Gov. Tom Wolf’s office says it has the support necessary to pass major tax legislation in the House of Representatives in a crucial step toward ending a state budget stalemate that is in its sixth month. Wolf’s press secretary Jeff Sheridan told the Associated Press today that the office is confident that it has the votes to pass the legislation. He spoke shortly after House Majority Leader David Reed told the AP that he was scheduling a vote for Saturday. If it passes, a vote on the main spending bill could follow. Details of the tax package haven’t been made public.

Police in New Castle said a man wearing a mask and carrying a knife sexually assaulted two people shortly after midnight Thursday. According to a post on the department’s Facebook page, patrols have been increased in the area of Logan Street and Boyles Avenue. Police say that is the area where the victims were walking when they were approached by the suspect. Anyone with information about the case is asked to call New Castle police at (724) 656-3585.

Debate in the state House on legislation to overhaul benefits in Pennsylvania’s large public-sector pension plans is on hold. Republican floor leader Dave Reed abruptly stopped the session yesterday after Representative Gene DiGirolamo sought to have the Senate-passed bill moved to a committee for further study.

Federal authorities say a 19-year-old pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group, used Twitter to spread its propaganda and had a backpack with ammunition that suggests he might have been plotting an attack. Harrisburg resident Jalil Ibn Ameer Aziz was arrested yesterday and charged with two counts of attempting to provide material support to terrorists.

Beaver County Commission Chairwoman Sandy Egley appeared on Teleforum with Mike Romigh Thursday morning and talked about how it felt to win a Republican majority and what Beaver County residents can expect from the new board.

Some new developments in the investigation regarding the unidentified embalmed head that was found in the woods of Economy borough more than a year ago. The head was discovered on December 12th, 2014. Despite numerous tests since that time, investigators still don’t know who it belongs to, or how it got there. However, Economy Police Chief Mike O’Brien held a news conference this morning to release additional information. First, forensic scientists have confirmed that she is a white female over the age of 50….and contrary to earlier reports, investigators now believe the woman is from this region. And most recently, they’ve discovered that the eyes had been removed and replaced by red rubber balls. They also believe the head was embalmed by a non-professional. Also attending today’s press conference was Beaver County District Attorney Anthony Berosh and Beaver County Coroner Teri Tatalovich Rossi. The embalmed head was laid to rest on Saturday, one year after her discovery. Anyone with information is urged to call the Economy borough police department at (724) 876-0380.