Allentown Diocese removes monsignor, alerts authorities of sex abuse allegation

The pastor of Sacred Heart parish in Bath encouraged a teen he was counseling via online video to take his clothes off and perform sex acts, a lawsuit filed Tuesday in Philadelphia alleges.

The suit charges that Monsignor Francis Nave persuaded the boy, who was 16 when the online counseling sessions began in 2011, to disrobe and commit sex acts.

In a statement Wednesday, the Allentown Diocese said it was unaware of the allegations or the lawsuit before hearing about them from The Morning Call. Afterward, it said, it contacted law enforcement and removed Nave from ministry, pending the result of an investigation.

Nave could not be reached for comment. His accuser is anonymous, identified as John Doe in the lawsuit.

Read more: http://www.mcall.com/news/breaking/mc-nws-lawsuit-sexual-abuse-nave-20180627-story.html

Milford doctor who prescribed more than 2 million pills indicted

A doctor at a Milford practice has been charged with prescribing more than 2 million doses of oxycodone over a two-year span, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Thursday.

Patrick Titus, a medical doctor and owner of Lighthouse Internal Medicine, was indicted with 14 counts of unlawful distribution and dispensing of controlled substances and one count of maintaining a drug-involved premise earlier this month, the announcement said.

Prosecutors said Titus issued many prescriptions that were not for legitimate medical purposes and seemed outside of normal prescribing practices. Titus wrote more than 25,000 prescriptions for oxycodone from July 2012 to December 2014.

Many patients paid cash for their visits. Initial doctor visits at Titus's practice were $225 upfront and $180 for monthly follow-up visits, court documents said.

Read more: https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/crime/2018/06/28/milford-doctor-indicted-after-writing-prescriptions-2-million-pills/742599002/

Allegheny County Health Department fines U.S. Steel $1 million for Clairton pollution

Allegheny County is fining U.S. Steel more than $1 million for not meeting air pollution levels at its Clairton Coke Works. The county health department alleges U.S. Steel at times has not been in emissions compliance in July through December 2017 and January through March this year.

U.S. Steel spokeswoman Melissa Cox said she couldn't comment because she hasn't seen the health department's order.

The department said the site's Battery B was in full compliance in 2013. But last year, the compliance rate dropped to 61 percent and there were 16 violations. In April 2018, it had a compliance rate of 78 percent.

Clairton's Battery 13 performance decreased to 70 percent in 2017 and as of this April, compliance was only 50 percent. The lack of compliance violates a 2016 consent degree between U.S. Steel and the health department, the department alleges.

Read more: https://triblive.com/news/adminpage/13813689-74/allegheny-county-health-department-fines-us-steel-1-million-for-clairton-pollution

Texan who put up phantom cattle as collateral jailed in $5.8 million fraud case

A Wichita Falls man arrested in a multimillion-dollar cattle fraud investigation could face up to life in prison if convicted.

Howard Lee Hinkle, 67, was arrested Wednesday night after a 16-month investigation by the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association.

The alleged crimes spanned 10 counties in Texas and Oklahoma, involved 8,000 cattle and included outstanding loans of more than $5.8 million, authorities say. Hinkle faces first-degree felony charges of theft.

The association was first contacted in March by the First United Bank in Sanger. Bank officials said Hinkle had failed to make payments on loans with balances adding up to more than $5.8 million. They got a court order to collect the 8,000 cows that were put up as a collateral, but they were unable to find any of the cattle at locations Hinkle had given the bank.

Read more: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/crime/2018/06/28/texan-put-phantom-cattle-collateral-jailed-58-million-cattle-fraud-case

Woman sues Waxahachie buffet for $1 million after getting 'fried rice syndrome'

A pan of food left out at a Waxahachie buffet sent a woman to the hospital with "fried rice syndrome," a lawsuit seeking $1 million in damages alleges.

Germaine Mobley, 62, of Corsicana claims that after a 2016 lunch with a friend she started vomiting, and by the next morning she was having trouble breathing. Within a day she was in an ICU, where she stayed for eight days — including two with a ventilator.

"I remember going, 'I've never even heard of this,'" her lawyer Kathryn Knotts said. "[Mobley] wasn't sure what could even really be done, she just wanted this to not continue to happen to other people."

The bacteria that cause "fried rice syndrome," Bacillus cereus, are commonly found on foods that have sat out at room temperature and can cause cramps, vomiting and diarrhea, according to the Food and Drug Administration. The symptoms generally don't last more than a day or two.

Read more: https://www.dallasnews.com/business/food-industry/2018/06/28/woman-sues-waxahachie-buffet-1-million-after-getting-fried-rice-syndrome

Three indicted in Travis County tax office fraud investigation

A Travis County grand jury indicted three people Thursday as a result of the ongoing investigation into fraud at the Travis County tax assessor-collector’s office.

