Legislature

She was shot by a stranger in Chester County. She thinks a red flag law might have prevented it.

https://www.pennlive.com/news/2019/12/she-was-shot-by-a-stranger-in-chester-county-she-thinks-a-red-flag-law-might-have-prevented-it.html

Pennsylvania wants to fix its Medicaid transit program, but there’s no easy way to do it, report says

https://www.inquirer.com/news/matp-medicaid-pa-medical-assistance-transportation-20191228.html

Lawmakers gearing up for 2020

https://www.post-gazette.com/news/state/2019/12/27/Lawmakers-gearing-up-for-2020/stories/201912270130

State

Pennsylvania state parks welcome winter visitors with trails, activities

https://www.mcall.com/news/pennsylvania/mc-nws-pa-state-park-winter-activities-20191228-5i5akkeqb5etfizuwllghuf3a4-story.html

Pennsylvania Turnpike tolls to climb again, this time by 6%

https://www.tribdem.com/news/pennsylvania-turnpike-tolls-to-climb-again-this-time-by/article_9627c816-292b-11ea-9963-9b24b871a4e6.html

Business

Gander Outdoors closes Greensburg location

https://triblive.com/local/westmoreland/gander-outdoors-closes-hempfield-location/

Giant Eagle, Dollar General scramble to alert customers under 21 they can’t buy cigarettes, chew, vapes

https://triblive.com/news/pennsylvania/giant-eagle-dollar-general-scramble-to-alert-customers-under-21-they-cant-buy-cigarettes-chew-vapes/

New report shows gender pay gap won’t close any time soon

https://triblive.com/local/pittsburgh-allegheny/new-report-shows-gender-pay-gap-wont-close-any-time-soon/

Inside documents show how Amazon chose speed over safety in building its delivery network

https://www.witf.org/2019/12/27/inside-documents-show-how-amazon-chose-speed-over-safety-in-building-its-delivery-network/

Crime/Punishment

Lawyers fight death penalty for synagogue shooting suspect

https://www.pennlive.com/news/2019/12/lawyers-fight-death-penalty-for-synagogue-shooting-suspect.html

Third homicide in a week shakes Chester

https://www.delcotimes.com/news/crime/third-homicide-in-a-week-shakes-chester/article_a4135f24-28e2-11ea-b5ef-7f73bab76861.html

Hundreds Of Accused Clergy Left Off Church’s Sex Abuse Lists

https://hosted.ap.org/standardspeaker/article/f6238fe6724bdf4f30a42ff7d11a327e/hundreds-accused-clergy-left-churchs-sex-abuse-lists

A nearly $1M grant offers hope to the Lehigh Valley’s young and incarcerated

https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/news/2019/12/a-nearly-1m-grant-offers-hope-to-the-lehigh-valleys-young-and-incarcerated.html

Healthcare

Three area hospitals are participating in rural health model

https://observer-reporter.com/news/localnews/three-area-hospitals-are-participating-in-rural-health-model/article_7f225642-280c-11ea-be7d-8353ccbb6b6a.html

Rural health group gets $1M boost

https://www.citizensvoice.com/news/rural-health-group-gets-1m-boost-1.2576487

Philly

Can tech companies help Philadelphia cut down on trash? City officials hope so.

https://www.inquirer.com/news/waste-tech-philadephia-recycle-diversion-compost-20191227.html

Philly’s largest solar installation planned as part of new LNG plant in Passyunk

https://www.inquirer.com/business/energy/liberty-energy-trust-pgw-derek-green-solar-power-natural-gas-20191227.html

A mobile addiction treatment center battles stigma, shame, and rising overdoses in South Philly

https://www.inquirer.com/health/opioid-addiction/south-philadelphia-upenn-buprenorphine-van-addiction-treatment-opioid-crisis-20191227.html

Who is Philly Mayor Jim Kenney’s choice for top cop? No one seems to know

https://www.inquirer.com/news/mayor-jim-kenney-police-commissioner-search-philadelphia-20191227.html

Democrats picked a nominee for a West Philly state House seat for the second special election in less than a year

https://www.inquirer.com/politics/philadelphia/special-election-190th-district-west-philly-movita-johnson-harrell-political-corruption-roni-green-20191227.html

Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh Public Schools taxes going up

https://triblive.com/local/pittsburgh-allegheny/pittsburgh-public-schools-taxes-going-up/

Uber test track adds to developments planned around Pittsburgh airport

https://triblive.com/local/pittsburgh-allegheny/uber-test-track-adds-to-developments-planned-around-pittsburgh-airport/

Local

Sinkholes in Reading neighborhood trigger growing safety concerns

https://www.readingeagle.com/news/local/sinkholes-in-reading-neighborhood-trigger-growing-safety-concerns/article_d0425b0e-28f6-11ea-bad4-dfa5586b2cac.html

Pig dies at central Pa. livestock market of disease that can be transferred to humans

https://www.pennlive.com/news/2019/12/pig-dies-at-central-pa-livestock-market-of-disease-that-can-be-transferred-to-humans.html

Bar association gets $35G from county, but not without conflict

https://www.delcotimes.com/news/local/bar-association-gets-g-from-county-but-not-without-conflict/article_a22882d6-281d-11ea-9a20-0ffbae2d45a5.html

North Strabane supervisors sign off on 245-unit housing plan

https://observer-reporter.com/news/localnews/north-strabane-supervisors-sign-off-on–unit-housing-plan/article_28430060-28bb-11ea-8bae-9370ce409f1c.html

Many more buried in Washington County Potters’ Field than originally thought; database available

https://observer-reporter.com/news/localnews/many-more-buried-in-washington-county-potters-field-than-originally/article_6e3f9d98-27f4-11ea-a196-675ecb378580.html

Protesters have questions for Wilkinsburg, county officials in police shooting

https://www.post-gazette.com/news/crime-courts/2019/12/27/Protesters-have-questions-for-borough-county-officials-in-police-shooting/stories/201912270128

Keystone landfill leachate application posted online on DEP website

https://www.thetimes-tribune.com/news/keystone-landfill-leachate-application-posted-online-on-dep-website-1.2576483

Scranton City Council likely to amend rules on prohibited conduct during public comment

https://www.thetimes-tribune.com/news/scranton-city-council-likely-to-amend-rules-on-prohibited-conduct-during-public-comment-1.2576338

City of Scranton denies Times-Tribune’s request for fire chief’s self-audit

https://www.thetimes-tribune.com/news/city-of-scranton-denies-times-tribune-s-request-for-fire-chief-s-self-audit-1.2576360

Wilkes-Barre officials work to address flood systems

https://www.citizensvoice.com/news/wilkes-barre-officials-work-to-address-flood-systems-1.2576453

Easton has recycled half a million cigarette butts. And that’s just the beginning.

https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/news/2019/12/easton-has-recycled-half-a-million-cigarette-butts-and-thats-just-the-beginning.html

Washington

Amish from central Pa. meet President Trump at White House

https://www.pennlive.com/news/2019/12/amish-from-central-pa-meet-president-trump-at-white-house.html

Trump administration officially raises tobacco buying age to 21

https://www.pennlive.com/news/2019/12/trump-administration-officially-raises-tobacco-buying-age-to-21.html