February 10, 2020 4:14 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump has unveiled a $4.8 trillion election year budget plan that recycles previously rejected cuts to domestic programs to promise a balanced budget in 15 years. That’s while boosting the military and leaving Social Security and Medicare benefits untouched. The fiscal 2021 plan promises the government’s deficit will crest above $1 trillion only for the current budget year before steadily decreasing to more manageable levels. Trump says the plan “sets the course for a future of continued American dominance and prosperity.” But it has little chance of passing in the divided Congress.
February 10, 2020 4:12 am
BEIJING (AP) – China reported a rise in new virus cases, possibly denting optimism disease control measures that have isolated major cities might be working, while Japan reported dozens of new cases aboard a quarantined cruise ship. The mainland death toll rose by 97 to 908. Japanese health officials said about 60 more cases were found aboard the Diamond Princess in Yokohama, in addition to 70 cases found earlier among 3,711 passengers and crew. Health ministry officials were double-checking the results and could not immediately release the exact figure.
February 10, 2020 4:11 am
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) – U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin has fired back at President Donald Trump’s criticism of the West Virginia Democrat for voting guilty on two articles of impeachment. Manchin’s response Saturday night on Twitter came a day after Trump tweeted that he was very surprised and disappointed with Manchin’s votes and claimed no president has done more for the state. Manchin said that no Democrat has worked harder in a bipartisan way in the hopes that Trump would succeed. He says West Virginia residents know exactly who has worked day and night for the last five years to secure their health care and pensions, and he says it wasn’t Trump. Trump carried West Virginia by a whopping 42 percentage points in 2016.
February 10, 2020 4:09 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) – Pennsylvania is suing electronic cigarette manufacturer Juul over how its products are marketed and sold to teenagers. The complaint seeks an injunction to halt Juul’s e-cigarette sales in Pennsylvania force it to dramatically change business practices. The suit maintains nearly a quarter of high school students in Pennsylvania report using e-cigarettes. The company says it wants to focus on combating underage use and converting adult smokers from traditional cigarettes. Similar lawsuits have been filed in other states, including New York, Minnesota and California.
February 10, 2020 4:06 am
PITTSBURGH — (WPXI)- A 3-year-old girl was confirmed to be the victim of a reported shooting and was found dead in her bed early Sunday morning, according to police. Investigators said the shooting occurred at a home in the 200 block of East Warrington Avenue around 1:30 a.m. That’s near the South Hills Junction T stop. When officers were clearing the home for a possible shooter, they found Chassity Clancy dead from a single gunshot wound to the neck. In that bedroom, police also found a man, Marlin Pritchard, 51. He was taken to police headquarters where he told investigators people were after him and he was sleeping with a pistol grip shotgun under his pillow. Pritchard told police he had returned that evening from a contracting job. He went to lay down in the bedroom where Clancy and another child were watching movies. He said he woke up to the sound of a bang, saw the other child run out of the room and saw blood. Police said Pritchard was charged with criminal homicide, endangering the welfare of children and illegally having a weapon since he was a convicted felon. It’s not clear at this point if Pritchard is Clancy’s father.
February 10, 2020 4:02 am
WASHINGTON COUNTY, Pa. — (WPXI) – The Ringgold School District will be closed again Monday after the superintendent said administrators and district police were alerted to additional threats of violence. They are investigating, and schools will closed Monday out of an abundance of caution and will be using a flexible instruction day. In a Facebook post, the superintendent said: “Providing a safe and secure learning environment is the top priority of the Ringgold School District, and we take these incidents very seriously. Extensive security measures are in place to help us maintain a safe campus. As our investigation continues, we will determine any ongoing credibility of threats and follow the recommendations of the Ringgold School Police and local municipal agencies, in accordance with Ringgold School District policy.” The Washington County District Attorney’s office is now assisting with the investigation. On Friday, officials closed the district after multiple anonymous tips were called in to the Safe 2 Say hotline “regarding safety concerns” at the middle school Thursday night. Six students were being questioned in connection with the alleged threats on Friday, according to district officials. Administrators said the investigation, coupled with the severe winter weather, led them to close all schools in the district. Carroll Township Police said the threats involved a possible shooting at the school Friday. It’s not clear at this point if those students involved will be criminally charged or what kind of punishment they’ll face from the school district.
February 9, 2020 8:15 am
A Greensburg resident has been sentenced to 41 months in prison with three years of supervised release and ordered to pay a $15,000 fine after his conviction for violating federal narcotics laws, U.S. Attorney Scott W. Brady announced. U.S. District Judge Cathy Bissoon imposed the sentence on 49-year-old Dr. Milad Shaker, who was found guilty of 14 counts of illegally dispensing opioids in mid October of 2019. Shaker, a primary care physician, illegally dispensed Hydrocodone and Percocet among other drugs in return for sex and sexually explicit photos and texts. In his defense, Shaker testified that, “opioids are like candy…10-20 pills will not hurt you.” U.S. Attorney Brady commended the Western Pennsylvania Opioid Fraud and Abuse Detection Unit for conducting the investigation leading to the prosecution of Shaker.
February 9, 2020 8:15 am
A Washington County Court jury deliberated for just a few hours Friday, before finding two Pagan Motorcycle Club members accused of assaulting rival motorcycle club member Troy Harris, guilty. Matthew Vasquez, and Joseph Olinsky were charged with aggravated assault, conspiracy to commit aggravated assault and simple assault in the April 18, 2019 beating of Troy Harris at the Charleroi Slovak Club. The prosecution finished their testimony in the morning with Lt. Terry Katz, of the Maryland State Police taking the stand to describe the culture and hierarchy of the Pagans. Katz has extensive experience in surveillance, investigation and prosecution of outlaw motorcycle clubs. He testified that in his experience investigating organizations like the Pagans, acts of retribution are not carried out unless they are directed by club officers. The prosecution rested their case and afternoon testimony began with Matthew Vasquez taking the witness stand in his own defense. Vasquez testified that the reason he got involved in the assault of Harris was because he saw that Harris had a gun. He had no orders or intent to bring any harm to Harris, he was merely trying to disarm Harris. Olinsky testified that he was at the club merely following his other brothers looking to have a drink. He became involved in the scuffle merely to break it up. Assistant District Attorney Jason Walsh presented both defendants with the guilty pleas of all of the other assailants, including one where national Sergeant at Arms Michael Barringer says he ordered the assault, and asked why they are the ones that are telling the truth and everyone else went to jail by telling the opposite story.
February 8, 2020 4:40 am
LOS ANGELES (AP) – Federal investigators say wreckage from the helicopter that crashed last month, killing Kobe Bryant, his daughter and seven others did not show any evidence of engine failure. That’s according to a report by the National Transportation Safety Board. The helicopter crashed into a hillside outside Los Angeles on Jan. 26. The NTSB is investigating the accident, including any role heavy fog played, and a final report isn’t expected for at least a year. A witness told the NTSB that the helicopter was flying forward and downward through the fog before it crashed into the hill.
