Fire kills 2 in south Philadelphia row house

Professor's airplane math didn't equal airplane threat

Good afternoon! Here's a look at AP's general news coverage today in Pennsylvania. For questions about the state report, contact the Philadelphia bureau at 215-561-1133. Ron Todt is on the desk. Editor Larry Rosenthal can be reached at 215-446-6631 or lrosenthal@ap.org. A reminder this information is not for publication or broadcast, and these coverage plans are subject to change. Expected stories may not develop, or late-breaking and more newsworthy events may take precedence. Advisories, digests and digest advisories will keep you up to date. Some TV and radio stations will receive shorter APNewsNow versions of the stories below, along with updates. TOP STORIES: VIEWING HARRISBURG HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania's school funding could once again be a contentious point in fledgling state budget talks, after a fight over how schools should be funded this year helped drive the state's protracted budget stalemate. It comes against the backdrop of Pennsylvania harboring one of the nation's most inequitable educational systems. By Marc Levy. SENT: About 750 words. NORRISTOWN FIRE NORRISTOWN — Authorities say three people, including a child, were killed and six other people were injured in an early morning fire in southeastern Pennsylvania. SENT: NewsNow, will be updated. PROFESSOR-TERROR DELAY PHILADELPHIA — A University of Pennsylvania professor says his flight was delayed because a fellow passenger thought the equations he was writing might be a sign that he was a terrorist. SENT: NewsNow, will be updated. CHURCH ABUSE-OLD CLAIMS MINNEAPOLIS — It's been nearly three years since Minnesota opened a path for lawsuits by victims of long-ago childhood sexual abuse. In that time, more than 800 people have brought abuse claims against churches, the Boy Scouts, schools and a children's theater company. Previously unknown offenders have been exposed. Two Roman Catholic dioceses have filed bankruptcy. Lists of credibly accused priests and thousands of documents have been released. And the heightened scrutiny played a part in the downfall of two bishops. By Steve Karnowski. SENT: About 760 words. EXCHANGE: EXCHANGE-MENTORING PROGRAM ALIQUIPPA -- In rapid-fire succession, Danaysia Hall shows addition flash cards to a trio of her math proteges, competing to see who can answer first. "Twelve!" shouts Kelly Booker, 7, edging My'Kion Mills, 9, and Kyle Moreland, 7, by nanoseconds. The boys -- balancing on knees, forearms resting on a table -- lean forward in their chairs in eager anticipation of the next card. "Eight!" an exuberant My'Kion calls out. "Ready? Who's going to get it?" says Hall, a first-grade teacher, before flashing another card. The boys are up to the challenge. They are among 20 -- ages 7 to 9, predominantly African-Americans living in single-parent homes -- that the Family Life Center of Aliquippa hopes to mold into men through Boys-2-Men, an innovative after-school program that not only tutors, but mentors them. Marsha Keefer, Beaver County Times. EXCHANGE-ADDICTS' FAMILIES HANOVER — Sandy Swenson makes the pilgrimage from Texas to Florida every year, not knowing whether she'll create another memory with her son. A hug. A meal. A surface-level conversation. Anything except talk of his addiction and the chaos spiraling outward from it. After years of dealing with her son Joey's addictions, these annual interactions are the only chance Swenson has to make new memories with her oldest child. For every addict who dies, or goes to jail, or threatens self-harm, many more loved ones and acquaintances are feeling the effects of that person's behavior. Although experts say these people could benefit from counseling and support just as much as the addicts, these friends and family members are often too worried about helping the addict to care for themselves. Jennifer Wentz, The (Hanover) Evening Sun. EXCHANGE-CHESS CLUB SCRANTON — The sounds of mental combat waged on a 64-square battlefield are common Tuesday nights at Abington Community Library. Observations are shared. "Those bishops are certainly nasty there." ''They most certainly are." Opening strategies are discussed. Some are named after people, others for areas of origin: The French. The Pirc. The Sicilian. Even the Two Knights Defense Wilkes-Barre Variation. Hands guide pieces and pawns on the field of battle, then press the stop button on a clock. These are the sounds of the Abington Chess Club