A FEDERAL APPEALS COURT HAS RULED THAT A PENNSYLVANIA FIFTH-GRADER CAN DISTRIBUTE INVITATIONS TO A CHURCH CHRISTMAS PARTY AT HER PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. THE COURT SAID YESTERDAY THERE'S NO EVIDENCE THE FLYERS WOULD PROVE DISRUPTIVE AT SCHOOL. THAT'S THE SUPREME COURT STANDARD FOR MOST FREE SPEECH CASES INVOLVING STUDENTS. THE CHURCH FLYER ADVERTISED A 2010 CHRISTMAS PARTY AT INNOVATION CHURCH IN MT. POCONO, WITH FACE PAINTING, MUSIC AND GAMES. THE COURT NOTES THAT THE POCONO MOUNTAIN SCHOOL DISTRICT LETS STUDENTS BRING HOME FLYERS ABOUT OTHER NON-SCHOOL EVENTS. THE RULING UPHOLDS A PRELIMINARY DECISION BY A LOWER COURT.
EMMAUS POLICE SAY A NINTH-GRADE STUDENT IS CHARGED WITH A DECEMBER 20 BOMB THREAT DIRECTED AT THE EMMAUS HIGH SCHOOL. THE FEMALE STUDENT ISN'T BEING IDENTIFIED BY EMMAUS POLICE, BUT THEY'RE SAYING SHE IS CHARGED WITH MAKING TERRORISTIC THREATS. THE SCHOOL HAS RECEIVED THREE BOMB THREATS OVER THE PAST THREE MONTHS, HOWEVER EMMAUS POLICE DON'T BELIEVE THE STUDENT CHARGED IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE OTHER TWO.
THE JANUARY DEATH OF A NEW HOPE BARTENDER HAS BEEN RULED ACCIDENTAL. THE HUNTERDON COUNTY PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE SAYS SARAH MAJORAS HAD A "HIGH LEVEL" OF ALCOHOL IN HER SYSTEM WHEN SHE ACCIDENTALLY FELL INTO THE DELAWARE AND RARITAN CANAL ON THE MORNING OF JANUARY 26. MAJORAS WAS WALKING HOME FROM WORK WHEN SHE FELL INTO THE WATER. HER BODY WAS FOUND FOUR DAYS LATER.
AN EASTON MAN IS IN THE HOSPITAL AFTER AN INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENT TUESDAY MORNING IN PHILLIPSBURG, NEW JERSEY. RAYMUNDO PEREZ WAS WORKING AT ATLANTIC STATES CAST IRON PIPE COMPANY WHEN HE WAS PINCHED IN THE MACHINERY. RESCUE CREWS WERE ABLE TO FREE PEREZ AND HE WAS TAKEN TO ST. LUKE'S HOSPITAL IN FOUNTAIN HILL. HE'S LISTED IN FAIR CONDITION.
A PARKLAND HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE HAS SURVIVED TO COOK ANOTHER WEEK ON FOX TV'S "HELL'S KITCHEN." 26-YEAR-OLD JESSICA LEWIS WILL RETURN FOR NEXT WEEK'S EPISODE AFTER A BROOKLYN MAN WAS ELIMINATED ON TUESDAY NIGHT'S SHOW. PHILLIPSBURG NATIVE CHRISTINA WILSON WON LAST YEAR'S COMPETITION.
GOV. TOM CORBETT PLANS TO ASK ATTORNEY GENERAL KATHLEEN KANE'S OFFICE TO REVERSE ITS REJECTION OF A CONTRACT WITH A BRITISH FIRM TO MANAGE THE $3.5 BILLION PENNSYLVANIA LOTTERY. SENATE PRESIDENT JOE SCARNATI SAYS ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS HAVE TOLD HIM THEY'RE MAKING CHANGES IN THE CONTRACT WITH LONDON-BASED CAMELOT GLOBAL SERVICES THAT KANE REJECTED LAST MONTH OVER CONCERNS THAT PARTS OF IT CONTRAVENE THE STATE CONSTITUTION OR VIOLATE STATE LAW. SCARNATI SAYS THE CHANGES ARE IN PREPARATION TO RESUBMIT IT FOR HER APPROVAL. A SPOKESWOMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE, WHICH OVERSEES THE LOTTERY, HAS DECLINED COMMENT -- OTHER THAN TO SAY THAT CERTAIN CHANGES TO THE CONTRACT WOULD NOT TRIGGER THE NEED FOR A NEW ROUND OF BIDDING. SHE SAYS THE CORBETT ADMINISTRATION WILL SAY MORE LATER THIS WEEK, ONCE IT ANNOUNCES ITS NEXT STEPS. THE ADMINISTRATION HAS A SATURDAY DEADLINE TO APPEAL KANE'S DECISION IN COURT.
