Category: The Northeast

Legislator Wants Pennsylvania Spousal Notification Requirement for Abortion Repealed

Bradley Vasoli

A lawmaker from Montgomery County is circulating a request to colleagues to back repeal of a requirement that a married woman seeking an abortion in Pennsylvania notify her spouse. 

In a preliminary description of the upcoming bill, state Representative Liz Hanbidge (D-Blue Bell) bemoaned last year’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization that overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion nationwide. Hanbidge insisted that Pennsylvania’s founding principles of freedom and individual sovereignty should empower people to kill unborn life without constraint. 

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Connecticut Probation Officials Failed to Investigate Fake Address of Illegal Alien Felon Now Suspected of Murdering 2-Year-Old Son

Susan Berry, PhD

Connecticut probation officials never investigated what ultimately was found to be a fake Stamford address for a Guatemalan native and illegal alien who is suspected of killing his 2-year-old son, according to court documents.

Edgar Ismalej-Gomez, 26, who had already been convicted and served time for abusing his son when the child was just eight months old, is now suspected of killing the toddler identified by Stamford police as Liam Rivera, Hearst media reported Wednesday.

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Fines Totaling $1.3 Million for the Pennsylvania Oil Industry, Environmental Costs of $1.8 Billion for State Taxpayers

The Center Square

Across Pennsylvania, thousands of violations have been issued in recent years over the “improper abandonment” of oil and gas wells. 

While the Department of Environmental Protection has collected more than $1.3 million in fines, reporting requirements are routinely flouted and improperly abandoned wells present environmental hazards to the public – as well as new burdens on taxpayers, who could be on the hook to pay for environmental remediation.

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Bipartisan Proposal Would Make Pennsylvania Pardon Recommendations Easier

Bradley Vasoli

A bill is re-emerging in Pennsylvania’s new State Senate session to end the requirement that pardon and commutation recommendations from the State Board of Pardons be unanimous. 

The five-member board comprises the lieutenant governor and the state attorney general as well as experts on corrections, victims’ rights, and mental health. Once the panel issues a recommendation for an inmate to receive a pardon or a commuted sentence, the governor reviews those determinations and decides whether to sign off on them. Historically, governors have tended to follow the board’s advice. 

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Connecticut Towns Seeking Tax Relief, More Education

The Center Square

Connecticut cities and towns are seeking tax relief and more money for education from the state as a new legislative session gets underway. 

The Connecticut Conference of Municipalities has released a list of legislative priorities that its 168 municipal members believe “merit priority action” by Gov. Ned Lamont and the General Assembly before the regular session ends in June. 

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Truckers Weigh Options on New Connecticut Highway Tax

The Center Square

Truckers are criticizing a new Connecticut law charging them a tax for driving on the state’s roadways, with a trade group weighing a legal challenge. 

The new law, which went into effect on Jan. 1, requires commercial truckers to pay rates ranging from 2.5 cents per mile for trucks with a gross weight of 26,000 pounds to 10 cents per mile for trucks weighing 80,000 pounds. Trucks weighing more than 80,000 pounds are slated to pay 17.5 cents per mile under the new regulations. 

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Commentary: The Reason the Pennsylvania GOP Held the State Senate amid a Disappointing Midterm

RealClearWire

This past midterm, Pennsylvania state Senate Republicans managed to meet electoral expectations while the remainder of the commonwealth’s GOP suffered stunning losses – many of them unanticipated. Why?

The story begins 99 weeks before Election Day, when state Senate Republicans elected Kim Ward as the legislative chamber’s majority leader.

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State Senator to Reintroduce Pennsylvania Constitutional-Carry Bill

Bradley Vasoli

Pennsylvania state Senator Cris Dush (R-Bellefonte) is asking colleagues to cosponsor legislation to let law-abiding state residents carry concealed firearms without a permit, something he tried but failed to get enacted last session. 

The senator’s original bill passed the General Assembly in autumn of 2021 but Governor Tom Wolf (D) vetoed it. Its chances of becoming law have diminished even further insofar as Democratic Attorney General Josh Shapiro recently was elected in November to succeed Wolf and Democrats won a majority of seats in the state House of Representatives. 

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American Catholic Leaders Celebrate Life of Pope Benedict, ‘Defender of Truth’ Who Taught Above All Else ‘God Is Love’

Susan Berry, PhD

American Catholic leaders are acclaiming the life and work of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, whose scholarly writings emphasized the unity of faith and reason and, most fundamentally, the primary truth of the Catholic faith, which teaches God is Love.

Benedict, who was born Joseph Ratzinger, died Saturday at the age of 95. He became pope in April 2005, following the death of Pope John Paul II, and served until his resignation in February 2013.

