MONACA - Officials said it appears teacher layoffs will be avoided in two school districts because enough teachers have instead taken early retirement buyouts.

Fourteen teachers from the Center School District and five more from Monaca took the buyouts.

The districts are merging in July to form the Central Valley School District in Beaver County.

The teachers who took the buyout will receive $28,000 over five years and can be paid for unused sick days. They also will get termination pay and be eligible for state retirement benefits.

PITTSBURGH - One of Pittsburgh's longest-running cultural events is being canceled for lack of funds this year.The 53rd annual Pittsburgh Folk Festival will not go off as scheduled May 1 and 2 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. The festival features music, dance, crafts and foods from various ethnic groups in the city.The festival relies primarily on corporate sponsors to pay for the $100,000 cost each year. The festival's board said a slow economy dried up some of those funds.The festival board is planning fundraisers to bring back the event next year and is already pricing venues to hold it.

PHILADELPHIA - Former state Sen. Vincent Fumo is appealing his recent federal conviction on 137 corruption counts.The 65-year-old Philadelphia Democrat cited insufficient evidence and a juror's online posts on Twitter and Facebook, among other issues.Prosecutors plan to seek more than 10 years in prison for Fumo at his scheduled July 13 sentencing. The sentencing hearing is expected to take at least several days or more.A jury convicted Fumo of defrauding the state Senate, a charity and a museum of more than $3.5 million.Co-defendant Ruth Arnao, a former aide convicted of 45 related counts, is joining Fumo in the appeal.Both remain free on bail.

PITTSBURGH - Money isn't the only kind of green the Pittsburgh Penguins are seeking at their new $321 million arena.The team is pursuing gold status under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification system. The certification is granted by the U.S. Green Building Council if buildings meet certain benchmarks for efficient use of water and electricity, high indoor air quality and the use of locally produced building materials.

HARRISBURG - The birthplace of NFL Films and the hometown of college football coach John Heisman will be given state historical markers.They are among 21 markers announced by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission.NFL Films, which has documented the history of the league since 1962, started in Philadelphia. It's now in the suburb of Mount Laurel, N.J.Heisman, for whom college football's Heisman Trophy is named, grew up in Titusville.Also getting a marker is the Shippingport Atomic Power Station, the first commercial nuclear facility in the nation created specifically for generating electricity.There are about 2,200 markers statewide, and all sites are nominated by the public.