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

The CDC is sending the coronavirus to the University of Pittsburgh in an effort to find a vaccine. Meanwhile, one of the top politicians in Pennsylvania retires and The Attorney General announces plans to create a conviction integrity unit. In fast food news, Wawa tests out adding burgers and chicken sandwiches to its menu. And "The Masked Singer" announces a nationwide tour -- including two stops...

Two suspects are arrested in the cold case of a man whose body was dismembered. Meanwhile, in election news: you can now request a mail-in ballot for the 2020 election and the Trump Store opens in Bensalem. We wrap it all up with a story about a young dog who found a forever home with the police officer who rescued it. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

A sex offender has his guilty conviction overturned because it took too long for him to have a trial. Meanwhile, the state attorney general is suing e-cigarette Juul over targeting children. Science fans prepare to get giddy over research -- Penn State is releasing even more of its research to the public than ever before. And it’s been a day of concert announcements, with four massive acts reveali...

Police looking for group who shouted about fake active shooter at Walmart. Man confesses to accidentally shooting three year old while he slept. Pa. grand jury investigates possible child sexual abuse crimes and coverup by Jehovah Witnesses. Hero dog makes recovery after being shot by men who threatened his family. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

An organization devoted to tackling the lobbying problem is fined for breaking the rules it helped create. Meanwhile a federal court has said it’s legal for Philadelphia to ban employers from asking how much a job applicant earns. PennDot is moving money around, shifting $3.15 billion intended for local road improvements towards helping repair interstate highways. And want a makeover? Entire Penns...

A notorious Pa. bank robber is sentenced to prison after robbing 19 banks. Meanwhile, Governor Wolf says he’ll veto a bill that provides natural gas manufacturing tax credits. The TV show “Cops” has announced it’ll feature Pittsburgh in an upcoming episode and I’ve got a story about a legendary prank that’s full of the force. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

A man who killed his wife is now being charged with selling fake cancer drugs for pets. Meanwhile, it was budget day yesterday in Pennsylvania, with the governor announcing his state spending plan. We’ll give you a brief overview of what’s in the document and provide a bit more on one item that’s already stirring controversy. Also one Pennsylvania singer is going to be showcased on the season prem...

Students stage a sit-in over a Pennsylvania college’s handling of sexual misconduct cases. Meanwhile, in Lancaster County, a groundbreaking craft brewery is closing its doors. Also saying goodbye is the US women’s field hockey team, which announced its departure from the Keystone State. Good news for those with student debt: the state’s higher education assistance agency announces a new refinancin...

Another Pennsylvania school has closed over asbestos and a four-month-old boy has been shot in Indiana, Pa. Meanwhile, two small earthquakes were felt in York County over the weekend. And in sports news, there’s more than one reason for Pennsylvanians to be happy with Super Bowl Sunday -- and one of those is all about the Puppy Bowl. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

A new poll says 41 percent of Pennsylvania voters think President Trump deserves another term, a study says Pennsylvania’s teacher roster is among the least diverse in the U.S., a Pa. agency that looks for wasteful spending wasted $160,000 on guns and ammo it can’t use, and in Pittsburgh, a feisty squirrel is outfoxing some bald eagles. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

UPS will be making a $1.4 billion expansion in Pennsylvania, which will bring over 1,700 jobs to the state. Senator Pat Toomey has stated he doubts he will be convinced about the need to call witnesses in the Senate’s impeachment trial of President Trump. The Pennsylvania Senate has passed a bill requiring insurance companies to cover breast cancer screenings for women in high-risk categories. And...

A nor’easter could be headed towards central Pennsylvania this weekend, possibly bringing fresh snow with it. Two members of the WGAL news team have announced their departures from the Lancaster station within two days of one another. The Hershey Company will be running an ad during the Super Bowl for one of their most obscure candy bars. And PETA has asked that the people at Punxsutawney replace...

A student visiting a Philadelphia charter school has been tested for the corona virus. Harrisburg’s capitol grounds will soon become the home for the nation’s first monument honoring the 15th amendment. The federal government has sued the former owners of a motel in Lycoming County for over 1 million dollars in outstanding loan payments. And starting this Wednesday, PennLive.com will no longer all...

