October 1, 2021 4:15 am
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) – A federal judge is set to consider whether Texas can leave in place the nation’s most restrictive abortion law. U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman on Friday is set to hear arguments over the law that bans abortions once cardiac activity is detected, which is usually around six weeks. That is before some women even know they’re pregnant. The law took effect in Texas in September. Abortion providers say in that short time Texas clinics have been put in danger of closing and women are driving hundreds of miles out of state to get care. The Biden administration has called the law unconstitutional and sued Texas last month. It’s unclear when the judge will decide whether to put the law on hold.
October 1, 2021 4:14 am
PHOENIX (AP) – Scammers pocketed nearly 30% of the $16 billion in unemployment insurance payments sent out by Arizona since the coronavirus pandemic began. The director of the state agency overseeing the program said Thursday that most of the fraud happened in the first several months of the pandemic. Federally funded emergency unemployment insurance programs designed to help so-called “gig workers” such as Uber drivers were the main target. Department of Economic Security Director Michael Wisehart says an estimated $4.4 billion was lost to identity thieves. Other states also were hard hit by scammers. The U.S. Department of Labor in June estimated that more than $87 billion will have been stolen nationally by early September.
October 1, 2021 4:13 am
LOS ANGELES (AP) – Scarlett Johansson and the Walt Disney Co. have settled her lawsuit over the streaming release of “Black Widow.” Thursday’s settlement brought a swift end to what began as the first major fight between a studio and star over changing movie rollout plans. Johansson filed the lawsuit in a Los Angeles court in July, saying the streaming release of the Marvel movie breached her contract and deprived her of potential earnings. The settlement terms were not disclosed, but the sides pledged to continue working together in a joint statement. Johansson has played Natasha Romanoff, aka Black Widow, in nine movies.
October 1, 2021 4:09 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – Despite a long night of frantic negotiations, Democrats remain unable to reach an immediate deal to salvage President Joe Biden’s $3.5 trillion government overhaul, forcing leaders to call off promised votes on a related public works bill. Action is to resume Friday. Speaker Nancy Pelosi had pushed the House into an evening session as the Democratic leaders worked to negotiate a scaled-back plan centrist holdouts would accept. But it appeared no deal was within reach, particularly with Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin, as Biden aides huddled at the Capitol. Manchin held fast to his declaration that he was willing to meet the president less than halfway.
October 1, 2021 4:08 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – With only hours to spare, President Joe Biden signed legislation to avoid a partial federal shutdown and keep the government funded through Dec. 3. Congress had passed the bill earlier Thursday. The legislation averts one crisis, but efforts to stave off a second crisis seem likely to continue for the next couple of weeks as Democrats and Republicans dig in on a dispute over how to raise the government’s borrowing cap. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen says failure to raise the debt limit will lead to a financial crisis and economic recession.
October 1, 2021 2:34 am
(AP) – Pennsylvania is mailing 375,000 holders of commercial driver’s licenses in a recruitment campaign meant to address a shortage of school bus drivers. The state has a little more than 42,000 school bus drivers, the smallest complement in five years. áKurt Myers is PennDOT’s deputy secretary for driver and vehicle services. He said Thursday that the Department of Transportation will mail all current CDL holders about the need for bus drivers and inform them how they can get the right endorsement to operate a school bus. Schools across the nation are facing driver shortages, and many Pennsylvania districts are impacted.
October 1, 2021 2:27 am
(WPXI) – A homicide suspect barricaded inside a Pittsburgh home is firing a gun at SWAT and officers outside, according to police. There have also been additional gunshots heard as the negotiations continue. The goal is to bring them out alive, according to the Director of the Department of Public Safety, Wendell Hissrich. The suspect has been identified as Khalil Singletary, 25, who is wanted for a homicide on Sept. 22nd. The situation started in the Hill District section of the city around 12:30 p.m. at the corner of Bedford Avenue and Manilla Street. Bedford Avenue is closed to traffic and people are being asked to avoid the area. Tear gas has been used as well. No officers were hit by the gunfire, but it was close, Hissrich said. Officers did also return fire.
September 30, 2021 4:52 pm
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – Newly proposed legislation would ban abortions in Ohio under nearly all conditions should the U.S. Supreme Court find abortion unconstitutional. The only exceptions would be if a doctor determined the abortion was needed to save a pregnant woman’s life or protect her from serious harm. The kind of bill is known as an abortion “trigger” bill and in Ohio is sponsored by Republican Sens. Kristina Roegner and Sandra O’Brien. Ten other states have similar laws in effect. An Oklahoma bill is set to become law Nov. 1. The new Ohio legislation is similar to House bills proposed in the last General Assembly.
September 30, 2021 3:54 pm
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) – Authorities say a teenage boy was shot and wounded at a school in Memphis, Tennessee, and they have detained a second boy believed to be the shooter. Memphis Police said in a statement that the shooting was reported Thursday morning at the Cummings School, which includes grades kindergarten through eighth. Police say the 13-year-old victim was taken to a hospital in critical condition. A suspect whom they described as a “male juvenile” was detained shortly afterward. Officials placed the school on lockdown and bused other students to a nearby church to be reunited with frantic parents.
September 30, 2021 1:35 pm
NEW YORK (AP) – Brace for a rude surprise on your winter heating bills. After years of unusually inexpensive levels, the price of natural gas in the United States has more than doubled since this time last year. In Europe and Asia, wholesale prices are more than five times what they were a year ago. The surging costs have coincided with a robust recovery from the pandemic recession, with more homes and businesses burning all forms of fuel. That intensified demand is poised to contribute to higher heating costs in many areas of the world.
