November 15, 2023 5:10 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — The House has voted overwhelmingly to prevent a government shutdown. New Republican Speaker Mike Johnson (pictured) was forced to reach across the aisle to Democrats when hard-right conservatives revolted against his plan. Johnson’s proposal to temporarily fund the government into the new year passed on a bipartisan 336-95 tally, with 93 Republicans voting against it. He showed a willingness to leave his right-flank Republicans behind and work with Democrats — the same political move that cost the last House speaker, Kevin McCarthy, his job just weeks ago. Johnson’s approach, which the Senate is expected to approve by week’s end, effectively pushes a final showdown over government funding to the new year.
November 15, 2023 5:08 am
WOODSIDE, Calif. (AP) — President Joe Biden and China’s Xi Jinping have plunged into their first-face-to-face meeting in more than a year. The two leaders are working to stabilize fraught relations during the talks that have far-reaching implications for the world. They’re meeting Wednesday at a bucolic Northern California estate during the annual conference of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation. Biden says there is no substitute for face-to-face communications. Xi told Biden that ‘Planet Earth is big enough for the two countries to succeed.’
November 15, 2023 5:06 am
KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli forces are raiding Gaza’s largest hospital, where hundreds of patients, including newborns, have been stranded with dwindling supplies and no electricity. Wednesday’s raid at Shifa hospital came as the army extended its control across Gaza City and the north. Shifa has become a symbol of the widespread suffering of Palestinian civilians during the war between Israel and Hamas. The hospital is also at the heart of clashing narratives over who is to blame for the thousands of deaths and widespread destruction in the besieged territory. Israel accuses Hamas of using Palestinians as human shields, while Palestinians and rights groups say Israel has recklessly endangered civilians.
November 15, 2023 5:04 am
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Authorities say a Las Vegas high school student was killed when 10 students between the ages of 13 and 17 beat him in an alleyway around the corner from campus in a prearranged fight over a pair of headphones and a vape pen. Eight of the 10 teenagers were arrested Tuesday by Las Vegas police and the FBI on suspicion of murder in the Nov. 1 beating of their classmate, who died a week later. Authorities say two more students whom they haven’t yet identified also face murder charges. The victim’s father says his son Jonathan Lewis Jr. was attacked while standing up “for one of his smaller friends.”
November 15, 2023 5:03 am
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — A heavily armed gang surrounded a hospital in Haiti, trapping women, children and newborns inside until police rescued them. That’s according to the director of the medical center, who pleaded for help via social media. The Fontaine Hospital Center in the capital of Port-au-Prince is considered an oasis and a lifeline in a community overrun by gangs that have unleashed increasingly violent attacks against each other and residents. Hospital Director Jose Ulysse told The Associated Press that gangs were torching homes around the hospital and preventing people inside from leaving. He said it appeared that none of the gang members entered the hospital.
November 15, 2023 5:00 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Lawmakers are advancing an estimated $1.8 billion boost to the pensions of Pennsylvania state government and public school retirees. The Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed the legislation by a 140 to 63 margin on Tuesday. All Democrats supported the measure. Republicans opposing said the state has sought to help low-income older Pennsylvanians through other measures. It now goes on to the state Senate, where it faces an uncertain future. Gov. Josh Shapiro’s office did not say whether he supports it, but were continuing to review it.
