[naviga:h3]Bill would allow limited wine sales[/naviga:h3]

HARRISBURG — Legislation supported by Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf that would break state government control over the sale of wine in Pennsylvania is advancing in the state Senate.

A party-line committee vote Wednesday night sent the Republican-penned legislation toward a potential Senate floor vote in the chamber as early as today.

Under the bill, some 14,000 holders of takeout beer licenses would be able to sell up to four bottles of wine.

It isn’t clear whether it can pass the House, where majority Republicans favor a stronger privatization measure.

[naviga:h3]AG sues gas driller over leases, fees[/naviga:h3]

Pennsylvania’s attorney general is suing one of the nation’s largest producers of natural gas over claims it cheated thousands of landowners who signed drilling leases.

The lawsuit alleges that Oklahoma City-based Chesapeake Energy tricked landowners into signing one-sided leases in the early years of the Marcellus Shale drilling boom and then improperly deducted certain post-production expenses from landowner royalties.

The lawsuit seeks restitution and civil penalties. It was filed Wednesday in Bradford County.

A settlement agreement between Chesapeake and thousands of landowners is pending.