March 10, 2022 3:55 am
PITTSBURGH — (WPXI) – Winter gave us a chilly reminder that it’s not over yet. A sudden blast covered many neighborhoods in snow Wednesday morning and afternoon. Another system moving in is expected to drop several inches of snow on Saturday. Early indications are that parts of the region could get anywhere from 3 to 6 inches of accumulation. Moderate to heavy snow is expected. Travel will be difficult as road crews try to keep up. Expect the forecast to change slightly here and there as we get closer to Friday.
March 10, 2022 2:27 am
The treasurer of the Muse Volunteer Fire Department who was charged with stealing funds from the fire department entered an open plea of guilty on Wednesday. Toni Zombeck was scheduled for a jury trial this month and instead of taking her chances with a trial, decided to plead guilty to one felony charge of theft by failure to make required disposition of funds. Zombeck was charged with several felonies once it was determined that she and her son Alan had been using the department’s debit card for personal use. Zombeck’s attorney stated that she did not want to take the chance of being found guilty of several charges that could have meant consecutive sentences. Zombeck will be making restitution in the amount of $32,279.69 to the Muse Volunteer Fire Department. She will be sentenced on June 1. Her son Alan pleaded guilty to theft by unlawful taking and received 12 months probation. He is making restitution to the fire department in the amount of $14,280.
March 9, 2022 3:45 pm
UNDATED (AP) – A Maryland hospital says the first person to receive a heart transplant from a pig has died. The University of Maryland Medical Center announced that the 57-year-old man died Tuesday, two months after the groundbreaking experiment. Doctors for decades have sought to use animal organs for life-saving transplants. David Bennett was a candidate for the dramatic attempt only because he was dying and wasn’t eligible for a human heart transplant. Prior attempts at such transplants have failed largely because patients’ bodies rapidly rejected the animal organ. This time, the Maryland surgeons used a heart from a gene-edited pig to help prevent rejection. (Photo: AP)
March 9, 2022 12:30 pm
WASHINGTON (AP) – Congress has passed legislation that would shore up the U.S. Postal Service and ensure six-day-a-week mail delivery. The measure goes on to President Joe Biden for him to sign into law. The long-fought postal overhaul has been years in the making and comes amid widespread complaints about mail service slowdowns. Many Americans leaned on the Postal Service during the pandemic. But postal officials have repeatedly warned that without congressional action, it would be out of cash by 2024. As yesterday’s vote neared, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said, “The post office usually delivers for us, but today we’re going to deliver for them.”
March 9, 2022 4:31 am
BEIJING – China says it is sending humanitarian aid including food and daily necessities worth 5 million yuan ($791,000) to Ukraine while continuing to oppose sanctions against Russia over its invasion. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian told reporters an initial batch was sent to the Ukrainian Red Cross on Wednesday with more to follow “as soon as possible.” China has largely backed Russia in the conflict and Zhao reiterated Beijing’s opposition to biting economic sanctions against Moscow. Zhao told reporters at a daily briefing that “wielding the stick of sanctions at every turn will never bring peace and security but cause serious difficulties to the economies and livelihoods of the countries concerned.” He said China and Russia will “continue to carry out normal trade cooperation, including oil and gas trade, in the spirit of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit.”
March 9, 2022 4:28 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – Legislation to limit insulin costs for people with diabetes is getting a new push in the Senate. Democrats say they want to move quickly, but they’ll need Republican support to get anything through an evenly divided chamber. And they’re not there yet. Curbs on insulin costs have the backing of President Joe Biden and before that enjoyed support from his predecessor Donald Trump. The goal reemerged this week after Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer wrote colleagues that “negotiations are underway with Senate Republicans on legislation to lower the cost of insulin.” Democrats want to regain momentum on drug costs that was lost after Biden’s domestic agenda stalled.
March 9, 2022 4:27 am
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) – Australia’s prime minister says he will declare a national emergency following floods across large swathes of the east coast that have claimed 22 lives. Prime Minister Scott Morrison made the announcement Wednesday during a visit to flood-devastated Lismore in northern New South Wales state, where four people died last week. The national emergency declaration, Morrison said in a statement, will “ensure all our emergency powers are available and that we cut through any red tape we might face in delivering services and support on the ground.” It is the first such declaration since a law was passed in December 2020 in response to catastrophic wildfires during the previous Southern Hemisphere summer.
March 9, 2022 4:26 am
(AP) – Ukrainian officials say a Russian strike has hit a children’s hospital and maternity facility in the besieged southeastern port city of Mariupol. A statement on the city council’s social media account on Wednesday said the hospital suffered “colossal” damage. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy tweeted that there were “people, children under the wreckage.” He called the strike an “atrocity.” The deputy head of Zelenskyy’s office, Kyrylo Tymoshenko, says authorities are trying to establish the number of people who may have been killed or wounded. (Photo: AP)
March 9, 2022 4:07 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) – Pennsylvania Supreme Court justices are considering whether to throw out a state law that greatly expanded mail-in balloting. The court held oral argument Tuesday in Harrisburg. The litigation was brought in part by some of the Republican state representatives who voted overwhelmingly for the law about two years ago. The justices could put an end to compromise legislation that also eliminated straight-ticket voting, a priority of legislative Republicans, in exchange for no-excuse mail-in voting that proved immediately popular during the pandemic. Justices didn’t indicate when or how they’ll rule. The spring primary is currently scheduled for May 17.
March 9, 2022 4:05 am
North Franklin Township supervisors discussed last month the difficulties of snow removal in the township, especially when residents discharge snow on their property into township streets. Supervisors updated their snow removal ordinance to increase the fine from the current $15 per occurrence to $200 per occurrence. Supervisors pointed to safety concerns stating that the snow discharged into the streets could freeze causing ice patches and therefore accidents. Supervisors also felt the original fine was too inexpensive to be effective. Also, last month supervisors heard from residents that sit on the township line with Buffalo Township about the proposed development of the Gnagey Jean well pad that would be located nearby in Buffalo Township. Supervisors were presented with a letter from Range Resources alerting the Pennsylvania DEP that they were withdrawing their application to the DEP for development of the site. Residents of both townships were concerned about mine subsidence issues from the abandoned Lincoln #1 mine.
