As children return to school, AAA East Central is launching its annual School’s Open-Drive Carefully campaign. The campaign encourages parents to talk about the importance of school zone safety with their children and teen drivers. It also advises motorists to take extra caution when traveling through school zones or near school buses especially during before-and after-school hours. Children are particularly vulnerable during the afternoon hours following their school day. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 64 percent of child pedestrians killed in traffic crashes occurred during the weekday (6 a.m. Monday to 6 p.m. Friday) in 2024.

“School zone speed limits and crossing guards are in place to save lives,” said Terri Rae Anthony, safety advisor, AAA East Central.  “Since children can move quickly and cross the road unexpectedly, it is important to obey speed limits and be ready to stop at a moment’s notice.”

Speed is a crucial factor in protecting the lives of students as they make their way to class. According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, a pedestrian struck by a vehicle traveling at 20 mph is about two-thirds less likely to be killed as compared to a pedestrian struck by a vehicle traveling at 30 mph. Moreover, nearly 1-in-5 children 14 and younger who die in traffic crashes are pedestrians.

In addition to slowing down, AAA offers the following advice for motorists to keep children safe as they navigate their way through school zones:

• Ditch distractions. Research shows that glancing away from the road for just two seconds doubles the chances of crashing.
• Stay alert. Don’t rush into and out of driveways. Expect pedestrians on the sidewalk, especially around schools and in neighborhoods. Mind vehicle blind spots, check for children on the sidewalk, in the driveway, and around the vehicle before slowly backing up.
• Brake for buses. It may be tempting to drive around a stopped school bus, but not only is it dangerous, it is against the law.
• Talk to your teen. Car crashes are one of the leading causes of death for teens in the United States. More than one-quarter of fatal crashes involving teen drivers occur during the after-school hours of 3 to 7 p.m.
• Come to a complete stop. Research shows that more than one-third of drivers roll through stop signs in school zones and neighborhoods. Always come to a complete stop, check carefully for children on sidewalks and in crosswalks before proceeding.
• Watch for bikes. Children on bicycles are often unpredictable, so expect the unexpected. Motorists should slow down and allow at least three feet of passing distance between their vehicle and bicyclists.
• Plan ahead.  Leave early and build in extra time for congestion. If possible, modify routes to avoid school zones.
• Look for AAA School Safety Patrollers. With more than 600,000 AAA School Safety Patrollers at 31,000 schools across the country, patrollers are a sure sign that school zone is approaching.

Luigi Mangione attends a pre-trial hearing at Manhattan Criminal Court in New York, Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026. (David Dee Delgado/Pool Photo via AP)

NEW YORK (AP) — Luigi Mangione is expected to plead guilty as early as Friday in the federal case accusing him of stalking and killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, according to a person familiar with the matter.

The person, who was not authorized to talk publicly about the case and spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity, cautioned that Mangione could change his mind. If he follows through, it would be a stunning development in a case that rattled business leaders while galvanizing their critics.

Mangione’s lawyers, and spokespeople for the Justice Department and Manhattan federal prosecutors, declined to comment.

Mangione is accused of traveling to New York City to ambush Thompson, 50, then shooting him outside a Manhattan hotel on Dec. 4, 2024, as the executive walked to UnitedHealth Group’s annual investor conference.

Mangione is due in court on Friday for a hastily scheduled hearing in the federal case, which involves two counts of stalking. It wasn’t clear what charge or charges Mangione is expected to plead guilty to. The hearing, in Manhattan federal court, comes as his lawyers have been talking with federal prosecutors about a possible resolution to one of two criminal cases against Mangione in Thompson’s death. Previous talks in June broke down.

Mangione, 28, has been charged in both federal and state court in New York and still faces the possibility of a trial in his unresolved state case. Mangione’s state murder trial is set to begin Sept. 8. Both sets of charges carried the possibility of a life sentence.

Mangione has pleaded not guilty and has spoken out publicly against the prospect of two trials, telling a judge in February: “It’s the same trial twice. One plus one is two. Double jeopardy by any commonsense definition.”

Under New York law, a state prosecution could be barred if the federal case is resolved first, but it isn’t automatic.

The state’s double jeopardy protections kick in if a jury has been sworn in a prior prosecution, such as a federal case, or if that prosecution ends in a guilty plea. Mangione’s cases involve different charges arising from the same course of conduct.

