AP PA Headlines 10/01/18
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A proposal that’s kicked around the Capitol for years to shrink the number of state lawmakers in Pennsylvania may not be dead, but it’s at least on life support. The latest blow came during a committee meeting last week, when Minority Leader Frank Dermody, D-Allegheny, was able to get the bill amended — yet again — to restore a provision that would also cut the size of the Senate.
The Senate-House divide on the issue has plagued efforts to amend the constitution to cut the House from 203 to 151 and the Senate from 50 to 38. Constitutional amendments have to pass both chambers of the Legislature in two consecutive two-year sessions. About a month remains for lawmakers to get it over the finish line for the second round of approval before the 2017-18 session ends.
If it is approved, the referendum could go on the statewide ballot next spring. The conventional wisdom in Harrisburg is that it will pass overwhelmingly if voters get the chance to weigh in. It appears that the state Senate wants nothing to do with reducing its members, and opponents in the House have been using that to their tactical advantage. The version that passed both chambers in the 2015-16 session would cut the House only, so adding the Senate back in effectively would mean a public vote can’t happen until 2021 at the earliest.
ALLENTOWN, Pa. (AP) — Autopsies are planned Monday on the bodies of three people found dead after a car explosion on a downtown street in what authorities called a “criminal incident” being probed by federal, state and local authorities. Three males were found dead after the 9:30 p.m. Saturday blast in Allentown, said Lehigh County Coroner Scott Grim, who added that he would probably be able to release the names after their identities are confirmed and their families notified.
The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is leading the investigation along with the FBI, state police, and city and county authorities. Officials said the blast was believed to have been an isolated incident with no ongoing threat to the public. “We know there’s been a criminal incident,” District Attorney James Martin told reporters at a news conference Sunday. “We have a high degree of confidence that the perpetrator was probably killed in the incident.”
Authorities released no information about the possible cause of the blast, including whether it was a bomb, but Martin said “loads of us in law enforcement” are confident “this was A. an isolated incident and B. there’s no continuing threat.” Authorities are seeking the public’s help and asked anyone with information to call the ATF.
Resident Carlos Perodin told The Morning Call of Allentown that he was watching a movie with his wife when he heard a thunderous explosion and went to the scene.
Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Features
AMHERST, Mass. (AP) — Massachusetts has suspended football coach Mark Whipple for one game after he said one of his players had been “raped” while complaining about the officiating Saturday in a loss to Ohio.
Athletic director Ryan Bamford announced yesterday that Whipple was suspended without pay for the Minutemen’s home game against South Florida on Saturday, and all team activities leading up to it. Defensive Coordinator Ed Pinkham will serve as acting head coach.
Bamford and Whipple issued statements apologizing for the coach’s comment. UMass lost 58-42 at Ohio in Athens. “We had a chance there with 16 down and they rape us, and he picks up the flag,” the 61-year-old Whipple told reporters, referring to an official who did not call a pass interference penalty against Ohio.
NEW YORK (AP) — President Donald Trump has panned Saturday Night Live’s season premiere but tweeted praise for Kanye West, who closed the show with a pro-Trump message. Saturday’s show opened with Matt Damon playing Brett Kavanaugh in a parody of Thursday’s testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee on sexual assault claims.
As the show ended, West took the stage wearing a “Make America Great Again” hat and made an unscripted pro-Trump speech after the credits rolled. Videos of the speech circulated on social media. Trump tweeted Sunday that he didn’t watch the show — it’s “no longer funny” and “is just a political ad for the Dems.”
He added: “Word is that Kanye West, who put on a MAGA hat after the show (despite being told ‘no’), was great. He’s leading the charge!”
BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — A Texas man found a scenic location in the Colorado mountains to propose to his girlfriend, but the couple ran into trouble on the way down. The Boulder County sheriff’s office says 27-year-old Joshua Mason of Denton, Texas, took 28-year-old Katie Davis on a hike Saturday to Jasper Peak at an elevation of nearly 13,000 feet (4,000 meters).
They got lost as darkness fell. The couple were showing signs of altitude sickness and dehydration when a hiker found them. He led them to his camp and gave them food, water and a place to warm up. Another camper called for help. Rescuers reached the camp early Sunday and walked the couple to their car. They didn’t require medical treatment. Sgt. Clay Leak says deputies learned the engagement was still on.
WILMINGTON, N.C. (AP) — A tattered U.S. flag that captured attention nationwide as it whipped in the wind on the North Carolina coast during Hurricane Florence has being auctioned to raise money for the American Red Cross. The flag was flying over a light station called Frying Pan Tower as Florence made its final approach earlier this month.
