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.
April 24, 2026 5:04 am
ISLAMABAD (AP) — President Donald Trump is sending his envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Pakistan to meet with Iran’s foreign minister as officials in the South Asian nation push to revive ceasefire talks. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News that the two would meet with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Saturday. Arachchi arrived in Islamabad late Friday. Leavitt says the White House hopes the talks will “move the ball forward to a deal.” She says Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the president’s national security team will fly to Pakistan “if necessary.”
April 24, 2026 5:05 am
Washington (AP) — President Donald Trump says Israel and Lebanon have agreed to extend a ceasefire between Israel and the Hezbollah militant group by three weeks after talks at the White House. Trump said the meeting Thursday between the Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors, the second in the past week, went “very well.” They were the first direct diplomatic talks in decades between the two countries. The initial 10-day ceasefire took effect last Friday and had been due to expire Monday. Trump says he expects to meet at the White House with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun in the next couple of weeks.
April 24, 2026 5:01 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — A U.S. soldier involved in the military operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has been charged with using classified information about the mission to win more than $400,000 in an online betting market. Federal officials unsealed the indictment Thursday. Gannon Ken Van Dyke was part of the work to capture Maduro in January and used his access to classified information to make money on the prediction market site Polymarket, the federal prosecutor’s office in New York said. He has been charged with unlawful use of confidential government information for personal gain, theft of nonpublic government information, commodities fraud, wire fraud, and making an unlawful monetary transaction.
April 23, 2026 5:11 am
NEW YORK (AP) — President Donald Trump says he is weighing a taxpayer takeover of Spirit Airlines and would aim to resell the troubled carrier after oil prices drop. The president confirmed his continued interest in offering Spirit a financial lifeline after a lawyer told a U.S. Bankruptcy Court that the airline was in advanced talks with the U.S. government on a financing deal. Speaking at an unrelated Oval Office event, Trump said he had “a smart person” in mind who could potentially run Spirit and that he believed the could get back on solid financial footing and eventually be sold for a profit
