A conservative businesswoman announced her candidacy for PA17, while a U.S. Navy veteran becomes the 2nd Democrat to enter the race for PA1. Here is the Playbook. 

News

‘Zelienople company president to run as Republican in 17th District race’: The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that “Tricia Staible, president of Robinson Fans Inc., warned of a “socialist takeover” of government and criticized the Green New Deal — two of the GOP’s main arguments in recent years — in a press release declaring her candidacy for the 17th Congressional District.”

‘Second Veteran Announces Democratic Bid For Congress’: Levittown Now reports that “U.S. Navy veteran Paul Fermo, of Lower Makefield Township, announced his bid for the 2022 Democratic primary Thursday morning.”

‘Pa. regulatory panel upholds Wolf’s school mask order; eyes turn to courts’: The Pennsylvania Capital-Star reports that “a Pennsylvania legislative panel affirmed Gov. Tom Wolf’s school mask mandate on Thursday morning, ruling that the Democratic governor had properly implemented it under his administration’s existing powers.”

‘Higher wages, sick pay now attached to state’s incentives’: The Associated Press reports that “in a stalemate with lawmakers over raising the minimum wage or requiring companies to have paid sick leave, Gov. Tom Wolf said Thursday he will impose those requirements on companies getting loans, grants or tax breaks from the state.”

‘Here’s how the PSERS pension fund keeps its communications secret from the public’: The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that “the $73 billion PSERS fund won a ruling keeping secret much of its dealings with three consultants.”

‘Doug Mastriano is waiting on a financial sign from God about running for governor’: Philly Clout reports that “the state senator and his wife, Rebbie, told a Bradford County church they have issued a “monetary fleece” before God, seeking a financial sign that he should run for governor.”

‘Everything you need to know about the 2021 Pennsylvania general election’: The Philadelphia Inquirer reports on “what to know about the Nov. 2 election and how to make your voice heard, whether you’re planning to vote in person or by mail.”

‘Pa. seeking more than 2,000 school bus drivers to fill worker shortage’: PennLive reports that “ Pennsylvania is looking for a few good school bus drivers. More than 2,000 of them, actually. State education and transportation officials announced Thursday they are boosting their efforts to get potential school bus drivers licensed and behind the wheel to fill the significant shortage they are facing.”

‘Pa. restaurants and bars still craving return of ‘cocktails to go’’: PennLive reports that “the state’s bars and restaurants have been waiting for months for the Legislature to act on legislation that will once again allow them to sell alcoholic beverages to go.”

‘Pa. student loan forgiveness program for nurses to open up in January’: PennLive reports that “Pennsylvania nurses who owe money on their student loans will see an opportunity for some debt relief opening up early next year.”

‘Can magic mushrooms help fight mental illness? A bipartisan group of Pa. lawmakers think so’: The Pennsylvania Capital-Star reports that “Marijuana legalization may hit partisan stumbling blocks in Harrisburg, but lawmakers in both parties have united around a new drug policy — letting Pennsylvania researchers look into how to use magic mushrooms to address mental health issues.”

City & State PA’s Biggest Winners & Losers This Week: City & State PA highlights the three winners and losers in Pennsylvania politics this week.

‘Republican Lou Barletta Talks About His Run for Pa. Governor in 2022’: NBC10 reports that “Republican Lou Barletta, a former U.S. representative from Hazleton, discusses the decisions he would make as Pennsylvania governor.”

‘Fetterman, Bartos strengthen campaign war chests in third quarter’: City & State PA “breaks down the third quarter fundraising results of Pennsylvania’s leading U.S. Senate candidates, and what the figures mean for the race to replace U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey.” 

‘Cognetti, others discuss time spent with Biden during president’s Scranton visit’: The Scranton Times-Tribune reports on Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti and other local officials detailing their time spent with President Joe Biden this week, during his visit to Scranton. 

‘Pa. state treasurer concerned about energy companies’ access to capital’: The Pittsburgh Business Times reports that “Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity said she joined 14 other state treasurers fighting the Biden administration’s attempts to cut off the flow of investment in the oil and gas industry because the move would harm the state economy and raise prices for the consumer.”

‘Environmental groups ratchet up pressure on methane limits’: The Pittsburgh Business Times reports that “environmental groups are increasing the pressure on Gov. Tom Wolf to crack down on methane emissions from Pennsylvania’s oil and gas industry, starting a website that went online Thursday that estimates the amount of the greenhouse gas emitted since Wolf took office.”

‘Dems Tap Curry for PA House 164 Race’: The Delaware Valley Journal reports that “the Pennsylvania Democratic Party has nominated Gina H. Curry as their candidate in the  Nov. 2 special election for the vacant 164th  District state House seat. The opening arose when former Democratic state Rep. Margo Davidson resigned in disgrace after she was caught stealing taxpayer money.”

