A state Supreme Court justice’s hopes are dashed for a court-approved deal to end ethics charges he faces over the exchange of salacious emails. Justice Michael Eakin angrily declined comment yesterday after the Court of Judicial Discipline would not let his lawyer discuss a hope-for deal.

A Beaver Falls scrapyard is working to develop a plan to decontaminate its facility, along with sites in Ohio to which scrap contaminated with radioactive material was shipped. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection was notified this week that the contaminated recycled scrap was shipped from PSC Metals, Inc. in Beaver Falls to two facilities in Ohio, according to a news release. Readings were taken at the Beaver Falls scrapyard by a  team from the DEP’s Radiation Protection Program, according to the release. Elevated readings were found on one large metal shredder, which has been isolated, and on gloves used by two workers. Additional testing is being done by the DEP to ensure that there was no skin contamination.  Officials say it does not pose a health risk to employees or the general public.

For now, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are polling the best among Pennsylvania residents. According to a new Franklin & Marshall College poll, Clinton holds a steady lead over Bernie Sanders. Clinton is besting Sanders 48 percent to 27 percent. That lead, according to the poll, is very similar to the Democratic numbers from January. Donald Trump continues to lead on the Republican side, but the people in second and third place keep changing. Trump is in first place with 22 percent, while three candidates continue to duke it out for the runner-up position. Marco Rubio is at 16 percent, John Kasich stands at 15 percent and Ted Cruz trails close behind at 12 percent.

There has been no word so far of any serious injuries in central or eastern Pennsylvania from last night’s strong thunderstorms. Just under 20,000 homes and businesses in the state remain without power today. A National Weather Service team today will visit Lancaster County to determine whether a tornado struck the area.

Hearings are scheduled for March 9th and 10th in newly filed court challenges seeking to knock Republican presidential candidates Ted Cruz and John Kasich off the primary ballot in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania’s primary election is April 26th.

The Ambridge Area School Board last night recognized 20 junior high school students and Economy Elementary students belonging to the school’s science club who submitted projects recently at the science fair. Beaver County Radio News correspondent Sandy Jordano reports that on April 1st, they will attend the Pittsburgh Regional Science Fair. The board also approved the formation of the National Junior Honor Society. The goal, board members say, is to build leaders not only in the school…but also to do service within the district and surroundings communities.

The former mayor of Seven Fields in Butler County was sentenced Tuesday to seven years in federal prison on a child pornography conviction. 47-year-old Edward Bayne of Cranberry Township had pleaded guilty in July to possession of pornography following an investigation by state police that uncovered thousands of images in computer graphics files that he acquired through online file-sharing networks. In addition to the seven-year sentence, U.S. District Judge Maurice Cohill imposed a term of 10 years of probation. The judge also ordered him to pay $12,000 in restitution to four individuals identified in the pornography under a federal law that compensates victims. Bayne was mayor of Seven Fields from 2006 to 2013, when he resigned after state troopers raided his house.