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U.S. Marshals Service arrests Hazleton real estate fraud suspect Ignacio Beato in Florida

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Plymouth Kiwanis supports Catherine McAuley House

<p>HARRISBURG &#8212; The state Supreme Court on Friday rejected an attempt by the state Public Utility Commission to reargue its case to keep a letter critical of PPL hidden from the public, according to court documents.</p><p>The Times Leader is among a coalition of statewide media outlets <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/380112/puc-lawyers-release-of-tip-letter-to-times-leader-could-harm-future-investigations" target="_blank">embroiled in a legal battle</a> over access to public records, stemming from the emergence of a letter allegedly written in 2011 by a PPL employee and sent to the PUC. The letter claims a PPL crew one month earlier was bumped from a higher priority job to a lower priority job while working to restore service during a crippling snowstorm that wiped out power to more than 388,000 PPL customers.</p><p>Reporters with the Times Leader and The Morning Call filed Right-to-Know requests seeking a copy of the letter, but an appeal of the order to release the document was granted in a decision by Commonwealth Court and the letter remained off limits.</p><p>The state&#8217;s highest court reversed the decision in June and justices from the state Supreme Court <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/494716/state-supreme-court-judges-hear-arguments-in-ppl-tip-letter-case" target="_blank">heard oral arguments</a> from both sides in November. Lawyers for the PUC argued in a recent court filing that three new justices had been appointed since arguments were heard and requested to air the arguments a second time.</p><p>Coalition attorneys Craig J. Staudenmaier and Joshua D. Bonn, of Harrisburg, noted in a response that the arguments were made approximately two weeks after the November general election and should not be heard again.</p><p>Suspended Supreme Court Justice J. Michael Eakin did not participate in the decision, according to court documents.</p><style>
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<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Joe Dolinsky</p><p>jdolinsky@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Joe Dolinsky at 570-991-6110 or on Twitter @JoeDolinskyTL</p></shirttailMeta></div>

State Supreme Court rejects Public Utility Commission’s attempt to reargue ‘tip letter’ case