January 14, 2026 5:01 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Attorney General Pam Bondi says the search of a Washington Post reporter’s home was done at the Pentagon’s request as part of a leak investigation. The Post says journalist Hannah Natanson had a phone, two laptops and a watch seized by agents at her Virginia home. An FBI affidavit says the search was related to an investigation into a system administrator in Maryland who authorities believe took home classified reports. Natanson covers the Trump administration’s transformation of the federal government. A colleague has called her “the federal government whisperer.” The White House says leaking classified information puts America’s national security at risk.
January 15, 2026 5:04 am
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — An ailing astronaut is back on Earth. The crew of four have returned Thursday, ending their space station mission more than a month early in NASA’s first medical evacuation. SpaceX guided the capsule to a middle-of-the-night splashdown in the Pacific near San Diego. The trip home took less than 11 hours after the astronauts exited the International Space Station. It was an unexpected end to a mission that began in August and left the orbiting lab with only three on board. NASA and SpaceX have said they will try to move up the launch of the next crew, currently targeted for mid-February.
January 15, 2026 5:41 pm
NEW YORK (AP) — Mattel Publishing is teaming up with bestselling author Alex Aster for a new Barbie young adult novel. “Barbie: Dreamscape,” set for release on July 28, takes Barbie on a journey across magical lands. This is the first novel for young adults from Mattel Publishing since its launch three years ago. The novel isn’t connected to the 2023 movie, and no screen adaptation is planned. Mattel describes it as a coming-of-age story where Barbie, declared “Fateless,” must find her destiny. Aster, known for her “Lightlark” series, says Barbie dolls were a formative part of her childhood.
January 14, 2026 2:14 pm
WASHINGTON (AP) — Attorney General Pam Bondi says the search of a Washington Post reporter’s home was done at the Pentagon’s request as part of a leak investigation. The Post says journalist Hannah Natanson had a phone, two laptops and a watch seized by agents at her Virginia home. An FBI affidavit says the search was related to an investigation into a system administrator in Maryland who authorities believe took home classified reports. Natanson covers the Trump administration’s transformation of the federal government. A colleague has called her “the federal government whisperer.” The White House says leaking classified information puts America’s national security at risk.
January 14, 2026 2:58 am
The Public Utilities Commission began a series of public input hearings in Washington County on a rate increase proposal filed by The Pennsylvania American Water Company. The PUC voted 5-0 to suspend and investigate the proposed rate changes. PAWC is seeking a 14.6% rate increase for water and wastewater services. That is an increase of $168.7 million. PUC Administrative Law Judges Emily DeVoe and Jeff Watson were greeted by a standing room only crowd offering testimony on the rate change. Nearly three dozen people spoke and the vast majority asked the PUC to approve the rate hike. Those people were consultants, contractors and grant recipients, people who are benefit from their association with PAWC. Several of the contractors told of their experiences dealing with infrastructure that sometimes is tracked to be nearly 100 years old. Only six people spoke against the rate hike. They stated that the rate hike was excessive and hurtful to customers. Some delved into company profits information. It was stated that in 2024 the American Water Works Company, parent company to PAWC profited $1.05 billion. They asked why some of that money could not be used for infrastructure upgrades. Rate increases are dependent on services. Water only customers could see a rate increase of anywhere from $2.73 per month to $27.77 per month depending on location. Wastewater customers could see increases of $0 to $26.29 depending on location. Customers that use both services could see an increase of $20 per month. Anyone who missed the meeting may still participate by going to consumer@paoca.org.
January 14, 2026 2:56 am
Residents in North Franklin Township will begin the new year with modifications to their burning ordinance. Supervisors unanimously approved changes to days and times residents can conduct burning. Burning will now be allowed on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The times will be from 8:00 am until 7:00 pm. Burning for agricultural purposes will be permitted every day. Small recreational fires such as those in firepits will also be allowed each day. There is a fine associated with ordinance if someone is caught in violation. That fine is up to $1000 each occurrence. The fine will be issued by either the fire chief or code enforcement officer. The township still reserves the right to ban all burning in times of excessively dry weather.
January 14, 2026 4:48 am
DONOROA BOROUGH, Pa. — A Pennsylvania Lottery Cash Five with Quick Cash ticket worth $350,000 was sold in Donora for Monday’s drawing. The ticket matched all five drawn numbers: 4, 16, 24, 28 and 37. It was sold at Station, located in the 700-block of Meldon Avenue. The retailer will receive a $500 bonus for selling the winning ticket. Winners can claim their prizes within one year of the drawing and tickets must be validated.
January 14, 2026 4:57 am
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Days of demonstrations against immigration agents and a new lawsuit have left Minnesota tense. Federal officers sprayed eye irritant and dropped tear gas at activists on Tuesday in Minneapolis. Students, meanwhile, walked out of a school in a Minneapolis suburb to protest the Trump administration’s bold immigration sweeps. Minnesota and its two largest cities are suing the government to try to halt or limit the enforcement surge that led to the fatal shooting of a woman last week in Minneapolis. There’s more fallout: At least five prosecutors have resigned amid turmoil over how the government is handling Renee Good’s death.
January 14, 2026 4:56 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republicans are facing intense pressure from President Donald Trump to vote down a war powers resolution that is aimed at limiting the president’s ability to carry out further military action against Venezuela. Five GOP senators joined with Democrats to advance the resolution last week. Democrats are forcing the vote after U.S. troops captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro in a surprise nighttime raid earlier this month. The legislation has virtually no chance of becoming law because it would eventually need to be signed by Trump himself. But the vote has become a test of Republican loyalty to the president.
January 14, 2026 4:51 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — A top Danish official says a “fundamental disagreement” over Greenland remains with President Donald Trump after talks in Washington with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The two sides did agree to create a working group to discuss ways to work through differences as Trump continues to call for a U.S. takeover of the Denmark’s Arctic territory of Greenland. Trump said before the talks that Greenland is essential for U.S. national security and he warned against Russian or Chinese influence. Meanwhile, Denmark announced plans to boost the country’s military presence in Arctic and North Atlantic.
