquirer: After Glen Mills, Gov. Tom Wolf proposes extra $5 million to regulate juvenile programs
Patriot News: Battle in the Senate underway for Donald Trump’s impeachment trial | Battleground Pa. podcast
LNP | LancasterOnline: Commonwealth Court lifts ban on Pennsylvania State Police from seizing ‘Pennsylvania Skill’ machines 
StateImpactPA: Chicago-based Hilco Redevelopment Partners buys PES refinery for $240 million
National Journal: Reiss Drops Out
Tribune Review: A DUI in Pennsylvania could cost you your Second Amendment rights 
The Hill: Democrats roll out multimillion investment in six battleground states 
The Hill: Five states raise alarms about EPA coal-fired power plant waste disposal proposal
CNN: DNC begins multi-million ‘battleground’ investment in six states won by Trump

Philadelphia 
Billy Penn: ‘Regular people’ over Wall Street: How the Working Families Party could shake up Philly City Hall
Inquirer: Yo, New Hampshire! Mayor Jim Kenney hits the campaign trail for Elizabeth Warren.
Inquirer: Pictured in New Hampshire: Warren surrogate Mayor Kenney campaigns 
Inquirer: ‘Their timeline is aggressive’: Hilco plans to clean up polluted South Philly refinery site, city says
Inquirer: Former Inquirer editor William K. Marimow joins Brian Tierney’s marketing and communications agency 
Inquirer: ‘What a nightmare’: How Philly police, parking authority, and tow companies lose cars while ‘courtesy’ towing 
Inquirer: Philly has added ‘Snowcats’ to tackle smaller streets. So where’s all the snow?
WHYY Newsworks: New owner of PES site has no plans to continue refinery operations, city says
WHYY Newsworks: Philly just challenged an infamous slumlord to a legal death match and won
Philadelphia Tribune: Philly’s City Council will take up the wage tax refund extension Mayor Kenney vetoed
Philadelphia Tribune: Delbert Africa, one of the MOVE 9, says he’s ‘doing better every day… on the outside’ 
Philadelphia Citizen: Dear Philly, Your Money is Waiting  
KYW Newsradio: U.S. Census Bureau looking to hire thousands in Philly-area at competitive pay
KYW Newsradio: New study finds PFAS in dozens of municipal water supplies — including in Philly

SEPA
Inquirer: Republicans are denouncing Brian Fitzpatrick’s primary opponent for ‘discriminatory’ social media posts, secret recordings
Inquirer: After Glen Mills, Gov. Tom Wolf proposes extra $5 million to regulate juvenile programs
Delco Daily Times: Scanlon honored at Heinz refuge for conservation efforts
Delco Daily Times: Delco council committed to deprivatizing prison
Daily Local News: Trench Warfare: Sunoco responds to Chesco pipeline injunction request
Daily Local News: Thousands of local residents to participate in March for Life in D.C.
Bucks Courier Times: Bucks hires extra legal help as it sets limits on outside legal billing
Bucks Courier Times: Bensalem School District to host forum on budget
Pottstown Mercury: Senator Mensch announces grants for dairy farm in Berks County

Pittsburgh 
WESA: County Council To Get A Second Look At Measure To Form Police Review Board
WESA: Councilors Question Legality, Motivation For New Hateful Activities Bill
Post-Gazette: Council sends Burgess’ ‘hateful activities’ bill for legal opinion
Post-Gazette: Port Authority to hire consultant for 25-year service plan
Post-Gazette: Pitt task force will examine algorithms used in local government for possible bias
Post-Gazette: Pa. Supreme Court rules in favor of Pittsburgh police on overtime during 2016 marathon 
The Incline: Pittsburghpedia: How the ‘bikelash’ gave us ‘Bike Lane Billy’
KDKA: Allegheny County Council Reconsidering Civilian Police Review Board Proposal 
KDKA: DEP Issues Code Orange Air Quality Alert For Parts Of Western Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh Business Times: Judge Williams elected president judge of the Court of Judicial Discipline
Tribune Review: State Rep. Joseph Petrarca to hold 2 free concealed carry events

