July 2, 2019 4:08 am
VIENNA (AP) – Iran’s foreign minister is expressing his exasperation over a White House statement on his country’s nuclear program. Mohammad Javad Zarif simply wrote early Tuesday on Twitter: “Seriously?” That was in response to a White House statement late Monday claiming: “There is little doubt that even before the deal’s existence, Iran was violating its terms.” The White House did not elaborate on how Iran could break the terms of the deal that had yet to be implemented. Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers saw it limit its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew the U.S. from the accord last year. On Monday, officials acknowledged Iran broke through the limit the deal placed on its stockpile of low-enriched uranium.
July 2, 2019 4:02 am
ERIE, Pa. (AP) – State environmental regulators are moving to shut down a coke plant in northwestern Pennsylvania, citing “years of numerous repetitive environmental violations.” The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection said Monday it has denied Erie Coke Corporation’s application to renew its operating permit and filed a complaint in Erie County Court to shut down the plant. The department said it had received “persistent complaints” from the community for more than a decade, but although Erie Coke had been given many opportunities to address the violations, the “frequency and severity” of the violations had only increased. Ed Nesselbeck, Erie Coke Environmental Director, told the Erie Times-News that the company was reviewing the department’s statement. He told WICU-TV last week that environmental compliance “though challenging, will be doable” and asked for “cooperation and patience.”
July 2, 2019 4:00 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) – Pennsylvania is broadening a college tuition benefit for National Guard members who sign up for another six-year enlistment. Gov. Tom Wolf on Monday signed legislation he calls the nation’s most extensive higher education benefit for a state Guard unit . Since 1996, National Guard members who sign up for a six-year enlistment get 10 semesters, or five years, of tuition credits equal to the annual tuition rate charged by Pennsylvania’s state system universities. The new reenlistment benefit is identical, but can also be used by spouses or children.
The institution must be approved by the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency. The benefit starts immediately for Guard members. Family members can start claiming the benefit next summer. The new benefit is projected to cost about $12 million annually by 2024.
July 2, 2019 3:58 am
A run of the mill Supervisors meeting in Cecil Township turned out to be anything but that on Monday night. After all of the agenda items listed had been voted on, Supervisor Frank Egizio called for the immediate reorganization of the board. In a 3-2 vote, Chairman Eric Sivavec was voted out and Vice Chair Cindy Fisher was voted the new Chairperson. The main issue causing the vote was a lawsuit filed by Supervisor Tom Casciola against the other supervisors. Casciola maintains that the Sunshine Act was violated by what he describes as the firing of environmental attorneys working with the township on the purchase of the 87 acre ABB property in Muse. Egizio is upset that he and his colleagues must defend this suit and felt the board needed to go in a different direction. In her first order of business, Fisher presided over an audience comment period that lasted over 90 minutes. The comments came from more than 60 residents of the Windsor Woods community. They are concerned about the health risks and road destruction that could come about if Range Resources is allowed to develop the Augustine well pad. Diane DiDinardi, spokesperson for the residents of Windsor Woods was quite clear in her comments letting supervisors know that they do not want fracking taking place only 1000 feet from their homes. Supervisors were not able to comment as one resident is already suing the township over this issue and the solicitor advised them that they could not say anything as the issue proceeds through the courts.
July 1, 2019 5:27 pm
ELLENTON, Fla. (AP) – A Pennsylvania man says his 77-year-old mother contracted flesh-eating bacteria and died nearly two weeks after she fell and scraped her leg while walking on a Florida beach. Wade Fleming told The Associated Press on Monday that Lynn Fleming, who retired to Florida’s Gulf Coast, stumbled and fell into the water on Coquina Beach while her family was visiting from Pittsburgh. The wound swelled up and continued to bleed, leading her to urgent care where she was prescribed antibiotics and given a tetanus shot. The next day friends found her semi-conscious in her home and rushed her to a hospital. She was diagnosed with the flesh-eating disease and died Thursday after suffering two strokes and organ failure, almost two weeks after her injury. Coquina Beach is south of Tampa.
July 1, 2019 5:18 pm
WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump has signed a $4.6 billion aid package to help the federal government cope with the surge of Central American immigrants at the U.S.-Mexico border. Many Democratic lawmakers were hoping for more. They wanted stronger protections for how migrants are treated at holding facilities and to make it easier for lawmakers to make snap visits. The White House had threatened to veto the legislation on grounds that it would hamstring border security efforts. Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was forced to accept the Republican-controlled Senate’s version of the aid package, frustrating the more liberal members of her caucus. The bill bolsters care for tens of thousands of arrivals taken into custody monthly and sets guidelines for how the Trump administration must handle them.
July 1, 2019 3:37 pm
WHEELING, W.Va. (AP) – A charter bus weighing well over the weight limit crossed a West Virginia suspension bridge causing it to temporarily close. News outlets report a charter bus weighing more than the bridge’s 2-ton (1.8-metric ton) limit crossed the Wheeling Suspension Bridge on Saturday leading to the bridge’s closure. Wheeling Police Department spokesman Philip Stahl says the driver of the bus was cited for the overweight vehicle and failing to obey a traffic control device. The bridge remained closed Monday morning until an inspector can ensure it’s structurally sound.
July 1, 2019 1:46 pm
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) – Legislation to help Pennsylvania’s counties afford new voting machines before next year’s election is wrapped up in the politics of voting and election laws. Gov. Tom Wolf said Monday that he’ll decide later in the week whether to sign or veto a bill that was opposed by the vast majority of his fellow Democrats in the state Legislature. The bill passed by the Republican-controlled Legislature authorizes borrowing $90 million to help counties underwrite a total voting-machine replacement cost that could exceed $100 million. Hours before it passed, Republicans added that provision to legislation that also eliminates the single ballot option for voters to select a straight-party ticket in elections. Democrats say that’ll benefit Republicans in down-ballot legislative elections. Republicans say it’ll encourage voters to vote for candidates, not parties.
July 1, 2019 10:34 am
OPAL, Va. (AP) – The Transportation Department is poised to relax the federal rules that govern how many hours a day truck drivers can be behind the wheel. Interest groups that represent motor carriers and truck drivers have lobbied for revisions they say would make the rigid “hours of service” rules more flexible. The trucking industry has developed a strong relationship with President Donald Trump, who’s made rolling back layers of regulatory oversight a priority. Highway safety advocates say the contemplated changes represent a dangerous weakening of regulations and will result in truckers putting in even longer days at a time when they say driver fatigue already is such a serious problem. They point to new government data that shows fatal crashes involving trucks weighing as much as 80,000 pounds have increased.
July 1, 2019 9:28 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – Americans give President Donald Trump mixed reviews for his economic stewardship despite the growth achieved during this presidency. The findings from a poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research come as the economy appears to have set a record for the longest expansion in U.S. history. Nearly two-thirds describe the economy as “good,” while 47% say they approve of how Trump is handling the issue. About 4 in 10 approve of how he is handling his job overall. The survey indicates that most Americans do not believe they’re personally benefiting from his trade policies. Only 17% say they received a tax cut after the president’s tax overhaul passed in 2017. Those doubts create a possible vulnerability as Trump highlights the strong economy in his campaign for re-election.
