May 19, 2021 12:56 pm
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) – Pennsylvania voters became the first in the nation to impose restrictions on a governor’s authority under an emergency disaster declaration. They approved constitutional amendments sped to a statewide referendum Tuesday by Republican lawmakers angry over how Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf handled the pandemic response. The vote on Tuesday’s primary ballot came as Republican lawmakers across the country have sought to roll back the emergency powers governors wielded during the COVID-19 pandemic. With 73% of precincts reporting, the two questions led with almost 54% of the vote. Wolf had opposed them, but has no say in what proposals lawmakers choose to put on the ballot to amend the state constitution.
May 19, 2021 12:50 pm
Teachers in the West Greene School District in Greene County have voted to authorize a strike. At a general membership meeting on May 5, 2021, an overwhelming majority of WGEA’s membership chose to authorize the WGEA Negotiations Committee to issue a strike notice if a new contract is not reached soon, “A strike authorization provides the WGEA Negotiations Committee with the authority to call a strike, if necessary, under Pennsylvania’s public sector strike law, Act 88 of 1992. At this time, WGEA will continue negotiations with the Board in order to reach a fair and equitable contract settlement,” said Nicole Redlinger, WGEA spokesperson. “By taking this action, the membership of the WGEA has clearly indicated to the Board that we will take any and all steps available to us under Pennsylvania law in order to reach a contract settlement that treats all members of our union fairly and equitably,” said Matthew Rychtarsky, WGEA president. WGEA represents 69 teachers and professional education staff at the West Greene School District.
May 19, 2021 12:31 pm
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Fire crews have brought under control a fire in a downtown Pittsburgh high-rise that prompted evacuation of the building but caused no reported injuries. Pittsburgh public safety officials said the 9:30 a.m. Wednesday blaze was contained to the basement of the 44-story Gulf Tower, although smoke could be seen rising from the roof from what officials said was a ventilation shaft. Firefighters went floor to floor of the 582-foot-tall building to evacuate any remaining occupants. The blaze was declared under control shortly after 11:30 a.m. Wednesday. (WPXI)
May 19, 2021 4:21 am
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) – Palestinians across Israel and the occupied territories went on strike in a rare collective protest of Israel’s policies. It came as Israeli missiles toppled a building in Gaza and militants in the Hamas-ruled territory fired dozens of rockets that killed two people. Moves to broker a cease-fire appeared to gain some traction. U.S. officials said the Biden administration was privately encouraging Israel to wind down the bombardment of Gaza. And Egyptian negotiators working to halt the fighting were optimistic international pressure would force Israel to the table. The general strike by Palestinians was mostly peaceful. However clashes between Israeli forces and protesters in the occupied West Bank left three Palestinians dead.
May 19, 2021 4:20 am
PHOENIX (AP) – Firms hired to run a partisan audit of the 2020 election for Senate Republicans in Arizona said Tuesday that data was not destroyed, reversing earlier allegations that election officials eliminated evidence. The claim of deleted databases was amplified by former President Donald Trump and his supporters, who believe conspiracy theories about election irregularities. On Tuesday, a data expert working on the audit team told senators he had recovered all data. The revelation came a day after officials in Arizona’s most populated county released a scathing letter saying the auditors couldn’t find the data because they weren’t looking in the right place.
May 19, 2021 4:19 am
NEW YORK (AP) – The New York attorney general’s office says that it is conducting a criminal investigation into former President Donald Trump’s business empire, expanding what had previously been a civil probe. Attorney General Letitia James’ investigators are working with the Manhattan district attorney’s office, which has been conducting a criminal investigation into Trump and his company, the Trump Organization, for two years. The Manhattan DA’s office obtained Trump’s tax records after a long legal fight in February. A message seeking comment was left with a lawyer for Trump.
May 19, 2021 4:18 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – The House is poised to vote on a 9/11-style commission on the deadly Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. The vote on Wednesday is the first step toward creating an independent, bipartisan panel that would investigate the siege. But the bill creating the commission is expected to be a more difficult sell in the Senate. Republicans are signaling that they will try to block or at least slow the effort. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday that he is “pushing the pause button” on the legislation. Democrats would need at least 10 GOP votes in the Senate to pass it under Senate rules.
May 19, 2021 4:16 am
TOKYO (AP) – The IOC and local organizers are starting three days of meetings, some of the final planning before they attempt start the postponed Olympics in little more than nine weeks. They are meeting widespread skepticism with polling showing 60-80% oppose holding the games. Medical groups have also expressed strong opposition with the virus far from under control in Japan where only 1-2% of the population is fully vaccinated. The meetings will be headed by IOC vice president John Coates. He will attempt to again assure the Japanese population that the games will be “safe and secure.” The Olympics are to open on July 23.
May 19, 2021 4:12 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) – Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto has lost his bid for re-election to five-term state representative Ed Gainey, as the city took a big step toward electing its first Black chief executive. Peduto had been seeking a third term against three primary challengers but instead called to congratulate Gainey. Peduto tweeted late Tuesday that he was “wishing him well.” Meanwhile, Pennsylvania voters were given the opportunity to limit a governor’s emergency authority, more than a year after Gov. Tom Wolf’s pandemic restrictions drew fierce backlash among legislative Republicans. It was the headline question in an otherwise quiet off-year primary election.
May 19, 2021 3:38 am
NEW LONDON, Conn. (AP) – President Joe Biden has delivered his first commencement address as commander-in-chief, praising new graduates at the Coast Guard Academy for excelling during the pandemic. He also stressed their vital role as the United States reasserts itself on the world stage. But Biden’s remarks in New London, Connecticut on Wednesday made no mention of several current global hotspots, including the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. Hours earlier, Biden had issued a call for a cease-fire in the Mideast.
