Here are the stories keeping our reporters busy Wednesday:

• A former police officer beat his friend so badly that doctors had to put three metal plates in his face, the friend says.

• It sits in your pocket all day, a silent witness. Now some experts say your smartphone could be key to your health care.

• One township official will be getting a bonus that some supervisors thought they had eliminated.

• Police say a store clerk tried to steal a winning lottery ticket rather than cashing it. 

Look for these stories and more in Thursday's Press Enterprise.