January 14, 2025 5:10 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Pete Hegseth vows to bring “warrior culture’” to the military if confirmed as President-elect Donald Trump’s defense secretary pick. Questioned by senators during Tuesday’s confirmation hearing, Hegseth deflected allegations of sexual assault and excessive drinking. Instead he focused on his own combat experience. The former TV news show host called himself a “change agent” as senators determine whether he is fit to lead the U.S. military. Chairman Roger Wicker says Hegseth will “shake up” the Pentagon. But the top Democrat, Sen. Jack Reed, says the allegations against Hegseth are “extremely alarming.” The Republican-led Senate is rushing to have some of Trump’s Cabinet picks ready to be confirmed as soon as Inauguration Day, Jan. 20.
January 14, 2025 5:03 am
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli strikes in the Gaza Strip killed at least 18 people overnight, including six women and four children, health officials said, as Israel and Hamas appeared to be narrowing in on a ceasefire deal to end the 15-month war and release dozens of hostages. Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels meanwhile fired a missile at central Israel, setting off sirens and sending people fleeing to shelters without causing any casualties. Police said Tuesday several homes were damaged outside Jerusalem and released a photo of a missile casing that had crashed into a roof.
January 14, 2025 5:02 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Pete Hegseth vows to bring “warrior culture’” to the military if confirmed as President-elect Donald Trump’s defense secretary pick. Hegseth is dismissing the sexual assault allegations against him as a “smear” campaign. The former combat veteran and TV news show host calls himself a “change agent’ as senators determine whether he is fit to lead the U.S. military. Chairman Roger Wicker says Hegseth will “shake up” the Pentagon. But the top Democrat Sen. Jack Reed says the allegations against Hegseth are “extremely alarming.” Tuesday’s hearing starts a week-long marathon as the Republican-led Senate rushes to have some of Trump’s Cabinet picks ready to be confirmed as soon as Inauguration Day, Jan. 20.
January 14, 2025 5:01 am
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A lawsuit filed against Southern California Edison claims the utility’s equipment sparked the deadly Eaton Fire burning just outside Los Angeles. Monday’s lawsuit comes as Edison has acknowledged fire agencies are investigating whether its equipment may have started a smaller LA-area fire that broke out the same day. Authorities still haven’t determined an official cause for any of the fires, which began last Tuesday amid hurricane-force winds and have killed at least 24 people in the Los Angeles area. A team from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is taking the lead on the investigations and whether there is a connection between any of them.
January 14, 2025 5:00 am
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Southern California residents are facing dire new wildfire warnings and power shutoffs while they prepare to flee at a moment’s notice as fire-fueling winds blasted across the scarred landscape. The winds are predicted to reach near hurricane-force Tuesday in some areas. Much of Southern California was under an elevated fire risk Tuesday. Fire crews are on high alert from San Diego to far north of Los Angeles. A beefed-up firefighting force is in place to attack flareups or new blazes. A week after the first fires began, the flames have destroyed thousands of homes and killed at least 24 people.
January 14, 2025 4:49 am
The agenda for the Canonsburg Council Voting Meeting was passage of several routine matters. Of note, a new stop sign will be placed on Hutchison Avenue at Hawthorne Street facing southbound traffic on Hutchison Avenue. They approved an $86,300 spending measure to finish the municipal building’s alcove project. The uncovered parking area that runs from the front to the rear of the building has been leaking and ruining items stored in the police department storage and evidence rooms. Council also appointed three people to assorted board positions. Tim Solobay was appointed to a five year term on the CHJSA Board. Tony Trona was reappointed to a three year term on the Zoning Hearing Board and Leanna Coyle was reappointed to a three year term on the Parks and Recreation Board. Council will be holding a workshop on January 20 to discuss capital projects for 2025. Council Chairman Rich Russo also reminded residents of the Washington County Home Rehabilitation Program. Residents who qualify are eligible for up to $25,000 to make exterior improvements to their home. The loan is also forgivable over a ten year period. Information may be found on the borough website under the Building Department tab.
January 14, 2025 4:33 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The bid by Japan’s Nippon Steel to buy U.S. Steel may have a new lease on life, even as the potential for a new bid for the storied Pittsburgh steelmaker began to emerge Monday. Lourenco Goncalves, the CEO of Ohio-based steelmaker Cleveland Cliffs, said Monday that he wanted to make a new bid for U.S. Steel. He spoke a day after the Biden administration pushed back the deadline it imposed for the Japanese steelmaker to abandon its plan to acquire U.S. Steel. That’s after President Joe Biden blocked the deal. The extra time was viewed by U.S. Steel as an opportunity for the companies to complete the acquisition.
January 14, 2025 2:53 am
The Charleroi Area School District says a student, who attended class at the district’s high school on Monday, has been diagnosed with tuberculosis. District superintendent Ed Zelich, in a letter sent to families, says the student was diagnosed with the disease “a couple of weeks ago.” After learning that the student had returned to school without a doctor’s clearance, they were isolated from other people and then sent home. The area where the student was isolated has since been “thoroughly cleaned.” Zelich said after a conversation with the district’s principals, school nurses and the Pennsylvania Department of Health in Monessen, it was determined there is currently “no public health action” necessary for the district. The district will be “promptly” notified if that changes. Zelich said the district is “closely monitoring the situation” and plans to keep working with area health authorities to ensure student and staff safety.
January 13, 2025 5:47 pm
(WPXI) – There are still a lot of questions to answer in Beaver County, but police do believe this was a murder-suicide with the oldest son pulling the trigger and the youngest son making the 911 call from inside the home. “The family, all of them, were avid hunters and in my conversations with them, hunting always comes up. I knew they had a lot of firearms in the house,” said North Sewickley Township Police Chief Jeff Becze. That family is now gone in what Becze is calling a tragedy. “We can’t conclusively determine but it does appear it was a murder and a suicide,” said Beaver County DA Nate Bible. Police believe Clifford Hunt Jr, 19 shot his father Clifford, mother Michelle, and his 16-year-old brother all in the head before turning the gun on himself.
January 13, 2025 4:48 pm
WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge says the Justice Department can release special counsel Jack Smith’s investigative report on President-elect Donald Trump’s 2020 election interference case. The ruling from U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, who was appointed to the bench by Trump, is the latest in the back and forth in a court dispute over the report from the special counsel who prosecuted Trump in two cases the Justice Department abandoned in November. Cannon had earlier temporarily blocked the department from releasing the report. Cannon on Monday cleared the way for the release of the volume on Trump’s 2020 election interference case. A temporary injunction barring the immediate release of the report remains in effect until Tuesday. (Photo: AP)
