PITTSBURGH — Teachers in the Pittsburgh Public Schools voted overwhelmingly Monday to authorize a strike if union negotiators call for one.

The Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers represents three bargaining units — teachers and other professionals, teachers aides, and technical-clerical workers. The old contracts expired June 30.

Key sticking points are health benefits, salaries and the length of the school day.

The union members voted 2,666-to-234 to authorize a strike. Pittsburgh teachers haven't authorized a strike in three decades.

PITTSBURGH — Five councils of the Girl Scouts serving 40,000 girls in 27 counties, including Butler County, will merge next year to form Girl Scouts Western Pennsylvania.The merger on April 1 is part of a national realignment started last year. When completed in 2009, it will reduce the number of Scout councils nationally from 312 to 109.The councils merging are Keystone Tall Tree Council, which serves girls in Butler County; Girl Scouts of Beaver and Lawrence Counties; Girl Scouts of Penn Lakes Council; Girl Scouts of Talus Rock Council, and Girl Scouts-Trillium Council which serves Allegheny County.

PHILADELPHIA — A judge has ruled that a teenage Philadelphia boy accused of stabbing his brother over a video game will be held for trial on first- and third-degree murder, aggravated assault and other charges.Jahmir Ricks is charged as an adult in the July 15 stabbing of 16-year-old Antwan Ricks. Jahmir was 13 at the time and turned 14 last week.On a taped statement to police played at Monday's preliminary hearing, Jahmir says when his brother would not give him a turn with the game controller, he went and got a steak knife. He says his brother started punching him and he stabbed him in self-defense.