August 14, 2024 5:14 pm
Part of I-70 was closed for several hours on Wednesday due to a garbage truck that caught fire. Washington County 911 said emergency crews responded to the Wheeling and Pittsburgh split of the interstate just before two o’clock, where they found a garbage truck nearly engulfed in flames on the shoulder of the interstate. Pennsylvania State Police said it appeared the truck was having some issues and pulled over before catching fire. No one was hurt in the blaze, dispatchers said. (Photo: WPXI)
August 14, 2024 8:58 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Year-over-year inflation reached its lowest level in more than three years in July, the latest sign that the worst price spike in four decades is fading and setting up the Federal Reserve for an interest rate cut in September. Wednesday’s report from the Labor Department showed that consumer prices rose just 0.2% from June to July after dropping slightly the previous month for the first time in four years. Measured from a year earlier, prices rose 2.9%, down from 3% in June. It is the mildest year-over-year inflation figure since March 2021. The government said nearly all the increase last month reflected higher rental prices and housing costs, a trend that, according to real-time data, is easing.
August 14, 2024 7:38 am
PITTSBURGH — (WPXI) – Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Gov. Tim Walz, will kick off their bus tour in Pittsburgh this weekend, ahead of the Democratic National Convention. A news release from the Harris-Walz campaign says the bus tour will begin in Pittsburgh on Sunday. Harris, Walz, Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff and Minnesota First Lady Gwen Walz will all be in attendance on the tour. The bus tour will focus on meeting voters in community settings. The campaign says this will be Harris’ eighth visit to Pennsylvania this year.
August 14, 2024 5:13 am
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (AP) — Donald Trump will have an opportunity to recalibrate his presidential comeback bid with a rally and speech in North Carolina that his campaign is billing as a significant economic address. The event on Wednesday afternoon in Asheville carries both national and local implications for the former president. Aides and allies say Trump must sharpen his arguments against Vice President Kamala Harris and draw a clear policy contrast, especially on the economy. He’s not done that in recent weeks, focusing instead on personal attacks and grievances. Trump also cannot afford to lose North Carolina. The state gave him his closest statewide margin of victory over Democrat Joe Biden in 2020.
August 14, 2024 5:13 am
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Democratic U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar has won her primary race in Minnesota. Omar is one of the progressive House members known as the “Squad.” She successfully defended her Minneapolis-area 5th District seat against a repeat challenge from former City Council member Don Samuels in Tuesday’s primary. Meanwhile, conservative populist and former NBA player Royce White defeated Navy veteran Joe Fraser in Minnesota’s primary election for the Republican nomination to challenge Democratic U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar in November. And former federal prosecutor Joe Teirab won a contested GOP primary for Minnesota’s 2nd District seat held by Democratic Rep. Angie Craig.
August 14, 2024 5:11 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — A new poll finds Vice President Kamala Harris is going into the last stretch of the presidential campaign as the candidate more likely to be perceived as honest, committed to democracy and disciplined. Meanwhile, similar shares of Americans say Harris and former President Donald Trump have the right vision for the country, are strong leaders, can win the 2024 election and are capable of handling a crisis. That’s according to the survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Harris has an advantage over Trump on issues related to race and inequality, abortion policy, and health care, while Americans are slightly more likely to believe that Trump is better positioned to handle the economy and immigration.
August 14, 2024 5:10 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. has approved $20 billion in arms sales to Israel, including scores of fighter jets and advanced air-to-air missiles. The State Department made the announcement Tuesday. Congress was notified of the impending sale, which includes more than 50 F-15 fighter jets, Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles, or AMRAAMs, 120 mm tank ammunition and high explosive mortars and tactical vehicles. It comes at a time of intense concern that Israel may become involved in a wider Middle East war.
August 14, 2024 5:09 am
Palestinian health officials say Israeli strikes across the Gaza Strip overnight and into Wednesday killed at least 17 people, including five children and their parents. The latest strikes came on the eve of new talks aimed at reaching a cease-fire in the 10-month-long war. The United States, Qatar and Egypt are hoping to broker an agreement, but the sides remain far apart on several issues even after months of indirect negotiations. One strike hit a family home late Tuesday in the built-up Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, which dates back to the 1948 war surrounding Israel’s creation. It killed five children, ranging in age from 2 to 11, and their parents, according to the nearby Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital.
August 14, 2024 5:04 am
Washington County Commissioners appear poised for a vote on a multi-million dollar contract with Motorola for a new emergency radio system. Commissioner’s Chairman Nick Sherman says a meeting is set for today to provide final design and cost numbers. After Tuesday’s agenda meeting, he said they wanted to get this on the agenda for a vote at their Thursday morning meeting. Motorola was one of three bidders looking to overhaul the system after Commissioner’s voted 2-1 back in April to terminate a more-than $22 Million contract with MRA Inc. Sherman and fellow Republican Electra Janis voted in favor of the move. Democrat Larry Maggi was opposed. Thursday’s meeting is scheduled for 10 a.m.
August 14, 2024 4:55 am
BEDMINSTER, N.J. (AP) — Former President Donald Trump has invited reporters to his New Jersey golf club for his second news conference in as many weeks. Trump will meet the press Thursday as he steps up his criticism of Vice President Kamala Harris for not holding a news conference or sitting down for interviews since President Joe Biden ended his reelection campaign and endorsed her to replace him. The vice president has barely engaged with reporters since becoming the Democratic nominee, though she travels with journalists aboard Air Force Two and sometimes answers shouted questions while boarding or leaving the plane for campaign stops.
