August 29, 2019 4:08 am
SCRANTON, Pa. (AP) – Four men have filed suit against the Roman Catholic Diocese of Scranton and its current and former bishop over claims a priest sexually abused them when they were children. The plaintiffs are believed to be the first to take advantage of a recent Pennsylvania appeals court ruling that could make it easier for some victims of abuse to pursue civil claims.
The men, who range in age from 45 to 57, allege they were sexually abused by the Rev. Michael Pulicare as children. Pulicare died in 1999. In a statement, the diocese says it never received any allegations against him while he was alive. The diocese also says the suits rely on a “novel legal theory” to try to get around Pennsylvania’s statute of limitations.
August 29, 2019 3:50 am
A Monessen man who is accused of supplying the heroin and fentanyl that killed three people, including one person in Charleroi this summer, has been held for trial. According to a report in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, 30-year-old Delmar Pritchett was arrested last week in connection with the overdose death of Tamara Hill in Monessen on June 15th. Authorities believe Pritchett sold her the fentanyl that killed her. DEA agents say they also suspect that Pritchett’s heroin and fentanyl were responsible for two other fatal overdoses in August in Charleroi and Apollo and two non-fatal overdoses in Monessen and Fayette County.
August 29, 2019 3:47 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – A judge has dismissed most of the latest appeal arguments by a former University of Pittsburgh medical researcher in what prosecutors said was the cyanide poisoning death of his wife in 2013. But Common Pleas Judge Jeffrey Manning said 69-year-old Robert Ferrante is due a hearing on whether his previous attorneys erred in withdrawing a request to have his case heard by a jury chosen from outside Allegheny County. He also on Tuesday sought expanded arguments on other issues. The defense has been seeking a new trial for Ferrante, who was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life without parole in the April 2013 death of 41-year-old Dr. Autumn Klein. Prosecutors say he put cyanide in her energy drink, which text messages show he urged her to drink. (Photo: WPXI)
August 28, 2019 1:42 pm
(ap) – It could be lights out for tiny toiletries. Marriott International, the world’s largest hotel chain, said Wednesday it will eliminate small plastic bottles of shampoo, conditioner and bath gel from its hotel rooms worldwide by December 2020. They’ll be replaced with larger bottles or wall-mounted dispensers, depending on the hotel. The move follows a similar announcement last month by IHG, which owns Holiday Inn, Kimpton and other brands. IHG said it will eliminate about 200 million tiny bottles each year by 2021. Last year, Walt Disney Co. said it would replace small plastic shampoo bottles at its resorts and on its cruise ships. Many smaller companies, like the five Soneva Resorts in Thailand and the Maldives, have also ditched plastic bottles. (Photo: CNN)
August 28, 2019 1:23 pm
WHEELING, W.Va. (AP) – Notices filed in West Virginia and Ohio reveal that 1,079 workers will lose their jobs when two hospitals are closed this fall. The Intelligencer reports Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification filings indicate 736 workers will lose their jobs at Ohio Valley Medical Center in Wheeling, West Virginia, and 343 more will lose their jobs when East Ohio Regional Hospital closes in Martins Ferry, Ohio. The notices are legally required ahead of mass layoffs. California-based Alecto Healthcare Services owns the hospitals and announced this month they’d close as early as Oct. 7. The newspaper says the closures are expected to leave medical and economic holes across state lines. West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice and Rep. David McKinley have pledged to fill the gaps, but replacements haven’t been identified.
August 28, 2019 10:23 am
The decision by federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty for the man accused of killing 11 worshippers inside a Pittsburgh synagogue was made despite opposition from some of the people most affected by the massacre. The filing made this week by the U.S. attorney’s office in Pittsburgh disappointed Dor Hadash, one of three congregations assembled for worship in October when an armed man opened fire. Some opponents say they have a religious objection to the death penalty. Others say a plea deal could help survivors avoid reliving what was an extremely traumatic event. The 46-year-old truck driver Robert Bowers awaits trial. Bowers’ lawyer said in May she hopes the case can be resolved without a trial.
August 28, 2019 10:21 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – Former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis warns bitter political divisions have pushed American society to the “breaking point” in his most extensive public remarks since he resigned in protest from the Trump administration. Mattis also goes into some reasons he left the Trump administration in an excerpt from his book published Wednesday by The Wall Street Journal. The retired Marine general writes he quit in 2018 when he realized his advice to President Donald Trump “no longer resonated” particularly with regard to “keeping faith” with allies. Mattis resigned shortly after Trump announced he was pulling all U.S. troops from Syria. In Mattis’ view this amounted to betraying the Syrian Kurdish fighters who’d partnered with American troops to combat the Islamic State group. The essay was adapted from Mattis’ book, “Call Sign Chaos: Learning to Lead,” being published Sept. 3.
August 28, 2019 8:49 am
ORLAND PARK, Ill. (AP) – Authorities say a 2-year-old girl has died after part of a store display fell on her at a suburban Chicago mall. The Orland Park Police Department says in a statement that the child was injured inside the Akira clothing store at Orland Square Mall on Tuesday afternoon and was pronounced dead after being taken to a hospital. The fire department says the girl had been at the mall with an aunt. The child’s name wasn’t immediately released. Police say the death is under investigation. WLS-TV reports witnesses say the girl may have been climbing on the display. A statement on behalf of Chicago-based Akira says they’re “devastated by this tragic event.” The mall in a statement offered its “deepest sympathies.”
August 28, 2019 8:47 am
DETROIT (AP) – Toyota is recalling 191,000 cars in North America and Japan because the air bags may not inflate properly in a crash. The recall covers certain 2003 through 2008 Corolla compact sedans and 2005 through 2008 Matrix hatchbacks. Toyota says the front passenger air bags in the cars were installed in prior recalls to replace dangerous Takata airbags. But in high temperatures, the replacement bags may not unfold as designed, increasing the risk of injury in a crash. Toyota wouldn’t say if anyone has been hurt due to the problem. The company says the replacements were not made by Takata. Toyota says dealers will replace the air bag assemblies with improved versions at no cost to owners. The company will notify owners by letter starting in October.
August 28, 2019 4:54 am
After nearly a year, North Strabane Township Supervisors granted conditional use approval to the Scenic Valley Development. The 74 townhouse plan replaces a 4 story senior care facility that was originally proposed by Presbyterian Senior Care. Disapproval of the plan by neighboring communities triggered the abandonment of the project by Presbyterian Senior Care and brought about the new residential idea. Terry Bowe of Laurel Communities, developer of Scenic Valley, agreed to two additional conditions required by the supervisors. Scenic Valley will undergo additional geotechnical testing to assure that any slopes that are 3:1 or greater in slope ratio will maintain their integrity. Also required will be a $1000 per unit traffic impact fee. That fee will be designated to improve and maintain McDowell Lane. Supervisors and residents agree that even though it was a lengthy process, Laurel Communities worked very hard to maintain their status as “Good Neighbors”
