February 15, 2022 10:57 am
The families of nine victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting have agreed to a settlement of a lawsuit against the maker of the rifle used to kill 20 first graders and six educators in 2012. The families and a survivor of the shooting sued Remington over how it marketed the AR-15-style rifle used in the shooting and alleged the company targeted younger, at-risk males in its advertising. Remington had denied the allegations. A news conference was planned later Tuesday morning some of the plaintiffs.
February 15, 2022 4:31 am
Peters Township Council spent most of their night looking at two presentations. One of them was a presentation on the development of an apartment complex at the intersection of Waterdam and Galley Roads. The second presentation was a traffic study prompted by a number of accidents on Johnston Road. Patrick Byrne from the developer Al. Neyer explained that they would like to develop a 10 acre site with roughly 250 apartments. To do that they would need relief from an ordinance that limits multifamily housing units to no more than 36 apartments per structure. Al. Neyer feels that the limitation would not fit the type of Class A development that they are looking to build. Council was split 4-3 on the initial feeling toward the development. Councilmen Robert Lewis, Gary Stiegel and Frank Arcuri felt that buildings holding 50 or more apartments are too large and imposing. Traffic Engineer Michael Mudry delivered his presentation on Johnston Road accidents stating that 15 accidents occurred on the road in the last 5 years, 12 of them in a concentrated stretch. He proposed upgrades to signage, possible street lights flexible reflective delineator posts and pavement markings. Mudry states that most of the accidents occur in an area that has a curve in the road that can catch drivers by surprise when they enter that curve.
February 15, 2022 4:09 am
NEW YORK (AP) – The accounting firm that prepared former President Donald Trump’s annual financial statements says the documents, used to secure lucrative loans and burnish Trump’s image as a wealthy businessman, “should no longer be relied upon” after investigators said they found evidence he and his company regularly misstated the value of assets. Mazars USA LLP disclosed its findings and cut ties with the Trump Organization in a letter on Feb. 9, just weeks after New York Attorney General Letitia James said her office uncovered evidence Trump and the company used “fraudulent or misleading” valuations of its golf clubs, skyscrapers and other property to get loans and tax benefits. The firm says it is also cutting ties with Trump.
February 15, 2022 4:06 am
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Federal prosecutors have rested their case against three former Minneapolis police officers charged with violating George Floyd’s civil rights. The prosecution rested Monday after nearly three weeks of testimony from bystanders, doctors, police officers and others. J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao are accused of depriving Floyd of medical care while the Black man was handcuffed, facedown as Officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee onto Floyd’s neck. Kueng and Thao are also accused of failing to intervene to stop the May 2020 killing that triggered protests worldwide. Thao and Kueng told the judge Monday that they plan to testify. An attorney for Lane said earlier that his client would testify, but now says they’ll discuss it further.
February 15, 2022 4:03 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – The U.S. Senate is considering a resolution in support of Ukraine’s independence while stopping short of legislation to impose sanctions on Russia. Senators are eager to respond to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s aggression but deferential to the White House’s strategy to avert a crisis in Europe. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan briefed Senate leadership Monday afternoon. President Joe Biden and Western leaders are working to persuade Putin not to invade Ukraine. Senators say the Biden administration is able to impose devastating sanctions on Russia with or without congressional action.
February 15, 2022 4:03 am
MOSCOW (AP) – Russia says that some units participating in military exercises will begin returning to their bases. That adds to glimmers of hope that the Kremlin may not be planning to invade Ukraine imminently. But officials gave no details on the pullback. The announcement Tuesday came after Russia’s foreign minister indicated the country was ready to keep talking about the security grievances that led to the Ukraine crisis. That changed the tenor after weeks of rising tensions. Still, Western officials continued to warn that an invasion could come at any moment and said some forces and military hardware were moving toward the border. It wasn’t immediately clear where exactly the troops that the Russian Defense Ministry said were pulling back were deployed or how many were leaving.
February 15, 2022 4:00 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) – A state court is stopping a Philadelphia ordinance that requires gun owners to tell police when a firearm has been lost or stolen. A three-judge Commonwealth Court panel on Monday issued a permanent injunction, saying the Uniform Firearms Act preempts city ordinances. One of the judges says the decision is legally correct but warns it also puts people’s lives at risk. Philadelphia Police had sought a $2,000 fine against a man charged with violating the reporting mandate. The judges cited a 1996 state Supreme Court decision that said assault weapons restrictions in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh weren’t allowed, saying the Legislature alone can regulate guns. A city spokesman said the decision will be appealed.
February 15, 2022 2:47 am
A contempt of court hearing for Washington County Clerk of Courts Brenda Davis has been scheduled for Monday, February 28th. The office of Washington County President Judge John DiSalle says it will begin at 9:30 a.m and will be held in Courtroom #2. It comes after Commonwealth Court rejected several appeals that were filed by Davis to block orders from Judge DiSalle, including an emergency stay of a contempt hearing originally scheduled for December 6. It followed an incident in late November when Davis attempted to stop sheriff’s deputies from transferring juvenile files from her office. Davis has been at odds with the Judge and County Commissioner’s over staffing and duty issues in her office. Davis also claims she was assaulted by deputies during that November 24 incident. Judge DiSalle has said that the contempt proceedings are important to get a full account of what happened that day.
February 15, 2022 2:14 am
ALLEGHENY COUNTY — (WPXI)- Sources close to our news partners at Channel 11 say detectives are trying to find and comb through videos in Monroeville and Pitcairn to learn more about Christi Spicuzza’s death. County detectives are still trying to learn who is responsible in the death of Spicuzza, who went missing Thursday while driving for Uber. Police say they found her car in Pitcairn Saturday morning. Four hours later, Spicuzza’s body was found, shot once, in the woods in Monroeville. Channel 11 sources say investigators are now going through video to help in the investigation. There are at least 15 crime cameras in Pitcairn and 25 in Monroeville. Investigators say Spicuzza was working as a driver Thursday when she gave rides to multiple people and her dash cam was removed from the car.
February 14, 2022 5:26 pm
NEW YORK (AP) – Whoopi Goldberg returned to “The View” on Monday following her two-week suspension for remarks about the Holocaust. She expressed surprise at some of the people who had reached out to her while she was away, although she didn’t specify who, but said she was thankful to all who had done so. Jewish leaders had criticized Goldberg for saying that the Holocaust during World War II was not about race, but rather about man’s inhumanity. Jewish leaders pointed out that Nazi leader Adolf Hitler considered the Jews to be an inferior race. Goldberg says the hosts of “The View” won’t shy away from difficult conversations.
