Pennsylvania utility uses helicopter-borne saw to trim trees

Winning numbers drawn in 'Pick 2 Day' game

Good morning! 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. Kristen de Groot 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 A reminder this information is not for publication or broadcast, and these coverage plans are subject to change.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: UBER-AUTONOMOUS CARS SAN FRANCISCO — In a few weeks, Uber will start using self-driving cars to carry passengers in Pittsburgh, raising the stakes in an intensifying race to deploy autonomous vehicles. By Justin Pritchard and Tom Krisher. SENT: 997 words, AP Photos. UPCOMING: Developing, AP Video. PENNSYLVANIA ATTORNEY GENERAL HARRISBURG — Gov. Tom Wolf on Thursday nominated Kathleen Kane's former top deputy to step in as attorney general for the remaining months of her term on the heels of her conviction and resignation from the state's top law enforcement job. By Marc Levy. SENT: 283 words, AP Photos. UPCOMING: 500 words by 3 p.m. COUNTY JAIL-EXTORTION SCRANTON — A second employee at a northeastern Pennsylvania county jail has been charged with extorting money and drugs from inmates in return for special privileges and has agreed to plead guilty. SENT: 373 words. MISSING TWINS PITTSBURGH — A Pennsylvania mother charged with concealing information about twins who welfare workers haven't been able to locate for 10 years says they're living with a family friend in Georgia. SENT: 130 words. UPCOMING: 450 words by 3 p.m. ELSEWHERE: MED-HEALTHBEAT-ZIKA VACCINES-Q&A WASHINGTON — Wanted: Volunteers willing to be infected with the Zika virus for science. By Lauran Neergaard. SENT: 1061 words, AP Photos. OSPREY JOURNEY TILTON, N.H. — Scientists have long known ospreys make an epic journey each summer from New England to South America. But the details of their dangerous trip remained a mystery — until now. By Michael Casey. SENT: 711 words, AP Photos. NORTHEAST DROUGHT BOSTON — The drought affecting the Northeast United States is getting worse in some areas. SENT: 138 words. CHILD PORNOGRAPHY ARRESTS HAMILTON, N.J. — Forty men, including a former teacher and a school custodian, were charged Thursday with child pornography possession charges following a sweep that led to arrests in all 21 New Jersey counties, authorities said. SENT: 292 words. TIME BANDIT HARTFORD, Conn. — A 40-year-old Cuban national faces five years in federal prison in a string of burglaries at outlet stores in six states. SENT: 139 words. EXCHANGE: AERIAL SAW GREENSBURG —Like a hot knife through butter, an aerial saw equipped with 10 24-inch carbide-tipped blades dangling 125 feet below a helicopter made quick work of tree limbs hanging over the right of way of a West Penn Power transmission line in Hempfield on Wednesday morning. By Joe Napsha, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. SENT: 613 words, AP Photos. IN BRIEF: —TAUNTING VICTIM'S FAMILY — A man expected to plead guilty to murder in Pennsylvania shocked the court by declaring his innocence, sticking out his tongue at the victim's family and saying "ha ha ha ha" several times. —HEART CARE CENTER — A hospital in northeastern Pennsylvania is spending $15 million to build a 12,000-square-foot heart care center. —SEVERE STORMS-PENNSYLVANIA-TREE — Four family members are recovering from injuries suffered when part of a tree downed by severe storms fell on their campsite at a central Pennsylvania resort. —MISSING FISHERMEN — Authorities aren't saying how two fishermen died after they were pulled from a western Pennsylvania river. —FATAL INTERSTATE CRASH — One person is reported dead after a multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 81 in central Pennsylvania. —SANDUSKY ATTORNEY-INVESTIGATION — An attorney who represented former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky at his sex abuse trial will spend 5½ to 18 years in prison for stealing about $767,000 from clients. —TRANSIT BUS CRASH — Authorities say a transit bus crash in Pennsylvania has sent at least 17 people to the hospital. —AMUSEMENT PARK-DRUG ARRESTS — Police say they made dozens of drug arrests at a Pennsylvania amusement park. —BODY FOUND NEAR INTERSTATE — Two men are facing charges in the slaying of a man who was shot to death and found near Interstate 83 in central Pennsylvania. —DROWNING-PENNSYLVANIA RIVER — Officials say a man has drowned in the Lehigh River following a group outing in a state park in eastern Pennsylvania. —FATAL DOUBLE SHOOTING — Police say a double shooting in north Philadelphia has left one man dead and another seriously wounded. —STORE CLERK-SHOOTING — Police are looking for a suspect who tried to rob a corner store, but left with a gunshot wound instead. —SICK PUPPY BACKLASH — A Pennsylvania district attorney has gotten a local animal cruelty agency to no longer enforce animal abuse cases after the prosecutor contended the agency's head mishandled a case involving a severely malnourished puppy. SPORTS: FBN--EAGLES-STEELERS PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles meet on Thursday night in the second preseason game for both teams. Game begins at 7 p.m. EDT. UPCOMING: 700 words, AP Photos. BBN--DODGERS-PHILLIES PHILADELPHIA — Bud Norris (6-9) starts for the Dodgers against Jerad Eickhoff (8-12) and the Phillies. By Aaron Bracy, Game begins at 7:05 p.m. EDT. UPCOMING: 650 words, with hometown lead on losing team. AP Photos. ___ 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.

BC-PA--Pennsylvania News Digest, PA