Attorney General Josh Shapiro announces criminal charges against Energy Transfer, while state Rep. Summer Lee is reportedly considering a run for Congress. Here is the Playbook.

News

‘Shapiro files criminal charges against Energy Transfer in construction of Mariner East 2 pipeline’: The Pennsylvania Capital-Star reports that “Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro announced 48 criminal charges Tuesday against a Dallas-based company that is building a controversial 350-mile pipeline across the commonwealth to transport natural gas.”

‘Pa. State Representative could challenge Congressman in upcoming primary election’: WPXI reports that “Pennsylvania State Representative Summer Lee could be getting ready to challenge Congressman Mike Doyle in the Democratic primary.”

‘Republican Senate candidate Sean Parnell is seeking a gag order against his wife and her attorney as their dispute spills into the campaign’: The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that “Republican Senate candidate Sean Parnell said he’s trying to protect his children from public scrutiny and harm, but his wife argues he’s seeking to shield his own reputation as he runs for office.”

‘GOP U.S. Senate candidate Sean Parnell seeks to have child custody case sealed’: The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports that “Republican U.S. Senate candidate Sean Parnell testified Tuesday that sealing the docket in his ongoing child custody case, closing the custody trial to the public and imposing a gag order on the parties involved is necessary to protect his three children.”

‘Here’s where candidates for Pa. Senate and governor stand on Texas’ abortion ban’: The Philadelphia Inquirer “reached out to prospective and declared candidates running for governor and Senate and asked if they would support a Texas-style ban on abortion in Pennsylvania.”

‘Abortion is a key issue for Pa. Democrats, and it could supercharge the 2022 midterms’: The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that “with a second abortion rights case slated to be heard by the Supreme Court this month, and interest groups lining up on both sides, abortion could be a big issue next year.”

‘A voter guide to Pennsylvania’s 2021 judicial elections’: WHYY provides a “guide to the roles and recent histories of the courts, and the candidates who are hoping for a chance to shape them.”

‘Senate cuts short voting bill hearing after Wolf aide’s snub’: The Associated Press reports that “a Pennsylvania Senate hearing designed to gather input from the Department of State about potential changes to election law was over quickly on Tuesday because the Wolf administration decided not to participate in person.”

‘Legalizing marijuana: Two Pa. lawmakers have joined forces in a bipartisan effort to get it done’: PennLive reports that “Sen. Mike Regan, a Republican, and Rep. Amen Brown, a Democrat, say by teaming up on a bill to legalize marijuana, it demonstrates that the partisan divide that often hinders progress on major legislation can be overcome.”

‘Citing voter privacy, civil rights groups aim to block Pa. lawmakers’ election subpoena’: PennLive reports that “several organizations are banding together in the latest legal effort to block Pennsylvania Republican lawmakers from obtaining personal information of millions of voters in their review of the 2020 election.”

‘Breast Cancer Awareness Month kicks off with pink Pa. Capitol fountain and free pink milkshakes’: PennLive reports that the Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition “kicked off Breast Cancer Awareness Month outside the state Capitol East Wing, where the fountain water has been dyed pink.”

‘Nursing home group says Pa. homes might have to turn people away’: PennLive reports that “about three-quarters of Pennsylvania’s long-term care providers who responded to a recent survey say they have limited the number of people they accept, with about half saying they have waiting lists.”

‘Workers at all of Kellogg’s U.S. cereal plants go on strike’: The Associated Press reports that “the strike includes plants in Omaha, Nebraska Battle Creek, Michigan; Lancaster, Pennsylvania; and Memphis, Tennessee.”

‘Millions experienced a month’s worth of high air pollution in 2020’: City & State PA reports that “millions of Pennsylvanians experienced more than a month’s worth of elevated air pollution levels in 2020, a new report from the PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center and Frontier Group found.”

‘Chris Deluzio announces $255K in campaign donations for suburban Pittsburgh race’: Pittsburgh City Paper reports that “five weeks after announcing his bid for Pennsylvania 17th Congressional District in Pittsburgh suburbs, Democrat Chris Deluzio has raised over $255,000, his campaign announced on Oct. 5.”

‘Democrats’ voter registration edge shrinks in key states’: The Hill reports that “in Pennsylvania, Democrats now lead Republicans in voter registration by about 632,000 people, down from 813,885 two years ago.”

