May 22, 2026 1:17 am
The new Washington County Public Safety building is getting ready to be built, as the demolition crew starts to prepare the site by removing the bottom part of the parking garage and the rubble of the old Courthouse Square building. Commissioners Chairman Nick Sherman says that they are on schedule and should be ready by the July meeting. Sherman says that they are excited for the new building and that during that July meeting, they look to have a planning report for the bid on the project and discuss who will be constructing the building. The Public Safety building will occupy the County 911 operators and the sheriff’s office for the first and second floor, but are still looking at their options for what will be on the third floor. The building as well is energy efficient and will save taxpayers money to heat and cool the building. The demolition for this project began on March 2, and looks to be done by the end of June.
May 22, 2026 4:44 am
Federal officials have cleared Pennsylvania to spend over $700 million to expand high-speed internet in rural areas. This decision resolves a dispute over state labor law that threatened the funding. The move will connect about 130,000 homes and businesses lacking broadband. The state has six months to sign contracts with companies, which must provide service within four years. Most connections will use fiber-optic cables, but some will rely on satellite internet due to cost considerations. The state is also addressing permitting processes to avoid delays. It’s unclear how Pennsylvania will use additional leftover funding.
May 22, 2026 4:53 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republicans have departed Washington for the Memorial Day recess without voting on a roughly $70 billion bill to fund immigration enforcement agencies. Voting on the bill was abruptly called off on Thursday. Republicans are debating whether to try and block a new $1.776 billion settlement fund to compensate Trump allies. They failed to reach a resolution after a tense meeting with acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. Soon after Republican leaders announced that they would not vote on the immigration enforcement measure until they return from a Memorial Day recess, the week of June 1. That had been Trump’s self-imposed deadline to pass the bill.
May 22, 2026 4:50 am
HELSINGBORG, Sweden (AP) — NATO allies and defense officials are bewildered by U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to send 5,000 U.S. troops to Poland. It comes just weeks after he ordered 5,000 troops to be pulled out of Europe. Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard said the about-face “is confusing indeed.” U.S. defense officials say they don’t know what it means. Trump announced the deployment on Truth Social, citing strong ties with Polish President Karol Nawrocki. His decision follows conflicting statements about reducing the U.S. military presence in Europe. NATO allies have been blindsided despite U.S. promises of coordination.
May 22, 2026 4:51 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is loosening a federal rule that requires grocery stores and air-conditioning companies to reduce greenhouse gases used in cooling equipment. President Donald Trump says that will help lower grocery costs. But it’s not clear how much or how quickly prices could be impacted. Industry groups say it could even raise prices because manufacturers have already redesigned products, retooled factories and trained workers to build and service next-generation refrigerant equipment. The move to relax the Biden-era rules on harmful pollutants known as hydrofluorocarbons is the latest attempt by the administration before the November elections to try to address rising voter concerns over the cost of living.
May 22, 2026 4:54 am
NEW YORK (AP) — Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin has released a critical study of the party’s performance in the 2024 campaign. His decision on Thursday followed intense internal pressure from frustrated Democrats who had publicly demanded the release of the postelection autopsy. The 192-page report, which was concluded last December and authored by Democratic consultant Paul Rivera, calls for Democrats to focus on Middle America and the South. The autopsy also points to a reduction in support and training for Democratic state parties, shifts in voter registration, and what it called “a persistent inability or unwillingness to listen to all voters.”
May 22, 2026 2:58 am
(AP) – Meteorologists predict a developing El Nino could dampen the upcoming Atlantic hurricane season, but it won’t eliminate storms. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasts a below-average season with fewer named storms and hurricanes. Colorado State University expects the lowest activity since 2015. El Nino is a warming of the central Pacific that typically reduces Atlantic storms by creating strong wind shear that disrupts storm formation. However, El Nino can increase storm activity in the Pacific, affecting regions like Japan and Korea. The Atlantic hurricane season starts June 1 and ends November 30.
May 22, 2026 1:51 am
PITTSBURGH — The 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh resulted in record attendance, global exposure and significant community impact across the region, according to VisitPITTSBURGH. Preliminary data released Thursday show that the event drew 805,000 attendees across the Draft weekend, making it the largest event in NFL history. The 2026 NFL Draft set an all-time day one attendance record with 320,000 fans and garnered more than 55 million viewers worldwide and 14.8 billion PR impressions. The 2026 NFL Draft Week also became the most socially viewed Draft on record, with attendees from 105 countries represented across NFL OnePass registrants. The draft’s success relied on thousands of teammates and volunteers. Preliminary totals show 2,775 volunteer roles filled, 1,148 paid teammates supporting operations and 310 community volunteers participating.
May 22, 2026 2:27 am
Heinz is bringing back its iconic glass ketchup bottle. This marks the first time in nearly a decade that the nostalgic item will be available to consumers. The return is part of the brand’s new campaign, “157 Years of Being Food’s Best Friend.” For a limited time, while supplies last, the classic glass ketchup bottle can be found exclusively at Walmart stores nationwide.
May 21, 2026 8:46 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Fewer Americans filed for jobless aid last week as layoffs remain low despite a number of uncertainties that continue to cloud the economy. U.S. applications for unemployment benefits for the week ending May 16 fell by 3,000 to 209,000, the Labor Department reported Thursday. That’s fewer than the 213,000 new applications analysts had forecast. Weekly filings for unemployment benefits are considered a proxy for U.S. layoffs and are close to a real-time indicator of the health of the job market. The total number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits for the previous week ending May 9 grew by 6,000 to 1.78 million. US markets head lower as oil prices resume their climb and higher treasury yields pressure stocks
