PENNSYLVANIA
Harrisburg: Attorney General charges former Mayor Stephen Reed
On Tuesday, AG Kathleen Kane announced criminal charges against Reed concerning the use of public money to buy artifacts and memorabilia. Reed is accused of obtaining thousands of artifacts — including a life-sized sarcophagus and vampire-hunting kit — while on cross-country trips paid for by taxpayers.
Pittsburgh: New pre-K learning initiative
The National League of Cities selected Pittsburgh to join an early education initiative with the intent to bring quality education to more kids. The programs will focus on in-classroom training for teachers, but will also establish extracurricular programs in libraries and recreation centers.
Pittsburgh: Massive apartment complex proposed for Strip District
Cleveland-based developer NRP Group LLC proposed a $60-million project that would bring 365 high-end apartments to the Strip. The complex would have a six-story parking garage, complete with electric car charging stations and bicycle and kayak parking.
Pittsburgh: Consol Energy layoffs
In April, Consol laid off a little more than 4 percent of its workforce, and, due to low oil prices, they’re going to cut 470 more positions in the natural gas, coal and corporate divisions.
Lehigh Valley: Truck traffic to double in next 20 years
With the rise of e-commerce, more distribution sites and warehouses are needed, and many of them are going into Lehigh Valley because of its extensive highway system. A Freight Movement Advisory Board is set to start meeting as soon as September in order to establish truck routes and an inland port.
NATIONAL
Iran nuclear deal reached
After 20 months of negotiations, the U.S. and five other nations reached an agreement with Iran on Tuesday. The key aspects of the deal limit Iran’s stockpile of low enriched uranium by 98 percent for the next 15 years and reduce the number of centrifuges by two-thirds. Congress has 60 days to review the deal.
Eric Garner’s family unhappy with settlement
New York City made a nearly $6 million settlement with the family of Eric Garner, who was choked to death last year by police officers. Garner’s family still wants criminal charges to be levied. The investigation is ongoing.
The Cascadia fault line will cause the greatest natural disaster in the U.S.
Science proves it’s only a matter of time. The Pacific Northwest is home to 7 million people at risk of an earthquake that will wipe out the entire region, and none of the infrastructure is prepared to handle the damage. But the real disaster begins when the inundation zone gets hit by the tsunami afterward. After the roads and bridges have collapsed, there will be no way out.
Surgeon Scorecard
ProPublica assembled a database of surgeons, hospitals and complication rates. Post-surgery complications are more common than you might think, so it’s important to research the surgeon, not just the hospital, before undergoing elective procedures like knee and hip replacements or gallbladder removal.
IN OTHER NEWS
Amazon Prime Day
Today is Amazon’s highly anticipated one-day anniversary sale, dubbed Amazon Prime Day, that boasts to have better deals than Black Friday. One of the deals they’ve teased is a 40-inch 1080p LED TV for only $115.
UFOs meet the Klingons
A Welsh constituent forwarded questions about UFOs to the government minister responsible for science, but the answer was written in Klingon, the fictional language from the “Star Trek” series. Translated, it said, “The minister will reply in due course. However this is a non-devolved matter.”
The daily report was compiled by Stephanie Roman, a PublicSource intern. You can reach her with questions or suggestions at sroman@publicsource.org.
