Brothers resentenced to 60 years to life in 1995 slayings of parents, younger brother

FILE – David Freeman, left, and Bryan Freeman, right, sit with Nelson Birdwell III, not pictured, as they appear in a Midland, Mich., courtroom, March 2, 1995. On Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024, the two eastern Pennsylvania brothers sentenced to life in the slayings of their parents and younger brother almost three decades ago were resentenced to terms that may offer them a chance at parole. (AP Photo/Dale Atkins, File)

EASTON, Pa. (AP) — Two Pennsylvania brothers sentenced to life in the slayings of their parents and younger brother almost three decades ago have been resentenced to terms that may offer them a chance at parole. A Lehigh County judge on Wednesday sentenced 46-year-old Bryan Freeman and 45-year-old David Freeman to terms of 60 years to life. The (Allentown) Morning Call reports that Bryan Freeman wept as he expressed remorse and took responsibility for what he called “a terrible crime.” Authorities said the brothers were affiliated with a white supremacist skinhead movement at the time of the February 1995 killings of Dennis and Brenda Freeman and 11-year-old Erik Freeman. Each was convicted of murder.

Supreme Court seems skeptical of EPA’s ‘good neighbor’ rule on power plant pollution

FILE – Emissions rise from the smokestacks at the Jeffrey Energy Center coal power plant as the suns sets, near Emmett, Kan., Sept. 18, 2021. The Supreme Court’s conservative majority seemed skeptical Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024, as a government lawyer argued that the Environmental Protection Agency should be allowed to continue enforcing its anti-air-pollution “good neighbor” rule. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File)

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court’s conservative majority appears skeptical of the federal government’s argument that the Environmental Protection Agency should be allowed to continue enforcing its anti-air-pollution rule in 11 states. The government made its arguments Wednesday before the court. The “good neighbor” rule is intended to restrict smokestack emissions from power plants and other industrial sources that burden downwind areas with smog-causing pollution. Three energy-producing states — Ohio, Indiana and West Virginia — challenged the rule, along with the steel industry and other groups. They called it costly and ineffective. The rule is on hold in a dozen states because of separate legal challenges. Supporters said the rule protects downwind states from receiving unwanted pollution.

Americans reporting nationwide cellular outages from AT&T, Cricket Wireless and other providers

FILE – A man uses a cell phone in New Orleans on Aug. 11, 2019. A number of Americans are dealing with cellular outages on AT&T, Cricket Wireless, Verizon, T-Mobile and other service providers, according to data from Downdetector, Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane, File)

A number of Americans are dealing with cellular outages on AT&T, Cricket Wireless, Verizon, T-Mobile and other service providers, according to data from Downdetector. AT&T had more than 73,000 outages this morning, in locations including Houston, Atlanta and Chicago. Cricket Wireless had more than 13,000, the outage tracking website said Thursday. Verizon had more than 4,000 outages and T-Mobile had more than 1,800 outages. Boost Mobile had about 700 outages.

Pittsburgh Penguins loaded up for one last run. Mired in the standings, time may already be up

Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan, left, stands behind his bench during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders in Pittsburgh, Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The struggling Pittsburgh Penguins may be sellers at the trade deadline for the first time in decades. Pittsburgh currently sits near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings with two weeks to go before the March 8 deadline. General manager/director of hockey operations Kyle Dubas says he wants to give the team plenty of opportunities to show it can contend. Still, time is running out if the Penguins want to avoid missing the playoffs for a second straight season following a streak of 16 consecutive postseason berths

Pennsylvania’s high court throws out GOP lawmakers’ subpoena in 2020 presidential election case

FILE – Election workers at the Allegheny County Election Division warehouse in Pittsburgh process ballots from the 2022 Pennsylvania primary, June 1, 2022. Pennsylvania’s highest court ruled Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024, that Republican state lawmakers can no longer try to enforce a subpoena for election records they issued in 2021 in a quest inspired by former President Donald Trump’s baseless claims of fraud in the 2020 presidential election. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania’s highest court is ruling that Republican state lawmakers can no longer try to enforce a subpoena for election records that they issued in 2021. Their quest had been inspired by former President Donald Trump’s baseless claims of fraud in the 2020 presidential election, but the court said Wednesday that the subpoena became “unenforceable” when the state Legislature’s two-year session ended in 2022. It dismissed three appeals and vacated a lower court order that said the Senate could enforce its subpoena. The ruling is effectively a victory for the state attorney general’s office, Senate Democrats and several voter groups, who had gone to court to try to block the subpoena.

Pennsylvania’s high court sides with township over its ban of a backyard gun range

FILE – The Pennsylvania Judicial Center, home to the Commonwealth Court, is seen on Feb. 21, 2023, in Harrisburg, Pa. A township ordinance that limits firing guns to indoor and outdoor shooting ranges and zoning that significantly restricts where the ranges can be located do not violate the Second Amendment, Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court ruled Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court says a township ordinance that limits firing guns to indoor and outdoor shooting ranges and zoning that significantly restricts where the ranges can be located do not violate the Second Amendment. The justices ruled Wednesday for Stroud Township and against Jonathan Barris, who challenged the gun restrictions. Barris drew complaints from neighbors after building a gun range on his property in the Poconos. In 2011, the township adopted an ordinance restricting gunfire to indoor and outdoor gun ranges, as long as they were issued zoning and occupancy permits.

