February 12, 2020 2:48 pm
DETROIT (AP) – Honda is recalling 241,000 Odyssey minivans in the U.S. to fix a wiring problem that could cause a fire. The recall covers EX-L, Touring and Elite minivans from the 2018 through 2020 model years. The company says the wiring harness running to a third-row power outlet may have been pinched and damaged during manufacturing. That can cause a short circuit, which can ignite a plastic interior panel covering. The company has three reports of fires with no injuries. Honda says in a that owners will be notified of the recall by mail in mid-March. Dealers will reroute the wiring and cover it with insulating tape. If the wiring harness is damaged, it will be replaced.
February 12, 2020 1:49 pm
LOS ANGELES (AP) – Two-time Emmy Award nominee and dancer Paula Kelly has died at 77. Kelly earned a Emmy nod in 1984 for portraying public defender Liz Williams on the first season of NBC’s “Night Court” and received another in 1989 for playing a lesbian on the ABC miniseries “The Women of Brewster Place.” One of her most important roles was Helene in “Sweet Charity,” which she played onstage in London and then reprised in Bob Fosse’s feature film debut. Her other film credits include “The Andromeda Strain” and “Soylent Green.” Her vast TV credits also include “Santa Barbara,” “Mission: Impossible” and “The Golden Girls.”
February 12, 2020 9:50 am
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) – Fire crews have responded to a fire inside an ExxonMobil refinery in Louisiana. News outlets report the fire erupted late Tuesday night at the facility in Baton Rouge. The fire turned the night sky a shade of orange and sent a large plume of smoke into the air. No injuries were reported. It wasn’t immediately clear what caused the fire. ExxonMobil says it responded to the situation and is monitoring the air quality. A spokesman for the Baton Rouge Fire Department says there is no off-site impact. The refinery is the fifth largest in the United States.
February 12, 2020 4:50 am
BEIJING (AP) – China has reported another drop in the number of new cases of a viral infection and 97 more deaths, pushing the total dead past 1,100 as postal services worldwide say delivery was being affected by the cancellation of many flights to China. The National Health Commission said Wednesday that 2,015 new cases had been reported over the last 24 hours. The total number of cases is around 45,000 globally. The death toll on the mainland rose to 1,113. Both the U.S. and Singapore Post said in notes to their global counterparts that they are no longer accepting items destined for China, “until sufficient transport capacity becomes available.”
February 12, 2020 4:29 am
After a gas explosion last summer, North Franklin Township will be undergoing some major changes for the remainder of 2020. Starting next month, Columbia Gas will be starting a pipeline replacement program that runs through the end of the year and possibly into 2021 depending on weather. Residents in North Franklin can expect slowed and stopped traffic on 17 different roads, ranging from township roads to state. The work will take place Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on township roads then 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. followed by 4 p.m. to dark on state roads during the school year, and 8:30 a.m. to dark on state roads during the summer. A new ordinance was also put into place Tuesday night declaring certain trees, shrubbery and brush must be removed if they are considered nuisances that would result in penalties for failure to abate. The board is also looking for a new location in the near future that would also include an area for recreation use around the new location. No timetable has been set.
February 12, 2020 4:26 am
The circus atmosphere continued at the City of Monessen Council Meeting on Tuesday night. A 52 minute audience comment section brought out pointed comments directed to all members of council regarding their business practices and their behavior among themselves. One instance in particular had a resident call out Councilman Gilbert Coles on his inability to accurately detail what bills are being paid by the city and how much money is in the bank. Coles was also criticized for not attending council meetings for an extended time just like Mayor Matthew Shorraw. Frustrated by the criticism, Coles asked the resident if he would like to go outside and straighten things out. That brought audience reactions of that statement being a threat of violence. When asked for a comment about that action, Coles declined to make a statement. Council opened the positions of Treasurer and City Controller. Both positions were opened because of a lack of residency proof and bond. Gerald Saksun was voted to retain his position as Treasurer pending receipt of the documentation and City Controller Maria Scuteri was voted out of her position. That is the second firing of a city controller since Shorraw returned to run the city as mayor. Councilman Anthony Orzechowski was critical of council because of lack of communication over agenda items that caught him by surprise and over the lack of detail in many of the agenda items. In audience comment sections, residents expressed their frustration with all city council members and the mayor for what they described as childish behavior.
February 12, 2020 4:21 am
DEARBORN, Mich. (AP) – Ford is recalling over 240,000 SUVs and cars worldwide because a suspension part can fracture and increase the risk of a crash. The recall covers the Ford Flex, Taurus police car, Taurus SHO and Lincoln MKT from the 2013 through 2018 model years. Most of the recalled vehicles are in North America. Ford says if the suspension moves a lot on the vehicles, the rear toe links can fracture. Toe links help keep the rear suspension stable and the tires on the pavement. The company says it’s not aware of any crashes or injuries caused by the problem in this batch of recalled vehicles. Dealers will replace toe links on both sides with new ones that are stronger. Owners will be notified starting March 2nd.
February 12, 2020 4:19 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump is suggesting that the Pentagon review the conduct of a former White House national security aide who played a central role in the Democrats’ impeachment case. Until last week Army Lt. Col. Alex Vindman was detailed to the White House as a National Security Council aide. He testified before the House impeachment panel that Trump inappropriately pushed Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and son Hunter Biden. Trump says that any discipline of Vindman is up to the Pentagon but that he expects commanders to “take a look” at his conduct.
February 12, 2020 4:18 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – The four lawyers who prosecuted Roger Stone have quit the case after the Justice Department overruled them and said it would take the extraordinary step of lowering the amount of prison time it would seek for President Donald Trump’s longtime ally and confidant. The resignations raise immediate questions over whether Trump had at least indirectly exerted his will on a Justice Department that he often views as an arm of the White House. The president had blasted the original sentencing recommendation as “very horrible and unfair.” Both he and the Justice Department say there was no communication.
February 12, 2020 4:16 am
MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) – Bernie Sanders won New Hampshire’s presidential primary election Tuesday night, narrowly edging moderate rival Pete Buttigieg and scoring the first clear victory in the Democratic Party’s chaotic 2020 nomination fight. In his win, the 78-year-old Sanders, a self-described democratic socialist, beat back a strong challenger from the 38-year-old former Midwestern mayor — two men representing different generations and wings of their party. “This victory here is the beginning of the end for Donald Trump,” Sanders declared. Sen. Amy Klobuchar finished a strong third, giving her campaign an unexpected boost, while Elizabeth Warren and Joe Biden finished way behind.
