Click here to subscribe today or Login.
Good evening! Here’s a look at AP’s general news coverage today in Pennsylvania. For questions about the state report, contact the Philadelphia bureau at 215-561-1133. Michael Rubinkam is on the desk. Editor Larry Rosenthal can be reached at 215-446-6631 or [email protected].
A reminder this information is not for publication or broadcast, and these coverage plans are subject to change. Expected stories may not develop, or late-breaking and more newsworthy events may take precedence. Advisories, digests and digest advisories will keep you up to date.
Some TV and radio stations will receive shorter APNewsNow versions of the stories below, along with updates.
TOP STORIES:
MAYOR-RACIST FACEBOOK POSTS
YORK, Pa. — The mayor of a small central Pennsylvania town is being asked to resign over racist posts on his Facebook page, including two depicting apes with captions referring to President Barack Obama and his family, and one referring to lynching. One image from June on the Facebook page of West York Mayor Charles Wasko is of a wagon or wheelbarrow full of orangutans, including the caption, “Aww … moving day at the Whitehouse has finally arrived.” The wheelbarrow has the slogan “Kenya or bust” on it. MOVED: 437 words.
With:
MAYOR-RACIST FACEBOOK POSTS-THE LATEST
PUBLIC DEFENDER FUNDING
HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania’s highest court will allow criminal defendants to sue counties over whether its public defender’s office is adequately funded to provide the constitutional right to an attorney. By Marc Levy. MOVED: 436 words.
OFFICER CHARGED-FBI REVIEW
PITTSBURGH — A fired city police sergeant already awaiting trial on federal and state criminal charges that he wrongly beat up a drunken high school football fan then tried to cover it up has now been sued, along with the city, for the incident. By Joe Mandak. MOVED: 500 words.
CHILDREN STABBED IN HOUSE
PHILADELPHIA —Philadelphia police said officers fatally shot a man who stabbed two boys, one of them his son, and attacked three other people Wednesday night. SENT: 202 words. UPCOMING: 200 words by 6:30 p.m. with ID of perpetrator.
CHARTER SCHOOL FOUNDER-FRAUD
PITTSBURGH — An accountant has pleaded guilty to helping the founder and former CEO of Pennsylvania’s largest online charter school avoid federal income taxes on more than $8 million that man siphoned from the school. MOVED: 530 words.
CAMPAIGN:
— CAMPAIGN 2016-PENNSYLVANIA — Donald Trump is heading back to Pennsylvania.
—CAMPAIGN 2016-PENCE — Mike Pence returns to central Pennsylvania to campaign for Donald Trump.
ELSEWHERE:
TURKEY-FAILED COUP
ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey’s president hinted on Thursday that the three-month state of emergency declared following the failed July 15 coup could be extended to over a year. SENT: 280 words..
OBIT-AGNES NIXON
LOS ANGELES — Agnes Nixon, the creative force behind the edgy and enduring TV soap operas “One Life to Live” and “All My Children,” has died. She was 93. By Lynn Elber. SENT: 676 words, AP Photos.
HISTORIC PLACES
ALBANY, N.Y. — Twenty-two locations in New York state have been nominated for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. SENT: 112 words.
MISSING COUPLE-CRASH
VERNON, Ind. — Indiana authorities have brought charges against a Pennsylvania man who was injured in a crash that killed his girlfriend earlier this month, alleging that he initially tried to conceal that the crash even happened because he may have been trying to avoid being arrested.
IN BRIEF:
—PHILADELPHIA RAIL CARS-DEFECTS — The Philadelphia area’s commuter rail service will resume a normal schedule Monday.
—NOISY ROOSTER-PENALTY — A Pittsburgh man has 30 days to figure out how to catch a noisy rooster or the city will penalize him.
—PITTSBURGH BRIDGE FIRE — PennDOT has raised the weight limit on Pittsburgh’s Liberty Bridge to 30 tons.
—PUBLIC ASSISTANCE-DECEASED RECIPIENTS — An audit by the state’s fiscal watchdog has found Pennsylvania’s Department of Human Services was paying public assistance benefits to the accounts of dead people, prompting policy changes at the agency.
