August 20, 2024 5:08 am
Barack Obama is returning to the Democratic National Convention stage two decades after his memorable debut. His job is different this time. In 2004, Obama was a young state senator from Illinois stumping for nominee John Kerry and introducing himself to the nation. That speech came months before his election to the U.S. Senate and catapulted him on a course to the presidency barely four years later. This time, Obama is the 63-year-old elder statesman eight years removed from serving two terms as the nation’s first Black president. And he will be making the case for another historic figure: Vice President Kamala Harris. Democrats say they expect Obama to balance aggressive attacks on Republican Donald Trump while boosting Harris.
August 20, 2024 5:05 am
CHICAGO (AP) — President Joe Biden has delivered his valedictory address to the Democratic National Convention, saying, “I gave my best to you.” He basked in a long ovation that reflected the energy released by his decision to cede the stage to Vice President Kamala Harris. Biden received a hero’s welcome weeks after many in his party were pressuring him to drop his bid for reelection. The opening night of the convention in Chicago was designed as a handoff from the incumbent to his hand-picked successor — albeit four years before he intended for her to follow him. A visibly emotional Biden was greeted by a more than four-minute-long ovation and chants of “Thank you Joe.”
August 20, 2024 5:02 am
FINDLAY TOWNSHIP, Pa. — (WPXI) – Transportation Security Administration officers caught a man with a loaded gun in his carry-on bag at Pittsburgh International Airport’s main security checkpoint. TSA said the gun was intercepted on Sunday, Aug. 18. A man from Commodore, Indiana County, had a .38 caliber firearm loaded with six bullets in his bag, which was also packed with a gun magazine that had six more bullets. When TSA officers detected the firearm, the checkpoint lane came to a halt until the police responded and removed the carry-on bag from the X-ray machine. “We are seeing way too many guns show up at our checkpoints,” said Karen Keys-Turner, TSA’s Federal Security Director for the airport. “If you own a firearm, do not bring it to a checkpoint. If you must travel with your gun, the proper way to do it is to make sure it’s unloaded, packed in a hard-sided locked case and taken to the airline check-in counter. The airline will ensure it is transported in the belly of the aircraft.” TSA has details on how to properly travel with a firearm posted on its website. Civil penalties for bringing a weapon into a checkpoint can reach up to $15,000, depending on the specific weapon and the circumstances.
August 20, 2024 4:53 am
Washington school teachers will be starting the year Thursday with a new contract. The board voted unanimously to approve a 5 year deal that will include salary increases of 4.2 percent annually. In addition to increases, the two sides agreed to freeze medical contributions and enhance provisions for modified family leave. The board also announced a meeting scheduled for next Tuesday regarding the potential sale of the Crossroads parking garage. Representatives from the city, district and parking authority are gathering to share information and work towards clearing up communication issues regarding the proposed sale. Forget the gas and plug in the bus. That’s what Wash High school bus drivers will be doing between dropping off students for classes later this week. The district is rolling out a new fleet of electric vehicles made possible by a 3.2 million dollar grant. Geographically, Washington is ideal for electric busing due to the condensed radius in which vehicles need to travel.
August 20, 2024 2:57 am
A Washington County man who recently retired for the second time won a $1 million jackpot from a Pennsylvania Lottery ticket. Michael Matyas, 70, was presented with a commemorative check Tuesday after he won $1 million from a Pennsylvania Lottery ticket last month. Matyas bought the ticket at Giant Penn LLC (Exxon) in Charleroi the day of the July 19 drawing, but didn’t check it until two days later. Matyas said he retired 10 years ago and recently retired from working a part-time job. He said he plans to use his prize money to help his children, pay off bills and spend more time enjoying his favorite hobby: golfing. “I’m still taking it all in. This whole experience has been fantastic,” Matyas said.
August 20, 2024 2:19 am
In a Facebook post, Fire officials are warning residents about the potential dangers of lithium-ion batteries after two incidents involving hoverboards on the charger. The Chartiers Township Fire Department said a family who lives in the Piatt Estates development in Chartiers Township was woken up by their smoke alarms last Friday. When firefighters arrived, they found a garage full of black smoke which was caused by a small fire that started from the hoverboard’s lithium-ion battery pack – which was on a charger. Coincidentally, they say, another resident in the same development woke up to find their hoverboard, which was also on the charger, had burned overnight. They say the original chargers for the hoverboards were being used in both incidents. No one was hurt. (Photo courtesy of Chartiers Township Fire Department)
August 20, 2024 2:12 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Robert F. Kennedy Jr. won’t testify in defense of his effort to appear on Pennsylvania’s presidential ballot. That’s after he showed up late Tuesday to a court hearing in Pennsylvania where Democratic activists are trying to bar him from the ballot in the battleground state. Kennedy’s lawyer blamed a canceled flight from Boston to Philadelphia. Lawyers for the challengers say Kennedy’s candidacy paperwork states a fake home address and falls short of the signature-gathering requirement applied by state law to third-party candidates. Kennedy’s campaign dismisses the challenge as “frivolous.” Should Kennedy appear on Pennsylvania’s ballot, he could siphon support from Republican nominee Donald Trump or Democratic nominee Kamala Harris. (Photo: AP)
August 19, 2024 5:23 pm
CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. (AP) — Former U.S. Rep. George Santos has pleaded guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in his federal fraud case. The New York Republican entered the plea Monday in a courtroom in Long Island. His trial had been set to start in early September. Santos was indicted on charges that he stole from political donors, used campaign contributions to pay for personal expenses, lied to Congress about his wealth and collected unemployment benefits while working. He was expelled from Congress after an ethics investigation found what it called “overwhelming evidence” that Santos had broken the law. Santos faces more than six years in prison under federal guidelines at sentencing in February and owes at least $370,000 in restitution. (Photo: AP)
August 19, 2024 3:44 pm
ATLANTA (AP) — Challengers seeking to throw Robert F. Kennedy Jr. off Georgia’s presidential ballot say he must be disqualified because the New York address he used on Georgia ballot access petitions is a sham. They made the arguments Monday in a hearing before an administrative judge. It shows how a New York court decision finding Kennedy doesn’t live there is being used to attack Kennedy’s ballot access in other states. The judge ruled Kennedy shouldn’t appear on New York ballots, but Kennedy is appealing. A lawyer for Kennedy says Georgia is improperly trying to impose additional qualifications on a presidential candidate beyond those in the U.S. Constitution. (Photo: AP)
August 19, 2024 10:15 am
NEW YORK (AP) – Check your freezer. Perdue Foods is recalling more than 167,000 pounds of frozen chicken nuggets and tenders after some customers reported finding metal wire embedded in the products. According to Perdue and the U.S. Agriculture Department’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, the recall covers select lots of three products: Perdue Breaded Chicken Tenders, Butcher Box Organic Chicken Breast Nuggets and Perdue Simply Smart Organics Breaded Chicken Breast Nuggets. As of Friday, there were no confirmed injuries or adverse reactions tied to eating these products. Consumers who have the recalled chicken are urged to throw it away or return it to its place of purchase. Perdue is offering full refunds to impacted consumers who contact the Maryland-based company.
