Infant, 5-year-old killed in house fire

NEW CASTLE — Two children have been killed in a Western Pennsylvania house fire.

Authorities say the 2-month-old boy and 5-year-old boy were pronounced dead at a hospital this morning after they were pulled from the burning home in New Castle, Lawrence County.

New Castle fire chief Mark Panella says an officer attempting to rescue residents was found inside the home after passing out from smoke inhalation.

Authorities say the fire started around 2:15 a.m. today. The boys’ parents, grandmother and two other children were also in the home. A state police fire marshal is investigating.

Executive order being challenged

HARRISBURG — An executive order issued by Gov. Tom Wolf to address shortcomings in the home care of the elderly and disabled is being challenged in court as an illegal attempt to unionize direct care workers.

An organization of care providers and others sued the Wolf administration Monday. The Pennsylvania Homecare Association’s lawsuit says domestic service workers can’t unionize under state law.

Wolf’s Feb. 27 order creates the seven-member Governor’s Advisory Group on Participant-Directed Home Care. In it, it directs the Human Services secretary to meet with a care worker who shows that they represent at least 10 percent of care workers who are paid through a state program.

Wolf administration expands public input

HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania state environmental regulators are broadening an effort to collect public response to their proposal to toughen regulations over the Marcellus Shale natural gas drilling industry.

The Department of Environmental Protection said Monday it will allow a 45-day public comment period, rather than 30 days, and schedule three public hearings.

The public comment period ends May 19, and two of the yet-to-be-scheduled public hearings will happen in northern Pennsylvania and one in southwestern Pennsylvania.

Agency officials want more stringent reviews of proposed drilling sites that are within 100 feet of streams or wetlands, tougher requirements over noise and waste storage and more analysis of how each new well could affect drinking water sources, schools and playgrounds.

Retired district judge pleads guilty

HARRISBURG — A retired district judge has pleaded guilty to hindering apprehension for fixing a drunken-driving case for the nephew of an assistant prosecutor who is now a judge in a southwestern Pennsylvania county.

Dwight Shaner, 71, of Dunbar Township will spend 18 months on probation after pleading guilty before a Dauphin County judge Monday.

The charges stem from allegations in Fayette County, where Shaner served as a district judge for 27 years. But they were handled in Harrisburg because the state attorney general filed the charges against Shaner in September to keep the Fayette County DA and judges from being involved in the case.

Shaner and his defense attorney declined to comment after the plea.

State prosecutors say Shaner could possibly forfeit his $3,600 monthly pension.

By The Associated Press