The Democratic race to replace Auditor General Eugene DePasquale is taking shape with four people acknowledging interest in the seat, while Matthew Brouilette announces his intentions to seek the GOP nomination in SD48. Here is the Playbook. 

Behind the Scenes, Four Dems Gear Up for Auditor Primary: Nina Ahmad, Alan Butkovitz, Christina Hartman and Michael Lamb all confirmed their interest to PoliticsPA.

SD48: Brouillette Announces Intentions for GOP Nomination: The GOP hopeful said he will champion “educational opportunity, taxpayer relief, and job growth” if elected to the state Senate.

Legislative Election Update:
SD48: State Rep. Russ Diamond (R-Lebanon) wrote in a lengthy Facebook post on Thursday his thoughts on the charges against former state Sen. Mike Folmer (R-Lebanon) and included that he’s “considering” joining the race to succeed him, although he remains “undecided.” 

Harrisburg & DC   
WITF: Longtime conservative activist to run for vacant Folmer seat
WITF: Pa. lawmakers open up to raising tobacco purchase age 
PA Post: Key state senator voices doubts about gun safety bill in Pennsylvania 
Patriot News: Former Pa. Sen. Folmer’s hearing on child porn charges postponed
Patriot News: Have a marijuana-related conviction on your record? You may be eligible for a pardon
Patriot News: $2 million study looks at hyperloop – 700 mph transit – that would cross Pennsylvania 
Pennsylvania Capital-Star: The big things we learned from the Pa. Senate’s marathon gun safety hearings
PLSReporter: Immigrant groups call for veto of E-Verify bill 
PLSReporter: Legislators move forward with plan to retool lieutenant governor’s mansion; Fetterman says he supports
Express Times: Pennsylvania keeps selling medical marijuana vapes, as Massachusetts suspends sales
Fox News: Freshman Democrats on why they now support an impeachment inquiry 

Philadelphia 
Philly Clout: Pa. attorney general probing street money in West Philly special election 
Inquirer: New federal report surprises: Philadelphia poverty down, income up
Inquirer: After summer of shootings, Philly Council President Darrell Clarke wants to ban guns at rec centers, playgrounds 
Inquirer: With leadership race looming, Maria Quiñones-Sánchez calls on Philly Council colleague Bobby Henon to resign
Inquirer: After 18-month battle, Philly Council passes lead safety bill 
Inquirer: More than 1,000 office cleaners rally in Center City for fair contract 
Inquirer: ICE announces 5-day sweep nets 45 in Philly region, including convicted child rapist
Inquirer: Philly wanted to reclaim a vacant lot cleaned up by a Fishtown man. The Pa. Supreme Court ruled in his favor.
Billy Penn: A $43 million tax break for people in poverty? Philly is thinking about it.
Billy Penn: Public toilets and sinks are installed in Kensington — and were vandalized on the first day
KYW Newsradio: Data shows Philly is growing and getting less poor — but at a slow pace
KYW Newsradio: Long-awaited bill to protect Philly kids from lead paint finally passes City Council
KYW Newsradio: Thousands of service workers storm through Center City to fight for a living wage
KYW Newsradio: Philly NAACP challenges SEPTA to fix ‘toxic work environment’
KYW Newsradio: With help of a senator, family hopes to bring more funding to childhood cancer research
KYW Newsradio: Federal opioid investigation takes down dozens of medical professionals, including some in Delaware Valley
PLSReporter: City Council passes lead remediation for residences
Philadelphia Magazine: With $5 Million Grant, Lenfest Institute Makes Its Largest-Ever Investment in Local News 
WHYY Newsworks: ‘Universal’ lead bill passes, making Philly the biggest U.S. city to require landlords to test for lead
WHYY Newsworks: City to issue recommendations for developers eyeing PES refinery 
WHYY Newsworks: Smoking ban at drug rehab centers fuels black market for cigarettes, safety issues
Philadelphia Tribune: City Controller’s investigation reveals ‘serious flaws’ in voting machine procurement process 

