SCHOOL CLOSINGS
Pennsylvania Senate contest headed toward a recount, and possibly litigation
Read full article: Pennsylvania Senate contest headed toward a recount, and possibly litigationThe U.S. Senate election in Pennsylvania between Democratic incumbent Sen. Bob Casey and Republican David McCormick is headed for a statewide recount, as counties continued Wednesday to sort through outstanding ballots and the campaigns jousted over which ones should count.
Republican David McCormick flips pivotal Pennsylvania Senate seat, ousts Bob Casey
Read full article: Republican David McCormick flips pivotal Pennsylvania Senate seat, ousts Bob CaseyRepublican David McCormick has won Pennsylvania’s pivotal U.S. Senate seat, beating three-term Democratic Sen. Bob Casey.
Why AP called the Pennsylvania Senate race for David McCormick
Read full article: Why AP called the Pennsylvania Senate race for David McCormickRepublican David McCormick cut into Democratic Sen. Bob Casey’s support in Philadelphia and its populous suburbs and built leads in the more GOP-leaning parts of the state, foreclosing the incumbent’s pathway to victory when The Associated Press called the race on Thursday.
The struggle for Senate control goes down to the wire as spending shatters records
Read full article: The struggle for Senate control goes down to the wire as spending shatters recordsBillions of dollars in ads are raining down on voters across the Rust Belt, Rocky Mountains and American southwest as the two major political parties struggle for control of the U.S. Senate.
AP Decision Notes: What to expect in Pennsylvania on Election Day
Read full article: AP Decision Notes: What to expect in Pennsylvania on Election DayPennsylvania voters are expected to play a pivotal role in the Nov. 5 general election, with control of the White House and both chambers of Congress and the state Legislature hanging in the balance.
Biden makes rare dip into battleground state fray with visits to Pennsylvania and Wisconsin
Read full article: Biden makes rare dip into battleground state fray with visits to Pennsylvania and WisconsinPresident Joe Biden has made a rare jump into the 2024 battleground political fray since ending his reelection bid.
McCormick's hedge fund days are a double-edged sword in Pennsylvania's Senate race
Read full article: McCormick's hedge fund days are a double-edged sword in Pennsylvania's Senate raceBefore he ran for the Senate in Pennsylvania, David McCormick was a big name on Wall Street as CEO of the world’s largest hedge fund.
Here's the schedule for the DNC's fourth and final night leading up to Harris' acceptance speech
Read full article: Here's the schedule for the DNC's fourth and final night leading up to Harris' acceptance speechThe fourth and final night of the Democratic National Convention is underway, culminating with Vice President Kamala Harris accepting her party’s nomination for president.
Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey stands by Biden, says voters will decide on issues, not on a bad debate
Read full article: Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey stands by Biden, says voters will decide on issues, not on a bad debatePennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey says President Joe Biden is able to run a strong race and serve a second term in the Oval Office.
Biden's debate performance leaves down-ballot Democrats anxious — and quiet
Read full article: Biden's debate performance leaves down-ballot Democrats anxious — and quietPresident Joe Biden's debate performance spurred anxiety and silence among some Democrats running in competitive races across the country.
Democrats put a spotlight on more than 1 million pensions saved under a 2021 law
Read full article: Democrats put a spotlight on more than 1 million pensions saved under a 2021 lawDemocrats are putting a spotlight on more than 1 million union workers and retirees whose pensions are being saved under a 2021 law.
Money isn't enough to smooth the path for Republican candidates hoping to retake the Senate
Read full article: Money isn't enough to smooth the path for Republican candidates hoping to retake the SenateSenate Republicans are returning to a strategy they hope could neutralize their Democratic rivals' financial edge: Find rich people to run.
Senate races are roiled by campus protests over the war in Gaza as campaign rhetoric sharpens
Read full article: Senate races are roiled by campus protests over the war in Gaza as campaign rhetoric sharpensThe student protest movement over the war in Gaza is roiling Senate contests in an election year when control of the chamber is at stake in November.
Casey and McCormick to face each other as nominees in Pennsylvania's high-stakes US Senate contest
Read full article: Casey and McCormick to face each other as nominees in Pennsylvania's high-stakes US Senate contestDemocratic Sen. Bob Casey and Republican challenger David McCormick will face each other in Pennsylvania’s high-stakes U.S. Senate contest this fall.
