Retirement watch: Rep. Mike Doyle is set to make a “major announcement” this afternoon about the 2022 congressional election. Here is the Playbook. 

News

‘Doyle to make ‘major announcement’ concerning re-election, amid expectations of retirement’: WESA reports that “Congressman Mike Doyle will make what his office calls “a major announcement about the 2022 elections” today, amid expectations that the 14-term Congressman will retire at the end of his term rather than run for re-election next year.

‘Pa. Rep. Patty Kim explores run for lieutenant governor’: PennLive reports that “Pennsylvania Rep. Patty Kim, a five-term Democratic incumbent who represents Harrisburg in the state House of Representatives, is toying with the idea of running for lieutenant governor.”

‘Pa. Senate candidates filed their latest fund-raising reports. Here’s what they show.’: The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that “Democrat John Fetterman and Republican Sean Parnell outpaced their rivals, while other candidates saw a sharp drop in donations. Some used their own money to boost their war chests.”

‘Rivals of Trump-backed US Senate candidate amass millions’: The Associated Press reports that “an endorsement by former President Donald Trump in Pennsylvania’s hotly contested U.S. Senate race isn’t backing down rival Republicans, with one putting up millions for her campaign and another getting a seven-figure pledge from a donor.”

‘Two Pa. treasurers — one current, one former — agree giant pension fund is suppressing information’: The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that “Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity and Joe Torsella, whom Garrity defeated in last year’s election, have joined legal forces to challenge the leadership of the state’s biggest public pension plan, saying that the leaders had wrongly cut off information from a dissident board member.”

‘‘Outraged, frustrated, and scared’: Pa. residents ask authorities to protect their data from GOP election review’: The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that “Republicans say their review is necessary to address their constituents’ mistrust in elections. But it has also provoked a backlash among other voters who see it as a nakedly partisan exercise.”

‘Fayette lawmaker may have suffered medical issue before crash’: The Observer-Reporter reports that “State Rep. Matthew Dowling may have suffered a medical issue just before he was seriously injured in a single-vehicle crash in Lancaster County last week.”

‘Shapiro says there is ‘not a chance’ he resigns as attorney general amid Gov run’: The Pennsylvania Capital-Star reports that “Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro may be pursuing a new position, but he’s not giving up his current title too fast.”

‘Fears fester over abortion access as Tom Wolf’s term nears its end’”: City & State PA reports that “supporters of abortion access have heralded Wolf as a key defender of the right to choose amid efforts from legislative Republicans to ban abortions. But now that the U.S. Supreme Court has declined to block a Texas law banning most abortions in the state, abortion-rights advocates in Pennsylvania are fearful that the Court’s conservative majority could jeopardize longstanding abortion precedent.”

‘Philly’s Deja Alvarez plans to shake things up in Harrisburg’: City & State PA reports that “in a little over a year’s time, Philly’s Deja Alvarez could disrupt the status quo in Harrisburg in a big way.”

‘Prison guards’ lawsuit against Wolf admin’s vax policy thrown out’: The Pennsylvania Capital-Star reports that “a state appeals court has thrown out a lawsuit challenging Gov. Tom Wolf’s vaccine-or-test requirement for prison guards, among thousands of other state employees in congregate settings.”

‘House Committee on Ethics investigates Representative Mike Kelly for ethics violation by his wife’: WJET reports that “the House Committee on Ethics has been investigating Representative Mike Kelly on ethics violation by his wife Victoria.”

‘Republican U.S. Senate hopeful Bartos visits Johnstown to listen to business leaders’: The Johnstown Tribune-Democrat reports that “as part of a listening tour, U.S. Senate candidate Jeff Bartos visited business leaders in Johnstown on Friday for a roundtable discussion, eight months out from May primary elections.”

‘‘Our democracy is on the line,’ Shapiro says in Pittston area campaign stop’: The Wilkes-Barre Times Leader reports that “Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro Friday said the stakes are high in the 2022 race for governor, stating “our democracy is on the line.” Shapiro, 48, announced Wednesday that he is running for the Democratic nomination for governor; Luzerne County was among the first stops on his statewide bus tour.”

‘Local lawmakers introduce bill to ensure paid time off for workers experiencing pregnancy loss’: The Daily Local News reports that “calling on Pennsylvania to support working people and modernize its leave policy, state lawmakers Friday announced legislation to ensure working people receive paid time off after suffering the loss of a pregnancy.”

‘Doyle holds onto campaign cash advantage, but numbers are modest’: WESA reports that “incumbent Congressman Mike Doyle maintains a campaign cash advantage over his 18th District Democratic rival Jerry Dickinson. But Dickinson outraised Doyle for the second quarter running, and in any case, Doyle’s totals remain modest ahead of a year in which he may have to undergo the toughest test of his career — assuming he decides to run for re-election at all.”

