December 13, 2019 4:14 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) – Seven of nine House Democrats from Pennsylvania now say they will support the two articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump that were under consideration in the House. Freshman Rep. Conor Lamb, of suburban Pittsburgh, added his support Thursday to six of his colleagues from Pennsylvania, saying in a statement that he believes that Trump “abused his power and obstructed Congress.” Two Democrats, freshman Rep. Chrissy Houlahan of suburban Philadelphia and fourth-term Rep. Matt Cartwright of northeastern Pennsylvania, have declined to say how they’ll vote. All nine Republican House members from Pennsylvania say they’ll vote against the articles.
December 13, 2019 4:13 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) – Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration wants a federal court to reject a challenge to its certification of voting machines bought by Philadelphia and two other Pennsylvania counties. Also Thursday, the machine’s maker accepted responsibility for problems that led to badly undercounted returns in a judicial race last month in Northampton County. The machines are the ExpressVote XL touchscreen system made by Omaha, Nebraska-based Election Systems & Software. ES&S acknowledged that incorrect results in last month’s election in Northampton County resulted from human errors in formatting the ballot. Ultimately, election workers counted the vote on paper ballots.
December 12, 2019 5:37 pm
WASHINGTON (AP) – Senior lawmakers have announced a tentative agreement on an almost $1.4 trillion government-wide spending bill. The deal would would stave off a federal shutdown next weekend and split the differences on a number of contentious issues. Word of the deal comes from the chairwoman of the House Appropriations Committee and other top members of Congress. The agreement would award President Donald Trump with additional money for the U.S.-Mexico border wall while giving the Democrats who control the House a number of their priorities. Votes in the House and Senate are expected next week before a spending bill expires next Friday at midnight.
December 12, 2019 5:35 pm
WASHINGTON (AP) – House Democrats have pushed through legislation that would empower Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices and offer new benefits for seniors. Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s bill would also provide new dental, vision and hearing benefits for Medicare recipients. But the legislation has no chance of passing the Republican-controlled Senate, and the White House has issued a veto threat. Still, Democrats see a a political victory in the message their bill sends to voters. Republicans say they don’t believe government should set prices for medicines. When Donald Trump was a candidate, he promised that Medicare would “negotiate like crazy.” He’s since backed off.
December 12, 2019 1:38 pm
WASHINGTON (AP) – Ten former NFL players have been charged with defrauding the league’s healthcare benefit program. They include five who played on the Washington Redskins, including Clinton Portis and Carlos Rogers. Prosecutors allege the players targeted the Gene Upshaw NFL Player Health Reimbursement Account Plan, which was established as part of a collective bargaining agreement in 2006. It provides tax-free reimbursement of out-of-pocket medical care expenses that were not covered by insurance and that were incurred by former players, their spouses and dependents.
December 12, 2019 12:47 pm
NEW YORK (AP) – U.S. regulators are setting up a new three-digit number to reach a suicide prevention hotline in order to make it easier to seek help and reduce the stigma associated with mental health. Similar to 911 for emergencies, people will just need to dial 988 to seek help – once it’s implemented. Currently, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline uses a 10-digit number, 800-273 TALK. Callers are routed to one of 163 crisis centers. Thursday’s vote by the Federal Communications Commission starts the months-long process to set up 988. The next step is a comment period before the FCC moves to an order.
December 12, 2019 6:42 am
A tentative settlement has U.S. Steel paying $2 million to Clairton residents who have complained of air quality issues near the Clairton Coke Works for years. The tentative settlement in a 2017 class-action lawsuit also has U.S. Steel investing $6.5 million to upgrade equipment at its Clairton Coke Works facility, according to reports. If the settlement is approved, the Clairton Coke Works would have to improve air quality within one year. That includes installing air coolers and battery machinery.
December 12, 2019 4:48 am
A Monongahela teenager has died following a dirt bike crash Wednesday afternoon. The Washington County Coroner’s office says 17 year old Tyler Garrity was pronounced dead at Monongahela Valley Hospital around 6 p.m. Monongahela Police are investigating. The crash occurred around 4:30 p.m. along Carroll Lane in the city when he crashed his bike into a utility pole and tree . Police say Garrity was wearing a helmet. A cause and manner of death are pending. Officials in the Ringgold School District issued the following statement Thursday: “We are saddened to learn about the untimely passing of Tyler Garrity, an eleventh grade RHS student, yesterday. We extend our condolences to the family. The Ringgold School District will have a Crisis Response Team available on Thursday, December 12th and Friday, December 13th along with next week for staff and students.”
December 12, 2019 4:10 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – The House Judiciary Committee is arguing through a marathon session ahead of voting to send impeachment charges against President Donald Trump to the full House. It’s the latest big step as the politically split Congress debates whether to remove Trump from office. The Judiciary panel debated for nearly three hours Thursday before rejecting a Republican amendment to simply delete the first of two articles of impeachment. That vote was 23-17, along party lines, and later votes were expected to be the same. Democrats called Trump’s actions a “constitutional crime spree.” Republicans decried what they called the “hot garbage” impeachment.
December 12, 2019 4:07 am
JERSEY CITY, N.J. (AP) – Fears that a deadly shooting at a Jewish market in Jersey City, New Jersey, was an anti-Semitic attack are mounting, as authorities describe how a man and woman deliberately pulled up to the place in a stolen rental van and got out firing. Six people were killed on Tuesday – the attackers, a police officer and three people who were in the store.áState and federal law enforcement officials warn they don’t have a motive. But a law enforcement official speaking on condition of anonymity tells The AP that investigators are looking into possible connections between the attackers and the Black Hebrew Israelite movement, some of whose members have railed against whites and Jews.