A Pittsburgh congressional race could test Democrats who have criticized Israel's handling of war
Read full article: A Pittsburgh congressional race could test Democrats who have criticized Israel's handling of warAn election this month in Pittsburgh and some of its suburbs is emerging as an early test of whether Israel’s war with Hamas poses political threats to progressive Democrats in Congress who've criticized the conflict.
Casey, McCormick to appear alone on Senate ballots in Pennsylvania after courts boot off challengers
Read full article: Casey, McCormick to appear alone on Senate ballots in Pennsylvania after courts boot off challengersDemocratic U.S. Sen. Bob Casey and Republican David McCormick will be the only names on ballots for the office in Pennsylvania’s April primary after a ruling by the state’s highest court.
Democratic senators push bill focusing on local detainment of immigrants linked to violent crime
Read full article: Democratic senators push bill focusing on local detainment of immigrants linked to violent crimeRepublicans are dismissing an immigration-related bill pushed by Democratic senators and allied independents as an election year ploy.
Students and lawmakers gather at Philadelphia temple to denounce antisemitism
Read full article: Students and lawmakers gather at Philadelphia temple to denounce antisemitismStudents, lawmakers and religious leaders have joined forces at a temple in Philadelphia to strongly denounce antisemitism on college campuses and in their communities.
Congressmen ask DOJ to investigate water utility hack, warning it could happen anywhere
Read full article: Congressmen ask DOJ to investigate water utility hack, warning it could happen anywhereThree members of Congress are asking the U.S. Justice Department to investigate how hackers breached a water utility system near Pittsburgh.
After nearly 30 years, Pennsylvania will end state funding for anti-abortion counseling centers
Read full article: After nearly 30 years, Pennsylvania will end state funding for anti-abortion counseling centersAfter nearly 30 years, Pennsylvania's new governor plans to end a contract with an organization that distributes funds to anti-abortion counseling centers.
Pennsylvania Democrat Bob Casey lands his best fundraising quarter in his Senate reelection campaign
Read full article: Pennsylvania Democrat Bob Casey lands his best fundraising quarter in his Senate reelection campaignPennsylvania Democratic Sen. Bob Casey’s campaign says he raised more than $4 million in the last three months — his best fundraising quarter ever.
Collapsed stretch of Interstate 95 in Philadelphia to reopen within 2 weeks, governor says
Read full article: Collapsed stretch of Interstate 95 in Philadelphia to reopen within 2 weeks, governor saysPennsylvania's governor says the collapsed stretch of Interstate 95 in Philadelphia will reopen within two weeks.
Democratic Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania to seek 4th term
Read full article: Democratic Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania to seek 4th termDemocratic Sen. Bob Casey says he’ll seek a fourth term, bringing unmatched name recognition in Pennsylvania politics to his party’s defense of a seat in a presidential battleground state.
Shapiro to take office with mandate from Pennsylvania voters
Read full article: Shapiro to take office with mandate from Pennsylvania votersDemocratic Gov.-elect Josh Shapiro will take office with a decisive mandate from Pennsylvania voters, who overwhelmingly rejected a Republican drive to pare back abortion rights and voting laws in the premier battleground state.
Biden says of candidate Fetterman: 'John IS Pennsylvania'
Read full article: Biden says of candidate Fetterman: 'John IS Pennsylvania'An energized President Joe Biden returned Friday to the Keystone State, his 15th visit since he took office, this time to attend a fundraiser with Vice President Kamala Harris and other leaders to boost Democratic Senate nominee John Fetterman.
'We want to win': Democrats face choice in key Senate race
Read full article: 'We want to win': Democrats face choice in key Senate racePennsylvania’s Democratic Party committee members backed U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb by 2 to 1 in an endorsement vote over Lt. Gov. John Fetterman in the primary race for the state's open U.S. Senate seat.
Biden visits collapsed bridge, touts infrastructure law
Read full article: Biden visits collapsed bridge, touts infrastructure lawPresident Joe Biden has visited the bridge in Pittsburgh that collapsed just hours before his previously scheduled trip to promote his infrastructure package — a new law that aims to prevent just such disasters.