‘Trial offers dueling views of John Dougherty and Bobby Henon’s relationship: ‘Corrupt agreement’ or ‘big brother’’: The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that “the battle to define John Dougherty and Bobby Henon for the jury that will ultimately decide their fate began Tuesday with lawyers offering dueling portraits of the relationship between the labor leader and the city councilmember — and what each man expected from the other.”

‘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.”

‘Here are the Philly political players and groups likely to come up at the ‘Johnny Doc’ trial’: The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that “the defendants in the case are union leader John J. Dougherty and City Councilmember Bobby Henon. But in some ways, Philadelphia’s political ecosystem is on trial as well.”

‘County: DA’s access restricted; full-time assistant resigns’: The Johnstown Tribune-Democrat reports that “while facing criminal charges, District Attorney Jeffrey Thomas’ access to his office – and to the courthouse itself – is now restricted, county officials confirmed Tuesday.”

‘Pat Toomey says veterans helped Lehigh Valley mother of 4 escape Afghanistan after U.S. government ‘abandoned her’’: The Allentown Morning Call reports that “a group of military veterans helped a Lehigh Valley mother of four who is a U.S. citizen escape from Taliban-overrun Afghanistan last month after the U.S. government “abandoned her,” U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey said in public remarks Tuesday.”

‘Lehigh County executive candidates debate vaccinations, jobs, election integrity on ‘Business Matters’’: WFMZ reports that “the candidates for Lehigh County executive went head-to-head during a debate for the “Business Matters” television show, discussing a variety of topics, including vaccinations, election security, and job openings in the Lehigh Valley.”

‘Lancaster County commissioner says proposed health advisory council ‘not a health department’’: LNP | LancasterOnline reports that “Lancaster County Commissioner Ray D’Agostino wants to create a voluntary, ongoing health advisory council that — failing renewal — would expire in two years.”

‘Mayors, U.S. labor secretary talk about future of $600B clean-energy ‘Marshall Plan’’: The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that “a summit to kick off a $600 billion multiyear plan to transform Appalachia into a clean energy economy wrapped up Tuesday with a call for “altruism” from Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto and other stakeholders who are looking to collaborate across cities and sectors.”

‘Pittsburgh mayoral candidates, residents demand improvements to public housing conditions’: The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that “saying they were deeply concerned about reports of decrepit conditions in Pittsburgh public housing developments, the city’s top mayoral candidates called for sweeping changes at one of the largest public housing agencies in Western Pennsylvania, with one candidate saying the agency’s top leader should resign.”

‘Fitzpatrick applauds Senate passage of bill designating Sept. 11th National Memorial Trail’: The Bucks Local News reports that “the U.S. Senate last week passed H.R. 2278, bipartisan legislation that authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to designate the “September 11th National Memorial Trail,” a trail route linking the National September 11th Memorial and Museum in New York City, the Pentagon Memorial in Arlington, Virginia, and the Flight 93 National Memorial in Somerset County, Pennsylvania.”

‘City Council resolution declares housing a human right in Pittsburgh’: The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports that “Pittsburgh City Council on Tuesday approved a resolution declaring housing a human right in the city.”

‘Pittsburgh City Council approves $2M project aimed at preventing landslides on Mt. Washington’: The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports that “Pittsburgh City Council on Tuesday approved a $2 million project aimed at preventing landslides on Mt. Washington.” 

‘Yudichak’s Senate committee examines Pa.’s natural gas infrastructure’: The Wilkes-Barre Times Leader reports that “State Sen. John Yudichak, chairman of the Senate Community, Economic & Recreational Development Committee, Tuesday said “a radical environmental agenda driven by blind ideology over good science is promoting a false premise that the only climate solution is to end natural gas production in the United States.””

‘Luzerne County Council and DA appealing court ruling on DA election timing’: The Wilkes-Barre Times Leader reports that “Luzerne County Council and District Attorney Sam Sanguedolce are appealing a court ruling that kept the DA race on the Nov. 2 general election ballot for a two-year term.”

‘Reading introduces 2022 budget ordinance with no tax increase’: WFMZ reports that “Reading City Council at a special meeting Monday night introduced the ordinances that will be needed to adopt a 2022 budget before the end of the calendar year.”

‘Public invited to attend meeting on redistricting’: The Daily Local News reports that “The American Association of University Women (AAUW) – Valley Forge chapter is sponsoring a Fair Districts PA update event” on Oct. 9.  

‘This far into the pandemic, why is it so hard to get a COVID test in Philly?’: Billy Penn reports that “some providers describe high demand, but the city has no plans to add capacity. Residents are frustrated.”

