Shell acquires land near planned plantALIQUIPPA — Shell Chemicals has purchased land in Beaver County’s Potter Township near the site where the company has proposed the construction of an ethane cracker plant.Shell reportedly paid $6.5 million for its latest acquisition of 13.7 acres along state Route 18.A portion of the land once housed the industrial insulation company VersiTech. The purchase of that land was the last big domino to fall in Shell’s plan for the proposed plant.Shell now owns nearly every parcel on the southern side of Route 18 between Interstate 376 and Raccoon Creek.Spokesman Michael Marr said the acquisition allows Shell to meet the cracker plant’s parking needs while the project is in its construction phase.

Pittsburgh mayor sorry for shoutingPITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto has apologized for publicly yelling at a police commander after smoke was used to control protesters during an anti-Donald Trump march Wednesday night.Peduto said he acted “unprofessionally” when he yelled at the commander and officers.Peduto said he thought the use of smoke and riot gear was unnecessary because he says the group was just exercising its right of free expression.Police union president Robert Swartzwelder said officers were in regular uniform, but others in riot gear moved in and used smoke after protesters threw rocks and wouldn’t disperse, causing officers to fear the group might block access to a hospital.

Former AG hires new attorneyHARRISBURG — Former Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane has hired a new attorney to handle the appeals of her perjury and obstruction conviction and related jail sentence.The Goldberg Katzman law firm confirmed that attorney Joshua Lock has been hired by Kane.Kane is free on bond while she appeals her conviction and 10- to 23-month jail sentence. A jury found the 50-year-old Democrat guilty of felony perjury and other charges for leaking grand jury material to the media to embarrass a rival and then lying about it under oath.The attorneys who represented her at trial and sentencing have all left the case, except for Scranton defense attorney Amil Minora.

Gunman’s death threat on recordCANONSBURG — Court records show a man who fatally shot a woman carrying his child plus two Pennsylvania police officers — killing one — had threatened to kill the woman last month.Dalia Sabae filed an application for a protection-from-abuse court order last month saying 47-year-old Michael Cwiklinski was drunk and told her she “and our baby that I am pregnant with have to die.”Authorities say Cwiklinski gunned down Canonsburg Officer Scott Bashioum and wounded Officer James Saieva when they responded to a domestic dispute at the couple’s duplex early Thursday.