November 5, 2021 4:14 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – Thousands of intelligence officers could soon face dismissal for failing to comply with the U.S. government’s vaccine mandate, leading to concerns from Republican lawmakers about potentially hurting agencies considered critical to national security. Several intelligence agencies had at least 20% of their workforces that were unvaccinated as of late October. That’s according to U.S. Rep. Chris Stewart, a Utah Republican who says he’s vaccinated but opposes mandates as counterproductive. Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines says she doesn’t anticipate the mandate affecting the mission of national security agencies.
November 5, 2021 4:13 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – Top Democrats have abruptly postponed an expected House vote on the 10-year, $1.85 trillion social and environment measure. The decision on Friday came as the leaders’ long struggle to balance demands from progressives and moderates once again dogged the pillar of President Joe Biden’s domestic agenda.áIn a bid to hand him a needed victory, leaders prepared to try pushing an accompanying $1 trillion infrastructure measure through the chamber and to his desk. Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the broader legislation is historic and, “hence, challenging.”
November 5, 2021 4:11 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – Colin L. Powell, the trailblazing soldier-diplomat who rose from humble beginnings to become the first Black secretary of state, was remembered by family and friends as a principled man of humility and humor. Powell died last month at age 84. At his funeral at Washington National Cathedral, friends and family said his achievements serve as a model for minorities in public and private life. He was the first Black chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the first Black secretary of state. Among the funeral attendees were President Joe Biden and former presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama. (Photo: AP)
November 5, 2021 4:08 am
Washington City Council delivered good news to residents on Thursday evening. A draft of the 2022 city budget showed no tax increases for citizens of Washington. The budget is $14,948,000 and is balanced. Councilman Joe Manning states that the budget is modeled closely to last years budget and a $200,000 increase in expenditures is due to contractual obligations. Mayor Scott Putnam credits city residents and businesses for working hard and keeping revenues flowing into the city during the pandemic, allowing the city to keep taxes level this year. Council will vote to enact the budget at the December 9 regular meeting.
November 5, 2021 4:07 am
The Washington County Salary Board met after the Commissioners Meeting on Thursday and took further action to decrease the staff at the Clerk of Courts office. Clerk of Courts Brenda Davis argued vehemently against the action stating that the removal of staff is a direct result of the Pennsylvania Auditor General’s report issued earlier this summer. She claims that the commissioners were found to be subverting funds and that courts were not properly holding hearings. Davis claims she is “following all the rules”. Commissioner Chairwoman Diana Irey-Vaughn disputed Davis’ claims telling her that she filed an illegal waiver of duties and the board had no other choice but to decrease her staff by transferring those positions to the probation office to have those waived duties performed. Irey-Vaughn went on to say that the Clerk of Courts office is now performing only 35% of the work that it performed when Davis took over in January of 2020. The motion to decrease the staff was 3-2 with Davis and Commissioner Nick Sherman voting against the move. Commissioner Larry Maggi pressed Davis by asking her if she is claiming that the board of commissioners was taking money. Davis deflected the question by saying that she is referring to the Auditor General’s report. He asked if the Auditor General is saying that the commissioners took money but Davis referred to the report. A second action to adjust staff at the Controller’s office was tabled.
November 4, 2021 3:08 pm
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (AP) – The National Toy Hall of Fame has inducted American Girl Dolls and the strategy board game Risk, recognizing each for their influence on the toy industry. Also inducted Thursday was sand, which it calls perhaps the most universal and oldest toy in the world. All three were honored during a ceremony at the hall after winning over a panel of experts who voted for them from among 12 finalists. To be inducted into the hall of fame, toys must have withstood tests of time and memory, changed play or toy design and foster learning, creativity or discovery. The hall is housed at The Strong museum of play in Rochester.
November 4, 2021 12:40 pm
NEW YORK (AP) – For decades, it’s been one of Hollywood’s darkest rumors: A teen-age Natalie Wood was sexually assaulted by a top movie star more than twice her age when she agreed to meet with him at a hotel in Los Angeles. In a memoir coming out next week, Wood’s younger sister identifies the long-suspected assailant: Kirk Douglas. According to Lana Wood, Natalie Wood did not discuss with her what happened until both were adults and Natalie, after describing being brought into Douglas’ suite, told her sister, “And, uh … he hurt me Lana.” Douglas died in 2020 at age 103. (Photo: Twitter)
November 4, 2021 8:50 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell to a fresh pandemic low last week, another sign the job market is healing after last year’s coronavirus recession. Jobless claims dropped by 14,000 to 269,000 last week. Since topping 900,000 in early January, the weekly applications have fallen more or less steadily ever since and are gradually moving toward pre-pandemic levels of around 220,000 a week. Overall, 2.1 million Americans were collecting unemployment checks the week of Oct. 23 – down from 7.1 million a year earlier when the economy was still reeling from the coronavirus outbreak.
November 4, 2021 4:30 am
The election may be over but some tight, local races may not be determined until later this week. The reason? Overvotes. Washington County Elections Director Melanie Ostrander says they are dealing with an “unprecedented” number of overvotes for the government study commission selections. Ostrander says many people erroneously chose more than the 11 allowed candidates on their mail-in ballot. As a result, those ballots cannot be counted until they are reviewed by the County Elections Canvass board Friday morning. They will also be individually reviewing some ballots that had unclear markings that the scanner could not count.
November 4, 2021 4:11 am
LAS VEGAS (AP) – Prosecutors in Las Vegas say former Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs III was speeding at 156 mph with a blood-alcohol content twice Nevada’s legal limit before his sports car slammed into another vehicle, killing a 23-year-old woman. Ruggs made his initial court appearance Wednesday and posted $150,000 bond on felony driving under the influence resulting in death and reckless driving charges. The team released Ruggs just hours after the fiery crash. Police said a loaded gun also was found in Ruggs’ wrecked Corvette. A judge set strict conditions for his release, including home confinement, pending another court appearance next week. Ruggs’ attorney says Ruggs was released from jail Wednesday evening.
