HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) – The abrupt announcement by the speaker of the Pennsylvania House this week that he would not run for another term in the Legislature made him the 15th state representative to head for the exits. Candidates can begin to circulate nominating petitions Tuesday to get on the April 28 primary ballot, so retirement announcements by Speaker Mike Turzai and others are helping clear the way for newcomers who hope voters will send them to Harrisburg.
All 203 seats in the House and half the 50-member Senate go before the electorate this year. Democrats hope an aggressive push can propel them out of the minority in both chambers, while Republicans are counting on favorable national political winds and the decent-size margins they now enjoy to maintain all-important majority control.
HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) – Former Harrisburg mayor Stephen Reed, who served for almost three decades but was later sentenced to probation for accumulating Wild West artifacts he bought with public money for a museum that was never built, has died. He was 70.
A statement from the family reported by PennLive.com said Reed died Saturday “surrounded by his family” and noted that he was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2006 “and fought it courageously.” Reed served seven terms but lost the 2009 primary amid criticism over the millions of dollars he had spent on the museum-related items.
PITTSBURGH, Pa. (AP) — The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has ruled to uphold a legal principle that allows drillers to drain oil and natural gas from outside their property lines. The court overturned a 2018 decision by the lower Superior Court on Wednesday that said the “rule of capture” does not cover hydraulic fracturing, or fracking.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that the rule has been applied throughout the United States since at lease 1889. The rule states that oil and gas in reservoirs belongs to whomever pulls it from a well first. The court did not rule on what happens if a fracking operation physically crosses a property boundary, in which case a company could be subject to a trespassing claim.
HARRISBURG (AP) – A former state representative faces three months in the Philadelphia jail after pleading guilty to charges she took money from a charity she established for the needy and spent it on vacations, clothing and other personal needs. Former Rep. Movita Johnson-Harrell entered guilty and no contest pleas Thursday in Philadelphia.
She resigned in December after being charged. The 53-year-old Johnson-Harrell will also serve 8 1/2 months of house arrest and must repay the nonprofit. Her lawyer says she’s taking responsibility “for some poor decisions she made over the past few years.”
Here are the scores from yesterday’s sports events:
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Boys High School Basketball
Shamokin Area 56, Shikellamy 44
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Final Utah 112 Dallas 107
Final OT Brooklyn 121 Detroit 111
Final Chicago 118 Cleveland 106
Final Oklahoma City 113 Minnesota 104
Final Philadelphia 108 L.A. Lakers 91
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NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Final Atlantic All-Stars 9 Metropolitan All-Stars 5
Final Pacific All-Stars 10 Central All-Stars 5
Final Pacific All-Stars 5 Atlantic All-Stars 4
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TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Final (1)Baylor 72 Florida 61
Final (2)Gonzaga 92 Pacific 59
Final (3)Kansas 74 Tennessee 68
Final (5)Florida St. 85 Notre Dame 84
Final (6)Louisville 80 Clemson 62
Final (7)Dayton 87 Richmond 79
Final (9)Villanova 64 Providence 60
Final (14)West Virginia 74 Missouri 51
Final OT (15)Kentucky 76 (18)Texas Tech 74
Final (16)Auburn 80 Iowa St. 76
Final SMU 74 (20)Memphis 70
Final (21)Illinois 64 Michigan 62
Final Arizona St. 66 (22)Arizona 65
Final (23)Colorado 76 Washington 62
Final (24)Rutgers 75 Nebraska 72
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TODAY’S SPORTS SCHEDULEOkat for me now?
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NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Houston at Denver 3:30 p.m.
Toronto at San Antonio 4 p.m.
Boston at New Orleans 6 p.m.
Brooklyn at New York 6 p.m.
L.A. Clippers at Orlando 6 p.m.
Phoenix at Memphis 6 p.m.
Washington at Atlanta 6 p.m.
Indiana at Portland 9 p.m.
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NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
San Francisco at Kansas City 6:30 p.m.
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TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
(4)San Diego St. at UNLV 4 p.m.
(11)Michigan St. at Minnesota 3 p.m.
UCLA at (12)Oregon 5 p.m.
(17)Maryland at Indiana 1 p.m.
South Florida at (25)Houston 2 p.m.
Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved
At noon today on WKOK and WKOK.com: NBC’s “Meet the Press” — Pompeo; Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass.; Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va.
