State briefs
Alimony rejected PITTSBURGH (AP) – A state Superior Court panel says a man doesn’t have to pay his mother alimony because the obligation for support rests solely on his father.
The panel said an Indiana County judge was out of bounds when he brought Douglas Dalessio into his parents’ divorce case in 1995. The mother, Rosalie Dalessio, said her husband used Douglas Dalessio as a shelter for assets.
Rosalie Dalessio, of Ford City, filed for divorce from Samuel Dalessio, a Plumville businessman with farming and trucking interests, 14 years ago.
The family suffered a tragedy 11 months ago when state police say a man broke into Douglas Dalessio’s home, killed his wife, Theresa, with a shotgun and ran out. An arrest affidavit said Randy Whitacre was angry with the Dalessios after having problems with a home he purchased from the couple.
Whitacre is facing trial on a first-degree murder charge.
Labor climate calm
PITTSBURGH (AP) – The school labor landscape appears to be one of the most tranquil in recent history with only two Allegheny County districts – Allegheny Valley and Riverview – still negotiating teacher contracts.
Last week, Shaler Area and Hampton Township school districts approved tentative contracts.
Statewide, only one district has gone on strike this school year. Teachers in the 2,000-student North Schuylkill School District walked out last Monday when talks broke down after 20 months of negotiations.
Only Brownsville Area and Somerset Area school districts are still negotiating in western Pennsylvania.
The same time last year, around 15 districts in the region were negotiating. A dozen districts were negotiating a year before last.
Father charged
MANCHESTER, Pa. (AP) – A man is charged with shaking his 2-month-old daughter and causing severe head trauma, police said.
Travis Gullion, 19, was held in York County Prison on Sunday. He is charged with aggravated assault, recklessly endangering another person and endangering the welfare of a child.
Police said Gullion shook the child because she cried and then left her in a bedroom for several hours. When the mother returned, she saw the baby was hurt. The mother’s name was not released.
The child was taken to the pediatric intensive care unit at Hershey Medical Center.
Problems addressed
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) – Officials in the Harrisburg School District are trying to give the troubled education system a makeover.
Known for several years as one of the state’s failing school systems, Harrisburg officials say that enrollment is up this year and they’re ready to make some changes.
School officials say that expanded programming, such as a kindergarten preview for younger kids, is helping to lure new students.
And another new offering is an all-day school program for three and four year-olds. The pilot program will have a trial run this year with 180 kids.
Crash kills teen
BANGOR, Pa. (AP) – A 15-year-old girl died and four people were injured in a two-car crash, authorities said.
Jackie Sinicrope, of Harmony Township, was a passenger in a car driven by 19-year-old Kevin Cupak, of Hackettstown, police said. Her parents said she was on her second date with Cupak when the crash happened Saturday night.
Police said Cupak lost control of the 1993 Hyundai he was driving while rounding a curve in Upper Mount Bethel Township at 9 p.m. The car skidded into the opposite lane of traffic and struck a 2001 Ford Explorer.
Sinicrope’s high school classmate Heather Faas, 16, of Belvidere and Sean Sullivan of Budd Lake, N.J., were in the back seat. Sullivan’s age was not known.
Lehigh County Coroner Scott Grim said Sinicrope was pronounced dead Sunday morning.
Faas was listed in satisfactory condition at a hospital Sunday. Cupak was treated and released from Pocono Medical Center.
The passenger in the Explorer, 58-year-old Joyce Yetter, was in fair condition Sunday. Sullivan was treated at a hospital and released.
Andrew Yetter, 66, the driver of the Explorer, was uninjured, police said.
Police said Sunday they hadn’t determined the cause of the crash.
Contract approved
WILKES-BARRE, Pa. (AP) – Workers at Mercy Hospital in Wilkes-Barre and Scranton overwhelmingly approved a new contract over the weekend.
The proposed contract would freeze wages for all employees except nurses and technicians. It would also require workers to pay part of their health care costs.
Union representative Eileen Connelly said she was pleased with the outcome.
“The members of both hospitals (Wilkes-Barre and Scranton) made the right decision to make sacrifices and give Mercy a chance,” she said. “The votes really show this and sends the message that we want to give Mercy a chance and be a partner in it.”
Employees in Wilkes-Barre approved the contract by a 92 percent margin and workers in Scranton by an 85 percent margin.