Today in PA | A PennLive daily news briefing with Claudia Dimuro

Pennsylvania reported its first death from the coronavirus known as COVID-19. Meanwhile the state supreme court has ordered all courts in the state to close down because of the pandemic. A Philadelphia man has been arrested with the handcuffs of the police officer he allegedly killed. In happier news, florists teamed up to give away thousands of flowers to cheer people up.   Text "PennLive" to 717...

Mass testing sites for the coronavirus are set to open in Pennsylvania. Meanwhile, concerns about COVID-19 lead the Philadelphia police to stop be arresting people for nonviolent crimes like prostitution in an effort to keep the prison population low. The Pennsylvania Department of Labor is working hard to ensure that those without jobs because of the pandemic can get unemployment benefits quickly...

The entire state of Pennsylvania is being shut down because of the coronavirus pandemic. While some Pennsylvanians are taking this time to stock up on toilet paper, others are buying guns and ammunition with permit requests doubling in Allegheny County. Rite Aid has announced a major redesign and a new path forward -- that doesn’t include tobacco sales. We conclude by looking at the helpers, a rem...

Non-essential businesses are asked to close in five Pennsylvania counties as the number of people testing positive for the coronavirus in the state nears 70. Meanwhile, prosecutors are seeking the death penalty in the case of the mother charged with hanging and killing her two children. In Lebanon County, police are trying to solve the case of a boy who went missing 20 years ago -- and they want y...

An entire county is effectively shut down over the coronavirus as the number of positive cases increases. A large fight broke out in the middle of a rape trial and a Penn State athlete has been charged with a DUI. In good news, at least, as good as it can get when it’s about coronavirus -- Comcast is offering free internet for two months for low income customers. See acast.com/privacy for privacy...

A van carrying school children was allegedly shot at by a man in camouflage in Lawrence County. Meanwhile, state officials share information on testing being done for coronavirus. UPMC is being sued over allegedly sharing iffy results of non-consensual drug tests of new mothers with children and youth services. In happier news, a Baltimore artist brings a bit of “Always Sunny” to the telephone wir...

There are now 14 cases of coronavirus in Pennsylvania, and local universities are switching to online classes to prevent its spread. Meanwhile, the flu has killed 83 people in the Keystone State. Pennsylvania has more state employees than ever who are earning six figures and a historic mansion is set to be turned into an Airbnb See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The number of cases in Pennsylvania of the coronavirus continues to grow, but the governor has worked with health insurers to guarantee that getting tested for COVID-19 won’t break the bank. Meanwhile, a tragic fire results in the death of a volunteer firefighter. In Philadelphia, Temple University faces the wrath of the Department of Veterans Affairs which is threatening to pull GI Benefits for v...

Six Pennsylvanians now have the coronavirus, and that number is only expected to grow. Meanwhile, a devastating fire in Lebanon county leaves 15 horses dead. A new report shows that a judge in Erie County denied 30 percent of temporary protection-from-abuse order requests without ever holding in-court hearings. And a 98 year old Girl Scout makes headlines for continuing to sell cookies. See acast....

A Pennsylvania furniture company is saved after its old owner buys it back in an effort to save hundreds of jobs. Meanwhile, in Pittsburgh a new live music venue and entertainment complex is in the works. Be careful when you drive, especially in work zones -- enforcement begins next week on those caught by new speed cameras. And, a rare fish is spotted in a Delaware County pond. See acast.com/priv...

A serial child rapist is going behind bars for life after being sentenced to up to 126 years in jail. Meanwhile, a couple is being charged with arson and insurance fraud after allegedly setting fire to their newspaper business. In Pittsburgh, a UPMC researcher’s new gene therapy could cure diabetes. Also, with Easter on the horizon, Cadbury is on the hunt for a different kind of bunny -- and one P...

A mystery unfolds near Pittsburgh when a body is discovered near the home of a man accused of murder… but it isn’t the body of the man he supposedly killed. Meanwhile, the state department of health has new updates on the coronavirus. A Pennsylvania county restricts the powers of immigration and customs enforcement agents and the dreaded spotted lanternfly is back. We wrap things up with a touchin...

