March 11, 2026 5:02 am
HEBRON, Ky. (AP) — President Donald Trump used a swing through Ohio and Kentucky to push an economic message and attack fellow Republican Rep. Thomas Massie — even as the conflict in Iran threatened to overshadow all else. On Wednesday, Trump talked in Ohio about pressuring drugmakers to cut prices. He acknowledged that fighting involving Iran has shaken markets, but insisted he remains confident. At a later rally in Massie’s northern Kentucky district, Trump called Massie a “nutjob” and backed primary challenger Ed Gallrein. Trump also said he plans to tap the Strategic Petroleum Reserve in an attempt to lower gas prices. Massie says Trump’s endorsement is all his opponent has.
March 12, 2026 5:00 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is opening a new trade investigation into manufacturing in foreign countries. It’s an effort that comes after the Supreme Court struck down President Donald Trump’s previous use of tariffs. Trump and his team have made clear that they’re seeking to replace the hundreds of billions of dollars in lost revenues by using different laws to establish new tariffs. The administration is starting investigations under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 to try to charge new import taxes. But U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told reporters that he didn’t want to prejudge the outcome of the process, even though he said that “the policy remains the same.”
March 11, 2026 5:06 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — House lawmakers are digging into Jeffrey Epstein’s sprawling financial portfolio. A committee deposed the late financier’s accountant on Wednesday. Richard Kahn worked closely with Epstein for years and now serves as an executor of his estate. He told lawmakers that he had not personally seen evidence of Epstein’s sexual abuse, but provided a fuller picture of how Epstein acquired his wealth. Lawmakers say that a better understanding of Epstein’s wealth could help the public understand how, for years, he was able to get away with trafficking and sexually abusing underage girls.
March 12, 2026 12:32 pm
(AP) – The biggest new restaurant trend is small. Special menus with petite, less expensive portions are popping up at large chains like Olive Garden and The Cheesecake Factory as well as trendy urban eateries and rural retreats. Restaurants hope that offering smaller servings beyond the children’s menu will meet many different diners’ needs, whether it’s saving money, losing weight or environmental concerns. Some restaurants are adding menus to court users of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs like Zepbound and Wegovy. Smaller portions aren’t a new concept. Twenty years ago, small-plate tapas restaurants were all the rage, for instance. The president of a culinary consulting firm says the scaled-down dishes appearing now seem part of a longer-term shift.
March 11, 2026 2:38 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — The head priest of Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in downtown Pittsburgh is facing charges after being accused of stealing more than $1,000 in baseball cards from a Walmart. Police arrested the Very Rev. Aidan Smith on Feb. 27 just after he left a Walmart near Pittsburgh. Court records say Smith had 27 packs of baseball cards concealed under his clothing and in a cardboard box. The 42-year-old is charged with receiving stolen property and retail theft. Police say Walmart security video shows Smith also taking baseball cards each of the four previous days and leaving without paying. The Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh says Smith had been on administrative leave since January.
March 11, 2026 5:50 pm
PARIS (AP) — The International Energy Agency has agreed to release the largest volume of emergency oil reserves in its history, in a bid to counter the effects on energy markets of the war in the Middle East. The Paris-based organization said Wednesday that it will make 400 million barrels of oil available from its members’ emergency reserves. It’s a larger stock than the 182.7 million barrels that were released in 2022 by the IEA’s 32 member countries in response to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. During a videoconference of the Group of Seven leaders Wednesday, French President Emmanuel Macron praised the emergency release, saying it amounts to the equivalent of 20 days of the volume normally exported through the Strait of Hormuz.
March 11, 2026 8:42 am
KANSAS CITY (AP) — Inflation stayed stubbornly elevated last month as gas prices rose in a snapshot of what consumer prices looked like before the Iran war sent energy costs soaring. Wednesday’s data has been overtaken by the conflict that began when the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28, which has caused wild gyrations in oil prices as shipping lanes through the Persian Gulf have suffered a rare shutdown. Gas prices have already jumped and are expected to push inflation much higher when inflation data for this month is released in early April.
March 11, 2026 4:48 am
Several rounds of storms moved through the region Wednesday afternoon, bringing damaging winds, heavy downpours, frequent lighting and the threat of isolated tornadoes. There were reports of widespread power outages in Washington, Allegheny and Greene counties, however, West Penn Power and Duquesne Energy were able to whittle those outages down to below one-hundred before the end of the day. Behind those storms is a cold front, which will bring in a few snow showers Thursday morning and temperatures just above freezing, before warming up to the 40s, which is near the average temperature for this time of year.
March 11, 2026 5:08 am
No injuries were reported after a fire overnight in Somerset Township. It broke out around midnight along Piney Lane and involved a double-wide trailer. According to reports, one side of the trailer suffered heavy damage. No one was home at the time. The State Police Fire Marshall is investigating.
March 11, 2026 3:00 am
North Franklin Township Supervisors authorized their solicitor to advertise amendments to their zoning code. They wish to establish definitions and regulations that govern the development of data centers and cryptocurrency mining centers, and fossil fueled power plants that energize those establishments. Supervisors then set a date for a public hearing to allow public testimony on the amendments. The public hearing will take place prior to the next supervisors regular meeting. The time will be 4:30 pm on April 14. Supervisor Chairman Bob Sabot says that residents will be able to weigh in on items such as property line setbacks, height and numbers of buildings associated with a data center and other regulations. The draft ordinance is available for public inspection during normal business hours at the township’s municipal offices.
