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June 21: The Court Decides

U.S. Supreme Court

It’s SCOTUS Opinion Day. Student Loan Debt in PA. Decriminalizing fentanyl test strips. Creating the state budget. Here is the Playbook.

PA Weather
Pittsburgh | Hot, 92
Harrisburg | Mostly Cloudy, Chance of Showers, 85
Philadelphia | Partly Sunny, Chance of Showers, 82

PA Sports
Lehigh Valley IronPigs (IL East), 36-30, 4th place of 10
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (IL East), 27-39, 8th of 10
Reading Fightin Phils (Eastern NE), 27-36, 5th of 6
Erie SeaWolves (Eastern SW), 35-28, 3rd of 6
Altoona Curve (Eastern SW), 30-33, 4th of 6
Harrisburg Senators (Eastern SW), 28-35, 5th of 6
York Revolution (Atlantic N), 23-29, 3rd of 5
Lancaster Barnstormers (Atlantic N), 21-31, 4th of 5

 

News

Could SCOTUS Hear PA Elections Case?: The remaining days of the 2021-22 U.S. Supreme Court session promise to be memorable.

Voter Registration: PA Congressional Districts: We look at registration numbers by congressional district.

 

PA Governor Race: ‘Pa. Governor race: Future of abortion laws in Pennsylvania on the ballot’: ABC27 reports that “the Supreme Court of the United States is expected to overturn Roe v. Wade any day, which would leave abortion laws to state legislators. Abortion is currently legal in Pennsylvania, but the next governor will likely see a bill that would further restrict abortion rights.”

 

‘Meet the Billionaire and Rising GOP Mega-Donor Who’s Gaming the Tax System’: ProPublica reports that “Susquehanna founder and TikTok investor Jeff Yass has avoided $1 billion in taxes while largely escaping public scrutiny. He’s now pouring his money into campaigns to cut taxes and support election deniers.”

‘House approves bill to decriminalize fentanyl test strips’: The Associated Press reports that “test strips to help drug users identify fentanyl and other potentially deadly chemicals would no longer be classified as illegal paraphernalia under a bill passed unanimously by the Pennsylvania House on Monday.”

‘Pa. abortion providers are bracing for a surge in patients if Roe v. Wade is overturned’: The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that “thousands of people from neighboring states may come to Pennsylvania to terminate their pregnancies if a forthcoming U.S. Supreme Court decision ends a national right to an abortion.”

‘Pa. Senate committee creates bipartisan plan to combat blight statewide’: PennLive reports that “a proposal to use part of the state’s approximate $5 billion budget surplus to fund a program against statewide blight received rare bipartisan support in Harrisburg on Monday.”

‘It’s Tom Wolf’s final budget as PA governor. Here’s the major investment he’s hoping to make’: The York Daily Record reports that “Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf has identified two focus areas for his final budget in office.”

‘Pennsylvania Senate votes forward Pitt appropriation funding’: The Pittsburgh Business Times reports that “on Monday, the Pennsylvania State Senate voted in favor of granting over $597 billion in appropriated funding to the four state-related universities — The University of Pittsburgh, Penn State, Temple University and Lincoln University.”

‘Driverless vehicle bill advances in Pa., hoping to capitalize on Pittsburgh’s growing industry’: The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that “the Pennsylvania House passed a bill Monday, by a vote of 123-77, to allow autonomous vehicle companies to deploy and test driverless cars and trucks.”

‘Juneteenth: State reps want private employers to offer paid holiday to employees’: KDKA reports that “some lawmakers say it’s time to get all public and private employers to recognize Juneteenth with a paid day off.”

‘As bill to limit fireworks advances in Pa. Senate, some ask: Does it go far enough?’: The Allentown Morning Call reports that “a Pennsylvania state Senate committee has narrowly approved a bill that would tighten the state’s permissive fireworks laws, but some argue it doesn’t go far enough.”

