March 8, 2022 11:45 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – President Joe Biden has decided to ban Russian oil imports, toughening the toll on Russia’s economy in retaliation for its invasion of Ukraine, according to a person familiar with the matter. The move follows pleas by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to U.S. and Western officials to cut off the imports. Energy exports have kept a steady influx of cash flowing to Russia despite otherwise severe restrictions on its financial sector. Biden is to announce the move Tuesday.
March 8, 2022 4:20 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – A Texas man has been convicted of storming the U.S. Capitol last year with a holstered handgun. It’s a milestone victory for federal prosecutors in the first trial among hundreds of cases arising from last year’s riot. A jury also convicted Guy Wesley Reffitt of obstructing Congress’ joint session to certify the Electoral College vote on Jan. 6, 2021, of interfering with police officers who were guarding the Capitol and of threatening his two teenage children if they reported him to law enforcement after the attack. The verdict could be a bellwether for many other Capitol riot cases. It could give Justice Department prosecutors more leverage in plea negotiations and discourage other defendants from gambling on trials of their own. (Photo: AP)
March 8, 2022 4:17 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – President Joe Biden’s trip on Tuesday to Fort Worth, Texas, is personal. It’s a chance to talk with veterans and their caregivers and push for more help for members of the military who face health problems after exposure to burn pits. Biden raised the prospect in his State of the Union address last week as to whether being near toxic burn pits in Iraq led to the death of his son, Beau. The president is calling on Congress to provide health care benefits to veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan who face health care consequences because of burn pit exposure.
March 8, 2022 4:16 am
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) – Jury selection begins Tuesday in the trial of four men who are accused of conspiring to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Were they gullible men under the spell of undercover agents? Or were they a rogue cast seething with enough anger to want to snatch the Democratic governor? The government says the men were upset about Whitmer’s stay-home policies and other COVID-19 restrictions in the early stretches of the pandemic. But defense lawyers have signaled they intend to use an entrapment defense at trial. They claim the four were groomed and cajoled by federal agents and informants. Two men who pleaded guilty will be key government witnesses. The four facing trial are Adam Fox, Brandon Caserta, Barry Croft Jr. and Daniel Harris.
March 8, 2022 4:15 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – President Joe Biden is expected to sign an executive order on cryptocurrency this week that will mark the first step toward regulating how digital currency is traded. The move comes as administration officials have raised concern in recent weeks about Russia’s use of cryptocurrency to evade the impact of crushing sanctions in response to its invasion of Ukraine. The sanctions have sent the ruble to historic lows and have closed the country’s stock market. The order will describe what government agencies need to do to develop policies and regulations on digital currencies. That’s according to a person familiar with the process who spoke on condition of anonymity.
March 8, 2022 4:13 am
Authorities say a Graysville woman faces multiple charges for allegedly hitting a mail carrier in Greene County with her car last year, killing him. Forty-nine-year-old Chad Varner was struck and killed on Andrews Road in Morris Township last October after he left his vehicle to deliver a package. Authorities say Tina Phillips, who is in her late 40’s, was driving over 70 mph when her car careened off the road and through a row of hedges before hitting Varner. A witness to the accident called 911 to report the accident. According to court paperwork, Phillips has epilepsy, and, citing emergency room records after the crash, police said she told doctors she has a breakthrough seizure about once a year. However, while at a medical exam to retain her driver’s license a week later, the criminal complaint said Phillips denied having a seizure while driving. Investigators say they believe she was not taking her insulin regularly and that may have led to the crash. Phillips is facing multiple charges, including homicide by vehicle, aggravated assault by vehicle, involuntary manslaughter and tampering.
March 8, 2022 4:11 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – In a victory for Democrats, the Supreme Court has turned away efforts from Republicans in North Carolina and Pennsylvania to block state court-ordered congressional re-districting plans. In separate orders late Monday, the justices are allowing maps selected by each state’s Supreme Court to be in effect for the 2022 elections. Those maps are more favorable than the ones drawn by the states’ legislatures. In North Carolina, the map most likely will give Democrats an additional House seat in 2023. The Pennsylvania map also probably will lead to the election of more Democrats, the Republicans say, as the two parties battle for control of the U.S. House of Representatives in the midterm elections.
March 8, 2022 4:02 am
A Washington man will face a felony robbery charge for his alleged robbery of the Family Dollar store on Highland Avenue back in November. Arthur Harris, 60 is accused of directing the manager of the store to go to the cash register and give him $50 while holding his hand in the pocket of a hoodie making her believe he had a gun. Arthur took all $141 of the money in the register and fled in a black Chevrolet Cruise. The manager of the store was able to identify Harris when given an eight picture line up of possible perpetrators. Harris appeared for the preliminary hearing via video from the Washington County Jail where he is being held on charges of terroristic threats and simple assault unrelated to this case. Arthur is scheduled for arraignment on the robbery charge on April 28.
March 8, 2022 4:01 am
A status hearing was held in the case against Christie Harr, 43 of Monessen. She is facing several felony animal cruelty charges relating to charges of her hoarding and mistreating animals in properties that she owned in Donora and Monessen. The issues of concern from the defense were that the humane officer involved in the search in Monessen was not a certified Westmoreland County humane officer. Issues with the search warrants in both Washington County and Westmoreland County were too vague, and the search warrant that was served by the Humane Society of the United States was not authorized by the Westmoreland County District Attorney. Testimony was offered by Washington Area Humane Society and the Pennsylvania State Police who helped the Washington Area Humane Society conduct a search and seizure of the two properties owned by Harr. No decisions on the defense concerns were made. Washington County Judge Brandon Neuman scheduled another pretrial conference for May 6.
March 7, 2022 12:27 pm
PHILADELPHIA (AP) – An Amtrak engineer has been acquitted of charges related to a high-speed derailment that left eight people dead and hundreds injured in Philadelphia in 2015. The jury cleared 38-year-old engineer Brandon Bostian of causing a catastrophe, involuntary manslaughter and reckless endangerment. He had been charged once for each injury and death. Bostian’s lawyer describes him as having a perfect work record until he was distracted by people throwing rocks in the area just before the crash. The train was going more than 100 mph on a 50 mph curve when the train derailed. Amtrak had earlier settled the civil litigation for $265 million.