of Greater Scranton. The informal group of chess players have been meeting at the library for about 1½ years. Bruce Wisenburn, Ph.D, a professor at Marywood University, started the club after realizing there weren't any others in the area outside of schools. Clayton Over, The (Scranton) Times-Tribune. EXCHANGE-COLLEGE PET THERAPY PITTSBURGH — College is going to the dogs, and even a few cats these days. As a professor at Indiana University of Pennsylvania for 38 years, Mary Jalongo saw her share of students stressed out as finals approached. Now retired, Jalongo, a longtime dog lover who has researched and written about the benefits of therapy dogs, is doing her part to ease those stress levels. She is among a legion of therapy dog handlers who have put college campuses throughout the region on their itineraries. Once the province of nursing homes, hospitals and elementary schools, therapy dogs — canines specially trained and certified to interact with people in institutional settings — are going to college. Debra Erdley, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. EXCHANGE-LAKE ERIE BOATING ERIE — Recreational boating opportunities on Presque Isle Bay and Lake Erie keep Pittsburgh residents Dennis and Rose Bowers visiting Erie nearly every summer weekend. Their pride and joy is a 30-foot Sea Ray powerboat, "Wild Irish Rose," which they have berthed at Presque Isle State Park Marina for the past 14 years. On a recent sunny day, the couple spent an afternoon prepping their vessel for another season of fun on Erie waterways. "We come up here and get the maintenance done," Dennis Bowers, 56, said. "We wash it, wax it and get all the zebra mussels off of it. Last year was the worst year for the zebra mussels I've seen. Other than that, we like coming up here and we like boating." The Bowers, like many recreational boaters, have been scurrying to bayfront and Erie-area marinas in recent weeks to clean, wax, paint and perform maintenance on their vessels. Ron Leonardi, Erie Times-News. IN BRIEF: DRIVE-BY-WOMAN KILLED — Relatives and friends are remembering a woman killed in a drive-by shooting in southwestern Pennsylvania as a happy person whose life was unfairly cut short due to violence. SOUTH PHILADELPHIA FIRE — Authorities say a fire in a south Philadelphia row house killed a man and a woman. SPORTS: HKN--PENGUINS-CAPITALS WASHINGTON — The Presidents' Trophy-winning Washington Capitals are on the brink of elimination, down 3-1 going into Game 5 of their second-round series against the Pittsburgh Penguins. By Stephen Whyno. UPCOMING: 750 words, photos. Game starts at 7:15 p.m. EDT. BBN--PHILLIES-MARLINS MIAMI — The Miami Marlins try for their 12th win in the past 13 games when they face Philadelphia and Jeremy Hellickson. By Christopher Stock. UPCOMING: 700 words. Game scheduled to begin at 7:10 p.m. EDT. Photos. With hometown lead. BBN--PIRATES-CARDINALS ST. LOUIS — A pair of NL Central rivals, the Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals, meet in the second game of a weekend series. By R.B. Fallstrom. UPCOMING: 650 words, photos, hometown lead. Game starts 1:15 p.m. CT. VOL--NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Finalists compete in the NCAA men's volleyball championship. UPCOMING: 150 words developing from final starting at 8 p.m. EDT. GLF--PUTTING FOR DOLLARS COLUMBUS, Ohio — Professional miniature-golf player Matt Male has already heard all the wisecracks about the windmills, pirate ships and waterfall hazards. So just save it. Male knows the jesting comes with the territory, and he's a pretty good sport about it. Earning esteem — and money — as an elite player in a sport many people don't regard as a real sport isn't an easy thing. By Mitch Stacy. SENT: About 790 words. ___ If you have stories of regional or statewide interest, please email them to phillyap@ap.org. If you have photos of regional or statewide interest, please send them to the AP state photo center in New York, 888-273-6867. For access to AP Exchange and other technical issues, contact AP Customer Support at apcustomersupport@ap.org or 877-836-9477. MARKETPLACE: Calling your attention to the Marketplace in AP Exchange, where you can find member-contributed content from Pennsylvania and other states. The Marketplace is accessible on the left navigational pane of the AP Exchange home page, near the bottom. For both national and state, you can click "All" or search for content by topics such as education, politics and business.

AP-PA--Pennsylvania News Digest, PA