—PEOPLE-TINA FEY-TEMPLE AWARD — Temple University is honoring Tina Fey with a special media award.
—WOMAN KILLED-MAN CONVICTED — A northwestern Pennsylvania man has been found guilty in the June 2015 slaying of a 58-year-old woman.
—DIGGING UP YARD-CORONER — A coroner spent the day at a northeastern Pennsylvania residence where state troopers were seen digging up a yard.
—NEWBORN IN TRASH BIN — A prosecutor is investigating after authorities found a newborn baby in a trash bin of a gas station restroom in western Pennsylvania.
—CONGRESSMAN HELPS SAVE LIFE — A Pennsylvania congressman helped save the life of a man found unconscious in a Washington, D.C. office building.
—OBIT-PESCI — Tim Pesci (PAY’-see), a former Democratic state representative from western Pennsylvania, has died. He was 72.
—PEEPS-STRIKE LAWSUIT — The Pennsylvania company that makes marshmallow Peeps as well as Mike and Ike candies has filed a federal lawsuit claiming a worker’s strike is illegal.
—CAMPAIGN 2016-TRUMP-PENNSYLVANIA — Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump plans to hold a rally in central Pennsylvania on Saturday.
—BODYBUILDER DEATH — A bodybuilder from California whose biceps were bigger than Arnold Schwarzenegger’s has been found dead along a creek in Pennsylvania.
—BLIND MAN KILLED-SUBWAY — Police say a blind man was struck and killed by a subway train in Philadelphia after he stumbled, hit a pole and fell onto the tracks.
SPORTS:
WENTZ-HUNTING
FARGO, N.D. — Philadelphia Eagles rookie quarterback Carson Wentz spent part of his off week bow hunting in his home state of North Dakota. Wentz posted a picture on his Twitter account late Wednesday that showed himself in a field with a deer. He wrote “What do you do on your bye week? You get your first bow buck!”
CUBS-PIRATES
PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates play their final home game of a disappointing 2016 when they host the NL Central champion Chicago Cubs on Thursday night. Ivan Nova starts for Pittsburgh against Chicago’s Rob Zastryzny. Game begins at 7:05 p.m. UPCOMING: 700 words, photos.
PHILLIES-BRAVES
ATLANTA — Josh Collmenter will make his third start for Atlanta as the Braves, who have won nine of 10, try to continue their strong finish against the Phillies on Thursday night. (Stringer Matt Winkeljohn). UPCOMING: 650 words, photos. Game starts at 7:10 p.m.
STEELERS-PATCHWORK D
PITTSBURGH — The NFL’s 31st-ranked pass defense isn’t just struggling, it’s banged up too. The Steelers head into Sunday’s game against Kansas City nursing injuries to starters and hoping new faces can provide help. By Will Graves. UPCOMING: 650 words by 6 p.m.
FBN-WELCOME RETURNS
Le’Veon Bell insists he’ll do everything in his power to make sure his latest run-in with the NFL’s substance abuse policy is his last. Vontaze Burfict isn’t so sure he can say the same about his reprimands from the league’s disciplinary committee. By Will Graves. SENT: 945 words, AP Photos.
HKN-NHL PRESEASON RDP
CHICAGO — Chris Kunitz scored two third-period goals in the defending Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins’ 2-0 exhibition victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday night. SENT: 559 words, AP Photos.
___
If you have stories of regional or statewide interest, please email them to [email protected]. If you have photos of regional or statewide interest, please send them to the AP state photo center in New York, 888-273-6867. For access to AP Exchange and other technical issues, contact AP Customer Support at [email protected] or 877-836-9477.
MARKETPLACE: Calling your attention to the Marketplace in AP Exchange, where you can find member-contributed content from Pennsylvania and other states. The Marketplace is accessible on the left navigational pane of the AP Exchange home page, near the bottom. For both national and state, you can click “All” or search for content by topics such as education, politics and business.