Enrollment down 4 percent at Pennsylvania state universities
HARRISBURG, PA. >> The 14 state-owned universities in Pennsylvania are seeing enrollment fall by 4 percent this year, including a nearly 38 percent decline at Cheyney University outside Philadelphia.
Philly.com says the drop in the State System of Higher Education has left it with fewer than 100,000 students for the first time since 2001.
Enrollment has fallen for eight years, and only two schools didn’t see a decline this year, West Chester and Millersville.
Kutztown and Slippery Rock saw only modest declines.
Student numbers that peaked at nearly 120,000 in 2010 are now just over 98,000.
A system spokesman says one factor is an ongoing decline in the number of high school graduates in western Pennsylvania.
Appeals court declines to reduce life term in home invasion
A Pennsylvania appeals court has declined to reduce the life prison term imposed on a burglar convicted of causing an elderly woman to have a heart attack during a home-invasion robbery.
PennLive.com reports that the Superior Court panel upheld the seconddegree murder conviction of now-31-year-old Quadir Taylor in the death of 76-year-old Carrie Smith.
Authorities said Smith had a heart attack and died two months after burglars forced her to open a safe from which they took $35,000 cash and $18,000 in jewelry in January 2012.
Relatives said the robbery left Smith too frightened to return home, subject to frequent nightmares and needing help to shower or bathe.
Deputies catch fugitive with help of 4-year-old
GREENSBURG, PA. >> A fugitive in western Pennsylvania was no match for a 4-year-old.
Sheriff’s deputies in Westmoreland County were searching for 24-year-old Jesse Vaughn Lawson last week on an arrest warrant for burglary and receiving stolen property.
While checking at an apartment in Greensburg, Lawson’s girlfriend told them she hadn’t seen Lawson in five days.
But the woman’s 4-yearold son was more than happy to help.
The Tribune-Review reports the boy told deputies, “Come on, I’ll show you,” and led them to an electrical closet where Lawson was hiding.
Lawson faces additional charges of flight to avoid apprehension, child endangerment and a drug offense. He was being held at Westmoreland County Prison in lieu of $25,000 bail.
Woman charged with using daughter to create child porn
HARRISBURG, PA. >> An Ohio woman has been arrested and returned to Pennsylvania to face charges she created pornographic images of her 3-year-old daughter.
Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro and Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine announced Tuesday that 26-year-old Kayla Parker of Dayton, Ohio, was charged with sexual abuse, exploitation of children and other offenses.
The crimes allegedly occurred when Parker lived with a boyfriend in Upper Darby, outside Philadelphia.
Parker was being held on 10 percent of $1 million bail.
It wasn’t immediately known if she’d retained an attorney who could comment on the charges.
Her boyfriend, David Carbonaro, is awaiting trial in Delaware County.
Review says racial bias may have affected Starbucks arrest
PHILADELPHIA >> A police advisory commission review says racial bias among police officers may have played a role in the arrest of two black men at a coffeehouse in Philadelphia.
The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that the review released Monday says Philadelphia police should “incorporate consistent, anti-racist practice, incident review and training.”
The review follows the arrests of Rashon Nelson and Donte Robinson within minutes of their arrival at the Starbucks in April. Video of their arrest prompted a national outcry and policy changes at the chain.
Police Commissioner Richard Ross rejected the report’s contention that “racism has a profound effect on what drives citizen and police contact.”
He said “criminal conduct and victimization” drives such contact, while acknowledging that biases “may distort the fears and perceptions” of some people who call police.
Police: Body of girl, 2, found partially buried in park
PHILADELPHIA >> Police say the body of a 2-year-old girl has been found partially buried in a north Philadelphia park.
Capt. Jack Ryan of the police homicide division said the child had been reported missing Monday and a caregiver led police to Kemble Park.
Ryan says a search began early Tuesday and the toddler’s body was found partially buried with the top of her head partially exposed. He said it’s unclear how long the child’s body had been there.
Ryan called the discovery “absolutely sad.” He said “It’s terrible to see a child meet this kind of end.” The child’s name wasn’t immediately released. Tests were planned to confirm her identity.
Police say the caregiver is being questioned and police are trying to contact the parents of the child.
Driver sought after man shot dead in traffic dispute
NORRISTOWN, PA. >> Authorities are seeking a driver involved in a shooting death following a traffic dispute near Philadelphia.
The Montgomery County district attorney and Cheltenham Township police say the shooting happened at about 9:30 p.m. Monday in the township’s Melrose Park section.
Officials say 29-year-old Rithina Torn approached a dark-colored vehicle stopped at an intersection, and the driver fired multiple shots. Torn’s body was found on the roadway with multiple gunshot wounds and he was pronounced dead at Einstein Medical Center.
Detectives are interviewing witnesses and gathering surveillance video; anyone with information is asked to call township or county investigators.
PATCO to close Locust Street stations due to power problem
PHILADELPHIA >> Power problems are forcing the closure of PATCO stations on Locust Street.
The regional rail carrier says a fault in a power line provided by SEPTA is requiring emergency repairs at the stations.
That means the Eighth and Market Street station will be the only option in Philadelphia for the Tuesday evening commute.
The Locust Street stations are scheduled to close at 2 p.m.
There was no immediate estimate of when they would reopen.
Kavulich, state lawmaker from Scranton area, dies at age 62
HARRISBURG, PA. >> A fourterm Democratic state representative from northeastern Pennsylvania has died, two weeks after undergoing heart surgery.
A family friend in contact with his immediate family said Sid Michaels Kavulich died early Tuesday morning.
Kavulich was 62 and was from Taylor.
Kavulich went into the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania on Oct. 4 for surgery to replace an aortic valve.
Kavulich was a longtime former TV sports broadcaster who was first elected in 2010.
He had been unopposed in seeking a fifth term in the Nov. 6 election.
Survivors include his wife and three children. Funeral arrangements are pending.
Man, woman, her daughter, 10, found slain in Pennsylvania
The deaths of a man, a woman and a 10-year-old girl found in a New Castle home as a triple homicide, police said Tuesday.
New Castle police in a statement identified the victims as Nichole Pumphrey, 31, her daughter Amariah Emery and 31-year-old Lawrence Cannon.
Chief Robert Salem, of the New Castle police department, told reporters the deaths apparently occurred overnight. Officers were called to the scene shortly after 8:30 a.m. Tuesday.
“We’re still investigating the circumstances behind the incident,” he said.
Salem said there were four other children in the home when police arrived, and they were interviewed and then released to relatives.