It’s Pennsylvania Society weekend, so we wanted to give organizers and activists from across the Commonwealth a chance to see how they did this past week.
Safe travels to all… and may you accomplish everything you have planned in the Big Apple this weekend.
Scott Perry. The 10th Congressional District Republican disclosed novel text messages included in a lawsuit that appears to have been mistakenly made public on Wednesday. Newly disclosed documents revealed an extraordinary network of communication between Perry, who is currently chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, and key figures in Trump’s orbit.
City of Aliquippa. Federal officials are is investigating a cyber attack on the Aliquippa Municipal Water Board. Hackers attacked a miniature substation and disabled a device used to automatically monitor water levels in the authority’s reservoirs. The hackers left a message identifying themselves as part of the Cyber Avengers, a group with ties to Iran.
Pennsylvania. This was announced by Governor Josh Shapiro Fitch Ratings raised Pennsylvania’s credit rating from “AA-” to “AA.””, based on the positive credit rating outlook issued in September by Moody’s and S&P’s Global Ratings. Fitch also assigned an ‘AA’ rating to the following Commonwealth of Pennsylvania General Obligation (GO) bonds.
PA Department of State. The State Department made the announcement on Wednesday improves its mail-in voting materials ahead of the 2024 primary election. Language has been changed in the redesigned envelopes and instructions to better inform voters how to properly complete and return absentee ballots, intended to reduce voter confusion that can lead to completed ballots being rejected and to make it easier employees of electoral commissions in districts for effective processing of correspondence – in ballots.
PA Legislators. The base salary of 253 state legislators in Pennsylvania is the third highest in the country behind New York and California, but when benefits are added, it probably drops to second place. Lawmakers are eligible for lifetime medical and retirement benefits unlike their counterparts in California, but they still lag behind New York, where lawmakers there have a similar benefits package to those in Pennsylvania.
Representative Patrick Harkins. Erie Democrat received $154,686.97 in mileage reimbursement from taxpayer funds since 2018, including $30,530.64 in 2019. Fellow Democrats Ryan Bizzarro and Bob Merski also represent Erie. In 2021, Merski’s reimbursement was $6,731.16. Refunds to Bizzaro were $4,322.64 and Harkins was $23,224.66.
Dave’s Sunday. York County District Attorney received a second endorsement from a US congressman in his quest for the GOP nomination for Pennsylvania attorney general, Ass Representative. Dan Meuser (R-09) offered his support. “Dave is an experienced prosecutor and someone Pennsylvanians can trust to protect all residents, especially our most vulnerable.” Representative Lloyd Smucker (R-11) approved on Sunday the day before.
Kat Copeland. He was a former federal prosecutor based in Philadelphia endorsed for Pennsylvania Attorney General by Pennsylvania’s longest-serving district attorney – Lehigh County District Attorney Jim Martin – on Monday. “I know her qualifications and in my opinion she is superior to other candidates in this field.”
Harrisburg. According to a recent ranking by US News and World Report, Pennsylvania dominates the list best places to retire in the USA Seven of the top 10 spots were in the Keystone State, including the No. 1 spot in Pennsylvania’s capital city. Reading, Lancaster, Scranton and Allentown rounded out the top five.
Newville, Pennsylvania. How to close the projected $783,000 operating deficit for 2024. That’s the question facing Cumberland County Municipalities. Newville council will also be asked to complete the balancing of the 2024 budget choose between a significant raise in the municipality’s property tax rate and some cuts in staff to a miniature, three-person police department.
Charles M. Dertinger. The Northampton County’s chief administrative officer has resigned last Friday, he became a victim of the Election Day problems that plagued the county. The director of administration supervises the county’s election department. Election Day, scheduled for November 7, got off to a rocky start when election office workers discovered a problem with voting machines. Errors in tallies of machine printouts prompted officials to temporarily stop using the machines and rely on emergency paper ballots.
Society of Pennsylvania. In 1899, Barr Ferree, owner of a Manhattan publishing house, founded “The Pennsylvania Society of New York” and invited 55 other Pennsylvanians, also living in Manhattan, to dinner at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. Barr wrote at the time that their goal was to found a society “uniting all Pennsylvanians at home and abroad in the bonds of friendship and devotion to their native or adopted state.” Eventually shortening their name to The Pennsylvania Society, they met for dinner at the same time and place every year. This tradition continues this weekend for the 125th time.
