Pennsylvania Headlines
Group battles to repeal state’s prevailing wage repeal
By Tory N. Parrish 12:01 a.m.A group of lawmakers and pro-business activists is pushing anew to repeal the state’s prevailing-wage law, a rule they say drives up the labor costs of many public projects and sticks taxpayers with unnecessarily larger bills. To succeed, they’ll have to overcome union influence and 50 years of history with …
Court upholds most ‘kids for cash’ judge’s convictions
By The Associated PressHARRISBURG — All but one of the convictions of a former county judge in the “kids for cash” juvenile justice scandal in northeastern Pennsylvania were upheld Friday by a federal appeals court. A three-judge panel of the 3rd U.S. Circuit …
No bail for parents in faith-healing death
By The Associated PressPHILADELPHIA — After their 2-year-old son died of untreated pneumonia in 2009, faith-healing advocates Herbert and Catherine Schaible promised a judge that they would not let another sick child go without medical care. But now they’ve lost an 8-month-old child …
House panel to look at nonprofits trying to influence state races
By Brad Bumsted and Megan RogersHARRISBURG — The House State Government Committee in June will hold a hearing to examine nonprofit groups that spend money to influence campaigns with little public disclosure about who runs the groups and contributes to them. The committee’s chairman, Rep. …
Wounded veteran gets mortgage-free Dormont house
By Jason CatoMany soldiers enjoy warm homecomings. Tyler Schell received the keys to his first home. “I’ve never been a homeowner. I’ve always lived in apartments,” Schell, …
Board: Former IU 4 chief authorized $110K of her charges, provided few receipts
By Bill VidonicFormer Midwestern Intermediate Unit 4 Executive Director Cecelia Yauger personally authorized the IU to pay nearly $110,000 in charges to her IU credit card while providing few itemized receipts, according to documents the Tribune-Review obtained. Auditors are trying to determine …
Former Speaker DeWeese expected to remain in prison
By Brad BumstedHARRISBURG — Former House Speaker Bill DeWeese likely will serve out the remainder of his prison term, because his appeals could drag on well beyond the end of his sentence, legal experts say. There is an outside chance that DeWeese, …
State commits annual $3.8M to Pittsburgh-Harrisburg Amtrak line
By Tom FontaineState leaders are committing $3.8 million a year to save a passenger rail route that Amtrak acknowledges is “not as efficient or as useful as it might be.” Supporters of Amtrak’s Pennsylvanian, which provides the only passenger rail service between …
Corbett wants clarification on education standards
By The Associated PressHARRISBURG — Gov. Tom Corbett has asked state education officials to clarify that proposed academic achievement standards for Pennsylvania public school students are not uniform national standards, a step a spokesman said is designed to respond to criticism of the …
Tornado a warning for schools in Pittsburgh region
By Tory N. ParrishPennsylvania law does not require schools to have safe rooms to protect students during severe storms, but does mandate at least one disaster drill annually, officials said. The monster tornado that devastated Moore, Okla., and parts of Oklahoma City on …
Rare copy of Bill of Rights could make stop in Pittsburgh
By Matthew SantoniA rare copy of the original Bill of Rights — possibly the one George Washington sent to Pennsylvania for ratification in 1789 — will go on public display for the first time in decades in fall 2014 at Philadelphia’s National …
Salena Zito Reporting
Minority Leader Pelosi’s priority: Recapturing House for Democrats
By Salena ZitoWASHINGTON — Nancy Pelosi says she cares more about enabling Democrats to regain control of the U.S. House than becoming speaker again. “It’s not about …
Brad Bumsted
House panel to look at nonprofits trying to influence state races
By Brad Bumsted and Megan RogersHARRISBURG — The House State Government Committee in June will hold a hearing to examine nonprofit groups that spend money to influence campaigns with little public disclosure about who runs the groups and contributes to them. The committee’s chairman, Rep. …
