Wake-up Call: wrong number, workers comp politics, opioids, campaigns

April 27--Good morning! It's raining, Julia, in central Pa.

That lines comes from my youth. When I was a kid an elderly lady used to call our house in Philly on very early rainy mornings to give a weather report -- to the wrong family.

"It's raining, Julia," she'd say squeakily, waking up my father who had gotten off police shift work.

"@#%$@#&*$ Julia doesn't live here &%#$$," my dad screamed into the rotary handle.

It went on for years. Hahaha. OK, I'm done laughing.

Here's your bit of early news.

Workers comp, opioids and politics

Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf is expected to veto Senate Bill 936 today. It would limit the amount of prescriptions injured workers can receive for their medical care.

Democrats like Wolf, unions and trial lawyers dislike the bill, saying it weakens workers' legal and medical rights. Republicans, business leaders and insurance officials say it controls costs and protects patients like other government-run programs that cap prescriptions.

To gear up for that veto, Wolf on Thursday announced he had signed an executive order outlining steps to curb opioid presecriptions in workers comp cases. It's not enough, GOP lawmakers say in urging him to sign the bill.

Stay tuned.

Politics of legislative bill-making ripped

Morning Call columnist Paul Muschick again whacks Pennsylvania lawmakers for the way they put inter-chamber politics above citizens.

He criticized a Senate panel for passing a Senate bill that would fix the state's restitution law to force thieves to pay back money they were convicted of stealing from Little Leagues, churches, governments and other non-human entities.

In passing it's bill, the Senate panel ignored a similar bill the House had adopted in the fall.

By opting for their own bill, the Senate starts the bill-making process over instead of fast-tracking the House bill, potentially hurting more victims of financial fraud, Muschick writes.

Emily's List comes to money rescue

Democrat Susan Wild's congressional run just got a big financial boost from Emily's List, a national group that supports female candidates who support abortion rights.

The group announced Thursday it will be spending money on direct mail and TV ads in her bid to replace retiring Rep. Charlie Dent, who has represented the Lehigh Valley since 2005.

The ads will target, arguably, her biggest primary competitor: Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli, writes Morning Call reporter Nicole Radzievich.

Opioids in a pinch

Pennsylvania is getting another $26.5 million in federal aid to help fight opioid addiction, particularly in rural areas, writes Associated Press reporter Marc Levy.

Next gubernatorial debate

The primary election is inching ever so slowly near. That means the debate schedule is winding down for Republican candidates for governor.

The last debate of the primary season will be held at 7 p.m. May 4 for a live television debate at the studio of WGAL 8 TV, that's a central Pennsylvania station.

The candidates are corporate lawyer Laura Ellsworth, retired health-care consultant Paul Mango and Scott Wagner, a state senator and businessman.

The debate will be moderated by WGAL News 8 anchor Janelle Stelson and government reporter Mike Straub.

"The race to take on Governor Wolf has taken a noticeably aggressive tone among some of these candidates, and there are stark differences in how all three hope to move Pennsylvania forward," Straub said in a statement. "This debate will give voters one of the final chances to see those differences on display before May 15."

Earlier this week, the candidates participated in a debate hosted by two other central Pennsylvania news outlets, WHTM-TV and Lancaster Newspapers.

In that debate, held Tuesday, Mango and Wagner clashed over negative TV ads and Ellsworth scolded them both.

steve.esack@mcall.com

717-783-7309

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