July 14, 2022 4:17 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – The House Jan. 6 committee’s investigation of the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election and the events leading up to the U.S. Capitol insurrection is raising questions about former President Donald Trump’s role and whether he committed crimes. The various schemes and talking points that witnesses have revealed also highlight what a president has the authority to do. Government and legal experts say the bigger question is whether further limits can be put on presidential authority to make sure there are no repeats of 2020.
July 14, 2022 4:17 am
JERUSALEM (AP) – President Joe Biden will seek to bolster cooperation between the United States, Israel and other countries during his first full day in the Middle East. His schedule Thursday involves meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid and a joint news conference. Lapid represents an interim government that was formed when the previous coalition collapsed, and he’s seeking a full term in November, when Israel holds its fifth election in less than four years. Although Biden will likely be cautious about showing favoritism, his appearances with Lapid could burnish Lapid’s image during a politically chaotic time in the country.
July 14, 2022 4:13 am
DOYLESTOWN, Pa. (AP) – A woman has been sentenced to prison in the death of an infant nearly three years ago at at unlicensed day care in suburban Philadelphia. Fifty-year-old Lauren Landgrebe of Upper Southampton had pleaded guilty in Bucks County to involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment in the August 2019 death of 11-month-old Victoria Watson. President Judge Wallace Bateman sentenced her Tuesday to one day less than a year to one day less than two years in jail, followed by 10 years’ probation. Defense attorney Louis Busico called the sentence “in the interest of justice” but said he recognized the pain of the family.
July 14, 2022 4:10 am
BETHEL PARK, Pa. — (WPXI) – Bethel Park firefighters responded to a fire at a home along Fairview Drive around 6 a.m. Wednesday. Chief David Gerber said the fire started in a shed, spread to nearby trees and then the house. According to Chief Gerber, a couple and their adult daughter got out safely, thanks to the watchful eyes of a good Samaritan. “They were apparently sleeping,” said Gerber. “Neighbors knocked on the door screaming ‘your house is on fire.’” “Whenever something like this happens we all come together,” said neighbor Ben O’Keefe. “It’s very alarming. It’s usually a quiet, dead-end street.” O’Keefe and other neighbors quickly came together to help the family, offering food, drinks, and a place to stay. “The nice thing is there’s a lot of support in this neighborhood,” he said. Thankfully, Chief Gerber said the home should be fixable. “The smoke and stuff is what damaged mostly the inside of the house,” said Gerber. The fire marshal is investigating the exact cause of the fire, as well as the severity of the damage it caused.
July 14, 2022 4:08 am
UNIONTOWN, Pa. — (WPXI) – State police in Fayette County are looking for multiple people they say stole nearly $52,000 worth of jewelry in Uniontown. Troopers believe that two women stole rings, bracelets and necklaces from the Kay Jewelers on Walmart Drive. They called it a typical “distraction theft,” which happened on July 8 at around 12:15 p.m. Surveillance video captured a worker showing the women multiple pieces of jewelry from a side-by-side case. It also shows the women reach into the case and grab merchandise while distracting the employee. Trooper Kalee Barnhart says the women may be out of the area already. “We do believe this theft is suspected to be tied in with others around the East coast.” Barnhard says the forensics team was able to retrieve fingerprints. They are now being processed in the lab, and troopers are hopeful that wil help lead them to the suspects. Police are also looking for two men they saw with the women when reviewing surveillance footage. The men were seen with the women before they entered the jewelry store. Anyone with information is asked to contact state police at 800-4PA-TIPS (800-472-8477).
July 14, 2022 2:25 am
DENVER (AP) – A wealthy dentist accused of killing his wife during an African safari and later collecting nearly $5 million in insurance proceeds admitted to the killing to his longtime lover, a federal prosecutor told a jury Wednesday. The U.S. government alleges that 67-year-old Lawrence “Larry” Rudolph, who founded Three Rivers Dental Group in Greensburg, killed his wife during a 2016 trip in Zambia. Rudolph’s attorney told jurors that Bianca Rudolph’s death was accidental, and he accused prosecutors of relying on circumstantial evidence. Rudolph and his wife were big game hunters. If convicted, Rudolph could face life in prison or the death penalty. The trial is in Colorado because the insurance payouts were based there.
July 13, 2022 5:14 pm
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – Netflix has picked Microsoft to help deliver the commercials in a cheaper version of its video streaming service expected to launch later this year with a pledge to minimize the intrusions into personal privacy that often accompany digital ads. The alliance announced Wednesday marks a major step toward Netflix’s first foray into advertising after staying commercial-free for 15 years. áNetflix announced it would create an ad-supported option three months ago after disclosing it had lost 200,000 subscribers during the first three months of the year amid stiffer competition and rising inflation. Netflix still hasn’t disclosed the price of its ad-backed service.
July 13, 2022 5:13 pm
WASHINGTON (AP) – The Biden administration and Democrats are warning of dire consequences if Congress fails to act on computer chips legislation. They say Congress needs to pass a bill by the end of July that’s designed to boost semiconductor manufacturing in the United States. Advocates say the plan is important for the economy and national security. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo says computer chip makers are being offered lucrative incentives from other countries such as South Korea, Japan, France, Germany and Singapore to locate plants there. Raimondo says “there are very real, very devastating consequences if Congress doesn’t do its job in the month of July.”
July 13, 2022 4:51 am
The second of two men charged with placing credit card skimmers on check out lines at Sam’s Club in the Trinity Point Shopping Center waived his charges to court. Raul-Mihai Cojocaru, a Romanian national requested a Fast Track plea hearing for his role in the event. Cojocaru and his accomplice, Constantin Colceag were found on surveillance footage to be placing skimmers on May 16. Employees discovered the skimmer on May 20. Both men are facing felony charges of usage of a device to record encoded information and conspiracy usage of the device. Both are being held in the Allegheny County Jail where they face similar charges in several areas of Allegheny County. Colceag is scheduled for formal arraignment on his waived charges on July 28. Cojocaru will face his plea hearing on September 14. Both remain in jail on $500,000 bond.
July 13, 2022 4:20 am
NEW YORK (AP) – The Emmy Award nominations announced Tuesday included some snubs and surprises, like “This Is Us” and “black-ish” walking away forever limply and Nathan Lane making history as the most-nominated best comedy guest actor in Emmy history. Dave Chappelle’s special “The Closer” was nominated for best variety special and best directing for a variety special despite criticism over its anti-transgender comments. And Hulu’s buzzy true crime satire “Only Murders in the Building” was eligible for the first time this year and slayed with 17 nominations, including writing, outstanding comedy and stars Martin Short and Steve Martin.