The Latest: New Zealand buys 500K Pfizer doses from Denmark
Read full article: The Latest: New Zealand buys 500K Pfizer doses from DenmarkNew Zealand is buying an extra 500,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine from Denmark as it tries to keep its coronavirus vaccination program running at full speed, the government said.
Biden's ambitious expansion of long-term care sparks debate
Read full article: Biden's ambitious expansion of long-term care sparks debatePresident Joe Biden has proposed a major expansion of the government’s role in long-term care, but questions are being raised over his use of the low-income Medicaid program and piggybacking the whole idea on an infrastructure bill.
Lawmakers: Require nursing homes to disclose vaccine data
Read full article: Lawmakers: Require nursing homes to disclose vaccine dataNursing homes have to publicly disclose their vaccination rates for flu and pneumonia, but theres no similar mandate for COVID-19 shots. Nursing homes have been required since last May to regularly report cases and deaths among residents and staff to the government. Nursing homes are again allowing loved ones to visit, and hugs are included. The main nursing home industry trade group, the American Health Care Association, says it supports disclosure of vaccination data. Wyden and Crapo said current government policy that encourages nursing homes to voluntarily report vaccination data to the government has only led to “limited participation by the industry.”The government should require nursing homes to break down vaccination data by race and ethnicity, given disparities in vaccine acceptance.
Democrats' 2018 Trump Country hero faces hard political path
Read full article: Democrats' 2018 Trump Country hero faces hard political pathLamb’s dilemma is a window into the Democratic Party's debate over how to win elections in Pennsylvania and across battlegrounds. “It’s kind of amazing that we even have to ask what the Democratic Party has to do to appeal to working-class people,” Lamb said. Pennsylvania's Democratic Party, in fact, has only twice nominated a woman for one of those offices and never a non-white candidate. Another candidate could be Sharif Street, the vice chair of the state Democratic Party and a Black state senator from Philadelphia. Fetterman has since joined the Democratic Party mainstream in defending the gas industry — popular with blue-collar unions — as a transition to a clean energy future.
Fury at the shaken Capitol over the attack, security, virus
Read full article: Fury at the shaken Capitol over the attack, security, virusScott Applewhite)WASHINGTON – This time the fury enveloping the U.S. Capitol comes not from an insurgent mob but from within. The anger on display is searing — Democrat against Republican; Republican against Republican; legislators of both parties against the catastrophic security failure that left top leaders of the government vulnerable to last week's violence as well as to the coronavirus in their ranks. Shaken members, long accustomed to protective bubbles, inquired whether they can expense their own bulletproof vests to taxpayers (yes they can). McCarthy had joined most House Republicans in December in supporting a lawsuit to block Biden’s election, and again last week in two votes against certifying Biden’s win. In their oath of office, lawmakers vow to defend the Constitution “against all enemies, foreign and domestic.”
Fury at the shaken Capitol over the attack, security, virus
Read full article: Fury at the shaken Capitol over the attack, security, virusScott Applewhite)WASHINGTON – This time the fury enveloping the Capitol comes not from an insurgent mob but from within. The anger on display is searing — Democrat against Republican; Republican against Republican; legislators of both parties against the catastrophic security failure that left top leaders of the government vulnerable to last week's violence as well as to the coronavirus in their ranks. Shaken members, long accustomed to protective bubbles, inquired whether they can expense their own bulletproof vests to taxpayers (yes they can). McCarthy had joined most House Republicans in December in supporting a lawsuit to block Biden’s election, and again last week in two votes against certifying Biden’s win. In their oath of office, lawmakers vow to defend the Constitution “against all enemies, foreign and domestic.”
In battleground states, Catholics are a pivotal swing vote
Read full article: In battleground states, Catholics are a pivotal swing voteFor decades, Roman Catholic voters have been a pivotal swing vote in U.S. presidential elections, with a majority backing the winner whether Republican or Democrat nearly every time. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)For decades, Roman Catholic voters have been a pivotal swing vote in U.S. presidential elections, with a majority backing the winner — whether Republican or Democrat — nearly every time. “The swinging portion of the Catholic vote swings more than other voting segments — that’s the target-rich segment,” said Brian Burch, president of the conservative advocacy group CatholicVote.org. Among Wisconsin Catholics praising Altman was Kevin O’Brien, co-founder of a movement called Men of Christ. He said priests in his region around Harrisburg are openly suggesting that politicians who support abortion rights should be denied Communion.