‘Manetti, Welby square off for former Rep. Marty Flynn’s House seat’: The Scranton Times-Tribune reports that “Thom Welby, 72, the Democratic candidate, and Dominick Manetti, 61, the Republican candidate, seek to fill the vacancy created when former Rep. Marty Flynn resigned in June to assume the county’s state Senate seat.”

‘Cognetti, Shaw face off in race for Scranton mayor’: The Scranton Times-Tribune reports that “after securing the Democratic nomination for Scranton mayor in a lopsided primary election win, incumbent Paige Gebhardt Cognetti closed her victory speech by stating she was just getting started. Her pursuit of a full term pits Cognetti against Republican Darwin Lee Shaw II, 31, who has never held elected office and was unopposed on the GOP primary election ballot. Voters will decide Nov. 2 who will lead the city for the next four years.”

‘Should States and Localities Have Official Languages?’: Route Fifty reports that “voters in one Pennsylvania county will decide whether to remove English as the official language in a city charter. Dozens of states and localities have similar measures on the books.”

‘John Dougherty and Bobby Henon Trial: Day-by-day updates’: The Philadelphia Inquirer provides “daily updates on the federal trial of labor leader John J. Dougherty and Philadelphia City Councilmember Bobby Henon.”

‘After confusing language over ballot question on English language, Allentown council, state Rep. are trying to prevent that from happening again’: The Allentown Morning Call reports that “after confusing language over an Allentown referendum question that will decide whether to keep English as the city’s official language, local officials are trying to ensure future questions are easier to understand.”

‘Philly teens drank less soda after the beverage tax took effect, new study finds’: Billy Penn reports that “the research from CHOP and UPenn showed a significant drop compared to other cities.”

‘Philly gets another $35 million for rental assistance, but it’s far from enough’: WHYY reports that “Philadelphia has received what could be the final tranche of federal funding for its Emergency Rental Assistance Program, potentially leaving thousands of needy renters and landlords out of luck.”

‘Philly plans to make its 5,500 vehicle fleet all electric after 2030’: The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that “Philadelphia plans to buy more electric vehicles in the coming years and stop buying fossil-fuel-powered vehicles altogether by 2030, with the goal of eventually making its 5,500-strong fleet all electric, according to a recently released plan.”

‘Philadelphia officials point to marginal success in target areas as homicides continue rise’: The Philadelphia Tribune reports that “there is no cause for celebration by the Philadelphia Police Department as the city’s homicide rate is 14% higher than at this time in 2020. However, Commissioner Danielle Outlaw triumphs in the decreased homicide rate in areas covered by the city’s Operation Pinpoint initiative.”

‘Senators: Activists slowing gas pipelines’: The Williamsport Sun-Gazette reports that “heating costs are expected to rise this winter and three state senators placed the blame squarely on environmental activists that are slowing the natural gas industry by blocking the permitting process which allows natural gas to be transported from wells to consumers.”

‘’If we are fair game, you are next’: Council OK’s reward in case of fire-bombing’: KYW Newsradio reports that “Philadelphia City Council on Thursday passed a resolution asking for a $20,000 reward to be offered for information on the fire-bombing of a Harrowgate block captain’s home, after the victim herself addressed Council members.”

‘West Chester Borough Council votes to require COVID vaccine for workers’: The Daily Local News reports that “Borough Council voted unanimously, at Wednesday’s meeting, to require all borough employees to be fully immunized against COVID-19.”

‘Allegheny County Bar Association recommends voters keep 4 judges’: The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that “the Allegheny County Bar Association this week released a list of four judges that it recommends voters keep on the bench during the municipal elections on Nov. 2.”

‘Allegheny Co. Elections Division: Printing Error Leads To Voter Barcode Being On Wrong Envelope For 0.08% Returned Ballots’: KDKA reports that “the Allegheny County Elections Division is urging people who are using a mail-in ballot to report if they see any errors.”

‘Homeless ‘bill of rights’ pursued in Luzerne County’: The Wilkes-Barre Times Leader reports that “a proposed “bill of rights” for the homeless will be presented to Luzerne County Council for its consideration, the County Cares Commission decided Wednesday.”

‘More Republican Luzerne County Election Board applicants to be interviewed’: The Wilkes-Barre Times Leader reports that “two more citizens have applied for a vacant Republican seat on Luzerne County’s Election Board, and they will be publicly interviewed to determine their eligibility before county council votes to fill the seat Tuesday, said council Vice Chairman Chris Perry.”

‘Postal delays, postage awareness could complicate mail-in ballot process for Cumberland County’: The Carlisle Sentinel reports that “with the Nov. 2 election being the fourth time during this pandemic that the Cumberland County Bureau of Elections will handle thousands of mail-in ballots, the county has had time to make the process as smooth as possible.”

