June 24, 2024 4:05 am
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum is one of Donald Trump’s most visible and vocal backers, sprinting around the country to drum up support for the ex-president’s comeback bid while auditioning to be his running mate. But far from the glare of the campaign trail, Burgum is wrestling at home with a mammoth carbon dioxide pipeline project. The $5.5 billion venture has split his state and left him straddling an awkward political divide. Burgum has stood out in the narrowing field of Trump’s potential V.P. choices due to his executive experience, business savvy, and close ties to deep-pocketed energy industry CEOs whose money Trump wants to help bankroll his 2024 campaign.
June 24, 2024 3:58 am
Pennsylvania State Police and municipal officers from South Strabane Township, North Strabane Township and Chartiers Township arrested 54 intoxicated drivers as part of a DUI enforcement initiative called “Operation Nighthawk” last weekend. The operation was hosted by state police in Washington. In addition to the intoxicated drivers, it resulted in 35 arrests for controlled substances and six arrests for underage drinking. Police conducted 356 stops and issued 255 citations and 227 warnings for traffic offenses. Three drivers had licenses suspended for previous DUI charges, state police said. In addition to the drug and alcohol charges, police arrested six individuals for misdemeanor offenses, four others for felony crimes and served six with warrants. According to state police, more than 50 law enforcement officers participated in Operation Nighthawk, a specialized and unique two-day training and enforcement program that has proven highly successful at reducing drinking and driving.
June 23, 2024 6:54 am
A new mom reveling in her daughter’s development was among four people shot and killed when a gunman opened fire at an Arkansas grocery store. Callie Weems’ mother, Helen Browning, says her daughter died in the shooting Friday in the city of Fordyce. Browning says Weems had a 10-month-old daughter who was a constant source of entertainment and wonder. In all, 15 people were wounded in the attack, including the alleged gunman. It’s at least the third mass shooting at a grocery store in recent years. A gunman in Buffalo, New York, killed 10 people at a store in 2022. That was about a year after a store shooting in Boulder, Colorado.
June 23, 2024 6:50 am
MOSCOW (AP) — Russia’s southern region of Dagestan is holding the first of three days of mourning following a rampage by Islamic militants that killed 19 people, most of them police, and attacked houses of worship in apparently coordinated assaults in two cities. Sunday’s violence was the latest that officials blamed on Islamic extremists in the predominantly Muslim region in the North Caucasus. It also was the deadliest in Russia since March, when gunmen gunmen opened fire at a concert in suburban Moscow, killing 145 people. That attack was claimed by an affiliate of the Islamic State group. but no group has taken responsibility for Sunday’s attacks in Dagestan’s cities of Makhachkala and Derbent. All five gunmen were reported killed.
June 23, 2024 6:49 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump has told a group of evangelicals that they “cannot afford to sit on the sidelines” of the 2024 election, imploring them at one point to “go and vote, Christians, please!” He also endorsed displaying the Ten Commandments in schools and elsewhere. Trump, speaking to a group of politically influential evangelical Christians in Washington on Saturday, drew cheers as he invoked a new law signed in Louisiana this week requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed in every public school classroom, calling it “a crazy world” that people would be opposed to it.
June 23, 2024 6:47 am
Behind the pageantry of President Vladimir Putin’s visit to North Korea, a strong signal came through: In the spiraling confrontation with the U.S. and its allies over Ukraine, the Russian leader is willing to challenge Western interests like never before. The pact he signed with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un envisions mutual military assistance between Moscow and Pyongyang. Putin also said Russia could provide weapons to the isolated country, a move that could destabilize the Korean Peninsula and reverberate far beyond. He described the arms shipments as a response to NATO providing Ukraine with longer-range weapons to attack Russia. And he bluntly declared Moscow is prepared to go “to the end” to achieve its goals in Ukraine.
June 23, 2024 6:44 am
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — Abortion-rights supporters in several states have used the citizen initiative process to protect access in the two years since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned a constitutional right to the procedure. But voters in half the states don’t have that right, including many of the Republican-controlled states in the South that have passed near total abortion bans since the court ruling. Citizen initiatives are avenues of direct democracy that have allowed voters to circumvent their legislatures and preserve abortion and other reproductive rights in a number of states over the past two years.
June 23, 2024 6:41 am
BEIRUT (AP) — Iran-backed groups in the Middle East say thousands of their fighters are offering to come to Lebanon to join with the militant Hezbollah group in its battle with Israel. The offer comes amid fears the situation could escalate into a full-blown war along Israel’s northern frontier with Lebanon that has seen almost daily exchanges since the Hamas attack on southern Israel in early October. Iran-backed groups from Lebanon, Iraq, Syria and other countries fought alongside Syrian government forces during Syria’s 13-civil war. Hezbollah’s leader says it has enough fighters and doesn’t need foreigners to join. Israeli officials have threatened a military offensive in Lebanon if there is no negotiated end to push Hezbollah away from the border.
June 23, 2024 6:34 am
PITTSBURGH — (WPXI)-The final class of Pittsburgh Technical College students graduated on Saturday. Graduation day felt bittersweet for the Pittsburgh Technical College class of 2024, knowing they’re the last to get degrees from the school. “It’s heartbreaking. This school has been around a long time,” said Tom Baker, a parent of a PTC graduate. “It’s hard to explain. I’m kind of emotional today. Just how hard he works and everything like that,” parent Justin Meager said. “Purpose and fulfillment come from individual initiative each day by setting out something to do and achieving it,” said Jacob Flasco, who spoke during the commencement ceremony. While these graduates move forward, hundreds of students still enrolled at PTC are trying to figure out what to do next. Other area schools, like the Community College of Allegheny County and Point Park University, are offering teach-out programs for students of PTC. Earlier this month, the school announced its plans to close at the end of the semester after its accrediting agency recently rejected a teach-out plan, calling it insufficient. Channel 11 has reported on allegations of financial misconduct. Sources tell us there is still an active Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office investigation into top PTC leadership. But some parents say the college offers a practical and valuable education. “She works with somebody that graduated from here in the 80′s. They had a very successful career. So, we need more trade schools it’s a shame.” Baker said. “He’s great. He’s got a great degree in electrical. And he’s already got a job. And it’s been a great experience for him,” said Jennifer Ferrera, a family member of a graduating student. “Today, yes is bittersweet, but because of you, PTC will live on forever,” PTC President Dr. Alicia B Harvey-Smith said during commencement.
June 23, 2024 4:52 am
A cold front brought strong thunderstorms throughout southwestern Pennsylvania on Sunday afternoon. Several severe thunderstorm watches and warnings were issued. A tornado watch was issued for Washington County as well. Those storms did cause power outages. Currently, West Penn Power’s outage map indicates that there are just under 20 power outages in Washington County.
