PITTSBURGH — State Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie Melvin’s preliminary hearing on corruption charges has been delayed again.

Online court records show the 56-year-old Marshall Township jurist’s preliminary hearing has been postponed from July 9 to July 30.

She’s charged with illegally using her taxpayer-funded Superior Court staff to work on her 2003 and 2009 campaigns for a seat on the state’s highest court. Her sister, former state Sen. Jane Orie, was sentenced to prison last month on charges she similarly misused her staff from 2001 through 2009.

Melvin’s hearing was previously delayed so an Allegheny County judge could rule on her motion to have a Common Pleas judge preside at the hearing instead of a district judge. That motion was denied last week.

Scranton says it can’t pay workersSCRANTON — Officials in Pennsylvania’s six-largest city say they don’t have the money to meet payroll after a judge nixed Scranton Mayor Chris Doherty’s plan to slash city workers’ pay to minimum wage.The Times-Tribune of Scranton reported Thursday that Lackawanna County Judge Michael Barrasse granted an injunction sought by employee unions. Another hearing was set for today.Solicitor Paul Kelly Jr. says Scranton would have just $5,000 left after setting aside enough money to meet payroll for almost 400 workers at the minimum wage rate of $7.25 per hour.City business administrator Ryan McGowan says officials are trying to determine how they can avoid being overdrawn. He says the city’s $71 million spending plan includes a $17 million deficit.

Pa. slots revenue up 5.5 percentPHILADELPHIA — Gross revenue from slot machines rose more than 5 percent for the fiscal year that just ended.The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board says in figures released this week that gross revenue was up 5.5 percent to nearly $2.5 billion for fiscal year 2011-2012.The increase includes revenue from the state’s 11th casino, Valley Forge Casino Resort, which opened in March. The state says revenue from the existing 10 casinos was also up 4.5 percent. Eight of the 10 existing casinos saw increases, with Harrah’s Philadelphia Casino & Racetrack in Chester and Presque Isle Downs Casino in Erie seeing declines.The state taxes gross revenue from slot machines at 55 percent, generating $1.3 billion last fiscal year.

Quecreek rescue commemoratedSIPESVILLE — A six-day celebration is planned to mark the 10th anniversary of the rescue of nine miners trapped underground in the Quecreek Mine in southwestern Pennsylvania.The events planned by the Quecreek Mine Rescue Foundation will culminate with a ceremony at 11 a.m. July 28 attended by former Gov. Mark Schweiker, who was on-site helping to direct the rescue.All nine trapped miners were rescued from a flooded shaft 200 feet below ground following a 77-hour ordeal that ended July 28, 2002.Some of the rescued miners and the crews who helped save them will appear on July 26 for photographs and to sign autographs.

Pittsburgh transit deal hinges on pact PITTSBURGH — A tentative deal to avoid the largest-ever service cuts by the Pittsburgh area’s transit agency depends on union concessions.State, county and union officials are working on a deal that would avoid the cuts in the Port Authority of Allegheny County’s $333 million budget for the next fiscal year. That budget is 10 percent smaller than the previous year’s and includes more than 500 layoffs, fare hikes of at least 25 cents for all routes, and cutting 46 of 102 bus routes.As part of the deal, Gov. Tom Corbett would come up with about $35 million in new state funding and the county would increase its contribution in return for union concessions designed to reduce pension and other “legacy” costs.The proposed cuts would take effect in September. The union’s last contract expired June 30.

Convicted official denied house arrestPHILADELPHIA — A Roman Catholic official convicted of child endangerment will remain behind bars until his sentencing later this month, a judge ruled Thursday, denying a defense request for house arrest.Monsignor William Lynn has been in custody since a jury convicted him June 22 of the charge, which stemmed from his handling of sex abuse claims at the Philadelphia archdiocese.Lynn, 61, is the first U.S. Catholic church official convicted in the cover-up of child sex-abuse complaints. He faces 3½ to 7 years in prison.“After due consideration, the motion is denied,” Common Pleas Judge M. Teresa Sarmina, who presided over Lynn’s three-month jury trial, said at the brief hearing. She did approve a defense request to move up Lynn’s sentencing date from Aug. 13 to July 24.