Once Mangione pleads guilty, his lawyers could then ask the judge in the state case to throw out those charges on double jeopardy grounds. State prosecutors argue their case is distinct and double jeopardy shouldn’t apply.

Mangione’s federal charges allege that he traveled across state lines by bus to stalk and kill Thompson and that he used means such as a cellphone, the internet, interstate highways and staying at a hostel that serves out-of-state customers while planning and carrying out the attack. The state charges pertain to the killing itself, as well as firearms offenses.

In a letter last month, state prosecutors objected to the possibility of a guilty plea in the federal case wiping out the state case.

“Obviously, any guilty pleas in these matters must account for the seriousness of defendant’s offenses, the loss of an innocent life, the impact of those crimes on the victim’s family, and the other state interests that are implicated, including the sanctity of life principle that underpins the state homicide charges,” Assistant District Attorney Joel Seidemann wrote.

Mangione’s decision to plead guilty comes after a series of setbacks for his defense.

In January, U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett took the death penalty off the table but ruled that prosecutors could use items collected from Mangione’s backpack during his arrest as evidence against him.

They included a 3D-printed pistol that investigators said matched the one used to kill Thompson and a notebook in which authorities say Mangione described his intent to kill an insurance executive.

In June, Mangione’s lawyers said they would pursue a psychiatric defense in the state case but reversed course a day later. The defense, involving claims that he was suffering from extreme emotional disturbance at the time of the killing, isn’t allowed in federal court.

Surveillance video of the killing showed a masked gunman shooting Thompson from behind. Police say “delay,” “deny” and “depose” were written on the ammunition, mimicking a phrase used to describe how insurers avoid paying claims.

Mangione, an Ivy League graduate from a wealthy Maryland family, was arrested five days later at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, about 230 miles (about 370 kilometers) west of Manhattan.

He has become a cause célèbre for people upset with the health insurance industry.

An online fundraiser for his legal defense fund raised more than $1.5 million, and several dozen supporters have shown up to his court appearances, some wearing green clothing — the color worn by the Mario Bros. video game character Luigi — and “FREE LUIGI” T-shirts.

___

Durkin Richer reported from Washington.

Pittsburgh, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) is announcing preparatory work of the Route 65 bridge over the Connoquenessing Creek in North Sewickley and Franklin townships, Beaver County will begin Monday, August 17 weather permitting.

Single-lane alternating traffic restrictions controlled by flaggers will occur on Route 65 between Country Club Road and Mercer Road (Route 1006) weekdays from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM through mid-September. Crews from Swank Construction Company will conduct predrilling and installation of bridge foundation work in preparation for the full closure expected to occur mid to late September.

A full replacement of the existing three-span, steel multi-girder bridge will occur on this $9.45 million project. The bridge spans the Connoquenessing Creek between Mercer Road in Franklin Township and Country Club Drive in North Sewickley Township. A 33-day closure with a detour will occur for the demolition of the existing structure, the building of a new bridge, and intersection upgrades which are expected to reopen the bridge by the end of October 2026. Additional work includes drainage improvements, sign upgrades, pavement marking installation, and planting and seeding areas impacted by construction activities. The overall project is expected to finish in the spring of 2027.

Please allow extra time and use caution when traveling through the work zone.

FILE – White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks with reporters in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, July 16, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, File)

WASHINGTON (AP) — White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt will be leaving the Trump administration at the end of the month to spend time with her young family. The 28-year-old Leavitt called it a “bittersweet decision” in a social media post Wednesday shortly after President Donald Trump announced she’d be stepping down. She is the youngest person in history to hold the role and recently gave birth to her second child. She said that, since returning to the White House from maternity leave, she has felt she could not devote enough time or attention to both roles. Trump said she will be one of his “top outside advisors.”

FILE – Powerball lottery tickets are displayed Oct. 4, 2023, in Surfside, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee, File)

A Powerball ticket sold in western Illinois has won a $1 billion jackpot. Lottery officials say the ticket that won the jackpot on Wednesday night was purchased at a Hy-Vee gas station in Quincy along the Missouri border. It’s not clear if the winner has come forward yet. The prize can be taken as a $1 billion annuity over 29 years or a lump sum of $450.5 million in cash. Most winners take the lump sum. This is the first jackpot win since May 2. The odds of winning the jackpot are one in 292 million. The Powerball jackpot now resets to $20 million for the next drawing on Saturday.

