October 26, 2021 3:25 pm
PONTOON BEACH, Ill. (AP) – Authorities say a police officer was shot to death by a man at a gas station in an Illinois suburb of St. Louis. Trooper Jayme Bufford with Illinois State Police said Pontoon Beach Officer Tyler Timmins succumbed to his injuries at a hospital. The officer was shot at around 8 a.m. Tuesday at a Speedway gas station along Route 111. Bufford said the Pontoon Beach officer had approached a car in the gas station’s parking lot because he suspected it had been stolen. Bufford says a man then began firing on Timmins. The suspect was taken into custody.
October 26, 2021 4:16 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – The Democrats’ idea for a new billionaires’ tax to help pay for President Joe Biden’s social services and climate change plan is quickly running into criticism. Some Democratic lawmakers view it as too cumbersome and prefer the original plan of simply raising the top tax rates on corporations and the wealthy. Democrats are working frantically to shore up the revenue side of Biden’s domestic package. Biden said Monday he’s hopeful the talks with Congress can wrap up overall agreement this week, before he departs for global summits.
October 26, 2021 4:14 am
BOISE, Idaho (AP) – Police say they exchanged gunfire with a suspect during a shooting at a shopping mall in Boise, Idaho, that killed two people and injured four — including an officer. Boise Police Chief Ryan Lee said at a news conference the shooting was reported about 1:50 p.m. on Monday – as well as a report that one person was “shot and down” at that time. When the officers arrived, they spotted someone who matched the description of the suspect. Authorities said officers exchanged gunfire with the suspect and later said the suspect was in critical condition at a hospital. Police said Monday evening that the officer had been treated and released.
October 26, 2021 4:12 am
UNDATED (AP) – McDonald’s workers in 12 U.S. cities walked off the job Tuesday to protest what they say is a continuing problem of sexual harassment and violence in the company’s stores. Organizers from the labor group Fight for $15 say several hundred workers were expected to participate in Chicago, Miami and other cities. McDonald’s plans to require sexual harassment training in all of its 40,000 stores worldwide starting in January. But some workers say that’s not enough. They cite a lawsuit filed last month by a teen employee who says she was raped by a McDonald’s store manager earlier this year.
October 26, 2021 4:05 am
MORRIS TOWNSHIP, Pa.- (WPXI) – A rural route mail carrier was hit and killed by a vehicle in Greene County Monday evening. According to the coroner’s office, Chad Varner, 49, was hit after getting out of his vehicle to deliver a package. Investigators said the deadly incident happened in Morris Township shortly after 4 p.m. Officials said they were awaiting the results of an autopsy for more information. (Photo: Facebook)
October 26, 2021 2:32 am
A Duquesne man accused of felony rape, sexual assault and burglary had his charges dismissed by District Justice Michael Manfredi on Monday morning at the preliminary hearing. Twenty four year old Barry Darnell Baker Jr. was accused by East Washington Police of showing up at an East Washington residence at 1:00 AM on September 21. The occupant allowed Baker to sleep on the floor for the night. Later in the morning Baker allegedly forced himself on the victim and tried to remove her clothes. Baker fled but later returned and stole two cell phones. Baker and his defense attorney were prepared to hold the hearing. Baker denied all allegations but the case fell apart when the witness decided not to cooperate. Baker will be freed from the Washington County jail where he has been housed since his arrest.
October 25, 2021 5:14 pm
NEW YORK (AP) – Singer Jay Black of Jay and the Americans has died. He was 82. Though he was the “Jay” associated with the group’s biggest hits, he wasn’t the original, nor was Jay his name. He was born David Blatt. The group’s hits include “This Magic Moment” and “Come a Little Bit Closer.”
October 25, 2021 3:40 pm
LOS ANGELES (AP) – Little by little, we’re finding out more about what happened on the set of “Rust” before Thursday’s firearm tragedy that killed the movie’s cinematographer. New court records released yesterday contain the account of a camera operator working on “Rust.” Reid Russell told a detective Alec Baldwin was careful with weapons on set. Russell says once, Baldwin made sure a child actor wasn’t near him when firearms were used. As for what went down last week, Russell says Baldwin was rehearsing a scene in which he was to draw his gun while sitting in a church pew and point it at the camera. Before that, authorities have said, assistant director Dave Halls handed a weapon to Baldwin and declared it a “cold gun,” meaning it would be safe to use. But it wasn’t – and cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was shot to death. (Photo: CNN)
October 25, 2021 3:36 pm
(AP) – Tumbling COVID-19 case counts have some schools around the U.S. considering relaxing their mask rules, but deaths nationally have been ticking up over the past few weeks. Some rural hospitals are also showing signs of strain and cold weather is setting in. The cold sends people indoors, where the virus can more easily spread. The University of Washington’s influential COVID-19 forecasting model is predicting increasing infections and hospitalizations in November. COVID-19 deaths per day have begun to creep back up again after a decline that started in late September. Deaths are running at about 1,700 per day, up from close to 1,500 two weeks ago.
October 25, 2021 2:58 pm
CAMARILLO, Calif. (AP) – The average U.S. price of regular-grade gasoline spiked 13 cents over the past two weeks, to $3.44 per gallon. The price at the pump is $1.22 higher than a year ago. Industry analyst Trilby Lundberg of the Lundberg Survey says Sunday the rise comes as the cost of crude oil surges. Nationwide, the highest average price for regular-grade gas is in the San Francisco Bay Area, at $4.65 per gallon. The lowest average is in Houston, at $2.91 per gallon. The survey says the average price of diesel jumped 14 cents to $3.59 a gallon.