Dem report: Postal Service changes delay prescription drugs
Read full article: Dem report: Postal Service changes delay prescription drugsFILE - In this Aug. 24, 2020, file photo, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy testifies during a House Oversight and Reform Committee hearing on the Postal Service on Capitol Hill in Washington. Postal Service operations, according to a report released Wednesday by Senate Democrats. The Postal Service had no immediate comment. In a letter to the Postal Service Board of Governors, the senators urged quick action to reverse these lapses in services," which they said "represent an ongoing public health threat.'' We know Louis DeJoy is sabotaging the Postal Service, Warren said.
US detaining more migrant children in hotels despite outcry
Read full article: US detaining more migrant children in hotels despite outcryThe Trump administration has sharply increased its use of hotels to detain immigrant children before expelling them from the United States during the coronavirus pandemic. We were given them with only one instruction, to eat them to lower our temperature, Verty told the AP last week. Instead, the Trump administration is holding children in hotels or Border Patrol facilities for days, sometimes weeks, before expelling them. In court filings, the Trump administration says children in hotels are given medical care and temperature checks every four hours. As first reported by ProPublica, the government says it expels children detained in hotels only after they test negative for COVID-19.
Transgender official takes abuse while leading virus efforts
Read full article: Transgender official takes abuse while leading virus effortsMany of the attacks against Pennsylvanias health secretary have little to do with the way she has handled the statewide response to the coronavirus pandemic. As a transgender woman, Dr. Rachel Levine has been subjected to a stream of mockery and abuse on social media and elsewhere. The dunk tank was part of a weekend carnival held on the fairgrounds to benefit the region's volunteer fire departments. The fair deleted the post from its Facebook page, but critics slammed the dunk tank impersonation and the fair associations comment as transphobic. A fellow dressed up in a dress to get people to throw balls at the dunk tank to raise money.
Dems: Nursing home virus effort 'chronicle of deadly delay'
Read full article: Dems: Nursing home virus effort 'chronicle of deadly delay'The head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the lead federal agency on nursing homes, defended the administration's record. Statistics reported by nursing homes to the federal government as of June 14 show nearly 30,800 residents have died, according to an AP analysis. An AP count that includes nursing homes and other long-term care facilities finds nearly 52,500 deaths, combining residents and staff. Verma said CMS tried to help by changing its rules to allow labs to go into nursing homes and collect samples. CMS has impaneled a 25-member commission to analyze what happened in nursing homes and make recommendations to better protect elderly and frail residents.
Grim blame game over COVID deaths in besieged nursing homes
Read full article: Grim blame game over COVID deaths in besieged nursing homesA grim blame game with partisan overtones is breaking out over COVID-19 deaths among nursing home residents, a tiny slice of the population that represents a shockingly high proportion of Americans who have perished in the pandemic. Advocates for the elderly say the federal government hasnt provided needed virus testing and sufficient protective gear to allow nursing homes to operate safely. With more coronavirus legislation possible this year, congressional Democrats are pressing for a national testing plan and additional resources for nursing homes. She says states have money from the federal government that they can use to support testing of nursing home staff. Rep. James Clyburn of South Carolina, the third-ranking House Democrat and chairman of a special panel on the pandemic, says the crisis in nursing homes should not be a partisan issue.
Democrats charge OSHA isn't protecting front-line workers
Read full article: Democrats charge OSHA isn't protecting front-line workersInstead of an emergency standard, the agency has relied on voluntary guidance that recommends companies erect physical barriers, enforce social distancing and install more hand-sanitizing stations, among other steps. More than 80,000 cases of COVID-19 have been reported among health care workers, meatpacking employees and prison staff, including at least 372 deaths, Adams said. OSHA quickly pivoted to focus intensely on giving employers and workers the guidance they need to work safely in this rapidly changing situation. A group of Senate Democrats asked the Labor Departments inspector general to investigate OSHAs inspections and citations related to COVID-19. The lawmakers, led by Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., also want the watchdog to investigate OSHAs decision not to put in place a temporary emergency standard to deal with the virus.