October 1, 2025 5:20 pm
WASHINGTON (AP) — The federal government was thrown into a shutdown with no easy endgame in sight. Democrats held firm Wednesday to their demands to salvage health care subsidies that President Donald Trump and Republican in Congress have refused to negotiate. The White House threatened mass layoffs of federal workers in a matter of days. No new talks were scheduled after the president failed this week to secure a deal with congressional leaders. Blame was being cast on all sides. A vote to end the government shutdown has failed. House Speaker Mike Johnson said he’s praying that Democrats come to their senses. (Photo: AP)
October 1, 2025 4:17 pm
(AP) – Jane Goodall, the conservationist renowned for her groundbreaking chimpanzee field research and globe-spanning environmental advocacy, has died. She was 91. While living among chimpanzees in Africa decades ago, Goodall documented the animals using tools and doing other activities previously believed to be exclusive to humans. She also noted their distinct personalities. Her observations and subsequent magazine and documentary appearances in the 1960s transformed how the world perceived not only humans’ closest living biological relatives but also the emotional and social complexity of all animals, while propelling her into the public consciousness.
October 1, 2025 5:00 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said his administration was close to reaching a deal with Harvard University, the Ivy League institution it has targeted with a series of investigations and billions of dollars in funding cuts as it presses for changes to its policies and governance. A truce with the country’s oldest and wealthiest college would end a clash that has tested the independence of America’s colleges. Trump initially said a deal had been reached but in further comments said officials were “close to finalizing” the deal but “we haven’t done it yet.”
October 1, 2025 4:58 am
A popular retailer has announced plans to expand into Western Pennsylvania. A spokesperson from Meijer said the business has acquired properties in the area. “While there is no definitive timeline for the opening of new stores on these properties, we’re excited about the prospect of bringing our quality products and exceptional shopping experience to customers throughout Western Pennsylvania,” the statement said. They have not announced exactly where those properties are. “We look forward to introducing ourselves to these communities and are committed to being an active and engaged neighbor,” Meijer’s statement said. Meijer currently operates more than 500 stores throughout the Midwest and employs over 70,000 people. The privately-owned, family-operated business claims to be the “pioneer of the one-stop shopping concept,” when they opened a supercenter in the 1960s that sold groceries, clothing and hardware in one place.
October 1, 2025 4:54 am
PITTSBURGH — Giant Eagle is lowering the prices of more than 300 key grocery staples. The grocery store chain says this is part of its new seasonal pricing initiative that’s intended to provide customers with immediate relief from inflation. “By lowering the prices of key items that our customers frequently purchase, we intend to deliver reliable everyday value and savings opportunities for Giant Eagle customers as they shop for their families throughout the season,” said Justin Weinstein, of Giant Eagle. Shoppers will see the lower prices starting on Oct. 2. The program remains in effect through the end of the year. Items that will have their prices reduced or held are the more than 300 most frequently purchased products, Giant Eagle says. That includes staples like eggs, shredded cheese, 80/20 ground beef, Cheerios, tomatoes, bacon, potatoes, apples, canned beans and frozen vegetables. Giant Eagle says the pricing initiative is an element of the “Because it Matters” strategy, which reaffirms the company’s commitment to better everyday value and quality while prioritizing what matters to its customers.
October 1, 2025 4:51 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania’s counties, school districts and social service agencies are warning of mounting layoffs, borrowing costs and damage to the safety net as the politically divided state government enters its fourth month of a budget stalemate. The stalemate entangling Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro, the Democratic-controlled House and the Republican-controlled Senate has no certain end in sight as finger-pointing falls along partisan lines. As October begins, county officials and social service providers say the damage is accelerating. They say lines of credit and reserves are running out, meaning deeper layoffs and more service shutdowns are inevitable. Kristen Rotz of the United Way of Pennsylvania says things will get exponentially worse in October.
October 1, 2025 4:45 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — The government shutdown means further disruption for the U.S. Education Department, which has seen half of its employees laid off by the Trump administration. The department says many core operations will continue in a shutdown, but civil rights investigations will stop, and no new federal grants will be issued. About 87% of the workforce will be furloughed. The department still will manage federal student aid, with Pell grants and loans continuing, and payments will still be due. However, 632 of 747 employees in the Office of Federal Student Aid will be furloughed. The Office for Civil Rights will halt investigations into discrimination by race and disability, adding to an existing backlog of complaints.
October 1, 2025 4:42 am
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Nicole Kidman has filed to divorce Keith Urban after 19 years of marriage. The Oscar-winning actor petitioned in a court in Nashville, Tennessee, to end her marriage to the Grammy-winning country singer. The entertainers who were both raised in Australia. They met in Los Angeles in 2005 and married in Sydney in 2006. They have two teenage daughters together. This was Urban’s first marriage and Kidman’s second, following her marriage to Tom Cruise from 1990 to 2001. Kidman has two older children with Cruise. Kidman is known for films like “The Hours” and TV series like “Big Little Lies.” Urban has been a major country star since the 1990s.
October 1, 2025 4:41 am
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Chunk, a 1,200-pound behemoth with a broken jaw, swept the competition Tuesday in the popular Fat Bear Week contest — his first win after finishing in second place three previous years. The annual online competition allows viewers to follow 12 bears in Alaska’s Katmai National Park and Preserve on live webcams as they fish for salmon, and then cast ballots in a bracket-style tournament that lasts a week. Chunk — known officially as Bear 32 — beat out Bear 856 for the crown. A glut of sockeye salmon fueled a memorable feast this summer for the contest, and more than 1.5 million people voted.
October 1, 2025 2:42 am
Pennsylvania American Water today announced that several improvement projects have started and more are on the way to replace more than two miles of water main in Washington County. The projects, totaling $3.5 million, will improve reliability for customers, reduce service disruptions and increase water flows for firefighting. “Providing reliable service to our customers means making continuous investments in our infrastructure,” said Tiffany Reed, senior manager of operations, Pennsylvania American Water. “We prioritize projects based on several criteria, including the need for larger mains to handle system demands, age of existing pipe and history of main breaks or service interruptions.” During the projects, company contractors will install new eight- and 16-inch ductile iron pipes, replacing aged water mains that were installed in the 1950s in the following municipalities:
Cecil Township on Ridgeway Drive (from Muse Bishop Road to dead end); Mount Pleasant Township on Cherry Valley Road (from house number 155 to 114); Peters Township on Route 19 (from Old Oak Road to Center Church Road); Center Church Road (from Route 19 to Wilhaven Road); Canterbury Lane (Lakeview Drive to Squire Lane); Robinhood Lane (King Richard Drive to Lakeview Drive); High Street (Pleasant Avenue to dead end); Spring Street (Pleasant Avenue to dead end); South Fayette Township on Wheatland Circle (from Meeting House Road to Meeting House Road), and in the city of Washington on G Alley (from Beech Street to dead end). Crews will work on weekdays between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. with the exception of the Peters Township project on Route 19, which will take place from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., Monday through Thursday. Traffic restrictions will be in place during construction. The company expects to complete the main installation, including connecting all customer service lines to the new mains, along with final street restoration and paving, later this fall.
