Nearly 600 PSU faculty, staff voluntarily retire

UNIVERSITY PARK >> Nearly 600 faculty and staff have taken a voluntary retirement package from Penn State University, including more than 400 employees on the main campus.

The Centre Daily Times reports 419 main campus employees took the offer, while 168 others did on satellite campuses.

Forty-six percent of employees eligible for the early retirement took it, more than the university anticipated. Faculty 62 and older and staff 60 and older were eligible for a year’s lump sum pay if they had at least 15 years’ service.

University spokeswoman Heather Robbins says it’s not clear how much money will be saved after new workers are hired. Faculty senate chairman James Strauss says he’s hoping the retirements will lead to a “strategic realignment” and more diverse faculty in two to three years.

Man charged with killing 3 women and attacking a 4th

NEWARK, N.J. >> A New Jersey man has been charged with killing a third woman last year and authorities say a fourth woman survived an attack by him.

Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn Murray said Monday that 20-year-old Khalil Wheeler-Weaver, of Orange, was indicted by a grand jury in the deaths of three women between September and November.

He is also charged with sexually assaulting the women.

Wheeler-Weaver has previously pleaded not guilty to charges that he killed two of the women. His attorney, Shevelle McPherson, said in December that the evidence was “very circumstantial.” She didn’t immediately return a phone message seeking comment Monday.

He remains jailed on $5 million bail.

Cops: Mom used girl’s breath to start car with DUI device

QUINCY, PA. >> Police say a Pennsylvania woman had her 8-year-old daughter blow into an ignition device meant to prevent the woman from driving while drunk shortly before she crashed and was again charged with drunken driving.

Angela Daywalt, of Waynesboro, was charged with drunken driving, corruption of minors and other charges for crashing about 11 p.m. Feb. 13 with her daughter in the car.