PITTSBURGH — Superior Court Judge David Wecht is formally announcing his candidacy for the Democratic nomination for one of three vacant seats on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.

The 52-year-old Wecht made the announcement Thursday, a month after telling The Associated Press he would run. He is the son of Dr. Cyril Wecht, the former Allegheny County coroner and medical examiner.

Wecht was elected to a 10-year term on the Superior Court in 2011. The election is next November.

Three seats are open because Joan Orie Melvin resigned last year after her campaign corruption conviction. Justice Seamus McCaffery retired earlier this year after his involvement in a pornographic e-mail scandal and Chief Justice Ronald Castille will retire when he turns 70, the state's mandatory retirement age for judges.

MEADVILLE — The nonprofit board that runs a 122-year-old amusement park in northwestern Pennsylvania will file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection to prevent a sheriff's sale scheduled today.Thursday's decision by the park's trustees comes a day after Crawford County Judge Anthony Vardaro rejected a motion by the state attorney general's motion aimed at stopping the sale to recoup more than $927,000 in taxes owed to the county and other entities.The attorney general opposed the sale because the park is a tax-exempt charitable trust.Conneaut Lake Park's trustees still hope a financial reorganization will allow them to redevelop, revitalize and expand the facilities.

PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia city government is delaying the retirement of a dozen top officials and employees, some of whom it says are vital to preparations for next September's visit from Pope Francis.The administration is also planning to push back scheduled retirements for 100 police officers so they can help provide security for the papal visit.The city cited Francis' visit in keeping five top managers, including the deputy commissioner for parks and recreation Susan Slawson and her chief of staff.The city is keeping seven others because it says it couldn't find replacements.More than 1.5 million people are expected for Francis' two public appearances Sept. 26-27 during the World Meeting of Families. Organizers are planning a festival and a Mass on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

GREENSBURG — Two Pennsylvania museums have begun dividing more than 500 pieces of art bequeathed to them by the late Pittsburgh Tribune-Review publisher Richard Mellon Scaife.Officials with the Brandywine River Museum of Art near Philadelphia met Wednesday in Greensburg with their colleagues at the Westmoreland Museum of American Art.Scaife, the billionaire banking heir who died July 4, willed the paintings to the museums. They divided more than 140 of the most sought-after works of art Wednesday, and will divvy up the rest in the coming days.Scaife's collection consisted mostly of 19th and 20th century paintings by American artists John La Farge, John Kensett, George Inness and others.Scaife also gave the Westmoreland museum $5 million and bequeathed his 900-acre estate, “Penguin Court,” to Brandywine's parent organization, along with $15 million to maintain the property.

CALIFORNIA — State-owned California University of Pennsylvania has hired a consulting firm to review its football program, which has suspended six players who are awaiting trial for their alleged roles in an off-campus beating.The Compliance Group of Lenexa, Kansas, will be paid up to $60,000 to complete the review by June 30.The review will include everything from how the school recruits its players to the oversight they receive as student-athletes and how “appropriate values” are communicated on the team and at the school. The review will also examine the organizational relationships among the football program, the athletic department and other campus officials.