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Philadelphia bans traffic stops for minor infractions

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The mayor ordered police Wednesday to stop pulling over drivers for low-level offenses that critics say lead to disproportionate stops of minority drivers, making Philadelphia the largest city government in the U.S. to ban what are sometimes called pretextual stops. The executive order from Mayor Jim Kenney puts a bill passed last month by the City Council — called the Driving Equality Bill — into effect. It bans officers from pulling over vehicles solely for a handful of traffic offenses deemed “secondary violations,” such as improperly displayed ...

Statewide races for judge seats too early to call as of press time

HARRISBURG (AP) — Pennsylvania voters made their choices Tuesday to fill open seats on statewide appeals courts, amid light turnout statewide and a marquee race for a seat on the state Supreme Court that will not change the Democrats’ majority on the state’s high court. In Pittsburgh, Democrat Ed Gainey became the first Black mayor of Pennsylvania’s second-most populous city, shouting to a crowd of cheering supporters a message of unity and that they were “one city, one Pittsburgh.” Polls closed nearly everywhere at 8 p.m., and early returns began trickling in, but it was ...

Vaccinated state employees to get five paid days off

HARRISBURG (AP) — Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration told more than 70,000 state employees on Monday that it is offering five days of paid leave for getting fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by the end of the year, quickly drawing opposition from the state treasurer over the potential cost. The administration told employees that five days of “verification leave” can be used between Dec. 20 and March 31. Employees who don’t use the days by then will be paid for them and an employee who has verified their fully vaccinated status to the administration will automatically receive the ...

Penguins face suit over ex minors coach accused of assault

PITTSBURGH (AP) — A federal lawsuit filed by a former minor league assistant and his wife accuses the Pittsburgh Penguins of negligently retaining a coach who sexually assaulted and harassed her and then retaliating against him for reporting the incident. Jarrod and Erin Skalde sued the Penguins nearly a year ago in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, alleging former Wilkes-Barre/Scranton coach Clark Donatelli molested Erin Skalde during an outing on a road trip in 2018. The team is the American Hockey League affiliate of the Penguins and is run by the NHL ...

SEPTA workers reach contract agreement

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Members of Philadelphia’s largest transit workers union reached a tentative contract agreement early Friday, averting a possible strike that threatened to bring elevated trains, buses and trolleys to a halt and leave thousands of children and educators without a way to get to school next week. The current contract between the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority and the 5,000-member Transport Workers Union Local 234 was set to expire at 12:01 a.m. Monday. The tentative agreement announced by the union includes a two-year contract with a pay ...

New Jersey, Pa. collaborate in ghost gun case

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — A New Jersey man faces criminal charges after he purchased more than a dozen kits to make “ghost,” or untraceable, guns at a Pennsylvania exhibition, the top law enforcement officers from both states said Friday. New Jersey acting Attorney General Andrew Bruck and Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro said William Pillus of Lincoln Park, New Jersey, was indicted on five charges this week, including second-degree unlawful possession of an assault firearm, third-degree purchasing firearm parts to manufacture untraceable firearms, third-degree possession of ...