WILKES-BARRE — A 41-year-old Luzerne County teacher accused of smacking her special education students with a ruler has been ordered to stand trial.

Angela Kairo-Scibek is charged with simple assault and endangering the welfare of children. The Wyoming Valley West School District has suspended her.

At a preliminary hearing on Thursday, witnesses testified that some of the abuse was severe enough to leave bruises. One girl testified that Kairo-Scibek put a pillow over her face, told her not to scream and hit her with a ruler.

Defense lawyer Frank Nocito says there are "numerous inconsistencies" in the prosecution's account of events.

YORK — Officials say a 3-year-old York boy has died of bacterial meningitis.Counseling is being provided at the YWCA's Manchester Learning Center, where 3-year-old Aaron Carpenter attended day care.Executive Director Deb Stock of the YWCA of York says parents of about 60 other children who attend the day care were notified on Tuesday, the day Aaron died. She says other children have been visiting their doctors and receiving antibiotics as a precaution.

PITTSBURGH — A group of restaurant and bar owners say they'll push for a referendum to revoke Allegheny County's new 10-percent drink tax if their lawsuit to overturn the tax fails.County Council and Executive Dan Onorato approved the drink tax and a $2 daily rental car tax to raise $30 million a year to subsidize the county's transit agency. But Onorato says he'd consider alternatives to the drink tax — provided the alternatives can raise the necessary transit funds without requiring a property tax increase.