SEPA
Bucks County Courier Times: U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick was an FBI agent in Ukraine. Here’s what he said about the Trump-Ukraine controversy. 
Pottstown Mercury: State to provide Pottstown schools with $1.5 million windfall
Delco Daily Times: Dems claim GOP council ignores emergency communicaitons needs
Delco Daily Times: Second lawsuit alleges misappropriation at Cheyney University
Daily Local News: Killion’s dangerous dog legislation gets committee hearing
Bucks Local News: Northampton Township awarded $889K federal grant to hire new career firefighters

Pittsburgh  
City Paper: Rep. Conor Lamb now supports impeachment inquiry into Trump after reading whistleblower complaint
City Paper: Presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke talks prison and gun reform in Pittsburgh visit 
City Paper: Pittsburgh City Council, advocates want harsher charges for gas station assailants; DA Zappala refuses 
Post-Gazette: In whistleblower complaint, Lamb zeroes in on national security concerns in Ukraine
Post-Gazette: Census data shows poverty down in region, with large drops in Armstrong, Fayette 
Post-Gazette: PPG reaches settlement with SEC in accounting scandal
Post-Gazette: Elections board approves vendor for new voting machines 
Post-Gazette: Pittsburgh City Council members want to save historic buildings 
Post-Gazette: Liberty Borough council candidate can’t return to ballot after withdrawing over health scare 
Post-Gazette: Pitt under pressure to make its $4.3 billion endowment fossil-fuel free 
Post-Gazette: Lawyer for Exxon workers charged with beating two black women says clients not racist
Tribune Review: Penn Hills mayor, councilman, formally apologize for background check debacle
KDKA: Whistleblower Report Evokes Partisan Response From Local Congressmen
KDKA: Lt. Gov. John Fetterman Urges Pennsylvanians To Apply For Marijuana-Related Pardons 
KDKA: Gov. Tom Wolf, Lt. Gov. John Fetterman Begin Quest To Legalize Recreational Marijuana 
KDKA: ‘My Clients Are Not Racists’: Attorney Says Confrontation Over Spilled Gas ‘Got Majorly Out Of Hand’ 
KDKA: State Audit Finds Brownsville Area School District’s Funds Drop By $1.3M In 5 Years

SWPA 
Observer-Reporter: Gov. Wolf visits downtown Monongahela
Observer-Reporter: Gov. Wolf calls for legalization of adult recreational marijuana use 
Observer-Reporter: Report says Washington, Greene near top in gas royalties 
Altoona Mirror: Joyce: Faith leaders important to security 
Altoona Mirror: Blight hearing set for today 
Altoona Mirror: Fighting blight key to ensuring communities thrive
Altoona Mirror: Bedford County OKs projects
Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: Area residents weigh in on Trump 
Johnstown Tribune-Democrat: Burns sends tour invite to Sherwin-Williams 
Beaver County Times: House committee passes Sainato bill to help EMS, volunteer fire companies 

NEPA
The Times Leader: Casey, Toomey disagree on call for impeachment of Trump 
The Times Leader: Luzerne County posts solicitation seeking new coroner 
The Times Leader: DEP grants meeting on W-B Area site 
The Times Leader: Misericordia professor: Don’t jump to conclusions on impeachment
Times-Tribune: Scranton to seek proposals for gas card audit 
Times-Tribune: Clarks Summit tabs Sheils as new councilman 
Times-Tribune: Gas card records raise questions about Scranton fire chief’s claim he paid for own gas while vacationing