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Yale Academic Departments Have Websites, Statements Dedicated to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Admin

Yale University academic departments have implemented efforts in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).

Academic departments including anesthesiology, history, and mathematics have diversity statements or dedicated pages for diversity on their websites. The Yale Math Statement on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) says that “the department has convened a standing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) committee that meets regularly.”

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Bill Would Clean Up Pennsylvania Voter-Record Errors

Bradley Vasoli

Over the weekend, Pennsylvania state Senator Ryan Aument (R-Lititz) told colleagues he will reintroduce a measure to clean up his state’s voter rolls.

Concern about the Keystone State’s voter records grew after Democratic Auditor General Eugene DePasquale issued a report in December 2019 alerting lawmakers to copious apparent errors in the Statewide Uniform Registry of Electors (SURE). 

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Connecticut-Based Helicopter Firm Appeals Army Contract Rejection

The Center Square

With backing from Gov. Ned Lamont, a Connecticut-based company is appealing the U.S. Army’s rejection of its multimillion dollar bid for a defense contract to build long-range helicopters.

Sikorsky Aircraft, maker of the iconic Blackhawk helicopters, had submitted a proposal to the U.S. Army to produce its Defiant-X helicopter as part of the next generation of long-range helicopters. But the Army announced earlier this month that it was awarding the $1.3 billion contract to Bell Textron, a Texas-based company.

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Philadelphia Again Surpasses 500 Murders, Though Down Slightly from 2021

The Center Square

Philadelphia has again failed to stop murders in the city, as it repeats a homicide toll that surpasses 500 deaths. While murders are down compared to a year ago, the level of violence dwarfs recent years, when as few as 277 murders happened in 2016.

As of December 28, 514 people have been victims of homicide in Philadelphia. That number is down 7% from 2021, when a record 562 people died, but higher than the 499 deaths in 2020 and 356 in 2019.

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Connecticut Lawmakers to Get Huge Pay Boost in New Year

The Center Square

Connecticut lawmakers will see fatter paychecks in the new year with a law that bumps their base pay by upwards of $12,000, once it goes into effect.

Legislation approved earlier this year, signed by Gov. Ned Lamont, increases rank-and-file lawmakers’ pay from $28,000 to $40,000, with future raises pegged to the cost of living in every two-year legislative cycle. Compensation for the House speaker and Senate president will increase from $38,689 to $50,000 next year under the law.

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Pennsylvania Bill Proposal Requires Pain Medication for Unborn Humans Prior to Abortions

Bradley Vasoli

A measure proposed in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives this week would require the administering of pain medication to an unborn child before an abortion is performed. 

State Representative Tim Bonner (R-Grove City) circulated a memorandum asking other representatives to back his upcoming bill which would instruct abortion doctors to dispense pain relief to a fetus if the organism has gestated for longer than 15 weeks. Bonner suggested his bill would not affect the legality of ending a pregnancy and entreated lawmakers on both sides of the abortion issue to join him in sponsoring the legislation.

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Connecticut Diverts More Federal Funds for Fuel Assistance

The Center Square

Connecticut is pumping more federal funds into its fuel assistance program to provide the state’s low income energy consumers with more relief this winter.

The Connecticut Energy Assistance Program says it will be increasing fuel assistance payments to qualifying residents by another $430 this season, to help with home heating costs and unpaid utility bills through the state’s Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.

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Proposal Would Let Independents Vote in Pennsylvania Primaries

Bradley Vasoli

Pennsylvania state senators are asking other lawmakers to support an upcoming bill to let nonpartisan voters participate in primaries. 

State Senators Daniel LaughlinTwo  (R-Erie) and Lisa Boscola (D-Bethlehem) proposed legislation permitting all state residents whose voter registrations reflect no party affiliation to cast a ballot in either the GOP or Democratic nomination contests. The senators cite 2021 data from the commonwealth indicating that 1,233,748 Pennsylvanians are registered to vote but choose to identify with neither of the two major parties. Since 2017, that number has increased by 51,816. 

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Pennsylvania Democrats’ Bill Would Give Driver’s Licenses to Illegals

Bradley Vasoli

Three left-wing members of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives announced they intend to introduce a bill to give driver’s licenses to illegal aliens. 

Representatives Danilo Burgos, Joe Hohenstein and Chris Rabb, all Philadelphia Democrats, asserted that unlawful U.S. residents should be able to obtain driving licenses or learners’ permits if they can establish to authorities their real names and dates of birth. They say acceptable documents to prove identity could be passports, consular identification papers, marriage licenses, divorce records or adoption certificates. 