Ebola treatment center to be converted to treat those with coronavirus. Independence Health Group fined $165K over handling of insurance claims. Judge rules that Highspire can become independent of Steelton-Highspire school district. This bar is the best place to grab craft beer in Pennsylvania. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It was a violent weekend, with one man being charged with a state trooper shot during a traffic stop in Chambersburg and four men in Pottsville sent to the hospital after a gunfight outside a bar. Meanwhile, the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia announced a massive $3.4 billion expansion. Philadelphia finds itself on the small screen in Jason Segel’s latest TV series: “Dispatches from Elsewhere....

State lawmakers are claiming “legislative privilege” to justify blacking out details of how they have spent taxpayer money. The state is being sued over counting prison inmates as part of the population in legislative districts where they are incarcerated -- despite the fact that inmates can’t vote there. The FTC is working to block a merger between two major Philadelphia hospital networks. Penn S...

Pennsylvania is prepared for the coronavirus, according to state health department officials. Meanwhile, the flu claims its first child victim in Pennsylvania. The US Department of Justice is investigating a pipeline explosion in Beaver County. In York, construction crews uncover a bit of history.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

A federal court gave the green light to a Philadelphia supervised drug injection site. Meanwhile, a Pa. inmate has been in solitary for more than a year over refusing to cut his hair. A woman has been accused of starving her teenage son so much that he weighed under 30 pounds. In happier news, Ellen DeGeneres surprised a Pennsylvania couple who want to adopt. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and...

The US Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case between the City of Philadelphia and a Catholic foster care agency over nondiscrimination policies and LGBTQ rights. The owner of several Shop ‘n Saves is guilty of stealing more than $250K in a coupon clipping scheme. Two large employers announce hundreds of layoffs in Pennsylvania. UPMC doctors diagnose a patient who was brewing alcohol -- in their...

A man is dead after an altercation with police. Meanwhile, vandals have graffitied an iconic section of a Pennsylvania state park. Penn State students raised more than $11.6 million to fight pediatric cancer and the Phillie Phanatic has a new look. We’ll end with a story about a poodle who managed to survive being taken by a hawk. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Leaders of a western Pa. drug ring plead guilty in federal court. A Pittsburgh firefighter has been charged with sex offenses involving a minor. In Centre County, a man leads police on a 20 mile per hour car chase. The members of Green Day showed up at karaoke night at a Pennsylvania bar… and killed it. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Harrisburg Catholic Diocese declares bankruptcy because of the child sexual abuse scandal. Over in Philadelphia, four people are wounded after gunmen opens fire near a school. Meanwhile, a nursing home chain pays more than $15 million to settle claims of giving residents unnecessary rehab in an effort to make money. And for “Bachelor” fans -- the popular TV show is getting a stage version, and...

A Pennsylvania township has become a “Second Amendment Sanctuary.” Meanwhile, a York County hospital is in trouble after not responding to alarming vital signs from a dying patient. In Philadelphia, an apartment high-rise was barricaded after a gunshot was fired out a window. Looking to the center of the state, Penn State announces plan to honor the first African American astronaut in space with a...

Police are investigating the death of a Penn State student, the second in the span of a few days. Meanwhile, a hemp CBD processor closes in Pennsylvania over the plummeting of prices and a pharmaceutical company also closes a plant in the state, leading to the loss of hundreds of jobs. Over in the world of art, a masterpiece is rediscovered at a Pennsylvania art museum.  See acast.com/privacy for...

More than 30 people have been displaced, and five firefighters injured, after a fire at a Pa. apartment complex. Meanwhile, the Pennsylvania Lieutenant Governor is being threatened with a lawsuit if he doesn’t apologize for blocking people on Twitter and the state is spending $4 million to make sure hard-to-reach groups are included in the upcoming census. In exciting TV news, a Montgomery County...

Human bones have been discovered in an abandoned parking lot in the Harrisburg area. Meanwhile, a key witness in a murder trial claims he lied after a Philadelphia cop promised him a $20,000 reward. A Pennsylvania law banning felons from having their names changed is being challenged by lawyers for a group of transgender women. Also, the Clark Bar is back!  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and op...