Hearings are beginning in Pennsylvania’s House of Representatives on heavily-lobbied legislation that backers say is necessary to ensure the long-term profitability of the state’s five nuclear power plants, albeit at a cost to electric ratepayers. The first testifier Monday was former Gov. Tom Ridge, who as governor two decades ago ushered in Pennsylvania’s competitive electricity markets that nuclear power plant owners now say don’t provide an even playing field.

A constitutional amendment to enshrine the rights of crime victims in the Pennsylvania Constitution is a state Senate vote away from going before voters in a referendum. Pennsylvania’s proposed version of Marsy’s Law was approved Monday in the House of Representatives by a vote of 190 to 8. It would give victims the right to be notified, to attend and to weigh in during plea hearings, sentencings and parole proceedings.

Bills designed to help victims of child sexual abuse are moving in the Pennsylvania Legislature and could pass the state House in the coming days. The House Judiciary Committee voted Monday for a bill to eliminate the statute of limitations for child sexual abuse crimes and for a constitutional amendment that would permit a two-year retroactive window for lawsuits. Both measures are widely supported in the House, but the state Senate’s Republican majority blocked similar legislation last year.

YESTERDAY WE TOLD YOU ABOUT THE FORMER BEAVER COUNTY PRIEST WHO WAS PLACED ON ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE BY THE CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF PITTSBURGH FOR INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR. THIS MORNING, BEAVER COUNTY RADIO NEWS CORRESPONDENT SANDY GIORDANO GOT REACTION FROM THE LOCAL PARISHES WHERE HE ONCE SERVED…

New Castle police are asking for the public’s help to find a man who robbed a Dollar General store on Sunday night. Police say the man robbed the store in the 1500 block of Moravia Street at around 7:30 p.m. Investigators say the man came into the store and demanded money from the clerk. Police said the man has a tattoo on the left side of his neck and left the store in a silver Ford-style sedan. Anyone with information should call New Castle police at 724-656-3587.

Two people were flown to the hospital after a motorcycle crash in New Castle late last night. It happened around 10:15 p.m. on Highland Avenue near Park Avenue. The motorcyclist got into a crash with a small SUV. A man and woman were riding the motorcycle at the time of the crash. Both were flown to a local hospital. Further details have not been released at this time.

PennDOT District 11 is announcing guide rail installation work on I-376 (Beaver Valley Expressway) in Beaver County, will continue, Tuesday, April 9 weather permitting. Single-lane restrictions on I-376 will occur between the Beaver Valley Expressway Toll 376 roadway to the Beaver/Midland (Exit 38) interchange according to the following schedule:

• Eastbound – Daily lane restriction from 9 a.m. to 6 a.m. the following day
• Westbound – Daily lane restriction from 7 p.m. to 3 p.m. the following day

Crews  will conduct the work which will continue through early June.

WE HAVE A TRAFFIC ALERT FOR MOTORISTS IN MONACA THIS MORNING. COLONIAL AVENUE BETWEEN ROUTE 51 TO FRONT STREET WILL BE CLOSED FROM NOW UNTIL 3 P-M FRIDAY DUE TO ROAD RESTORATION WORK. DURING THIS TIME, RESIDENTS ARE ASKED TO PLAN THEIR COMMUTE ACCORDINGLY UNTIL THE ROAD IS RE-OPENED. FOR ADDITIONAL UPDATES, PLEASE VISIT THE BOROUGH WEBSITE AT: WWW.MONACAPA.NET.

WEATHER FORECAST FOR TUESDAY, APRIL 9TH, 2019

TODAY – SOME CLOUDS THIS MORNING WILL GIVE WAY TO
GENERALLY SUNNY SKIES FOR THE AFTERNOON.
HIGH – 68.

TONIGHT – MOSTLY CLEAR. LOW – 41.

WEDNESDAY – OVERCAST. HIGH – 55.

Mother pleads no contest in 17-month-old boy’s 2016 death
PITTSBURGH (AP) — A mother accused of killing her 17-month-old son and then sending the boy’s father videos of abuse has pleaded no contest to homicide and attempted homicide charges.
Twenty-four-year-old Christian Clark of McKeesport entered the pleas Monday, the day jury selection was scheduled for her trial. She will face a mandatory life term without possibility of parole.
Allegheny County prosecutors earlier said they would seek the death penalty in the case but rescinded that notification Monday.
Clark charged in the November 2016 death of Andre Price III and was also accused of threatening the life of the boy’s 2-year-old sister.
During hours of angry texts, investigators said, she sent pictures and graphic videos of abuse to the boy’s father, who was charged with child endangerment.
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This story has been corrected to note the defendant’s age is 24 rather than 21.