September 22, 2023 5:03 am
MIDDLETOWN, N.Y. (AP) — A charter bus carrying high school students to a band camp careened off a New York highway and tumbled down an embankment Thursday, killing two adults and seriously injuring several others. Gov. Kathy Hochul said a front-tire failure could have contributed to the early afternoon accident on Interstate 84 in the town of Wawayanda, about 45 miles (72 kilometers) northwest of New York City. The two adults who died were Beatrice Ferrari, 77, of Farmingdale and Gina Pellettiere, 43, of Massapequa. Five of the 44 passengers on board were critically injured. according to state police.
September 22, 2023 4:59 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Republican David McCormick is entering Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senate race in his second bid for the office, this time to take on Democratic Sen. Bob Casey. McCormick’s announcement Thursday comes after he lost in last year’s Republican primary for Senate. McCormick made the announcement in a ballroom full of supporters at the Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh. Senate candidates in Pennsylvania will share a ticket with candidates for president next year in a state that’s critical to whether Democrats can maintain control of the White House and the Senate. A race between Casey and McCormick could be one of the nation’s most expensive and closely watched.
September 22, 2023 2:02 am
Washington County Commissioners approved a contract that could last up to 10 years with the Washington County Chamber of Commerce with a 2-1 vote. At issue is an economic development agreement that has been in existence for more than 20 years and its renewal at a higher rate. The original agreement in 1999 called for a $70,000 payment and that has remained in place to this date. The new agreement calls for a $140,000 payment this year and next with a 3% escalator clause for each of the remaining years of the contract. In all the contract could cost $1.6 million. The county could get out of the contract after 5 years but would have to pay a fee of half of the remaining contract to do so. Commissioner Nick Sherman voted against the measure stating that he is against a no bid contract that binds tax payer monies for a significant number of years. Voting in support of the measure was Commissioner Larry Maggi that praised the work of the Washington County Chamber of Commerce as they led the county through the development of Southpointe, Southpointe II and the emergence of the gas and oil industry. Refuting Sherman’s claim that economic development is a commissioner’s job, Maggi stated that “government doesn’t do economic development well, leave it to the private sector.” After the meeting, Commissioner Chairwoman Diana Irey-Vaughan indicated that this measure was tabled last month and at no time did Commissioner Sherman put forth any alternate entity that would provide the services that are required of this contract.
September 21, 2023 3:55 pm
WAWAYANDA, N.Y. (AP) — One person is dead and dozens more hurt after a charter bus carrying high school students to a band camp hurtled off a New York highway and down an embankment. The wreck happened on Interstate 84 in the town of Wawayanda. That’s about 45 miles northwest of New York City. Officials say 43 people were taken to hospitals. Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus told WNBC-TV at least five people were badly hurt. The bus was one of six in a caravan carrying students from Farmingdale High School on Long Island to a band camp in the northeastern Pennsylvania community of Greeley.
September 21, 2023 5:14 am
TORONTO (AP) — Canada is making an explosive allegation that India may have been involved in the killing of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil, but thus far Canada’s allies are voicing measured concern about what happened. They are calling for a full investigation. But none of Canada’s key allies — not the U.S., Britain, Australia or New Zealand — has echoed the allegations of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. These days, India is just too important to alienate. The Biden administration and governments of other allies want to maintain strong ties with India because of its economic might and as a counterweight to China’s rising assertiveness.
September 21, 2023 5:12 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Under intense political pressure from fellow Democrats, the Biden administration has announced it is granting protection to hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans who are already in the country. The move Wednesday to give Venezuelans who arrived in the country as of July 31, 2023, temporary protected status essentially makes it much easier and faster for them to get authorization to work in the U.S. That has been a key demand of Democratic mayors and governors who are struggling to care for an increased number of migrants in their care. Venezuelans account for such a large number of the migrants who have been arriving in the country in recent years.
September 21, 2023 5:11 am
Detroit carmakers are announcing more layoffs that they blame on fallout from the United Auto Workers strike. General Motors said Wednesday it idled a plant in Kansas with 2,000 workers because they don’t have auto parts to work with. The plant that makes those parts is on strike. And Stellantis, the maker of Jeep and Chrysler, says it expects to lay off more than 300 workers in Ohio and Indiana. The layoff are adding to tension just two days before the UAW is expected to call for expanding its strike, which right now is limited to three vehicle-assembly plants.
September 21, 2023 5:11 am
PHOENIX (AP) — More than 15,000 people in Arizona have registered to join a new political party floating a possible bipartisan “unity ticket” against Joe Biden and Donald Trump. That’s less than the population of the state’s 40 largest cities. It’s still a number big enough to tip the presidential election in a critical swing state — something that has particularly alarmed people trying to stop Trump from winning the White House again. The group No Labels has secured ballot access in Arizona and 10 other states and says it’s on track to hit 20 before the year is over and all 50 by Election Day. It has not yet committed to running candidates for president and vice president.
September 21, 2023 5:09 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is delivering an upbeat message to U.S. lawmakers in a whirlwind visit to Washington. Zelenskyy briefed lawmakers on the state of the war Thursday and told them Ukrainians “are winning.” Zelenskyy was facing Republicans who are now questioning the flow of American dollars that for 19 months has helped keep his troops in the fight against Russian forces. Zelenskyy will also meet with President Joe Biden at the White House. It’s Zelenskyy’s second visit to Washington since Russia invaded and comes as Biden’s request to Congress for another $24 billion for Ukraine is hanging in the balance.
September 21, 2023 5:05 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Republican David McCormick is expected to announce soon that he’ll enter Pennsylvania’s U.S. Senate race in his second bid for the office, this time to take on Democratic Sen. Bob Casey after losing in last year’s Republican primary. Senate candidates in Pennsylvania will share a ticket with candidates for president next year in a state that’s critical to whether Democrats can maintain control of the White House and the Senate. A race between Casey and McCormick could be one of the nation’s most expensive and closely watched.
