February 4, 2025 10:32 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has cleared his first hurdle to become the nation’s top health official as the Senate finance committee voted to advance his nomination for a floor vote. After Tuesday’s committee vote, the nomination of the controversial environmental lawyer turned public health critic now goes before a full Senate vote. Kennedy critics have concerns about the work he’s done to sow doubts around vaccine safety and his potential to profit off lawsuits over drugmakers. Kennedy is a longtime Democrat who ran for president but withdrew to support Donald Trump in exchange for an influential job in his Republican administration. As secretary, Kennedy would oversee vaccine recommendations and public health campaigns.
February 4, 2025 7:00 am
Scott Becker, the long-time Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum has announced his retirement, effective May 31st of this year. Becker has been with the Trolley Museum for nearly thirty-two-years. He will honored at the Museum’s Streetcar Soiree on May 16th, where he will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award. Becker will be succeeded by Jeanine DeBor, the current Deputy Executive Director. She’ll assume the role on June 1st. Becker says he plans to enjoy his retirement by spending more time with his family and travel with his wife. He says, though, he will remain an ambassador for the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum.
February 4, 2025 4:57 am
HONG KONG (AP) — The U.S. Postal Service said it was temporarily suspending inbound parcels from China and Hong Kong, effective Tuesday. The move comes a day after an additional 10% tariff on Chinese goods imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump came into effect. Canada and Mexico, which face 25% tariffs, managed to negotiate a month-long reprieve with the U.S. The USPS move will likely impact Chinese e-commerce companies like Shein and Temu, which have in recent years gained e-commerce market share in the U.S for selling affordable clothing and other goods mostly from China. Costs are kept low as these firms often ship products to consumers directly from China, using a “de minimis” exemption that allowed shipments to go tax-free if the value is under $800.
February 4, 2025 4:54 am
PITTSBURGH — A messy winter storm will bring a few light snow showers during the day Wednesday and the threat of freezing rain or sleet by early Thursday morning. Temperatures during the day Wednesday will climb above freezing, so any snow that falls will melt — leaving roads mainly wet. Colder temperatures after dark will set the stage for a wintry mix of light snow, freezing rain and possibly sleet around midnight. A light glaze of ice from I-70 north could develop by 5 a.m., leaving roads and sidewalks slick. It is also possible that some areas see a switch from freezing rain to rain over a short distance, so plan for quickly changing road conditions and hazardous travel.
February 4, 2025 4:51 am
TORONTO (AP) — One of the world’s most durable and amicable alliances is broken. Canadians are absorbing U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade war and his threats to make Canada the 51st state. Canadians are feeling a sense of betrayal after Trump declared a trade war against America’s northern neighbor and longtime ally. Trump keeps threatening Canada’s sovereignty and vowing to put sweeping 25% tariffs on Canadian products. The ties between the two countries are without parallel. Nearly $3.6 billion Canadian, or US$2.5 billion, worth of goods and services cross the border each day. Canada is the top export destination for 36 U.S. states and 77% of Canada’s exports go to the United States.
February 4, 2025 4:47 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Tuesday suggested displaced Palestinians in Gaza be “permanently” resettled outside the war-torn territory. Trump made the provocative comments at the start of meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, where the two leaders were expected to discuss the fragile ceasefire and hostage deal in the Israeli-Hamas conflict. Trump said,“I don’t think people should be going back,” Trump said. “You can’t live in Gaza right now. I think we need another location. I think it should be a location that’s going to make people happy.” Trump’s comments came as he and top advisers made the case that a three-to-five-year timeline for reconstruction of the war-torn territory, as laid out in a temporary truce agreement, is not viable.
February 4, 2025 4:45 am
MIAMI (AP) — When President Donald Trump froze foreign assistance for 90 days, he argued that such a drastic step was needed to eliminate waste and block what he derides as “woke” spending that doesn’t align with American interests. Experts say the suspension has a serious consequence: It could prove to be a boon to authoritarian leaders and their regimes. The billions that the U.S. spends annually on foreign aid — more than any other nation — include hundreds of grants for grassroots groups dedicated to fighting for democracy and against corruption.
February 4, 2025 4:44 am
BEIJING (AP) — China has countered President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Chinese products with tariffs of its own on multiple U.S. imports as well as announcing an antitrust investigation into Google and other trade measures. This isn’t the first round of tit-for-tat actions between the two countries. China and the U.S. had engaged in a trade war in 2018 when Trump raised tariffs on Chinese goods and China responded in kind. This time, around, analysts said, China is much better prepared to counter. China announced an anti-trust investigation into Google, which has a limited presence in the country.
February 4, 2025 4:42 am
PITTSBURGH — (WPXI) – Local hospitals are seeing more kids come in with bronchiolitis. The cases are mostly from RSV, which impacts the small airways in the lungs. AHN says they typically see infants hospitalized, but this year they’re seeing more older toddlers. Symptoms to look out for include congestion, runny nose and a cough. But, Dr. Alicia Crow says there are signs to look for that could indicate it’s turning into something more serious. Something else to pay attention to is how the child is breathing, which could indicate the infection has moved from upper respiratory to lower. “When it becomes worrisome is whenever you see that your child is an increased work of breathing,” Crow said. “Their noses are flaring. If they’re working pretty hard with accessory muscles. If you see retractions at the top of their clavicle or underneath their ribs. If you’re seeing their belly is working really hard to breathe. Those are the signs to prompt you to seek further care.” Typically, it takes a week for RSV to run its course. Dr. Crow says for the kids they see in the hospital — they treat them and they go home with no long-term complications.
February 4, 2025 2:52 am
Two ordinances in the City of Washington will be getting updates in the near future. At City Council’s voting meeting on Thursday the Quality of Life ordinance that governs property conditions will see an increase in the fine from $25 to $50 per offense. According to City Administrator Donn Henderson the increase was needed to cover the costs of a third party enforcement officer. The city will also adopt the 2021 edition of the International Property Maintenance Code. Henderson says that the code does make changes every four years and municipalities typically do not adopt new versions every time they come out. He says the last time the code was adopted in Washington was around 2009. Both of these ordinances will have their first reading at Council’s voting meeting on Thursday. On a personal note, Donn Henderson will announce his retirement effective April 12. He will be spending more time with his family.