‘Two politicians known for reaching across the aisle contend for Lehigh County executive’: The Allentown Morning Call reports that “Lehigh County voters will have their pick between two politicos with reputations for bipartisanship when they select the next Lehigh County executive on Election Day.

‘Q&A with candidates for South Whitehall commissioner: How they would handle development, government transparency, and heated political climate’: The Allentown Morning Call reports that “interest in South Whitehall Township’s board of commissioners has been intense since a massive development project upset many residents, leading to hotly contested elections and sharply divided meetings in recent years.”

‘Erie to receive around 200 Afghan refugees by the end of 2021’: WJET reports that “according to Dylanna Grasinger of the Erie International Institute, several afghan families have already arrived in Erie and more are expected.”

‘3 projects across Pa. get $4 million from feds for water cleanup’: StateImpactPA reports that “four million dollars of federal money is going to help clean up waterways around the commonwealth.”

‘Court: Town must turn over emails to gas pipeline builder’: The Associated Press reports that “a judge on Friday ordered the release of emails between officials in a Philadelphia suburb and the developer of a natural gas pipeline that was charged with environmental crimes related to construction of the multi-billion-dollar project.”

‘Procrastinator’s Guide to the 2021 November election in Philadelphia’: Billy Penn previews Philadelphia’s upcoming election in their “procrastinator’s guide.”

‘Soda tax fight emerged as a key issue as John Dougherty’s trial closed its second week’: The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that “federal prosecutors closed out the second week of their federal bribery case against labor leader John Dougherty and Philadelphia City Councilmember Bobby Henon on Friday with a close look at Henon’s union paychecks and the political jockeying surrounding Mayor Jim Kenney’s signature soda tax.”

‘Access to tech jobs a pressing need, city mayoral candidates agree’: The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that “Pittsburgh’s technological renaissance has brought accolades and adoration, a groundswell of innovation and advancement, and even attention from the White House. It hasn’t, however, benefited many of the city’s own residents, the two mayoral candidates said last week.”

‘Full slate of candidates run for Delaware County row offices’: The Delaware County Daily Times reports that “Delaware County’s three row offices – Sheriff, Controller and Register of Wills – have a contested race with candidates lined up on both sides of the ballot.”

‘NAACP celebrates the ‘doers’’: The Wilkes-Barre Times Leader reports that “the Wilkes-Barre branch of the NAACP held its annual Freedom Fund Banquet on Friday night, reminding attendees that the path to freedom requires “Always Fighting Forward.” Held at Genetti’s Hotel & Conference Center, the fundraising dinner filled the conference center’s banquet hall with folks looking to honor — as keynote speaker State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, D-Philadelphia, said — the people who are the “doers.””

‘Rising young leaders of health-care workers’ District 1199c ousted by their national union’: The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that “the leadership of District 1199c, one of the biggest unions in Philadelphia, has been removed from office by its national union, the National Union for Hospital and Healthcare Employees (NUHHCE), the deposed local leader, Chris Woods, confirmed.”

‘Attorney continues to challenge statewide antibias rule’: Philadelphia Gay News reports that “a Philadelphia attorney continues to challenge a statewide antibias rule that would prohibit attorneys from engaging in harassment or discrimination due to LGBT status and other protected categories.”

‘’I hate it’ to ‘I like it’: Mixed view on Philly single-use plastic bag ban’: KYW Newsradio reports that “two weeks in, Philadelphia’s ban on single-use plastic bags is getting mixed results.”

‘County officials introduce draft strategic plan to bolster ag economy’: The Daily Local News reports that “consultants from agriculture-specialists ACDS, LLC this week unveiled a draft of Chester County’s agriculture economic development strategic plan, and discussed opportunities to create technological advancement, strategic partnerships and industry resilience.”

‘Luzerne County voters will elect five county council members Nov. 2’: The Wilkes-Barre Times Leader reports that “Luzerne County voters will fill five of the 11 county council seats in the upcoming Nov. 2 general election, and 10 contenders are on the ballot.”

‘Four vying for Court of Common Pleas this year’: The Delaware County Daily Times reports that “Democrats are hoping to expand their reach into the county courthouse next month by building on four historic wins in 2019, while Republicans are looking to swing the vote back in their direction.”

‘Voters will pick in six contested district court races’: The Delaware County Daily Times reports that “in addition to the two open seats on the Court of Common Pleas, there are six contested Magisterial District Judge races next month.” 

‘Pa. Health Dept.: While vaccinations rise, more than 5,700 new cases of COVID-19’: The Pennsylvania Capital-Star reports that “The Pennsylvania Department of Health confirmed 5,725 new cases of COVID-19 in the commonwealth on Friday, up from Thursday’s tally of 5,253 new cases, bringing the total number of cases to 1.5 million since the start of the pandemic.”

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