December 6, 2023 2:22 am
The Thomas Campbell Apartments in South Strabane Township, held a ribbon cutting ceremony to show their brand new one bedroom apartments that were renovated following a deadly fire two years ago. Arthur Keys, President of the Board of Directors unveiled the 10 new apartments that were formed from 20 efficiency units that were hard to rent. The units are all ADA compliant with level entry showers and wide doors to accommodate wheel chairs. In all, 30 apartments have been renovated. The event comes nearly 2 years after a fatal fire on December 23, 2021 broke out on the sixth floor of a building claiming the life of 78 year old Frances Venen and displacing more than 60 other residents. Reflecting on the rebuilding process of the last two years, Keys says he has a sense of pride from the way the community and many charities pitched in to help residents and staff complete the reconstruction of the affected apartments. Keys credited the South Strabane Township Fire Department for their help in getting state of the art fire alarms and sprinklers installed.
December 5, 2023 4:55 pm
ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) — Authorities say the suspect who fired rounds from a duplex in an Arlington, Virginia, neighborhood before the home exploded is presumed dead. Fifty-six-year-old James Yoo has been identified by Arlington County Police Chief Andy Penn as the the owner of the duplex and the individual whose actions brought police to the home on Monday after firing a “flare-type gun” from inside the house more than 30 times. Penns says after attempts to communicate with Yoo were unsuccessful, a search warrant was obtained. Police attempted to execute the warrant and Yoo fired several rounds inside the home before the house subsequently exploded. (Photo: AP)
December 5, 2023 4:27 pm
WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville says he is ending his blockade of hundreds of military promotions, following heavy criticism from many of his colleagues in the Senate and clearing the way for hundreds of the nominations to be approved soon. Tuberville’s blockade of military promotions was over a dispute about a Pentagon abortion policy. The Alabama lawmaker said Tuesday he’s “not going to hold the promotions of these people any longer.” He said holds would continue, however, for about 11 of the highest-ranking military officers, those who would be promoted to what he described as the four-star level or above. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer says a vote on the nominations could come quickly, possibly even Tuesday afternoon.
December 5, 2023 4:09 pm
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. employers posted 8.7 million job openings in October, the fewest since March 2021, in a sign that hiring is cooling in the face of higher interest rates yet remains at a still-healthy pace. Openings were down significantly from 9.4 million in September. Hiring is slowing from the breakneck pace of the past two years. Still, employers have added a solid 239,000 jobs a month this year. And the unemployment rate has come in below 4% for 21 straight months, the longest such streak since the 1960s. The job market has shown surprising resilience even as the Federal Reserve has raised its benchmark interest rate 11 times since March 2022 to fight high inflation.
December 5, 2023 5:17 am
SALISBURY, Md. (AP) — Last year, children were handcuffed and sent to a hospital emergency room for a psychiatric evaluation at least 117 times from schools in Wicomico County, on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. The state law that allows for these removals is meant to be limited to people with severe mental illness, who are endangering their own lives or safety or someone else’s. But advocates say schools nationwide are using the practice in response to behaviors prompted by bullying or frustration over assignments. The ER trips, they say, often follow months, and sometimes years, of students’ needs not being met.
December 5, 2023 5:15 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is taking up a case over a Washington couple’s $15,000 tax bill that is widely seen as a test of a never-enacted tax on wealth. Arguments are being heard Tuesday. A decision in favor of Charles and Kathleen Moore of Redmond, Washington, could strike down a provision of the 2017 tax bill that is expected to bring in $340 billion, threaten other provisions of the tax code and rule out a wealth tax that is favored by some Democrats who argue that the wealthiest Americans don’t pay their fair share of taxes. The couple is backed by conservative political groups and business interests, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
December 5, 2023 5:12 am
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israel says its troops have entered Gaza’s second-largest city as intensified bombardment sends streams of ambulances and cars racing to hospitals with wounded and dead Palestinians. The military says its forces are “in the heart” of Khan Younis, which has emerged as the first target in the expanded ground offensive into southern Gaza. Israel says it aims is to destroy Hamas. Military officials describe the fighting as the most intense since the ground offensive began more than five weeks ago. Heavy firefights are also taking place in northern Gaza. The assault into the south is pushing a new wave of displaced Palestinians and raising alarm from relief groups.
December 5, 2023 5:09 am
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Negotiators at a critical U.N.-led climate conference are in Dubai are preparing to wrap up their first week with moderate progress on some issues. Wednesday is a last day of work before a rest day, giving them time to make a bit more headway before their heads of delegations return for a final week that will shape the planet’s path forward in the face of crisis. The theme of Wednesday’s sessions is transport. It’s the second-leading sector for the carbon dioxide emissions warming the planet, and sessions include things like building out EV charging infrastructure and how to decarbonize urban freight transportation.
December 5, 2023 5:08 am
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates as Dubai hosts the United Nations’ COP28 climate talks. That’s despite facing an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court over the war in Ukraine. Neither Saudi Arabia nor the UAE has signed the ICC founding treaty, meaning they don’t face any obligation to detain Putin over the warrant accusing of being personally responsible for the abductions of children from Ukraine during his war on the country. However, the visit Wednesday comes as armed U.N. police patrol a portion of Dubai’s Expo City now considered international territory for the talks.
December 5, 2023 5:08 am
CALIFORNIA BOROUGH, Pa. — PennWest California has issued an alert after a woman was reportedly assaulted off-campus early Sunday morning. The assault happened along Route 88 between Vulcan Village and Wood Street. The woman reported to police that there were two male suspects involved, both wearing face masks. Police are reminding individuals to be vigilant and not to walk alone at night, especially in low-lit areas. Anyone with information should call university police at 724-938-4299 or California Borough police by dialing 911.
