Free Republic

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Pope Francis urged hundreds of thousands of the faithful gathered Sunday for the biggest event of his U.S. visit to be open to "miracles of love," closing out his joyful six-day trip with a message of hope for families, consolation for victims of child sexual abuse and a warning to America's bishops.

Philadelphians and visitors to the city woke up on Friday morning to a world of barricades and tight security measures as authorities prepare for Pope Francis' weekend arrival. Fencing blocked off areas starting just east of City Hall, requiring people in that area to walk north to Cherry Street, where security checkpoints were set up, if they need to get inside the perimeter. Maureen Shaeffer and Ruth Schanbacher, who both came from the suburbs to go to work, didn't know each other before Friday morning. But they bonded over the tricky security measures. "We've been brought together through adversity," Shaeffer...

Expectant parents wanting the best for their babies typically focus on the best strollers, cribs and cost-effective diapers. But they might want to consider where best to have their baby. That place may not be Pennsylvania, with its low number of pediatricians, obstetrician-gynecologists and parental-support groups, and the lack of a “baby-friendly environment.” Pennsylvania actually ranked next to last, ahead of only Mississippi, based on health care costs and available services and resources for babies and parents, according to WalletHub.com’s 2015 rankings of the best and worst states in which to have a baby.

The Palestinian Authority responded unenthusiastically Thursday to offers by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to come to Ramallah and renew peace talks unconditionally with the Palestinian Authority (PA). According to Kol Yisrael radio, Palestinian “prime minister” Rami Hamdallah said that the Palestinians are interested in a new framework for talks. He explained that the talks would not be renewed if a date is not set for ending them, and if the problem of borders is not discussed. Another senior PA official, top Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat, said that the idea of returning to the unconditional negotiations is “a trap.” He said...

A would-be victim turned the tables on an armed robber in Chester, shooting and killing him, police said. The unidentified man was getting out of his vehicle on the 500 block of West Seventh Street around 1 a.m. Wednesday when he was approached by two robbers, police said. When one of the robbers pulled out a gun and fired two shots, the man pulled out his own weapon and returned fire, according to investigators. “It was loud and it sounded like it was real close,” said Kyle Roane, a neighbor of the victim who heard the gunshots.

A West Penn Township police officer was airlifted after being injured during a traffic stop this evening (Wednesday, September 2, 2015) along West Penn Pike (SR309) on the Blue Mountain. Other online news articles identify the officer as Sergeant Melissa “Missy” Ruch. State Police stated she was assaulted while approaching a disabled vehicle. The incident occurred around 5:30 PM near the top of the mountain. Responding to an emergency radio ID activation, law enforcement officers found officer Ruch about 20-foot down an embankment. Rescuers utilized a Stokes basket to carry the officer up the embankment.

Former professional wrestling star Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka was charged Tuesday with third-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter in the death of his mistress more than three decades ago. Prosecutors in Lehigh County announced the results of a grand jury investigation into the death of Nancy Argentino, 23, of New York. Snuka, who had been at a World Wrestling Federation taping at the Allentown Fairgrounds, told police shortly after Argentino's death that he had returned to the couple's Whitehall Township hotel room to find her unresponsive in bed. She was pronounced dead at a hospital several hours later. An autopsy determined she...

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT -- This is it. The last two unbeaten Little League teams in the entire world. While Red Land powered through districts, sectionals, states, regionals and the first four games of the Little League World Series en route to its first U.S. championship, Kitasuna from Tokyo was finessing its way through to the world championship. And now they meet at 3 p.m. today at Lamade Stadium in South Williamsport, the LLWS 2015 title up for grabs. The game will be televised live on ABC. Red Land hopes to become the first U.S. team to win the overall title since...

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT -- If "the moment" hasn't yet negatively impacted Red Land Little League's collection of 12- and 13-year-old boys, then no reason to expect it will today. Expert climbers don't get 95 percent of the way up Kilimanjaro and suddenly get cold feet and a fear of heights. Neither, then, should we expect Red Land to tighten up in the U.S. championship of the 2015 Little League World Series at Lamade Stadium in South Williamsport. Tom Peifer's special collection of ballplayers meets Texas powerhouse Pearland West in the 3:30 p.m. title game, a berth in Sunday's 3 p.m. overall...

A judge in New York on Monday ordered the Palestinian Authority (PA) and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) to post $10 million in cash or bond while they appeal a jury's finding that they supported terrorist attacks in Israel, Reuters reported. At a court hearing in Manhattan, U.S. District Judge George Daniels said the defendants must also deposit $1 million each month pending the appeal of a February jury verdict worth $655 million in favor of 10 American families. The order came a week after the Obama administration took the unusual step of urging Daniels to "carefully consider" the PA’s...

