August 30, 2024 5:09 am
SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris on Thursday defended shifting away from her some of her more liberal positions in her first major television interview of her presidential campaign. But she insisted her “values have not changed,” even as she is “seeking consensus.” Sitting with her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Harris was asked about changes in her policies over the years, specifically her reversals on fracking and decriminalizing illegal border crossings. The CNN interview comes as voters are still trying to learn more about the Democratic ticket under an unusually compressed time frame. Joe Biden stepped down just five weeks ago.
August 30, 2024 5:11 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump is set to appear at the annual gathering of the group Moms for Liberty. The national nonprofit has spearheaded efforts to get mentions of LGBTQ+ identity and structural racism out of K-12 classrooms. The “fireside chat” with Trump on Friday night will serve to shore up his support with a key part of his base, conservatives who agree with him that parents should have a larger say in education. Yet the former president also runs the risk of alienating moderate voters who view Moms for Liberty’s activism as too extreme. Trump will first visit Johnstown, Pennsylvania, for a rally.
August 30, 2024 5:13 am
The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits fell slightly last week as the U.S. labor market remains healthy in the face of high interest rates. Jobless claims ticked down by 2,000 to 231,000 for the week of Aug. 24, the Labor Department reported Thursday. That’s just below the 232,000 new filings analysts were expecting. The four-week average of claims, which evens out some of the week-to-week volatility, fell by 4,750 to 231,500. Weekly filings for unemployment benefits, which are considered a proxy for layoffs, remain low by historic standards. The total number of Americans collecting jobless benefits rose by 13,000 to 1.87 million for the week of Aug. 17.
August 30, 2024 5:14 am
The average rate on a 30-year mortgage eased for the second week in a row and remains at its lowest level in more than a year. That’s good news for prospective homebuyers facing home prices near all-time highs. Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday that the rate fell to 6.35% from 6.46% last week. A year ago, the rate averaged 7.18%. Mortgage rates are expected to keep trending lower overall this year. That’s due to signs of waning inflation and a cooling job market, which have raised expectations that the Federal Reserve will cut its benchmark interest rate next month for the first time in four years.
August 30, 2024 5:12 am
(AP) – A Boar’s Head deli meat plant in Virginia tied to a deadly food poisoning outbreak repeatedly violated federal regulations, including instances of mold, insects, liquid dripping from ceilings, and meat and fat residue on walls, floors and equipment. Government inspectors logged 69 instances of “noncompliance” with federal rules in the past year, including several in recent weeks, according to documents released through federal Freedom of Information Act requests. U.S. Agriculture Department officials say in a statement that the plant will remain closed “until the establishment is able to demonstrate it can produce safe product.” The plant has been linked to the deaths of at least nine people and hospitalizations of about 50 others in 18 states. All were sickened with listeria after eating Boar’s Head Provisions Co. Inc. deli meats. (Photo: AP)
August 30, 2024 5:07 am
WEST CHESTER, Pa. (AP) — A convicted killer is due in court in Pennsylvania on escape charges, nearly a year after his daring two weeks as a fugitive began. Lawyers say 35-year-old Danilo Cavalcante of Brazil is expected in court Friday for a potential plea hearing. But defense lawyer Lonny Fish says he can’t comment on whether a deal has been finalized. Security video shows Cavalcante scaling a wall in a jail exercise yard, then climbing over razor wire and jumping from a roof to escape. He also faces charges for allegedly stealing a farm truck, rifle, food and clothing while on the run.
August 29, 2024 5:46 pm
WASHINGTON (AP) — An Arlington National Cemetery official was “abruptly pushed aside” during an altercation with former President Donald Trump’s staff during a wreath-laying ceremony but declined to press charges. A statement from an Army spokesman Thursday said the cemetery employee was trying to ensure those participating in Monday’s ceremony were following the rules. The spokesman says the employee “acted with professionalism and avoided further disruption.” The incident was reported to the police, but the employee decided not to press charges. The Army said it considered the matter closed. The Trump campaign contested the allegation that a campaign staffer had pushed the cemetery official and pushed back on the notion that the official was unfairly targeted. (Photo: AP)
August 29, 2024 4:52 pm
Cecil Township police are searching for an 11-year-old boy who they say walked out of Cecil Intermediate School on Thursday morning. Elio Cecchini weighs 80 pounds and is 4 feet, 9 inches tall. Police say he has ear-length brown hair and wears glasses. Police say Elio walked out of Cecil Intermediate School at 9:20 a.m. The school district called the police at 2 p.m., according to their Facebook post. Photos shared on Facebook show Elio at school on Thursday, wearing a navy blue shirt, light-colored shorts and white sneakers. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call 911. Police are actively searching the area and asking neighbors to check surveillance cameras for Elio. (Photo: WPXI)
August 29, 2024 4:17 pm
(WPXI) – A woman’s body was found in the Monongahela River. Pittsburgh Police said emergency crews were called to the shoreline near the Sandcastle Water Park in West Homestead at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday. The Allegheny County Medical Examiner has been called to identify the woman and learn what her cause and manner of death were. Allegheny County Police say no foul play is suspected at this time.
August 29, 2024 4:20 pm
(AP) – The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has ruled that a Jewish family had the free-speech right to blanket their yard with signs decrying hate and racism after their next-door neighbor hurled an antisemitic slur at them during a property dispute 10 years ago. The court ruled Simon and Toby Galapo were exercising their rights under the Pennsylvania Constitution when they erected protest signs on their property and pointed them squarely at the neighbor’s house in the Philadelphia suburbs. The signs had messages such as “No Place 4 Racism.” The neighbors wanted the signs taken down, alleging they were defamatory and a nuisance.
