July 8, 2024 4:58 am
MIAMI (AP) — Former President Donald Trump is getting back on the campaign trail. He is rallying voters Tuesday at his flagship golf resort in the Miami suburb of Doral in a celebratory mood as Democrats face tough calls over President Joe Biden’s reelection chances. Trump is nearing a deadline of his own to announce his running mate but appears in no rush. Much of the attention is still centered on questions about Biden’s ability to govern for another four-year term after some Democrats started calling for him to step down as the nominee following his dismal debate performance.
July 8, 2024 4:56 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — NATO leaders are gathering in Washington this week as the military alliance confronts the prospect of the return of NATO skeptic Donald Trump to the White House. The summit kicks off Tuesday and heads of state will work to shore up transatlantic support for Ukraine in its battle against Russia. But for host President Joe Biden, it’s just as much about demonstrating he’s capable of meeting the grinding demands of the presidency for four more years. The president said his work at the summit would be a good way to judge his continued ability to do the job. His reelection campaign has been in a tailspin following a disastrous June 27 debate performance against Trump.
July 8, 2024 2:47 am
(WPXI) – TSA officers stopped a gun from getting on a plane at Pittsburgh International Airport over the weekend. Officials say a man tried carrying his unloaded 9mm handgun that was in a bag through the airport’s busy checkpoint on Sunday, the busiest checkpoint day in TSA’s history. “This was a rare instance in which the man had his unloaded firearm in a locked hard-sided case as he was supposed to do, and when he brought it to the airline check-in counter to declare he wanted to fly with it. Instead, the man took the case to the checkpoint,” said Karen Keys-Turner, TSA’s federal security director for the airport. “The man was permitted to properly check the firearm for transport as checked baggage. However, when our officers detect a firearm at a checkpoint, it delays the passengers in that lane until the situation is resolved.” Civil penalties for bringing a weapon into a checkpoint can reach up to $15,000, depending on the specific weapon and the circumstances. This was the 22nd gun stopped at the airport in 2024.
July 8, 2024 2:27 am
Officials with the Avella School District announced that 47-year-old Corey McConn, school board president and long-serving member of the school board, died in a tragic accident while on vacation in Florida. According to officials, McConn was vacationing in Bradenton, when he drowned. In a statement, the school board wrote: “Corey McConn’s commitment to our district was unwavering. His leadership and dedication over the years have greatly contributed to the progress and success of our schools. He was passionate about education and deeply valued our community, always striving to make a positive impact. Mr. McConn’s presence and guidance will be profoundly missed. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family and friends during this difficult time.” Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.
July 7, 2024 7:32 am
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Jon Landau, an Oscar-winning producer who worked closely with director James Cameron on “Titanic” and the “Avatar” series, has died. He was 63. Landau’s family announced his death Saturday. No cause of death was given. Landau’s partnership with Cameron led to three Oscar nominations and a best picture win for 1997’s “Titanic.” Together the pair account for some of the biggest blockbusters in movie history, including “Avatar” and its sequel, “Avatar: The Way of Water.” The trio of films are among the highest grossing movies of all time. In a statement, Cameron says Landau “will be remembered as much for his vast generosity of spirit as for the movies themselves.” (Photo: AP)
July 7, 2024 7:26 am
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza (AP) — A Hamas official and an Egyptian official say Hamas has given initial approval for a U.S.-backed proposal for a phased cease-fire deal in Gaza, dropping a key demand that Israel commit up front to a complete end to the war. The apparent compromise by the militant group could deliver the first pause in fighting since November and set the stage for further talks. But all sides warn that a deal is still not guaranteed. Inside Gaza, the Health Ministry says an Israeli airstrike on a school-turned-shelter killed at least 16 people and wounded at least 50 others, including children.
July 7, 2024 7:25 am
HOUSTON (AP) — Beryl is hurtling across the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico on a collision course with Texas. It is currently a tropical storm but is forecast to regain hurricane status before nearing the coast Sunday and making landfall the following day. A hurricane warning has been declared for a large stretch of the state’s coastline, from near Corpus Christi to an area south of Houston. State and local officials have urged coastal residents to prepare for possible storm surge flooding, heavy rain and high winds. Some cities have called for voluntary evacuations in low-lying areas prone to flooding. (Photo: AP)
July 7, 2024 7:23 am
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Roughly 130 million people are under threat from a long-running heat wave that has shattered records with dangerously high temperatures. More records could fall through the coming week, from the Pacific Northwest to the mid-Atlantic states and the Northeast. Record temperatures were notched in multiple places in across the West on Saturday. That included Ukiah, north of San Francisco, where the mercury hit 117 degrees Fahrenheit and tied the hottest temperature ever recorded in the city. The National Weather Service says it is extending the excessive heat warning for much of the Southwest through Friday. In California, firefighters dispatched helicopters to drop water on wildfires fanned by high temperatures and low humidity. (Photo AP)
July 7, 2024 7:18 am
Emergency crews were called out Saturday afternoon to a house fire in the twelve-hundred block of Fayette Street in Washington. According to scanner reports, one person was taken from the scene with burns. There has been no word on what may have caused the fire. No further details have been made available.
July 7, 2024 7:15 am
(WPXI) – The Pitt community and all of college football are mourning the loss of Bobby Grier. Grier died at the age of 91 and helped break the color barriers in college football. In 1956, on his 23rd birthday, Grier made history by becoming the first African American to play in the Sugar Bowl. His spot in the Sugar Bowl was not easy. Georgia’s Governor was opposed to racial integration and tried to keep Grier from playing but Georgia Tech University took a stand and so did his teammates. They refused to make the trip without him. “They said we’re not going down without him. No Grier, no game,” Grier said. Grier was not allowed to stay with his teammates in the team hotel but he ignored it and persevered. “I’m very proud of what I did,” Grier said. Grier is a member of the Pitt Athletics Hall of Fame. He was inducted in 2020.
