Public Health

Illinois

Judge Lisa Holder White becomes first Black female justice sworn in to Illinois Supreme Court 

Justice Lisa Holder White became the first Black woman to serve on the Illinois Supreme Court after being sworn in at Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield on Thursday morning, an event that drew a full theater and nearly 200 viewers online.

Holder White was appointed to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice Rita Garman, the state’s longest serving judge, who called it a “historic day for the Land of Lincoln.”

Justice Holder White received a B.A. in political science from Lewis University in 1990 and her J.D. from the University of Illinois College of Law in 1993. After working in private practice for several years, she was appointed to an associate judge position in Illinois’ 6th Judicial Circuit. Prior to her appointment to the Illinois Supreme Court, Holder White served as Fourth District Appellate Court Justice.

In her speech, Holder White thanked those who had supported her throughout her career and remarked on this historic achievement, saying “my heritage is a heritage that once involved minds and bodies that were shackled, and doors that were so long closed.”

Around the State

Chicago

Lightfoot ends second quarter with $2.5M in campaign fund after raising $1.25M

Mayor Lightfoot reported raising $1.25M and a total of $2.5M in cash on hand during the second quarter, putting her fundraising well ahead of most other declared candidates (except millionaire businessman Willie Wilson) but well below the $7.5M cash on hand that former Mayor Rahm Emanuel reported in the second quarter of 2019 before announcing he wouldn’t seek a third term. The mayor faces a challenging re-election campaign as she seeks to combat low approval ratings and a number of challenges facing Chicago. Top campaign issues will likely include addressing rising crime rates and police reform, Chicago’s economic future, and education.

Chicago’s mayoral election is slated for February 2023, and the race is expected to be fierce and costly. Mayor Lightfoot faces competition from a growing list of declared contenders, including former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas, Ald. Ray Lopez, Ald. Roderick Sawyer, local businessman Willie Wilson, veteran cop Frederick Collins, and state Rep. Kam Buckner. Former Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn and current Chicago Ald. Brian Hopkins are also reportedly polling for potential mayoral runs.

More From City Hall

Federal

  • Biden Delivers Remarks on Order Protecting Abortion Access: The White House said Biden will speak Friday morning “on protecting access to reproductive health care services.” The actions he was expected to outline are intended to try to mitigate some potential penalties women seeking abortion may face after the ruling but are limited in their ability to safeguard access to abortion nationwide.
  • Trump White House Counsel Pat Cipollone Expected to Testify Before Jan. 6 Committee: Pat Cipollone, Trump’s former White House counsel, is expected to meet with the committee behind closed doors for a transcribed interview, according to NBC News and other media outlets. Cipollone was subpoenaed last week by the panel, which said it has obtained evidence that he “repeatedly raised legal and other concerns about President Trump’s activities on January 6th and in the days that preceded.”

Mayor Directs City Agencies to Review City Owned Land for Housing Development

Mayor Adams has issued an Executive Order, directing city agencies to review city-owned and controlled land for potential housing development. The executive order formally establishes the City Housing Activation Task Force, with representatives from mayoral agencies and other public entities. The task force will review land under control of the city to identify potential sites for development and develop guidelines to ensure that agencies’ policies promote housing production.

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DOT Incentive Program to Reduce Truck Deliveries During Off-Hours

The NYC Department of Transportation announced that applications are now open for the Off-Hour Delivery Incentive Program. The program is designed to reduce truck deliveries during the busiest hours of the day. All NYC businesses who make or receive commercial deliveries are eligible to apply, and applicants must provide their off-hour delivery-related expenses for reimbursement and commit to conducting off-hour deliveries for one year.

PUBLIC HEALTH 

— IDPH: 83 percent of recent COVID-19 hospital patients were either not vaxxed or hadn’t yet received all three shots, by Capitol Fax.

ILLINOIS

Pritzker, Bailey clash at first gubernatorial debate

Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker and Republican challenger Sen. Darren Bailey met at Illinois State University Thursday night for an hour-long, televised debate.

Crime and safety were at the forefront of the debate, as the two gubernatorial candidates clashed on the controversial SAFE-T Act. Despite repeated requests, Pritzker failed to answer what changes he would like to see to the law, though he has previously said the law needs adjustments. Bailey, who has criticized the bill’s provisions and called for its repeal, said he would support passing bail reform for non-violent offenders.

