STATE
SANDY LAKE — State police are looking for a man who shot a dog then ran over the animal with a pickup truck. State police in Mercer say they can't be sure if the dog died, since they've been unable to find the animal or the suspect since a witness reported the incident on Saturday. That's why they're turning to the public for help.
Police say the incident happened about 9:30 a.m. on Route 358 near Interstate 79 in New Vernon Township, Mercer County.
GETTYSBURG — Water is dripping onto the massive Cyclorama painting at Gettysburg National Military Park's new $103 million visitor center.Spokeswoman Katie Lawhon says the problem is merely "condensation" that occurs at various times of the year, but minutes from a park staff meeting say the roof of the new visitor's center is leaking.An internal report says the Cyclorama might have to be shut down for two to three months to fix the leak, but Lawhon says she can't say if or when the park plans to shut down the painting.The 124-year-old painting is 377 feet long and 42 feet high and depicts various aspects of the battle in a panoramic setting. The painting was restored as part of a five-year, $16 million project completed in 2008.
PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Penguins are asking fans to donate to the American Red Cross earthquake relief fund for Haiti before the team's home game against the Washington Capitals. Penguins employees and booster club members will be outside Mellon Arena collecting money before tonight's game.The Penguins are urging fans who don't attend the game to donate by visiting the relief agency's Web site at www.redcross.org.
HARRISBURG — Lawyers have picked the 12 men and women who will probably serve as jurors when former state Rep. Mike Veon's corruption trial starts next month.The second day of jury selection ended Wednesday with 12 primary jurors and two alternates chosen. The presiding judge says he hopes to pick four more alternates, although two of them will probably be dismissed before opening statements on Feb. 1.The former state representative from Beaver County and three aides who worked under him for the House Democratic caucus are accused of a conspiracy to divert state resources and employees for campaigns and other illegal purposes.
HOLLIDAYSBURG — A man who coordinated Republican presidential candidate John McCain's campaign in a central Pennsylvania county has been fined $56 for taking 40 Obama campaign signs.Thirty-eight-year-old Michael Jennings, of Hollidaysburg, was fined Tuesday after pleading guilty to a reduced charge of disorderly conduct.Jennings claims he took the signs in Blair County just before the November 2008 election because he claims they were illegally placed on PennDOT rights of way and because he claimed Democrats were stealing McCain signs.Blair County Democrats denied stealing McCain signs.
HARRISBURG — Gov. Ed Rendell signed a death warrant for an unemployed white immigration attorney responsible for a Pittsburgh-area shooting rampage that eventually left six people dead.Forty-four-year-old Richard Baumhammers, of Mount Lebanon, is scheduled to be executed March 18.The Pennsylvania Supreme Court in November 2008 rejected arguments that an Allegheny County jury didn't hear enough evidence about Baumhammers' mental illness before imposing a death sentence.
