Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh: Police broaden use of body cameras
The Pittsburgh police bureau is expanding its use of body cameras, even though they are illegal to ues in people’s homes. Police Chief Cameron McLay reversed an earlier decision not to use the cameras when the Department of Justice awarded the Department of Public Safety $250,000 to buy 200 body cameras for patrol officers.
Pittsburgh: Mt. Lebanon ordered to end archery hunt
An Allegheny County civil court ordered Mt. Lebanon to end its controlled archery hunt in Twin Hills Park. The decision came after a Scott Township request that their neighbors stop shooting deer in the park in the ongoing effort to reduce deer traffic.
Philadelphia: Anonymous threat to college campuses
University students at the University of Pennsylvania, Drexel University and others in the Philadelphia area debated going to class Monday after a mass shooting threat was posted. The Internet posting followed the Oregon shooting and targeted an unnamed Philadelphia college or university.
Statewide: Energy company takes PA land
A county court upheld Sunoco Pipeline’s right to act as a public utility in order to take Pennsylvania land by eminent domain when building pipelines. The issue is not settled, however, since it may be appealed to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.
National
Amtrak train derails in Vermont
An Amtrak train derailed in Northfield, Vt., Monday traveling southbound to Washington D.C. Four people are reported to have been injured after five cars derailed, two of them tumbling over an embankment.
Select states spend more on prisons than higher education
Pennsylvania is among the 11 states that were found to spend more of their general funds on corrections than colleges in 2013, according to a study by the Kaiser Family Foundation. Funding for prisons grew 141 percent between 1986 and 2013, but funding for public colleges and universities increased by only 5.6 percent.
Hurricane Joaquin source of search for missing vessel
The U.S. Coast Guard is searching for survivors of the El Faro cargo ship after it sank. The ship, carrying 28 American crew members and five Polish nationals, went missing near the Bahamas last week, but the Coast Guard has only found debris.
Settlement reached in BP oil spill
The Justice Department and five states announced a $20 billion final settlement that would resolve all civil claims against BP following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The deal, once it is approved by a judge, would also connect the company to a massive cleanup project in the Gulf of Mexico and its coast.
In Other News
Airline loses its own CEO’s luggage
Brad Tilden was the victim of lost luggage aboard an Alaska Airlines flight. His complaint may get serious consideration, since he’s the president and CEO of the company.
The daily report was compiled by Christine Manganas, a PublicSource intern. You can reach her with questions or suggestions at cmanganas@publicsource.org