Hard to believe that we’ve reached the middle of June, eh?

Not hard to believe that we don’t have a Pennsylvania budget yet, right?

Here are our Ups and Downs for June 12-15.

Chris Deluzio. The 17th District congressman was the starting pitcher for the Democrats in the annual Congressional Baseball Game. Deluzio had a rough outing, allowing 10 runs and 10 hits in three innings of work with six walks and two wild pitches. The GOP was victorious 16-5.

Joe Biden. The 46th president will receive a big boost in his quest for another term when the AFL-CIO endorses him ahead of his rally with union members in Philadelphia on Saturday.

Carnegie Mellon. An autonomous robot developed at Carnegie Mellon’s School of Computer Science uses AI to detect egg masses laid by the spotted lanternfly and a mechanical arm to suck them off the sides of trees and elsewhere. The robot, called TartanPest, “pairs computer vision with a robotic arm attached to an electric tractor. It traverses fields and forests to stamp out egg masses, which “contain 30-50 eggs and are often found on trees, rocks, outdoor furniture and rusty metal surfaces,” the school said.

Sara Innamorato. The Democratic nominee for Allegheny County Executive earned the endorsement of Gov. Josh Shapiro for the position on Thursday. “I know Sara has the passion, drive, and experience to lead Allegheny County into the future and I look forward to working with her to create real opportunity for all Pennsylvanians.”

House Bipartisan Caucus. The group hosted a news conference dubbed “Meet Me in the Middle” where they rolled out their agenda for this legislative term. The Bipartisan Caucus was designed as a platform to bring Democratic and Republican members together to listen to people, organizations and businesses across the Commonwealth and work collectively to address issues facing Pennsylvania. 

Steve Miskin. According to reports, the longtime state House Republican communications staffer and spokesperson is no longer employed by the caucus.

Stephen Eberle. The regional director for Secure Community Network since 2021 was confirmed to serve as United States Marshal for the Western District of Pennsylvania. He previously served with the PA State Police from 1995-21, retiring as a Major and Area I Commander.

Mike Doyle. The retired U.S. congressman was inducted into the Congressional Baseball Game’s Hall of Fame. He played in 11 of the contests and managed 16 others.

Anita Kulik. The Allegheny County Democrat sponsored a bill in the House that spells out what a judge or mediator handling the division of marital property should consider in custody decisions regarding a pet. The legislation passed through the Judiciary Committee and heads to the House for full consideration.

Michael Piecuch. The Snyder County District Attorney was nominated by Gov. Josh Shapiro for appointment to the Court of Common Pleas in the 17th Judicial District of Union-Snyder County. Following Piecuch’s win of both the Republican and Democratic nominations for the 10-year seat in the May primary — for which he was the sole candidate — President Judge Lori R. Hackenberg said she “diligently began the process of his appointment” prior to January 2024. 

Joshua Taylor and Jeremy Pauley. Taylor from West Lawn was part of a nationwide network of people who bought and sold human remains stolen from the Harvard Medical School morgue and an Arkansas mortuary. The remains were sold to Taylor and others in arrangements made through telephone calls and social media websites. Pauley from Bloomsburg allegedly sold many of the stolen remains to other people over an extended period of time and exchanged more than $100,000 in online payments, authorities said.

Themis Matsoukas. The State College man faces charges of open lewdness, indecent exposure, sexual intercourse with an animal and animal cruelty after law enforcement officials said he was seen on video involved in sexual acts involving his dog in Rothrock State Forest in Huntingdon County in April and May 2023.