On abortion, Sen. Bailey refused to say if he would seek a ban on non-life threatening abortions but defended his previous statement comparing abortion deaths to the Holocaust.

During the debate, Gov. Pritzker cited his many accomplishments in office, such as implementing various tax relief programs, balancing the budget, raising the minimum wage, legalizing cannabis, and making Chicago a sanctuary city. Bailey responded by reiterating previous accusations that Pritzker has failed to make significant progress on state issues over the last four years.

Pritzker, who has raised speculation that he might seek the presidency, said he “intended” to serve four more years as governor and, if reelected, would support President Joe Biden for another term.

Cook County Board President Preckwinkle’s budget address

On Thursday, October 7, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle proposed her budget for Fiscal Year 2023. The $8.75 billion balanced budget contains no cuts to critical services and marks the seventh year in a row with no tax increase. Additionally, the projected preliminary budget gap is the lowest gap since Preckwinkle took office, at $18.2 million.

Using federal relief funding from the American Rescue Plan, Preckwinkle highlighted some of the many initiatives within the 2023 budget, including $42 million for a guaranteed income pilot program, $71 million to small businesses, $20 million to the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago for the Stormwater Management Program, $20 million to improve infrastructure, and $170 million over the next three years to Cook County Health.

President Preckwinkle’s full budget address can be found here.

The budget proposal will be followed by weeks of hearings and negotiations with the County Board.

Preckwinkle is running for a fourth term leading the County Board and will face Republican nominee Bob Fioretti and Libertarian Thea Thsatsos on November 8 in the general election.

AROUND THE STATE

— Pritzker administration announces latest round of Healthcare Transformation Collaboratives, providing over $70 million to increase access and equity in healthcare statewide: “The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services has chosen six healthcare collaboratives for the State Fiscal Year 2023 cycle of the Healthcare Transformation Collaboratives program, which aims to close gaps in healthcare services and eliminate the barriers to access and inequities that persist in Illinois’ healthcare system,” from the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services.

— Preckwinkle opponent Bob Fioretti criticizes growth in county budget, opposes guaranteed income plan, wants to freeze hiring: “Preckwinkle, a Democrat, is running for a fourth term leading the County Board against Republican nominee Bob Fioretti and Libertarian Thea Tsatsos,” by The Chicago Tribune.

— Alexi Giannoulias and Dan Brady offer differing visions for Illinois secretary of state’s office: “The major party candidates for Illinois secretary of state in November’s election squared off Wednesday on issues including modernizing the office, traffic safety and voting rights in an effort to make the case for why voters should choose them to succeed longtime officeholder Jesse White,” by The Chicago Tribune.

— Business leaders embrace clean energy transition, but caution alternative sources need to be proven first: “Executives from LS Power and CITGO spoke at the Illinois Chamber of Commerce’s annual meeting in Chicago Thursday on the state’s clean energy transition. The chamber opposed the passage of CEJA but the chamber’s President Todd Maisch said he’s in favor of clean energy sources, while businesses’ leaders outlined business’ views on the transition,” by The Daily Line.

— Gov. Pritzker Announces $119 Million Investment in Western Illinois University: “Governor JB Pritzker today joined state and local officials to announce a $119 million investment for the construction of a Center for Performing Arts (CPA) at Western Illinois University. The funding is made possible by the Governor’s historic bipartisan Rebuild Illinois capital plan,” from the Office of Gov. JB Pritzker.

— Gov. Pritzker announces milestone for Rebuild Illinois capital plan; Local governments receive $250 million for transportation needs: “Gov. JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Transportation Thursday announced that the sixth and final $250 million installment as part of the historic, bipartisan Rebuild Illinois capital program is being made to counties, municipalities and townships to address local transportation needs,” from the Illinois Department of Transportation.

CHICAGO 

City Council budget hearings kick off Thursday

The City Council’s 12 days of budget hearings began Thursday with an overview of Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s proposed $16.4 billion spending plan from city budget and finance officials.

This marks the beginning of hearings spanning over two weeks where aldermen will have the chance to ask leaders of city departments about the proposed 2023 budget released Monday by Lightfoot’s administration.

The city aldermen used their first day of hearings to urge the administration to establish a Department of the Environment as well as to call for more resources for their offices and staff.

