March 15, 2021 5:54 pm
NEW YORK (AP) – Barbara Rickles, the widow of Don Rickles and a fictionalized target of his comic insults, died on what would have been their 56th wedding anniversary. Her death was confirmed by spokesman Paul Shefrin, who said she died Sunday at 84. Don Rickles cracked jokes about her constantly, but by many accounts, the Rickles had one of the happiest marriages in show business, right up to his death in 2017. She would help produce the Emmy-winning documentary “Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project,” which came out in 2007, and the 2020 release “Don Rickles Live In Concert.” (Photo: Yahoo)
March 15, 2021 5:50 pm
(AP) – Air travel is gaining altitude. More than 1 million people have gone through U.S. airport checkpoints each of the last four days – it was more than 1.3 million on Sunday. That was the first time TSA screened more people than it did on the comparable day in 2020. However, travel is still down sharply from 2019, before the pandemic. Airline stocks are rising after several airlines report that they’ve seen more people booking trips in March. Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian says bookings began picking up five or six weeks ago. The Delta CEO thinks that after some previous false starts, this time the recovery in travel is real.
March 15, 2021 12:59 pm
LOS ANGELES (AP) – It’s a year of diversity and firsts for Monday’s Oscar nominations. When Hollywood held back most of its major motion pictures, pulling big stars from the competition, 11 of 20 nominees in the acting categories are first timers. A record nine actors of color nominated including Steven Yeun of “Minari,” the first Asian-American to be nominated for best actor. Six Black actors were nominated this year, after just one last year. And 70 women were nominated this year, also a record. “Nomadland” director Chloe Zhao became the first woman to be nominated four times in one year.
March 15, 2021 9:20 am
Authorities say they are amazed that no injuries resulted from a fiery crash Sunday evening in Charleroi. It reportedly happened just before 6 p.m. along Route-88. A vehicle traveling south left the roadway near the intersection of Grandview Way and struck a utility pole. The pole was sheared off and the vehicle caught fire. Two people inside were able to escape. They have not been identified. According to reports, the vehicle just missed customers and several parked cars at a nearby ice cream shop. (Photo: Facebook)
March 15, 2021 8:58 am
ROME (AP) -The Vatican has decreed that the Catholic Church cannot bless same-sex unions, saying that God “cannot bless sin.” The Vatican’s orthodoxy office, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, issued a formal response Monday to a question about whether Catholic clergy can bless gay unions. The answer, contained in a two-page explanation published in seven languages and approved by Pope Francis, was “negative.” The Vatican holds that gay people must be treated with dignity and respect, but that gay sex is “intrinsically disordered.” Catholic teaching holds that marriage between a man and woman is part of God’s plan and is intended for the sake of creating new life.
March 15, 2021 4:29 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – President Joe Biden has passed up an opportunity to join other Democrats calling for the resignation of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. The three-term governor is under investigation after multiple allegations of sexual harassment. Asked Sunday by a reporter if Cuomo should resign, Biden responded, “I think the investigation is underway and we should see what it brings us.” Biden has not previously spoken publicly about the allegations against Cuomo. Several prominent New York Democrats, including Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, have called on Cuomo to step down. Cuomo has refused to resign and has denied he did what has been alleged.
March 15, 2021 4:28 am
A powerful late winter snowstorm intensified over the central Rocky Mountains with heavy snow and wind leading to airport and road closures, power outages and avalanche warnings in parts of Colorado, Wyoming and Nebraska. The National Weather Service in Wyoming called it a “historic and crippling” winter storm that would cause extremely dangerous to impossible travel conditions through at least early Monday. Denver International Airport closed its runways just before noon Sunday and the Wyoming Department of Transportation suspended plowing in the Casper area Sunday after several plows went off the road due to low visibility.
March 15, 2021 4:26 am
NEW YORK (AP) – Female performers including Beyoncé and Taylor Swift had a record-making night at the 2021 Grammy Awards, a jam-packed but socially distanced show highlighted by live music sorely absent during the pandemic era. Four female acts won the top four prizes Sunday, including Swift, who became the first female performer to win album of the year three times, while Beyoncé – with her 28th win – became the most decorated woman in Grammy history. H.E.R. won song of the year, Billie Eilish picked up record of the year and Megan Thee Stallion was named best new artist. Sunday marked the first time four separate and solo women won the top four honors.
March 15, 2021 4:23 am
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – The defense attorney for a former Minneapolis police officer charged in George Floyd’s death says he’s “gravely concerned” that last week’s announcement of a $27 million settlement for Floyd’s family makes it impossible for his client to get a fair trial. Attorney Eric Nelson asked for a delay Monday and also raised the possibility of renewing his previously unsuccessful motion to move Derek Chauvin’s trial to another city because of the potential that the settlement has for tainting the jury pool. Nine jurors have already been selected. Judge Peter Cahill declined to grant an immediate delay but expressed concern.
March 15, 2021 4:22 am
BIG BEAVER — (WPXI) – A deadly house fire in Beaver County is being investigated now as a homicide, according to a release from police Sunday. The Beaver County coroner was called to the scene in the 1000 block of Shenango Road in Big Beaver shortly after flames broke out around 6 a.m. While firefighters got the blaze under control, they found the victim — identified as Rolando Contreras, 26 — dead inside the home. The coroner told our news partners at Channel 11 he had multiple gunshot wounds to the head and body. Police did not specify how the man was killed, or what caused the fire. Later Sunday morning, investigators confirmed police were looking for a vehicle and two people in connection with a homicide in Big Beaver. A BOLO went out for a green 2014 Chevrolet pickup truck with a Texas license plate. However, officials did not say if it is related to the deadly fire. Investigators said anyone with information about what happened is asked to call police.
