July 26, 2023 9:23 am
NEW YORK (AP) — A fire on a tall construction crane in Manhattan has caused its arm to hit a building as it crashed to the street below. Photos and videos posted on social media show flames bursting from the car of a crane hundreds of feet above 10th Avenue at 41st Street on Wednesday. The crane’s arm scraped the top floors of a skyscraper across the street as it fell. There were no immediate reports of injuries. The crane fire and collapse happened shortly before 8 a.m. Firefighters on a roof deck of another building used hoses to battle the blaze. Surrounding streets were closed to traffic.
July 26, 2023 5:04 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge has blocked a rule that allows immigration authorities to deny asylum to migrants who arrive at the U.S.-Mexico border without first applying online or seeking protection in a country they passed through. But the judge on Tuesday delayed his ruling from taking effect immediately to give President Joe Biden’s administration time to appeal. The order from U.S. District Judge Jon Tigar of the Northern District of California takes away a key enforcement tool set in place by the Biden administration as coronavirus-based restrictions on asylum expired in May. The new rule imposes severe limitations on migrants seeking asylum but includes room for exceptions and does not apply to children traveling alone.
July 26, 2023 5:01 am
WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — President Joe Biden’s son Hunter has pleaded not guilty to two tax crimes after a plea deal with federal prosecutors unraveled during a court hearing in Delaware following the judge’s concerns over the agreement. Hunter Biden was charged last month with two misdemeanor tax crimes of failure to pay more than $100,000 in taxes from over $1.5 million in income in both 2017 and 2018, and was expected to plead guilt after making agreement with prosecutors, who were planning to recommend two years of probation. He pleaded not guilty Wednesday. The judge gave defense lawyers and prosecutors 30 days to explain why she should accept the initial deal.
July 26, 2023 4:59 am
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A California appeals court will consider reviving the lawsuits of two men who allege Michael Jackson sexually abused them as children. After hearing oral arguments Wednesday, the court could order the two cases to trial. The lawsuits were filed after Jackson’s death by Wade Robson in 2013 and James Safechuck in 2014. The two became known for telling their stories on the HBO documentary “Leaving Neverland.” They sued two corporations that were owned by Jackson, alleging the companies had a duty to protect them from years of abuse. A judge disagreed, and two years ago threw out the lawsuits. That ruling could soon be overturned.
July 26, 2023 4:56 am
For the 29th consecutive drawing, no one matched all five white balls and the Megaball, lottery officials said. That means Friday’s Mega Millions jackpot will be worth an estimated $910 million. If someone matches all of the numbers Friday, they have the option to take the cash with one immediate payment followed by 29 annual payments. A winner could also choose a lump-sum amount, which currently stands at $464.2 million before taxes. No one has won the Mega Millions big prize since April 18, when a $20 million jackpot was won on a ticket sold in New York. Tickets are sold in 45 states, Washington D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands for $2 each.
July 26, 2023 4:52 am
The Board of Supervisor’s for South Strabane Township have appointed Jordan Cramer as the interim Township Manager. It adds to the already full plate for Cramer, who is the fire chief and took over some of the assistant township manager in April for Jim Sutter who accepted a role at Peters Township. He’s handled the information technology, the township website and outreach to residents. He replaces the outgoing Brandon Stanick, who accepted a job as an assistant township manager and planning administrator for Findley Township in Allegheny County. His final meeting as township manager had some vocal detractors about his work with South Strabane residents in the public comment phase of the meeting. At one point a brief executive session was held due to some of the words from disgruntled residents. The meeting would continue as scheduled, with Stanick receiving a plaque from Bob Weber and kind words from the board members. He’s thankful for his time as manager in the township. Chairman of the Board, Bracken Burns says Cramer will be the point of contact for staff and residents in case there are issues. The motion to appoint South Strabane’s next Township Manager was tabled. Burns said they are close to naming the winning candidate and are in the final process of the selection.
July 26, 2023 4:48 am
North Strabane Township Supervisors acted on changes to state and federal policy on the governance of wireless communications facilities. On Tuesday they unanimously adopted changes to their local ordinance. According to Township Manager Andrew Walz, the biggest change comes with how 5G towers are regulated. Walz says that those antennas are now to be permitted anywhere in any public right of way. He said that the FCC has deemed the towers to be safe so there is no need to have any hearings on their placement. In other township business, supervisors authorized Walz to enter into a memorandum of understanding with the owners of the Lighthouse Electric building to purchase that building that is adjacent to township property. Township officials are looking at the building to be the new township administration building. A possible use for the current administration building would be to tear it down and build an athletic center.
July 26, 2023 2:50 am
A North Bethlehem Township man who was charged with 500 counts of child pornography and 11 other felonies pleaded guilty in court on Tuesday. Dennis Shrader, 58 will spend the next 6-15 years in state prison. Shrader pleaded guilty to three charges of photographing or depicting a sex act on a computer and one charge of child pornography. The three photography charges carry a 1-2 year sentence each to be served consecutively and the child pornography charge carries a consecutive 3-9 year sentence. Shrader will also have to register as a sex offender for the next 25 years. In August of 2021, state police followed up on a tip from the software company Synchronoss that someone uploaded a child pornography image to their cloud-based account. More complaints were filed a year later and police determined the account belonged to Shrader. A warranted police search of Shrader’s home found several devices containing child pornography. Shrader admitted to producing the clips. Shrader will be sent to SCI Camp Hill for processing.
July 26, 2023 2:43 am
LONDON (AP) — Singer-songwriter Sinéad O’Connor has died at 56. The gifted and troubled Irish performer was known for her shaved head and for her fierce and expressive voice. O’Connor, who began her musical career singing on the streets of Dublin, was a star from her 1987 debut album “The Lion and the Cobra.” She became an international sensation in 1990 with her cover of Prince’s ballad “Nothing Compares 2 U,” an emotional performance that topped charts from Europe to Australia and brought O’Connor multiple Grammy Award nominations. In 1991, O’Connor was named Artist of the Year by Rolling Stone. (Photo: AP)
July 25, 2023 1:34 pm
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Lawyers for the gunman who killed 11 people in a Pittsburgh synagogue have requested a court order to exhume the body of his long-dead father. Robert Bowers’ lawyers said Tuesday that they want the body exhumed for a DNA test after federal prosecutors raised questions about paternity. Bowers has already been convicted in the 2018 massacre at the Tree of Life synagogue. A federal jury now has to decide whether to sentence him to death or life in prison without parole. The defense is trying to show that Bowers has a family history of mental illness and has introduced evidence that his father, Randall Bowers, was diagnosed with schizophrenia.
