April 22, 2026 3:35 am
The White House says President Donald Trump is sending envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Pakistan to take part in a new round of talks with Iran. Officials in Pakistan say Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived there late Friday and met with Pakistan’s foreign minister and army chief field marshal. Pakistan also is preparing to receive Witkoff and Kushner, although officials have not specified when they are due in Islamabad. The White House says Vice President JD Vance will not attend the talks. The Trump administration also announced it is placing economic sanctions on a major China-based oil refinery and roughly 40 shipping companies and tankers involved in transporting Iranian oil.
April 25, 2026 2:47 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Food and Drug Administration says it will offer ultra-fast review to three psychedelic drugs being studied for hard-to-treat mental health conditions, including major depression. The agency announced the move Friday, following an executive order by President Donald Trump calling for the agency to speed up access to the mind-altering drugs. The move reflects growing popular support for the psychedelics among Trump’s supporters, including combat veterans and followers of the Make America Healthy Again movement. The FDA also greenlighted initial testing of a drug related to ibogaine, a potent psychedelic linked to dangerous heart rhythms.
April 26, 2026 7:00 am
Pittsburgh, PA – PennDOT District 11 is announcing overnight lane closures on I-376 (Parkway West) in Collier and Robinson townships, Allegheny County, will begin Monday night, April 27 weather permitting. Starting Monday, an overnight single-lane restriction will occur as needed in both directions on I-376 between the Ridge Road (Exit 61) and Erie/Washington/I-79 (Exit 64A) interchanges nightly from 9:00 PM to 5:00 AM through Friday, May 8th. The work is part of the $12.6 million project on the Parkway West located between the Ridge Road (Exit 61) and I-79 (Exit 64A) interchanges in Robinson and Collier townships. Additionally, milling and paving on I-376, ramp preservation work, overhead sign structure repairs, drainage improvements, guide rail updates, and sign and pavement marking installation work will continue. Restrictions include the long-term closure of Boyce Road, ramp closures, overnight single-lane restrictions, and four weekend-long single-lane closures. The majority of the project was completed in late 2025, however, punch list work is expected to continue through the spring of 2026.
April 26, 2026 8:07 am
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Philadelphia Museum of Art is embracing a statue it once kept at arm’s length. A new exhibition, “Rising Up: Rocky and the Making of Monuments,” brings the bronze figure of Rocky Balboa inside for the first time, reframing it as both pop culture icon and part of a 2,000-year tradition of boxing imagery. The show explores how the fictional fighter became a global symbol of struggle and resilience. For decades, the museum sought to remove the statue. It is now a pilgrimage site that draws millions each year. After the exhibit closes, the statue will move to a permanent spot atop the museum’s steps. (Photo: AP)
April 25, 2026 3:38 am
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Philadelphia Museum of Art is embracing a statue it once kept at arm’s length. A new exhibition, “Rising Up: Rocky and the Making of Monuments,” brings the bronze figure of Rocky Balboa inside for the first time, reframing it as both pop culture icon and part of a 2,000-year tradition of boxing imagery. The show explores how the fictional fighter became a global symbol of struggle and resilience. For decades, the museum sought to remove the statue. It is now a pilgrimage site that draws millions each year. After the exhibit closes, the statue will move to a permanent spot atop the museum’s steps.
April 25, 2026 4:07 am
Pennsylvania will receive nearly $838,000 in federal funding to make communities more resilient to disasters, FEMA announced. The money is part of more than $137 million for more than 50 projects nationwide from FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. Pennsylvania will use its $837,780 for costs including technical assistance and the efficient administration of funding awards across the state.
April 25, 2026 2:41 am
(AP) – Norfolk Southern railroad’s first-quarter profit fell 27% because it didn’t collect big insurance payments related to the East Palestine, Ohio, derailment and its planned merger with Union Pacific added to its costs. The Atlanta-based railroad said Friday that it earned $547 million, or $2.43 per share. That’s down from $750 million, or $3.31 per share, a year ago. The disastrous derailment in the small town on the Ohio-Pennsylvania border has generally boosted earnings in recent quarters as the railroad collected insurance payments, but that wasn’t the case this time, so it combined with planning costs related to the merger, the derailment reduced earnings per share by 22 cents. Without those unusual costs, the railroad’s profit would have beat Wall Street expectations.
April 24, 2026 10:58 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department has ended its probe into Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell, clearing a major roadblock to the confirmation of his successor, Kevin Warsh. U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeannine Pirro said on X on Friday that her office was ending its probe into the Fed’s extensive building renovations because the Fed’s inspector general would scrutinize them instead. The decision ends an investigation that was among several undertaken by the Justice Department into President Donald Trump’s perceived adversaries. The investigation for months had failed to gain traction as prosecutors struggled to articulate a basis to suspect criminal conduct.
April 23, 2026 2:22 am
The Washington County Board of Elections held a special hearing on the eligibility of Al Buchtan to remain on the Washington County ballot as a candidate for a Washington County Republican State Committeeman position. The board, comprised of all three county commissioners, did not take any action with regard to Buchtan’s removal from the ballot. Washington County Solicitor Gary Sweat advised the board that they do not have the jurisdiction to make such a decision at this late date. Sweat says that he had conversations with the Pennsylvania Department of State that said that the time for a challenge has expired. He says that he was advised, and after his research into election code, that only a court of competent jurisdiction could remove Buchtan from the ballot. Thomas King, general counsel for the Pennsylvania Republican Party, stated that the party is asking that Buchtan be investigated for inconsistencies regarding his residency and therefore his eligibility to represent Washington County as a party committee person. He said that if Buchtan should be elected, the party will not seat him as a committee person and Washington County Republicans would be without representation in that jurisdiction. Dave Ball, former Washington County Republican Party Chairman, handed letters to the board of elections and the solicitor containing information that he feels could have criminal charges levied against Buchtan concerning election integrity. The board will be handing those letters over to the District Attorney for investigation. Ultimately, the decisions have been based on earlier decisions by the Commonwealth Court and affirmed by the Supreme Court surrounding his candidacy for State Senator, that Buchtan is a resident of Greene County and not Washington County.
April 24, 2026 4:58 am
PITTSBURGH — For some, utility bills have been busting the household budget. A cold, snowy winter meant increased usage, while at the same time, some consumers are starting to feel the impact of recent gas delivery rate hikes. Nick Kuzy of Venetia has been watching his bills closely, mapping out costs on a spreadsheet. Last month, he cut his usage in half, but his gas bill still went up! “It just hit me that it went from $89 to $103. That’s quite a jump,” Kuzy said. Abe Scarr is the Energy and Utilities Program Director for PennPIRG, a consumer advocacy group. “I think higher bills are here to stay to a certain degree,” said Scarr. “I don’t think there’s been an adequate job of keeping those rate increases in check and that spending in check.” Consumers can’t “shop” for their delivery company, so the one way to cut costs is to lower gas consumption. “I’d encourage people to consider replacing some old gas appliances with electric appliances like heat pumps, which can both heat and cool your home and are super efficient,” said Scarr. Experts also say maintaining your HVAC system can save you money. Others suggest turning down the thermostat on your hot water heater.