Lightfoot’s proposed budget eliminates the initially proposed $42.7 million property tax increase due to better-than-expected revenues in 2022. The $260 million budget surplus has also allowed Mayor Lightfoot to allocate $242 million toward paying future pensions.

City department leaders will face budget related questions from aldermen through October 24, 2022, according to the budget schedule. The 2023 Management and Revenue ordinances will be introduced at the City Council meeting on October 26, 2022 and considered in committee the following week. Final passage of the full budget package is expected to occur on Monday, November 7, 2022.

MORE FROM CITY HALL

— Chicago Tribune will no longer make endorsements for top offices: “Alden Global Capital, the hedge fund that owns the Tribune, announced that its nearly 200 papers will no longer endorse major political candidates,” by Crain’s Chicago Business.

— Lightfoot’s budget doesn’t include funding to extend Chicago’s basic income program beyond one year: “A direct cash assistance program to boost the income of 5,000 struggling Chicagoans with a $500 monthly check won’t be funded for a second year beginning in 2023, city officials told aldermen Thursday,” by Crain’s Chicago Business.

— Lightfoot proposes $5 million fund for arriving migrants: “Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has proposed a $5 million ‘contingency’ fund in her 2023 budget to help with future costs for migrants as buses full of asylum seekers continue to arrive from Texas, in what Democrats and immigrant rights groups have widely criticized as an inhumane political stunt,” by Crain’s Chicago Business.

— Mayor Lori Lightfoot wants to build tiny home communities in Chicago: “Lightfoot used her annual budget address on Monday to announce she’d dedicate $3 million from the city’s multi-year “Chicago Recovery Plan” budget — a mix of federal and bond funding announced last year -– to create an affordable housing initiative that uses small homes to house people who otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford a stable place to live,” by WBEZ Chicago.

— Community organizers call on Lightfoot administration to address environmental justice complaint: “Community organizers and local leaders are urging Mayor Lori Lightfoot to negotiate a resolution to an environmental justice complaint after the federal government threatened to block millions of dollars in federal aid to Chicago,” by The Chicago Tribune.

— Mayor Lightfoot Announces Grant Recipients for Community Healing Projects: “Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot, Chief Equity Officer Candace Moore, and Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) Commissioner Erin Harkey announced the grantees of the Together We Heal Creative Place Program, a $5.5 million investment in creative projects that promote racial healing and transformation in Chicago’s neighborhoods,” from the Office of Mayor Lightfoot.

FEDERAL

Cozen Currents: Do Election Polls Matter Anymore? 

  • Everyone loves to hate polls, and with some good reason. But as the midterms near, they provide an important, yet limited, tool for gauging the election.
  • The conventional wisdom is that gridlock will block the passage of anything except must-pass bills. Yet there is room for bipartisan legislation to advance under a divided government on a handful of meaningful issues, including Big Tech, crypto, and telehealth, just to name a few.
  • Although a divided government will still present opportunities for bipartisan legislative achievements, the Democratic agenda will now shift increasingly to focus on regulatory policy.

Read the full Cozen Currents article here.

The FY 2022 $1.5 trillion omnibus spending legislation moved at the congressional version of warp speed last week, passing the House less than a day after it was introduced and clearing the Senate 24 hours later. On Tuesday, President Biden signed the massive package, providing a substantial increase in spending for domestic spending and national security and $13.6 billion in emergency assistance for Ukraine. The same day, after losing an hour of sleep over the weekend, a groggy Senate unanimously passed a proposal to make daylight-saving time permanent. On the heels of Biden’s high-stakes call with Chinese President Xi Jinping focused on China’s response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer, Mark Alderman, Towner French, and Tristan Breaux break down this week’s political developments and discuss some of the key events scheduled for next week, including Biden’s trip to Brussels for an extraordinary NATO summit and Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s Supreme Court confirmation hearings.

PUBLIC HEALTH 

— Chicago’s COVID-19 Risk is Low, from the Chicago Department of Public Health.

ILLINOIS

AROUND THE STATE 

— Gov. Pritzker Signs Historic Legislation Guaranteeing 40 Hours of Paid Leave: “Governor JB Pritzker today signed SB208 into law, making Illinois the third state in the nation, and the first in the Midwest, to mandate paid time off to be used for any reason. The historic legislation provides employees with up to 40 hours of paid leave during a 12-month period, meaning approximately 1.5 million workers will begin earning paid time off starting in 2024,” from the Office of Gov. JB Pritzker.

