April 11, 2024 4:18 pm
(AP) – Four railroads have asked federal appeals courts to throw out a new rule that would require two-person train crews in most circumstances. The identical challenges were filed this week in appellate courts across the country. They call the Federal Railroad Administration’s new rule arbitrary, capricious and an illegal abuse of discretion. The rail industry has long opposed such a rule. They say safety data doesn’t support it and crew size should be determined by negotiations. But regulators and unions argue that there are clear safety benefits to having two people operating trains because they can keep each other alert and the conductor can respond immediately to any problems.
April 11, 2024 4:57 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has addressed U.S. lawmakers at the Capitol. He was urging them to consider the importance of global commitments at a time of tension in the Asia-Pacific and deep skepticism in Congress about U.S. involvement abroad. Kishida is in Washington this week visiting President Joe Biden as the White House completes hosting each leader of “the Quad.” It’s an informal partnership between the U.S., Japan, Australia and India that is seen as important to countering China’s growing military strength. On Thursday at the Capitol, Kishida was addressing many Republicans who have urged the U.S. to take a less active role internationally in line with the ethos of Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee.
April 10, 2024 4:57 am
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine’s parliament has passed a law that will govern how the country recruits new conscripts following months of delay and after thousands of amendments were submitted to water down the initial draft. Lawmakers dragged their feet for months over the law, which is expected to be unpopular. The law on Thursday was spurred by a request from the military command under former army commander Valerii Zaluzhny, who said Ukraine needs up to 500,000 new recruits to boost army ranks.
April 10, 2024 5:39 pm
(AP) – The Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday announced its first-ever limits for several common types of PFAS, the so-called “forever chemicals,” in drinking water. Two types, PFOA and PFOS, will be limited to 4 parts per trillion, the lowest level that tests can reliably detect. The agency says it will reduce exposure for 100 million people and prevent thousands of illnesses, including cancer. Utilities groups, however, say the EPA is underestimating the rule’s cost and overestimating its benefits. They argue water rates will go up and struggling utilities will only struggle more. The Biden administration has made protecting drinking water a priority.
April 10, 2024 10:54 am
WASHINGTON, Pa. – The City of Washington police are investigating a shots fired call in two areas from early Wednesday morning. Police said a shots fired call came in just after 3 a.m. for the areas of Beech Street and Hallam Avenue and Duncan Avenue and Hallam Avenue. Washington police are asking anyone with information on the incident to call the department at 724-223-4226.
April 10, 2024 8:47 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Consumer price increases remained high last month, boosted by gas, rents, and car insurance, the government said in a report that will likely give pause to the Federal Reserve as it weighs when and by how much to cut interest rates this year. Prices outside the volatile food and energy categories rose 0.4% from February to March. Measured from a year earlier, these core prices were up 3.8%. The Fed closely tracks core prices because they tend to provide a good read of where inflation is headed. The March figures, the third straight month of inflation readings well above the Fed’s 2% target, threaten to torpedo the prospect of multiple interest rate cuts this year.
April 10, 2024 4:56 am
North Franklin Township Supervisors met Tuesday and one of the items on the agenda was an update on progress of the new Community Center. Supervisor Chairman Bob Sabot reported that they are in the final phase of construction. Finish work is now going on with cabinet installation and flooring. Sabot says that paving could begin in the parking lot this week. The anticipated move date for township offices is in June. There will be a grand opening held on June 22 from 11-3. The first township council meeting will be held on June 25. Additionally, the township is expected to enter into a sales agreement for the sale of the current municipal building. The offer price for the building is $450,000. In other township business, supervisors heard from a frustrated and emotional tenant at the Washington Crown Center. She asked for supervisor support so that a watermain break at the mall will not force them or any of the other tenants to close their businesses. She was told by the mall manager that the plumbing company involved will not address the current $5000 repair until the previous $15,000 that is owed them is paid. Supervisors empathized with the business owner and shared their frustrations. Supervisor Sabot explained that supervisors are entering into an executive session after the meeting to discuss litigation surrounding the condition of the mall and the owner’s lack of action. The mall is owned by the Kohan Retail Investment Group out of Great Neck, New York.
April 10, 2024 2:48 am
Several members of state and local government, along with business and labor groups, gathered on the steps of the Capital Building in Harrisburg to call on Governor Josh Shapiro to pressure Attorney General Michelle Henry to approve the proposed merger of the Washington Health System and UPMC. State Representative Tim O’Neal, organized the press conference that called for Shapiro to tell Henry to stop bending to outside pressures from arguments that do not involve the merger and have her approve it. At issue are disputes between UPMC and the SEIU in Pittsburgh over wages paid to medical professionals in certain UPMC facilities. In the proposed agreement, UPMC is guaranteeing current staffing for 10 years and wages will be paid at current contract levels. The proposal is also calling for $300 million in investment from UPMC in WHS in Washington and Greene Counties to maintain current services and expand services in the future. City of Washington Mayor JoJo Burgess called on Shapiro for help while telling the SEIU that they should keep their fight in Pittsburgh and not influence a necessary merger in Washington when they represent less than 10% of union employees. Frances Kino, an emergency room technician spoke about how WHS Greene voted out the SEIU and found immediate benefits without their representation. Electra Janis summed up the benefits of the merger by pointing to three main benefits, preserving 2700 jobs at WHS, preserving local access to core health care and community commitments established by the WHS board. The merger was unanimously approved by the WHS in June of 2023 and is awaiting the decision from the Attorney General.
April 10, 2024 4:46 pm
Police say at least three people were shot and injured Wednesday at an Eid al-Fitr event in Philadelphia. Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel says the shooting occurred around 2:30 p.m., when police at the scene heard about 30 gun shots. He says two groups of people started firing at each other, and people began fleeing the scene. Bethel says officers have taken into custody five people, and four weapons were recovered at the scene. One suspect, a 15-year-old boy who police say had a gun, was shot by police and sustained wounds to his shoulder and leg. A man also was shot in the stomach, and another juvenile had a wound to his hand. It was not immediately clear what caused the shooting. (Photo: AP)
April 9, 2024 2:12 am
(WPXI) – The body of a missing Beaver County man was found Tuesday during a search of the Monongahela River in Elizabeth Township. Elizabeth Township Police and Fire Rescue say they were asked to assist in the search for Brian Posch, 36, of Brighton, who went missing Friday in a work truck. They were called to help because cell tower data put the township as his last known location. Crews began searching the river because the cell tower “ping” was within the waterway. Initially, divers didn’t find any signs of the truck Posch was driving, but on Monday afternoon found a “large metal mass” about 50 yards from the shore. The divers returned Tuesday to remove the mass and identified it as the missing truck. Brian Posch’s remains were inside. His cause of death will be determined on Wednesday. The Elizabeth Township Police Department, Allegheny County Police Department’s Homicide Unit and the Allegheny County Medical Examiner are all investigating.