Two former tax office employees were indicted, according to a news release issued by the district attorney’s office. Cathy Lynn Wilson has been charged with theft by public servant and two counts related to presenting false or incorrect information, and Shell Kenneth Prieto-Reese is charged with theft by public servant,

Also indicted in connection to the investigation was Eulalio Hernandez Jr., on three counts related to presenting false or incorrect information. Investigators have said they believe Hernandez, who is not a tax office employee, was a “runner,” a person who charges individuals or companies a fee to wait in line at a tax office for them.

The indictments come a little over a month after the Texas Department of Public Safety announced a multiagency fraud investigation related to vehicle titles, leading to seven arrests, including four tax office employees.

Read more: https://www.statesman.com/news/local/three-indicted-travis-county-tax-office-fraud-investigation/DwwrYzz9Yv5zKSVzaafbFO/

The Stranglers - No More Heroes

The Supreme Court punts on the Florida-Georgia water fight

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday directed an expert judge to revisit key aspects of Florida's water rights case against Georgia, a disappointing legal outcome for the Peach State after it racked up several recent victories in court related to its long-running water dispute with its neighbors.

The justices in their 5-4 opinion told Ralph Lancaster Jr., the so-called "special master" who recommended last year that the court dismiss Florida's case, to conduct further legal proceedings in the battle over water from the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint river basin, which originates in North Georgia and follows along the Alabama border to the Florida Panhandle.

Writing for the majority, Justice Stephen Breyer concluded Mr. Lancaster initially "applied too strict a standard" when he determined the court could not find an adequate solution that would lead to more water flowing downstream from Georgia.

"The complaining State should not have to prove with specificity the details of an eventually workable decree by 'clear and convincing' evidence," said Justice Breyer, who was joined by Chief Justice John Roberts and Associate Justices Anthony Kennedy, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sonya Sotomayor. "Rather, the complaining State should have to show that, applying the principles of 'flexibility' and 'approximation' ... it is likely to prove possible to fashion such a decree."

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/news/politics-nation/2018/06/27/The-Supreme-Court-punts-on-the-Florida-Georgia-water-fight/stories/201806270260

Cross-posted in the Florida Group.

The Supreme Court punts on the Florida-Georgia water fight

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday directed an expert judge to revisit key aspects of Florida's water rights case against Georgia, a disappointing legal outcome for the Peach State after it racked up several recent victories in court related to its long-running water dispute with its neighbors.

The justices in their 5-4 opinion told Ralph Lancaster Jr., the so-called "special master" who recommended last year that the court dismiss Florida's case, to conduct further legal proceedings in the battle over water from the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint river basin, which originates in North Georgia and follows along the Alabama border to the Florida Panhandle.

Writing for the majority, Justice Stephen Breyer concluded Mr. Lancaster initially "applied too strict a standard" when he determined the court could not find an adequate solution that would lead to more water flowing downstream from Georgia.

"The complaining State should not have to prove with specificity the details of an eventually workable decree by 'clear and convincing' evidence," said Justice Breyer, who was joined by Chief Justice John Roberts and Associate Justices Anthony Kennedy, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sonya Sotomayor. "Rather, the complaining State should have to show that, applying the principles of 'flexibility' and 'approximation' ... it is likely to prove possible to fashion such a decree."

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/news/politics-nation/2018/06/27/The-Supreme-Court-punts-on-the-Florida-Georgia-water-fight/stories/201806270260

Cross-posted in the Georgia Group.

David Trone wins the Democratic primary for John Delaney's House seat in Maryland

David Trone, the Potomac tycoon, won the Democratic primary for the House seat being vacated by Rep. John Delaney in Maryland, overcoming rivals’ criticism that he sought to buy the race by pumping more than $10 million of his own money into the campaign.

Mr. Trone, the owner of Total Wine & More, a national liquor store chain, will face Republican Amie Hoeber in November for Maryland’s 6th Congressional District seat. Ms. Hoeber, a defense contractor, easily won the GOP primary.

Mr. Trone, 62, was victorious in a Democratic field of eight candidates that included state Del. Aruna Miller, D-Montgomery, who had the backing of Emily’s List and more than two dozen Maryland state lawmakers.

At a time when Maryland’s congressional delegation is all-male and record numbers of women are running for office, Ms. Miller hoped her gender would help propel her candidacy. But Mr. Trone’s massive financial advantage - he outspent Ms. Miller 11 to 1 - overwhelmed his opponents.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/news/politics-nation/2018/06/27/David-Trone-wins-the-Democratic-primary-for-John-Delaney-s-House-seat-in-Maryland/stories/201806270243