Last week, the Senate voted to confirm Judges Nitza Quiñones Alejandro and Jeffrey Schmehl as U.S. District Judges for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. President Obama nominated these two judges last November upon a joint recommendation from Sen. Bob Casey and me.

Since joining the Senate, I've worked closely with Sen. Casey to fill Pennsylvania's judicial vacancies with qualified, experienced judges who have unquestioned honesty, ability and integrity. I believe both of these individuals meet this high standard.

2013 50 WOMEN OF EXCELLENCE HONOREE OLGA GEORGE - KDKA

PITTSBURGH, PA - The New Pittsburgh Courier will host its 2013 Women of Excellence Awards Luncheon on Thursday, June 20, 2013 in the Grand Ballroom of the Omni William Penn Hotel.

This year, the New Pittsburgh Courier is also pleased to be honoring Ms. Bev Smith as the 2013 Legacy Award Honoree.

Ms. Smith began her television and radio career in 1971 when she was named Pittsburgh's first African-American Consumer Investigative Reporter for WPXI-TV. In 1975. she was named News and Public Affairs Director for Sheridan Broadcasting and hosted a lively talk show on Sheridan's flagship station, WAMO.

Since then, Bev Smith has taken her "fire brand" style of talk shows to KDKA and WTAE Radio in Pittsburgh, WNWS in Miami, WKIS in Orlando and WRC in Washington, DC.

Bev also worked at Black Entertainment Television for over thirteen years as the host of the popular national television talk show "Our Voices".

A large drilling rig sits outside the Covelli Center with some of the Youngstown, Ohio skyline in the background. Officials say drilling in Ohio's Utica shale region nearly doubled the output of oil and natural gas there since 2011, although some industry experts remain cautious about the long-term potential for production. (AP Photo/Mark Stahl, File)

by Kevin Begos

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The head of an influential charity is being criticized for his ties to the oil and gas industry, but some experts say the allegations are misguided.

The Public Accountability Initiative, a liberal-leaning group that investigates corporations and businesses, released a report last week claiming that Robert Vagt, the president of Pittsburgh-based Heinz Endowments, hadn't fully disclosed his ties to the oil and gas industry and his current membership on the board of Houston-based Kinder Morgan Inc., the largest operator of natural gas pipelines in the U.S. The report also criticized the Endowments, which are separate from the giant food company, for providing funding for the Center for Sustainable Shale Development, which works with the gas drilling industry to reduce pollution.

ORGANIZERS—The organizers are Jeanette Meacham, Theda Fuqua, Audrey Parker, Denise Johnson, Leo Halcomb, Cheryl Hurt, Greg Kelly and Jackie Moore. (Photos by J. L. Martello)

Clairton resident Leo Halcomb has been cooking since he was a little boy.

“I was raised in a restaurant that my mom and grandmother lived in Clairton on State Street,” Halcomb said.