Since the turn of the century, Easter has overlapped with Passover every year but three: In 2005, 2008 and 2016. So why do Easter and Passover often coincide? Easter is always the first Sunday after the first full moon of spring. The Jewish calendar is also a lunar calendar and Passover is always on the 15th of the Jewish month of Nissan, which is also a full moon in the spring. Therefore the two holidays often overlap. And now you know. Enjoy your weekend.

Mehmet Oz. Not sure it gets much better than this at this stage of the primary season. First, the celebrity doctor gets THE endorsement of Donald Trump. Second, did you read that he got Trump’s endorsement? He followed that with a one-point decision over David McCormick as the top choice for the GOP Senate nomination according to the latest Franklin & Marshall College poll.

Bill McSwain. A tough stretch for the former U.S. Attorney from Philadelphia. First, not only did McSwain not get an endorsement from the former president. Trump told Republicans NOT to vote for McSwain. Then he finished second behind Doug Mastriano in the F&M poll. Finally, his backers at Commonwealth Partners Chamber of Entrepreneurs emailed supporters, telling them the group is “currently assessing what all this means for the primary election.” 

Doug Mastriano. The state senator from Fayetteville is the top choice among Pennsylvania Republicans for the GOP nomination for governor according to the latest Franklin & Marshall College poll. Mastriano held a 3-point advantage over Bill McSwain and five points over Lou Barletta. Of course, 40 percent of respondents indicated they were undecided.

Steve Irwin. The corporate attorney from Squirrel Hill has momentum. His campaign announced raising over $600,000 in the last quarter and he has picked up numerous endorsements from labor unions, including the Laborers District Council of Western PA. This on top of support of U.S. Rep. Mike Doyle, Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald and former Pittsburgh mayor Bill Peduto makes for a strong week for Irwin.

Enid Santiago. The rematch is set. Commonwealth Court judge Patricia McCullough denied a challenge to the nominating petitions for the Democratic candidate for the 134th House District seat. So it’s round two between Santiago and Peter Schweyer, a four-term incumbent in the former 22nd district, who won by 55 votes in 2020. Legislative maps were redrawn and Schweyer and Santiago both now live in the 134th District, which includes Emmaus and parts of Allentown and Salisbury Township.

Jake Corman. The question remains if Corman stuck the landing after doing a 360. On Tuesday, reports surfaced that the Senate President Pro Tempore was planning to withdraw from the gubernatorial race. He even filed with the Commonwealth Court to remove his name from the ballot. Hours later, Corman reversed course and announced his intention to remain in the contest. Why? “(Trump) encouraged me to keep fighting.” Corman has also broken ranks with Lou Barletta, Bill McSwain, and Dave White and will participate in debates in two weeks.

Mail-In voters. According to the Department of State, nearly 664,000 registered voters have applied for mail-in ballots ahead of the May 17 primary election. We know they are popular with voters. Not so much with the legislature, which advanced bills to require use of USPS to return those ballots or deliver them in person to the county board of elections. 

Drop Boxes. While most, if not all, county election offices had a drop box located inside headquarters, many positioned additional drop boxes throughout their county to ease voters’ concerns about their completed ballot being returned on time. Alas, the steel contraptions may be on their way to becoming obsolete, as the legislature advanced bills to require use of USPS to return those ballots or deliver them in person to the county board of elections. 

Forums. Whether it’s the Susquehanna Valley Conservatives or the Jewish Democratic Council of America putting on the event, it is beneficial to Pennsylvanians and our democracy to hear from those who wish to earn our vote. And a thumbs-up to those who participate.

Allegheny, Bucks, Montgomery and Philadelphia Counties. Each year, the American Lung Association grades counties across each state according to Ozone and particle pollution using data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. In 2021, the group has given four of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties a grade of “F” for particle pollution and the number of high ozone days.

Peeps. Did you know that Taylor Swift is 67 peeps tall? Or that you would need 1,800 Peeps to span the length of a football field from goal line to goal line? According to Axios, Peeps are still Americans’ favorite Easter candy with jelly beans and Cadbury Eggs finishing second and third. Eighty-one percent of Americans say the marshmallow treats remind them of Easter and 57 percent associate them with the beginning of spring.

did you know we have BACK-TO-BACK fireworks displays this weekend? get your tickets to see the best fireworks show in Central PA!

Friday: https://t.co/zLN4OFoeyj
Saturday: https://t.co/XfzcMdImUc pic.twitter.com/8R7LPLT4Gb

— Harrisburg Senators (@HbgSenators) April 14, 2022