HARRISBURG — Rebates of as much $500 are being offered to Pennsylvanians who upgrade their home heating systems.

The state Department of Environmental Protection said Thursday that residents planning to replace furnaces, boilers and hot-water heaters in single-family homes should apply as soon as possible and "reserve" their share of the $11 million in federal money allotted for the program.

After that, they'll have 30 days to get the work done and provide documentation.

DEP officials estimate 33,000 households could share in the rebates, which will be available until the money runs out.

HARRISBURG — A second day of testimony is over in the preliminary hearing for 10 people associated with the Pennsylvania House Republican caucus who are accused of helping use public resources to campaign.District Judge William Wenner on Thursday scheduled three more days in May for the marathon preliminary hearing of former Pennsylvania House Speaker John Perzel and his nine co-defendants. That's in addition to a third day of testimony expected on Friday.Wenner has to decide if there's enough evidence to send the case to county court.

HERSHEY — The chief operating officer of the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission is charged with driving under the influence after allegedly crashing his car into a fence in Hershey.Police said Thursday that 44-year-old George Hatalowich was behind the wheel of a car that spun out and struck a fence owned by Hersheypark on April 5. They said he then drove off headed north in the southbound lane.Police say Hatalowich had a blood-alcohol level of 0.137. He is charged with offenses that include two counts of DUI.

BLAIRSVILLE — A coroner has ruled that a 22-year-old student found dead in a dormitory room at a vocational training school in southwestern Pennsylvania died of natural causes.Indiana County Coroner Michael Baker said preliminary autopsy results in the death of Stephen Ardell Erman of Newark, Ohio, were consistent with "a medical cause of death." Baker said Erman apparently died of pre-existing medical conditions.