November 8, 2024 5:14 am
A federal judge has struck down a Biden administration policy that aimed to ease a path to citizenship for some undocumented immigrants who are married to U.S. citizens. The program allowed undocumented spouses and stepchildren of U.S. citizens to apply for a green card without first having to leave the country. The temporary relief from deportation brought a short-lived sense of security to some 500,000 immigrants estimated to benefit from the program. Texas-based U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker ruled Thursday that the Biden administration had overstepped its authority by implementing the initiative. Its termination creates uncertainty for immigrant families as many are bracing for Donald Trump’s return to the White House.
November 8, 2024 5:19 am
President-elect Donald Trump has not said what he would do on student loan forgiveness, leaving millions of borrowers facing uncertainty over what will happen with their payments once President Joe Biden leaves office. Biden promised the student loan cancellation program during his run for the presidency and Trump has criticized his efforts. From its launch, Biden’s loan forgiveness faced relentless pushback from Republican opponents. They say it heaps advantage on elites and comes at the expense of those who repaid their loans or did not attend college. Borrowers around the country are worried, student loan experts say.
November 8, 2024 5:17 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Susie Wiles, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick as White House chief of staff, has decades of political experience but has largely shunned the spotlight. Now, in the position considered the president’s closest professional confidant, she’ll be more in the spotlight than ever before. Wiles was co-chair of Trump’s third presidential campaign, considered his most disciplined and smoothly run. She ran his 2016 and 2020 campaigns in Florida, where she has also advised gubernatorial campaigns for Rick Scott and Ron DeSantis.
November 8, 2024 5:19 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve cut its key rate by a quarter-point in response to the steady decline in the once-high inflation that had angered Americans and helped drive Donald Trump’s presidential election victory this week. The rate cut follows a larger half-point reduction in September, and it reflects the Fed’s renewed focus on supporting the job market as well as fighting inflation, which now barely exceeds the central bank’s 2% target. Annual inflation has since fallen from a 9.1% peak in 2022 to a 3 1/2-year low of 2.4%. Asked how Trump’s election might affect the Fed’s policymaking, Chair Jerome Powell said that “in the near term, the election will have no effects on our [interest rate] decisions.”
November 8, 2024 5:18 am
CAMARILLO, Calif. (AP) — Southern California firefighters working to contain a wildfire that has destroyed 132 structures in two days could be assisted by a forecast of fierce wind gusts easing. The Mountain Fire started Wednesday morning in Ventura County and had grown to 32 square miles with 5% contained Thursday night. At least 88 additional structures have been damaged. Some 10,000 people remained under evacuation orders Friday morning. The fire continues to threaten about 3,500 structures in suburban neighborhoods, ranches and agricultural areas around Camarillo in Ventura County. Ventura County Sheriff James Fryhoff says 10 people have suffered smoke inhalation or other non-life-threatening injuries. The cause of the fire has not been determined.
November 8, 2024 5:11 am
AMSTERDAM (AP) — Amsterdam police say that five people were hospitalized and 62 arrested after authorities said antisemitic rioters attacked Israeli supporters following a soccer match. Amsterdam authorities say rioters “actively sought out Israeli supporters to attack and assault them” after Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv. Israel said it was sending planes to the Dutch capital to fly fans home. The violence that was condemned by the leaders of both the Netherlands and Israel as antisemitic. A statement issued by the Dutch capital’s municipality, police and prosecution office said that the night after the Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv “was very turbulent with several incidents of violence aimed at Maccabi supporters.”
November 7, 2024 9:25 am
A 38-year old woman was flown to a Pittsburgh hospital after being struck by a vehicle in her own driveway Thursday morning in South Strabane Township. It happened just after 8:30 in the driveway of a home in the 500-block of Potomac Drive in the Washington Woods development. South Strabane Township Police say the unidentified woman was pinned beneath the vehicle but was conscious and alert when first responders arrived. Police Chief Drew Hilk says an investigation continues but they believe she was struck by her own driver-less vehicle. Police say they are working to determine if anyone may have video surveillance or may have witnessed the events and are asking anyone with information to contact police. The woman was taken by ambulance to UPMC Washington Hospital and then flown by medical helicopter to a Pittsburgh hospital. There is no word on her condition.
November 6, 2024 4:57 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Pennsylvania’s Senate contest between Democratic incumbent Bob Casey and Republican challenger David McCormick is still too early to call. McCormick has a roughly 31,000-vote lead, which has been dwindling as outstanding votes continue to be counted. The roughly half-percentage-point margin between the candidates also qualifies the race for an automatic recount. McCormick overtook Casey with about 80% of the estimated votes counted just before midnight on Tuesday. Casey initially had a lead over McCormick when just about 40% of the estimated votes had been counted, propelled in part by mailed ballots that have historically favored Democrats. McCormick was doing better in votes cast on Election Day.
November 6, 2024 2:44 am
Washington County Director of Elections Melanie Ostrander was pleased with how Tuesday night’s election turned out. Ostrander says the night was largely free of any distractions, save one. In the Borough of Houston, a judge of elections had to be removed because he was deemed to be violating the rights of a poll watcher. The incident was calmly resolved. Overall Ostrander said that approximately 120,000 of the 148,000 registered voters in Washington County took part in the election. That number included mail in ballots, absentee ballots and precinct voting. That was an 80% participation rate according to Ostrander. Less than 200 mail in ballots that arrived on Election Day are left to count. On Friday, the Board of Elections will hold a canvassing meeting to make determinations on ballots concerning over-votes and stained ballots that could not be read by scanners.
November 7, 2024 5:13 am
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Donald Trump spent his first day as president-elect receiving congratulatory phone calls from his defeated opponent, world leaders and President Joe Biden as he began the process of turning his election victory into a government. Trump was keeping a low profile, staying out of the public eye after addressing supporters in Florida during the wee hours of Wednesday morning. Vice President Kamala Harris called Trump to concede the race and to congratulate him, while Biden invited the man he ousted from the White House four years ago to an Oval Office meeting to prepare to return the keys. A Trump spokesman says the president-elect looks forward to the meeting.
