April 4, 2025 5:00 am
NEW YORK (AP) — Stock markets worldwide are careening even lower after China matched President Donald Trump’s big raise in tariffs in an escalating trade war. The S&P 500 sank 3.5% Friday, coming off its worst day since COVID wrecked the global economy in 2020. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 1,226 points, and the Nasdaq composite tumbled 3.4%. Not even a better-than-expected report on the U.S. job market was enough to stop the slide. European stocks saw some of the day’s biggest losses, and the price of crude oil tumbled to its lowest level since 2021 on worries about how a trade war could cause a recession.
April 4, 2025 4:54 am
In a move to improve safety within the Trinity Area School District, the board voted 6-2 to approve a proposal from Centegix for a panic button and visual emergency notification system. The system aims to improve emergency response times across the district’s schools by allowing staff members to alert authorities quickly in the event of an emergency. Board directors Gregory Rudman and Sean Dobich voted against the measure with Dobich expressing his concerns about the long-term financial commitment required for the system after the grant period ends. While the system’s first year is covered by a grant, the district would be responsible for paying $40,000 upfront, followed by an annual fee of $50,000 in following years. In a separate matter, the board also approved a $139,939.66 quote from Knight Sound & Light Inc. by a 6-2 vote to upgrade the lighting system in the High School Auditorium with funding sourced from the 2021 Construction Fund (CoStars). Additionally, the board approved a partnership with Range Resources, which involves a potato planting initiative this year costing approximately $3,500. The agreement covers the purchase of potatoes and maintenance of the land, including mowing. According to Board President Jennifer Morgan, the initiative is part of a collaboration where students will help harvest the potatoes, which will then be donated to the local food bank.
April 4, 2025 2:54 am
Washington County Commissioners are looking for clarity on how the Washington County Tourism Promotion Agency spends its money. A motion approved unanimously in Thursday’s voting meeting has the county solicitor provide a legal memorandum on whether the Washington County Tourism Promotion Agency and the Washington County Chamber of Commerce are subject to Pennsylvania Right to Know laws. According to Commissioner Chairman Nick Sherman, county commissioners have issued three requests on how the Tourism Agency spends county appropriations. Sherman says the total appropriations to the agency are in the neighborhood of $3 million annually. He says they just want to make sure that there are not better ways to spend that money and possibly drive more economic development in Washington County. In written statement for Washington County Tourism and Promotion Agency President Jeff Kotula (pictured), The agency is not subject to Right to Know laws. He further stated that the agency does diligently comply with IRS and state financial filing responsibilities. Kotula further stated that the agency will be supplying the state mandated CPA audited 2024 financial records that are “once again clean.” Kotula went on to say that the agency has taken over promotion duties so that county and agency efforts are not duplicated as had been the case in the past. In addition, he added, “Representatives from both the chamber and tourism boards met with all the commissioners last week to answer their questions on how tourism dollars are being spent and the successes we have achieved. And while the chamber and tourism are not subject to Right to Know, it was important to us that we met with the commissioners personally and addressed their questions directly, openly, and with facts.”
April 4, 2025 2:19 am
Washington City Council has handed down disciplinary action against three firefighters. In a roll call vote with councilman Joe Pintola absent, council unanimously suspended one fire fighter for two weeks with an additional period of 60 days of ineligibility for overtime. A second fire fighter was demoted from captain and then terminated. A third fire fighter was terminated. Neither Fire Chief Chris Richer or Mayor JoJo Burgess would elaborate on details of any incident. Both issued statements pointing out that at no time was the public involved, nor was there any danger to the public. They will remain silent on the details to allow the accused to have their due process in finalizing their incident. Swearing in was also held for one new firefighter while another was promoted to Fire Department Engineer. According to Richer, the department has two fire fighters attending the Fire Academy with an anticipated graduation date in June. The department is fully staffed at 22. In addition to the fire department actions, the police department accepted the retirement of Captain Von Lacock, a 23 year veteran. They also swore in Police Officer Lt. Michael Cain. At the end of the meeting, Mayor JoJo Burgess announced a Job Fair that will be held May 12. He also announced a low income housing program that is in its early stages. He stated that the city is working with the Redevelopment Authority of Washington County and local contractors to renovate abandoned homes to sell to low income home buyers. Burgess hopes to have the first home closed by the end of this year.
April 4, 2025 2:10 am
Opening Day at Kennywood is a little over a week away. The 127-year-old amusement park will open on April 12 and remain open until early 2026. That’s the West Mifflin park’s longest season ever. There’s an all-new Kennywood Junction themed area modeled after a small steel town neighborhood. There’s Tuft’s a 6-foot rabbit character, a new celebration room that people can rent out for special events, a retail store and more focused on an “Eggcellent” Celebration. Plus, General Manager Ricky Spicuzza says the Steel Curtain will re-open again sometime this year. There are also other surprises planned that officials weren’t quite ready to announce. There are some new food options on various menus, but one thing won’t change. Even though Kennywood has a new owner, there will always be Kennywood fries.
April 3, 2025 5:43 pm
WASHINGTON (AP) — Former heart surgeon and TV pitchman Dr. Mehmet Oz was confirmed Thursday to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Oz became the agency’s administrator in a party line 53-45 vote. The 64-year-old will manage health insurance programs for roughly half the country, with oversight of Medicare, Medicaid or Affordable Care Act coverage. He steps into the new role as Congress is debating cuts to the Medicaid program, which provides coverage to millions of poor and disabled Americans.
April 3, 2025 2:39 pm
NEW YORK (AP) — Financial markets around the world are reeling following President Donald Trump’s latest and most severe volley of tariffs, and the U.S. stock market is taking the worst of it so far. The S&P 500 fell 4.2% Thursday, more than other major stock markets. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 1,394 points, and the Nasdaq composite sank 5.3%. Little was spared as fear flared globally about the potentially toxic mix of higher inflation and weakening economic growth that tariffs can create. Everything from crude oil to Big Tech stocks to the value of the U.S. dollar against other currencies fell. Even gold pulled lower. (Photo: AP)
April 3, 2025 5:10 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Amazon has put in a bid to purchase TikTok. A Trump administration confirmed the eleventh-hour pitch as a U.S. ban on the platform is set to go into effect Saturday. The official wasn’t authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity. The official says the offer came in a letter to Vice President JD Vance and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. The existence of an Amazon bid surfaced as Trump was scheduled on Wednesday to meet with senior officials to discuss the coming deadline for a TikTok sale.
April 3, 2025 5:09 am
NEW YORK (AP) — Tesla sales fell in the first three months of the year in another sign that Elon Musk’s once high-flying electric car company is struggling to attract buyers. The company reported that deliveries of its electric vehicles dropped 13% in the January to March period. The weak demand was likely due to a combination of factors, including its aging lineup, competition from rivals and a backlash from Musk’s embrace of right wing politics. It also is a warning that the company’s first-quarter earnings report later this month could disappoint investors.
April 3, 2025 5:06 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — A vaccination to prevent horribly painful shingles may offer an extra benefit: New research suggests it might lower the risk of dementia, too. There have long been hints that certain viruses increase risk for later-in-life dementia, including the virus that causes chickenpox. That virus never leaves the body, hiding in nerves to erupt later when the immune system wanes from illness or age — what’s called shingles. The new study tracked seniors in Wales and found shingles vaccination cut their risk of developing dementia over the next seven years by 20%. The study was published Wednesday in the journal Nature.