November 15, 2023 2:37 am
Allegheny Health Network (AHN) and Highmark Health announced plans on Wednesday to build a new full-service, all-private-room hospital in Washington County to replace Canonsburg Hospital. The new approximately 300,000-square-foot facility will have 50-100 beds and will be built on AHN Canonsburg’s existing Medical Boulevard campus in North Strabane. Officials say construction of AHN’s new, state-of-the-art Canonsburg facility is expected to begin in 2024, pending all necessary approvals, and will open in 2027. AHN says it will also develop the new clinical campus to accommodate additional planned facilities, including a medical office building and a potential future cancer center. The total investment to transform the medical campus is approximately $232 million. AHN Canonsburg was established in 1904 and has operated at the current Medical Boulevard location since 1983. The new hospital will provide an array of advanced clinical services, including primary, emergency, and critical care; state-of-the-art surgical capabilities; advanced cardiac, orthopedic, and neurosurgical care; and various multi-disciplinary programs including women’s health. “The population served by our Canonsburg Hospital has grown over the years and we are excited to create a beautiful, modern facility and clinical campus that will enable us to better meet the diverse healthcare needs of the community and advance our living health model,” said Jim Benedict, President, Allegheny Health Network. “Our goal is to provide enhanced access to a much broader array of integrated, high-quality, comprehensive clinical programs that will enable more patients to stay close to home for the services they need.” The new AHN Canonsburg Hospital is expected to create hundreds of additional permanent health care jobs when fully operational, as well as hundreds of construction jobs. Currently, there are approximately 400 employees at AHN Canonsburg, all of whom will be tracked to the same roles at the new facility. AHN officials expect to begin discussions with local municipal leaders and agencies to seek approvals for the construction plans in the coming days and weeks. (Photo: Allegheny Health Network)
November 15, 2023 2:34 am
SHEFFIELD, England (AP) — Police in England have arrested a man on suspicion of manslaughter in the death of American ice hockey player Adam Johnson whose neck was cut by a skate during a game. Johnson, 29, was playing for the Nottingham Panthers against the Sheffield Steelers in an Oct. 28 game when the blade cut his neck. South Yorkshire Police did not name the suspect or provide his age. He was in police custody. The player whose skate cut Johnson’s neck was Matt Petgrave, 31, who plays for Sheffield. Johnson was a Minnesota native who had a brief NHL career with the Pittsburgh Penguins. (Photo: AP)
November 15, 2023 2:22 am
Washington County Commissioner Nick Sherman says he and Commissioner-elect Electra Janis have formed a Transition Team to study the effectiveness of Washington County government. “This highly skilled volunteer team’s directive is about exploring and recommending best business practices and ensuring transparency, accountability, and fiscal responsibility,” Sherman stated. “The voters recently entrusted us with much responsibility, and we owe it to them to take a “deep dive” into the way county government conducts its business to ensure they are getting the most effective and efficient government,” he added. Sherman says the team will focus on specific areas of policy leadership and management thought to have the most significant impact on long-term success of Washington County like furthering good government and transparency; invest in and plan for economic development; commit to fiscal responsibility and protecting taxpayers; achieve positive public engagement and execute operational excellence. According to Sherman, the Transition Team will be comprised of eight members that will meet over the next few weeks with a target of January 31st for recommendations to the Commissioners. The team members are: Chairman, Daryl Price, Member, Washington County Redevelopment Authority; Jeffrey A. Mills, Attorney, Member, Cozen O’Conner; Daniel Ostrowski, Project Manager at Burns Scalo Real Estate; Dave Ball, Retired Executive, US Steel; Andy Walz, North Strabane Township Manager; State Senator Camera Bartolotta; Washington County Treasurer Tom Flickinger and Dr. John Six, VP of Medical Affairs and Chief Medical Officer, Washington Health System. (PHOTO: Washington County Commissioner Nick Sherman Facebook)
November 14, 2023 5:43 pm
DETROIT (AP) — A Michigan judge has ruled that former President Donald Trump will remain on the state’s primary ballot. Court of Claims Judge James Robert Redford said in an order released Tuesday that Trump has followed state procedure to qualify for the ballot and that a clause in the Constitution can’t be used to disqualify him. Activists had sued to force Michigan’s secretary of state to bar Trump from the ballot. They pointed to a section of the U.S. Constitution’s 14th Amendment that prohibits a person from running for federal office if they have engaged in insurrection. A Trump campaign spokesman said the cases are an attempt to “deny the American people the right to choose their next president.”
