July 1, 2022 4:13 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – A new poll finds a growing percentage of Americans calling out abortion or women’s rights as priorities for the government in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, especially among Democrats and those who support abortion access. The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll finds 22% of U.S. adults name abortion or women’s rights in an open-ended question as one of five problems they want the government to work on. That’s nearly tripled since December. The new poll, which included interviews conducted before and after the Supreme Court’s ruling, finds prioritization of the issues grew sharply following the decision. With midterm elections looming, President Joe Biden and Democrats will seek to capitalize on that shift.
July 1, 2022 4:12 am
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) – Ukrainian authorities say Russian missile attacks on residential buildings in a coastal town near the port city of Odesa have killed at least 18 people including two children. Video of the pre-dawn Friday attack showed the charred remains of buildings in the small town of Serhiivka, located about 50 kilometers (31 miles) southwest of Odesa. Ukrainian news reports said missiles struck a multi-story apartment building and a resort area. The assault came after Russian forces withdrew from a strategic Black Sea island on Thursday. Russia took control of Snake Island in the opening days of the war, and their withdrawal initially was seen as lessening the threat to the Odesa region.
July 1, 2022 4:09 am
CHARLEROI, Pa. — (WPXI) – A series of car break-ins has neighbors in one Charleroi neighborhood rattled. Neighbors on Oakland Avenue say they feel uneasy on their normally quiet street. “It just doesn’t happen up here,” one neighbor said. “I’ve lived here for 10 years. It’s just not a typical thing here.” The first incident happened in the early morning hours of June 25. A gun was stolen out of a white pick-up truck. “I was going to put my daughter’s car seat in the car, and when I opened the door, all my pap’s stuff was spread out everywhere. I was like ‘oh my God, something happened,’” Marsaidez Newman-Sethman said. “It’s scary because it’s supposed to protect us, and now we know they have a weapon.” A few houses away, would-be thieves rummaged through two more cars, leaving behind valuable items like tools and camera equipment. “Each time, things were just lying out on the seat. Everything was pulled out of the glovebox. Change was taken,” one neighbor said. Charleroi Police say they are looking for up to six people in connection with these break-ins and break-ins in nearby Fallowfield Township. If you have any information, you should contact police.
July 1, 2022 2:47 am
The Washington County Department of Human Services kicked off its new caller intake system to help residents find the services that they need. Instead looking through a myriad of telephone numbers and hoping that the right one is called, residents will now simply dial 724-228-1234 and they will be connected to a live operator that will be able to connect them directly to the office that they need. During business hours of 8:30 am to 4:00 pm Monday thru Friday, callers will be directed immediately to the offices they need. Overnight and over weekends, callers will have their calls answered by 211 and operators there will offer assistance so that help is available 24 hours a day. Residents needing human services assistance will first be met by the Centralized Intake Unit. Depending on their needs they will be directed to any of the following departments. Those departments include Aging Services, Behavior Health and Developmental Services, Children and Youth Services, Housing and Homeless Coordinator, Veterans Affairs, Washington County Drug and Alcohol Commission, Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank/Food Helpers and Washingtonpa.findhelp.com
July 1, 2022 2:31 am
HARRISBURG (AP) – A state court is permanently blocking Gov. Tom Wolf’s plan to toll as many as nine major bridges on interstates in Pennsylvania, siding with three Pittsburgh-area municipalities that argued that his administration had violated procedures in getting to the advanced stage of considering the idea. A panel of Commonwealth Court judges on Thursday granted the municipalities’ request to effectively declare the plan dead because Wolf’s Department of Transportation hadn’t followed the law. Wolf’s push for tolling comes as states increasingly look to user fees to make up for declining gas tax revenue that is not keeping up with the demands of fixing highways and bridges.
July 1, 2022 2:23 am
PennDOT announced on Thursday that they have reopened a portion of northbound Route 18 (Jefferson Avenue) between East Wylie Avenue and the eastbound Interstate 70 ramps in Washington. They say the roadway was reopened on June 27th. But the construction headaches aren’t all gone just yet. They say the remaining traffic impacts will include single-lane restrictions, as needed, in both directions between East Wylie Avenue and Oakland Avenue through mid-July, weather dependent. Traffic will be maintained in both directions while crews perform driveway adjustments following completion of full depth reconstruction of that section of Route 18. In addition, they say phases of construction are anticipated to occur between East Wylie Avenue and the Henderson Avenue and Route 844 split. Additional details will be provided at a later date. Crews from Plum Contracting LLC will be conducting the work.
June 30, 2022 1:42 pm
WASHINGTON (AP) – Ketanji Brown Jackson has been sworn in to the Supreme Court, shattering a glass ceiling as the first Black woman on the nation’s highest court. The 51-year-old Jackson is the court’s 116th justice and took the place Thursday of the justice she once worked for. Justice Stephen Breyer’s retirement took effect at noon. Moments later, joined by her family, Jackson recited the two oaths required of Supreme Court justices, one administered by Breyer and the other by Chief Justice John Roberts. Jackson says she’s “truly grateful to be part of the promise of our great Nation” and extends thanks to her new colleagues for their “gracious welcome.” (ABC News)
June 30, 2022 10:39 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – The Supreme Court has ruled that the Biden administration properly ended a Trump-era policy forcing some U.S. asylum-seekers to wait in Mexico. The justices’ 5-4 decision for the administration came in a case about the “Remain in Mexico” policy under President Donald Trump. President Joe Biden suspended the program on his first day in office in January 2021. But lower courts ordered it reinstated in response to a lawsuit from Republican-led Texas and Missouri. The current administration has sent far fewer people back to Mexico than did the Trump administration.
June 30, 2022 10:14 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – In a blow to the fight against climate change, the Supreme Court has limited how the nation’s main anti-air pollution law can be used to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from power plants. By a 6-3 vote Thursday, with conservatives in the majority, the court said that the Clean Air Act does not give the Environmental Protection Agency broad authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from power plants that contribute to global warming. Instead, the EPA is limited to plant-by-plant regulation, the high court said. The court’s ruling could complicate the administration’s plans to combat climate change.
June 30, 2022 7:39 am
ROSTRAVER, Pa. — (WPXI) – Sweeney’s Steakhouse in Rostraver Township announced on social media that it will be closing its doors after nearly 26 years. Restaurant owner Debra Hardy posted to the Sweeney’s Steakhouse Facebook page saying in part, “After nearly 26 years of business, we have decided to permanently close our doors, effective immediately. We would like to thank our loyal customers who have supported us throughout the years and will cherish the many wonderful and fun memories that were had.” This news comes just days after two people were shot outside the restaurant on Sunday. The two victims were taken to a hospital in critical condition, and two people have been charged with the shooting. Hardy said in the post that the restaurant has been up for sale for over a year. She ended the post by writing, “I am looking forward to retirement and the future ahead.”
