September 6, 2025 4:41 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. job market has gone from healthy to lethargic during President Donald Trump’s first seven months back in the White House. Friday’s jobs report showed employers added a mere 22,000 jobs in August, as the unemployment rate ticked up to 4.3%. Factories and construction firms shed workers. The new data exposed the widening gap between the booming economy Trump promised and the more anemic reality of what he’s managed to deliver so far. The White House prides itself on operating at a breakneck speed, but it’s now asking the American people for patience, with Trump saying better job numbers might be a year away.
September 6, 2025 4:40 am
The widening debate over vaccine mandates in the U.S. and recent moves to get rid of them for schoolchildren in Florida are pushing some states to take steps to protect vaccines for children and adults. Massachusetts said this week that insurance carriers will be required to cover vaccinations recommended by the state’s health department. Democratic governors in Washington, Oregon and California announced that they have created an alliance to establish their own recommendations for who should receive vaccines. Also this week Colorado and Pennsylvania took action to protect the availability of COVID-19 vaccines for their residents.
September 6, 2025 4:38 am
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration from ending temporary legal protections that have granted more than 1 million people from Haiti and Venezuela the right to live and work in the United States. The ruling Friday by U.S. District Judge Edward Chen of San Francisco for the plaintiffs means 600,000 Venezuelans whose temporary protections expired in April or whose protections were about to expire Sept. 10 have status to stay and work in the United States. It also keeps protections for about 500,000 Haitians. Chen said Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s actions in terminating and vacating three extensions granted by the previous administration exceeded her statutory authority and were arbitrary and capricious.
September 6, 2025 4:00 am
The site of an abandoned mine in Marianna Borough in Washington County will be cleaned up and restored with a state grant of more than $203,000. The Natural Streams Foundation will used the money for engineering and permitting work. More than $700 million to reclaim Pennsylvania’s abandoned mine lands has been awarded since 2022 through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
September 6, 2025 1:18 am
A Jubilee Year in the Catholic Church is underway. It’s a special period of grace and celebration that takes place every twenty-five-years and is designed to offer the faithful a unique opportunity for spiritual renewal and a closer relationship with God. Locally, St. James Parish has a special place in the celebration. One church in each of the six counties of the Diocese of Pittsburgh has been designated as a place for a Pious Visit. Father Ed Yuhas, Pastor of St. James Parish, says they are blessed that Bishop Zubik has selected Saint James Parish/Immaculate Conception church as the place in Washington County for Pious Visits. On Sunday, September 7th, Father Yuhas says the new Bishop, Mark Eckman, will make a special appearance at Immaculate Conception Church to celebrate the Episcopal Jubilee Mass at ten-thirty to impart a papal blessing
September 5, 2025 8:46 am
U.S. employers added just 22,000 jobs last month as the labor market continued to cool under uncertainty over President Donald Trump’s economic policies. The Labor Department said Friday that hiring decelerated from 79,000 in July. The unemployment rate ticked up to 4.3%, the Labor Department reported. When the department put out a disappointing jobs report a month ago, an enraged Trump responded by firing the economist in charge of compiling the numbers and nominating a loyalist to replace her.
September 5, 2025 5:03 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump plans to sign an executive order to rebrand the Department of Defense as the Department of War. This move is part of his effort to project a tougher image for America’s military. Trump cannot formally change the name without legislation, which his administration will request from Congress. In the meantime, the Pentagon will use “secondary titles” to go by its original name. The Department of War was created in 1789 and renamed in 1947. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has hinted at the change, and Trump believes Congress will support the move if needed.
September 5, 2025 5:02 am
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — A federal appeals court panel has put on hold a lower court judge’s order to wind down operations of the immigration detention center in the Florida Everglades dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz.” The three-judge panel in Atlanta on Thursday decided by a 2-1 vote to stay the federal judge’s order pending the outcome of an appeal. The judges in the majority said it was in the public interest. U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams issued a preliminary injunction last month ordering operations at the facility to be wound down by the end of October. Detainees would be transferred to other facilities.
September 5, 2025 5:01 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. faced tough bipartisan questioning about his COVID-19 policies in a Senate committee hearing. On Thursday, Democratic senators clashed with Kennedy over his changes to vaccine recommendations, while some Republican senators also expressed concerns. Kennedy praised President Donald Trump for the Operation Warp Speed initiative but criticized the safety of mRNA vaccines. He defended the firing of the CDC director, claiming she was dishonest. Kennedy’s actions, including replacing a vaccine advisory panel with skeptics, have drawn criticism from medical groups. They warn his policies could increase vaccine-preventable diseases and have called for his resignation.
September 5, 2025 4:59 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has hosted tech executives at the White House, showcasing AI research and investments. Thursday’s event highlights major financial commitments from companies like Meta, Apple, and Google. Notably absent was Elon Musk, replaced by OpenAI’s Sam Altman. The dinner, moved indoors due to rain, follows a meeting of the White House’s new AI education task force, chaired by Melania Trump. She emphasizes both the potential and risks of AI. Trump, despite criticizing AI, frequently shares AI-generated content online. The event underscores shifting alliances and ongoing debates about AI’s role and regulation.
