December 17, 2025 4:52 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Four centrist Republicans have broken with their party’s leadership over health care. They’ve signed onto a Democratic-led petition that will force a House vote on extending for three years an enhanced pandemic-era subsidy that lowers health insurance costs for millions of Americans. The stunning move Wednesday comes after House Republican leaders pushed ahead with a health bill that doesn’t address the soaring monthly premiums coming for those with insurance through the Affordable Care Act. A House vote on the subsidies could come as soon as January. Even if it passed, it would face an arduous climb in the Republican-led Senate.
December 17, 2025 5:42 pm
WASHINGTON (AP) — Former Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith has told lawmakers in a closed-door interview his team “developed proof beyond a reasonable doubt” President Donald Trump criminally conspired to overturn his 2020 election loss. That’s according to portions of Smith’s opening statement obtained by The Associated Press on Wednesday. Smith says investigators had “powerful evidence” Trump broke the law by hoarding classified documents at his Florida estate from his first term as president and by obstructing government efforts to recover the records. Smith says decisions in the investigations were made without regard to consideration of Trump’s Republican candidacy in 2024. Trump has said he’d rather see Smith testify publicly. (Photo: AP)
December 17, 2025 4:54 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States gained a decent 64,000 jobs in November but lost 105,000 in October as federal workers departed after cutbacks by the Trump administration, the government said in delayed reports. The unemployment rate rose to 4.6%, highest since 2021. Both the October and November job creation numbers, released Tuesday by the Labor Department, came in late because of the 43-day federal government shutdown. Hiring has clearly lost momentum, hobbled by uncertainty over President Donald Trump’s tariffs and the lingering effects of the high interest rates the Federal Reserve engineered in 2022 and 2023 to rein in an outburst of inflation.
December 17, 2025 4:49 am
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Nick Reiner, son of Rob Reiner, appeared in court as he faces charges of first-degree murder in the killing of his parents. The 32-year-old did not enter a plea as he appeared Wednesday from behind the glass wall of a custody area. He was in shackles and wearing a jail suicide prevention smock. The 78-year-old actor and director Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were found dead from stab wounds in their Los Angeles home Sunday. The couple’s other two children, Jake and Romy Reiner, released a statement saying they are feeling unimaginable pain at the loss of parents who were also their best friends.
December 17, 2025 2:20 am
South Strabane Township wrapped up 2025 with a packed agenda and a meeting that lasted two and a half hours. Supervisors approved the hiring of Peter Stefansky as the township’s new township manager. Stefansky says he has worked in several capacities in municipal government over the years and is looking forward to working in South Strabane Township. Stefansky, who begins work on January 5th, served as the Main Street Manager in the city of Washington. Supervisors also held two public hearings on projects concerning power. In the first hearing supervisors were considering a draft ordinance for solar energy systems. Linda Rumbaugh voiced her concerns about property setbacks and how chemicals used in solar farms can be harmful. She also was concerned about other environmental issues such as noise. In a second public hearing supervisors were considering a draft ordinance governing battery storage systems. Jorgan and Jocelyn Liberatore raised similar concerns about setbacks and questioned whether the light industrial zone is appropriate for such a project. They live near the light industrial zone and feel the industrial zone is better suited for the use. They also are concerned about fire safety in case any of the lithium ion batteries were to catch fire. Both meetings were continued to an undetermined date so supervisors may review and possibly incorporate some of the issues raised at the meeting. Despite announcements regarding a data center ordinance not being on the agenda, approximately a dozen residents spoke for 50 minutes about that ordinance. A public hearing about data centers could be held in January.
