Wake-Up Call: Wednesday, August 6, 2008

With the PolitickerPA.com Wake-Up Call e-mailed to your inbox, phone, Blackberry or PDA first thing in the morning, you can get a rundown of Pennsylvania's top political headlines. Sign up to get the Wake-Up Call delivered every morning.

With the PolitickerPA.com Wake-Up Call e-mailed to your inbox, phone, Blackberry or PDA first thing in the morning, you can get a rundown of Pennslyvania's top political headlines. Sign up to get the Wake-Up Call delivered every morning.

Altmire: Pelosi 'starting to lose her grip' on drilling bill

U.S. Rep. Jason Altmire (D-McCandless) reiterated Tuesday his support of a bill that would allow expanded offshore domestic oil drilling, telling PolitickerPA.com in an interview that despite his earlier opposition, the bi-partisan compromise must be voted on by Sept. 30 to advance the country's energy debate. (PolitickerPA.com, Alex Roarty)

Link: http://www.politickerpa.com/alexroarty/1106/altmire-pelosi-losing-her-gr...

Approval ratings for DeWeese, legislature drop amid Bonusgate

HARRISBURG - The state legislature is suffering from dismal public-approval ratings, and three out of four Pennsylvania voters believe it will not take steps to clean up corruption in the wake of the Bonusgate scandal. (Inquirer, Mario Cattabiani)

Link: http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/20080806_Approval_ratings_for_DeWee...

Nutter seeks to reassure DHS workers

Twenty-four hours after he harshly criticized the Department of Human Services employees linked to the death of 14-year-old Danieal Kelly, Mayor Nutter sought to placate hundreds of their angry colleagues during a series of tense, closed-door meetings. (Inquirer, Patrick Kerkstra)

Link: http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/20080806_Nutter_seeks_to_reassure_D...

Phila. program to aid Community College students

Mayor Nutter and Community College of Philadelphia plan to introduce a program tomorrow that will offer financial help to Philadelphia students to complete their degree if they already have earned 30 or more credits. (Inquirer, Susan Snyder)

Link: http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/20080806_Phila__program_to_aid_Comm...

Councilman's aide, 3 others indicted in fraud

City Councilman Jack Kelly's chief of staff, his campaign treasurer, and two prominent Bucks County developers were indicted on fraud and corruption charges yesterday, accused of trading favors and money for influence in City Hall. (Inquirer, Jeff Sheilds)

Link: http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/20080806_Councilman_s_aide__3_other...

Blackwell calls on Mayor to accelerate plans for homeless

City Councilwoman Jannie L. Blackwell, a staunch advocate for the homeless, yesterday called on the Nutter administration to step up efforts on their behalf by ending the discharging of hospital patients without a plan to house them, opening daytime "cafes" in Center City, and providing 700 promised new homes within 60 days. (Inquirer, Jeff Sheilds)

Link: http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/20080806_Blackwell_calls_on_Mayor_t...

Register online for alternative-energy fund

HARRISBURG - Homeowners and businesses seeking new ways to produce and conserve energy can register online for updates on the state's new $650 million Alternative Energy Investment Fund. (Inquirer, Matthew Spolar)

Link: http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/20080806_Register_online_for_altern...

Ex-Pa. lawmaker, aide get probation

HARRISBURG - A former Erie County state lawmaker and an aide avoided jail time by pleading guilty yesterday to forging signatures, including a dead person's, on nominating petitions for the 2006 primary. (Inquirer, AP)

Link: http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/20080806_Ex-Pa__lawmaker__aide_get_...

Police chiefs & mayors converging here to confront crime patterns

Soaring gas prices, rising unemployment and mounting home foreclosures are taking a toll on the nation's police chiefs.

Top cops and mayors, gathering in Philly today for a crime forum sponsored by the U.S. Conference of Mayors, said that they are seeing an increase in crimes that they attribute to economic hardship - like shoplifting or the theft of metal to sell as scrap. (Philly Daily News, Catherine Lucey)

Link: http://www.philly.com/dailynews/local/20080806_Police_chiefs___mayors_co...

John Baer: Ed and Specter are up in new poll; DeWeese and Legislature down

THE LEGISLATURE'S lousy, Bill DeWeese must go, Arlen Specter beats Chris Matthews and even though nobody likes Gov. Eddie's policies, everybody still loves Eddie.

These, in a nutshell, are findings in a Quinnipiac University Poll of 1,580 Pennsylvania voters surveyed last week and released yesterday. (Philly Daily News, John Baer)

Link: http://www.philly.com/dailynews/local/20080806_John_Baer__Ed_and_Specter...

Rendell to visit, presents in hand

WILKES-BARRE – Gov. Ed Rendell will visit the area on Thursday and is expected to announce funding for two major projects in Wilkes-Barre.

Rendell has already announced his visit to Hazleton. (Times Leader, Bill O'Boyle)

Link: http://www.timesleader.com/news/Rendell_to_visit__presents_in_hand_08-06...

'Hardball' host a possible Specter challenger

HARRISBURG -- On his nightly MSNBC talk show called "Hardball," host Chris Matthews yaks incessantly about all sorts of things political.

But when asked if he might run in 2010 as the Democratic challenger to longtime Republican U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter, the Philadelphia-area native hasn't had much to say. (Post Gazette, Tom Barnes)

Link: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08219/902066-176.stm?cmpid=elections.xml

Corbett urged to decide on GOP charges by fall

HARRISBURG -- Voters deserve to know before the November election whether Republicans as well as Democrats will be charged in the public corruption scandal at the state Capitol, Gov. Ed Rendell said Tuesday. (Tribune Review, Brad Bumsted)

Link: http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_581330.html

Poll: Voters don't believe lawmakers will stop corruption

HARRISBURG -- Three of four Pennsylvanians aren't convinced the state Legislature will fix apparent corruption problems that surfaced in an ongoing grand jury investigation, a poll released today shows. (Tribune Review, Brad Bumsted)

Link: http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_581226.html

Another Congressional candidate in the mix in the 13th district

A Northeast Philadelphia businessman says he has filed nominating papers to join tha ballot for the 13th Congressional District, throwing his hat into a race against a strong Democratic incumbent and a Republican challenger who has so far struggled to gain traction. (PolitickerPA.com, Dan Hirschorn)

Link: http://www.politickerpa.com/danh/1101/another-congressional-candidate-mi...

With the PolitickerPA.com Wake-Up Call e-mailed to your inbox, phone, Blackberry or PDA first thing in the morning, you can get a rundown of Pennsylvania's top political headlines. Sign up to get the Wake-Up Call delivered every morning.