SWPA 
Observer-Reporter: Democrats choose Robert Prah Jr. for 58th District special election
Tribune Review: Tax hike stands after Westmoreland commissioners stick with budget
Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: Bill to increase penalties on human-traffickers and their customers heads to governor 
Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: Leading the March: St. Francis holds 7th annual anti-abortion rally
Beaver County Times: House passes Matzie bill consolidating historical regulations 
Beaver County Times: House committee passes Kail bill addressing child visitation

NEPA
Citizens Voice: McCarthy endorses Granville in 8th District race
Citizens Voice: Lawsuit planned to save White Haven Center
Citizens Voice: Committee presents proposals to improve safety for pedestrians, bicyclists in Wilkes-Barre
The Times Leader: Mullery: Report shows state not prepared to close White Haven Center
The Times Leader: Video: King’s raises awareness of state’s human trafficking problem
Times-Tribune: Commissioners postpone vote on tax hike
Times-Tribune: As opioid crisis entered public view, more pills than ever entered county
Times-Tribune: Philadelphia union scientist to test Scranton schools for environmental concerns

South Central 
LNP | LancasterOnline: Commonwealth Court lifts ban on Pennsylvania State Police from seizing ‘Pennsylvania Skill’ machines 
LNP | LancasterOnline: ‘If we had fair funding, our schools wouldn’t be in such disrepair’: 3 takeaways from meeting with SDL’s superintendent and board president 
Patriot News: SEDA selects former auditor general candidate as its new CEO
York Dispatch: Phillips-Hill’s anti-sex trafficking legislation heads to Wolf’s desk
York Dispatch: Should some York employees be required to live in city? Council again delays a vote.

Lehigh Valley      
Morning Call: Lisa Scheller raises $550,000 in quest to unseat Lehigh Valley Congresswoman Susan Wild 
Morning Call: Easton City Council creates new position to retain fire chief
Reading Eagle: Mayor Eddie Moran and Reading City Council withdraw lawsuit against city’s charter board
Reading Eagle: Reading council confirms Pedro Cortes as new managing director 
Express Times: Who are the Lehigh Valley’s top employers? Pa. ranks them in new report.

North by Northwest
Williamsport Sun-Gazette: Local college receives grant to fight sexual assault
Williamsport Sun-Gazette: Police accreditation on city council agenda

Opinion  
LNP | LancasterOnline Editorial Board: Pa.’s background check law isn’t being enforced. Lawmakers and law enforcement need to act. 
Post-Gazette Editorial Board: A risk not worth taking: Legislature neuters a bill to target distracted driving
Post-Gazette Editorial Board: Cloud of uncertainty: Getting a grip on vaping dangers
Inquirer Editorial Board: Requiring reporting of lost and stolen firearms and safe storage of guns should not require courage
Kristin Phillips-Hill: Governor’s address marks the start of a broken budget process
John L. Micek: Pa. made a $44M Census mistake in 2010. How one group is trying to make sure history doesn’t repeat itself | Wednesday Morning Coffee
Karen Wolk Feinstein: Let’s prioritize medical assistance for vulnerable seniors
Eric Failing: Let’s make 2020 the year of compassion and civility
Antony Davies and James R. Harrigan: Apple should stand firm on protecting privacy over U.S. government demands 
Christopher Wink: With GoPuff, Philly got a tech unicorn with a household name. Now what? 
Chris William Sanchirico: The US’s hidden export subsidy
Anwar Curtis: How one Harrisburg woman is helping city youth achieve their post-high school dreams 
Roy Rosin: THE NEW EPA?
Trudy Rubin: Will a Trump peace plan hasten the end of Israel as a Jewish state? 
Signe Wilkinson: Political Cartoon: Follow the leaders in Senate impeachment trial
Mary Clare Amselem: Europe has free college. Here’s how it’s working out. 
Solomon Jones: White protesters in Richmond got it wrong: Limiting gun purchases is not slavery 
Dan Simpson: The larger impact of the Trump impeachment
Chris Kelly: Ken Bond is still stiffing the city