August 4, 2023 5:09 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans are releasing new information about the business dealings of President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden. Republicans on Thursday released the transcript of an interview with Devon Archer, who was Hunter Biden’s business partner. The Republicans released the transcript as they focused their attention on Biden’s family rather than Donald Trump’s appearance in court Thursday on federal charges. Archer testified about how Joe Biden’s youngest son used his relationship with his father, who was then vice president, to gin up business. But pressed repeatedly by Democrats, Archer offered no tangible evidence that Joe Biden’s role in his son’s work was more than saying hello during daily calls.
August 3, 2023 4:18 pm
DETROIT (AP) — Hyundai and Kia are telling the owners of nearly 92,000 vehicles in the U.S. to park them outside because an electronic controller in an oil pump can overheat and cause fires. The Korean automakers are recalling the vehicles and also are telling owners to park them away from structures until repairs are made. The recalls cover certain 2023 and 2024 Hyundai Palisades, as well some 2023 Tucson, Sonata, Elantra and Kona vehicles. Affected Kias include the 2023 Soul and Sportage as well as some 2023 and 2024 Seltos vehicles. Dealers will inspect and replace the oil pump controller if necessary. Hyundai owners will be notified by letter on Sept. 25. Kia will notify owners starting Sept. 28.
August 3, 2023 5:13 am
SAN DIEGO (AP) — U.S. officials say two Navy sailors have been arrested on charges related to national security and ties to China. Federal officials said at a news conference Thursday that 22-year-old sailor Jinchao Wei was arrested on a charge related to espionage involving conspiracy to send national defense information to Chinese officials. The indictment says Wei made contact with a Chinese government intelligence officer in February 2022 and provided photographs and videos of US Navy ships. A second Navy service member, Wenheng Zhao, was charged in federal court in Los Angeles with collecting bribes in exchange for giving sensitive U.S. military photos and videos to a Chinese intelligence officer. Both sailors pleaded not guilty.
August 3, 2023 5:07 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump has pleaded not guilty to trying to overturn the results of his 2020 election loss, answering for the first time to federal charges that accuse him of orchestrating a brazen and ultimately failed attempt to block the peaceful transfer of presidential power. Trump appeared before a magistrate judge in Washington’s federal courthouse two days after being indicted on four felony counts by Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith. The charges accuse him of trying to subvert the will of voters and undo his election loss in the days before Jan. 6, 2021, when supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol in a violent and bloody clash with law enforcement.
August 3, 2023 5:06 am
SAN DIEGO (AP) — U.S. officials say two Navy sailors have been arrested on charges related to national security and ties to China. Federal officials said at a news conference Thursday that 22-year-old sailor Jinchao Wei was arrested on a charge related to espionage involving conspiracy to send national defense information to Chinese officials. The indictment says Wei made contact with a Chinese government intelligence officer in February 2022 and provided photographs and videos of the ship he served on. The Justice Department separately announced charges against a second Navy service member, accusing Wenheng Zhao of collecting bribes in exchange for giving sensitive U.S. military photos and videos to a Chinese intelligence officer.
August 3, 2023 5:03 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress responded to the fiery train derailment in eastern Ohio earlier this year with bipartisan alarm at railroad crashes causing potential disasters. Yet six months after life was upended in East Palestine, lawmakers are deadlocked on new safety regulations. A bipartisan group of lawmakers is pushing for new safety regulations on railroads. But they have met hesitance from top GOP leaders in Congress, as well as the railroad industry. Longtime East Palestine resident Jami Wallace says lawmakers would be “fools” if they don’t seize the example of her hometown’s suffering to pass reforms.
August 3, 2023 4:57 am
GREENSBURG, Pa. — (WPXI) – If you ever head to Greensburg to eat downtown or shop, you may have found it difficult to find parking. You either park on street with a meter or in a parking lot that’s not always near your destination. Now, the city is looking at potentially getting rid of the requirement for businesses to provide off-street parking. Les Mlaker is an attorney who works nearly every day in Greensburg. He said the city has a parking problem. “Lack of the ability to park,” Mlaker said. “Especially for elderly people because of the hills.” The city currently requires businesses to provide off-street parking. City planning Director Jeff Raykes said they want to remove that barrier to hopefully spur development. The city’s planning commission is working on a proposal to eliminate that off-street parking requirement. That doesn’t mean the off-street parking lots that currently exist are going anywhere. It just means the city wouldn’t be dictating how many spaces each business has to provide. The planning commission may make that proposal to the city council this month. The council could approve it in October.
August 3, 2023 2:50 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — The gunman who stormed a synagogue in the heart of Pittsburgh’s Jewish community and killed 11 worshipers has been formally sentenced to death. A federal judge imposed the sentence Thursday. That’s one day after a jury determined that capital punishment was appropriate for the perpetrator of the deadliest attack on Jews in U.S. history. Robert Bowers ranted about Jews online before carrying out the attack at Tree of Life synagogue. The 50-year-old truck driver also wounded two worshipers and five police officers in the 2018 shooting.
August 3, 2023 2:27 am
A local defense attorney accused of wiretap charges entered a guilty plea to lesser charges on Wednesday. Kimberly Furmanek, 35 of Greene County faced felony intercept of communications and conspiracy charges. The charges that she pleaded guilty to were amended to misdemeanor disorderly conduct charges. Furmanek was accused of allowing her former client John Lazear to listen in on a phone call she was having with his new attorney James Jeffries from inside the Washington County Jail back in May of 2022. It was alleged that Furmanek and Lazear were romantically linked. Lazear pleaded guilty to a terroristic threats charge for a phone call that he made to Jeffries’ office. Furmanek received 12 months of probation for her sentence.
August 2, 2023 1:47 pm
(WPXI) – People who contributed to a GoFundMe campaign set up by a Westmoreland County couple now charged in the death of their adopted son can request a refund. Lauren Maloberti and her husband, Jacob Maloberti, a corrections officer at Fayette State Correctional Center, are charged with criminal homicide in the death of five-year-old Landon. Police said the boy had multiple bruises on his body, could not breathe on his own and had rotational head trauma consistent with severe child abuse. After Landon’s death, the family raised more than $5,000 on GoFundMe.
