July 27, 2022 10:24 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – President Joe Biden has emerged from five days of isolation after contracting the coronavirus, telling Americans that “COVID isn’t gone” but saying serious illness can be avoided with vaccines, booster shoots and treatments. President Joe Biden ended his COVID-19 isolation after testing negative for the virus Tuesday night and again Wednesday morning. Biden’s physician, Dr. Kevin O’Connor, says the president has completed his course of treatment with the drug Paxlovid and remains free of fever. O’Connor says that given those factors and the pair of negative tests, Biden will discontinue his “strict isolation” measures. The 79-year-old Biden tested positive last week and had mild symptoms.
July 27, 2022 4:10 am
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A giant Mega Millions lottery jackpot ballooned to $1.02 billion after no one matched all six numbers and won the top prize. After no winner on Tuesday, the estimated jackpot for Friday’s drawing will be the nation’s fourth-largest lottery prize. The jackpot has grown so large because there have been 29 consecutive drawings without anyone winning the top prize. Tuesday’s numbers were: 07-29-60-63-66, with a Mega Ball of 15. The $1.02 billion prize is for winners who choose the annuity option, paid annually over 30 years. Most winners opt for the cash option, which for the next drawing is an estimated $602.5 million.
July 27, 2022 4:08 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – The Federal Reserve raised its benchmark interest rate by a hefty three-quarters of a point for a second straight time in its most aggressive drive in three decades to tame high inflation. The Fed’s move will raise its key rate, which affects many consumer and business loans, to its highest level since 2018. The central bank’s decision follows a jump in inflation to 9.1%, the fastest annual rate in 41 years. By raising borrowing rates, the Fed makes it costlier to take out a mortgage or an auto or business loan. Consumers and businesses then
July 27, 2022 4:06 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – The Biden administration has offered a deal to Russia aimed at bringing home WNBA star Brittney Griner and another jailed American, Paul Whelan. That’s according to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who also revealed Wednesday that he has asked to speak with his Kremlin counterpart for the first time in months. The statement marked the first time the U.S. government has publicly revealed any concrete action it has taken to secure the release of Griner. It is unclear what the deal is, or whether it will be enough for Russia to release the Americans. (Photo: AP)
July 27, 2022 4:05 am
PENN HILLS, Pa. — (WPXI) – The parking lot looks like it broke in half right in front of a Penn Hills apartment building, leaving over a dozen cars in a giant hole and nearly 50 people displaced.“It looked like it split straight down the middle in sort of a V-formation the whole 50 yards,” said Ronald Como, Penn Hills police chief. Como says the Frankstown Road parking lot dropped between 15 to 20 feet shortly before 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday. “When emergency vehicles responded, there was a female in a car,” Como said. That person was Alex Bowens. “I was backing up to park and I heard a noise,” she said. “I paused for a minute because I thought it was loud thunder, or I ran over a grate that was messed up” In a split second, Bowens and her car fell. “Stuff was going into my car and eyes,” she said. Bowens got out with the help of a police office and is doing OK, but her car was not so lucky. Now Bowens and nearly 50 others are displaced “What am I going to do without my house?,” she asked. “At least I still have a job.” The structural integrity of the building will also be checked before anyone is allowed back in, Como doesn’t have a timeline on how long that will take. The cause of the collapse is also under investigation. (PHOTO: WPXI)
July 27, 2022 2:25 am
A Washington man arrested with five others in a Canton Township police search of a house pleaded guilty in court on Tuesday. Kejuan Boozer, 29 was arrested in March during the search of a home owned by Sherman Haddix. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance. He received a sentence of 24 months probation with six months served on electronic home monitoring for his plea during his fast track plea hearing on Tuesday. Haddix was to also enter a plea on Tuesday but his case was continued. Four other people arrested that day; Bobbie Jo Chiff, Alvie Dent, Samantha Eckman and Tyree Jackson have their cases working through the court system.
July 27, 2022 2:21 am
A North Franklin Township man was sentenced Tuesday on his conviction for sexual abuse of children, possession of child pornography and criminal use of a communications device. William Dickey, 41 was sentenced to 30 to 60 months in a state prison. A jury convicted him in March for possession of more than 2000 pictures and videos of child pornography. Dickey asked for leniency in his sentencing during a brief allocution statement. During sentencing the judge noted a distinct lack of remorse from Dickey regarding his actions. As part of his sentence Dickey will need to register as a tier 1 sex offender for the next 15 years
July 26, 2022 12:43 pm
“Leave It to Beaver” star Tony Dow was reported to have died Tuesday morning, two months after revealing that he had been diagnosed with cancer, his management team announced in a statement. He was 77. ” But, the rumors of his demise have been greatly exaggerated. Dow’s wife, Lauren says he is in hospice but still alive. The Facebook post announcing his death has been removed. It was posted by his agent, mistakenly. In May, Dow and his wife, Lauren Shulkind, announced that the actor had “once again been diagnosed with cancer.” They did not specify the type of cancer. Dow is best known for his portrayal of Wally Cleaver, the older brother of Theodore “Beaver” Cleaver, in the sitcom “Leave It to Beaver,” which ran from 1957 to 1963. (Facebook)
July 26, 2022 10:25 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – U.S. consumer confidence slid again in July as concerns about higher prices for food and gas continue to weigh on Americans. The Conference Board said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index fell to 95.7 in July from 98.4 in June, largely due to consumers’ anxiety over four-decade high inflation. The business research group’s present situation index – which measures consumers’ assessment of current business and labor market conditions – fell from 147.2 to 141.3. U.S. inflation surged to a new four-decade high in June, squeezing household budgets and pressuring the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates aggressively — trends that raise the risk of a recession.
July 26, 2022 8:55 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – Conflicting signs about the health of the U.S. economy have thrust the Federal Reserve into a difficult spot. With inflation raging at a four-decade high, the job market strong and consumer spending still solid, the Fed is under pressure to raise interest rates aggressively. But other signs suggest the economy is slowing and might even have shrunk in the first half of the year. Such evidence would typically lead the Fed to stop raising rates – or even cut them. For now, though, the Fed is focused squarely on its inflation fight, and this week it’s set to announce another hefty hike in its benchmark interest rate.
