April 17, 2022 1:11 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) -An ad by one of three people seeking the Democratic nomination for Pennsylvania’s lieutenant governor this year is drawing a complaint from the party’s presumed nominee for governor. Attorney General Josh Shapiro’s campaign says state Rep. Brian Sims is running an ad that falsely implies Shapiro has endorsed Sims. Shapiro is the only Democrat seeking the nomination for governor in the May primary. He’s endorsed state Rep. Austin Davis as lieutenant governor. Sims’ ad ends saying in block letters “endorsed Josh Shapiro.” Shapiro’s lawyers object, saying that makes it sound like Shapiro has endorsed Sims, when he hasn’t. Nine Republicans are also running in the May 17 primary for lieutenant governor.
April 17, 2022 1:00 am
WESTMORELAND COUNTY, Pa. — Police have issued a felony warrant for the arrest of Edward Zdobinski. Sources tell our news partners at Channel 11 that he is accused of stealing over $200,000 from a business partner of his, but he skipped the country and might be in Poland. Lawyers say Zdobinski is the one-third owner of Triple A Motorsports off Route 51 in Rostraver Township. Police say that, over the past two years, Zdobinski stole from his business partner and drained the money for personal use. The sources tell say Zdobinski is believed to have left the country with his girlfriend, a known erotic dancer, and that they could be in Poland. The two have ties to Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, and law enforcement is trying to determine if Zdobinski traveled out of either airport.
April 16, 2022 4:26 am
The U.S. may be heading into another COVID-19 surge, with cases rising nationally and in most states after a two-month decline. Experts don’t know how high the mountain will grow, but they don’t expect a peak nearly as high as the last one, when the contagious omicron version of the coronavirus ripped through the population. Still, experts warn the coming wave will wash across the nation and push up hospitalizations in a growing number of states, especially those with low vaccination rates, in the coming weeks. Most cases are now being caused by a subvariant known as BA.2 that is thought to be 30% more contagious.
April 16, 2022 4:26 am
Residents of a southern New Mexico village are asking for prayers as firefighters dealt with more hot, dry and windy conditions while battling a deadly blaze that has already destroyed more than 200 homes. Known as a summer getaway, the community of Ruidoso has been devastated by wildfire before. But this marks the first time flames have resulted in death. Mayor Lynn Crawford said Friday his heart goes out to the family of the couple who died and to those who have lost their homes. The fire has forced the evacuation of about 5,000 people, canceled school for another day and hundreds of customers remain without without power.
April 16, 2022 4:25 am
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) – A South Carolina prisoner scheduled for execution later this month has chosen to die by firing squad rather than in the electric chair. Court documents filed Friday listed Richard Moore’s decision. Moore’s April 29 execution would make him the first person executed in the state since 2011. His attorneys have asked the state Supreme Court to halt the execution while another court considers whether the state’s capital punishment methods are constitutional. A state law that went into effect last year set electrocution as the default method and added a firing squad option. Correction officials have maintained they are unable to obtain the drugs needed for lethal injection, the state’s third method.
April 16, 2022 4:24 am
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) – Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has repealed his traffic-clogging immigration order that backed up commercial trucks at the U.S.-Mexico border this week. The Republican on Friday ended a new policy that required all commercial trucks from Mexico to undergo extra inspections to stop the flow of migrants and drugs. The inspections led to delays, prompting wide backlash and fears of deep economic losses. Some truckers reported having to wait more than 30 hours to cross, and others blocked one of the world’s busiest trade bridges in protest. Abbott lifted the inspections after signing new border security agreements with neighboring Mexican states.
April 16, 2022 4:23 am
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) – More than 900 bodies of civilians were discovered in the Kyiv region following the withdrawal of Russian forces. That’s according to the regional police chief, who spoke Friday. The jarring numbers emerged shortly after Russia’s Defense Ministry promised to ramp up missile attacks on Kyiv in response to alleged aggression on Russian territory. That warning followed the stunning loss of Moscow’s flagship in the Black Sea, which a senior U.S. official confirmed was hit by a Ukrainian missile. Amid its threats, Moscow continues preparations for a renewed offensive in eastern Ukraine. Fighting also continues in the pummeled southern port city of Mariupol.
April 16, 2022 4:21 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) – Pennsylvania’s Labor and Industry secretary says the state “continues to rebound strongly” from the COVID-19 pandemic with unemployment dropping by two-tenths of a point in March. The latest figure of 4.9% released Friday is another indication the state’s jobs picture continues to strengthen. The decrease mirrored the national picture, as U.S. joblessness fell by the same fraction, to 3.6%. Increases were seen widely across employment categories. Pennsylvania unemployment is now 2.2 percentage points below where it was one year ago.
April 16, 2022 1:17 am
PITTSBURGH-(WPXI)- Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey announced on Friday that he has tested positive for COVID-19 and is in isolation at home. According to a release from the city, Gainey is fully vaccinated and boosted, and is only experiencing minor symptoms. The city said Gainey will be fulfilling his duties from home following all recommended guidelines from the CDC and Health Department. And right after Gainey’s announcement, Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald announced that he too has tested positive for Covid-19. In a statement Fitzgerald says that he was informed that he was in close contact with someone with Covid-19. Fitzgerald took a rapid test and tested positive. He feels no symptoms and will isolate according to CDC protocols.
April 16, 2022 1:03 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) – Students at Pennsylvania’s state-owned universities won’t see tuition increase next year under a unanimous vote by the the system’s board. The State System of Higher Education’s Board of Governors passed on Thursday what will be the fourth year of flat tuition. The struggling system hopes the Legislature will approve hundreds of millions in additional funding in the 2022-23 state budget. Tuition is currently about $7,700 for in-state undergraduates. The typical graduate leaves with $39,000 in student debt.
