Owners face suit over payroll card

WILKES-BARRE — A northeastern Pennsylvania judge has ruled that more than 2,000 people can take the owners of 16 McDonald’s restaurants to court over their practice of paying employees with fee-laden debit cards.

Former McDonald’s employee Natalie Gunshannon and four other people who worked for the franchise owners filed suit in 2013, saying the payroll card they were forced to use charged fees for numerous transactions.

Luzerne County Judge Thomas Burke Jr. gave class-action status to the lawsuit this week, entitling nearly 2,400 people to damages if the plaintiffs win.

After the suit was filed, the franchise owners said they would give employees the choice of being paid by check, direct deposit or payroll card.

Boy, 14, killed by shot at complex

PITTSBURGH — Authorities are investigating the death of a 14-year-old boy shot and killed during an exchange of gunfire outside a housing complex.

Pittsburgh public safety officials said the youth was shot in the East Hills neighborhood shortly after 12:30 a.m. Sunday.

The city medical examiner’s office said 14-year-old Kelvin Lovelace of Wilkinsburg was standing with a group outside the East Hills Park housing complex.

A spokesman said a vehicle pulled up and opened fire, and someone in the group returned fire. Lovelace was pronounced dead shortly after 1 a.m. Sunday at UPMC Presbyterian.

2 police officers bitten by dog

PITTSBURGH — Two Pittsburgh police officers are recovering after they were bitten by a dog.

The officers were responding to a home in the city’s Troy Hill neighborhood to take a report on Sunday evening when police say the resident’s dog got loose and bit them.

The officers were treated for their injuries at a hospital. They’re expected to be OK. Animal Care and Control was called to the scene and quarantined the dog.