Today's schedule: Game 13: Uganda vs. Venezuela, 11 a.m. (ESPN) Announcers: Dave Flemming, David Belisle, Marysol Castro Game 14: Texas vs. California, 3 p.m. (ABC) Announcers: Karl Ravech, Nomar Garciaparra, Kyle Peterson, Jaymee Sire Game 15: Mexico vs. Japan, 5 p.m. (ESPN) Announcers: Flemming, Aaron Boone, Belisle, Castro Game 16: South Carolina vs. Pennsylvania, 7 p.m. (ESPN2) Announcers: Ravech, Garciaparra, Peterson, Sire

When Obama took office, his first phone call to a foreign leader was to the head of a terrorist group. "This is my first phone call to a foreign leader," Obama told the PLO's Abbas. "And I'm making it only hours after I took office." Obama repeatedly bent, twisted and mutilated existing laws to keep the money flowing to the PLO’s Palestinian Authority. When Hamas and the PLO temporarily reconciled, Obama sent them money anyway. When Congress froze aid after the PLO defied the peace process by trying to join the UN, he signed a waiver claiming that aiding the...

(South Williamsport) -- Red Land's Little League team put on an offensive show during its debut at the Little League World Series in Willamsport. Cole Wagner had two homers, a double and a single and drove in six runs in four at-bats and as the Lewisberry, York County, squad routed Webb City, Missouri, 18-0 in four innings tonight in the Little League World Series. Wagner hit a grand slam and a two-run home run during an eight-run third inning and Red Land scored 18 runs in the two middle innings. The team finished with 16 hits and gave its fans...

In this screenshot, the robber has the pistol, which appears to be a semi-auto.  The robber is closest to the counter.  The red arrow points to the pistol. It happened on August 17, 2015.  The concealed handgun carrier was robbed of his handgun in a strong arm robbery.  The story illustrates one of the disadvantages of concealed carry.  Concealed carry gives up tactical deterrence.   The robber did not know that the concealed carrier was armed, so he was not deterred from attacking him.  In this case, the element of surprise was to the advantage of the robber.  The police...

Just two months ago, in early June, a Quinnipiac poll showed Trump with only 4% support among Republican primary voters in Pennsylvania. The billionaire business was in tenth place. A new Quinnipiac poll released Thursday shows a startling reversal. Trump is not only in first place with 24% support, he’s beating second place Ben Carson by a whopping +11 points.

Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), who voted to continue funding Planned Parenthood, claims he is pro-life. A Pennsylvania constituent who wrote to both of his senators about defunding the abortion giant received a disappointing reply from Casey, who claimed his pro-life record is “consistent,” listing why he seems to think that’s true. But Casey managed to avoid the topic of the Planned Parenthood undercover videos completely as he defended the “good” he believes they do. Casey writes: As a Pennsylvania public official and as a United States Senator, I have sought to support a consistent and comprehensive ethic of life and...

For those in the NE who haven't made the trek to Knoebels w/ your kids, do it! Free parking, free admission. Great family getaway run by a great family who meticulously maintain their rides.

The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) terror organization behind the Palestinian Authority (PA) holds the Israeli government "fully responsible" for the death of a toddler in an arson attack Friday in the Samaria Arab village of Duma, it announced Friday, in an incident the IDF has labeled "Jewish terror." "We hold the Israeli government fully responsible for the brutal assassination of the toddler Ali Saad Dawabsha," PLO official Saeb Erekat said in a statement, according to AFP. "This is a direct consequence of decades of impunity given by the Israeli government to settler terrorism." Four family members of the one-and-a-half year-old...

A 25-year-old Steelton man who was shot during a home invasion early Monday shot and killed his assailant, Steelton police say. "We believe it was self-defense," said Steelton police Chief John King, who said no charges have been filed in the shooting, which occurred in the 300 block of Lincoln Street. King said they don't know the identity of the man who was killed nor his accomplice. The pair encountered the residents of the home – the 25-year-old man and a 38-year-old woman – as they were arriving home just before midnight, King said. "The two suspects approached them at...

Rep. Chaka Fattah (D-Pa.) has been indicted on dozens of federal charges surrounding his unsuccessful run for Philadelphia mayor in 2007, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced Wednesday. The 11-term Democrat, along with four associates, was indicted on 29 federal counts, including bribery, money laundering, falsification of records and multiple counts of bank fraud, among other charges. Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell said Fattah and the others "embarked on a wide-ranging conspiracy involving bribery, concealment of unlawful campaign contributions and theft of charitable and federal funds to advance their own personal interests.” “When elected officials betray the trust and...