May 1, 2024 5:52 pm
PHOENIX (AP) — The Arizona Legislature has approved a repeal of a long-dormant ban on nearly all abortions. The vote to undo the 19th century law will send the bill to Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs. Two Republicans joined with 14 Democrats in the Arizona Senate on Wednesday to give final legislative approval to the repeal, which narrowly won approval a week ago from the Arizona House and is expected to be signed by Hobbs once it arrives at her office. The near-total ban permits abortions only to save the patient’s life and provides no exceptions for survivors of rape or incest.
May 1, 2024 5:00 am
BOCA RATON, Fla. (AP) — Florida’s ban on most abortions after six weeks of pregnancy has gone into effect, and some doctors are concerned that women in the state will no longer have access to needed health care. Fertility specialist Dr. Leah Roberts says the anti-abortion laws being enacted by Florida and other red states are being vaguely written by people who don’t understand medical science. Many women don’t even know they are pregnant by six weeks. The ban that went into effect Wednesday affects not just women who want to terminate viable pregnancies because of personal choice, but also nonviable pregnancies for women who want to have babies.
May 1, 2024 5:53 pm
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — United Methodist delegates have repealed their church’s longstanding ban on LGBTQ clergy with no debate. They removed a rule forbidding “self-avowed practicing homosexuals” from being ordained or appointed as ministers. Delegates voted 692-51 at their General Conference — the first such legislative gathering in five years. That overwhelming margin contrasts sharply with the decades of controversy around the issue. Past General Conferences of the United Methodist Church had steadily reinforced the ban and related penalties amid debate and protests. But many of the conservatives who had previously upheld the ban have left the denomination in recent years, and this General Conference has moved in a solidly progressive direction.
April 30, 2024 2:11 pm
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration will move to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug, a historic shift to generations of American drug policy that could have wide ripple effects across the country. The DEA’s proposal still must be reviewed by the White House Office of Management and Budget. It would recognize the medical use cannabis and acknowledge it has less potential for abuse than some of the nation’s most dangerous drugs. However, it would not legalize marijuana. The agency’s move was confirmed to The Associated Press on Tuesday by five people familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive regulatory review. (Photo: AP)
April 30, 2024 11:49 am
NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump has been held in contempt of court and fined $9,000 for repeatedly violating a gag order that barred him from making public statements about witnesses, jurors and some others connected to his New York hush money case. The judge warned that Trump could be jailed. Prosecutors had alleged 10 violations, but New York Judge Juan M. Merchan found there were nine. Still, the decision Tuesday is a rebuke for the Republican former president, who had insisted he was exercising his free speech rights. The ruling came at the start of the second week of testimony in the historic case.
April 30, 2024 4:48 am
Washington City Council was visited by Sheila Gombita, Executive Director of Freedom Transit. She was there to encourage the authorization of $110,709 in funding for matching funds provided by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Each year Freedom Transit is required to provide a funding match of 15% for its transportation funding and they reach out to the city, county and several surrounding communities to reach that goal. Gombita did warn council that this may not be the last time they hear from her this year. Public transportation is funded by a 4.4% portion of state sales taxes. Under a proposal from Governor Josh Shapiro, that portion would increase by 1.75% to 6.15% of state sales tax revenue. If that scenario were to pass the legislature, that would cause Freedom Transit to have to come up with approximately $70,000 in additional match funds to qualify for the more than $450,000 anticipated. Gombita said that she wanted to warn council that she could return to seek additional match funds from the current list of funding partners if necessary. She says Freedom Transit is “one of 5 transit agencies across the Commonwealth that are required to provide 15% local match (which includes PRT and SEPTA). However, our agency, and our agency alone, has meetings scheduled with local legislators to discuss our concern with coming up with these additional funds and for language to assist us with managing the level of local match funding. PRT and SEPTA are not looking to eliminate this discrepancy”. Council will vote on the funding request Thursday.
April 30, 2024 4:56 am
PITTSBURGH — (WPXI) – Protesters are packing up at Pitt and tents are coming down after a nearly weeklong demonstration at Schenley Plaza. Demonstrators in Oakland say their fight isn’t over, still demanding the university divest from companies profiting from the Israel-Hamas War. “We want Pitt to stop working with any organizations that support Israeli military with weapons, arms and technology,” Elyanna Sharbaji said. Students set up the encampment in Schenley Plaza last week. The movement, sparked by Columbia University, is now happening at college campuses nationwide. Pittsburgh police say these protesters have been peaceful. Protesters say they’ve had some conversations with the university about cutting ties with Israel but haven’t come to an agreement. Until they do, they plan on keeping the pressure on the administration.
April 30, 2024 5:12 am
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Four officers trying to serve a warrant for a felon wanted for possessing a firearm were killed and four other officers were wounded in a shootout in North Carolina. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Johnny Jennings said the officers killed the suspect outside the Charlotte home Monday after he fired on them. Jennings says officers who rushed to rescue the downed officers were themselves wounded by a second shooter firing from inside the home. Armored vehicles smashed into the home, tearing down doors and shattering windows. A woman and a 17-year-old male were taken away for questioning after the three-hour standoff ended. Police also say a high-powered rifle was seized from the home.
April 30, 2024 5:07 am
NEW YORK (AP) — Standoffs between pro-Palestinian protesters and U.S. college administrators appear to be coming to a head. Columbia University in New York limited campus access after protesters took over a building early Tuesday. The school promised that they would face expulsion. Police moved to clear an encampment at Yale University in Connecticut. But at Northwestern University, near Chicago, school officials and protesters have reached agreement to allow demonstrations through the end of spring classes. Protesters on campuses nationwide are angry about the Israel-Hamas war and its mounting death toll. Cease-fire negotiations appear to be gaining steam, but it’s unclear if that could inspire protesters to ease their efforts.
April 30, 2024 5:05 am
Officials from Hamas have left Cairo after talks with Egyptian officials on a new proposal for a cease-fire in Gaza. Egypt’s state-owned Al-Qahera News satellite channel said Tuesday that a Hamas delegation will return to Cairo with a written response to the cease-fire proposal, without saying when. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is expected in Israel in his seventh diplomatic mission to the Middle East since the Israel-Hamas war began. The conflict was sparked Oct. 7 by a raid into southern Israel in which militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted around 250 hostages. The war has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians, caused vast destruction in several towns and cities, and pushed northern Gaza to the brink of famine.
