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By MARC LEVY and MICHAEL RUBINKAM Associated Press
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A Pennsylvania court is blocking the centerpiece of Gov. Tom Wolf’s plan to fight climate change, the latest challenge to the Democrat’s effort to make Pennsylvania the first major fossil-fuel state to adopt a carbon pricing policy. Commonwealth Court, in a one-line unsigned order, said Tuesday it won’t allow the official publication of the regulation “pending further order.” The regulation would require fossil fuel-fired power plants to pay a price for every ton of carbon dioxide they emit starting July 1 in a major power-producing state. The regulation was to be published on Saturday. But the court sided with Republican lawmakers who contend it’s an illegal use of regulatory authority.

(AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
By JOSH FUNK Associated Press
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Zoos across North America are moving their birds indoors and away from people and wildlife as they try to protect them from the highly contagious and potentially deadly avian influenza. Penguins may be the only birds visitors to many zoos can see right now, because they already are kept inside and usually protected behind glass in their exhibits. Nearly 23 million chickens and turkeys have already been killed across the United States to limit the spread of the virus. Zoos are working hard to prevent any of their birds from meeting the same fate. Birds spread the virus through droppings and nasal discharge. Experts say it can be spread through contaminated equipment, clothing, boots and vehicles carrying supplies.

(File Photo of a New Sewickley Township Police Cruiser)

(Butler County, Pa.) A New Sewickley Township Police Officer was injured when he was involved in a head-on accident on Interstate 79 in Butler County Tuesday afternoon.

A post on the New Sewickley Township Police’s Facebook Page stated that ” Earlier today while returning home from training in Meadville Corporal Gregory Carney was involved in a head-on crash on Interstate 79 in Butler County. Corporal Carney sustained serious injuries as a result of the crash. He was treated at the scene and then transported to AGH in Pittsburgh via ambulance. A this time the accident is being investigated by the Pennsylvania State Police. Our thoughts and prayers are with Corporal Carney and his family and the occupant of the other vehicle. As details become available, additional information will be made public at a later time.”

State Police say the other driver was a 68-year-old female from Erie. She was flown to a hospital to be treated for her injuries.

There’s no word, only speculation, on how the accident occurred as State Police continue to investigate.

(Ambridge, Pa.) Ambridge Police Chief John DeLuca announced that his department has arrested 36-year-old John F. Knowles of Ambridge in connection with the recent vehicle break-ins that have occurred on the Borough.

Knowles is facing a laundry list of charges including two counts of a person not to possess firearms.

A search warrant was executed for the residences of the accused and some of the personal items stolen have been recovered.  DeLuca said that police will be posting photos of some of the items that were stolen outside of the borough in hopes that the items will be returned to their rightful owners. Ambridge Police will be reaching out to residents to return their recovered property after the items are connected with the referencing incident reports. DeLuca is asking residents to be patient as it will take some time to get through the items. Once the items are confirmed, residents will be notified by phone or in person.

DeLuca said another defendant involved will be charged pending further investigation. The investigation was the result of a two week period involving vehicle break-ins in Ambridge.

Knowles was arraigned by District Judge Alex Korol and is lodged in the Beaver County Jail.

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Jerry Sandusky is once again asking a judge for a new trial. His new lawyer has filed the latest request in federal court and is claiming that his lawyers were ineffective and the publicity surrounding the case prevented him from having a fair trial.

Sandusky is currently serving  a sentence of 30 to 60 years in prison after being convicted of sexually abusing children.

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(Butler, Pa.) A Butler man has been accused once again of home improvement fraud and is now behind bars. Four victims have come forward to say they paid Billy Abrams to do home improvement projects that he never finished.
Abrams was hired to do the work under his company Billy’s Plumbing and Heating.
Pa State police in Butler said they received the first of four reports on Feb. 4 from a Penn Township resident who had hired Abrams to remove and replace an old boiler. The victim said he paid Abrams $4,800 upfront but he never came back to finish the job. Less than a week later, police said the owner of an apartment building in Harrisville came forward with a similar claim. The owner paid Abrams $3,600 to install two new furnaces, but he only installed one. A Summit Township homeowner filed a report with police claiming he paid Abrams $6,000 to replace a furnace and AC unit back in September and he never returned to do the work. A fourth victim came forward from Clay Township and said Abrams was going to replace a furnace for $2,500, but he never came back after getting the money.
Abrams admitted to having a heroin problem to police and said he was robbing Peter to pay Paul.
Abrams is lodged at the Butler County prison on $25,000 bond.
He has three preliminary hearings set for April 13, 19 and 20.

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(Slippery Rock Twp., Butler County) We now have an update on that fatal accident that occurred on Route 8 yesterday in Slippery Rock Township.
Pa State Police in Butler are reporting that 47-year-old Ruth A. Alben was killed when the sedan she was operating went thru a flashing red signal at the intersection of Branchton Road and William Flynn Highway (Route 8) and was struck by a logging truck going north bound on Route 8.
State Police said that Alben was pronounced dead at the scene.
The accident occurred around 6:08 AM yesterday morning and had Route 8 closed for a long period of time as police investigated and removed the vehicles from the scene.

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(Monaca, Pa.) The Chick-fil-A at the Beaver Valley Mall announced on Facebook yesterday that they are starting drive-thru service today .
Owner Justin Lombardozzi said in the video that customers have been asking for a drive-thru and starting today they will have a team member at a kiosk in the mall parking lot who will take your order on an I-Pad. You will then pull up into one of the curbside stops and a team member will bring your order out to you.
Chick-Fil-A is open Monday thru Saturday from 11 AM to 8PM.

(AP Photo/B. Vartan Boyajian, File)

(Philadelphia, Pa.) Singer and teen idol of the early 1960s Bobby Rydell has died at age 79. A spokesperson said in a statement that Rydell died of complications from pneumonia yesterday at a hospital. Rydell got his big break in 1959 on “American Bandstand,” which was broadcast from his hometown of Philadelphia. His first hit, “Kissing Time,” quickly followed and the 17-year-old rocketed to stardom. Between 1959 and 1964, he had a string of nearly three dozen Top 40 hits including “Wild One,” “Volare” and “Wildwood Days.” He also had a major role opposite Ann-Margret in the 1963 film “Bye Bye Birdie.”
Local music legend Jimmie Ross posted about Rydell’s passing on his Facebook page yesterday saying that he is shocked by the passing of his longtime friend Bobby Rydell. Ross stated that him and Rydell recorded a song together called “It Must Be Love”