March 26, 2025 5:49 pm
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says he is placing 25% tariffs on auto imports, a move the White House claims will foster domestic manufacturing but could also put a financial squeeze on automakers that depend on global supply chains. “This will continue to spur growth,” Trump told reporters Wednesday. “We’ll effectively be charging a 25% tariff.” The tariffs could be complicated as even U.S. automakers source their components from around the world, meaning that they could face higher costs and lower sales. Shares in General Motors fell roughly 3% in Wednesday afternoon trading. Ford’s stock was up slightly. Shares in Stellantis, the owner of Jeep and Chrysler, dropped nearly 4%.
March 26, 2025 4:43 am
The South Strabane Township Board of Supervisors approved plans that will reshape the Washington Mall area. The redevelopment, led by 79-70 Associates, will bring a mix of new retail, commercial, and service-oriented businesses to the area, including a 16,000-square-foot retail building, a warehouse club, and a recreational vehicle dealership and service center. Along with the demolition of the existing mall, the majority of the construction for the Harbor Freight store and the RV dealership will take place later this year, with work expected to begin this summer. The Warehouse Club is expected to be constructed next year.The total cost of the development is estimated to range between $20 to $30 million. According to project spokesperson Nate Phillips, the redevelopment will be fully funded through private dollars, with no need for the township to use Tax Increment Financing (TIF) or any similar funding programs. In addition to the retail buildings, the approved plan also includes a fuel station as an accessory to the proposed warehouse club, and a vehicle rental, sales, and service business, as well as a vehicle repair garage. The board has also given the go-ahead for a recreational vehicle dealership and service center as part of the overall project. In other township business, supervisors have approved an employment agreement with Marie Coffman for the Position of Finance Director and a resolution for a Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Grant to begin the construction of a dog park at Community Park.
March 26, 2025 1:30 am
North Strabane Township voted to accept a Pennsylvania Automated Red Light Enforcement Transportation Enhancements Grant (ARLE) to upgrade safety along two township roads. According to Gibson-Thomas Engineering representative Vince Seyko, who is the engineer of record for the township, McDowell Lane and DeMar Blvd. have been identified as roads that need to have traffic calming measures implemented. Seyko says that digital signs displaying the speed of passing vehicles and rumble strips will be installed along both roads. The grant will cover the entire $116,000 cost of the project. With design and permit approval yet to take place, a projected start date for these improvements will likely be in the fall.
March 25, 2025 2:00 am
Sports Facility, LLC, owners of the Washington Wild Things announced that Wild Things Park has a new naming rights sponsor. EQT, Corporation, the natural gas production company signed a three year agreement to have the ballpark named EQT Park. Toby Rice, President and CEO of EQT, Corporation spoke of how his company is operated with partnerships and he is proud of this partnership. He said he looks forward to help the community and their families create memories at the EQT Park. Chris Blaine is the CEO of Sports Facility, LLC. She said that this is a great day for the park. Their relationship with EQT has grown over the years as EQT had been a sponsor for the team for several years. She described EQT and the Wild Things as like minded organizations built on teamwork. Both described EQT Park as a community asset, as it has hosted a myriad of events and organizations over the years. Financial terms of the agreement were not released. The ball park debuted in 2002 as Falconi Field and later became CONSOL Energy Field in 2007. The ball park has been without a name since 2017. Opening Day at EQT Park will be May 13 against the Ottawa Titans.
March 26, 2025 4:45 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Democrat Dan Goughnour has won a special election in western Pennsylvania. His win Tuesday keeps majority control of the state House in his party’s hands. A second special election for a state Senate seat was close, with the Democrat poised for a possible upset in Lancaster County. Goughnour’s victory over Republican Chuck Davis means Democrats hold the House by a single vote, 102 members to 101. Holding the majority means Democrats can keep House Speaker Joanna McClinton of Philadelphia as the chamber’s presiding officer. The Senate race pits Democrat James Andrew Malone against Republican Josh Parsons.
March 26, 2025 4:54 am
NEW YORK (AP) — President Donald Trump has signed a sweeping executive action to overhaul elections in the United States. Tuesday’s order demands documentary proof of citizenship be added as a requirement for federal voter registration. It also requires that all ballots be received by Election Day throughout the country. The move is consistent with Trump’s long history of railing against election processes. He often claims elections are being rigged, even before the results are known, and has waged battles against certain voting methods since he lost the 2020 election to Democrat Joe Biden and falsely blamed it on widespread fraud. Trump said Tuesday that more election actions would be taken in coming weeks.
March 25, 2025 4:50 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. Vice President JD Vance says he’s joining his wife on a Friday trip to Greenland, suggesting in an online video that global security is at stake. Vance says in a video posted Tuesday to social media, “Speaking for President Trump, we want to reinvigorate the security of the people of Greenland because we think it’s important to protecting the security of the entire world.” President Donald Trump irked much of Europe by suggesting that the United States should in some form control the self-governing, mineral-rich territory of American ally Denmark.
March 25, 2025 4:49 am
Dry conditions, wind and trees downed by Hurricane Helene are fueling wildfires in North and South Carolina. Officials say evacuation orders are in effect Tuesday in some parts of the states while they continue to monitor the blazes. Three fires are burning in rural North Carolina about 80 miles west of Charlotte. At least one of the fires was caused by a downed power line. In South Carolina, two fires are burning in a mountainous region and both have no containment so far. The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning for parts of South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia through Tuesday night, as dry and windy conditions were expected to be favorable for the rapid spread of wildfire.
March 26, 2025 4:55 am
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Wind-driven wildfires that were among South Korea’s worst ever were ravaging the country’s southern regions, killing 24 people, destroying more than 200 structures and forcing 27,000 people to evacuate, officials said Wednesday. Officials also said a helicopter crashed during efforts to contain wildfires in the southeastern town of Uiseong, one of the areas hardest-hit by the wildfires. The Korea Forest Service said it was presumed that the aircraft was operated by one pilot with no crewmembers. An ancient Buddhist temple, houses, factories and vehicles were among the structures destroyed in the wildfires that have burned 43,330 acres and injured at least 26 people.
March 25, 2025 5:39 pm
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is downplaying the texting of attack plans to a group chat that included a journalist as “the only glitch in two months” of his administration. Trump told NBC News on Tuesday it “turned out not to be a serious one.” Top national security officials including Trump’s defense secretary texted plans for upcoming military strikes in Yemen to a group chat in a secure messaging app that included the editor-in-chief for The Atlantic. This was reported by the magazine Monday. The National Security Council says the text chain “appears to be authentic.” Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg says two hours after he received the details of the attack on March 15, the U.S. began launching airstrikes. (Photo: AP)
