House Leaders Rush Towards Final Vote

July 2, 2025 4:59 am

Republican leaders in the House are sprinting toward a vote on President Donald Trump’s tax and spending cuts package, determined to seize momentum from a hard-fought vote in the Senate while essentially daring their members to defy their party’s leader and vote against it. It’s a risky gambit designed to meet Trump’s demand for a July 4 finish. after staying up all night with GOP leaders and the president himself working to persuade skeptical holdouts to drop their opposition by his Fourth of July deadline. Final debates began in the predawn hours after another chaotic day and night at the Capitol following a series of closed-door meetings.

GOP Mega Bill Does Not Eliminate Taxes On Social Security

July 2, 2025 4:57 am

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump keeps saying that Republicans’ mega tax and spending cut legislation will eliminate taxes on federal Social Security benefits. It does not. Instead of eliminating the tax, the Senate and House have each passed their own versions of a temporary tax deduction for seniors aged 65 and over, which applies to all income — not just Social Security. And it turns out not all Social Security beneficiaries will be able to claim the deduction. Those who won’t be able to do so include the lowest-income seniors who already don’t pay taxes on Social Security, those who choose to claim their benefits before they reach age 65 and those above a defined income threshold.

Paramount To Pay $16M In Settlement With Trump

July 2, 2025 4:56 am

Paramount says it has agreed to pay $16 million to settle a lawsuit filed by President Donald Trump over the editing of CBS’ “60 Minutes” interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris in October. The parent company of CBS told media outlets that the money will go to Trump’s future presidential library, not to the president himself. It said the settlement did not involve an apology. Trump’s lawyer said the president had suffered “mental anguish” over the editing of the interview by CBS News. Paramount and CBS have rejected Trump’s contention that the interview was edited to enhance how Harris sounded. A press advocacy group has threatened to sue if Paramount settled the case.

House Republicans Race Toward Final Vote On Trump Bill

July 2, 2025 4:55 am

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans are sprinting toward a vote on President Donald Trump’s tax and spending cuts package. They are looking to seize momentum from a hard-fought vote in the Senate, essentially daring members with concerns to defy Trump and vote against it. The bill will extend and make permanent various individual and business tax breaks that Republicans passed in Trump’s first term, plus temporarily add new tax breaks, such as no income taxes on tips and overtime. The House had already passed one version of the bill back in May with just a single vote to spare. It’s unclear they’ll be able to do the same with the Senate-amended version.

UPenn Settles Transgender Athletes Case With Feds

July 2, 2025 4:52 am

WASHINGTON (AP) — The University of Pennsylvania has changed three school records set by transgender swimmer Lia Thomas. The school says it also will apologize to female athletes it says were “disadvantaged” by Thomas’ participation on the women’s swimming team. The moves were part of a resolution of a federal civil rights case that found the school violated the rights of female athletes. Thomas in 2022 became the first openly transgender athlete to win a Division I title. The school now shows other athletes holding the school’s top times in Thomas’ events, noting she set records under rules in place at the time.

Airport Seeking Volunteers For Public Trial

July 2, 2025 2:48 am

(WPXI) Pittsburgh International Airport is preparing to conduct a public trial before the new terminal opens later this year, hoping to enhance the “Day One” experience for passengers. You can be a part of what the airport is calling a full-scale dress rehearsal to re-enact what the opening day of the new, transformed airport will look and feel like. The Allegheny County Airport Authority said it’s seeking 3,000 to 4,000 volunteers. “It’s a voluntary opportunity to test, shape, and influence the new PIT experience before it officially opens,” the airport said on its website. According to the airport, volunteers will act as passengers and follow a script while moving through the terminal. They will be asked to provide feedback on how the entire process went for them. The event is expected to take place in September, with final dates to be announced soon.

Burgettstown Teen Who Drowned In Ohio River Identified

July 2, 2025 2:24 am

WEIRTON, W.Va. — (WPXI) – A 13-year-old girl from Burgettstown died Monday evening after being swept away by a current in the Ohio River. Reese Hanshaw had just completed eighth grade and was set to begin her freshman year at Burgettstown High School this fall. She was swimming with family members near the Veterans Memorial Bridge when a younger cousin got caught in the water. Family members say Reese rushed to help—and in the process, was pulled away by the current. According to Weirton Police, Officer Adam Mortimer responded within minutes and entered the river to bring Reese to shore. Life-saving efforts were immediately performed by Mortimer, EMS crews, and the Weirton Fire Department before Reese was transported to Weirton Medical Center, where she later died.

DDAP Secretary Visits Charleroi

July 2, 2025 2:22 am

Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) Secretary Dr. Latika Davis-Jones (pictured) was in Washington County on Tuesday to highlight a $1.5 million investment the Department is making to open a regional substance use disorder (SUD) drop-in center that will serve residents of Greene, Fayette, Washington and Westmoreland counties.  Davis-Jones says that in partnership with Club Serenity, a recovery organization, the new center will provide community-driven harm reduction support services to increase overdose prevention, a connection to SUD support services, and access to daily essentials for those struggling with SUD.  Funding for the grant is provided, in part, from the portion of opioid settlement funding that was appropriated to DDAP by the General Assembly for the 2023-24 fiscal year. 

Jury Reaches Verdict On Four Of Five Charges

July 1, 2025 5:40 pm

NEW YORK (AP) — The jury in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ sex trafficking trial said Tuesday that it has reached a verdict on four of five counts against the hip-hop mogul and was unable to reach a decision on the top charge, racketeering conspiracy. The judge indicated that he would instruct the jury to continue weighing the charge, echoing the sentiments of prosecutors and Combs’ defense team that just two days into deliberations was too soon to give up on reaching a verdict on all counts.  (Photo:  AP)

LevelUp Pickleball Club Coming To Canonsburg

July 1, 2025 3:06 pm

(WPXI) Set to open in August 2025, LevelUp Pickleball Club is shaping up to be the premier pickleball club in the country – and it’s right outside of Pittsburgh. Located in Canonsburg, the club is the ninth-largest indoor pickleball club in the country, at 62,000 square feet, with 40,000 square feet serving as court space. The facility is equipped with various amenities, including 16 indoor courts, three bars, a 4,500-square-foot restaurant, and men’s and women’s locker rooms. The facility is set to open in August. “As I travel the country, we teach 280 camps a year in 45 states and having seen all the clubs that are out there, we decided to make what I feel was the best indoor club in the country,” Wayne Dollard shared.