The nation is mourning the loss of basketball star and Philadelphia native Kobe Bryant, who died in a helicopter crash on Sunday. Meanwhile, the people of Harrisburg remember the life and contributions of former mayor Stephen Reed, who died at age 70 over the weekend. A record number of black bears were killed by hunters in 2019, according to the Pennsylvania Game Commission. And NASA chose a subm...

The Pennsylvania Speaker of the House has announced that he will not be running for re-election. A manager at a fast food restaurant was arrested for shooting a gun at a teenager. Philadelphia’s mayor has warned residents he will cancel the city’s annual Mummers Parade if organizers can’t put an end to blackface among the participants. And a midstate church has teamed up with a charity to pay off...

A Pennsylvania woman was arrested after her 16 year old son was checked into the hospital weighing only 26 pounds. A development company is suing a Pennsylvania borough after residents pushed to cancel plans for a Chick-Fil-A restaurant. The Philadelphia Flyer’s mascot Gritty is being investigated for accusations that he punched a child at a fan event. And plans by one township to force the Amish...

A bus stuck in a sinkhole in Pittsburgh is going to cost the city a hefty sum to have it removed. Lawmakers are working on a bill to bring Pennsylvania’s state owned universities under tighter supervision. A former Major League Baseball player hailing from Cumberland County has been sentenced for charges of animal cruelty. And a ban preventing police from seizing electronic skill games has been li...

A DUI in Pennsylvania could cost you your right to own a gun. Meanwhile, Philadelphia International Airport is gearing up to roll out facial recognition scanners for passengers. Sticking to Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers sues the school district over failing to keep students and staff safe from asbestos. And, because we like to end on a positive note, we have a story about J...

A Pennsylvania prison is closing down under Governor Wolf’s orders. Meanwhile, a small town could be no more after it fails to get enough people to help run it. After 42 years of prison, a member of the MOVE black liberation group is released. And, whiskey fans, I’ve got news for you. We’ll talk about how you can score one of the rarest and best bourbons of them all.  See acast.com/privacy for pri...

Police discover a dismembered body decaying in a Philadelphia basement. Meanwhile, a teen is charged with murdering his foster mother and another man and a Mariner East pipeline company is being fined $2 million for polluting a popular lake. In happier news, Girl Scout cookies are now on sale -- and they owe their origin to Pennsylvania. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It was a busy day for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. We’ll look at three bills that have been passed which aim to ban the use of handheld phones while driving, stop the closure of state centers for the intellectually disabled and strengthen penalties for not properly marking dams. Leaving politics behind, we’ve got a story about a community that came together to help a family in need. ...

Penn State and James Franklin are being sued by a former player over allegations of hazing. Meanwhile, a Pittsburgh-area man is sentenced for stealing 1.2 million from a church. Over in Lancaster, the coroner is taking jurisdiction over the bodies in a troubled funeral home. In happier news, do you smell what The Rock is cooking? It’s a new NBC sitcom that’ll feature a little bit of Pa. See acast....

Governor Tom Wolf orders a natural gas well to be plugged over allegations of it leaking methane. Meanwhile, we’ve got the lowdown on a new law allowing early voting in Pennsylvania, as well as another one that’ll have the state look into possibly changing its policy on emission testing for newer vehicles. We’ll wrap up with a story about a small village that’s been thrust in to the limelight, tha...

Criminal charges have been filed more than a month after a video showing a deer being tortured by two teens went viral. Meanwhile state police are investigating another viral video -- this one of a two year old vaping. Bad news for history buffs, it looks like the Gettysburg Civil War Reenactment has been canceled this year. And, in good news, a Pittsburgh rapper just broke (unofficially) a Guinne...

A helicopter crashes in a Pennsylvania backyard and, in Philadelphia, a gunman holds police off for 2 hours before being killed. Meanwhile, Knoebels announces its newest ride and a Pennsylvania National Guard member breaks an army glass ceiling. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.