HARRISBURG — Attorney General Dave Sunday announced that a former PennDOT employee has been charged with embezzling more than $33,000 by overcharging her department-issued credit card.

Tracy Touzalin, 55, of Dingmans Ferry, was charged Wednesday with felony theft by deception and three related felonies regarding conduct between 2023 and 2025, when she worked as a PennDOT Roadway Programs Technician in Pike County.

Touzalin was arraigned Wednesday morning and released on her own recognizance.

“This defendant was entrusted with taxpayer dollars that should have supported much-needed infrastructure projects, but instead went into her personal bank account,” Attorney General Sunday said. “This conduct is criminal theft and a betrayal of the public she was hired to serve.”

According to the investigation, Touzalin created fraudulent purchase orders that allowed her to overcharge her PennDOT-issued Purchase Order Card, with her stealing the overcharges.

It was determined that between June 2023 and March 2025, Touzalin charged a total of $57,920 to PennDOT for “janitorial services.” Of this amount, only $24,470 was actually paid to cleaners. Touzalin deposited the difference of $33,450 into her personal bank account.

The Office of Attorney General accepted the case referral from the Office of General Counsel.

The case is being prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Andrew Biggins. Criminal charges, and any discussion thereof, are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

HARRISBURG – Sen. Elder Vogel, Jr.  announced the approval of two state grants to improve agricultural innovation in the 47^th Senate District.

Vogel said the following Agriculture Innovation Grants are being awarded by the state Department of Agriculture:

Tiny Seed Farm, of Rochester, Beaver County, will receive $31,690 for an automated specialty crop system.

Dream, Invent, Inspire, of Evans City, Butler County, will receive $5,247 to help pay for an AI system for vertical garden and crop management.

“Agriculture is a very competitive business, and it’s important that Pennsylvania farmers can access innovation to give them an edge and keep our ag communities strong,” Vogel said.

Agricultural Innovation Grants help farmers and other agriculture businesses implement new technologies and conservation and renewable energy innovations designed to expand their potential to generate profits, enrich soil and water resources, and produce energy on the farm.

Pennsylvania agriculture supports more than 48,800 farms and nearly 600,000 jobs, and contributes $132.5 billion annually to the commonwealth economy.

CENTER TOWNSHIP, PA – Today, Congressman Chris Deluzio (PA-17) announced that Center Township in Beaver County, PA is receiving $999,000 for upgrades to their waterline infrastructure. This funding will pay for a section of replacement waterline. Replacing this waterline will improve water service and reduce maintenance work for the Township.

“Every community should have safe, clean drinking water that they can count on,” said Congressman Deluzio. “I’m glad to announce this funding for the people of Center Township. Thank you to former Congressman Conor Lamb for his work on this project in the 117th Congress.”

“The management and investigative efforts [from this funding] will protect the health and safety of residents,” said Bill DiCioccio, Jr., Chairman of the Board of Supervisorsfor Center Township.

The waterline infrastructure funding was appropriated by Congress in 2022 under the Consolidated Appropriations Act and is granted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) through the State and Tribal Assistance Grants’ (STAG) State Revolving Fund.

PITTSBURGH (Aug. 13, 2026) — Vitalant and the Pittsburgh Pirates wrap up their 30th annual blood drive series this August with events at PNC Park and locations across western Pennsylvania. Donors will help maintain a steady blood supply for area hospitals and receive a voucher redeemable for two tickets to a Pirates home game (Sunday through Thursday) during the 2026 season*.

Donors of all blood types are needed this summer. Summer is often referred to as “trauma season,” when the need for blood can increase while donations drop due to busy donor schedules. Type O donors can help most patients in emergencies.

WHEN: Wednesday, August 26, and Thursday, August 27, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

WHERE: PNC Park, Press Conference Room, 115 Federal St., Pittsburgh, PA 15212. Free parking is available in Red Lot 6, 200 W. General Robinson St., Pittsburgh, PA 15212. Additional drives will be held at partner locations throughout the region.

HOW: To schedule an appointment and view the full list of participating community drives, visit Vitalant.org/Pirates, call 877-25-VITAL (877-258-4825), or use the Vitalant app.

Walk-ins are welcome, but appointments are recommended.

“Each donation has the potential to save a life right here in our community,” said Mandi Semple, Vitalant communications manager. “These final summer drives are a way to give back and enjoy a Pirates game as a thank-you for stepping up for local patients.”