AP PA Headlines
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia’s top prosecutor will voluntarily suspend his law license but remain on the job as his staff fights federal bribery and extortion charges. District Attorney Seth Williams says he will remain in the $175,000-a-year post in an administrative role. The office has about 300 prosecutors. Williams is accused of taking more than $100,000 in gifts in exchange for favors.
The two-term Democrat says he got into financial problems after a divorce. Former colleague Thomas Burke signed on Friday as Williams’ lead lawyer. The city stopped paying Williams’ prior attorney once he was indicted. The FBI has been investigating Williams’ finances for nearly two years.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A New Jersey family that lost a Norman Rockwell painting in a burglary over 40 years ago has gotten it back thanks to the FBI. The Grant family knew the painting was theirs because it still had damage from where their father had struck it with a pool cue. The 1919 painting depicts a boy sleeping on the ground with his dozing dog beside a hoe he should be using for chores.
The FBI says it ended up with an antiques dealer who thought it was a copy but could never sell it. The agency says he isn’t suspected of a crime. The Grants say their father paid $50 for the painting after damaging it at a friend’s house. The painting is believed to be worth more than $1 million.
PITTSBURGH (AP) — A Pittsburgh coffee shop is brewing up backlash over a loyalty punch card featuring pictures of President Donald Trump and other conservatives. Black Forge Coffee House owner Nick Miller says the satiric cards are meant to express frustration with the system and nothing more. But critics complain the punch holes make it look like the politicos have been shot in the forehead.
The subjects include Vice President Mike Pence, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum and conservative pundits Ann Coulter, Rush Limbaugh and Bill O’Reilly. Miller says the cards aren’t meant to endorse violence. Patrons can earn a free cup of coffee through the punch card.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro says a settlement with Volkswagen will bring another $30 million that the state can use for environmental programs. That payment to Pennsylvania is part of Volkswagen’s agreement to pay $157 million to 10 states to settle lawsuits stemming from the automaker’s diesel emissions-cheating scandal. Shapiro says Volkswagen is paying another $23 million to Pennsylvania from an earlier settlement.
That money’s being shared by the state treasury, attorney general’s office and Clean Air and Motor License funds. Shapiro says the Department of Environmental Protection gets to determine how to use the $30 million. The federal government recently warned Pennsylvania that years of budget cuts have left it unable to adequately enforce safe drinking water standards. It’s also warned Pennsylvania about funding for air quality and mine pollution programs.
Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved
Oddities & Entertainment
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly are defending federal agents who make immigration arrests at courthouses after California’s top judge asked them to stop. The officials sent a letter this week to Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye (TAN’-ee KAN’-teel sah-kah-OOH’-ay) saying state and local policies that bar police from turning over suspects for deportation have compelled federal agents to make arrests at courthouses and other public places.
They say in a letter dated Wednesday that courthouses are a safe place for agents to make arrests because visitors are typically screened for weapons. Cantil-Sakauye wrote to federal officials that “stalking undocumented immigrants” at courthouses hinders access to justice. Sessions and Kelly took issue with her use of the word “stalking.”
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — A principal in Florida has apologized after a staff member put up posters around the school showing girls what kinds of dresses would and wouldn’t be allowed at the prom. The posters at Stanton College Preparatory School in Jacksonville featured pictures of dresses deemed appropriate with the caption “Going to Stanton Prom? Yes you are. Good girl.”
Photos of more revealing dresses had the caption “Going to Stanton Prom? No you’re not.” The Florida Times-Union reports (http://bit.ly/2nmvSi8 ) that after the posters drew criticism, Stanton principal Nongongoma Majova-Seane sent a message to parents and students apologizing and saying students wouldn’t be banned from the prom because of their clothing. Duval County school district spokesman Mark Sherwood says the unidentified person who put up the posters has been counseled.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) – A Philadelphia college professor is defending tweeting that he was “trying not to vomit” after seeing a first-class passenger give up his seat to a soldier on a flight. George Ciccariello-Maher, who teaches at Drexel University, tweeted Sunday: “Some guy gave up his first class seat for a uniformed soldier. People are thanking him. I’m trying not to vomit or yell about Mosul.” Ciccariello-Maher’s account is private, but screenshots of his tweet were shared by others.
Ciccariello-Maher wrote on Facebook Thursday that he respects soldiers, but doesn’t respect U.S. actions in Iraq. Drexel says in a statement that the professor’s comments “do not represent the University’s views.” Ciccariello-Maher also faced criticism in December for tweeting, “All I Want for Christmas is White Genocide,” a post he said was satirical.
Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved
Scores & Skeds
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INTERLEAGUE
Final Tampa Bay 7 Philadelphia 7
Final Chi Cubs 6 Houston 3
Final Miami 7 Detroit 1
Final Pittsburgh 1 Toronto 1
Final Atlanta 8 N-Y Yankees 5
Final Milwaukee 5 Chi White Sox 2
Final Cleveland 9 Arizona 4
Final Colorado 5 Seattle 5
Final L.A. Dodgers 3 L.A. Angels 1
Final San Francisco 2 Oakland 1
Boston at Washington 4:05 p.m., canceled
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AMERICAN LEAGUE
Final Texas 3 Kansas City 0
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NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Final Toronto 111 Indiana 100
Final Charlotte 122 Denver 114
Final Boston 117 Orlando 116
Final Cleveland 122 Philadelphia 105
Final N-Y Knicks 98 Miami 94
Final San Antonio 100 Oklahoma City 95
Final New Orleans 117 Sacramento 89
Final OT Milwaukee 108 Detroit 105
Final Memphis 99 Dallas 90
Final Utah 95 Washington 88
Final Golden State 107 Houston 98
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NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Final SO Pittsburgh 4 N-Y Rangers 3
Final N-Y Islanders 2 New Jersey 1
Final Chicago 3 Columbus 1
Final SO Colorado 2 St. Louis 1
Final Calgary 5 San Jose 2
Final L.A. Kings 2 Vancouver 0
Final Arizona 6 Washington 3
TODAY’S SPORTS SCHEDULE
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INTERLEAGUE
Detroit at Miami 12:05 p.m.
Pittsburgh at Toronto 1:07 p.m.
Boston at Washington 2:00 p.m.
Chi White Sox at Milwaukee 2:10 p.m.
San Francisco at Oakland 3:05 p.m.
Seattle at Colorado 3:10 p.m.
L.A. Angels at L.A. Dodgers 9:10 p.m.
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AMERICAN LEAGUE
Kansas City at Texas 2:05 p.m.
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NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
L.A. Lakers at L.A. Clippers 3:30 p.m.
Atlanta at Chicago 5:00 p.m.
Orlando at Brooklyn 6:00 p.m.
Sacramento at Minnesota 8:00 p.m.
Phoenix at Portland 10:00 p.m.
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NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Florida at Boston 1:00 p.m.
Minnesota at Nashville 2:00 p.m.
Toronto at Detroit 7:00 p.m.
New Jersey at Philadelphia 7:00 p.m.
Dallas at Carolina 7:00 p.m.
Montreal at Tampa Bay 7:00 p.m.
Ottawa at Winnipeg 7:00 p.m.
Anaheim at Edmonton 10:00 p.m.
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TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
South Carolina at (2) Gonzaga 6:09 p.m.
(9) Oregon at (6) North Carolina 8:49 p.m.
Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved
