Wisconsin recount goes ahead, judge mulls Pennsylvania case

Shutdown threat eases as Dems signal retreat on miners' aid

Good evening! Here's a look at AP's general news coverage today in Pennsylvania. Kristen de Groot is on the desk. For questions about the state report, contact the Philadelphia bureau at 215-561-1133 or news editor Larry Rosenthal at 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 A reminder this information is not for publication or broadcast, and these coverage plans are subject to change.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. UPCOMING SATURDAY: TRUMP ELECTORS-PENNSYLVANIA HARRISBURG — Anyone hoping Pennsylvania's 20 "unbound" Electoral College members might participate in turning against Republican president-elect Donald Trump is almost certainly going to be disappointed. By Mark Scolforo. 500 words. UPCOMING SUNDAY: HEALTH OVERHAUL-PENNSYLVANIA HARRISBURG — About 1 million people in Pennsylvania have received government-subsidized health insurance as a result of President Barack Obama's 2010 health care law, as enrollment continues for the 2017 insurance year. But that system is being thrown into doubt as Republican President-elect Donald Trump takes office next month with a pledge to repeal the law. By Marc Levy. UPCOMING: 700 words by noon ET. FRIDAY'S TOP STORIES: ELECTION RECOUNT PHILADELPHIA — A federal judge allowed Wisconsin's presidential recount to move forward Friday as a another federal judge in Pennsylvania planned to take the weekend to decide on a Green Party-backed request to recount paper ballots and examine election computer systems for signs of hacking. U.S. District Judge Paul S. Diamond in Philadelphia said he will rule Monday on the recount bid by Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein in Pennsylvania, where Republican Donald Trump won, beating Democrat Hillary Clinton by about 44,000 votes. By Todd Richmond and Maryclaire Dale. AP Photos MIJAC101-1208161506, MIJAC102-1208161507, MIJAC104-1208161533, MIJAC103-1208161539. CONFEDERATE CLOTHING-SCHOOL PLUM, Pa. — A school district where a black student was upset that a classmate was allowed to wear a sweatshirt depicting the Confederate flag said on Friday that after more students went to class wearing Confederate flag clothing it must be banned. Earlier Friday, Plum Borough School District Superintendent Timothy Glasspool had told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that a high school student had a right to wear a sweatshirt depicting a Confederate flag even though it upset the black student and her father. He said courts had determined school officials can't prevent a student from wearing a sweatshirt unless it's disruptive. HEROIN OVERDOSES-PHILADELPHIA PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia medical examiner's office says as many as 35 fatal drug overdoses over a recent five-day period might be part of a bigger problem: the national opioid crisis. Philadelphia police and the medical examiner's office are working to determine the cause of the overdoses and possible reasons for the spike in deaths. By Errin Haines Whack. ELSEWHERE: SANCTUARY-HOUSES OF WORSHIP BROCKTON, Mass. — Hundreds of houses of worship are offering sanctuary to people who could face deportation if President-elect Donald Trump follows through on his campaign pledge to remove millions of immigrants living in the country illegally. By Denise Lavoie. SENT: 822 words, AP Photos, AP Video. ELECTION RECOUNT MADISON, Wis. — A federal judge is set to consider halting Wisconsin's presidential recount. SENT: 130 words. UPCOMING: Developing from hearing scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. CST. CONGRESS RDP WASHINGTON — Coal-state Democrats who are threatening a government shutdown over health benefits for retired miners should "take yes for answer" and stop stalling a short-term spending bill, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Friday. McConnell said he understands Democrats' frustration, but he said the stopgap spending bill ensures that retired miners — including thousands in his home state of Kentucky — will keep their health care through April 28. By Matthew Daly. AP Photos DCCO123-1208161123, DCCO201-1208161142, DCPM201-1208161227, WX401-1208161446. VATICAN-US BISHOP VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis has named a new bishop for Rockville Centre, New York, tapping the bishop of Allentown, Pennsylvania whose diocese is one of six undergoing a statewide grand jury investigation into clerical sex abuse. SENT: 136 words. THEATER-DEBORAH COX NEW YORK — There's one important person to thank for Deborah Cox stepping into Whitney Houston's shoes for the national tour of "The Bodyguard." That person would be Whitney Houston herself. Cox and Houston were label-mates and friends, with the late pop star mentoring the Canadian singer and often telling Cox to put family first. By Mark Kennedy. AP Photos NY113-0828151809. IN BRIEF: —BOUND BODIES IN RIVER — A Vietnam native convicted of murdering two brothers and dumping their bodies into a Philadelphia river has been sentenced to death. —MINIVAN CRASH-TODDLER PINNED — The aunt of a 2-year-old Pennsylvania girl who died after being pinned against a barn by a minivan says she was trying to scare the kids by speeding toward them honking her horn, but the van wouldn't stop. —PPG JOB CUTS — Pittsburgh-based PPG says it's cutting about 1,700 jobs worldwide, or about 3.6 percent of its 47,000 workers worldwide. —WAL-MART LAYAWAYS PAID OFF— Wal-Mart says a "Secret Santa" paid off 194 layaway accounts worth more than $46,000 at one of its western Pennsylvania stores. —PRESCRIPTION DRUG FRAUD — Federal prosecutors in Pittsburgh have charged 18 people in 13 separate indictments with fraudulently obtaining prescription painkillers from government insurance programs then re-selling them on the street. —MULTI-VEHICLE CRASH — The state Department of Transportation says a section of westbound Interstate 90 in northwestern Pennsylvania will probably remain closed through noon as crews clear wreckage from a 15-vehicle pileup being blamed on lake-effect now. —SECRET SANTA-SCHOOL MEALS — A secret Santa has paid off the outstanding meal accounts for students at a western Pennsylvania elementary school. —ENDO INTERNATIONAL-SALES CUTS — Endo International, a pharmaceutical company with its U.S. headquarters in eastern Pennsylvania, says it's cutting its 375-person sales staff. —INTRUDER KILLED-HOMICIDE CHARGES — A Washington County man has been ordered held without bail after he was arraigned on charges stemming from the fatal shooting of an unarmed intruder last month. —PHILADELPHIA-TOBACCO LIMITS — Philadelphia has adopted new rules that limit the sale of cigarettes and tobacco. —PILL MILL DOCTOR CONVICTED — A federal jury has convicted a Philadelphia-area doctor on more than 250 drug distribution counts, including one resulting in death, for running a pill mill out of his offices. —MOTHER KILLED-SON CHARGED — Police have charged a Pennsylvania man in connection with the fatal stabbing of his mother, who was found dead inside the Bucks County home they shared. SPORTS: FBN--GOING ON FOURTH Undated — More coaches are going for it in situations that used to be automatic punts or field-goal attempts. Through Week 13, teams went on fourth down 350 times and converted 181 or 51.7 percent. By Rob Maaddi. SENT: 891 words. FBN-STEELERS-BILLS ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Receiver Antonio Brown is well aware of the Pittsburgh Steelers' track record of successfully mounting late-season playoff pushes. By John Wawrow. SENT: 886 words, AP Photos. FBN-REDSKINS-EAGLES PHILADELPHIA — Kirk Cousins and the Washington Redskins know what it takes to get the job done down the stretch. By Rob Maaddi. SENT: 784 words, AP Photos. HKN-EX-NHL PLAYER-DRUG CHARGE BOSTON — A two-time Stanley Cup champion hockey player from Massachusetts has pleaded guilty to a federal drug charge. SENT: 141 words. BILLS-WILLIAMS ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Kyle Williams is questionable for Sunday's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers because of a back injury. Bills coach Rex Ryan says Williams' back locked up on him Thursday night, placing his availability for the game in doubt. By Mark Ludwiczak ___ 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