PSU probe nears end, findings expected soon

STATE COLLEGE – Penn State’s internal investigation into the Jerry Sandusky child sexual abuse case is drawing to a close and the findings are expected within weeks, which would enable the university to confront the next difficult chapter in the scandal well ahead of the new academic year.

Former FBI Director Louis Freeh’s mission was to find out how and why Penn State failed to stop Sandusky – who was convicted last month of sexually abusing 10 boys, some on campus – and recommend changes to help prevent more abuse.

Freeh’s inquiry helped uncover new evidence for the ongoing criminal investigation and will also be central to other inquiries.

Suit: Pa. violating voter registration law

HARRISBURG – The state government is flouting a federal law that requires workers at public assistance offices to distribute voter registration applications to clients, according to a lawsuit that points out that those offices received 7 percent of the applications they did 15 years ago.

The lawsuit was filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Philadelphia by Action United and the Black Political Empowerment Project. It named Gov. Tom Corbett’s secretaries who head his agencies in charge of health, public welfare and elections.

It accuses the state of ongoing disregard of its requirements under the National Voter Registration Act.

Remains of Fla. girl not found in Pa.

PITTSBURGH – A scientific expert found no trace of a Florida girl who police believe might have been buried in southwestern Pennsylvania shortly after she disappeared nearly 30 years ago.

Dennis Dirkmaat, a forensic anthropologist from Mercyhurst University, told The Associated Press on Friday that cadaver-sniffing dogs and a team of his students couldn’t find any remains of Jennifer Marteliz, a 7-year-old girl last seen walking home from school in Tampa, Fla., on Nov. 15, 1982.

Cause of fire at Hersheypark Arena unknown

HERSHEY – Officials are trying to determine the cause of a fire that damaged the roof of the historic central Pennsylvania arena where Wilt Chamberlain scored an NBA record 100 points in a game 50 years ago.

The blaze broke out around 1 p.m. Thursday at 75-year-old Hersheypark Arena in Derry Township, a facility owned by Hershey Entertainment & Resorts. There were no injuries.

Hershey spokeswoman Reilly Fies said Friday the fire caused an unknown amount of damage to the roof, but that otherwise the building is structurally sound.

Judge to Scranton: Pay employees full wages

SCRANTON – A judge has ordered the city of Scranton to pay employees full wages, but the mayor says the cash-strapped government can’t afford it.

Lackawanna County Judge Michael Barrasse on Friday granted an injunction to unions challenging Mayor Chris Doherty’s decision to impose minimum wages to nearly 400 employees.

The Times-Tribune of Scranton reported paychecks containing the minimum wage of $7.25 an hour had already been issued.

Rewritten redistricting plan challenged anew

HARRISBURG – Democrats mounted a new challenge Friday in state Supreme Court to a Republican-drawn map of Pennsylvania’s legislative districts, after challenges to a prior plan six months ago won a victory from the divided high court and forced this year’s election to be held on boundaries drawn in 2001.

The challenge by the state’s Senate Democratic minority caucus claims Republicans had not adequately justified reasons for splitting counties or shifting new territory into different districts.