May 8, 2026 4:57 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal court has ruled against the new global tariffs that President Donald Trump imposed after a stinging loss at the Supreme Court. A split three-judge panel of the Court of International Trade in New York found the 10% global tariffs were illegal after small businesses sued. The court ruled 2-1 Thursday that Trump overstepped the tariff power that Congress had allowed the president under the law. The tariffs are “invalid″ and “unauthorized by law,” the majority wrote. At issue are temporary 10% worldwide tariffs the Trump administration imposed after the Supreme Court in February struck down even broader tariffs the president had imposed last year on almost every country on Earth.
May 8, 2026 4:59 am
MADRID (AP) — Spanish authorities are preparing to receive over 140 passengers and crew from a hantavirus-stricken cruise ship headed for the Canary Islands. Health officials plan careful evacuations when the ship arrives in Tenerife this weekend. At least three passengers have died, and several others are sick. The United States and the U.K. are arranging flights to repatriate their citizens. The World Health Organization says the risk to the wider public is low. Health authorities are tracking passengers who disembarked before the outbreak was detected. None of the remaining passengers or crew is currently symptomatic.
May 8, 2026 5:49 pm
(AP) – The NFL and the NFL Referees Association have agreed on a new seven-year collective bargaining agreement that avoids a potential work stoppage and use of replacement officials. The deal runs through the 2032 NFL season. The league began the on-boarding process for replacement officials last month because negotiations weren’t progressing. But they won’t be necessary. A stalemate in 2012 resulted in a 110-day lockout and replacement referees were used.
May 7, 2026 2:31 am
A Washington County woman says she lost more than $40,000 in a long-running sweepstakes scam that police now believe may have evolved into a money laundering operation. Seventy-eight-year-old Joyce Hennick says it started with a phone call telling her she had won five-point-five-million-dollars plus a Mercedes and an F-150, but in order to get the money and prizes, she had to pay all the taxes and fees up front. Police say the demands continued for more than two years, with dozens of phone calls every day. scammers convinced Hennick to open multiple bank accounts and send money in various ways, and at one point, police say, cash even started arriving in her mailbox hidden inside magazines, leading them to believe it had also turned into a money laundering scheme as well. Police say arrests in scams like these are rare, but they say Hennick kept detailed records so they’re hopeful that will be helpful.
May 7, 2026 2:54 pm
One person was killed in a head-on crash on Interstate 70 westbound between the Taylorstown and Claysville exits. The Washington County Coroners Office identified the driver as 23 year old Joshua Hopkins of Austin, Texas. State police say the crash happened approximately 1:30 pm Thursday afternoon when Hopkins’ eastbound Ford Focus crossed the grass median and into westbound traffic, slamming head-on into a tractor-trailer. Hopkins was pronounced dead at the scene. The truck driver was treated for minor injuries. The westbound lanes in that area were closed for a few hours until one lane was re-opened around 4 pm. Traffic backed past the Chestnut Street exit for another two hours.
May 7, 2026 8:57 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. jobless claim applications rose last week but remain at historically low levels despite elevated inflation and other economic headwinds. The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits in the week ending May 2 rose by 10,000 to 200,000, the Labor Department reported Thursday. That’s fewer than the 205,000 new applications analysts surveyed by the data firm FactSet were expecting. The previous week’s new claims figure, which was the fewest since 1969, was revised up by 1,000 to 190,000. Weekly filings for unemployment benefits are considered a proxy for U.S. layoffs. The total number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits for the previous week ending April 25 declined by 10,000 to 1.77 million.
May 7, 2026 2:42 am
UPMC Washington has earned an “A” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit watchdog focused on patient safety. This recognition follows the hospital’s “A” grade in fall 2025, reflecting sustained performance in key measures designed to prevent errors, accidents, injuries and infections. The Leapfrog Group assigns letter grades ranging from “A” to “F” to general hospitals across the country using evidence‑based measures focused exclusively on patient safety. “Earning an ‘A’ once again is a testament to the extraordinary commitment of our team and their continuous focus on patient safety,” said Brook Ward, president of UPMC Washington and UPMC Greene. “I am incredibly proud of our physicians, nurses and staff for the care they provide every day. Their dedication to delivering exceptional, safe care is what our patients and community count on.. An ‘A’ Grade is a strong sign that UPMC Washington is deeply committed to protecting patients from harm,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “We commend the leadership, board, clinicians, staff and volunteers for the role each played in earning this distinction.” The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is the only national hospital ratings program focused solely on preventable medical errors, infections and injuries. The program is peer‑reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public, with grades updated twice annually in the fall and spring.
May 7, 2026 2:11 am
A member of the Trump administration visited Washington County. SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler visited Steel Nation on her tour of the United States to recognize small businesses during National Small Business Week. Loeffler met with Steel Nation President Mark Dooley and his staff to gain an understanding of their business. Steel Nation is a manufacturer of steel buildings that house equipment in the oil and gas and data center industries. They employ 45 people from western Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia. Loeffler promoted the advantages small businesses were able to gain with the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill, the No Tax on Tips policy and loosening of regulations. Dooley spoke of Steel Nation’s experience with the SBA, when they were able to take advantage of the payroll protection plan and the IRS employee retention program when business slowed considerably during the Covid 19 pandemic. According to the SBA, there are 36 million small businesses that represent 99% of all private sector employers and they create 2 of every 3 new jobs. Small businesses contribute to roughly half of our nation’s Gross Domestic Product.
May 6, 2026 2:11 am
The Senate today approved, in a bipartisan manner, legislation sponsored by Sen. Wayne Langerholc, Jr. (R-35) to eliminate the commonwealth’s outdated vehicle emissions program. Senate Bill 1298 provides for the removal of all 25 counties currently subjected to the annual emissions testing. Further, the legislation clarifies that no additional counties can be added into the program, protecting vehicle owners across the commonwealth. “People are being squeezed from every direction, and the last thing they should be forced to bankroll are outdated mandates that do nothing but drain their wallets,” said Langerholc. “If a mandate doesn’t serve the public anymore, it has no business siphoning money from working families.” The Senate passed legislation, sponsored by Langerholc, to reform the emissions program in February 2025, as well as each legislative session since the 2019-2020 legislative session. All measures have failed to receive consideration in the House of Representatives. “It is beyond time that the House of Representatives bring vehicle emissions reform to a vote and give Pennsylvania motorists much needed relief.” The measure now goes to the House of Representatives for consideration.
May 7, 2026 4:48 am
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran has said it is reviewing new U.S. proposals to end the war, as U.S. President Donald Trump threatens more bombing if no deal is reached. The conflict has closed the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil route, affecting global markets. On Wednesday, the U.S. fired on an Iranian tanker trying to break an American blockade on Iranian ports. Trump says Iranian officials want a deal, but warns of intensified bombing if they refuse. Talks hosted by Pakistan failed last month. Pakistan’s foreign ministry spokesperson says a deal is expected soon.