December 17, 2025 2:44 am
Washington County Commissioners will vote on a measure directing the County Solicitor to draft an amended Hotel Tax Ordinance that would change fees and distributions of tax monies collected from hotels and motels in Washington County. The initial ordinance from 2001 called for the County Treasurer to receive a 2% administration fee, The Washington County Tourism Promotion Agency (TPA) to receive 25% for salaries and administration, and the remainder to be deposited in a joint account controlled by the TPA and County Commissioners. In 2017 the ordinance was amended to read that the County Treasurer would receive a 4% administrative fee and the remaining 96% would go to the Washington County Tourism Promotion Agency. In a statement released by the county, The County Treasurer stated that a joint account was never established to comply with the original agreement. Commissioner Chairman Nick Sherman stated that they just want to go back to the original agreement allowing input from the county on how hotel taxes are spent. One of the things that Sherman would like to see is a sports complex built in Washington County. He feels that people attending sporting events in a sports complex would spur additional spending in area restaurants, stores, and the casinos. Commissioner Larry Maggi says that he is not sure that the county has the legal authority to amend the ordinance. He wants Commissioners Sherman and Janis to be transparent on what plans they have for the tax revenue. Commissioners will vote on the measure on Thursday.
December 16, 2025 2:37 am
The Washington County Tourism Promotion Agency (WCTPA) is advising the Washington County Board of Commissioners that their proposed change to strip funding from the WCTPA by amending the county ordinance will violate Pennsylvania County Code if enacted. “We were disappointed that the commissioners did not contact us to discuss their intention to modify the ordinance before they presented it today at their Public Agenda Meeting. We would have advised them that the changes they are seeking will violate state law and could end up in litigation against the county,” stated Jeff Kotula, President of the WCTPA. Mr. Kotula pointed to Pennsylvania County Code Title 16, Section 17507 which permits counties to enact a hotel tax and provides the manner it is used. “Our legal counsel informed us that the County Code is clear on how the hotel tax is to be collected, distributed, and used. The code states that the hotel tax is collected by the County Treasurer-who retains four percent in an administrative fee-and the remaining amount goes directly to the county tourism promotion agency to market the county to leisure and business visitors. The County Code does not permit the county commissioners to retain, redirect, or allocate those funds for other purposes. The commissioners do not have the authority to change state law by county ordinance,” Kotula said. “We are certain that when the county solicitor performs his legal due diligence, he will advise the commissioners that their proposed ordinance violates state law and enacting it may result in legal action,” Kotula stated.
December 16, 2025 2:56 am
Washington County Commissioners will be voting to adopt a resolution to establish an Opioid Advisory Committee to evaluate and recommend programs to receive funding from the nationwide Opioid Settlement Funds. Recently, Washington County was criticized by the Pennsylvania Opioid Misuse and Addiction Abatement Trust and the county had 17 programs either denied funding or placed under further review for questions on the nominee’s compliance. According to Commissioner Chairman Nick Sherman, the idea of a formation of a review committee has been in place for several months. He blames the rejection of the programs on “Moving Goalposts” by the state. He said that originally the Human Services Department was sufficient to make decisions. As the fund monies grew, he said the state wanted to see a review committee to be formed. He said that some of the programs in question were approved in earlier rounds of distribution. Sherman says that they are considering a 7 member board whose make up is still to be determined. Commissioner Larry Maggi is in support of the committee’s formation saying that it will bring more transparency to the review process.
December 16, 2025 4:49 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration has announced an expansion of travel restrictions to include 20 more countries. This move doubles the number of nations affected by previous limits on travel and immigration to the U.S. The administration cites national security concerns, including the arrest of an Afghan national suspect, as reasons for the expansion, among others. Critics argue it unfairly targets a broad range of countries. The restrictions exempt those with visas, lawful permanent residents and certain visa categories. It’s unclear when these new restrictions will take effect. The expansion includes full bans and partial restrictions on various countries.
December 16, 2025 4:51 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says he is ordering a blockade of all “sanctioned oil tankers” into Venezuela, ramping up pressure on the country’s authoritarian leader Nicolás Maduro. The moves comes after U.S. forces last week seized an oil tanker off Venezuela’s coast, an unusual move that followed a buildup of military forces in the region. In a post on social media Tuesday night announcing the blockade, Trump alleged Venezuela was using oil to fund drug trafficking and other crimes. Venezuela’s government accused Trump of “violating international law, free trade, and the principle of free navigation” with “a reckless and grave threat.”
