March 11, 2021 4:14 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – Some of the largest law enforcement groups in the U.S. are throwing their support behind President Joe Biden’s nominee to run the Justice Department’s civil rights division. The support for Kristen Clarke, who is nominated to be assistant attorney general for civil rights, includes some of the nation’s most powerful law enforcement organizations, including the Major Cities Chiefs Association and the International Association of Chiefs of Police. She’s expected to play a pivotal role as the Justice Department focuses more on civil rights issues, criminal justice and policing policies in the wake of nationwide protests over the death of Black Americans at the hands of law enforcement.
March 11, 2021 4:12 am
HONOLULU (AP) – Heavy rains are part of the winter wet season in Hawaiian Islands. But the downpours triggering flooding that destroyed homes and bridges and set off mass evacuations on multiple islands this week are also an example of the more intense rainstorms that climate scientists say are occurring more frequently as the planet warms. Meteorologists are extending a flash flood watch for the entire state through Friday because of the potential for more rain and because the ground is already so saturated. Hawaii’s state climatologist says large flooding episodes may no longer be once-in-a hundred-years events.
March 11, 2021 4:12 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – President Joe Biden is has signed into law the $1.9 trillion relief package that he says will help the U.S. defeat the coronavirus and nurse the economy back to health. He had been set to sign the American Rescue Plan on Friday. But the White House moved the signing up to Thursday afternoon, hours before the president plans to deliver his first prime-time address to the American public on the one-year anniversary of the pandemic. Chief of staff Ron Klain tweets that the bill arrived at the White House late Wednesday, more quickly than anticipated. Klain says, “We want to move as fast as possible.”
March 11, 2021 4:11 am
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) – A lawyer for Gov. Andrew Cuomo said she has reported a groping allegation made against him to local police after the woman involved declined to press charges herself. The Times Union of Albany reported Wednesday that an unidentified aide had claimed Cuomo reached under her shirt and fondled her after summoning her to his official residence. Cuomo said he never touched anyone inappropriately. Beth Garvey, the governor’s acting counsel, said in a statement Thursday that as a matter of state policy, the woman who made the allegations was told she should contact her local police department. She said she phoned police herself when the woman declined, through her lawyer, to make a formal complaint.
March 11, 2021 4:08 am
SOUTH FAYETTE, Pa. — (WPXI) – A South Fayette homework assignment is now under scrutiny. The assignment in question, given to high school students, asks students to figure out if they could turn a profit as a slave trader, and whether they could make more money “tightly packing” or “loosely packing” slaves on a ship. Several parents say this homework assignment is insensitive and needs to be removed from the curriculum permanently. “It’s just shocking that my son had to sit in class and figure out the price his ancestors were bought and sold for,” said Leigh Hill. Her son, Elijah, got the assignment. The district sent our news partners at Channel 11 a statement reading in part:
Dear Parents and Guardians,
“A concern from a student was brought to the attention of our administration regarding a social studies assignment about slavery. While the District does have defined and approved curricula, teachers have some latitude in the resources and materials they choose to use in their lessons. Once alerted to the existence of this assignment, the administration reviewed the assignment and met with the teacher. After taking these steps it was determined that the assignment is inappropriate, offensive and unacceptable. The assignment will no longer be used in any class and the teacher has been suspended. Further, we will engage in a systematic process to ensure that any other inappropriate assignments are identified and removed immediately. We commend the student for speaking up about this assignment and apologize for the harm that this has caused. The voices of our young people are important and heard.
Sincerely, Dr. Ken Lockette”
March 11, 2021 4:07 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) – The chairman of Pennsylvania’s Senate Transportation Committee wants to halt plans to toll nine major bridges around the state. Senate Transportation Committee Chairman Wayne Langerholc introduced a bill this week to require legislative authorization of any proposed transportation project with a user fee. The Public-Private Transportation Partnership Board in November authorized PennDOT to install electronic tolling gantries on bridges to finance their reconstruction. The department named nine bridges last month, but some lawmakers are unhappy over it. Transportation Secretary Yassmin Gramian says the aging bridges are in need of major reconstruction and the department needs more money to keep up with its public safety obligations.
March 11, 2021 2:38 am
Washington City Councilman Matt Staniszewski faced a hearing in front of President Judge John DiSalle on Wednesday to have his probation detainer lifted. Staniszewski is in jail on a probation violation that occurred in Bedford County. Pennsylvania State Police say they found Staniszewski intoxicated in his car in the medial strip of a major highway on February 16th. State Police alerted the Washington County Probation Office of Staniszewski’s incident and probation officers went to Staniszewski’s home to arrest him. Staniszewski’s father let officers in to take him and when they entered his room they found a nearly empty bottle of alcohol in his room and Staniszewski had to be carried to the car. Staniszewski’s attorney Sean Logue hoped to have him transferred to a rehabilitation hospital but due to insurance issues, that plan fell through and Logue then hoped to have Staniszewski released on house arrest with his father. DiSalle pointed to the fact that Staniszewski was drinking while in his father’s house when he was arrested and that there is no clear plan for treatment if DiSalle was to lift the probation detainer. DiSalle denied the petition and Staniszewski will remain in the Washington County Jail. Charges for the accident that instigated these proceedings are pending in Bedford County.
March 10, 2021 2:55 pm
WASHINGTON (AP) – The Senate has confirmed Merrick Garland to be the next U.S. attorney general with a strong bipartisan vote, placing the widely-respected, veteran judge in the post as President Joe Biden has vowed to restore the Justice Department’s reputation for independence. Democrats have praised Garland, a federal appeals court judge who was snubbed by Republicans for a seat on the Supreme Court in 2016, as a highly qualified and honorable jurist who is uniquely qualified to lead the department after a tumultuous four years under former President Donald Trump. Many Republicans praised him as well, saying he has the right record and temperament for the moment.
March 10, 2021 9:35 am
Authorities investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol say two extremist groups that traveled to Washington along with thousands of other Trump supporters weren’t whipped into an impulsive frenzy by President Donald Trump that day. Instead, authorities allege evidence points to the Oath Keepers and the Proud Boys laying attack plans well in advance. Internal communications and other evidence emerging in court papers and hearings show how authorities are trying to build a case that small cells hidden within the masses mounted an organized, military-style assault on the heart of American democracy. Defense attorneys accuse prosecutors of distorting their clients’ words and actions to falsely portray the attack as premeditated.
March 10, 2021 9:33 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – The FBI has released new video showing someone placing two pipe bombs outside the offices of the Republican and Democratic national committees the night before the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol. The explosive devices were placed outside the two buildings between 7:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on Jan. 5. The devices were located by law enforcement the next day. The video released Tuesday shows a person in a gray hooded sweatshirt, a face mask and gloves appearing to place one of the explosives under a bench outside the DNC. It shows the person walking in an alley near the RNC before the bomb was placed there.
