March 11, 2022 4:12 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – President Joe Biden announced Friday that along with the European Union and the Group of Seven countries, the U.S. will revoke “most favored nation” trade status for Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. He said the U.S. will also ban imports of Russian seafood, alcohol and diamonds. The action on most favored nation status will allow the U.S. and allies to impose higher tariffs on some Russian imports to the United States. Biden’s move comes as bipartisan pressure has been building in Washington to revoke what is formally known as “permanent normal trade relations” with Russia. He said it would be “another crushing blow” that would “squeeze” Russian President Vladimir Putin.
March 11, 2022 4:11 am
MARIUPOL, Ukraine (AP) – Russian strikes have hit near airports in western Ukraine as the military offensive widened, and invading troops kept up pressure on the capital Kyiv and the besieged port city of Mariupol. Authorities say the airstrikes on the Lutsk military airfield on Friday left two Ukrainian servicemen dead and six people wounded. The strikes also targeted an airport near Ivano-Frankiivsk, where residents were ordered to shelters. New satellite photos, meanwhile, appeared to show a massive convoy outside the Ukrainian capital had fanned out into towns and forests near Kyiv with artillery pieces raised for firing in another potentially ominous movement. Ukrainian authorities announced plans for several evacuation and humanitarian aid delivery routes to free people struggling to leave Mariupol.
March 11, 2022 2:10 am
A Washington man charged with multiple felonies for delivering drugs that killed a Canton Township couple is seeking trial on those charges. Lorenzo Lloyd, 35 is facing eight felony charges for being one of the people involved in selling fentanyl to David and Nanette Dennick and killing them in February of 2021. During his plea court hearing on Thursday, Lloyd made clear his decision to seek a jury trial. His defense attorney “implored” Lloyd to take the plea deal offered by the District Attorney. That offer was incarceration of 5-10 years on two charges to be served concurrently. The District Attorney made clear that if convicted on only those two charges he could possibly serve 12 years on just two of those charges but probably 24 years if those sentences were to be served concurrently because he is being tried for the death of two people. Despite the explanation of the sentence and the recommendation of his attorney Lloyd opted for a jury trial. Lloyd’s two accomplices in this case, Mitchell Logan of Washington and Zaeshown Kimbrew of Aliquippa have their cases working through the courts. Lloyd is scheduled for the May trial term.
March 10, 2022 8:51 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – Slightly more Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week, but layoffs have settled to the low, pre-pandemic levels before 2020’s coronavirus recession. Jobless claims rose by 11,000 to 227,000 for the week ending March 5, the Labor Department reported Thursday. The previous week’s number was 216,000. First-time applications for jobless aid generally track the pace of layoffs. The four-week average for claims, which compensates for weekly volatility, rose by 500 to to 230,750. In total, 1,474,000 Americans were collecting jobless aid the week that ended Feb. 26. The four-week moving average is at its lowest level in more than 50 years.
March 10, 2022 8:40 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – Propelled by surging costs for gas, food and housing, consumer inflation jumped 7.9% over the past year, the sharpest spike since 1982 and likely only a harbinger of even higher prices to come. The increase reported by the Labor Department reflected the 12 months ending in February and didn’t include most of the oil and gas price increases that followed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24. Even before the war further accelerated price increases, robust consumer spending, solid pay raises and persistent supply shortages had sent U.S. consumer inflation to its highest level in four decades.
March 10, 2022 6:03 am
A new battle has formed involving a Washington County Row Officer and County President Judge John DiSalle. This time it involves an exchange of emails between the judge and Register of Wills James Roman over a resident seeking a marriage certification. Judge DiSalle claims a resident told him that Roman instructed the resident to contact the President Judge to seek a court order because the Register of Wills office did not issue such marriage record certificates. In an email, Roman denied there was an argument with the resident and says he was forced to suspend verification of non-marriage licenses because of “a complete mess” left by the previous Register of Wills. Roman ‘thanked’ the judge for “continued threats”, “attempted intimidation” and “clear micro-management of row offices”. Judge DiSalle then followed with another e-mail apologizing if “Roman felt intimidated”. DiSalle, however, then said he “didn’t appreciate his defamatory comments”. He also said, “Your staff has turned over twice in your tenure” and “your staff comes to my office with questions almost daily.” “My law clerk has become your defacto solicitor” yet you “accuse me of refusing to work with your office”. Judge DiSalle closed the letter with an offer to meet about the management of the Register of Willis office and asked to schedule a date and time. He also offered to schedule monthly or quarterly meetings.
March 10, 2022 4:08 am
NEW YORK (AP) – Players have voted to accept Major League Baseball’s latest offer for a new labor deal, paving the way to end a 99-day lockout and salvage a 162-game regular season. The union’s executive board approved the agreement in a 26-12 vote, pending ratification by all players, a person familiar with the balloting said, speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because no announcement was authorized. MLB sent the players an offer Thursday and gave them until 3 p.m. to accept in order to play a full season. The deal was still pending approval by MLB’s owners.
March 10, 2022 4:05 am
(AP) – LVIV, Ukraine – Russian forces shelled a nuclear research institute in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city on Thursday, setting buildings on fire, said Anton Gerashchenko, an adviser to Ukraine’s Interior Ministry. A shell hit a building where there is equipment that could release radiation if it were damaged, Gerashchenko said. According to the president’s office, there has been no change in the background radiation. The shelling caused a fire, but firefighters were able to put it out. Russian forces have already taken over two nuclear power plants in Ukraine, raising concerns about the security of the nuclear facilities.
March 10, 2022 4:03 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – The Biden administration says two North Korean missile launches in recent weeks were in fact test-firings of a new long-range ICBM. The tests were of a missile reportedly larger than an ICBM North Korea launched in 2017 that was assessed to be capable of reaching the United States. The administration warned on Thursday that a full-range test could soon follow. U.S. missile defense and reconnaissance forces in the Pacific have been placed in a state of “enhanced readiness” in preparation for a full-range test. That’s according to a senior administration official, who outlined the U.S. intelligence assessment on the condition of anonymity.
March 10, 2022 4:02 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – A U.S. official says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is developing guidance that will ease the nationwide mask mandate for public transit next month. But the existing face covering requirement will be extended through April 18. The mask requirement had been set to expire on March 18, but is being extended by a month to allow the public health agency time to develop new, more targeted policies. The requirement extends to planes, buses, trains and transit hubs.
