December 12, 2022 2:02 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The top-ranking Republican in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives wants a court to prevent voters from filling three vacant seats in February in special elections that will determine majority control of the chamber. Rep. Bryan Cutler of Lancaster in a lawsuit filed late Friday asked Commonwealth Court to issue an injunction against special elections his Democratic counterpart scheduled this week. Cutler is naming the Department of State, acting Secretary of State Leigh Chapman and the Allegheny County Elections Board as defendants. Democrats won a one-seat House majority in last month’s election, but one of their members died and two have resigned after also being elected to higher offices.
December 11, 2022 8:10 am
RENO, Nev. (AP) — A winter storm packing powerful winds, heavy rain and potentially several feet of snow is blowing into the Sierra Nevada. On Saturday, it shut down mountain highways, toppled trees and triggered flood watches and avalanche warnings from the coast of Northern California to Lake Tahoe. Authorities said a 70-mile stretch of eastbound U.S. Interstate 80 was closed “due to zero visibility” from Colfax, California to the Nevada state line. More than 250 miles of the Sierra remain under a winter storm warning at least until Sunday night from north of Reno to south of Yosemite National Park. Up to 4 feet of snow is expected in the upper elevations around Tahoe. (Photo: AP)
December 11, 2022 8:07 am
BEIJING (AP) — Facing a surge in COVID-19 cases, China is setting up more intensive care facilities and trying to strengthen hospitals as Beijing rolls back anti-virus controls that confined millions of people to their homes, crushed economic growth and set off protests. President Xi Jinping’s government still is officially committed to stopping virus transmission, the last major country to try. But the latest moves suggest the ruling Communist Party will tolerate more cases without quarantines or shutting down travel or businesses as it winds down its “zero-COVID” strategy. A Cabinet meeting called for “full mobilization” of the health system including adding staff and increasing supplies of drugs. Some restaurants and businesses have closed because too many employees are sick.
December 11, 2022 8:06 am
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — A Tokyo company is aiming for the moon with its own private lander. The lander blasted off from Cape Canaveral on Sunday atop a SpaceX rocket. On board is the United Arab Emirates’ first lunar rover and a toylike robot from Japan that’s designed to roll around in the gray lunar dust. It will take nearly five months for the lander and its experiments to reach the moon. The company ispace designed the craft for minimal fuel. That’s why it’s taking a slow, low-energy path to the moon that will have it flying 1 million miles away, before looping back to the moon.
December 11, 2022 8:05 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is set to play host to dozens of African leaders in Washington this week as the White House looks to narrow a gaping trust gap with Africa. It’s a gap that’s grown wider with years of frustration about the U.S. commitment to the continent. In the lead-up to the three-day summit that begins Tuesday, U.S. officials have tried to play down their growing concern about the clout of Beijing and Moscow in Africa. Biden administration officials are trying to put the focus on their efforts to improve cooperation with Africa’s leaders. The summit will be the biggest international gathering in Washington since before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
December 11, 2022 8:04 am
SAN RAFAEL VALLEY, Arizona (AP) — Work crews are steadily erecting hundreds of double-stacked shipping containers along the rugged east end of Arizona’s boundary with Mexico as Republican Gov. Doug Ducey makes a bold show of border enforcement even as he prepares to step aside next month for Democratic Governor-elect Katie Hobbs. Ducey ordered the containers to fill open spaces on the border wall that former President Donald Trump promoted to stop people from crossing illegally. It’s unclear what Hobbs will do. Federal agencies say Arizona is violating U.S. law and environmental groups say the containers could imperil natural water systems and endangered species. (Photo: AP)
December 11, 2022 4:42 am
WASHINGTON, Pa. — Crews responded to a vehicle into a structure call early Saturday morning in the City of Washington. According to reports, a car went through the glass door and windows of the BP gas station around 1:30 a.m. on the 1300 block of West Chestnut Street. Reports say there were multiple occupants in the vehicle, but no entrapment. There was also no reported structural damage. The Pennsylvania State Police were on scene and are investigating. There was no word on injuries at this time. (Photo: Facebook)
December 11, 2022 4:23 am
WASHINGTON, Pa. — The two suspects allegedly involved with the killing of Jaisen Irwin outside of Bob’s Tavern in Finleyville faced their preliminary hearings on Friday. Maurissa Spencer, 24 of Library, is accused of driving away with an injured Irwin before allegedly dumping his body on the side of a road. She chose to waive her charges to court. She faces felony homicide and conspiracy to commit homicide and evidence destruction charges along with two misdemeanors. Keaunrdre Crews (Pictured), 29 of Charleroi, faced a hearing that took nearly five hours. Testimony began with Elijah White telling prosecutors and the judge that he intends to plead the fifth amendment guarding against self incrimination to any questions asked. He was dismissed as a witness. Police and eyewitness testimony was presented but the crux of the prosecution’s case came from video evidence and information downloads from cars driven by Spencer and Crews on the night of the shooting. Video evidence showed an argument that took place between Irwin and White at Jim’s Bar in Monongahela. Video and the information downloads tracked Spencer’s car and Crews’ car to Bob’s Tavern in Finleyville where witnesses testified to shots being fired there. Further evidence tracked Spencer’s car at her home with alleged bullet holes and blood stains in the car. Telephone download evidence seemed to tie Spencer and Crews together after the shooting. The judge dismissed a conspiracy homicide and possession of a weapon without a license charges against Crews. He faces felony homicide and possession of firearms charges. Both Crews and Spencer will be formally arraigned in January.
December 11, 2022 2:29 am
CANTON TOWNSHIP, Pa. — The Washington man killed following a shooting in Canton Township Friday night has been identified. According to reports, calls came in for a man found laying on the roadway at the intersection of Baird Avenue and Wilmington Street just before 8:00 p.m. The Washington County Coroner says 30-year-old Thomas Oliver Davis Jr. was found and was transported to Washington Hospital where he died of his injuries just before 9:00 p.m. The cause and manner of the victim’s death is pending an autopsy and investigation by the Pennsylvania State Police. There are currently no suspects named in this case.
December 10, 2022 4:52 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawyers for Donald Trump are in federal court in Washington for sealed arguments as part of the ongoing investigation into the presence of classified information at the former president’s Florida estate. The proceedings were taking place before U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell, the chief judge of the federal court in the District of Columbia. Defense lawyers were seen entering the courtroom around 2 p.m. and left over an hour later. A lawyer for The Associated Press and other news organizations had submitted a letter earlier Friday requesting media access to the hearing, but despite that, lawyers spoke behind closed doors.
