May 22, 2021 4:23 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) – Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate and payrolls remained virtually the same in April. State figures released Friday show Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate rose one-tenth of a percentage point to 7.4%. That was more than a whole point above the national rate of 6.1% in April. In a survey of households, the labor force remained virtually the same, at just below 6.34 million. The state hit a record high labor force of almost 6.6 million just before the pandemic. In a separate survey of employers, payrolls in Pennsylvania slid in April by 4,400, to below 5.67 million. Pennsylvania has regained about 60% of the 1.1 million jobs lost in the pandemic.
May 22, 2021 4:22 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) – A senior adviser to Donald Trump is taking to Twitter to stress that the former president has made no endorsement of anyone to become governor of Pennsylvania. Thursday’s statement by the adviser, Jason Miller, comes a day after a Republican state senator said that Trump had asked him to run for governor in 2022 and promised to campaign for him. Miller, on Twitter, reiterated that Trump “has not made any endorsement or commitments yet” in the race. The state senator, Doug Mastriano, hasn’t declared his candidacy. However, Lou Barletta, the Republican Party’s Trump-endorsed nominee for U.S. Senate in 2018, has declared his candidacy for governor.
May 21, 2021 2:53 am
TOKYO (AP) – The IOC and local Tokyo Olympic organizers are wrapping up three days of planning meetings just two months before the postponed games are to open. Much of the focus is on persuading a skeptical public and medical community that the games should go ahead. The problem is that 60 to 80 percent of people in Japan, depending how the question is asked in public opinion polls, don’t want the Olympics to open in the middle of a pandemic despite repeated assurances from organizers that games will be “safe and secure.” The Olympics open on July 23 followed by the Paralympics on August 24.
May 21, 2021 2:51 am
PHOENIX (AP) – Arizona’s top elections official says voting machines from the state’s most populous county should not be used after they were handed over to state Senate Republicans for an audit of the 2020 election results. Democratic Secretary of State Katie Hobbs said in a letter that Maricopa County lost control of the machines after they were handed over and doesn’t know what was done to them. She urged the county not to use the machines any longer and threatened to initiate a process that could lead to their decertification. County officials say they’re evaluating their next steps but will not use any machines that could pose a risk to free and fair elections.
May 21, 2021 2:50 am
NEW YORK (AP) – CNN says it was inappropriate for news anchor Chris Cuomo to be involved in phone calls with the staff of his brother, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. The Washington Post reports that the CNN news anchor was involved in strategy sessions on how to respond to sexual harassment allegations against his older brother. The Post said Chris Cuomo advised not resigning in the wake of the accusations, which his brother has not done. CNN has not disciplined its prime time anchor for being involved in the phone calls. Chris Cuomo apologized on his show Thursday night for being involved in the calls.
May 21, 2021 2:49 am
NEW YORK (AP) – Federal prosecutors say 18 electronic devices taken during raids last month on Rudolph Giuliani’s home and his law firm in a probe of his dealings in Ukraine belong to Giuliani and employees of his firm. The previously redacted facts were revealed when prosecutors on Thursday re-filed an April 29 letter on the public record in Manhattan federal court. The letter had sought the appointment of a “special master” to ensure nothing subject to attorney-client privilege was revealed to the government. The investigation is examining Giuliani’s ties to Ukraine and whether he violated a federal law that governs lobbying on behalf of foreign countries or entities.
May 21, 2021 2:48 am
JERUSALEM (AP) – Israel and Hamas have announced a ceasefire to end a bruising 11-day war that caused widespread destruction in the Gaza Strip and brought life in much of Israel to a standstill. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced late Thursday that his Security Cabinet approved the Egyptian-mediated proposal. Hamas quickly followed suit and said it would honor the deal. At 2 a.m. local time, just as the cease-fire took effect, life returned to the streets of Gaza. People went out of their homes, some shouting “Allahu Akbar” or whistling from balconies. The move came after heavy U.S. pressure to halt the offensive. At least 230 Palestinians were killed in the fighting, along with 12 people in Israel.
May 21, 2021 1:56 am
GREENSBURG, Pa. — Former Pirates pitcher Felipe Vazquez was convicted on 15 counts in the sexual assault trial of a then 13-year-old victim Thursday evening. Vazquez was found guilty of statutory sexual assault, indecent sexual assault, sexual abuse of children, unlawful contact with a minor, and corruption of a minor. Vazquez was found not guilty on 10 child porn charges related to video and picture evidence in the case. The jury only deliberated for four hours. Earlier Thursday, Vazquez took the stand as the trial entered its fourth day. He didn’t deny the sexual relationship that he had with the victim, but he did deny knowing that the victim was only 13. He also admitted to lying under oath. The prosecution painted a picture of Vazquez grooming the underage girl and calling her “kid” in texts. The defense said that the former MLB player’s career is over, and they don’t know what was going through the jury’s mind. The case isn’t over as the prosecution has cases in Florida and St. Louis.
May 21, 2021 1:46 am
WASHINGTON, Pa. — Life Flight was needed after a two vehicle accident in Canton Township Thursday night. Washington County 911 says a two-vehicle accident had traffic stopped just before 10:00 p.m. on Interstate 70 eastbound just before the Jessop Place exit. Reports say one helicopter was deployed to the scene, while a second air unit was dispatched to the Washington Hospital to take a patient to a Pittsburgh facility. There is no word on the identities of the individuals involved, or what caused the accident. State Police led the investigation on scene.
May 21, 2021 1:11 am
Washington County Commissioners on Thursday, approved a resolution, at the request of Washington County Judge John DiSalle, to shift collection duties from the county’s Clerk of Courts Office to the Adult Probation Office. As a result of the move, four employees currently under the supervision of Brenda Davis, will be moved into the Adult Probation Office. County Court Administrator, Patrick Grimm, says they have been looking at the possibility of shifting the collections duties to Adult Probation for several months because that is the way it used to be. Grimm says it’s easier for criminal defendants to take care of all fines and fees in one office. Davis took exception to the move, claiming the commissioners were firing the employees. Commissioners though, reiterated, after a heated dispute with Davis, that no one was getting fired and there would be no change in pay or benefits. The move is expected to take effect June first.
