September 6, 2024 8:42 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Hiring by America’s employers picked up a bit in August from July’s sluggish pace, and the unemployment rate dipped for the first time since March in a sign that the job market may be cooling but remains sturdy. Employers added 142,000 jobs last month, up from just 89,000 in July. The unemployment rate ticked down to 4.2% from 4.3% in July, which had been the highest level in nearly three years. Collectively, Friday’s figures depict a job market slowing under the pressure of high interest rates but still growing. Many employers are responding to the resilience of consumers, who stepped up their spending in July.
September 6, 2024 4:58 am
WEST ALEXANDER, Pa. — (WPXI) – Issues with a ride at the West Alexander Fair on Thursday night prompted a response from medics. Washington County 911 supervisor confirmed that medics were called to the fair around 7:45 p.m. after one of the rides “came to an abrupt stop.” WPXI spoke with Jayme Cain, who said her three kids were on the ride at the time. Cain tells Channel 11 the ride’s supports appeared to slip off the blocks holding it up. “All the kids came to an abrupt stop. Their faces hit the front. They were only in by a chain link, no real safety belt,” Cain explained. Cain said medics evaluated 10 kids, including hers. The ride appeared to be closed when Channel 11 arrived at the fair.
September 6, 2024 2:51 am
Washington County Republican Controller April Sloane entered a guilty plea in Washington County Court Thursday morning, to a third degree felony charge related to the death of her dog last year. Washington County District Attorney Jason Walsh tells WJPA that Sloane entered the guilty plea to aggravated animal cruelty in front of Judge John DiSalle, who then outlined her plea agreement. Walsh says DiSalle sentenced her to five years probation, she was ordered to undergo mental health treatment and she is forbidden from having or adopting animals during that time. Walsh says she also agreed to submit her resignation from her position as controller on or before September 30th. The 43-year-old Sloane faced two felony aggravated cruelty to animals charges related to the death of her dog Thor. Sloane was accused of neglecting her dog and allowing it to live in deplorable conditions in her North Strabane Township home, causing its death. Police were alerted to the situation by the Washington County Humane Society who said they received a call about the dog. North Strabane Township Police searched Sloane’s home on December 6th and found the dead dog stashed away in a plastic bag in her garage. In an emailed statement, Washington County Republican Commission Chairman Nick Sherman said that, with her resignation pending, the county has immediately ceased all access to her functions of county government, including all computer access, and will be withholding her pay until the end of the month. Sherman says the Deputy Controller will assume Sloane’s duties until her term expires in 2025.
September 6, 2024 5:02 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A court decision in the presidential battleground of Pennsylvania means voters can cast a provisional ballot in place of a mail-in ballot that is rejected for a garden-variety mistake they made when they returned it. Lawyers in the case say Thursday’s decision will apply to all counties. An appeal could be filed within days to the state Supreme Court. Parties in the case couldn’t immediately say how many Pennsylvania counties don’t let voters replace a rejected mail-in ballot with a provisional ballot. Democrats typically outvote Republicans by mail by about 3-to-1 in Pennsylvania, and the decision could mean that hundreds or thousands more votes are counted in November’s election.
September 6, 2024 5:09 am
NEW YORK (AP) — A judge has agreed to postpone Donald Trump’s sentencing in his hush money case until after the November election. Judge Juan M. Merchan’s decision Friday grants Trump a hard-won reprieve as he navigates the aftermath of his criminal conviction and the homestretch of his presidential campaign. Merchan delayed Trump’s sentencing until Nov. 26. That’s several weeks after the final votes are cast in the presidential election. It had been scheduled for Sept. 18, about seven weeks before Election Day. Merchan also delayed a decision on a defense request to throw out the case on immunity grounds. Trump argued that sentencing him as scheduled would be election interference.
September 6, 2024 12:53 pm
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Sergio Mendes, the Grammy-winning Brazilian musician whose 1966 hit “Mas Que Nada” made him a global superstar, has died after months battling the effects of long COVID. He was 83. The death Thursday of the Brazilian pianist, songwriter and arranger was confirmed in a statement by his family on Friday. “Mas que Nada” was one of the songs that helped popularize the Brazilian music genre Bossa Nova worldwide in the 1960s. Mendes won the 1992 Grammy Award for Best World Music Album for “Brasileiro” and two Latin Grammy Awards. He also received an Oscar nomination in 2012 for Best Original Song for “Real in Rio,” from the animated film “Rio.” (Photo: AP)
September 6, 2024 5:06 am
JENIN REFUGEE CAMP, West Bank (AP) — Israeli forces appeared to have withdrawn from three refugee camps in the occupied West Bank, after a more-than weeklong military operation that has left dozens dead and a trail of destruction. Overnight, Israeli armored personnel carriers were seen leaving the Jenin refugee camp and there was no evidence of any remaining troops inside as dawn broke early Friday morning. During the operation, Israeli military officials said they were targeting militants in Jenin, Tulkarem and the Al-Faraa refugee camp in an attempt to curb recent attacks against Israeli civilians they say have become more sophisticated and deadly. Troops had also been pulled out of the Tulkarem camp and had left Al-Faraa earlier.
September 5, 2024 5:38 pm
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Hunter Biden has pleaded guilty to federal tax charges to avoid facing another criminal trial months after his conviction in a separate gun case. President Joe Biden’s son entered the surprise plea Thursday, hours after jury selection was supposed to begin in the case accusing him of a scheme to avoid paying at least $1.4 million in taxes. Hunter Biden was already facing the prospect of potential prison time after his conviction in June on three felony gun charges. He was supposed to avoid trial in both cases under a plea deal last year with prosecutors that fell apart after the judge raised questions about it. (Photo: AP)
September 5, 2024 1:45 pm
A construction worker on Interstate 70 East near the Eighty-Four exit was hit by a vehicle just before one o’clock Thursday afternoon. Washington County 911 tells WJPA that the worker was reportedly struck by a construction vehicle and was flown from the scene. There has been no word on what caused the vehicle to hit the worker or how seriously they were hurt.
September 5, 2024 8:40 am
The legal fight over ballot curing in Washington County has resulted in legal fees of more than $75,000 so far. Commissioner’s Chairman Nick Sherman (pictured) tells WJPA that Pittsburgh-based attorney David Berardinelli submitted an initial invoice that totaled more than $96,000 for more than 200-hours of work. Reportedly, he then reduced that by 25-percent. The lawsuit resulted over the County Elections Board decision to no allow for errors on mail-in ballots to be corrected during the primary election. Sherman and fellow Republican Commissioner Electra Janis voted in favor of not allowing so-called curing. Democratic Commissioner Larry Maggi voted against. Sherman maintains that the county is simply following the letter of state law. He also questions the ruling by Washington County Common Pleas Court Judge Brandon Neuman who ruled that while the county is not required to offer ballot curing options it must notify voters of mistakes and permit them to cast a provisional ballot on election day if there ballot included a fatal error. Sherman says Judge Neuman, in his own ruling, said the matter should be a decision of the State Legislature. He says talks continue as they consider an appeal of that ruling.