‘Afghan arrivals resume at PHL after three-week pause’: WHYY reports that “more Afghan evacuees are arriving in Philadelphia Tuesday after a three-week pause for public health precautions, the city announced.”

‘Resettlement agencies in Lancaster County await the arrival of Afghan refugees’: LNP | LancasterOnline reports that “two local refugee resettlement agencies remain on standby as the U.S. government continues to face challenges in its effort to resettle thousands of Afghan refugees.”

‘Mayor Kenney, DA Krasner, and Commissioner Outlaw condemn reckless driving in Center City’: WHYY reports that “Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney, District Attorney Larry Krasner, and Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw issued a joint statement on Tuesday condemning the reckless vehicular activities that occurred in Center City over the weekend.”

‘‘Fundamentally wrong’: Most pan proposed Oakland zoning change at City Council public hearing’: The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that “a proposal by a Shadyside developer to rezone parts of Oakland in support of a plan to build 1,000 apartment units and other amenities came under fire before City Council on Tuesday. Speaker after speaker slammed the plan during a nearly two-hour public hearing, with many calling for council either to reject the proposed zoning change altogether or to delay action until residents have had a chance to fashion their own vision for the neighborhood.”

‘Dormont approves anti-discrimination ordinance’: The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that “Dormont Council on Monday unanimously passed an ordinance that prohibits discrimination as well as creates a Dormont human relations commission.”

‘Attorney Shannon Crake Lapsansky appointed acting Luzerne County chief solicitor’: The Wilkes-Barre Times Leader reports that “Attorney Shannon Crake Lapsansky will be Luzerne County’s acting chief county solicitor for the next 90 days, county Acting Manager Romilda Crocamo announced Tuesday.”

‘Harrisburg residents breathed three months of unhealthy air in 2020, report finds’: PennLive reports that “southcentral Pennsylvania residents were forced to breathe dirty air on more days in 2020 than any other area of the state where ozone and particulate pollution are measured.”

‘Pittsburgh region saw about two months of unhealthy air days in 2020, study finds’: WESA reports that “residents of the greater Pittsburgh region suffered through 57 days of bad air in 2020, according to a new report. That puts the area among Pennsylvania’s worst for unhealthy air.”

‘Scranton to pay back $23 million pension loan two years early’: The Scranton Times-Tribune reports that “Scranton plans to pay back a $23 million pension loan two years early.”

‘Lackawanna County voters can drop off election ballots at public boxes’: The Scranton Times-Tribune reports that “Lackawanna County has set up boxes in six locations where the public can drop off completed election ballots.”

‘Who’s running for borough mayor in Berks County’: The Reading Eagle provides “the list of everyone who’s running for a borough mayor position in Berks County.”

‘Downtown Reading redevelopment projects: some going well, others not’: The Reading Eagle reports that “Reading City Council was updated on the progress of redeveloping the downtown now that there is a renewed sense of excitement in the city.”

‘Proposed Exeter Township budget for 2022 has a $921,000 deficit’: The Reading Eagle reports that “the Exeter Township supervisors started discussing Monday the preliminary 2022 budget of $12.4 million that shows a deficit of $921,000.”

‘Pittsburgh to host inaugural anti-hate conference three years after massacre at Tree of Life’: The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that “nearly three years after America’s deadliest anti-Semitic attack occurred in Squirrel Hill, Pittsburgh will host national dignitaries and world-renown experts at a first-of-its-kind conference aimed at finding solutions to ending hate-fueled violence around the globe.”

‘Rep. Herrin invites residents to ‘Hikes with Herrin’’: The Daily Local News reports that “State Rep. Dianne Herrin, D-156th, announced her “Hikes with Herrin” event series so residents can discuss some of the pressing issues facing our commonwealth with her while enjoying the best public open spaces our community has to offer.”

‘State Rep. Merski to hold ‘Hispanic Heritage’ virtual town hall Thursday’: WJET reports that “to highlight National Hispanic Heritage Month, state Rep. Bob Merski, D-Erie, is hosting a virtual town hall Thursday evening.”

‘Pennsylvania coronavirus update: Cases lower than April surge, but deaths, hospitalizations, ventilator use all eclipse April peaks’: The Allentown Morning Call reports that “the Pennsylvania Department of Health reported 4,019 additional coronavirus cases on Tuesday. The seven-day moving average of newly reported cases was 4,701 cases per day, up 1% from a week ago, and up 32% over the past 30 days. The average caseload is lower than the peak of 5,006 daily cases seen during the April surge, but its impact on the health care system is higher.”

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