Pennsylvania category, Page 224

TANNERSVILLE — Authorities say an 80-year-old man hurt in a skiing accident at a Pennsylvania resort has died from his injuries. Rudolf Huber fell around 10:40 a.m. Saturday while skiing at Camelback Resort in Tannersville. The Pocono Township man was treated on scene by ski patrol members and then taken...

SCRANTON — Prosecutors say a former guard at a Pennsylvania county prison forced a female inmate to perform a sex act on him while he stood outside her cell in 2009. Opening statements got underway Tuesday in the case against 51-year-old George McHale. He’s the first of seven former guards...

HARRISBURG — State Sen. Daylin Leach announced on Monday that he is stepping aside — at least temporarily — from his role as the Democratic leader on an influential Senate committee as he fights decades-old allegations of sexual abuse. “I have always believed that as elected officials we should always...

The National Transportation Safety Board is working to decrease the number of traffic fatalities across the nation by targeting three key factors — speeding, alcohol- and drug-related incidents and distracted driving. The board announced its “Most Wanted” list Monday, targeting 10 safety areas officials think could be improved upon. The...

Allegheny County defense attorney Ryan James, 34, of White Oak, will seek the nomination to the Pennsylvania Superior Court, he announced Monday. Two 10-year terms are up for grabs on the statewide appellate court that hears first appeals on most criminal and civil court rulings. After getting a law degree...

Online gaming is already a big hit even though it is still in its infancy. Internet gaming has generated a billion dollars in revenue for New Jersey casinos and millions in new income for the state treasuries in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. But an unwelcome guest crashed the internet gaming...

SUNBURY, Pa. — A pregnant Pennsylvania teacher who alleges that she was fired from her Catholic school job because the diocese was upset that she wasn’t married has filed suit contesting her termination. Naiad Reich filed a breach of contract suit Friday in Northumberland County against the Roman Catholic Diocese...

ROCHESTER — Authorities say a sport utility vehicle fell nearly 15 feet off railroad tracks in Western Pennsylvania into a park, killing two men. Police in Rochester said the car was being driven along the Norfolk Southern tracks intentionally Saturday, then apparently slid and rolled down a hill, landing on...

PHILADELPHIA — There are times in court when Qawi Abdul-Rahman, a Center City-based defense attorney, gets the sense that folks listening didn’t understand a piece of testimony. “You get it all the time, truthfully,” Abdul-Rahman said. He’s been concerned that the true meaning of statements like “I don’t fool with...

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Two Pennsylvania state lawmakers are making a disputed claim in a long-running effort by elections officials to determine how many non-U.S. citizens had registered to vote over the years. On Tuesday, the lawmakers said there had been confirmation that 11,198 foreign nationals had illegally registered to vote....

The parents of Tim Piazza, who died after an alcohol-fueled fraternity pledge party at Pennsylvania State University two years ago, filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against 28 former members of the fraternity, but settled with Penn State without filing a lawsuit, their lawyer said. Neither the university nor Jim and Evelyn...

PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. — Members of Punxsutawney Phil’s inner circle revealed spring is coming early.Handlers for Pennsylvania’s most famous prognosticating groundhog say he didn’t see his shadow when the sun rose Saturday. The festivities have their origin in a German legend that says if a furry rodent casts a shadow on...

ASHLEY — Two women who say they were coerced into sex with a Pennsylvania police officer have filed a federal lawsuit alleging he violated their constitutional rights. The Citizens’ Voice reports 29-year-old Mark Icker, of Dickson City, is facing sexual assault, official oppression and related charges alleging he pressured the...

ALLENTOWN — A woman and her teen daughter are suing a Pennsylvania amusement park, saying the costumed ghouls at its Halloween attraction were too terrifying. The (Allentown) Morning Call reports that Shannon Sacco and her daughter are seeking more than $150,000 from Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom and its parent...

ASHLEY — Two women who said they were coerced into sex with a Pennsylvania police officer filed a federal lawsuit alleging he violated their constitutional rights. Mark Icker, 29, of Dickson City is facing sexual assault, official oppression and related charges alleging he pressured the two women into performing oral...

PHILADELPHIA — A powerful union boss with a tight grip on construction jobs in the Philadelphia region and outsized influence in city and state politics has been indicted in alleged schemes to embezzle more than $600,000 and have a councilman on the union payroll to do his bidding at City...

READING — More than two dozen vehicles have been involved in a chain-reaction crash on a central Pennsylvania highway after a snow squall caused whiteout conditions. Wyomissing Police Chief Jeffrey Biehl says about 27 vehicles were involved in the crash just after 1 p.m. Wednesday on Route 222, about 60...

HARRISBURG — Gov. Tom Wolf is rolling out a second-term proposal to raise Pennsylvania’s minimum wage after similar first-term proposals by the Democrat fell flat in the Republican-controlled Legislature. Wolf said Wednesday he wants to raise Pennsylvania’s hourly minimum to $12 this year, making it one of the highest in...

Tyson Foods is recalling more than 36,400 pounds of chicken nuggets that may be contaminated with rubber. Announced Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, the recall applies to 5-pound plastic packages of Tyson White Meat Panko Chicken Nuggets with a “best if used by”...

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Gov. Tom Wolf is renewing his call for lawmakers to pass legislation expanding background checks on firearms in Pennsylvania and end an exception for shotguns, sporting rifles and semi-automatic rifles that are sold at gun shows. The Democratic governor’s statement Tuesday comes three months after a truck...

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Pennsylvania’s Senate is resuming a push to make the Eastern hellbender the state’s official amphibian, an effort to highlight the plight of a creature whose numbers researchers say are declining because of pollution in rivers and streams. The bill emerged unanimously Tuesday from a Senate committee. A...

One day before the deadline for comments, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf went on record opposing the federal government’s proposed rollbacks in regulations governing allegations of sexual harassment and sexual assault in schools and colleges. In a letter to U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, Wolf voiced concerns Tuesday about proposed...

Pennsylvania lawmakers and county leaders must move quickly to secure the state’s election infrastructure in advance of the 2020 presidential election, an independent bipartisan commission said Tuesday. The Blue Ribbon Commission on Pennsylvania’s Election Security recommended that the state and federal government provide money to help underwrite the costs for...

HARRISBURG, Pa. — A report issued Tuesday says Pennsylvania should adopt changes to make its elections more secure — encouraging the replacement of older voting machines, enhanced security of voter rolls and better contingency planning for cyberattacks and other technological challenges. The Blue Ribbon Commission on Pennsylvania’s Election Security report...

BETHLEHEM — Authorities say a Pennsylvania man shackled his wife inside his vehicle numerous times while he went to work because he was concerned she was cheating on him. John VanHorn is charged with false imprisonment. Bethlehem police found the woman Wednesday when they responded to reports of a woman...