— Make natural gas utilities more accountable to customers and the state: “It’s unfair and costly to consumers to allow gas companies to get away with not providing basic transparency and safety information to consumers and regulators. During this legislative session we need to adopt a number of measures that will protect gas customers,” Gov. JB Pritzker’s op-ed in the Sun-Times.

— House, Senate committees move bills to regulate e-cigarette use: “Each General Assembly chamber moved proposals out of committee this week that would classify e-cigarettes under the state’s Smoke Free Illinois Act regulating smoking in public places. As e-cigarettes grow in popularity, proponents of the legislation say state law needs to keep up and people cannot ignore the negative health effects from the liquid-based devices. They added that despite their sometimes seemingly harmless effects on people around those who smoke them, e-cigarettes carry many of the same secondhand smoke risks as tobacco cigarettes,” by The Daily Line.

CHICAGO 

Paul Vallas, Brandon Johnson pick up key endorsements over weekend

Chicago mayoral candidates Paul Vallas and Brandon Johnson both received critical endorsements over the weekend.

Of those announcing endorsements for Vallas, the most noteworthy include the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers PAC, Plumbers Local 130 and the Ironworkers union.

Johnson landed endorsements from former presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass), the American Federation of Government Employees Local 704, Cook County Commissioner Dennis Deer, and AFSCME, along with a handful of Illinois state legislators, two of which – state Sen. Ram Villivalam and state Rep. Theresa Mah – supported Jesus “Chuy” Garcia in the mayoral primary.

MORE FROM CITY HALL 

— Mayor Lightfoot Announces Executive Order on Pay Equity Audit for City Workers and Other Workplace Equity Efforts During Women’s History Month: “Today, Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot, with Department of Human Resources (DHR) Commissioner Christopher Owen, Director of the Office of Budget Management (OBM) Susie Park, and Department of Assets and Information (AIS) Commissioner Sandra Blakemore, signed an Executive Order requiring DHR, OBM, and AIS to conduct a bi-annual comprehensive pay equity audit of the City of Chicago workforce, focused on identifying both racial and gender pay discrepancies,” from the Office of Mayor Lightfoot.

— Mayoral rivals keep their differences mostly issue-focused as they disagree over taxes, vouchers and charter schools at women’s forum: “Mayoral candidates Paul Vallas and Brandon Johnson differed on taxes, schools and the privatization of public resources during a robust forum Saturday largely dedicated to women’s issues. Perhaps the most spirited exchanges between the two were over how to raise money to fund programs and the fallout over governments privatizing services,” by the Chicago Tribune.

— United Center’s concessions workers reach tentative deal: “A weekend bargaining session has led to a tentative agreement on a contract for concessions workers at the United Center, averting a possible strike. Spokesman Dan Abraham of Unite Here Local 1, which represents about 700 workers at the arena, said members will vote on the proposed contract Friday,” by the Chicago Sun-Times.

— City of Chicago Announces Chicago Fire Football Club and Chicago Housing Authority Sign Lease on New Near West Side Training Facility: “Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot, the Chicago Fire Football Club, Alderman Jason Ervin (28th Ward), and the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) today announced the signing of a ground lease for a new training facility for Chicago’s Major League Soccer (MLS) team in the Roosevelt Square neighborhood on the Near West Side,” from the Office of Mayor Lightfoot.

— City will ask developers to submit tiny home proposals later this year: “City officials expect during the second quarter of this year to issue a request for proposals for developers that want to bring tiny homes to Chicago, Bryan Esenberg, managing deputy commissioner for the city’s Department of Housing, told aldermen during a Wednesday meeting of the City Council Committee on Housing and Real Estate,” by The Daily Line.

FEDERAL

Beltway Briefing: How Strong Is Trump’s Grip on the GOP

With less than two years to go until the 2024 presidential election, reports are swirling about which public figures may throw their hats in the ring for what is already shaping up to be one of the most heated political races in American history.

Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer, Mark Alderman, Rodney Davis, Towner French, and Kaitlyn Martin debate whether Trump still remains a power center within the Republican electorate or if his influence may be on the decline. They also discuss how the White House is trying to navigate the politically charged issue of crime, including President Biden’s decision not to use his veto power to block a GOP-led effort to repeal changes to the District of Columbia criminal code.