South Central 
Patriot News: Former Pa. Sen. Folmer’s hearing on child porn charges postponed
Patriot News: Have a marijuana-related conviction on your record? You may be eligible for a pardon
Patriot News: Pa. court approves Kirk Sohonage’s request for removal from Cumberland County judge ballot
Patriot News: Capital Region Water extends public comment for proposed stormwater fee to October
Patriot News: $2 million study looks at hyperloop – 700 mph transit – that would cross Pennsylvania
LNP | LancasterOnline: Read how Lancaster’s federal lawmakers reacted to Trump impeachment talks
LNP | LancasterOnline: Lancaster County students to stage walkout, demand action on climate change
LNP | LancasterOnline: Mayor: HUD lead-mitigation grant a game changer for children’s health
LNP | LancasterOnline: Legal age to buy tobacco & vapes in Pennsylvania would rise to 21 under bill Senate approved 
Carlisle Sentinel: Judicial Conduct Board opens inquiry into Cumberland County judge’s conduct
Carlisle Sentinel: Cumberland County, state officials celebrate preservation of 20,027 acres of farmland

Lehigh Valley     
Morning Call: Picking a health care provider becoming an issue among Lehigh County leaders
Morning Call: PA Fireworks law that led to “war zone” Fourth of July may be changed, but not repealed
Morning Call: Developers claim in federal lawsuit that Easton officials violated their civil rights by denying digital billboard 
Reading Eagle: Pa. secretary of corrections stresses importance of hiring former inmates during visit to Reading 
Reading Eagle: Some in Berks County fear impact of proposed changes to federal food stamp program 
Reading Eagle: Heidelberg votes to disband township’s police after heated meeting; residents express their anger 
Reading Eagle: Berks Housing Authority’s former solicitor has bench hearing Oct. 20 
Reading Eagle: Reading considers future of Egelman and Bernhart dams
Express Times: Pennsylvania keeps selling medical marijuana vapes, as Massachusetts suspends sales

North by Northwest
Erie Times-News: O’Rourke in Erie: ‘It is all about jobs’ 
Erie Times-News: Democratic presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke visits Erie
Erie Times-News: Consultant: Erie has ‘no path to fiscal stability’ without changes 
Erie Times-News: The city of Erie’s population slide continues 
Williamsport Sun-Gazette: State, federal lawmakers comment on impeachment 
Williamsport Sun-Gazette: Council to examine City Hall projects 
Williamsport Sun-Gazette: State secretary works to revitalize pardon system

Opinion  
Inquirer Editorial Board: Should city’s financial watchdog go to the old dog’s home? 
Inquirer Staff: Pro/Con: Should Philly police be required to live in the city? | Opinion
Post-Gazette Editorial Board: End the billboard fight: Pittsburgh should respect Lamar’s property rights 
Post-Gazette Editorial Board: Aggravating alerts: Drivers should embrace car safety technology
John Baer: Your legislature’s back. Aren’t you glad? 
Erica Palan: Pa. Gov. Wolf supports legal recreational marijuana. Read what others say about the risks and benefits 
John L. Micek: How one week in the Capitol drove home our destructive paralysis on gun laws
Tony Norman: The end of the ‘do us a favor’ presidency of Donald Trump
Brian O’Neill: Newspapers are running out of time
John L. Micek: These are the best — and worst — places to go car-free in the U.S.A. | Thursday Morning Coffee
Matthew T. Mangino: It’s time to step up, and say ‘Enough is enough’ to gun violence
Jennifer Stefano: Union execs learned the wrong lessons from Janus
Will Bunch: Trump impeachment isn’t politics. It’s whether there’s anything America’s powerful can’t get away with 
Inga Saffron: Two buildings demonstrate Philadelphia’s capacity to change — and change again 
Hans von Spakovsky: Impeachment is a long process. A legal expert breaks it down. 
Naomi Adler: In Philly and beyond, speak out against anti-Semitism this Rosh Hashanah 
Anwar Curtis: In Harrisburg, out of the ashes of tragedy, a local rapper finds triumph 
Christine Flowers: Charles Chaput’s quiet kindness will be missed in Philadelphia 
Kathleen Sprows Cummings: As Mass attendance in Philly declines, Archbishop Chaput’s successor must be more pastoral than polarizing