Gun rights supporters rally outside Pennsylvania Capitol
MARK SCOLFORO Associated Press
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A couple hundred gun rights enthusiasts are hoping an annual rally on the Pennsylvania Capitol steps will spur action by state lawmakers to extend greater legal protections to the use and possession of firearms. The event’s main organizer is a state representative and said Monday the crowd at the Right to Keep and Bear Arms Rally was the smallest in the past 16 years. Among the attendees’ legislative priorities is letting anyone who can legally possess guns conceal them when they carry them in public without a license or permit. They also want to prevent cities from enacting more restrictive local firearms restrictions.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The state House is advancing revisions to Pennsylvania’s medical marijuana law, seeking to make permanent some of the changes put in place temporarily because of the coronavirus pandemic. Representatives on Monday voted 164 to 38 for the bill, sending it to the Senate. It would permit dispensing a three-month supply at a time, up from one month’s supply. Patients will be able to continue to pick up their medicine outside a dispensary, rather than coming inside the building. The legislation would ease the process by which contaminants must be removed before the final testing. Grower-processors would be permitted to use pesticides under standards the Agriculture Department would develop.

By MARK SCOLFORO Associated Press
The head prosecutor in Pittsburgh is expounding on his policy regarding plea deals, days after it became public that he told his staff to no longer offer them to clients of a Black criminal defense lawyer who called the office “systematically racist.” Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala Jr. announced Monday his office will investigate any claim by a defense lawyer or unrepresented defendant who raise concerns that a plea offer shows racial or other bias. His new policy says that when a lawyer or defendant claims plea talks have treated them differently because of “protected status,” the prosecutor has to look into it and report what’s occurred.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The city of Pittsburgh has posted a condemnation notice on a Pittsburgh high-rise due to damage from an electrical fire last month, but the building owner is vowing to bring in even more people to hasten repairs. Fire officials said the May 19 blaze at the 44-story Gulf Tower was confined to the basement although smoke could be seen rising from the roof from a ventilation shaft. Building owner Rugby Realty said it has more than 200 people working to repair the damage, and chief operating officer Larry Walsh said officials plan to increase that number to 300.

FDA approves much-debated Alzheimer’s drug panned by experts
By MATTHEW PERRONE AP Health Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) — Government health officials have approved the first drug that they say may help slow Alzheimer’s disease. The surprise decision came after the agency’s independent advisers said the treatment hadn’t been shown to help treat the brain-destroying disease. The Food and Drug Administration is not required to follow their advice. The agency approved the infused drug from Biogen. It’s the first new Alzheimer’s treatment in nearly 20 years and the only one that FDA has backed to treat the underlying disease, rather than manage symptoms.

Lawmakers return for June with big agenda, sharp differences
By MARC LEVY Associated Press
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania state lawmakers are returning to session with a big June agenda and sharp differences. They have four weeks starting Monday to wrap up their work for an on-time budget. The state has some good fiscal news: a huge surplus. Meanwhile, there’s also $7.3 billion of federal coronavirus aid. Senate Majority Leader Kim Ward said the Republican-controlled Senate’s focus is wrapping up the budget, as well as funding for public and private education, broadband and transportation. Election legislation is also a top priority, but deep partisan differences make its passage iffy. Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat, wants a $1.3 billion boost to public school aid, about a 20% increase.

Jeff Bezos riding his own rocket in July, joining 1st crew
By MICHELLE CHAPMAN and MARCIA DUNN Associated Press
Jeff Bezos will ride his own rocket into space next month, joining the first crew to fly in a Blue Origin capsule. The Amazon CEO announced Monday that he will launch July 20 from Texas along with his firefighter brother. Also on board the capsule for the 10-minute hop will be the highest bidder in a charity auction. Virgin Galactic’s Richard Branson also plans to launch aboard his own rocket later this year. Blue Origin completed the 15th test flight of its New Shepard rocket in April. For its first launch with passengers, the company chose the 52nd anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing.

Supreme Court rules against immigrants with temporary status
By MARK SHERMAN Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — A unanimous Supreme Court has ruled that thousands of people living in the U.S. for humanitarian reasons are ineligible to apply to become permanent residents. Justice Elena Kagan wrote for the court Monday that federal immigration law prohibits people who entered the country illegally and now have Temporary Protected Status from seeking “green cards” to remain in the country permanently. The designation applies to people who come from countries ravaged by war or disaster. It protects them from deportation and allows them to work legally. There are 400,000 people from 12 countries with TPS status.

(Richland Twp., Pa.) Pa State Police in Gibsonia are reporting that while they were conducting a speed check for traffic along the Pa Turnpike in Richland Township Sunday at 11:40 AM they clocked a black motorcycle going 114 MPH in a 70 MPH zone using radar.

Troopers say that 22-year-old Daniel Alexander Martinez Pereira of Doral Florida did not stop for the trooper’s lights and siren and fled. While pursuing Martinez-Pereira the Trooper who clocked him crashed his Police cruiser. Martinez-Pereira continued eastbound for approximately 4 miles and crashed his motorcycle at the Pittsburgh Interchange.

Martinez-Pereira was transported to Forbes hospital for his injuries. There is no word on his condition. Troopers file charges of fleeing and eluding at the local district court.