January 30, 2025 5:07 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has struggled answer questions at his Senate confirmation hearing about how he would reform Medicaid or Medicare, the government health care programs used by millions of disabled, poor and older Americans. Kennedy inaccurately claimed Medicaid is fully paid for by the federal government when states and federal taxpayers fund it. Kennedy’s hearing Wednesday to be the nation’s top health official quickly devolved into an argument over the questions he has raised for years about vaccine safety. Kennedy is seeking to lead a $1.7 trillion agency that will oversee vaccine recommendations as well as food inspections and health insurance for half the country in President Donald Trump’s administration. Kennedy denies he’s anti-vaccine.
January 30, 2025 5:05 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve left its key interest rate unchanged Wednesday after cutting it three times in a row last year, a sign of a more cautious approach as the Fed seeks to gauge where inflation is headed and what policies President Donald Trump may pursue. A key reason for the earlier reductions was that hiring weakened in the summer and fall. In a statement Wednesday, the Fed upgraded its assessment of the job market, calling it “solid.” The Fed also appeared to toughen its assessment of inflation, saying that it “remains somewhat elevated.” At a press conference, Fed Chair Jerome Powell declined to address Trump’s recent comments calling for lower rates.
January 29, 2025 4:50 pm
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s budget office has rescinded a memo freezing spending on federal grants, less than two days after it sparked widespread confusion and legal challenges across the country. The White House said that Trump’s underlying executive orders targeting federal spending in areas like diversity, equity and inclusion and climate change, remained in place. The original Monday evening memo from the Office of Management and Budget sparked uncertainty over a crucial financial lifeline for states, schools and organizations that rely on trillions of dollars from Washington. The White House has been scrambling to explain what would and wouldn’t be subject to a pause in funding.
January 29, 2025 4:41 pm
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has used a signing ceremony for the Laken Riley Act to announce that his administration plans to send the “worst criminal aliens” to detention in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The bipartisan Laken Riley Act was the first piece of legislation that Trump has signed into law. It is named for a 22-year-old Georgia nursing student who was slain last year by a Venezuelan man in the U.S. illegally. The law makes it easier to deport immigrants in the U.S. illegally who have been accused of crimes. But Trump said some of the immigrants can’t be trusted to not return, necessitating their lockup at Guantanamo.
January 29, 2025 2:06 am
South Strabane Township began the year by extending contracts of two township employees. The township extended the contract of Township Manager Jeffery Ziegler on a 4-1 vote. Ziegler’s salary is said to be $115,775. The township also extended Fire Chief and Emergency Services Director Jordan Cramer by a similar 4-1 vote. In both instances, Supervisor Jeff Bull was the lone no vote. Bull was particularly critical of Cramer’s new annual salary of $99,781 that he says has increased nearly 18% in two and a half years. He also questioned additional sick days and vacation days in the contract. Cramer defended his credentials that had been called into question during contract negotiations. Cramer pointed to credentials earned to act as a Public Information Officer. He defended any pay increase by stating that he came into South Strabane as a Fire Chief and stepped in to fill vacancies in other township areas that needed help. The debate between Bull and Cramer was soon gaveled to a halt when Supervisor Chairman Bob Weber told Cramer to sit down because he did not need to answer any more questions to anyone regarding his qualifications or role at the township.
January 29, 2025 2:05 am
It was a moment of appreciation for the staff, board of directors and one special maintenance technician from the Thomas Campbell Apartments at the South Strabane Township Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday. The township recognized the group because of their efforts in a January 22 fire that was quickly contained and caused minimal damage to the building. Fire Chief Jordan Cramer issued Certificates of Appreciation to the Board of Directors of the Thomas Campbell Apartments for installing a nearly $2 million state of the art fire alert and sprinkler system. He honored the staff for their efforts in aiding the fight of the fire and he honored Lester Pirillo. Pirillo is a maintenance technician that was alerted to the fire by the alarm system. The system told him exactly where the fire was located. He grabbed a fire extinguisher and immediately attacked the fire, bringing it under control until the fire department arrived. Cramer praised the board for their investment in the system. Board of Directors Chairman Pastor John Owen praised Cramer on his efforts to convince the board to invest in the system. The fire comes just over 3 years after a fire in December of 2021 that claimed the life of one resident and displaced more than 50 others for 2 years. The January fire did claim one life, but damage to the building was limited to the unit where the fire was located.
January 29, 2025 2:55 am
Health care workers at UPMC Washington may be going on strike. Union officials are calling on UPMC to fulfill its promises to invest in their hospital and are decrying a proposed 1% yearly raise and severe cuts while healthcare executives, they say, have received huge payouts. The union contract for the 300 hospital workers expires January 31st and they will be holding a vote on February 3rd to authorize a strike, if necessary. The union says that with starting wage rates as low as $16 an hour, Washington already has serious difficulties with recruitment and retention and UPMC’s proposals would aggravate those staffing problems. The workers say UPMC epitomizes larger problems throughout the country – the erosion of the American Dream for working people struggling with the increased cost of living and the prioritization of healthcare executive pay over patient care. Union officials say that when UPMC completed its takeover of Washington on June 1st of last year, it promised to “invest in its employees and improve benefits offerings” and “invest a minimum of $300 million in WHS” and $40 million in The Washington Foundation. It also vowed to engage in “good faith bargaining” with workers and their union. The union says they have failed to follow through on those promises. Should a strike occur, the union says it would affect many positions that keep the hospital running, like certified surgical technicians, care partners, physical therapy assistants, carpenters, licensed maintenance workers, dietary aides, medical records clerks, housekeepers, unit secretaries, master plumbers, cooks, engineers, patient transporters and others. Officials say if workers do decided to walk off their jobs, they will provide a 10-day notice to management to ensure patient safety and continuity of care.
January 28, 2025 4:47 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge has temporarily blocked a push from President Donald Trump to pause federal funding while his administration conducts an across-the-board ideological review to uproot progressive initiatives. The order Tuesday capped the most chaotic day for the U.S. government since Trump returned to office, with uncertainty over a crucial financial lifeline causing panic and confusion among states, schools and organizations that rely on trillions of dollars from Washington. U.S. District Judge Loren L. AliKhan blocked the funding freeze only minutes before it was scheduled to take effect. The administrative stay, prompted by a lawsuit brought by nonprofit groups that receive federal money, lasts until Monday afternoon.
January 29, 2025 4:53 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration says it is offering buyouts to all federal employees who opt to leave their jobs by next week — an unprecedented move to shrink the U.S. government at breakneck speed. A memo Tuesday from the Office of Personnel Management, the government’s human resources agency, says it will begin subjecting all federal employees to “enhanced standards of suitability and conduct” and ominously warns of future downsizing. The email sent to employees says those who leave their posts voluntarily will receive about eight months of salary, but they have to chose to do so by Feb 6.
January 28, 2025 4:52 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump plans to sign the Laken Riley Act into law as his administration’s first piece of legislation. Trump will sign the immigrant detention measure on Wednesday. It mandates the detention and potential deportation of people in the U.S. illegally who are accused of theft and violent crimes before they have actually been convicted. The Laken Riley Act was named for a Georgia nursing student who was killed in 2024 while out for a run by a Venezuelan national in the U.S. illegally. The measure swiftly passed the Republican-controlled Congress with some Democratic support. Immigrant advocates say it could trigger mass roundups over offenses as minor as shoplifting.
