November 21, 2019 4:16 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says there is clear evidence that President Donald Trump has used his office for his personal gain. She says doing that “undermined the national security of the United States.” The California Democrat says lawmakers involved in the House impeachment inquiry haven’t decided what charges they might bring against Trump. She says they don’t know if they’ll try hearing from additional witnesses. Pelosi also says she doesn’t want to hold up the inquiry to wait for federal courts to decide whether some witnesses can testify. She says the House investigation “cannot be at the mercy of a court.” Democrats have sought testimony from people like former White House national security adviser John Bolton. But these potential witnesses have filed court cases to determine if they must appear.
November 21, 2019 4:14 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) – Legislation to raise Pennsylvania’s minimum wage for the first time since 2009 is headed to the state House of Representatives, passed in the Senate against a deadline to stall Gov. Tom Wolf’s regulatory package to substantially expand overtime pay eligibility. The Republican-controlled Senate approved the bill Wednesday, 42-7, to raise Pennsylvania’s minimum wage in four steps to $9.50 in 2022. Pennsylvania’s current minimum wage is the federal minimum of $7.25, which lags each of its neighbors and most other states. Its prospects in the Republican-controlled House are unclear. The bill is far more modest than the immediate $12 minimum that Wolf proposed in January. Another concession Wolf made in the agreement with Republican lawmakers is rescinding his proposed overtime regulation before a state rule-making board votes on it Thursday.
November 21, 2019 4:13 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) – A bill to provide more time to file charges or lawsuits over sexual abuse is on its way to Pennsylvania’s governor. The House sent the statute-of-limitations bill to Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf with a 182-5 vote on Thursday. The House also sent legislation to invalidate confidentiality agreements that aim to keep child sexual abuse victims from talking to investigators. Wolf says he’ll sign the bills and companion legislation clarifying penalties for mandated reporters who don’t report suspected child abuse. The move capped a debate propelled by last year’s landmark grand jury report into child molestation by Roman Catholic priests. A proposed constitutional amendment to give now-adult victims of child sexual abuse a new opportunity to sue abusers and institutions has passed both chambers but must do so again in the 2021-22 session.
November 21, 2019 4:11 am
SWEDESBORO, N.J. (AP) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture says thousands of pounds of salad products are being recalled due to a possible E. coli contamination The department says Missa Bay, LLC from Swedesboro, New Jersey, is recalling more than 75,000 pounds of salad products that contain meat or poultry because the lettuce may be contaminated with a strain of E. coli. The products were sold on Oct. 14 through Oct. 16 in Alabama, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia, and Wisconsin. Authorities say the Maryland Department of Health tested an unopened salad product with chicken and the lettuce came back positive for a strain of E. coli bacteria. The Centers for Disease Control says E. coli often causes diarrhea and vomiting.
November 21, 2019 2:19 am
Two teens have been arrested after a police chase Wednesday morning, following an armed robbery in Canonsburg. South Strabane Police Chief Drew Hilk says both suspects are seventeen years old. The male suspect is from Uniontown and the female suspect is from Canonsburg. Hilk says they are being charged as juveniles in the incident, which started around eight-thirty a.m. when South Strabane Township Police Officers spotted a vehicle on Washington Road matching the description of one that had been reported stolen in Canonsburg. Canonsburg Police Chief Al Coghill tells WJPA News that the vehicle, a silver Honda Pilot, was also believed to have been involved in an armed robbery around five a.m. at the Gas N Go on Euclid Avenue. South Strabane Police followed the vehicle into the City of Washington where they tried to pull it over. The SUV fled the scene onto West Chestnut Street and continued to Bonanza Road where the teens jumped out. The girl was quickly apprehended but a Trinity School District Police Office brought in his K-9 to help find the boy, who was located hiding in a drain pipe. The teens are facing charges as juveniles for fleeing and attempting to elude, flight to avoid apprehension and receiving stolen property. Canonsburg Police are investigating their possible connection to the earlier armed robbery. Sources say police are still looking for the woman who actually robbed the store. (Photo; Greene County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page)
November 20, 2019 12:38 pm
Disney says Disney Plus account passwords being sold in underground hacking forums are coming from previous breaches at other companies, predating last week’s launch of its streaming service. The company reiterated Wednesday that it found no evidence of a security breach and that account problems are limited to “a very small percentage of users.” Despite warnings by security experts, users often reuse passwords at multiple services, meaning a breach at one opens the door for a hacker to gain access to the others. The news site ZDNet found stolen account usernames and passwords selling for $3 on underground hacking forums. Disney’s streaming service costs $7 a month or $70 a year.
November 20, 2019 12:32 pm
DETROIT (AP) – General Motors is suing Fiat Chrysler, alleging that its crosstown rival got an unfair business advantage by bribing officials of the United Auto Workers union. The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Detroit, alleges that FCA was involved in racketeering by paying millions in bribes to get concessions and gain advantages in three labor agreements with the union. Details of the racketeering have been exposed in a federal probe of corruption at the union that has resulted in multiple arrests. The lawsuit alleges that Fiat Chrysler corrupted the bargaining process with the UAW in the 2009, 2011 and 2015 union contracts to gain advantages over General Motors.
November 20, 2019 12:30 pm
NEW YORK (AP) – The Grammys are screaming “Cuz I Love You” to Lizzo: the breakthrough singer-rapper scored a whopping eight nominations, including bids for the top four awards, making her the show’s top-nominated act. Lizzo picked up nominations for album of the year with her major-label debut, “Cuz I Love You”; song and record of the year with her anthemic No. 1 hit, “Truth Hurts”; and best new artist. Like Lizzo, other new artists dominated with Grammy nominations on Wednesday: Billie Eilish and Lil Nas X earned six nominations apiece. Eilish also scored nominations in the top four categories, making the 17-year-old the youngest artist in the history of the Grammys to achieve the feat. Lil Nas X is up for three of the top four awards, including album and record of the year for “Old Town Road.”
November 20, 2019 12:23 pm
WXPI has confirmed that Meteorologist Kevin Benson is no longer with the station, but did not elaborate on the circumstances surrounding his departure. Benson was arrested and charged with three counts of drunken driving and four traffic violations in September, in connection with an incident in Washington County. Authorities say a motorist reported an erratic driver on Interstate 79 near the I-70 Interchange. A State Police Officer pulled over a vehicle a short time later in South Strabane Township that was being driven by Benson. Troopers say he had bloodshot eyes and smelled of alcohol. Benson’s blood-alcohol level was reported at point-three-percent and tests showed his blood also contained an inactive metabolite found in cocaine. A preliminary hearing has been set for Benson for December 20th.
November 20, 2019 4:21 am
The year is winding down in North Strabane Township but Supervisors have been busy with public hearings and budgets. On Tuesday, North Strabane Supervisors continued their hearing concerning updates to the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance. Township staff and consultants have been working on the ordinance and supervisors asked that they be provided a red line version of the proposals so that they can compare changes made to the document. Once that has been prepared, an additional meeting will be scheduled for more study and public input. In regular township business, supervisors were presented with a preliminary budget. The budget shows no tax increase. Township officials did not want to comment on the preliminary budget until its final adoption next week. Final budget approval will be done at the December Legislative meeting.
