October 20, 2026 4:40 am
Rising childcare costs are a factor for parents weighing how to vote in November’s midterm elections. In Pennsylvania’s hotly contested 7th Congressional District, both candidates are making childcare part of their pitch to voters. Democratic nominee Bob Brooks supports universal prekindergarten and increased federal childcare assistance. Republican Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, the incumbent, favors bigger tax breaks for families paying for childcare and employers who subsidize it for their workers. Childcare costs have rose faster than inflation from from 2020 to 2024. The Campaign for a Family Friendly Economy said it has spent $60 million this year to support Democratic candidates, who have historically favored bigger-ticket childcare investments.
October 21, 2026 4:42 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — When Vice President JD Vance speaks on the campaign trail about the high costs Americans are facing, he often says he understands that people are hurting. But in the way President Donald Trump talks about affordability concerns, the pain is often his. Depending on which Republican is speaking, Americans are getting a different perspective on how bad things are with the economy. Trump says “the golden age of America is upon us.” Vance walks a tightrope to show that he knows voters are feeling an economic pinch while still selling them on Trump’s agenda.
October 21, 2026 4:46 am
PARIS (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump and leading Republicans are trying to leverage widespread riots in France ahead of midterm congressional elections by making unsubstantiated claims that the social unrest in Europe is caused by Muslim migrants. France has been rocked by violence during nationwide demonstrations over the high cost of living and in support of students’ grievances over underfunded schools. Trump says immigrants to France are to blame. French authorities do not make that connection. It is difficult to know the exact sociological makeup of the protesters. But accounts of the protests and images of the unrest seem to show they are representative of France’s diverse society.
October 21, 2026 4:47 am
STARKE, Fla. (AP) — Florida has carried out its 18th execution of the year under Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis’ aggressive use of the death penalty in his final term. Seventy-seven-year-old William Reaves was pronounced dead Tuesday evening after a lethal injection at Florida State Prison near Starke. He was convicted of first-degree murder in the 1986 shooting death of Indian River County Deputy Richard Raczkoski. Reaves was Florida’s eighth prisoner over age 70 to be executed this year in the nation’s busiest death chamber. Last year, Florida set a state record with 19 executions for a single year. It’s set to tie that mark if another execution is carried out next month as scheduled.
October 21, 2026 4:45 am
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Australian federal lawmaker Helen Haines had had both legs amputated after she was rammed repeatedly by a driver on Monday outside her electorate office, her husband says. The 65-year-old independent politician remains in a critical condition on Wednesday in a Melbourne hospital where she was flown by helicopter within hours of an apparent escalation in political violence that has shocked Australia. Phil Haines gave the family’s first public comments on her condition since she was hit by a Toyota Land Cruiser SUV in her hometown of Wangaratta. He said her left leg was amputated on Monday and the other leg was amputated on Wednesday.
October 21, 2026 6:56 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Humanity is losing more ground in its fight against climate change. If all the countries do what they promise to do in the fight to curb climate change, the world will still warm this century by another 2.2 degrees Fahrenheit (1.2 degrees Celsius) from now, the United Nations now projects. That’s about two tenths of a degree Fahrenheit (0.1 C) warmer than last year’s projection. The UN says much of that change is due to the United States abandoning its climate efforts. Experts fault the U.S. for dramatically increased emissions when other nations were cutting.
October 20, 2026 5:44 pm
Pennsylvania American Water crews were called out to the Claysville area Tuesday afternoon for reports of a water main break. Company officials say some one-hundred customers were affected and as a result, the McGuffey Middle/High School dismissed students early because of the lack of water. The outage affected customers on Route 40, High Ridge, South Sunset Beach, Reese Lane, Valley View Road, Hawthorn and Mosier Hill Roads. Crews say repairs were made and completed by around four o’clock.
October 20, 2026 4:49 pm
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is hoping $5,000 checks can boost Republican turnout in the midterm elections. Some supporters doubt the payments will arrive. At a recent rally, attendees expressed skepticism about the promise. Trump has used similar tactics before, like offering dividends from tariff revenues, which didn’t materialize. Critics argue his economic leadership has been lacking, with inflation and overseas conflicts causing concern. Trump claims the payouts will happen if Republicans maintain control of Congress. However, many voters remain unconvinced, with polls showing a lack of trust in his promises.
October 20, 2026 12:49 pm
PITTSBURGH — An investigation is underway after a small fire was set outside the rectory at Pittsburgh’s St. Paul Cathedral. Authorities say firefighters were called to the Bishop’s residence on the 100 block of North Dithride Street for reports of a fire overnight. Investigators said the fire was on the rear porch, made up of twigs and brush and had been extinguished upon crews’ arrival. The fire was on a stone surface, so there was no property damage. No injuries were reported. Police say a suitcase with women’s clothing in it was left behind. Fire investigators are reviewing camera footage and speaking with staff to learn more about what happened.
October 20, 2026 4:46 am
The Peters Township School Board met for the first time since a Pleasant Valley Elementary School Teacher was arrested for public drunkenness on October 8. Not one person in the meeting addressed the school board about the incident. Shelly Belcher is the Communications Coordinator for the Peters Township School District. She reviewed the statement released by the district surrounding the series of events. It outlined the circumstances where it was believed that Katharine Viviano suffered a medical emergency and students were moved to another classroom and parents were notified. A further police investigation into the incident resulted in charges of public drunkenness being filed against Viviano. The statement further states that because of the ongoing police investigation and it being a personnel matter, no further details can be revealed. The statement further states that the district’s focus remains on supporting the impacted students and ensuring a safe, stable and positive learning environment for the remainder of the school year. The Peters Township School District has been in the news frequently since the beginning of the year. In February, Senior Class President, Zachariah Meyers was arrested for allegedly coordinating a sextortion ring. In August, recently graduated Karoline Heintz was allegedly killed by her boyfriend Royce Moser. Belcher said the district will not comment those incidents as they also are under active investigations and victim’s families have requested privacy.
