STATE OFFICIALS SAY A BULLET BROKE A WINDOW IN THE PENNSYLVANIA CAPITOL AND PASSED INTO THE SENATE DINING ROOM. THE DEPARTMENT OF GENERAL SERVICES SAYS THE BULLET WAS FOUND TUESDAY MORNING. THE BUILDING HAD BEEN CLOSED MONDAY FOR PRESIDENT'S DAY. THE BULLET WAS DISCOVERED AFTER AN EMPLOYEE NOTICED BROKEN GLASS FROM THE WINDOW AND A HOLE IN A PLASTER WALL. GENERAL SERVICES SPOKESMAN TROY THOMPSON SAYS POLICE BELIEVE A SHOT WAS FIRED NEARBY ON SATURDAY EVENING. CAPITOL POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING.
INDIVIDUALS, GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS ARE WALKING TODAY FROM THE 300 BLOCK OF HAMILTON STREET TO ALLENTOWN CITY HALL. THE EVENT AIMS TO "DEMONSTRATE UNIFICATION AND CULTIVATE CONVERSATION, NETWORKING AND IDEAS ON HOW TO FIX CONFUSION, CHAOS AND TRAUMA THAT IS OVERTAKING THE CITY OF ALLENTOWN." ORGANIZERS HOPE TO SHINE A LIGHT ON THOSE WHO ARE SUFFERING DUE TO HOMELESSNESS AND VIOLENCE.
IN 2001 SHERYL CROW CANCELED A SOLD OUT MUSIKFEST SHOW JUST DAYS BEFORE THE CONCERT. NOW, MUSIKFEST IS BRINGING HER BACK TO THE SANDS STEEL STAGE ON AUGUST 10. TICKETS FOR HER CONCERT GO ON SALE MARCH 2. CROW IS THE SECOND STEEL STAGE ANNOUNCED AT MUSIKFEST, FOLLOWING CLASSIC ROCK BAND BOSTON.
AUTHORITIES SAY THEY SEIZED A HALF-MILLION DOLLARS' WORTH OF SYNTHETIC DRUGS IN A SERIES OF RETAIL STORE RAIDS IN THREE PENNSYLVANIA COUNTIES. OFFICIALS SAY THE RAIDS IN CENTRE, BERKS AND SCHUYLKILL COUNTIES NETTED SYNTHETIC MARIJUANA AND THE SYNTHETIC STIMULANT KNOWN AS BATH SALTS. A BAN ON BATH SALTS AND SYNTHETIC MARIJUANA TOOK EFFECT LAST SUMMER. BERKS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY JOHN ADAMS SAYS THREE LOADS OF DRUGS AND OTHER ITEMS WERE TAKEN FROM ONE STORE IN A PICKUP TRUCK. ADAMS SAYS ONE MAN OWNS AT LEAST FOUR OF THE STORES RAIDED BY POLICE. NO CHARGES HAVE BEEN FILED BUT THE INVESTIGATION IS CONTINUING.
EX-PENNSYLVANIA SENATOR RICK SANTORUM IS OUT WITH A NEW TV AD IN MICHIGAN THAT USES MITT ROMNEY'S OWN WORDS AGAINST HIM. IN THE AD, WHITE WORDS OVER A BLACK BACKGROUND OFFER ROMNEY'S OWN QUOTES LIKE "I DON'T LINE UP WITH THE NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION" AND CLOSES WITH THE WORDS "RICK SANTORUM FOR PRESIDENT. A TRUSTED CONSERVATIVE." MICHIGAN AND ARIZONA VOTERS HOLD THEIR PRIMARY ELECTIONS ON TUESDAY.
THE INDIANA ELECTION COMMISSION IS KEEPING REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE RICK SANTORUM ON THE BALLOT. THE COMMISSION VOTED 4-0 FRIDAY TO KEEP SANTORUM ON THE BALLOT AFTER MARION COUNTY OFFICIALS DETERMINED HE HAD COLLECTED ENOUGH SIGNATURES. THE COUNTY'S BOARD OF VOTER REGISTRATION HAD PREVIOUSLY DISQUALIFIED SANTORUM FOR FALLING EIGHT SIGNATURES SHORT IN THE 7TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT. THE FOUR-MEMBER PANEL IS ALSO HEARING CHALLENGES AGAINST CANDIDATES INCLUDING PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA AND REPUBLICAN SEN. RICHARD LUGAR.
NEW JERSEY'S ATTORNEY GENERAL SAYS TROOPERS WITH THE NEW JERSEY STATE POLICE HAVE RECEIVED AT LEAST $23.4 MILLION IN RETROACTIVE PAYMENTS UNDER A CONTRACT AWARDED BY AN ARBITER IN SEPTEMBER. THE RAISES TRANSLATE INTO 2.75 PERCENT FOR MEMBERS OF ALL THREE TROOPERS UNIONS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2008-2009, 2.5 PERCENT FOR 2009-2010 AND 2.25 PERCENT FOR 2010-2011. NO RAISE IS BEING GIVEN THIS YEAR. THE NEW FOUR-YEAR CONTRACT EXPIRES IN JUNE. THE RETROACTIVE PAYMENTS WERE MADE STARTING JANUARY 1, 2010, TO THE TIME THE CONTRACT TOOK EFFECT. THEY DON'T INCLUDE OVERTIME OR MONEY PAID FOR POSITIONS SUPPORTED BY FEES OR FEDERAL MONEY. ACCORDING TO THE AWARD, TROOPERS DID NOT RECEIVE BACK PAYMENTS FOR THE FIRST 18 MONTHS.
