PENNSYLVANIA
Pittsburgh: Casino employee awarded damages
A Rivers Casino waitress was awarded nearly $1 million in damages because of a hostile work environment. The casino lifted a lifetime ban on a high-stakes gambler who sexually assaulted the waitress in 2014.
Pittsburgh: SWAT lawsuit
A North Side family is suing Pittsburgh police over a SWAT raid of their apartment last year. The suit alleges the police had no warrant and were at the wrong address.
Armstrong County: Prison board suspends jail warden
As the investigation continues into the escape of Robert Crissman, believed to have murdered a woman while on the lam, the jail’s board voted to suspend warden David Hogue without pay. They were concerned the staff would be unwilling to speak to investigators if Hogue was around.
Philadelphia: Temple University addresses campus sexual assault
The school will revise its code of conduct, create a website where people can report incidents and get support, conduct annual online training for all students and hire a judge trained in sexual assault cases to oversee hearings. A year ago, the U.S. Department of Education listed Temple as one of 55 universities under investigation for its management of harassment.
Statewide: More students opting out of standardized testing
Between the 2013-14 and 2014-15 school years, the number of students who opted out of taking the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) math test ballooned 220 percent. English testing opt-outs jumped 139 percent.
Statewide: Child abuse report revisions incoming
The 2014 state child abuse report, supposed to have been delivered by May 1, actually didn’t release until July 27. It was immediately pulled, updated and replaced, and has since been removed again. Errors in the report were blamed on new data software. The new revised version should be available by Aug. 27.
NATIONAL
Former President Jimmy Carter has cancer
Doctors discovered spreading cancer during a liver surgery to remove a small mass. Jimmy Carter, who is 90 years old, will undergo treatment and reveal more details as they become known.
Connecticut denounces death penalty as unconstitutional
Connecticut banned the death penalty back in 2007, but that didn’t affect those sentenced beforehand. On Thursday, Connecticut’s Supreme Court voted to remove the penalty from inmates currently on death row. Instead, they’ll serve life sentences without parole.
Ohio voters to decide on marijuana legalization
In November, Ohio residents will have the opportunity to vote on a constitutional amendment to legalize marijuana. The amendment would allow adults 21 and over to use up to 1 ounce, and would also allow for limited home growing.
IN OTHER NEWS
Fighter jet tech in the windshield
It’s not official but Apple might be working on heads-up displays (HUDs) for car windshields, using the same technology used in fighter jets. The HUDs could project all kinds of information right on the windshield, but safety concerns abound. Unless the cars are self-driving, of course.
Architects want to build ‘The Lord of the Rings’ in real life
Remember Minas Tirith, the huge citadel from “Return of the King?” U.K. architects and engineers want to build it for real, and they already have the plots picked out to do so. They only need $2.8 billion (£1.9 billion) to cover labor, materials and maintenance until 2053.
The daily report was compiled by Stephanie Roman, a PublicSource intern. You can reach her with questions or suggestions at sroman@publicsource.org.
