October 25, 2023 3:44 pm
NEW YORK (AP) — The judge in Donald Trump’s civil fraud trial has fined the former president $10,000. The judge says Trump violated a limited gag order barring personal attacks on court staffers. The fine was issued Wednesday after Trump complained outside court about what he called “a person who’s very partisan sitting alongside” the judge in the case, Arthur Engoron. Weeks ago, Engoron ordered all participants in the case not to comment publicly about his staff. The Oct. 3. gag order came after Trump made a social media post maligning the judge’s principal law clerk, who sits beside him in court. Trump said his comment Wednesday was about witness Michael Cohen. Engoron said Trump’s claim was “not credible.”
October 25, 2023 3:41 pm
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Richard Roundtree, the trailblazing actor for Black filmmakers who starred as the ultra-smooth private detective in the 1971 action movie “Shaft” and several sequels, has died. He was 81. Roundtree’s longtime manager, Patrick McMinn, says the actor had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and died at his Los Angeles home on Tuesday. He was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1993 and underwent a double mastectomy. Roundtree was considered as the “first Black action hero” and became one of the leading actors in the blaxploitation genre through his New York street smart John Shaft character in the Gordon Parks-directed film. At age 28, it was Roundtree’s feature film debut after starting his career as a model. (Photo: AP
October 25, 2023 6:20 am
Supervisors in North Strabane Township authorized the advertisement for changes to two ordinances. One change will alter the way sewerage bills are paid. Currently the North Strabane Township Municipal Authority bills its customers quarterly. Changes by their board will now have residents pay their sewerage bills monthly. Another ordinance change affects fines for parking on township streets. Currently, the fine for that violation is $15 and is reduced to $5 if paid in two days. The new ordinance will increase the penalty to $50 with a discount to $25 if paid in two days. Both measures will be voted on at the November legislative meeting. Additionally, Supervisors approved scheduling the continuation of a conditional use hearing for the Summit at Woodlawn development. The meeting will be held on November 21 at 6:00 pm.
October 25, 2023 5:06 am
ATLANTA (AP) — Attorney and prominent conservative media figure Jenna Ellis has pleaded guilty to a felony charge over efforts to overturn Donald Trump’s 2020 election loss in Georgia. Ellis tearfully told the judge Tuesday she looks back on that time with “deep remorse.” Ellis is the fourth defendant in the case to enter into a plea deal with prosecutors. She was a vocal part of Trump’s reelection campaign and was charged alongside the Republican former president and 17 others with violating the state’s anti-racketeering law. Steve Sadow, Trump’s lead attorney in the Georgia case, used Ellis’ plea to cast doubt on the legitimacy of the racketeering charges Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis brought.
October 25, 2023 5:04 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House is developing “prudent contingency planning” to evacuate Americans from the Middle East in case the Israel-Hamas war spreads into a broad regional conflict. White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby on Tuesday stressed there are currently no “active efforts” to evacuate Americans from the region beyond charter flights the U.S government began operating earlier this month out of Israel. President Joe Biden and Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman also spoke by phone on Tuesday about the deteriorating situation. It was the two leaders’ first interaction since before Hamas attacked Israel.
October 25, 2023 5:02 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Congressman Mike Johnson of Louisiana has been elected House speaker. As the roll call was underway Wednesday, Republicans were eager to put Johnson on track to win the gavel. Johnson picked up an important nod of support ahead of the vote from Donald Trump. Johnson is the fourth candidate Republicans have nominated to replace Kevin McCarthy. The Republican majority has been without a speaker for three weeks and is desperate to end the chaos and get back to work. Johnson will need almost all Republicans to win the gavel in a floor vote. Ahead of voting he said he felt “very good.” (Photo: AP)
October 25, 2023 5:01 am
RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — The Health Ministry in Gaza says hundreds of people were killed in the past day as a result of Israeli airstrikes. Israel has been striking Gaza since Hamas militants attacked southern Israeli towns on Oct. 7. Israel said Tuesday it had launched 400 airstrikes over the past day, killing Hamas commanders, hitting militants as they were preparing to launch rockets into Israel and striking command centers and a Hamas tunnel shaft. The Health Ministry, which is controlled by Hamas, said more than 700 people were killed in the past day, a claim that AP could not independently verify.
October 25, 2023 4:59 am
ACAPULCO, Mexico (AP) — Hurricane Otis has slammed into Mexico’s southern Pacific coast as a catastrophic Category 5 hurricane, bringing 165 mph winds and heavy rain to Acapulco and nearby towns. Otis rapidly intensified Tuesday, growing from a tropical storm to a Category 5 monster in 12 hours. The storm then quickly weakened to a Category 2 by early Wednesday with its maximum sustained winds decreasing to 110 mph. The hurricane is expected to continue to weaken quickly in Guerrero state’s steep mountains. As dawn broke, authorities had given no preliminary damage assessments as much of the area remained without power. Downed trees, persistent rain and flooding made it difficult to move.
October 25, 2023 4:56 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A bill passed the Pennsylvania state Senate that would require parents to opt in to allow children to view books deemed sexually explicit. The bill passed 29 to 21 on Tuesday, with most Democrats rejecting it. It now goes onto the Democrat-controlled House, where it faces an uncertain future. The bill is part of a larger nationwide effort of expanding parental oversight into schools. Other state Legislatures have taken up similar legislation that opponents say specifically targets LGBTQ+ and students of color. The bill’s sponsor rejected that characterization and said the bill would not ban any books but give more oversight for parents.
October 25, 2023 2:54 am
The Main Street Farmer’s Market in downtown Washington will close for the season on Thursday. The market was held at the community pavilion on South Main Street across from the Observer Reporter building on Thursdays from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. from May through October. Market organizers say they are closing down another outstanding season with old and new vendors in attendance. They plan a “Grand Finale” with lots of activities for adults and children, including a Halloween Parade for the kids and trick-or-treating from the vendors. Organizers say they are already making plans for next year that will include lots of activities, special days and possibly, new vendors.
