March 9, 2021 12:47 pm
LONDON (AP) – Buckingham Palace has issued a statement, saying the family was saddened to learn of the challenges Harry and Meghan had faced in the past few years and that they would address the issues privately. The palace said Tuesday the “issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning,” and are taken very seriously. “Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much loved family members,” the statement says. The statement is the first comment by the palace following Harry and Meghan’s two hour interview with Oprah Winfrey in which they alleged that Meghan had experienced racism and callous treatment during her time in the royal family.
March 9, 2021 7:36 am
The Burgettstown School District has found its new Superintendent. The board has appointed Stephen Puskar to take over for Dr. James Walsh who is leaving to become Superintendent in the Bethel Park School District. Puskar currently serves as the Jr./Sr. High Principal of Claysburg-Kimmel School District near Altoona. He previously worked as an administrator in the Wilkinsburg and Baldwin-Whitehall School Districts. Puskar says “I am both proud and grateful that the school board selected me to be Dr. Walsh’s successor.” “I am humbled to be the next Superintendent” and “I look forward to working alongside everyone to create the best possible learning environment for the students.” The district says Dr. Joyce Nicksick will serve as acting superintendent during a transition period. She lives in Burgettstown and is a retired superintendent from Wilmington School District in Lawrence County.
March 9, 2021 4:15 am
DALLAS (AP) – Twitter has filed a lawsuit against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. The social media company claims the Republican used his office to retaliate against it for banning the account of former President Donald Trump following the riot at the U.S. Capitol. Days after the deadly January riot, Paxton announced an investigation into Twitter and four other major technology companies for what he called “the seemingly coordinated de-platforming of the president.” Twitter responded Monday with a federal lawsuit claiming Paxton is seeking to punish it for taking Trump’s account offline. Paxton’s office didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
March 9, 2021 4:13 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – Several million people stand to save hundreds of dollars in health insurance costs, or more, under the Democratic coronavirus relief legislation on track to pass Congress. Winners include those covered by “Obamacare” or now signing up, self-employed people who buy their own insurance and don’t currently get federal help, laid-off workers struggling to retain employer coverage, and most anyone who collects unemployment. Potentially many more could benefit if about a dozen hold-out states accept the legislation’s Medicaid deal and expand their programs.
March 9, 2021 4:12 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – A huge wind farm off the Massachusetts coast is edging closer to federal approval, setting up what the Biden administration hopes will be a model for a sharp increase in offshore wind energy development along the East Coast. The Vineyard Wind project, south of Martha’s Vineyard near Cape Cod, would create 800 megawatts of electricity, enough for 400,000 homes in New England. If approved, the $2 billion project would be the first utility-scale wind power development in federal waters. President Joe Biden has vowed to double offshore wind production by 2030 as part of his administration’s efforts to slow climate change.
March 9, 2021 4:11 am
HONOLULU (AP) – The Hawaii Senate is considering what would be the highest income tax rate of any state in the nation. The legislation would impose a 16% tax on individuals earning more than $200,000. California has the current top rate at 13.3% on those earning more than $1 million. Hawaii’s top rate is now 11%. Some lawmakers are exploring new sources of income because the state has suffered a sharp decline in tax revenue as tourism has plummeted during the coronavirus pandemic. The Senate Ways and Means Committee unanimously passed the measure last week. The bill’s prospects in the House are uncertain.
March 9, 2021 4:11 am
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) – California Gov. Gavin Newsom is set to give perhaps the most important speech of his political life Tuesday. The first-term governor has spent weeks laying the groundwork for an upbeat State of the State aimed at nearly 40 million people exhausted by a year of coronavirus restrictions. It comes as the deadline nears for organizers of a recall campaign against him to finish submitting signatures. They say they’ve received more than the 1.5 million needed to force a vote likely later this year on whether Newsom should keep his job. That makes Tuesday’s speech critical to keeping voters on his side.
March 9, 2021 4:07 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) – Pennsylvania has reached a settlement in a lawsuit against natural gas driller Chesapeake Energy Corp. for its handling of royalty payments to property owners. State Attorney General Josh Shapiro announced Monday that landowners will get $5.3 million in restitution and improved royalty payments going forward. Oklahoma City-based Chesapeake filed for bankruptcy protection in Texas in June. A company spokesman says it’s pleased to reach the deal. Depending on the type of lease they signed, affected Chesapeake lease holders will receive about $367 or about $700, as well as the ability to decide what sort of agreement they want to have with Chesapeake going forward.
March 9, 2021 4:07 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) – State, county and city governments in Pennsylvania will receive about $13 billion from the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 rescue package making its way through Congress. The state’s share of that will be about $7.3 billion while the other $5.7 billion will go to local governments, the Independent Fiscal Office told the Senate Appropriations Committee on Monday. They say governments can use the money to pay for costs associated with responding to the pandemic or to backfill revenue losses inflicted by the pandemic’s effects. The Independent Fiscal Office has projected a roughly $2.5 billion deficit for state government next year.
March 9, 2021 4:04 am
ALLEGHENY CO., Pa. — (WPXI)- For the third week in a row, St. Clair Hospital says it hasn’t been allocated any supply of the Pfizer vaccine for first dose appointments. Because of that, thousands of people were put on hold — forced to wait even longer to get the first dose of the coronavirus vaccine. “It’s profoundly disappointing to those who thought they were right on the cusp of being vaccinated,” said Dr. John Sullivan, senior vice president and chief medical officer at St. Clair. “We canceled several hundred last week, and we canceled all of the first dose appointments this week — and we canceled several senior living facilities.” That includes the Twin Towers Apartments in Mt. Lebanon and the Dormont Place Apartments — for senior citizens. Sullivan told our news partners at Channel 11 5,000 South Hills residents are still in the que, waiting to even schedule a vaccine appointment. And for those who need a second dose, it will depend on shipments over the next few weeks.