‘Statewide Pennsylvania police hiring database hindered by loopholes, lack of enforcement’: Spotlight PA reports that “a Pennsylvania database of police personnel records lauded as a national model is riddled with loopholes that raise serious questions about its ability to flag police officers with histories of misconduct, a Spotlight PA review has found.”

‘These are the demographics of student loan debt in Pa. and beyond | The Numbers Racket’: The Pennsylvania Capital-Star reports that “in Pa., 661K borrowers between the ages of 25 and 34 owe an average of more than $35K each, totaling more than $23B, data shows.”

‘Gas prices coming down but remain above $5 in Pennsylvania’: The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports that “the national average gas price has dipped below $5 per gallon, but not yet in Pennsylvania, according to GasBuddy and AAA.”

‘Pennsylvania survey seeks input on location of electric vehicle charging stations’: The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that “the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation wants public input as it develops plans to install hundreds of charging stations for electric vehicles over the next five years.”

‘Social workers ask for more funding in Pa. budget’: ABC27 reports that “on Monday, social workers asked for an increase in state funding. They say they have not had a significant increase since 1990.”

‘Cartwright blames oil companies for high gas prices, inflation’: The Scranton Times-Tribune reports that “U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright, D-8, Moosic, blamed big oil companies for high gas prices and inflation during a campaign kickoff rally Saturday at the UFCW Local 1776 union hall.”

 

Regional Spotlight: Central
York Daily Record: Here’s what some Yorkers have to say about Rep. Scott Perry and Jan. 6 panel
York Dispatch: Commissioners advance plan to expand internet access across York County
PennLive: Harrisburg council approves nearly $16M in American Rescue Plan Act funds
PennLive: Harrisburg School District to remain in receivership 
LNP | LancasterOnline: Lancaster County commissioners to decide on project manager for new county jail
LNP | LancasterOnline: County commissioners prioritize environmental clean-up and other ‘long-term’ projects for ARPA funds 
LNP | LancasterOnline: Cost of PA fishing license could increase for the first time in 17 years 
LNP | LancasterOnline: Pennsylvania Department of Education allocates STEM grant funds to three Lancaster County colleges 
LNP | LancasterOnline: Lancaster City Council gives key approval to College Ave. affordable housing development, more needed
LNP | LancasterOnline: Hempfield school board advances its policy on transgender student athletes
PennLive: South-central Pa. college to expand its short-term workforce training programs for adults with assistance from state funding
PennLive: Pa. Capitol riot suspect pens letter from jail saying politicians ‘need to go,’ a woodchipper ‘sounds good’
Carlisle Sentinel: Cumberland County clarifies library policy amid calls over storytime event featuring drag queen
Carlisle Sentinel: Cumberland County plans to relocate district judge office in South Middleton

 

Opinion  
Gisele Fetterman: Ten years of DACA success, but work still remains
Kate L. Nolt: We need to talk about the mental health impacts of full liquor privatization
Paul Muschick: Failure to raise dog license fees could cost taxpayers millions
Michael A. MacDowell: Inflation: how we got here
Salena Zito: American decimation: On the front lines of the tearing of our social fabric
Anthony O’Brien: Unnecessary regulation causes baby formula shortage
John L. Micek: Pa. says providers ready to give COVID jab to kids as young as six months old | Monday Coffee 
Post-Gazette Editorial Board: State reps, keep your hands to yourselves
Post-Gazette Editorial Board: The least of these: Harrisburg must fund disability programs fully
Post-Gazette Editorial Board: Don’t make the debate ‘democracy’ versus economic survival
Post-Gazette Editorial Board: Fatherhood initiative a good sign for Pittsburgh anti-violence movement
Post-Gazette Editorial Board: Pittsburgh library pioneer Vivian Hewitt, 1920-2022
Tony Norman: Can Pittsburgh have an Emmett Till moment?

2 Responses

  1. Student loan debt in Pa has a solution already in place. Use community colleges as a way to reduce student debt. Incomes under $100,000 have tuition less education for 2 year programs or less. This allows these students to either go into the workforce debt free or pursue more higher education with no debt.

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