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New England Lawmakers Seek More Federal Drought Relief for Farmers

The Center Square

Congressional lawmakers in Connecticut and Rhode Island have teamed up to seek more federal relief funding to help New England livestock feed producers, and other farmers impacted by severe drought conditions. 

In a letter to House and Senate budget leaders, members of congressional delegations from both states urged them to pump more money into relief programs, and expand eligibility to drought-wary forge farmers in the region, who they said are being left out of federal assistance programs. 

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Philadelphia District Attorney Krasner Issues Answer to Impeachment Summons

Bradley Vasoli

As the holiday weekend nears, Pennsylvania state senators are viewing initial written arguments from Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner (D) contesting his impeachment. 

The then-GOP-controlled state House of Representatives voted last month 107-85 to try the radical prosecutor in the Senate to consider his removal from office. Senate leaders then issued a writ of summons to Krasner outlining seven counts against him. Articles of impeachment concern alleged “dereliction of duty and refusal to enforce the law,” obstruction of a legislative investigation against him, improper conduct in two criminal trials, failure to admit conflict of interest, failure to heed victims’ rights and refusal to prosecute certain crimes. 

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Connecticut Police Union OKs Contract with Pay Raises, Other Perks

The Center Square

Connecticut state troopers will be the highest paid law enforcement officials in the state under a newly approved contract, which includes pay raises and other perks.

The Connecticut State Police Union, which represents about 840 rank and file troopers and sergeants, said it has ratified a four-year contract negotiated with Gov. Ned Lamont’s administration that includes a 2.5% pay raise, a double-digit increase in starting pay, and annual lump sum payments of 2% for senior troopers. 

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Court Rules That Boys Can Continue Dominating Girls’ Sports in Connecticut

Admin

The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit ruled in favor of two biological male athletes who competed in girls’ sports when it dismissed claims brought against the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference by four female track runners Friday.

Soule v. Connecticut Association of Schools was first filed in 2019 after two biological male athletes, Andraya Yearwood and Thania Edwards, won various track and field titles after a Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference policy permitted them to compete in the women’s division, according to the lawsuit. The plaintiffs, represented by the conservative legal nonprofit Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), alleged that female competitors lost opportunities to compete at elite levels.

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Pennsylvania House Republicans Say Krasner Can’t Use Courts to Avoid Impeachment

Bradley Vasoli

Republican members of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives responsible for conducting Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner’s impeachment are arguing Krasner can’t resort to the courts to avoid the state Senate trial. 

Earlier this month, the far-left prosecutor asked the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court to preempt the proceedings initiated by Republican lawmakers in November. He cited three reasons: First, a new General Assembly has taken office; second, he contends that the state Constitution doesn’t authorize a city district attorney’s impeachment; and third, he disputes that “misbehavior in office” is seriously alleged. 

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Legislation Would Clarify Work-Search Requirement for Pennsylvania Unemployment Compensation

Bradley Vasoli

A bill soon to be reintroduced in Pennsylvania’s General Assembly aims to prevent unemployment claimants from undermining their own job searches to keep benefits flowing. 

Last year, state Representative Shelby Labs (R-Doylestown) introduced the legislation to explicitly codify state policy on work-search requirements. The commonwealth requires every individual seeking unemployment compensation (UC) to apply for at least two jobs and follow through with one work-search activity every week. 

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Illegal Entries into Vermont Surge in November

The Center Square

Foreign nationals illegally entering the U.S. are increasingly entering through Vermont at an unprecedented rate.

In October, the Swanton Sector of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which includes all of Vermont, saw a 676% increase in apprehensions of illegal foreign nationals compared to last year, according to Border Patrol data. Agents apprehended 334 people from 19 countries in October, and the “upward trend continues,” Swanton Sector Chief Border Patrol Agent Robert Garcia said.

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Pennsylvania County to Recount 2020 Election Results

Just the News

Pennsylvania’s Lycoming County will conduct a recount of its 2020 presidential election results amid mounting pressure from residents on officials to provide transparency on their handling of the contest.

The county commissioners made the decision following the submission of a 5,000-name petition demanding the recount, according to the Epoch Times. The county has approximately 70,000 registered voters and the petition’s size was a motivating factor in securing the recount, officials told the outlet.

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Report: Reliability, Low Fares, Short Trips Key to Transit in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia

The Center Square

As transit agencies across the country struggle to recover from pandemic-induced ridership loss, getting back to the basics of reliability might matter most.

A new report from Moovit, a trip-planning app, analyzed user data in 2022 in 10 major American cities. Transit riders complained of unreliable systems, fare prices, trip time, safety, and cleanliness, among other issues.