The tower’s owner, Richard Neal, tells The StarNews of Wilmington a live camera feed of the flag blowing in the storm averaged 100,000 viewers an hour on Sept. 13, the day before Florence made landfall. Neal tells the newspaper he is shocked by the outpouring of deep-pocketed offers so far in the charity auction. According to eBay’s listing for the item, the winning bid was $10,900 — with 96 people bids tendered. The winning bidder wasn’t identified in the listing.
WILMINGTON, N.C. (AP) — Communities inundated by flooding in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence are bracing for an onslaught of mosquitoes. The StarNews of Wilmington reports the state of North Carolina has identified 27 counties that will split $4 million in emergency mosquito-control funding. The counties include New Hanover, Pender and Brunswick, which were among areas hit by heavy rains after Florence smashed ashore Sept. 14 and nearly stalled for days over parts of the Carolinas. Stagnant floodwaters provide breeding grounds for the pests. Crews completed a first round of spraying in New Hanover and Brunswick counties last week.
NEW YORK (AP) — “Night School” has made the grade. For the first time in more than two years, a full-blown comedy movie has made it to the top of the box office list. The movie starring Kevin Hart and Tiffany Haddish took in $28 million in ticket sales. Not since “The Boss” topped the box office in April of 2016, has a straight-on comedy ruled the box office. Meanwhile, the animated movie “Smallfoot” came in second with $23 million. That’s bad news for Warner Bros. since the movie cost about $80 million to make. Finishing third over the weekend is last weekend’s top film, “The House With a Clock in Its Walls.”
Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Sports, Scores & Skeds
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Joe Flacco’s hot start is helping fuel the resurgent Baltimore Ravens. Flacco passed for 363 yards and two touchdowns during Baltimore’s 26-14 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. The 33-year-old quarterback gave much of the credit to the players around him, saying throwing the ball is easy when he’s not under pressure and teammates are running wide open. While Flacco is flourishing, the Steelers are floundering after falling to 0-2 at Heinz Field. The Steelers play on our sister station 100.9 The Valley.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Marcus Mariota’s right hand sure seems pretty healthy, and the Tennessee quarterback just keeps proving he knows how to find ways to win when it matters most. Mariota threw for 344 yards and two touchdowns and also ran for a team-high 46 yards and another score in leading the Titans to a 26-23 overtime victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. He finished the win with a TD pass to Corey Davis with seconds left in OT. Mariota led his sixth game-winning drive since the start of the 2017 season. The Eagles play on our sister station Eagle 107 (107.3FM).
Here are the latest scores from today’s sports events:
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INTERLEAGUE
Final Milwaukee 11 Detroit 0
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AMERICAN LEAGUE
Final Boston 10 N-Y Yankees 2
Final Baltimore 4 Houston 0
Final L-A Angels 5 Oakland 4
Final Tampa Bay 9 Toronto 4
Final Seattle 3 Texas 1
Final Minnesota 5 Chi White Sox 4
Final Cleveland 2 Kansas City 1
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NATIONAL LEAGUE
Final Philadelphia 3 Atlanta 1
Final L-A Dodgers 15 San Francisco 0
Final N-Y Mets 1 Miami 0
Final Colorado 12 Washington 0
Final Pittsburgh 6 Cincinnati 5, 10 Innings
Final San Diego 4 Arizona 3, 10 Innings
Final Chi Cubs 10 St. Louis 5
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NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION PRESEASON
Final San Antonio 104 Miami 100
Final Boston 115 Charlotte 112
Final Chicago 128 New Orleans 116
Final L.A. Clippers 110 Sydney Kings 91
Final Denver 124 L.A. Lakers 107
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NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE PRESEASON
Final OT Nashville 5 Carolina 4
Final Washington 5 St. Louis 2
Final Colorado 6 Dallas 5
Final Vegas 5 San Jose 2
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NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Final New England 38 Miami 7
Final Dallas 26 Detroit 24
Final Chicago 48 Tampa Bay 10
Final Cincinnati 37 Atlanta 36
Final Jacksonville 31 N-Y Jets 12
Final OT Houston 37 Indianapolis 34
Final Green Bay 22 Buffalo 0
Final OT Tennessee 26 Philadelphia 23
Final OT Oakland 45 Cleveland 42
Final Seattle 20 Arizona 17
Final New Orleans 33 N-Y Giants 18
Final L.A. Chargers 29 San Francisco 27
Final Baltimore 26 Pittsburgh 14
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MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
Final New York 2 Atlanta 0
Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
