Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro introduces the Rebuilding our Workforce initiative at Lackawanna College on Thursday, March 16, 2023, in Scranton, Pa. (Jake Danna Stevens/The Times-Tribune via AP)

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The group tasked by Gov. Josh Shapiro with developing a state-level plan to fight climate change has started meeting, a step the Democrat promised to take when he criticized his predecessor’s strategy to make Pennsylvania the first major fossil fuel state to adopt a carbon-pricing policy. It met for the first time on Tuesday, unannounced. Shapiro’s office declined to identify most members of the group or discuss the instructions that the governor gave to the working group. Further, Shapiro’s office said it has given the working group no timeline to come up with recommendations, and is letting the group meet privately, without keeping public minutes of its meetings.

FILE – Associate Justice Clarence Thomas joins other members of the Supreme Court as they pose for a new group portrait, at the Supreme Court building in Washington, Oct. 7, 2022. Conservative mega-donor Harlan Crow purchased three properties belonging to Thomas and his family, in a transaction worth more than $100,000 that Thomas never reported, according to the non-profit investigative journalism organization ProPublica on Thursday, April 13, 2023. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Conservative mega-donor Harlan Crow purchased three properties belonging to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and his family, in a transaction worth more than $100,000 that Thomas never reported, according to the non-profit investigative journalism organization ProPublica. The 2014 real estate deal shines a new light on Thomas’s decades-old relationship with Crow, a real estate magnate and longtime financier for conservative causes. That relationship and the material benefits received by Thomas have fueled calls for an official ethics investigation. ProPublica previously revealed that Thomas and his wife Ginni were gifted with hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of annual vacations and trips by Crow for decades.

FILE – The TikTok logo is seen on a mobile phone in front of a computer screen which displays the TikTok home screen, Saturday, March 18, 2023, in Boston. TikTok’s CEO plans to tell Congress that the video-sharing app is committed to user safety, data protection and security, and keeping the platform free from Chinese government influence.(AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, File)

HELENA, Mont. (AP) — Montana moved one step closer to passing a bill to ban TikTok from operating in the state. It’s a move that’s bound to face legal challenges but also serve as a testing ground for the TikTok-free America that many national lawmakers have envisioned. Montana’s proposal is more sweeping than bans in place in nearly half the states and the U.S. federal government that prohibit TikTok on government devices. The House approved the bill 60-39 on second reading on Thursday. A final House vote would likely take place on Friday, after which the bill would be forwarded to Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte.

File – An ad banner appears in the parking lot of the H&R Block offices on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2015, in the Atlas District in Washington. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File)

NEW YORK (AP) — The deadline to file your taxes is fast approaching. Whether you do them by yourself, go to a tax clinic or hire a professional, navigating the tax system can be complicated. Experts recommend that you ask as many questions as you need during the process. The deadline is Tuesday. Filing for an extension isn’t ideal, but if you need one you can get it and then you’ll have until October to file your taxes. Experts recommend pulling together all of the documents you need and then giving yourself a chunk of time to sit down and get it done.

San Francisco Police chief William Scott provides an update on the homicide investigation of Robert Lee during a press conference where officials announced the arrest of a suspect, Thursday, April 13, 2023, in San Francisco. San Francisco mayor London Breed, left, and city District Attorney Brooke Jenkins listen. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Authorities say a tech consultant has been arrested and charged with murder in the stabbing death of Cash App founder Bob Lee in San Francisco. Police Chief Bill Scott said that 38-year-old Nima Momeni was booked Thursday morning on suspicion of murder. San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said Momeni is expected to be arraigned Friday. Police found Lee with stab wounds in the Rincon Hill neighborhood of San Francisco at 2:30 a.m. April 4. On his LinkedIn profile, Momeni describes himself as an “IT Consultant/Entrepreneur” as well as the owner of a company called Expand IT. Scott says the men knew each other but declined to describe how.

Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) seized approximately $16 million in cocaine, methamphetamines, heroin, fentanyl, marijuana and other prohibited drugs during the first quarter of 2023.

 

Troopers between January 1 and March 31 seized 229 pounds of cocaine, 129 pounds of methamphetamines, 24 pounds of fentanyl, seven pounds of heroin, 1,562 pounds of processed marijuana, and 65,570 pills of assorted narcotics.

 

The PSP also collected 1,307 pounds of prescription medication in the quarter as part of its Prescription Drug Takeback Program. Sixty-five PSP stations offer boxes for disposing of unused or unwanted medications 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

 

Table 1: Amount and value of prohibited drugs seized by PSP in the first quarter of 2023

 

Harrisburg – The Shapiro Administration announced today that Pennsylvania is among the first states approved for funding under a new federal grant program to bolster cybersecurity for state and local governments.

Pennsylvania is eligible for up to $5.2 million in the first year of the State and Local Government Cybersecurity Grant Program (SLGCP). This funding will be used to continue and expand the cybersecurity services available to local governments through partnerships with the Office of Administration. These services, which are currently funded through an expiring election security grant, include security awareness training, anti-phishing exercise capabilities, vulnerability testing, and network intrusion monitoring. Local governments will be able to apply for funding through a competitive grant program administered by the Commonwealth in the second through fourth years of the SLGCP.

“The collaborative relationships that the Office of Administration has built with local governments have put Pennsylvania in prime position to seize this opportunity to invest in strengthening cybersecurity at all levels of government in the Commonwealth,” said Neil Weaver, Secretary of the Office of Administration, which oversees cybersecurity for state agencies under the Governor’s jurisdiction. “I want to thank the members of the planning committee for their work to help us develop the statewide cybersecurity plan and identify strategic projects to maximize the impact of this funding.”

“With limited budgets, it is essential that all levels of government in Pennsylvania work together to address ever-growing cyber threats. Counties and the Commonwealth have collaborated for years to establish programs and services to advance cybersecurity and this funding builds on that long-standing partnership,” said Michael Sage, Chief Operations and Information Officer at CCAP. “Continued collaboration is vital and longer-term cybersecurity funding is needed, but this is a great opportunity to enhance the cybersecurity posture of the Commonwealth and protect critical services and programs. We appreciate the partnership with the Office of Administration and other local government organizations to enable the Commonwealth to receive this important funding, and we’re excited for our continued journey together.”

In accordance with the grant requirements, the Commonwealth established a Cybersecurity Planning Committee to develop a comprehensive strategic plan and identify projects that will leverage SLGCP funds. The committee’s membership includes the Governor’s Office of Administration, Governor’s Office of Homeland Security, Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, Pennsylvania State Police, Department of State, and other state agencies, as well as the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors, Pennsylvania State Association of Township Commissioners, Pennsylvania State Boroughs Association, Pennsylvania Association of Intermediate Units, Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit, and the Pennsylvania Municipal League.

(Ambridge, PA) Ambridge Borough has announced street sweeping will not occur the week of April 17-21, 2023, due to a Public Works staff shortage. As a result, there will be no ticketing for that week. The regular schedule is set to resume the week of May 1-5, 2023. Ambridge Borough apologizes for any inconvenience.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A truck containing hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of dimes was broken into while it was parked overnight at a Philadelphia store. Authorities say the thieves apparently made off with at least $100,000. The theft was reported around 6 a.m. Thursday. Authorities say the tractor-trailer driver had picked up about $750,000 in dimes from the Philadelphia Mint on Wednesday and was planning to transport them to Florida on Thursday. It’s not clear how many people may have been involved in the theft or if they knew what the truck contained. Responding police officers found hundreds of dimes scattered all over the parking lot, and authorities were still trying to determine how much money was stolen. No arrests have been made.