Commissioners to hold session in Richland

The Cambria County commissioners will meet at 7 p.m. Thursday at Richland High School in one of their periodic sessions in local communities.

The meeting will be held in the Large Group Room. Those attending should use a rear entrance near the parking area.

The public is invited to meet with the commissioners at a reception at 6:30 prior to the formal meeting. East Hills business leaders and municipal officials have been invited.

Rendell testifies for former lawmaker

HARRISBURG – Former Gov. Ed Rendell testified Monday that Stephen Stetler, his one-time revenue secretary who is on trial for allegedly requiring taxpayer-paid employees to perform illegal political work, has a reputation “as good as anyone could ever hope to have.”

Rendell, a Democrat whose two terms as governor ended in January 2011, was a character witness for Stetler on the fifth day of his trial in Dauphin County court.

Stetler, 62, served as a state representative from York County for 16 years. The corruption charges against him involve the period between 2004 and 2006, when he was chairman of  the House Democratic policy and campaign committees.

He has pleaded not guilty to four counts of theft and one count each of conspiracy and conflict of interest.

Jurors planned to begin deliberations today.

Convicted monsignor seeks house arrest

PHILADELPHIA – A Roman Catholic church official convicted of child endangerment might learn today if he’ll get out of jail to await sentencing.

Monsignor William Lynn was found guilty of child endangerment Friday, making him the first U.S. church official convicted for covering up abuse claims.

A judge revoked his bail, but defense attorneys want the 61-year-old priest released on house arrest until his Aug. 13 sentencing.

Lynn faces 31/2 to seven years in prison.

Defense attorneys plan to appeal the conviction.

4 Pa. cities receive police hiring grants

PHILADELPHIA – Attorney General Eric Holder on Monday announced more than

$111 million in funding for more than 800 law enforcement positions across the country as part of a federal program aimed at hiring military veterans.

Holder announced the funding at Philadelphia’s City Hall as part of the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services.

Philadelphia will get $3.1 million for 25 officers, one of the biggest awards in the country.

Pittsburgh is getting $1.4 million for 13 positions; Chester is getting $625,000 for five; and Alquippa is getting more than $107,000 for one.

Los Angeles is getting $6.4 million for 25 officers, while Chicago is getting $3.1 million for 25 officers.

All of the new positions funded in the COPS hiring program this year must be filled by recent military veterans who have served at least 180 days since Sept. 11, 2001, officials said.

EEOC: Meat manager harassed women

BROWNSVILLE – The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said a Fayette County store known for its farm fresh products had a meat department manager who was too “fresh” with female co-workers.

Officials with Country Fresh Market in Brownsville declined comment when contacted by The Associated Press about a court-approved consent decree the EEOC announced Monday.

The EEOC contends the man touched female workers and made repeated sexual advances and comments. Four women who sued will share $95,000 the store has agreed to pay to settle their claims.

Burglars steal jersey of pastor’s dead son

UNIONTOWN – A Baptist pastor said burglars have stolen money and something more valuable from his church – a football jersey the pastor has kept beneath his pulpit as a tribute to his son who died in a car crash nearly three years ago.

The Rev. Ewing Marietta said the money stolen from his Liberty Baptist Church in Fayette County was earmarked for a needy college student. The pastor said his congregation is trying to replace that money.

But irreplaceable is the jersey that belonged to his 18-year-old son, Ewing “Marcus” Marietta II, who died three days after his car crashed on Route 40 on July 12, 2009.

The boy was a local high school football star returning from an out-of-state football camp when the crash occurred.

The burglary was discovered last week.

Tax credit touted as aid for schools

HARRISBURG – A state lawmaker whose proposal for a voucher-like tax credit that is designed to help students leave the state’s worst schools said Monday that those schools would benefit, too.

Rep. Jim Christiana, R-Beaver, told House Education Committee members that, unlike conventional vouchers, his plan would be financed by businesses that contribute toward scholarships that help youngsters in the schools with the lowest academic performance to transfer to private schools or better public schools.

Tax money allotted for the students’ education would not travel with the students to their new schools. Rather, tax money allotted for the students’ education would remain at their former schools, increasing per-pupil spending and helping to reduce class sizes there, Christiana said.

As part of a budget deal struck last week with Republican Gov. Tom Corbett, GOP legislative leaders have tentatively set aside an extra $75 million to double the appropriation for the existing Educational Improvement Tax Credit program and incorporate in it a scaled-down version of Christiana’s proposal.

Funding for public education, meanwhile, would remain roughly at this year’s level.