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Philadelphia Brings Back School Mask Mandate

Susan Berry, PhD

Philadelphia officials will require masks again in public schools in January, claiming the move is “proactive” against winter viruses.

“In an effort to be proactive in supporting healthy environments and maintaining in-person learning following students and staff returning from winter break, the District will implement mandatory masking from January 3 through January 13, 2023,” school officials said Wednesday, as The Daily Mail reported. 

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State Senators Propose Pennsylvania Law Against Social Media Censorship

Bradley Vasoli

Pennsylvania State Senators Doug Mastriano (R-Gettysburg) and Scott Hutchinson (R-Oil City) Thursday announced they would reintroduce a bill proposed in the last legislative session designed to prevent social media platforms from censoring Pennsylvanians. 

Mastriano and Hutchinson introduced the original measure in May 2021. They secured the cosponsorship of four other senators, all Republicans, but the bill did not receive a vote in the Senate Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee. The two lawmakers said new developments impelled them to try again in the new session. They cited the recently released “Twitter files,” internal documents pertaining largely to the social-media company’s decision in late 2020 to deny users access to a New York Post story concerning Joe Biden’s son Hunter’s personal computer.

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Pennsylvania GOP House Leader Cutler Asserts Right to Schedule Special Elections for May

Bradley Vasoli

Pennsylvania House Republican Leader Bryan Cutler (R-Quarryville) on Thursday insisted he has the right to schedule special elections for three legislative vacancies. He wants two elections to take place during next May’s primaries. 

Cutler’s party has tussled with Democrats over control of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in the wake of November’s elections. Democrats won a majority of House seats that month, but Republican members nonetheless outnumber Democrats by two insofar as three seats to which the latter party won elections are vacant. 

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Philadelphia School District Orders Kids to Mask Up for Two Weeks After Holidays

Admin

Philadelphia schools will again require students and staff to wear masks during the school day after the holidays, according to Fox 29 News.

The School District of Philadelphia, the eighth-largest school system in the county, is implementing a mask mandate for two weeks once classes resume from the holiday break, according to Fox 29 News. Superintendent Tony Watlington announced the mandate for all educators and students on Wednesday as a “proactive measure” because many will be “involved in quite a few social gatherings over the next few weeks.”

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Lifeline Scholarships Reintroduced in Pennsylvania House

Bradley Vasoli
Girl with brunette hair reading in a library

Pennsylvania state Representative Clint Owlett (R-Wellsboro) on Tuesday announced he will reintroduce legislation to guarantee school choice to students in the state’s most poorly performing school districts. 

Under Owlett’s proposed law, families of such students could also use the new “lifeline scholarships” to pay for textbooks, special-needs services and other qualifying expenses. 

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Historic Christopher Columbus Statue in Philadelphia to Be Uncovered for First Time in Two Years

Admin

On Friday, a judge ruled that the historic statue of famed European explorer Christopher Columbus will not only remain in its place in Philadelphia’s Marconi Plaza, but that a plywood box used to cover up the statue over the previous two years must be taken down so the statue can be seen once again.

As reported by Fox News, the statue was one of many that had been targeted by far-left domestic terrorists starting in the summer of 2020, in the midst of the Black Lives Matter riots. Statues that were vandalized and even destroyed during this period include monuments to the Founding Fathers, statues of abolitionists, and memorials to Confederate soldiers, among other symbols of American history.

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Both Democrats and Republican Claim a Majority in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, Battle Over Special Election Powers

Admin

It’s still unclear which party controls the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, and the courts may have to settle the question.

Democratic Leader Joanna McClinton, D-Philadelphia, arranged last week to be sworn in as House leader when it’s unclear who is legally the majority party. Over the weekend, Republicans filed a lawsuit to overturn McClinton’s scheduling of three special elections to fill House seats on February 7.

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Philadelphia Man Charged with Impersonating Postal Worker, Mail Theft, also Found with Stolen Ballots

Admin

Philadelphia man who was charged with impersonating a postal worker and mail theft was also found to be in possession of over a dozen stolen mail-in ballots, officials says.

While pretending to be a USPS Mail Carrier, Zachkey James, 27, stole undelivered mail from a collection box near the Kingsessing Post Office, in Pennsylvania, in July, the Justice Department said last week.

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Pennsylvania Is Missing 113,000 Workers

Admin

Pennsylvania is missing young workers and the problem is one that won’t simply go away.

While the commonwealth isn’t the only state struggling with a shrinking youth population, state-to-state comparisons are difficult to make due to data issues. What’s clear is that Pennsylvania has had a significant drop in its labor force participation rate. Rather than a story of older workers retiring, the majority of missing workers are under 45 rather than over.

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