Gee, who could have imagined THIS? According to state ethics filings, in July 2011 Gov. Tom Corbett apparently took a free weekend vacation from an executive with ties to the natural-gas industry. The trip's $1,400 cost had not previously been included in Corbett's financial statements -- due to an oversight, the administration says. Executive John Moran Jr., whose company has millions invested in an industrial park created to serve the gas industry, also gave Corbett $900 of free air travel on his private jet and helicopter back in September 2011.

The National Labor Relations Board files a complaint accusing UPMC of dozens of labor-law violations in its bid to keep the union out of facilities in Oakland and Shadyside. UPMC denies any wrongdoing. You can read the complaint for yourself here.

Why are there police stationed at the home of CMU President Jared Cohon? The Tribune-Review would like to know.

I gave Senator Bob Casey a hard time in this space earlier, but since then, he's come out foursquare for changes to gun regulation. Casey says that in the wake of the Sandy Hook shootings, he now supports limits on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines -- positions to which he felt one is "summoned by your conscience" ... and also by the fact that his wife was apparently really pushing him on this over the weekend.

Democrats in the state Senate are insisting that when Gov. Tom Corbett actually does produce his long-awaited transportation-funding plans, mass transit must be a part of the overall spending. That's a response to earlier suggestions by Republicans that mass transit should be considered separately from spending on bridges and roads.