A freshman Republican state representative’s opening prayer in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives is drawing complaints that it was inappropriately divisive. Rep. Stephanie Borowicz began the day’s session Monday with a Christian invocation that thanked Jesus for the honor and President Donald Trump for standing “behind Israel unequivocally.” Democratic Leader Frank Dermody called Borowicz’s invocation beneath the dignity of the state House.

The Pennsylvania attorney general’s office has charged a co-founder and former executives of an addiction treatment firm and accused them of profiting off addicts by fraudulently billing insurance companies for tens of millions of dollars. The charges announced Monday by Attorney General Josh Shapiro against 11 people and nine corporations focus on Liberation Way, a for-profit treatment company. The firm that bought a majority stake in Liberation Way in 2017 says the staff has been overhauled.

The foreman of a jury that acquitted a white Pennsylvania police officer of homicide says the Michael Rosfeld didn’t know the black teen he shot was unarmed. Juror Jesse Rawls Sr. says Antwon Rose II and another occupant who ran “brought it on themselves.” He says the then-East Pittsburgh officer knew there had just been a drive-by shooting. Hundreds of high school and college students protested the verdict Monday in downtown Pittsburgh.

A Pittsburgh mom faces felony child endangerment charges after her 3-year-old daughter was found standing outside nearly naked in near-freezing conditions. Pittsburgh police say a subsequent investigation determined the girl and her two siblings _ an infant and a 6-year-old _ were living in filthy conditions in a rowhouse. Authorities say a passing motorist called 911 after seeing the girl standing on the sidewalk in front of the rowhouse on March 18 with only a towel covering her.

A Chippewa Township woman accused of dumping the body of a drug overdose victim in White Township was sentenced in the case. 37 year old Carly Wiley pleaded no contest and was sentenced to spend 11 months in jail followed by two years probation. Wiley was one of two people charged Aug. 31 with dumping the body of 29-year-old Ryan Chiappetta in his vehicle in White Township after he died of a drug overdose at Wiley’s Chippewa Township house.

(File photo property of Beaver County Radio News)

WEATHER FORECAST FOR TUESDAY, MARCH 26TH, 2019

TODAY – SUNNY. HIGH – 47.

TONIGHT – MOSTLY CLEAR. LOW – 25.

TUESDAY – SOME CLOUDS IN THE MORNING WILL GIVE WAY MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES FOR THE AFTERNOON.
HIGH – 55.

(File photo property of Beaver County Radio News)

Months of cold wintry weather have had a big impact on vehicles throughout the region, paving the way for breakdowns in the months ahead.  With the harsh winter weather in the rearview mirror and road-trip season ahead, AAA East Central advises motorists to give their vehicles a thorough check-up to help deter costly repairs down the road.

“Winter can lead to many issues that effect a vehicle’s performance, and a major issue AAA sees every year is rust damage caused by road salt,” says Mike Hoshaw, vice president of automotive services for AAA East Central.  “Americans are paying millions a year in rust damage, and easy steps like having the undercarriage washed can go a long way to help prevent a costly repair.”

The AAA Spring Car Care Checklist:

• Undercarriage blast — Give the entire vehicle, including the undercarriage, one last cleaning in the spring.  Any deposits left over from winter can continue to cause corrosion year-round.
• Tires — For optimum performance, tires must have adequate tread depth, show no signs of physical damage and be properly inflated.  With more potholes on the road, properly tires can act as a cushion to protect your vehicle’s suspension components.
• Windshield wiper blades — Cold temperatures are hard on rubber compounds, making early spring a good time to check or replace the blades if necessary.
• Fluids — Check all fluids and top off as necessary.  Winter driving conditions require your engine to work harder, and condensation can cause moisture to buildup in the engine that can create wear.
• Air Filter — The air filter is an integral part of your engine’s performance, and AAA recommends motorists change them with every oil change.
• Interior — This maintenance can include washing floor liners, vacuuming the carpets, and checking the cabin air filter.
• Battery — During the summer months, the hot sun can break down internal components of this part.  If a battery is more than three years old, it should be tested – especially before any long road trips.

Many items on the checklist can be done at home, but some are best left to the professionals.  Motorists can take their vehicles to a certified technician like those who participate in AAA’s Approved Auto Repair (AAR) program.  Garages that participate in the AAR program offer qualified technicians, a wide range of professional repair services, and guaranteed quality.  These shops meet AAA’s strict quality standards and display AAA’s logo.  AAR shops can be found at AAA.com/AutoRepair.

AAA East Central is a not-for-profit association with 80 local offices in Kentucky, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia serving 2.7 million members.  News releases are available at news.eastcentral.aaa.com.  Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.             

Foreman defends acquittal of officer for black teen’s death
PITTSBURGH (AP) — The foreman of a jury that acquitted a white Pennsylvania police officer of homicide said Michael Rosfeld did not know the black teen he shot was unarmed and that his decision to run after his vehicle was pulled over factored into the verdict.
Juror Jesse Rawls Sr. told WHTM-TV that Antwon Rose II and another occupant who ran from the stop “brought it on themselves” and that the then-East Pittsburgh officer knew there had just been a drive-by shooting and was scared.
“It’s a felony stop,” Rawls said. “Once it’s a felony stop, you have to take precautions.” He said Rosfeld could not let the occupants get away, and “he didn’t know what the kid had.”
Rawls, 72, who is black, is a retired schoolteacher and wrestling coach from Harrisburg, where jurors were picked for last week’s trial in Pittsburgh.
He said jurors “did what was right” in acquitting Rosfeld of all charges Friday. The verdict has prompted protests over four days, including hundreds of high school and college students marching Monday in downtown Pittsburgh.
Rawls was among three African-Americans on the 12-person jury.
Rosfeld was responding to a report of a drive-by shooting in nearby North Braddock in June when he saw a vehicle that matched the description — an unlicensed taxi in which Rose was a passenger.
As Rosfeld was dealing with the driver, Rose and the other passenger got out and ran. Video captured Rosfeld shooting Rose three times, including in the back.
“If the kids wouldn’t have jumped out and ran, they would have never been in the situation,” Rawls told the station. “So put the onus on the young men in the car, why did they jump and run?”
He noted there was a senior center near where Rose was shot. Rawls said Rosfeld might have been concerned that Rose was armed and could have gone into the center and begun shooting.
The other taxi passenger, Zaijuan Hester, 18, pleaded guilty earlier this month to aggravated assault and firearms violations, saying he — and not — Rose did the shooting during the drive-by incident.
Rose was in fact unarmed when he was killed, although he did have a gun clip in his pocket. Two handguns were recovered from the taxi.
Rosfeld’s lawyer, Patrick Thomassey, said after the verdict that his client probably cannot work again as a police officer. East Pittsburgh disbanded its force late last year, and Rosfeld and the borough face civil litigation over the shooting filed by Rose’s family.
Rawls said that if he had not witnessed the trial, he might have feelings similar to those expressed by the protesters regarding the shooting’s racial elements. Marchers have repeatedly chanted their opposition to racist police and portrayed Rose as victim of injustice and deserving of sympathy.
“I think that they have to accept the fact that the 12 people in the jury room did what was right,” Rawls said. “Now, if you wanted me to do what was wrong and convict him of something that was wrong to please the neighborhood, then that’s not fair.”
He also told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that the jury was not unanimous at the start of deliberations.
“Some people had to change their minds,” he told the paper. “It was a discussion, like, ‘Tell me why he is not guilty.’ And then we went over it on the screen and we came up with the answer, and the person said, ‘OK, I read this the wrong way.'”