December 14, 2023 5:35 pm
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate dropped below 7% to its lowest level since early August, another boost for prospective homebuyers who have largely been held back by sharply higher borrowing costs and heightened competition for relatively few homes for sale. The average rate on a 30-year mortgage dropped to 6.95% from 7.03% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. A year ago, the rate averaged 6.31%. The latest drop in rates is the seventh in as many weeks. Mortgage rates have been easing since late October, when they reached 7.79%, the highest level since late 2000.
December 14, 2023 1:21 pm
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Taylor Swift is adding one more accolade to her list of accomplishments this year: a resolution recognizing 2023 as the Taylor Swift era in her home state of Pennsylvania. The resolution passed the state House of Representatives on Wednesday. Lawmakers approved the resolution on Swift’s 34th birthday. Swift grew up in West Reading, and has nods to the Commonwealth in some songs. She left as a teenager to move to Nashville pursue a country music career. The resolution recognizes her musical, cultural and economic power. (Photo: AP)
December 14, 2023 12:45 pm
(WPXI) – Two men were arrested Wednesday and are facing charges in connection to the death of a high school cheerleader in a school van crash on September 20th. Fifteen-year-old Samantha Kalkbrenner was killed in the crash. Authorities say Andrew Neil Voigt and William R. Soliday are charged in connection to the crash, accused of racing, causing the deadly crash. Allegheny County police said surveillance video showed the van checked each direction before heading into the intersection to make a left-hand turn from 3rd Street onto Richland Avenue and when the van entered the intersection, it was struck by a Volkswagen Jetta GTI. Additional surveillance video showed a Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk passing through the intersection just after the crash. Witnesses said both the Volkswagen and the Jeep were traveling at a high rate of speed before the crash. Soliday was identified as the driver of the Volkswagen and Voigt was identified as the driver of the Jeep. Speeds over 100 mph were recorded inside the Volkswagen leading up to the crash. Soliday is facing multiple felony charges including third-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter, and homicide by vehicle. Voigt is facing one felony count of accidents involving death or personal injury.
December 14, 2023 10:33 am
TOMPKINSVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The Kentucky congressman who’s leading House Republicans’ impeachment investigation of President Joe Biden has focused on the Biden family’s use of shell companies. Rep. James Comer says the Democratic president’s family has used such companies to obscure its earnings from “shady” business deals. But Comer has a shell company of his own, which he uses to hold land co-owned with a longtime campaign donor. The arrangement enables Comer to avoid revealing his ownership stake in the land on his mandatory financial disclosure. Comer has denied any wrongdoing related to his shell company.
December 14, 2023 5:11 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — A judge says Donald Trump’s 2020 election interference case in Washington will be put on hold while the former president further pursues his claims that he is immune from prosecution. U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan agreed Wednesday to pause any “further proceedings that would move this case towards trial or impose additional burdens of litigation on Defendant.” Shortly after her ruling, the federal appeals court in Washington granted prosecutors’ request to expedite consideration of Trump’s appeal. The appeals court set deadlines for briefs to be filed between Dec. 23 and Jan. 2, but has not yet scheduled a date for arguments.
December 14, 2023 5:10 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — The House has authorized the impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden. Every Republican rallied behind the politically charged process despite lingering concerns among some in the party that the investigation has yet to produce evidence of misconduct by the president. Their investigation has raised ethical questions, but no evidence has emerged that Biden acted corruptly or accepted bribes in his current role or previous office as vice president. House Speaker Mike Johnson and his leadership team have been facing growing pressure to show progress in what has become a nearly yearlong probe centered around the business dealings of Biden’s family members. Biden called the effort a “baseless political stunt.”
December 14, 2023 5:08 am
MOSCOW (AP) — President Vladimir Putin says that some 244,000 Russian troops are currently fighting in Ukraine. That’s a rare detail on Moscow’s military operation there. Putin said during his year-end press conference Thursday that the Kremlin doesn’t need a second wave of mobilization of reservists. He said 1,500 men recruited into the army every day across the country. As of Wednesday evening, he said a total of 486,000 soldiers have signed a contract with the Russian military.
December 14, 2023 5:07 am
RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israel has vowed to keep fighting until it crushes Hamas after one of the deadliest single battles of the war for its soldiers in Gaza. It faces mounting international calls for a cease-fire and even some unease on the part of its closest ally, the United States. The ambush in Gaza City showed Hamas is still able to fight in some of the hardest-hit areas more than two and a half months into a massive air and ground war aimed at destroying its military capabilities. Israel has imposed a total siege on northern Gaza and flattened much of it, forcing most of the population to flee south several weeks ago. Hamas’ resilience called into question whether Israel can defeat Hamas without wiping out Gaza. Support for Hamas has surged among Palestinians.
December 14, 2023 5:02 am
Authorities continue to investigate the cause of a fire early Thursday morning in Donora that destroyed an apartment building in Donora. Officials say the blaze broke out around three o’clock in the 700 block of McKean Avenue, causing a partial collapse of the building. There were no injuries, but crews had to spread a large supply of salt across the road to prevent it from icing over because of the bitterly cold temperatures. Demolition crews were brought in after the fire gutted the three-story building, and they spent part of the morning chipping away at what was left, with demolition efforts expected to continue throughout the day. (Photo: WPXI)
December 14, 2023 5:00 am
Students in the Charleroi School District will be taking classes online for the rest of this week. Superintendent Dr. Edward Zelich in a letter to parents says a significant surge in influenza cases in the district over the past few days led them to switch to virtual learning today and Friday. He says the move prioritizes the health and safety of students, staff and their families. The letter says the district understands the move may be an inconvenience to some but “we are committed to providing a quality virtual learning experience”.
