August 25, 2021 4:05 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) – Inmates in Pennsylvania’s state prisons will be counted in their home districts and not where their prisons are located after a divided vote by the five-member panel redrawing legislative district maps this year. The Pennsylvania Legislative Reapportionment Commission voted 3-to-2 on Tuesday for the policy shift that had been introduced by House Minority Leader Joanna McClinton, a Philadelphia Democrat. The House and Senate Republican leaders voted no, while McClinton was joined by the Senate Democratic floor leader and by the commission’s chair, former University of Pittsburgh Chancellor Mark Nordenberg.
August 25, 2021 4:04 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) – Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration is ending a lawsuit against IBM after suing the company four years ago and accusing it of failing to deliver on a contract to produce an updated system for processing unemployment compensation claims. The Department of Labor and Industry refused to reveal any terms Tuesday other than saying that IBM “acknowledged no liability or wrongdoing.” The department only filed a one-sentence discontinuance in court. The lawsuit said the technology giant was paid $170 million on a 2006 contract but had delivered a failed project by the time the state let the contract expire in 2013. IBM had said the state’s claims had no merit.
August 25, 2021 4:02 am
WILKES-BARRE, Pa. (AP) – A woman who pleaded guilty to coughing and spitting on food at a supermarket in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic has been sentenced to at least a year in jail. Thirty-seven-year-old Margaret Ann Cirko pleaded guilty to a felony count of making bomb threats. She was sentenced Tuesday in Pennsylvania. Authorities say Cirko entered a Gerrity’s Supermarket near Wilkes-Barre, on March 25, 2020, and purposely coughed on fresh produce and other merchandise while yelling that she had the virus. The supermarket had to throw out more than $35,000 worth of merchandise. Cirko tested negative for COVID-19, according to her attorney.
August 25, 2021 4:00 am
North Strabane residents rejoiced after a park removal project was unanimously rejected at the township’s board of supervisors meeting on Tuesday. The project would rebrand Borland Manor park’s status as a vacant lot rather than recreational space, according to township manager Andrew L. Walz. “Because the property was deeded to the township back in the ‘40s as a recreation space, to remove that recreation space, the solicitor would’ve had to have authorization from supervisors to go to the courts and have that recreation removed,” says Walz. Once removed from the deed, that property would be sold off by the township. Frustrated residents urged the board to instead keep the park space. Resident Dave Banish said the property, which is mostly green space, is still a “gold park” that needs improved equipment instead. A neighboring resident worried that her property value would decrease if the lot were sold. The board of supervisors afterwards voted to reject the removal process, putting the township “back at square one”, according to Walz. “It either stays the way it is or there’s some planning to see what might be capable of putting into this one and a half acre park,” says Walz. Resident Kristy Scarmazzi says she’s grateful that the park can stay. “The kids need a nice, safe, green space to play, to grow, and to burn off energy- and there’s nowhere close by- the road is too busy for the kids to play in the front yard,” says Scarmazzi. Brain Virgin says the board’s denial to call it a vacant lot is a “good start,” but he hopes to see the township improve it. “I’d like to see the park get restored to the little jewel it once was in the ‘70s and ‘80s,” says Virgin.
August 24, 2021 4:48 pm
PennDOT and AAA, along with state and local police, gathered at Allison Park Elementary School in Houston on Tuesday for a sort of “Refresher Course” for drivers on school bus safety. PennDOT spokesman Jay Ofsanik says that since many schools were closed for a good portion of 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic, many motorists may have gotten used to not seeing school buses on the roads and they wanted to create a forum to remind drivers that school is starting and it is important to follow rules and regulations regarding school buses. In addition, Ofsanik says August is National Back to School Safety Month and they wanted to remind drivers that law enforcement will be on the look out for motorists who are not observing the laws pertaining to school buses.
August 24, 2021 3:37 pm
NEW YORK (AP) – Hours after leaving office, scandal-tainted former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo suffered another defeat: losing the special Emmy Award he received last year for his daily, televised briefings on the coronavirus pandemic. The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences said in a statement Tuesday that given Cuomo’s resignation amid a torrent of sexual harassment allegations, it was taking away the prize and removing any reference to him in its official materials. Cuomo left office at 12 a.m. Tuesday, two weeks after he announced he would resign rather than face an impeachment battle that seemed inevitable after a report by independent investigators – overseen by state Attorney General Letitia James – concluded he had sexually harassed 11 women.
August 24, 2021 12:59 pm
LONDON (AP) – Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts has died at the age of 80, according to his publicist. Bernard Doherty said Tuesday that Watts “passed away peacefully in a London hospital earlier today surrounded by his family.” The drummer provided the backbone of the Rolling Stones’ songs for more than half a century. Watts had announced he would not tour with the Stones in 2021 because of an undefined health issue. He joined the Stones early in 1963 and ranked just behind Mick Jagger and Keith Richards as the group’s longest lasting and most essential member.
August 24, 2021 12:16 pm
BUTLER, Pa. (AP) – State police say a western Pennsylvania police officer was stabbed multiple times during a struggle with a man who he then shot and killed. Police say the Butler city officer responded shortly before 7 a.m. Tuesday to a report of a man “acting erratically and jumping in and out of oncoming traffic.” State police said the officer struggled with the man and was stabbed, then discharged his department-issued firearm, killing the man. The 27-year-old officer was reported in critical but stable condition at UPMC Presbyterian in Pittsburgh. The deceased man was identified as 35-year-old John Ebberts of Butler. (Photo: WPXI)
August 24, 2021 4:16 am
PHOENIX (AP) – The delivery of a report on the 2020 vote count to Arizona state Senate Republicans has been delayed yet again. The Senate GOP leader says the Donald Trump supporter hired to lead the effort and several others involved have contracted COVID-19 “and are quite sick.” Republican Senate President Karen Fann says she still expects to receive a portion of the report Monday. She didn’t give a date for delivery of the full draft. The delay is the latest for the unprecedented partisan review. It has so far taken more than double the 60 days it was originally supposed to take.
August 24, 2021 4:15 am
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) – Texas Republicans are bringing back their voting bill with no changes as some Democrats returned to the Capitol for the first time since ending their holdout. It was clear during a House hearing Monday that the bill is on track to become law after Democrats’ 38-day walkout. Dozens of people showed up to testify before lawmakers to seize their last chance for public input on the the bill that will tighten voting rules in ways the GOP says will ensure election integrity and that Democrats say amounts to voter suppression for disabled people and minorities. áBut even Texas residents and activists acknowledged the end of a losing battle is likely drawing near.
