PENNSYLVANIA

Pittsburgh: Harvesting DNA

A Western Pennsylvania funeral home director is offering to harvest the DNA of your loved ones. The test costs $295 and involves plucking 20 hairs or swabbing the inside of the mouth. Analyzing the DNA alongside medical records can preemptively reveal the potential for illness or disease.

Pittsburgh: Iggy’s replacement is in

Nick Jonas is the new headliner at Saturday’s Pittsburgh Pride event, but the controversy between the city’s LGBT groups simmers on. Those who purchased tickets specifically to see Iggy Azalea can get refunds starting at 8 a.m. Friday.

Lancaster County: Suspect in custody after double murder

On Thursday, a woman and her teenage daughter were found dead in their home from stab wounds. A second daughter was injured and taken to the hospital in critical condition. The names of the victims and suspect haven’t been released, but they appear to have known each other.

York County: Summit focuses on obesity and mental health

At the Healthy York County Coalition summit on Thursday, about 200 people from health, community and government groups discussed the intersection of obesity with issues of accessibility, eviction and depression. The summit particularly acknowledged a lack of mental health providers.

Adams County: Nitrates washed into creek by Miller Chemical fire

Monday’s fire in Hanover has caused nitrates, chemicals commonly found in fertilizer, to pool into the nearby Conewago Creek. The chemicals aren’t harmful to humans, but have suffocated at least 5,000 fish, possibly double that with the numbers expected to rise.

NATIONAL

The deaths of two icons

Christopher Lee, the acting legend who played Dracula, Saruman and Count Dooku, died at age 93 on Sunday from respiratory problems and heart failure. Ornette Coleman, the innovative jazz saxophonist and composer, died on Thursday morning from cardiac arrest; he was 85.

Drop in oil prices means drop in employment

The median oil and gas worker earns about $65,000 a year, and nine out of 10 of those employees only have a high school education. When those oil jobs disappear because of the economy, those workers take serious pay cuts or lose the jobs altogether.

Michigan law can prevent adoption by gay couples

Unmarried and same-sex couples may be refused by faith-based adoption agencies in Michigan, according to a bill the governor signed Thursday. But if a faith-based agency refuses a couple because of religious beliefs, it will have to refer them to another agency.

From solitary to free

Inmates who were kept in solitary confinement are most often the ones who need therapy, job training, education and supervision, but more than half of states don’t keep track of how many people they release from solo cells. Last year, the states who do monitor reported at least 10,000 inmates went straight from solitary into the community.

IN OTHER NEWS

Is there anything Google can’t do?

Here’s a dancing robot dog named Spot.

The daily report was compiled by Stephanie Roman, a PublicSource intern. You can reach her with questions or suggestions at sroman@publicsource.org.

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