HARRISBURG — Prosecutors are summoning 27 witnesses to testify at next week's preliminary hearing regarding criminal charges Democrats in the state House of Representatives illegally used public resources to run campaigns.

The witness list includes a woman who allegedly was given a job that entailed little work by her boyfriend, then chief of staff to House Democratic Leader Bill DeWeese, because of their sexual relationship.

Also on the list is former Democratic state Rep. Frank LaGrotta and Bill Chadwick, the Washington consultant who has been helping the Democrats respond to the attorney general's investigation.

There are some witnesses who are currently working for the House Democratic caucus and Dan Wiedemer, formerly executive director of the House Democratic Campaign Committee.

EDINBORO — Officials at Edinboro University are set to break ground on a new $5 million building to house its popular nursing and speech, language and hearing programs.The building is set to open in fall 2010.The nursing program will occupy the first floor of the building.The second floor will give the Speech, Language and Hearing Department room for a preschool language stimulation classroom. Preschoolers who are slow to develop language skills will be taught alongside more advanced peers in that program.Edinboro University is one of 14 state-owned universities in Pennsylvania.

PITTSBURGH — A Presbyterian minister did not violate church law when she officiated at the wedding of two women, because in the eyes of the state and the church, no marriage occurred, a church panel ruled Thursday.The nine-member Pittsburgh Presbytery's Permanent Judicial Commission unanimously concluded the Rev. Janet Edwards could not have performed the "purported marriage ceremony" because neither the church nor the state of Pennsylvania recognizes gay marriage.The commission also found no violation of scripture."This is a historic decision because it is the first time a Presbyterian court has ruled on the question of Scripture, not just the church's constitution," Edwards' attorney, Stephen Paschall, said in a statement.Edwards, a minister at the Community of Reconciliation church in Pittsburgh, was charged for the second time in three years with presiding at the June 2005 wedding in violation of the church's position on marriage.The initial complaint against Edwards was dismissed in 2006 after the Permanent Judicial Commission found that a church investigative committee filed formal charges too late. The most recent trial stemmed from charges filed in January 2007.Edwards has maintained her decision to preside at the wedding was a faithful expression of her personal call to ministry.Edwards said she does not expect colleagues who disagreed with her decision to bless such a union.

PITTSBURGH — The state auditor general wants the attorney general to investigate about $65,000 in pension payments to the retired CEO of the Port Authority of Allegheny County.A federal judge earlier this year threw out a lawsuit filed by the retired transit official, Paul Skoutelas, who claimed the agency's board wrongly cut his pension last year and demanded he repay the money in question.The attorney general's office is reviewing the request to determine whether Skoutelas illegally accepted the money. Skoutelas and the Port Authority aren't commenting.Skoutelas got nearly $6,000 monthly in deferred retirement benefits while also receiving more than $3,000 a month in excess benefits at issue in the lawsuit and the state inquiry.

PITTSBURGH — A woman raped while skipping school to smoke cigarettes with her attacker sued a Pittsburgh-area school district for allegedly not doing enough to protect her.The rape victim, not identified in her federal lawsuit, says officials at North Allegheny High School failed, in part, because her attacker "is believed to have assaulted two other females" while attending schools in the same district.The school refused comment on the lawsuit, but said student safety is of the "utmost importance."The woman, now 19, was a 17-year-old junior when she skipped class and went to a school parking lot to smoke with the student who attacked her there in April 2006. The lawsuit says he was convicted of rape and other charges in juvenile court in the attack.

PITTSBURGH — Organizers said the fireworks celebrating the city of Pittsburgh's 250th anniversary Saturday will be the largest display ever in the city.More than 100,000 people are expected to attend the daylong celebration that kicks off a year's worth of anniversary festivities.Zambelli Fireworks will launch the rockets from 17 locations including barges moored on the city's three rivers, a bridge, PNC Park, five downtown skyscrapers and three other "surprise" locations.The city was founded Nov. 25, 1758, when British troops occupied Fort Duquesne, but organizers chose to start the yearlong celebration in October in hopes of better weather.