UNDATED (AP) — The newly elected treasurer of a small city in western Pennsylvania says city officials plotted to block her from taking office because she is black. Uniontown Treasurer-elect Antoinette Hodge alleges in a lawsuit that a city councilman took action to prevent her from being sworn in as scheduled. She says he called her a “colored girl” in a discussion with officials at a bonding agency. Councilman Martin Gatti denies using racist language and says he had legitimate questions about Hodge’s financial background. Hodge is suing the city, Gatti and another official.

A State Representative has introduced legislation that would cut the number of lawmakers in Harrisburg by 25 percent. Allegheny County state Rep. Valerie Gaydos says Pennsylvania has the second largest state legislature in the country, and not not only provide significant cost savings to taxpayers, but also streamline the legislative process and make it easier for lawmakers to reach consensus. Lawmakers regularly introduce bills to shrink the Legislature, but none have met the state constitutional amendment requirement of getting passed in consecutive sessions and then approved in a statewide referendum.

The 2020 Beaver County Annual Snow Shovel Riding Contest is being moved to next Saturday, January 18th, in the hope for better conditions. According to Beaver County Director of Recreation, Tim Ishman, the 57th Annual event is being postponed due to weather conditions that are not favorable to this particular contest. The predicted high for Saturday is 66 degrees, not exactly snow shovel riding weather. So once again, the event is being postponed to next Saturday. If it is canceled for a second time, the event will be scrapped for the entire season.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A Pennsylvania judge has ruled that parents of children in the Roman Catholic Church and survivors of sexual abuse by clergy members can move forward with a lawsuit against the Diocese of Pittsburgh alleging that it has not fulfilled its obligations under state law to report child sexual abusers. Lawyers for the plaintiffs say the lawsuit is the first time a private citizen has been allowed to challenge an institution to prove it is complying with a reporting law. The ruling Tuesday granted a preliminary dismissal to the state’s other dioceses because the lawsuit did not include specific allegations against them.

Health officials say Allegheny County has had its first flu-related death of the season. It’s reported the victim was over 90-years-old and was also battling some underlying medical conditions. So far this season, Allegheny County is leading the commonwealth with more than 51-hundred confirmed flu cases, with 34 leading to hospitalizations. At this time last year, there were only 212 confirmed flu cases in the county.

Federal investigators are meticulously working to find the cause of this past weekend’s deadly crash on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. National Transportation Safety Board officials released a video yesterday that shows up-close scenes of the wrecked tour bus and tractor-trailers. A preliminary cause of the crash that killed five people and injured nearly 60 is expected within ten days.

WEATHER FORECAST FOR THURSDAY, JANUARY 9TH, 2020

 

TODAY – PARTLY SUNNY. HIGH – 43.

TONIGHT – CLOUDY. LOW NEAR 40.

FRIDAY – RAIN. HIGH – 55.

SATURDAY – RAIN. NEAR RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURES.
HIGH – 66.

SUNDAY – MORNING CLOUDS FOLLOWED BY SOME
AFTERNOON SUNSHINE. MORNING HIGH OF 55
WITH TEMPS FALLING TO NEAR 40.