Trial to determine if Texas school’s punishment of a Black student over his hair violates new law

FILE – Darryl George, a 17-year-old junior, before walking across the street to go into Barbers Hill High School after serving a 5-day in-school suspension for not cutting his hair, Sept. 18, 2023, in Mont Belvieu, Texas. A trial is set to be held Thursday, Feb. 21, 2024, to determine if George can continue being punished by his district for refusing to change his hairstyle, which he and his family say is protected by a new state law that prohibits race-based hair discrimination. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke, File)

ANAHUAC, Texas (AP) — A trial is set to be held to determine if a Black high school student in Texas can continue being punished by his district for refusing to change his hairstyle. The student, Darryl George, and his family say his hairstyle is protected by a new state law that prohibits race-based hair discrimination. George’s Houston-area school district says its policy limiting the length of boys’ hair doesn’t violate the new law. George’s attorney says Texas lawmakers had safeguarding hair length in mind when they approved the new law. The bench trial is being held before state District Judge Chap Cain III in Anahuac.

Investigators fault Pittsburgh for poor inspection, maintenance of bridge that collapsed

FILE—This is a Pittsburgh Transit Authority bus that was on the Fern Hollow Bridge in Pittsburgh when it collapsed in this file photo from Jan. 28, 2022. Investigators looking into the collapse of the Pittsburgh bridge last year want transportation officials nationwide to closely examine more than 10,000 other bridges with similar construction to make sure they don’t have the same kind of corrosion that was found on the bridge that collapsed. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)

Federal investigators say the city of Pittsburgh did not adequately maintain or repair a bridge, leading to the corrosion of the structure’s steel legs and its collapse into a ravine more than two years ago. The city-owned Forbes Avenue bridge fell down on Jan. 28, 2022, plunging a bus and four cars about 100 feet into the Fern Hollow Creek. Another vehicle drove off the east bridge abutment and landed on its roof. National Transportation Safety Board investigators said Wednesday that the collapse shouldn’t have happened, blaming “repeated failures to act” on extensive corrosion to the uncoated weathering steel. A new bridge at the site opened to traffic in December 2022.

Helen Lapinski (1938-2024)

Helen P. Lapinski, 95, of Baden, passed away on February 20, 2024. She was the daughter of the late Joseph and Elizabeth Piltz. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Casimier Lapinski, siblings, Frank Piltz, Joseph Piltz Jr., Vincent Piltz, Antoni Piltz, and Rose Karp. She is survived by her children, Kevin Lapinski, Leslie (Bill) Fox, grandchildren, Zachary (Kimberly) Dobsch, Nick Lapinski, great grandchildren, Hunter, Evelyn, numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. Helen was a devoted member of Saint John the Baptist Church in Baden where she volunteered pinching pierogi. She also served with the Christian Mothers. Helen enjoyed gardening, but absolutely loved to cook and bake for her family.

Visitation will be held on Monday, February 26, 2024, from 3-7 PM in the Alvarez-Hahn Funeral Services and Cremation, 547 8th Street, Ambridge, 724-266-2549. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held 10:30 AM on Tuesday, February 27, 2024, at Saint Luke the Evangelist Church, Ambridge. Burial will follow at Sylvania Hills Memorial Park.

Constance “Connie” Leona Feduska Roman (1934-2024)

Constance “Connie” Leona Feduska Roman — born to Nicholas and Stella Feduska in western Pennsylvania — was a testament to resilience and creativity.

The eldest of five, her early life in Ambridge during the Great Depression shaped her compassionate outlook. A gifted artist from a young age, Connie turned to the violin when her family couldn’t afford a piano, showcasing her adaptability and passion for the arts.

Despite personal and societal challenges, Connie pursued a love for art and education, leading her to Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Her college years were marked by leadership and innovation, notably becoming sorority president and honing her design skills. After college, she dedicated her life to teaching art in Beaver Valley, touching many lives with her talent and kindness.

Connie’s personal life was filled with both joy and tribulation. Marrying Alexander Richard Roman and raising three children, she faced her husband’s decades-long struggle with mental illness with courage and grace, becoming the family’s breadwinner. Her commitment extended beyond her family to significant community service, particularly with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), where she used her experience to help others.

Her faith and artistry were central to Connie’s life, especially at St. Stephen’s Church, where she led an adult painting group and contributed to charitable causes. Despite health challenges, including multiple battles with cancer, Connie found solace and strength in painting until macular degeneration limited her abilities.

Connie’s legacy lives on through her children, Chris, Brian, Monica, and their families, and her siblings. She was predeceased by her parents, husband, and sister Myra Gerlach.

Friends and family will be welcomed at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, February 24, 2024 for a time of visitation and light refreshments in the lobby area of St. Stephen’s Church at 405 Frederick Ave., Sewickley, followed by a funeral service in the Sanctuary with interment in the Columbarium immediately thereafter.