HARRISBURG — Gov. Ed Rendell is asking the federal government to help pay for more than $50 million in cleanup costs stemming from last month's record-breaking, back-to-back snowstorms.

Rendell sent a letter Friday to President Barack Obama asking for disaster assistance.

The money would help reimburse 27 counties hit hard by the storms of Feb. 5-6 and Feb. 9-10.

DONEGAL — The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission will close the turnpike in both directions in so workers can remove an unsafe bridge.The commission says motorists will be detoured between the Donegal and Somerset exits from 11:45 p.m. Saturday to 6 a.m. Sunday, weather permitting.Workers will remove a Department of Conservation and Natural Resources bridge that carries hikers on the 70-mile Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail. The 40-year-old bridge was closed in mid-December because of structural deficiencies.DCNR spokesman Terry Brady says removal will cost about $170,000 and replacement about $1.5 million. He couldn't say when the new bridge will be built, but requests for proposals will go out in Feb. 2011.

CONNELLSVILLE — A business manager for three Western Pennsylvania parishes has been charged with attacking a parish priest.Forty-six-year-old Kevin Labuda, of Connellsville, was charged Friday with aggravated assault, criminal trespass and related crimes in the March 3 attack on 48-year-old Father Joseph Bonafed.Police say Bonafed was attacked in the rectory at Immaculate Conception Church in Connellsville, where he is pastor. Bonafed received stitches for a head wound.

NEW CASTLE — Two people are charged with intimidating alleged victims and witnesses in the criminal case against a western Pennsylvania police officer.Attorney General Tom Corbett says they are 20-year-old Robert Alex Bogdan and 35-year-old Billie Esposito, both of New Castle.Bogdan is the nephew of New Castle officer Richard Corbin, who faces trial Monday on sexual assault charges. Esposito is Bogdan's girlfriend. Authorities say Corbin, who's been suspended, assaulted two teenage girls in Jan. 2008.Corbett says Bogdan and Esposito twice visited one girl in March, demanding she retract her accusation. He says Bogdan offered her $4,000 and asked her to beat up the other girl.