July 15, 2025 1:24 pm
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Four independent voters in Pennsylvania are asking the state Supreme Court to rule that the closed primary system violates the state constitution. They filed a lawsuit Tuesday arguing that keeping independents out of primaries effectively denies them the right to vote in many districts where primaries determine the outcome. Pennsylvania is one of 14 states with closed primaries. New Mexico passed a law this year allowing voters with no party affiliation to vote in primary elections without changing their nonpartisan status. Lawsuits are pending in Wyoming, Oregon and Maryland.
July 15, 2025 4:38 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — President Donald Trump and Sen. David McCormick of Pennsylvania have announced tens of billions of dollars of energy and tech investments at a new summit focusing on energy and innovation. The Republican president has repeatedly pledged U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market. Pennsylvania is a swing state critical to Trump’s wins in 2016 and 2024, and is at the forefront of his energy agenda. Coal is a key part of that and is a big industry in the state. In opening remarks to attendees, McCormick said Tuesday’s summit is about catalyzing ”$90 billion in investment and tens of thousands of jobs in Pennsylvania.” Participating companies at the summit include Blackstone, Bridgewater, SoftBank, Amazon Web Services and ExxonMobil.
July 15, 2025 4:43 am
PITTSBURGH — Crews were busy on Monday preparing the Carnegie Mellon University campus for President Trump’s visit. Leaders from energy companies, AI, investors and trade experts will be in Pittsburgh for a series of discussions and panels on the “technological revolution”. Senator Dave McCormick announced that President Donald Trump will be speaking in the afternoon. “For any president to come to your campus or community, that is a deep honor of itself,” Anthony Cacciato, told our news partners at Channel 11. Cacciato is the President of CMU Republicans, and says he and other students should be honored to host the event. Not everyone feels that way. Over the last few weeks, there has been pushback and petitions from CMU students who are against President Trump visiting campus. Congresswoman Summer Lee also spoke out against President Trump’s visit — while adding that his “Big Beautiful Bill” could hurt Western PA communities. There are planned protests and student organizers say they are expecting at least 1,000 people.
July 15, 2025 9:11 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Inflation rose last month to its highest level in four months as the cost of gas, food, and groceries rose, reversing several months of cooling price pressures. The Labor Department said that consumer prices rose 2.7% in June from a year earlier, up from an annual increase of 2.4% in May. On a monthly basis, prices climbed 0.3% from May to June, after rising just 0.1% the previous month. Worsening inflation poses a political challenge for President Donald Trump, who promised during last year’s presidential campaign to immediately lower costs.
July 15, 2025 4:58 am
Democrats in the Pennsylvania House have passed a $50.6 billion state budget over Republican objections. House Bill 1330 passed on a 105-97 vote on nearly partisan lines. Three Republicans did support the measure. Despite passage in the House, the process still has a long way to go. The Senate must still consider it and related legislation. Lawmakers remain under pressure to finalize a budget deal as they are more than two weeks past the June 30 deadline. Rep. Bud Cook (R-Greene/Washington) voted against the spending bill. In a statement, Cook said he voted ‘no’ because it spends $50.6 billion, and we still don’t know where the money to support those expenditures is coming from”. Cook also said “How can we approve a bill when House Democrats and Governor Josh Shapiro have failed to answer the simple question of how we are going to pay for it?”
July 15, 2025 4:50 am
A Texas man faces charges after police say he brought a gun to the main security checkpoint at Pittsburgh International Airport. The Allegheny County Police Department says TSA officers located the gun in the man’s carry-on bag just after 1:30 p.m. on Monday. Police say 42-year-old Erik Trask, did not have a valid concealed carry permit. As a result, ACPD charged him with a felony count of carrying a firearm without a license. The FBI was also notified of the incident. Passengers can travel with guns only in checked baggage if unloaded and packed in a hard-sided locked case. Then, the locked case should be taken to the airline check-in counter to be declared. TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm on its website. Bringing a gun to an airport carries a federal fine of up to $15,000, depending on the specific weapon and other circumstances. It is the first gun to be stopped at the airport’s checkpoint since mid-April.
July 15, 2025 5:05 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is allowing President Donald Trump to put his plan to dismantle the Education Department back on track and go through with laying off nearly 1,400 employees. With the three liberal justices in dissent, the court on Monday paused an order from U.S. District Judge Myong Joun in Boston, who issued a preliminary injunction reversing the layoffs and calling into question the broader plan. The layoffs “will likely cripple the department,” Joun wrote. A federal appeals court refused to put the order on hold while the administration appealed.
July 15, 2025 5:01 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Inflation likely accelerated in June as sweeping tariffs on nearly all imports may have pushed up prices for electronics, appliances, and other goods, economists forecast. Consumer prices probably rose 2.6% last month from a year ago, up from an annual increase of 2.4% in May, according to data provider FactSet. On a monthly basis, prices likely rose 0.3% from May to June, the largest increase since January. Worsening inflation could pose a political challenge for President Donald Trump, who promised during last year’s presidential campaign to immediately lower costs.
July 15, 2025 5:06 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has announced new measures targeting Russia over its ongoing war in Ukraine, threatening steep tariffs if a peace deal isn’t reached within 50 days. Trump also revealed plans for European allies to buy U.S. weapons and transfer them to Ukraine. Patriot air defense missiles are a top priority for the besieged country. Monday’s announcement marks a shift in Trump’s stance, as the Republican president previously criticized Ukraine’s leadership but now expresses frustration with Vladimir Putin’s continued aggression. Meanwhile, Ukraine faces intensified Russian attacks, with June recording the highest civilian casualties in three years.
July 15, 2025 5:00 am
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — An Israeli ultra-Orthodox party has announced plans to leave Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition government. The decision destabilizes Netanyahu’s leadership amid the ongoing war in Gaza. The party, United Torah Judaism, cites disagreements over a bill granting military draft exemptions for its constituents. The issue has long divided Israelis and intensified as military demands grew during the war in Gaza. The departure, which goes into effect in 48 hours, leaves Netanyahu with a slim majority, increasing his reliance on far-right parties in his coalition. The political development comes as Israel and Hamas continue to discuss terms for a ceasefire.
