August 27, 2025 5:45 pm
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Food and Drug Administration has approved updated COVID-19 vaccines for the upcoming fall and winter season. But it could be weeks before many Americans know whether they’ll be able to get one, under new restrictions from the Trump administration. The new shots from Pfizer, Moderna and Novavax target a newer version of the coronavirus. They are approved for all seniors but only for younger adults and children with at least one underlying health problem, like obesity. Additionally, U.S. officials revoked use of Pfizer’s vaccine in young children. (Photo: AP)
August 27, 2025 1:51 pm
Diocese of Pittsburgh Bishop Mark Eckman issued a statement Wednesday afternoon on the mass shooting during a back-to-school Mass at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis. Bishop Eckman says “We hold close in prayer the students, families, teachers, parish community, and first responders. We ask the Lord to bring healing to the injured, eternal rest to those who have died, and consolation to all who mourn.”
He added that this story touches our local Church in a particular way. Archbishop Bernard Hebda, who shepherds the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, is a native son of the Diocese of Pittsburgh. Meanwhile, here at home, our Diocesan Director of Safety and Security, Wendell Hissrich, continues to actively monitor developments and to remain in close contact with law enforcement. Our schools remain vigilant, and followed established safety protocols today, as they do every day. We are grateful for the professionalism of our administrators, teachers, and staff who work each day to keep our children safe. (Photo courtesy of the Diocese of Pittsburgh)
August 27, 2025 11:42 am
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A shooting Wednesday at a Minneapolis Catholic school has killed two children as they prayed and injured 17 other people, 14 of them kids. The police chief says the shooter also died in the violence Wednesday at the Annunciation Catholic School. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said the shooter approached the side of the church and shot through the windows toward the children sitting in the pews during Mass. The police chief said the shooter did not have an extensive known criminal history and is believed to have acted alone. A law enforcement official told The Associated Press that they have identified the shooter as 23-year-old Robin Westman. That official was not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation and spoke on condition of anonymity. The police chief said a wooden plank was placed to barricade some of the side doors, and that authorities found a smoke bomb but no explosives at the scene. (Photo: AP)
August 27, 2025 4:09 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal Reserve Gov. Lisa Cook’s lawyer says she’ll sue President Donald Trump’s administration to try to prevent him from firing her. Longtime Washington attorney Abbe Lowell said Tuesday that Trump “has no authority to remove” Cook. If Trump succeeds in removing Cook from the Fed’s board of governors, it could erode the Fed’s political independence, which is considered critical to its ability to fight inflation because it enables the Fed to take unpopular steps like raising interest rates. The Republican president said Monday he was removing Cook because of allegations she committed mortgage fraud. Cook was appointed by Democratic President Joe Biden in 2022.
August 27, 2025 4:05 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and other top Democrats are warning President Donald Trump to stay out of the cities they run. Trump has suggested sending federal troops to cities like Chicago and Baltimore, claiming violence is out of control. Democrats, including Pritzker, say this is a political move meant to intimidate opponents and another signal of his authoritarian takeover. They argue crime is falling and accuse Trump of ignoring cities with worse crime rates that have Republican leaders. Democrats plan to fight any intervention and use the issue to show they have real public safety solutions.
August 27, 2025 3:54 am
Jordan Cramer, who has been Acting Assistant Township Manager, will continue leading the fire department while overseeing the township’s day-to-day operations. The board voted 3–2 to have him serve as Interim Township Manager until a permanent replacement is hired. Supervisors Jeff Bull and George Rowand opposed the move. Bull said the board had previously agreed to assign responsibilities to supervisors rather than Cramer and noted that the former township manager opposed naming him to the interim role. He declined to comment on how well Cramer is performing in the position. In other business, supervisors approved the final land development plan for an Industry Public House at the former TGI Friday’s site. The project includes adding an outdoor patio to the existing structure. The board also accepted the resignation of part-time South Strabane police officer Cody Kusluch, who stepped down for personal reasons effective August 19, 2025.
August 27, 2025 3:52 am
NEW YORK (AP) — A conservative election researcher whose faulty findings on voter data were cited by President Donald Trump as he tried to overturn his 2020 election loss has been appointed to an election integrity role at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The agency’s website shows Pennsylvania activist Heather Honey is now serving as the deputy assistant secretary for election integrity. The political appointment shows how self-styled election investigators who have thrown themselves into election conspiracy theories since 2020 are now being celebrated by Trump’s administration. Her new role also comes as Trump has used election integrity concerns as a pretext to try to give his administration power over election administration that the Constitution does not give to presidents.
August 26, 2025 1:35 pm
(AP) – It’s a love story and, baby, she said yes: Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are engaged. The superstar singer and football player revealed the news in a five-photo joint post on Instagram on Tuesday. It’s the fairy-tale culmination of a courtship that for two years has thrilled and fascinated millions around the world. It’s unclear when and where the two got engaged. The announcement comes not long after Swift’s appearance on “New Heights.” That’s the podcast hosted by the Kansas City Chiefs tight end and his brother Jason Kelce. (Photo: AP)
August 26, 2025 4:37 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — The House Oversight Committee is subpoenaing the estate of the late Jeffrey Epstein. Congressional lawmakers are trying to determine who was connected to the disgraced financier and whether prosecutors mishandled his case. The subpoena is the latest effort by both Republicans and Democrats to respond to public clamor for more information about Epstein, who was found dead in his New York jail cell in 2019. The subpoena demands that Epstein’s estate provide documents including a book that was compiled with notes from friends for his 50th birthday, his last will and testament, agreements he signed with prosecutors, his contact books, and his financial transactions and holdings.
August 26, 2025 4:35 am
CHICAGO (AP) — President Donald Trump says Chicago will likely be the next target of his efforts to address crime, homelessness and illegal immigration. On Friday, Trump mentioned that Chicago could receive similar treatment to Washington, D.C., where 2,000 troops have been deployed. He also indicated plans to assist New York. Trump has often described some of the nation’s largest cities as dangerous. On Friday, he singled out Chicago, calling it a “mess” and claiming residents are “screaming for us to come.” City officials and advocates, meanwhile, slammed Trump’s threats and emphasized drops in violent crime in Chicago.
