PENNSYLVANIA

Hanover: Miller Chemical fire

On Monday morning, the chemical plant went up in flames, causing several sealed containers to explode. Officials reported by the afternoon that the fire was under control and drinking water had not been contaminated. Locals were told not to drive by the plant and to stay inside to avoid the smoke.

Pittsburgh: Cubans in Pittsburgh look forward to new relations

The small Cuban community in the Pittsburgh area hopes that the U.S. Congress will decide to lift the trade embargo with their home country. They think it would allow Cuba to exchange ideas on education and culture with the U.S. and offer more opportunities to visit relatives.

Pittsburgh: Shopping for healthcare coverage

People with Highmark insurance might experience a 39-percent jump in premiums this year. Analysts are telling consumers to compare prices before allowing any insurance policy to automatically renew, but also keep in mind that changing insurance could also mean changing doctors.

Harrisburg: Gov. Wolf recalls nomination for police commissioner

If the state Senate agrees to the recall of Marcus Brown’s nomination, it could allow more time for deliberation about the controversial nominee. In a statement, Wolf said he continues to have faith in Brown.

Harrisburg: Changing child-related background checks

A legislative committee voted Monday to require background checks for only people who routinely and directly interact with children, instead of all employees and volunteers who work with child-centered organizations. The proposal will move on to the state House.

Somerset County: Allegany College of Maryland takeover

On July 1, the county will take on maintenance and operational expenses for the branch campus. The county already pays its mortgage and will own it once the note is paid off. Students and taxpayers are not expected to see any changes.

NATIONAL

Verdict is in: Passports must say ‘Jerusalem,’ not ‘Israel’

Americans born in Jerusalem still can’t change their passports to say they were born in Israel. On Monday, the Supreme Court decided that any legislation allowing that would be unconstitutional. The ruling also keeps the high court out of the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

South Carolina police officer indicted

At a news conference on Monday, a Charleston County prosecutor announced that officer Michael Slager has been indicted in the murder of Walter Scott, who was shot fleeing a traffic stop. The shooting was caught on cellphone video and aired by several cable news outlets.

Texas police officer on leave and under investigation

On Sunday, video emerged of a police officer slamming a 14-year-old girl down on the ground several times and pulling his gun on another teen. The police were called to dispel a disturbance at a residential pool party on Friday, but other details remain unclear.

IN OTHER NEWS

Big winners this weekend

Serena Williams won her 20th Grand Slam title at the French Open where she defeated Lucie Safarova, and at the Tony Awards, “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” won Best Play and Best Musical went to “Fun Home.”

CatConLA is the first convention for cat lovers

It’s like Comic Con, but about cats.

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

Know more than you did before? Support this work with a MATCHED gift!

Through Dec. 31, the Wyncote Foundation, Loud Hound Foundation and our generous local match pool supporters will match your new monthly donation 12 times or double your one-time gift, all up to $1,000. Now that's good news!

Readers tell us they can't find the information they get from our reporting anywhere else, and we're proud to provide this important service for our community. We work hard to produce accurate, timely, impactful journalism without paywalls that keeps our region informed and moving forward.

However, only about .1% of the people who read our stories contribute to our work financially. Our newsroom depends on the generosity of readers like yourself to make our high-quality local journalism possible, and the costs of the resources it takes to produce it have been rising, so each member means a lot to us.

Your MATCHED donation to our nonprofit newsroom helps ensure everyone in Allegheny County can stay up-to-date about decisions and events that affect them. Please make your gift of support now.