January 7, 2020 4:20 am
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) – A Kenyan government official says four people are dead after a raid by suspected al-Shabab extremists in eastern Garissa County. The deputy county commissioner said Tuesday the gunmen targeted police officers at a roadblock. He says two of the suspected extremists were killed by police and the residents were killed by stray bullets during the fighting. The al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab has vowed retribution on Kenya for deploying its troops to fight the extremist group in neighboring Somalia. Since December the group has increased attacks inside Kenya including Sunday’s attack on a military base that killed three U.S. military personnel.
January 7, 2020 4:14 am
A new regime begins in North Franklin Township with several big changes coming in 2020. Bob Sabot was named the Chairperson for the North Franklin Township Board of Supervisors with Silvio Passalacqua as his vice-chairperson and the return of Mike Quinn. The changes come with the departure of Ron Junko at the end of 2019. Sabot talked about a few projects he is excited for this year, but the biggest is the Columbia Gas construction that will take place on multiple roadways in the township. The work will be done along Franklin Farms Road, Gabby Avenue and Park Avenue, and Sabot is hoping the job is completed by the fall of 2020. There are also major road projects coming to Holiday Hills. Work on the township building is another target for Sabot this year.
January 7, 2020 4:13 am
It was a night of reorganization for North Strabane Supervisors on Monday night. Supervisors welcomed a new face to the board. Emily Holmes was sworn in to take the place of Robert Balogh whom she defeated in the November general election. Holmes was subdued but honored by her election. One of the items Holmes hoped to fix was a resolution passed exactly one year ago. That resolution allowed Supervisors to participate in the Township Group Health Plan. No supervisor was able to take advantage of that resolution before 2020, and it was unanimously rescinded Monday night before anyone could apply. Supervisors appointed Neil Kelly Chairman and Marcus Staley Vice Chairman.
January 7, 2020 4:09 am
Authorities looking into the dead-of-night crash on a Pennsylvania interstate that killed five people say a loaded passenger bus passed a truck shortly before the wreck. A National Transportation Safety Board member said Monday an initial report about the incident should be out in about 10 days, and a more detailed analysis could take two years. Dozens were injured in the crash at about 3:30 a.m. Sunday on the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Mount Pleasant.
January 7, 2020 3:33 am
The new board of Washington County Commissioners held their first agenda meeting of the new year and voted in Republican Diana Irey Vaughn as the new chairman of the board. In addition, the board, which now includes Republican Nick Sherman who ousted incumbent Democrat Harlan Shober in the November General Election, named John Haynes as the new Chief of Staff. The position is a brand new one for the county and comes with a salary of ninety-five-thousand-dollars a year. The 45-year-old Haynes grew up in Wilmerding and most recently served as a managing director for a private equity firm in Pittsburgh. Commissioners are also expected to appoint Jana Grimm of Steptoe and Johnson in Southpointe, as the county’s new solicitor to replace Lynn DeHaven.
January 7, 2020 3:18 am
Washington City Council welcomed one new member and two familiar faces in their first meeting of the new year. Businessman Joe Pintola was sworn in as councilman, taking over for the departed Monda Williams. Pintola thinks his ownership of a business and real estate in the city will prove valuable to his position. Councilman Ken Westcott was sworn in again as was Mayor Scott Putnam. Putnam wants to continue his fight against blight. He also would like to see homeownership in the city increase. He is looking to sponsor homebuyer programs in an effort to bring a larger home owner base to the city. Currently, the city has a 57% landlord base of property owners. Also sworn into their positions on Monday were Nick Dubina as Controller and Anthony Nicolella as Treasurer.
January 6, 2020 5:20 pm
WASHINGTON (AP) – Former White House national security adviser John Bolton says he is “prepared to testify” if he is subpoenaed by the Senate in its impeachment trial of President Donald Trump. Bolton’s surprise statement Monday bolsters congressional Democrats, who are pushing for the Senate to call new witnesses in the trial. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has publicly expressed resistance to calling new witnesses. Democrats want testimony from Bolton and others who didn’t appear before the House in its impeachment inquiry. It’s unclear whether Bolton’s testimony would hurt or help Trump. The two clashed while Bolton was in the White House. No date for the Senate trial has been set.
January 6, 2020 3:14 pm
UNDATED (AP) – Borden is filing for bankruptcy protection, the second major US dairy to do so in as many months. American refrigerators are increasingly stocked with dairy substitutes like soy and almond milk, hammering traditional milk producers like Borden, which was founded in 1857. Dean Foods, the nation’s largest milk producer, filed for bankruptcy protection in November. Both dairies are based in Dallas. Borden Dairy Co. – whose smiling mascot Elsie the cow first appeared on milk cartons in the 1930s – says it will continue operations during its financial restructuring.
January 6, 2020 11:48 am
GREENSBURG, Pa. (WPXI)- The Westmoreland County Courthouse was evacuated Monday morning. Officials have not said why the courthouse in Greensburg has been evacuated, but police are using K9s to search the building. Police have blocked off the complex, and no one is allowed in or out of the courthouse.
January 6, 2020 8:42 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – Two top Senate Democrats are calling on President Donald Trump to immediately declassify the administration’s reasoning for the deadly strike on an Iranian official. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and the Senate Foreign Relation Committee’s Sen. Robert Menendez say there’s “no legitimate justification” for keeping the information from the public. Schumer and Menendez say in a Monday letter to Trump the White House’s classified notification sent to Congress Saturday under the War Powers Act was insufficient. Trump has warned the U.S. will levy harsh sanctions if Iraq expels American troops in retaliation for the strike in Baghdad that killed Gen. Qassem Soleimani. Iran has vowed to retaliate.
