Thursday, May 2, 2013
Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturns old cases, some with defendants as young as 10.
A judge should know the law to a "T," making it that much more strange when one breaks it. But according to the courts, that is exactly what former Pennsylvania judge Mark Ciavarella Jr., 61, did while serving his role. According to multiple media outlets, Ciavarella was sentenced on Wednesday to 30 years for "literally selling young juveniles for cash." The judge was paid kickbacks for sending children to local prisons during his term in Luzerne County, sometimes refusing them legal representation, according to the Huffington Post. "He was convicted of accepting money in exchange for incarcerating thousands of adults and children into a prison facility owned by a developer who was paying him under the table," said BlackNews.com. "The …
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
The state loses three lives in the wake of the superstorm.
- NEWS
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Tuesday, October 30, 2012
As the rains and winds subside for much of the state today, Pennsylvanians awake to find quite a mess in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. According to 6ABC reports, three have died as a result of the storm over the course of the last few days alone. All were related to falling trees or branches. The first reported Sandy-related death was Sunday in Lancaster County, said ABC. "On Sunday, an elderly man was trimming a tree in Rapho Township in preparation for the storm when a limb broke and he fell to the ground, sustaining multiple injuries," said the report. The next two deaths occured on Monday. "An 8-year-old Susquehanna County boy died Monday afternoon when a tree limb fell on him in Franklin Township near Montrose, and a 62-year-old Berks…
Sunday, October 7, 2012
The steroids have caused at least five deaths by infecting patients with a rare form of fungal meningitis. They've been shipped to 23 known states.
- BUSINESS
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Sunday, October 7, 2012
Pennsylvania patients seeking relief for back pain, may have gotten more than they bargained for in their steroid injections. According to many health news sites, those that have recently took steroid injections may be at risk for a rare form of fungal meningitis. As of Sunday, the illness had taken at least five lives in the U.S. after the patients were given a contaminated steroid medication. Three have died in Tennessee, one in Maryland and one in Virginia according to reports. Four more now have the illness in Tennessee, bringing a national total to 39 in six different states as of Oct. 5. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the steroids have been shipped to 23 states, including Pennsylvania, causing concern that…
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Judge Robert Simpson ruled Tuesday that implementation of Pennsylvania's new Voter ID law be put on hold until after the Nov. 6 general election.
- ELECTIONS
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Tuesday, October 2, 2012
A judge ruled today that Pennsylvania's tough new Voter ID Law should be put on hold until after the Nov. 6 general election, according to an Associated Press report. The ruling can be appealed to the state Supreme Court, which said it would expedite any further action in the case since Election Day is just five weeks away. Do you agree with the ruling? Tell us in the comments section below. Commonwealth Court Judge Robert Simpson heard two days of testimony last week, as directed by the Supreme Court, to determine whether the state has made it easy enough to get a photo ID in order to vote. Opponents say the law, and the process to get an ID, disenfranchises voters. Supporters say the law will prevent voter fraud - but that justification …
Friday, June 22, 2012
Jerry Sandusky probably will spend the rest of his life in prison. Do you agree with the verdict? Vote in our poll.
Disgraced ex-Penn State football coach Jerry Sandusky was found guilty on 45 counts of child sex abuse Friday night, resulting in an effective life sentence for the 68-year-old. The guilty verdicts include 25 felony counts. Combined, Sandusky could be sentenced to 442 years in prison. Dressed in a brown sports coat, Sandusky immediately was taken into custody and led from the courthouse in handcuffs. The jury—which included many people with close ties to Penn State—deliberated for only 20 hours on 48 charges against Sandusky. The two-week trial featured damning testimony against Sandusky, who was accused of performing anal and oral sex on boys as young as 8. Despite the lack of physical evidence and the time lapse since the sex abuse, …
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
State lawmakers might raise the Pennsylvania Turnpike speed limit to 70 miles per hour. Do you support the move?
State lawmakers are considering a bill that would allow the Turnpike Commission to raise the Pennsylvania Turnpike speed limit to 70 miles per hour. The House Transportation Committee recently approved the measure, which would affect sections of both the Northeast Extension and the rest of the turnpike. Supporters of the measure say the change makes sense because vehicles are safer and the turnpike is wider, flatter and straighter thanks to road improvements. There is no timetable for when or if the bill will come to a vote. Turnpike officials say the speed limit change would not be made without additional study and would apply only to some portions of the road. Do you think the speed limit should be raised? Vote in our poll and add your …
Berks County state Rep. Jim Cox's bill would fund school districts with earned income and sales tax increases and new taxes on food, clothing, TV and air transportation.
Several media outlets are reporting on state Rep. Jim Cox (R-129th District – Berks County) and his HB 1776 – the "Property Tax Independence Act." Hundreds of supporters of the proposed bill descended on Harrisburg last Monday to rally "for change to keep the American dream alive across the commonwealth," attendees told WFMZ TV in Allentown. Cox recently visited The Times Herald to talk about the bill which he says will raise $5 billion by increasing the earned income tax from 3.07% to 4% and the state sales tax to 7%. He said the state would bring in an additional $4.6 billion by adding new taxes on food, clothing, TV and air transportation. Pennsylvania allocated over $10 billion for education in the 2010-2011 budget. "We’re well on our…
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
A new law prohibiting texting while driving goes into effect in Pennsylvania March 8.
- GOVERNMENT
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Wednesday, March 7, 2012
A law prohibiting a driver from reading, writing and sending text-based communication while driving will go into effect in Pennsylvania March 8. According to PennDOT, text-based communication includes text messages, instant messages, e-mails, Internet browsing or any other type of written communication on cell phones, smart phones, personal digital assistants, portable or mobile computers or similar devices. This texting ban does not include the use of a GPS, a system or device that is physically or electronically integrated a the vehicle, or a communications device that is affixed to a mass transit vehicle, bus or school bus. This summary offense institutes a $50 fine for convictions.
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Turnpike customers encouraged to get E-ZPass now to avoid higher tolls in the New Year.
- GOVERNMENT
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Tuesday, December 27, 2011
HARRISBURG, Pa. -- The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission reminds customers that fares are set to go up on most of the state's toll roads by 10 percent on Jan. 1, 2012 for cash-paying travelers only. Because electronic-toll rates will not go up, E-ZPass customers will pay about 17 percent less than cash customers, on average, starting next year. (E-ZPass users presently pay 7 percent less, on average, than cash customers on the Pa. Turnpike.) With the new rates -- that will take effect at 12:01 a.m. -- the most-common cash toll for passenger vehicles will increase from $1.10 to $1.25 while the most-common cash toll for a standard commercial-truck classification (Class 5) will rise from $8.95 to $9.85. (The 2012 fares were determined by …
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Downgraded to a tropical storm for some areas, the massive system left its mark.
Hurricane Irene, or Tropical Storm Irene depending on where you live, created a mess as she traveled up the East Coast. From the Carolinas and through Pennsylvania, Irene packed quite a punch. Find more great coverage of Irene and its aftermath from Patch and the rest of the Huffington Post Media Group. Do you have photos to share? Upload them here!
knockout
9:49 am on Monday, May 6, 2013
I miss Cold Case. Great show that was!!! more ›