AP PA Headlines 12/27/18
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Gov. Tom Wolf is reshuffling his cabinet as he prepares for a second term. Wolf said Wednesday that he is replacing the people atop his departments of state and aging, the latest changes the Pennsylvania Democrat has announced ahead of his inauguration on Jan. 15. Wolf’s office said the move will take effect Jan. 7. The shakeup comes as Wolf’s Office of State Inspector General wraps up a report on the Department of Aging’s oversight of elder-abuse investigations by 52 county-level agencies tasked with fielding and responding to complaints that can involve physical abuse, self-neglect or financial exploitation.
Frustrated by shortcomings it had identified in elder-abuse investigations, the department last year began grading counties on a more aggressive compliance schedule after telling some they had failed, sometimes repeatedly, to meet regulations and expectations. Wolf’s office said the forthcoming inspector general’s report has nothing to do with the personnel change. Wolf will nominate Secretary of Aging Teresa Osborne to the Civil Service Commission and replace her with Robert Torres, who has been acting secretary of state since Wolf forced out Pedro Cortes in October 2017.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A woman newly elected to Pennsylvania’s Senate is submitting more personal documents as the chamber’s Republican majority decides whether to seat her. Democrat Lindsey Williams’ lawyer said he submitted tax documents, bank statements and credit card bills on Monday in response to another information request. Earlier this month, Williams submitted a 97-page package to Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati.
Republicans are debating whether to bar Williams from taking her seat over a constitutional requirement that senators be “citizens and inhabitants” of Pennsylvania for four years before they’re elected. Swearing-in day is New Year’s Day. Williams contends she had begun staying with Pittsburgh-area friends in 2014 and making plans to move to Pittsburgh in time to meet the constitutional requirement. Williams, a Pennsylvania native, was moving from Maryland.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The first phase of Pennsylvania’s “clean slate” law that seals lower-level, nonviolent crimes from public review has gone into effect. The Philadelphia Inquirer reports as of Wednesday, people can petition for certain misdemeanors, such as simple assault, intoxicated driving and theft, to be sealed. Misdemeanor records will be automatically sealed in June if a defendant has gone a decade without a new conviction.
The law also seals records of arrests that did not result in convictions. The law does not expunge convictions, and sealed convictions will still be visible to police, courts and prosecutors. Community Legal Services of Philadelphia says it will provide volunteer lawyers to help people see if their records can be sealed starting in January. The organization has an online form where people can request assistance.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The legal consequences for repeatedly driving under the influence in Pennsylvania are now more severe under a new law that’s just gone into effect. Legislation passed in October by the General Assembly and signed by Gov. Tom Wolf establishes the state’s first felony for DUI. That applies when someone is charged with a third offense with at least twice the legal limit for alcohol, or any fourth-time offender.
Pennsylvania law sets the legal limit for driving at 0.08 percent. Previously, all DUI offenses in Pennsylvania were treated as misdemeanors, which carry lighter penalties and fewer other consequences. The new law also mandates longer jail time for those who unintentionally cause someone’s death because of a repeat DUI violation. The stiffer penalties for repeatedly driving drunk in Pennsylvania took effect Sunday.
Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Features
NEW YORK (AP) — A lot of people were grooving to “All I Want For Christmas Is You” by Mariah Carey on Christmas Eve on Spotify. The music monitoring service Chart Data reports that song was played 10.8 million times on Monday. That sets a new Spotify one-day streaming record. The previous record-holder was “SAD!” by XXXTentacion (ex-ex-ex-ten-TAH’-see-YOHN’), with 10.4 million streams the day after his death in June. Carey writes on Instagram that setting the record is “such an amazing Christmas gift.” Spotify declined comment on the new record.
NEW YORK (AP) — The drumbeat of bad news for President Donald Trump hasn’t been good for his most prominent backer in the media. While Fox News Channel’s Sean Hannity will end 2018 as cable news’ most popular personality for the second year in a row, he’s been slumping in the ratings since the midterm elections and ominous stories related to Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation of the president.
His show averaged 2.76 million viewers since the election through Dec. 17, down 19 percent compared to the previous month, the Nielsen company said. Among the 25-to-54-year-old demo most coveted by advertisers, he’s down 30 percent. Competitors Rachel Maddow on MSNBC and Chris Cuomo on CNN are up in each measurement.
UNDATED (AP) — An Oregon man has become the first person to traverse Antarctica alone without any assistance. Colin O’Brady, of Portland, finished the 932-mile (1,500-kilometer) journey across the continent in 54 days, lugging his supplies on a sled as he skied in bone-chilling temperatures. O’Brady documented the entire journey on his Instagram page, and says it came to an end Wednesday after he covered the last 77 miles (124 kilometers) in one big push to the finish line.
His wife, Jenna Besaw, says she and O’Brady’s family stayed up all night watching his progress using an online tracker and that he called as soon as he finished to tell them “I did it!” Though others have traversed Antarctica, they either had assistance with reinforced supplies or kites that helped propel them forward.
Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved
PA Sports Stories, Scores & Skeds
WKOK and WKOK.com sports schedule this week:
Friday, Shikellamy Football – Shikellamy at Central Columbia – 7:06 pm/7:30 pm
Saturday, Penn State basketball – UMBC at Penn State – 12:30 pm/1:00 pm
Sunday, NFL – Sunday Night Football – TBA – 7:30 pm.
Here are the scores from yesterday’s sports events:
———
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Final Detroit 106 Washington 95
Final OT Phoenix 122 Orlando 120
Final Toronto 106 Miami 104
Final Indiana 129 Atlanta 121
Final 2OT Brooklyn 134 Charlotte 132
Final Minnesota 119 Chicago 94
Final Memphis 95 Cleveland 87
Final Dallas 122 New Orleans 119
Final San Antonio 111 Denver 103
Final L.A. Clippers 127 Sacramento 118
TODAY’S SPORTS SCHEDULE
———
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Boston at Houston 8:00 p.m.
N-Y Knicks at Milwaukee 8:00 p.m.
L.A. Lakers at Sacramento 10:00 p.m.
Portland at Golden State 10:30 p.m.
Philadelphia at Utah 10:30 p.m.
———
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
New Jersey at Boston 7:00 p.m.
Columbus at N-Y Rangers 7:00 p.m.
Detroit at Pittsburgh 7:00 p.m.
Carolina at Washington 7:00 p.m.
Philadelphia at Tampa Bay 7:30 p.m.
Buffalo at St. Louis 8:00 p.m.
Calgary at Winnipeg 8:00 p.m.
Dallas at Nashville 8:00 p.m.
Minnesota at Chicago 8:30 p.m.
Vancouver at Edmonton 9:00 p.m.
Colorado at Vegas 10:00 p.m.
Anaheim at San Jose 10:30 p.m.
Arizona at L.A. Kings 10:30 p.m.
BOYS HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL=
Danville 40, Central Columbia 18
Juniata Valley 79, Southern Huntingdon 61
GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL
Millville 58, Benton 40
Juniata Valley 64, Southern Huntingdon 15
Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