TWELVE JURORS HAVE NOW BEEN SELECTED FOR THE CAPITAL MURDER TRIAL OF A PHILADELPHIA ABORTION PROVIDER. DR. KERMIT GOSNELL IS CHARGED WITH EIGHT COUNTS OF MURDER IN THE DEATHS OF A FEMALE PATIENT AND SEVEN BABIES WHO PROSECUTORS SAY WERE KILLED AFTER BEING BORN. GOSNELL HAS PLEADED NOT GUILTY. AFTER MORE THAN A WEEK OF JURY SELECTION, A PHILADELPHIA MAN BECAME THE LAST REGULAR JUROR CHOSEN TUESDAY. BUT LAWYERS ARE STILL SEARCHING FOR SIX ALTERNATES SINCE THE TRIAL COULD LAST TWO MONTHS. PROSECUTORS SAY THE 72-YEAR-OLD GOSNELL RAN A ROGUE CLINIC THAT FLOUTED HEALTH AND SAFETY LAWS GOVERNING ABORTIONS, ANESTHESIA AND THE DISTRIBUTION OF PAINKILLERS. A 2011 GRAND JURY REPORT ALLEGES THAT UNTRAINED STAFF PERFORMED COMPLEX MEDICAL DUTIES BEFORE GOSNELL CAME TO THE CLINIC EACH DAY.
PHILADELPHIA'S POLICE COMMISSIONER SAYS HE FINDS IT "TROUBLING" THAT A JUDGE WHO ACQUITTED A FORMER LIEUTENANT OF ASSAULTING A WOMAN AT A PARADE LAST YEAR IS MARRIED TO A POLICE OFFICER. COMMISSIONER CHARLES RAMSEY FINDS THE REVELATION "A LITTLE BIT ON THE TROUBLING SIDE, TO SAY THE LEAST." HE SAYS NEWS OF THE RELATIONSHIP SHOULDN'T HAVE COME AFTER THE FACT. LAST MONTH, MUNICIPAL JUDGE PATRICK DUGAN ACQUITTED JONATHAN JOSEY OF ASSAULTING 40-YEAR-OLD AIDA GUZMAN AFTER A PUERTO RICAN DAY PARADE, AN INCIDENT CAUGHT ON VIDEO. THE WOMAN'S LAWYER LATER SAID IT "LOOKS REALLY, REALLY BAD" THAT DUGAN NEVER MENTIONED HE WAS MARRIED TO A PHILADELPHIA POLICE OFFICER.
A BILL DESIGNED TO HELP MORE PUPPY BUYERS GET THEIR MONEY BACK AFTER BUYING A SICK OR DISEASED DOG IS ON ITS WAY TO THE PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. A BILL PASSED THE SENATE UNANIMOUSLY TUESDAY TO STRENGTHEN PENNSYLVANIA'S 1997 PUPPY LEMON LAW IN SEVERAL WAYS. UNDER THE BILL, THE BUYER COULD SEEK REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE TREATMENT OF INCURABLE CONDITIONS, SUCH AS HIP DYSPLASIA. CURRENTLY, BUYERS MAY ONLY GET THEIR MONEY BACK FOR THE TREATMENT OF CURABLE CONDITIONS. IT ALSO WOULD EXTEND THE PERIOD DURING WHICH A VET COULD IDENTIFY A CONGENITAL CONDITION TO HELP THE PUPPY BUYER GET REIMBURSED. THAT WOULD GO FROM 30 TO 90 DAYS. ALSO, THE PERIOD FOR A VETERINARIAN TO CERTIFY AN ILLNESS WOULD BE EXTENDED FROM 10 TO 14 DAYS.
THE FLIGHT 93 NATIONAL MEMORIAL AT SHANKSVILLE, WHERE A PLANE CRASHED IN THE 9/11 TERRORIST ATTACKS IS SEEKING VOLUNTEERS FOR A TREE PLANTING DAY APRIL 27. THE DAILY AMERICAN OF SOMERSET REPORTS THAT VOLUNTEERS, AGES 14 AND OLDER, MUST REGISTER AT THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE WEBSITE. NO WALK-UPS WILL BE ACCEPTED. AUTHORITIES EXPECT TO PLANT 15,000 SEEDLINGS ON 23 ACRES. VOLUNTEERS WILL BE SUPERVISED BY A PROFESSIONAL FORESTER, AND ARE ADVISED TO PREPARE FOR COLD, WET AND MUDDY CONDITIONS. THE MEMORIAL IS ABOUT 80 MILES SOUTHEAST OF PITTSBURGH. IT MARKS WHERE A HIJACKED UNITED AIRLINES JET CRASHED ON SEPT. 11, 2001. INVESTIGATORS BELIEVE THE HIJACKERS PLANNED TO CRASH THE PLANE IN WASHINGTON, D.C., BUT WERE THWARTED BY PASSENGERS AND CREW MEMBERS. EVERYONE ABOARD DIED.
THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY SAYS IT HAS MADE $2.7 BILLION IN FLOOD INSURANCE PAYMENTS TO NEW JERSEY CLAIMANTS SINCE SUPERSTORM SANDY HIT THE STATE LAST OCTOBER. THE AGENCY ALSO SAYS IT HAS APPROVED $367.3 MILLION OVERALL IN GRANTS FOR INDIVIDUALS AND HOUSEHOLDS AND ANOTHER $318 MILLION FOR HOUSING ASSISTANCE. IT ALSO HAS APPROVED $188 MILLION IN PUBLIC ASSISTANCE GRANTS TO COMMUNITIES AND SOME NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THAT SERVE THE PUBLIC. MEANWHILE, THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION HAS GIVEN OUT $586 BILLION IN DISASTER LOANS TO HOMEOWNERS, RENTERS AND BUSINESSES AFFECTED BY SANDY.
GOVERNOR CHRIS CHRISTIE WANTS TO USE THE FIRST ALLOCATION OF POST-SUPERSTORM SANDY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT GRANTS TO HELP REBUILD HARD-HIT HOMES AND BUSINESSES. OFFICIALS IN CHRISTIE'S ADMINISTRATION TOLD THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ON TUESDAY THE PLAN WOULD GIVE HOMEOWNERS GRANTS FOR FIXING STORM-DAMAGED HOUSES, GIVE BUSINESSES NO-INTEREST LOANS TO STAY AFLOAT AND GIVE LANDLORDS INCENTIVES TO RENT TO LOW-INCOME PEOPLE. MOST OF THE PROGRAMS ARE SIMILAR TO WHAT OTHER STATES HAVE DONE WITH FEDERAL AID AFTER DISASTERS. BUT UNLIKE IN OTHER STATES, CHRISTIE WANTS HIS ADMINISTRATION TO RUN ALL THE PROGRAMS RATHER THAN FARMING THEM OUT TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. THERE WILL BE A WEEK FOR THE PUBLIC TO COMMENT ON THE PLAN, WHICH NEEDS FEDERAL APPROVAL. THE $1.8 BILLION FEDERAL GRANT IS EXPECTED TO ARRIVE IN APRIL.
THE PHILADELPHIA EAGLES HAVE SIGNED CORNERBACK BRADLEY FLETCHER, TIGHT END JAMES CASEY, SAFETY PATRICK CHUNG, LINEBACKER JASON PHILLIPS AND DEFENSIVE LINEMAN ISAAC SOPOAGA. THE MOVES WERE ANNOUNCED LAST NIGHT, HOURS AFTER THE EAGLES RELEASED CORNERBACK NNAMDI ASOMUGHA ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE NFL FREE AGENCY PERIOD. CASEY, FORMERLY WITH HOUSTON, CHUNG, FORMERLY WITH NEW ENGLAND, AND SOPOAGA, FORMERLY WITH SAN FRANCISCO, GOT THREE-YEAR DEALS. FLETCHER, FORMERLY WITH ST. LOUIS, AND PHILLIPS, FORMERLY WITH CAROLINA, GOT TWO-YEAR CONTRACTS.
PHILLIES PITCHER ROY HALLADAY GOT ROUGHED UP IN THE PHILLIES' 10-6 LOSS TO THE TIGERS ON TUESDAY. "IT'S THAT TIME OF SPRING WHERE YOU'RE GOING ALL THE TIME AND WE HAD AN EXTRA DAY SO WE THREW TWO BULLPENS IN BETWEEN AND YOU'RE JUST TRYING TO WORK ON AS MUCH STUFF AS YOU CAN. I REALLY FEEL LIKE THAT KIND OF CAUGHT UP WITH ME," HALLDAY SAYS. HE ALLOWED SEVEN RUNS IN TWO-AND-TWO-THIRDS INNINGS. EVENTHOUGH HIS VELOCITY WAS DOWN, HALLADAY SAYS HE HAS NO SORENESS AND IS FINE.
