MESHOPPEN — A northeastern Pennsylvania woman who mistook her husband for a bear and fatally shot him during a Canadian hunting trip has been charged with criminal negligence, but spared from more serious charges.

Canadian police this week charged Mary Beth Harshbarger, 43, of Meshoppen, with criminal negligence causing death and careless use of a firearm in the Sept. 14, 2006, death of her husband, Mark.

Harshbarger, a homemaker, told authorities that she mistook her 42-year-old husband for a bear. A re-enactment by police in central Newfoundland supports her account, her defense lawyer said.

"She said it was an accident, pure and simple — a misidentification," lawyer Paul Ackourey, of Scranton, said Thursday. "No one's been more affected by it than her. It was horrific."

Meanwhile, Harshbarger will continue to fight for $550,000 in life insurance benefits over her husband's death near Buchans Junction, Newfoundland, her civil lawyer said.

PITTSBURGH — The Heinz Endowments will give $250,000 to help pay for the restoration of a multimillion mural hanging in a Pittsburgh subway station soon to be shutdown.The endowment money will help the Port Authority of Allegheny County pay to remove and restore the Romare Bearden mural from the downtown subway station. The subway station will be shut as part of a plan to expand the train's service. The mural will be mounted in a new station being built nearby.

GREENSBURG — A Westmoreland County woman described as a "soccer mom" by her friends will spend three to six years in prison for robbing three banks and other crimes.Thirty-four-year-old Heather Cordova, of Hempfield Township, was sentenced Thursday. She had pleaded guilty in February to robbing two township banks on March 23, 2007 and another 15 days earlier in neighboring North Huntingdon. She also pleaded guilty to five other crimes, including burglaries and thefts.Prosecutors wanted Cordova to spend up to 18 years in prison because she gave tellers a note demanding money and saying a man had strapped a bomb to her back under the dark hooded coat she wore.But Cordova says she suffers from depression and suicidal thoughts. Her defense attorney says Cordova was the only one in danger during the crimes.

GLENSHAW — Teachers in the Shaler Area School District near Pittsburgh have approved a state fact-finder's report that could end a contract impasse.The school board will vote on the report Monday.The last contract covering about 430 union teachers and other professionals expired Aug. 15. The teachers authorized a strike if a contract was not reached by November, but the union decided not to walk out because the strike vote was close.A two-thirds majority was required when teachers approved the deal Wednesday, though a vote total has not been released.