PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh City Council has voted unanimously to appropriate more than $85,000 so the Bureau of Police can buy military-style automatic rifles and other equipment.

Wednesday's vote was in reaction to the April 4 slayings of three police officers with an assault rifle. It is likely to be followed with a final vote next week.

Pittsburgh Police Range Master Officer Robert Harrison says the new weapons will level the playing field when police confront someone with an assault rifle. Harrison says only officers specially trained with the rifles will be allowed to use them.

Police plan to buy 46 Smith & Wesson M&P15 patrol rifles. The M&P15 is a civilian variant of the M-16 rifle used by the U.S. military.

STROUDSBURG — Two senior citizen sisters accused of selling heroin in northeastern Pennsylvania are trying to work out a plea bargain.The Monroe County district attorney has said that 70-year-old Elizabeth Grube and 65-year-old Elaine Volkert, both of Stroud Township, were making up to $10,000 a week in profits. They gave up their right to a preliminary hearing Wednesday.Grube's lawyer, Jason LaBar, says "the ladies got caught up in something and just kept rolling along." He says the defendants are cooperating with authorities and hope to avoid jail time.Assistant District Attorney Michael Mancuso says he hopes the defendants' cooperation will cause prosecution of higher-level dealers.

PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh police have arrested a man accused of robbing a well-known restaurant in the city with a rifle.Police say the man demanded cash from workers at the Primanti Brothers restaurant on the city's South Side about 1:30 a.m. Wednesday then ran away. A 22-year-old Pittsburgh man was arrested in a tavern Wednesday evening and police say he confessed.The chain is famous for its grilled meat sandwiches, topped with french fries and cole slaw on thick Italian bread. The original location that opened in 1933 catered to truckers who delivered to the Strip District, which was then the wholesale portal for fresh produce in Western Pennsylvania.The fries and slaw were put on the sandwiches so the truckers could eat them one-handed while they drove.