Listen to the full Beltway Briefing here.

Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46th president on Wednesday amidst fear and uncertainty and facing a combination of overlapping and compounding crises. President Biden entered the White House hours after the historic inauguration and signed his first executive orders targeting Trump policies on immigration, climate change, racial equity, and coronavirus. Can Biden make the executive branch function effectively and will his appeals for unity bear fruit? Can Congress juggle the Biden agenda and an impeachment trial? Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer, Mark Alderman, and Patrick Martin try to answer these questions as they reflect on the most consequential people of the past four years and discuss the thicket through which Biden and his team are navigating in the first week of the new administration.

On President’s Day, after a clandestine journey involving a 10-hour train ride from Poland, President Biden made a surprise and historic visit to Ukraine, to show solidarity with a war-torn democratic nation battling for its survival and try to break an impasse as Russia’s invasion enters its second year. It was the first time in modern history a U.S. president entered a war zone where there was not an active U.S. military presence. Public Strategies’ Howard Schweitzer, Mark Alderman, Rodney Davis, Patrick Martin, Towner French, and Kaitlyn Martin discuss Biden’s trip to Ukraine and the sharp response it drew from Congressional Republicans who have been critical of the U.S funding of the war effort and accused the President of neglecting issues back at home. They also break down the political fallout over the Administration’s response to a toxic train derailment and the resulting environmental disaster in Ohio that had the White House take bipartisan heat.

State Session Concludes

The New York State Legislature has formally concluded session for 2023. Notably, the legislature and Governor Hochul failed to reach a compromise on the state’s affordable housing crisis. In the final hours of session, the legislature passed the Clean Slate Act, the Wrongful Death Act, a bill creating a commission to study reparations for Black New Yorkers, and changes to campaign finance and local elections. Though both houses have formally adjourned, Assemblymembers are expected back in the “near future” to complete unfinished legislative work.

NYC to Receive Over $100M from FEMA for Asylum Seekers

New York City will be receiving $104.6 million in federal funds toward the cost of housing asylum seekers. Over 72,000 asylum seekers have come to NYC since last spring, and over 44,000 remain in the metropolitan area. Though the amount is far less than the $650 million requested by the city earlier this year, Mayor Adams praised the work of New York’s Congressional delegation in securing these funds. Mayor Adams noted that the city expects to spend over $4.3 billion through June 2024, and called on the federal government to expedite work authorization for asylum seekers.

NYC Council Passes and Introduces Legislation

Last Thursday, the NYC Council convened a Stated meeting, where they passed and introduced multiple pieces of legislation. The Council passed legislation establishing an Office of Healthcare Accountability, which will provide recommendations relating to City healthcare and hospital costs. They also passed a bill formalizing a curbside composting program for all city residents by fall 2024. The Council introduced legislation that would prohibit employers from entering into non-compete agreements with employees, and a bill requiring the Parks Department to create an Urban Forest Master Plan. You can find all of the bills that were passed and introduced here.

Appointments to New York State Court of Claims

Governor Hochul announced 11 appointments and four reappointments to the New York State Court of Claims. The class of appointments also includes the first openly transgender male appointee in American history, Seth Marnin.

Pennsylvania

Acting Secretary of State Al Schmidt Questioned About Election Integrity, Public Confidence in First of Multiple Confirmation Hearings

On Wednesday, Governor Josh Shapiro’s nominee for Secretary of State Al Schmidt was questioned for three hours in the first in what is to be a multi-hearing confirmation process beginning with the Senate State Government Committee. The primary focus of the questioning was for Committee members to learn more about Schmidt’s vision for “strengthening public confidence in every election at every level.” PennLive has more.

House Passes Two of Three Gun Reform Laws

On Monday, the state House passed two gun reform bills — a “red flag” bill that would allow law enforcement to temporarily seize firearms from a person deemed an immediate threat to themselves or others and a bill to close the “gun show loophole” —while a third bill that would have required firearm owners to report lost or stolen guns to law enforcement failed. The Philadelphia Inquirer has more.

House Judiciary Committee Passes Bills to Broaden “Ethnic Intimidation” Definition

Yesterday, the state House Judiciary Committee passed a bill package that would expand the state’s definition of “ethnic intimidation” to include LGBTQ+ and disabled residents as a means of protecting these historically vulnerable groups. The Pennsylvania Capital-Star has more.