‘Protests, pandemic tested Lancaster city mayor Danene Sorace in her first term’: LNP | LancasterOnline reports that “in her first term as Lancaster city mayor, Danene Sorace faced no shortage of challenges.”

‘Willie Shell running for Lancaster city mayor to bring better conditions to the city’s southeast’: LNP | LancasterOnline reports that “Shell, 69, ran as a Democrat in the 2017 city council primary and lost, but he is running again this year as an independent in the hopes of unseating Danene Sorace as mayor.”

‘Lancaster Co. residents advocate for citizen input on spending American Rescue Plan Act funds’: The Pennsylvania Capital-Star reports that “a group of Lancaster residents who say they’re concerned about the lack of clarity on how county officials plan to spend $106 million in American Rescue Plan funds are turning to the public for help.”

‘Berks County officials take responsibility for date error on mailed ballots’: The Reading Eagle reports that “Berks County Commissioners Chairman Christian Leinbach didn’t make excuses. At the commissioners weekly meeting Thursday morning, he spoke plainly and bluntly about a mistake on a batch of mailed ballots for the upcoming general election. A mistake that saw the Spanish-language version of instructions on 17,000 ballots cite the wrong date for Election Day.”

‘Meadville City Council officials pass Marijuana ordinance’: WJET reports that “a new ordinance was passed by Meadville City Council officials which will give a lesser penalty for those charged with carrying marijuana.”

‘All Philly schools are supposed to have a gender neutral bathroom, but they’re often hard to access’: Billy Penn reports that “every city public school is supposed to have a gender neutral restroom this year, the School District of Philadelphia announced in August. But almost two months into the academic year, some still don’t, teachers and students told Billy Penn — or the one they do have is inadequate or inaccessible.”

‘Green and Weand battle for Pottstown’s Fifth Ward council seat’: The Pottstown Mercury reports that “the only contested race for Pottstown Borough Council is in the Fifth Ward.”

‘‘Bob’ Lentz, Chester County lawyer active in Civil Rights movement, has died’: The Daily Local News reports that “Robert W. “Bob” Lentz, the former Chester County attorney who as a young man joined with Civil Rights advocates in the South to assist those who had faced racial discrimination and who was on hand for one of the more infamous chapters in the movement’s history, has died. He was 87.”

‘Panelists discuss government study commission during virtual town hall’: The Observer-Reporter reports that “the government study commission being proposed in Washington County could be a “once-in-a-generation opportunity,” according to the person who led a similar committee that worked to update Luzerne County’s government more than a decade ago.”

‘Pa. nears 5,000 daily COVID-19 cases again, but hospitalizations drop slightly’: PennLive reports that “Pennsylvania reported 4,998 new COVID-19 infections on Thursday as the level of new cases, no longer spiking, hovers at about half the level of the state’s last pre-vaccine surge.”

Opinion  
John Baer: School board races are the tinderboxes of today’s partisan politics – they shouldn’t be 
Mark Pinsley: How airships could reduce Lehigh Valley traffic congestion
Dana Brown: Residents must act to influence congressional redistricting
John L. Micek: Expanded childcare key to returning Pa. women to post-pandemic workforce | Thursday Morning Coffee
Paul Muschick: Why don’t Penn State students have to be vaccinated?
Joyce M. Davis: Gen. Colin Powell’s death reminds us we’re still at war with COVID-19 | Social Views
Inquirer Editorial Board: With ongoing crises and a looming mayoral primary, new Philly schools chief will need support and stamina 
Post-Gazette Editorial Board: A hard act to follow at the Urban League 
Post-Gazette Editorial Board: Hopes and realities for children and COVID vaccine
LNP | LancasterOnline Editorial Board: Lancaster County is going to run out of farmland and open spaces if we keep building more single-family houses on large lots 
Jenice Armstrong: On the SEPTA rape case, we were too quick to believe the worst. As usual, there’s more to the story. 
Paul Muschick: Lehigh Valley cheerleading competition ended by anti-maskers. Here’s who to blame for this fiasco
Ray E. Landis: America is aging rapidly. Our policies need to keep pace
Fletcher McClellan: Biden’s SCOTUS commission is more symbol than substance 
Abdul-Aliy Muhammad: Catchy slogans don’t help Black kids who live in constant fear of Philly’s gun violence
Michele Ross and Donna Byrne: Anti-discrimination protections needed for older members of the LGBTQ community 
Larry Platt: Sign Of The Times? 
Will Bunch: From college to climate, Democrats are sealing their doom by selling out young voters 
Trudy Rubin: Afghans who helped U.S. face Taliban revenge if we don’t save them now