July 29, 2021 4:17 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – The Senate has voted to start work on a nearly $1 trillion national infrastructure package. The vote came together quickly Wednesday night after President Joe Biden and a bipartisan group of senators reached agreement on the key part of the White House agenda. But it’s unclear if enough senators will eventually support final passage. The process ahead could take days. The outcome will set the stage for the next debate in the months ahead over Biden’s much more ambitious $3.5 trillion spending package, which includes child care, tax breaks and health care. The $1 trillion package would be partly paid for by repurposing unspent COVID-19 relief aid.
July 29, 2021 4:10 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – The Biden administration is announcing new requirements for federal workers and some contractors. It is requiring that any federal civilian worker who does not verify being fully vaccinated will be subject to universal masking, get tested weekly, physically distance from other employees and be subject to restrictions on official travel. The guidelines are aimed at boosting vaccination rates among the millions of Americans who draw federal paychecks and to set an example for private employers around the country.
July 28, 2021 4:41 pm
KANE, Pa. (AP) – Before the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol, most people in Pauline Bauer’s rural Pennsylvania hometown knew her for the deep-dish pizza and ice cream she sells at her restaurant. After her arrest in May on riot-related charges, Bauer became a target for strangers’ scorn and a punchline for Stephen Colbert’s late-night talk show on CBS. Bauer believes most of her neighbors support her, but some residents of Kane, Pennsylvania, condemn what she did in Washington on Jan. 6. Colbert mocked her argument that she is “immune from laws.” Bauer has told a federal judge that she doesn’t want an attorney to represent her.
July 28, 2021 4:35 pm
Houston (AP) – ZZ Top says bassist Dusty Hill, one of the Texas blues trio’s bearded figures, has died at his Houston home. He was 72. In a Facebook post Wednesday, guitarist Billy Gibbons and drummer Frank Beard said Hill had died in his sleep. They didn’t give a cause of death, but a July 21 post on the band’s website said Hill was “on a short detour back to Texas, to address a hip issue.” At that time, the band said its longtime guitar tech, Elwood Francis, would fill in on bass, slide guitar and harmonica. Born Joe Michael Hill in Dallas, he, Gibbons and Beard formed ZZ Top in Houston in 1969. (Photo:TMZ)
July 28, 2021 11:49 am
(AP) – McCormick & Co. is voluntarily recalling some seasonings due to possible salmonella contamination. The company said this week that it’s recalling McCormick Perfect Pinch Italian Seasoning, McCormick Culinary Italian Seasoning and Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Ranch Seasoning. Salmonella is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy people infected with salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. No illnesses have been reported to date in relation to the recalled products. McCormick said that the potential risk was brought to its attention by the FDA during routine testing. The products were shipped between June 20 and July 21 to 32 states, Bermuda and Canada. McCormick said that consumers should dispose of the recalled products and their containers. The company can be reached at 1-800-635-2867 weekdays from 9:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. EDT for a replacement or full refund, and with general questions.
July 28, 2021 4:16 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – Senate Republicans negotiating a $1 trillion infrastructure bill with Democrats say they have reached agreement on the major outstanding issues and are ready to take up the bill. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has announced a possible test vote that could come as soon as Wednesday evening. The infrastructure bill is a key part of President Joe Biden’s agenda. The outcome will set the stage for the next debate over Biden’s much more ambitious $3.5 trillion spending package, which includes child care, tax breaks and health care. The Republican senators met Wednesday morning with Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, who appears to have given his nod to proceed to consider the emerging legislation.
July 28, 2021 4:15 am
Four law enforcement officers have detailed the racism and bigotry on display during the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection. The officers testifying before a congressional panel Tuesday included veteran Black and Hispanic officers who added their wrenching stories to the official record. Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn told lawmakers about an exchange he had with rioters who disputed that President Joe Biden defeated former President Donald Trump in the last presidential election. When Dunn, who is Black, argued with the rioters that he voted for Biden and that his vote should be counted, the rioters began calling him a racial slur.
July 28, 2021 4:13 am
LAPORTE, Texas (AP) – Two people are dead after a chemical leak at plant in La Porte, Texas. LyondellBasell spokesperson Chevalier Gray said in a statement that the incident happened about 7:35 p.m. Tuesday and involved an acetic acid leak at the company’s facility in the La Porte Complex. Emergency responders from the City of La Porte and Channel Industries Mutual Aid were on the scene Tuesday night. Gray said two people “sustained fatal injuries.” Seven others sustained injuries, including burns. Some were treated at the scene and others were sent to a hospital. The company said it was working closely with responders to confirm all employees were accounted for.
July 28, 2021 4:11 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) – A transportation funding commission is preparing to recommend how to raise billions more dollars in Pennsylvania for a 21st-century highway system, a report that is expected to kick off a debate that could last years. The report, expected this week, was ordered by Gov. Tom Wolf in March to find ways to replace Pennsylvania’s gas tax. It is expected to contain a blend of recommendations, but the primary revenue-raiser will be a vehicle-miles-traveled fee. House Appropriations Committee Chairman Stan Saylor said it’s a difficult time to raise taxes and fees, as the economy rebounds from the pandemic, and he predicted no action before 2023, at the earliest.
July 28, 2021 4:09 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) – Gov. Tom Wolf says he’s not considering a statewide mask mandate as coronavirus cases surge in Pennsylvania and across the country, while his administration said it isn’t requiring masks in schools. Wolf, speaking on KDKA-AM radio in Pittsburgh on Tuesday, said his strategy to fight the spread of COVID-19 has been the vaccine. Wolf’s comments came as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention changed course Tuesday, recommending that even vaccinated people return to wearing masks indoors in parts of the U.S. where the delta variant of the coronavirus is fueling infection surges. Wolf’s administration says it is recommending that Pennsylvanians and Pennsylvania schools follow federal guidance.