House Finance Committee Advances Property Tax Relief Bill

On Tuesday, the state House Finance Committee unanimously approved a bill that would expand eligibility for Pennsylvania’s Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program and increase the maximum allowable rebate by more than 50%. City & State Pennsylvania has more.

House Democrats Aim to Restore Powers to Environmental Quality Board

On Tuesday, the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee advanced legislation that would restore the Environmental Quality Board’s ability to raise bond prices on conventional drillers in an effort to address the issue of Pennsylvania’s many abandoned and orphaned oil and gas wells. Spotlight PA has more.

Group of State Representatives Launches Pennsylvania Progressive Caucus

On Tuesday, a group of 34 state representatives announced the formation of the new Pennsylvania Progressive Caucus, seeking to halt political corruption and curb the impact of corporate interests on legislation. PoliticsPA has more.

Pennsylvania Supreme Court Likely Split Over Governor’s Powers to Institute Carbon-Pricing Plan

Pennsylvania Supreme Court justices appear to be split over whether the governor has the right to unilaterally institute and enforce — without approval from the state legislature — what opponents argue is essentially a tax on power plants for surpassing greenhouse gas emissions limits under a cap-and-trade carbon-pricing program enacted by former Governor Tom Wolf. The decision will ultimately determine whether the commonwealth will be able to join the multistate Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. The Associated Press has more.

IFO Releases Initial Revenue Projections for FY 2023-24

The Independent Fiscal Office (IFO) has released its initial revenue projections for fiscal year 2023-24. Notably, the IFO is not anticipating a recession over the next two years, and is expecting inflation to drop to 3.2% in 2024. The report can be viewed here.

 

Philadelphia

Democratic Mayoral Nominee Parker Hosts “Unity Breakfast”

Yesterday, Democratic mayoral nominee Cherelle Parker held a “unity breakfast” with the majority of her former competitors, emphasizing their shared values heading into the general election season. The Philadelphia Inquirer has more.

SEPTA Announces Upgrade to Bus, Trolley Fare Collection Boxes

SEPTA announced Tuesday that it will be spending $22 million to upgrade the increasingly obsolete fare collection boxes in its fleet of buses and trolleys. WHYY has more.

School District Expects to Find More Damaged Asbestos, Lead Paint As Inspections Ramp Up

The 2022-23 academic year marked the closure of several Philadelphia schools due to the discovery of damaged asbestos — one of these schools, Frankford High School, may remain closed into the next school year. Officials at the School District of Philadelphia are expecting to find more environmental hazards like damaged asbestos and lead paint with continued inspections in the coming weeks and months. WHYY has more.

 

Pittsburgh

Allegheny County Council Imposes Contribution Limit for County Candidates; County Executive Fitzgerald Expected to Veto

On Tuesday, Allegheny County Council voted 13-2 to limit the amount of money donors can contribute to candidates for county office. The bill is now headed to the desk of County Executive Rich Fitzgerald, who had previously indicated that he may veto it. WESA has more.

Smithfield Street Homeless Shelter to Close Next Month

In the midst of what many consider to be a citywide homelessness crisis, Allegheny County officials have announced the impending closure of the shelter at the Smithfield United Church of Christ. Mayor Ed Gainey and other Pittsburgh officials and partners are working toward solutions to address the needs of the increasing number of people living outside. PublicSource has more.

Pittsburgh City Council Confirms New Police Chief Scirotto

Larry Scirotto, Mayor Ed Gainey’s nominee to become Pittsburgh’s police chief, was unanimously confirmed by City Council on Tuesday. The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review has more.

 

Federal

State Senator Mastriano Expected to Launch U.S. Senate Campaign This Evening

Despite several high-profile detractors from his own party — whom he shrugged off earlier this week — state Senator Doug Mastriano is expected to make a “special announcement” regarding his candidacy for U.S. Senate at 8 p.m. on Facebook Live. YourErie has more.

As Debt Ceiling Negotiations Continue, Republicans Doubt June 1 Deadline

Republicans in Congress — including Representative Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, Chairman of the House Freedom Caucus — are increasingly skeptical of the firmness of the June 1 deadline set by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen. The Hill has more.