December 4, 2024 4:18 am
A U.S. Senate subcommittee has held a hearing to question the growing use of airline fees to charge passengers for things like early boarding and better seats. Members of the Senate Permanent on Investigations say airlines have raised billions of dollars by imposing fees that are getting hard to understand and even harder to avoid paying. The senators and the Biden administration call them “junk fees,” and they say the extra charges are making travel less affordable. Some senators expressed frustration during Wednesday’s hearing on Wednesday hearing when airline executives couldn’t explain how they set various fees. Airlines say fees let consumers pay for things they want, like more legroom, and avoid paying for things they don’t want.
December 4, 2024 4:16 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — The conservative-majority Supreme Court appeared likely to uphold Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming health care for transgender minors as it heard the most high-profile case of its term on Wednesday. Five of the court’s six conservatives appeared skeptical about the challenge backed by the Biden administration, which urged a narrow ruling. The sixth, Justice Neil Gorsuch, was notably silent during oral arguments. A decision in the case isn’t expected until the spring, but could have wide-ranging effects as pushback to transgender rights escalates.
December 4, 2024 2:35 am
In a special meeting held after a budget workshop, Cecil Township Supervisors approved their preliminary budget for 2025. The spending plan comes in at $18.5 million dollars. The budget is balanced and the good news for taxpayers is there will be no increase in taxes for the 31st year in a row. Supervisor Chairman Tom Casciola said that development in Southpointe has been the main reason that taxes have remained steady. Residential and commercial development looks to be flat next year but Casciola said that the long dormant office, retail, residential project Cool Valley seems to be back on track. He hopes to see revenues from that project in 2027 at the earliest. The new public works building that is coming in at roughly $8 million is one of the larger projects for next year. A $1 million road paving project along with several road intersection projects are also anticipated. Supervisors will adopt the final budget in a special meeting on December 30.
December 3, 2024 4:27 pm
DETROIT (AP) — General Motors is adding over 132,000 heavy-duty pickups in the U.S. to a previous recall for tailgate release switches that can short circuit and open the gates while the trucks are in park. The recall adds certain 2024 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 trucks to a February recall of 323,000 pickups. Only trucks with a manual gate and power lock and release are affected. The company says water can get into the electronic gate release switches, causing them to unlatch. Cargo can fall into the road and become a hazard. Until repairs are made, GM says owners should make sure the gate is closed and latched before driving. Dealers will replace the exterior touch pad switch assemblies with new ones that are more resistant to water.
December 3, 2024 3:53 pm
WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democrats reelected Chuck Schumer as party leader on Tuesday as the party moves into a deeply uncertain time, with no real consensus on a strategy as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office. Schumer faced no opposition in the party leadership elections, in which Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin was also re-elected to the No. 2 spot and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar became the new No. 3. Schumer said he was honored to move the party forward “during this crucial period for our country.” But it is a bleak moment for Senate Democrats, who lost four seats and the majority in November’s election. (Photo: AP)
December 3, 2024 2:11 pm
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump is underscoring his intention to block the purchase of U.S. Steel by Japanese steelmaker Nippon Steel Corp., and he’s pledging to use tax incentives and tariffs to strengthen the iconic American steelmaker. Trump said during the campaign that he would “instantaneously” block the deal, and he reiterated that sentiment in a Monday night statement. President Joe Biden also opposes Nippon Steel’s purchase of Pittsburgh-based U.S. Steel. A secretive U.S. committee is reviewing the transaction for national security concerns, and federal law gives the president the power to block the transaction. Nippon Steel is pledging to invest in U.S. Steel’s factories and strengthen the American steel industry. (Photo: AP)
December 3, 2024 12:28 pm
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s government has lifted the martial law he imposed during a tense night of political drama in which troops surrounded parliament and lawmakers voted to reject military rule. Yoon said early Wednesday that his government withdrew military personnel following a bipartisan parliamentary vote rejecting martial law, and the measure was formally lifted during a Cabinet meeting around 4:30 a.m. Yoon declared martial law late Tuesday, vowing to eliminate “anti-state” forces as he struggles against an opposition that controls the country’s parliament and that he accuses of sympathizing with communist North Korea. Less than three hours later, parliament voted to lift the declaration. (Photo: AP)
December 3, 2024 12:20 pm
(WPXI) – An active search is underway for a 64-year-old woman who may have fallen into a sinkhole while looking for her missing cat in Unity Township in Westmoreland County. Emergency crews are searching along Marguerite Road near Monday’s Union Restaurant. Troopers say they received a call around 1 a.m. regarding a family concerned about their grandmother Elizabeth Pollard’s whereabouts. At around 2:50 a.m., troopers found her vehicle parked behind Monday’s Union Restaurant, where they found Pollard’s 5-year-old granddaughter inside. She was unharmed. Near Pollard’s vehicle, troopers noticed a sinkhole. State police said they are performing search and rescue efforts with the assumption she fell down the hole. State police said she could have gone missing as early as five o’clock Monday afternoon when people at Monday’s restaurant saw her looking for her cat, Pepper. Authorities say that area is potentially an old coal mine and crews are bringing in tools to remove water, dirt and debris from the hole so they can better investigate. At this point, there has been no communication with Pollard.
December 3, 2024 5:06 am
A woman who admitted to drinking and who was driving well over twice the speed limit when she smashed into a golf cart killing a bride who had just got married at a South Carolina beach has been sentenced to 25 years in prison. Jamie Lee Komoroski pleaded guilty Monday to reckless homicide and three felony driving under the influence charges. Police said the 27-year-old drank at several bars on April 28, 2023, and was driving 65 mph on a narrow Folly Beach road when she slammed into a golf cart leaving a wedding. The bride, 34-year-old Samantha Miller, died still wearing her wedding dress.
December 3, 2024 5:02 am
NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump will attend the reopening celebration for Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris this weekend, his first foreign trip since the election. The cathedral will reopen after more than five years of reconstruction following a devastating 2019 fire. The invite-only ceremonies Saturday and Sunday are expected to be high-security affairs, with about 50 heads of state and government expected to attend. Trump announced his trip in a post on his Truth Social site Monday evening. “It will be a very special day for all!” he wrote.
