July 28, 2020 4:14 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – Deep-pocketed and often anonymous donors are pouring over $100 million into an intensifying dispute about whether it should be easier to vote by mail. In Wisconsin, cities have received $6.3 million from an organization with ties to left-leaning philanthropy to help expand vote by mail. Meanwhile, a well-funded conservative group best known for its focus on judicial appointments is spending heavily to fight cases related to mail-in balloting procedures in court. The massive effort is remarkable considering the practice has long been noncontroversial. But the coronavirus is forcing changes to the way states conduct elections and prompting activists across the political spectrum to seek an advantage.
July 28, 2020 4:10 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – The differences in Washington over the next coronavirus aid package are vast. Democrats propose $3 trillion in relief. Republicans have a $1 trillion counteroffer. And millions of Americans’ jobless benefits, school reopenings and eviction protections are at stake. The White House negotiators are returning to Capitol Hill on Tuesday to meet at House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office. It’s apparent that Democrats have the leverage. Republicans are so divided over the prospect of big government spending they are leaving Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell with a severely weakened hand as a $600 federal unemployment assistance and eviction protections expire Friday.
July 28, 2020 4:09 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – Attorney General William Barr is defending the aggressive federal law enforcement response to civil unrest in America, saying “violent rioters and anarchists have hijacked legitimate protests” sparked by George Floyd’s death at the hands of police. Barr told members of the House Judiciary Committee at a much-anticipated election year hearing Tuesday the violence taking place in Portland, Oregon, and other cities is disconnected from Floyd’s killing, He described Floyd’s death as a “horrible” event that prompted a necessary national reckoning on the relationship between the Black community and law enforcement. Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler says Barr has “aided and abetted” President Donald Trump’s worst impulses. (Photo: CNN)
July 28, 2020 4:06 am
(AP) – The head of U.S. Park Police is denying that his officers turned violently on protesters and journalists near the White House to clear the area for a photo event by President Donald Trump. Gregory T. Monahan’s testimony Tuesday before the House Natural Resources Committee marks his first extended account of the force used against demonstrators and journalists in Lafayette Square on June 1. Democrats are investigating the force used and examining whether Park Police acted to allow Trump to stage a photo opportunity nearby a half-hour later. Monahan told lawmakers there was “zero correlation” between the abrupt clearing of the area and Trump’s surprise appearance shortly after.
July 28, 2020 4:05 am
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – The mayors of six U.S. cities are appealing to Congress to make it illegal for the U.S. government to deploy militarized agents to cities that don’t want them. The mayors of Portland, Oregon, Seattle, Chicago, Kansas City, Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Washington wrote to leaders of the U.S. House and Senate pushing for limits on agent deployments. The move came Monday as a top official said federal militarized officers would remain in Portland until attacks on the U.S. courthouse cease. Early Monday, U.S. agents repeatedly fired what appeared to be tear gas, flash bangs and pepper balls at protester
July 28, 2020 4:03 am
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) – West Virginia University has pushed back the start of its fall semester by a week and is switching some courses to online instruction due to concerns about the coronavirus outbreak. University President Gordon Gee says the move is aimed at reducing the overall amount of people on the Morgantown campus. He says most upper-division undergraduate courses will transition to online or a combination of online and face-to-face instruction. The move-in dates for residence halls will now occur from Aug. 15 to 22 with the start of classes set for Aug. 26th.
July 28, 2020 4:01 am
Judge Gary Gilman sentenced two men on felony charges Tuesday morning. Michael Lowe, 29 of Burgettstown was sentenced to two consecutive 1 ½ to 5 year jail terms on felony counts of burglary. This, after initially facing more than 160 different charges stemming from a crime spree in the Burgettstown, Smith and Hanover Township area. Lowe was ordered to pay restitution of nearly $66,000 to roughly a dozen victims. Lowe will make application to the state’s Recidivism Risk Reduction Incentive program, allowing him to reduce his jail term based on good behavior during his sentence. Secondly, Thomas McCort was sentenced on one felony count of possession of child pornography. The 68 year old South Strabane Township man was found to have had more than 1000 images of child pornography on a laptop when police seized that computer back in October of 2019. McCort will serve two years of probation and will have to perform 100 hours of community service in the first year of his sentence. He will not be allowed contact with minors without adult supervision and he will be able to possess a computer as long as the Adult Probation Office has unfettered access to it.
July 28, 2020 3:57 am
Peters Township Council delivered on a decades long desire for many residents as they approved a measure to award a contract for the development of an aquatic center at the new Rolling Hills Park. The decision came down to a split vote 4-3 with council members Monica Merrell, Gary Stiegel and Frank Arcuri dissenting on the vote. Merrell felt that even though it has merit, now is not the appropriate time to consider this amenity and funds could be better spent on other infrastructure. Councilman James Berquist countered by indicating that the cost to borrow money could not be any better and based on that, now is the time to act. Council authorized Township Manager Paul Lauer to begin communications with the Kimmel Borgrette Engineering Development firm. Council also held a public hearing to update its sign ordinance. The purpose of the update is to make sure the township is in compliance with Supreme Court rulings with regards to content regulation. Council also is seeking a solution to the abundance of temporary signs that have become permanent in the Route 19 corridor. Some signs have been in place for so long that the paint has faded and they are now difficult to read. Council also welcomed back their colleague James Berquist after his battle with Covid-19. Berquist said his symptoms were not as severe as some, but the disease is certainly not something to be taken lightly.
July 28, 2020 3:54 am
The Beth-Center School District was unable to conduct their regular monthly meeting Monday night due to the cap on participants allowed to join the basic version of “Zoom” online meetings. Before the meeting was called to order, the maximum of 100 participants was met. At that point, Solicitor Jim Davis suggested that the board proceed with the meeting next week so that all community members could have the opportunity to participate. However, Superintendent Chris Sefcheck, was permitted to reveal their preliminary re-opening framework. He says the district will proceed with a Hybrid model due to their inability to socially distance all students. Students will be grouped into “Blue” or “Gold” groups and attend two days per week and complete online coursework three days per week. Wednesday will be utilized as a cleaning day. The other option for parents is total online learning. Sefcheck stressed that, “this is not a plan – but only a framework at this point.” The district will attempt to conduct their regular meeting next Monday online, as their agenda includes approving a 4-million-dollar tax anticipation loan to fill an over 2-million-dollar budget shortfall.
July 27, 2020 10:46 am
NEW YORK (AP) – Target is joining Walmart in closing its stores on Thanksgiving Day, ending a decade-long tradition of jump starting Black Friday sales. The move, announced Monday, comes as stores are rethinking the Black Friday in-store door busters as they try to curb the spread of the coronavirus, which has seen a resurgence in a slew of states. Target opened for the first time on Thanksgiving in 2011, joining other stores in jump-starting Black Friday sales and creating a new tradition of shoppers heading out to the stores after their turkey feast.
