April 22, 2024 5:20 pm
TRIANGLE, Virginia (AP) — President Joe Biden is marking Earth Day by announcing $7 billion in federal grants to provide residential solar projects serving 900,000-plus households in low- and middle-income communities. He also criticized Republicans who want to gut his policies to address climate change. The Democrat plans to expand his New Deal-style American Climate Corps green jobs training program. Biden spoke at northern Virginia’s Prince William Forest Park on Monday. Biden’s latest environmental announcements come as he’s working to energize young voters for his reelection campaign. Senior administration officials say young Americans are keenly invested in the Biden climate agenda and want to help enact it.
April 21, 2024 6:17 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — The House has approved a $95 billion package of foreign aid for Ukraine, Israel and other U.S. allies after months of turmoil on Capitol Hill. Congressional leaders pushed aside opposition from hard-right conservatives to complete the bill in a rare Saturday session. The whole package will go to the Senate, which could pass it as soon as Tuesday. Speaker Mike Johnson has put his job on the line and relied on Democratic support every step of the process. The four bills, to provide aid to Ukraine, Israel, Indo-Pacific allies and a measure dealing with TikTok were all overwhelmingly approved. President Joe Biden has promised to sign the package.
April 21, 2024 6:14 am
RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Palestinian health officials say Israeli strikes on the southern Gaza city of Rafah overnight killed 18 people, including 14 children. The latest strikes came as the United States was on track to approve billions of dollars of additional military aid to its close ally. More than half of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million has sought refuge in Rafah from fighting elsewhere. Israel has vowed to expand its ground offensive to the city on the border with Egypt, despite international calls for restraint, including from the U.S. The first strike killed a man, his wife and their 3-year-old child. The woman was pregnant, and the doctors managed to save the baby. The second strike killed eight children and two women, all from the same family.
April 21, 2024 6:20 am
WILMINGTON, N.C. (AP) — Donald Trump has canceled his first planned rally since the start of his criminal hush money trial because of a storm in North Carolina. It’s an added complication for the former president and presumptive Republican nominee as he juggles legal troubles and his rematch against President Joe Biden. Trump called into the rally on Saturday near the Wilmington airport less than an hour before he was scheduled to take the stage and apologized to a few thousand supporters who had gathered throughout the afternoon. Trump promised to reschedule a rally at the same location, with a “bigger and better” event. The venue still highlights the importance of North Carolina as a key battleground between Trump and Biden.
April 21, 2024 6:23 am
DALLAS (AP) — The United Auto Workers union is celebrating a huge win at a Volkswagen plant in Tennessee, where workers will now be represented by the union. The UAW won a stunning 73% of the vote after losing two elections there in the past decade. That is giving the UAW hope of making broader inroads in the South, the least unionized part of the country. The union’s next target is two Mercedes-Benz plants in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, where workers will vote next month on whether to join the union. Harry Katz, a labor-relations professor at Cornell University, says other companies will be more aggressive than VW in fighting to prevent workers from unionizing.
April 21, 2024 3:40 am
Washington County Commissioners on Thursday voted unanimously to hire the law firm of Cozen O’Connor to act as special counsel on options for future use of Courthouse Square. The building has been suffering structural issues for several years. Those issues and a diminishing availability of space for county workers led to the purchase of the Crossroads Building in 2021. They will advise the county on construction, finance and bond related issues concerning the Courthouse Square building and garage and other related issues. Commissioner Chairman Nick Sherman says that no firm plan is in place for the building. It could be repaired and renovated or it could be razed. He says no decisions have been made. This is the first step in the process to determine the best use of the site.
April 21, 2024 6:09 am
WEST MIFFLIN, Pa. —(WPXI)- Despite some chilly winds, Kennywood Park fans came out to check out some new treats and upgraded rides on opening day. Among the new attractions “Jeeters Pub” and the “Carousel of Burger Company” were made available to visitors. The bumper cars have also officially been upgraded and are now known as “Potato Smash.” The name of the ride was decided during a week-long sweepstakes held in March. The upgraded cars now share the same theme as one of the park’s most popular food stops, The Potato Patch. With the good, comes the bad. Kennywood’s Steelers-themed rollercoaster “The Steel Curtain” is closed for this season. It is going through an extensive modification project. Park officials say the temporary inconvenience will pay off in the future. “We want it back just as much as our guests,” said Kennywood’s communications manager Tasha Pokrzywa. Kennywood will be open daily starting Memorial Day weekend.
April 21, 2024 6:06 am
PITTSBURGH — (WPXI)-A man and woman are facing charges after a woman was stabbed at Point State Park Friday night. Cody Linder-Heck, 22, and Janelle Moore, 20, are both being held in the Allegheny County Jail without bail. Court documents say they pose a threat to the community. According to criminal complaints, Janelle Moore told police that a man wearing all-black clothing, and a mask, who was about 5 feet 11 inches tall and had a tattoo under his right eye had cut the victim’s neck and dragged her on the ground. Police found a man who matched the description near the park’s entrance. The man was identified as Cody Linder-Heck. The victim confirmed that Linder-Heck was the attacker after he was detained by police. Officers then received information that the victim told them Janelle Moore had also been one of the attackers. Police took her into custody for questioning. The criminal complaint says that Linder-Heck told police that his fiancée, Janelle Moore, told him she wanted him to kill the victim because she had been “setting them up.” He also told police it had been Moore’s idea to attack the victim in the park. Police say the victim told them that Linder-Heck was dragging her by the skirt toward the river after the initial assault. Moore allegedly told him to stop and then told the victim that if she told anyone what had happened they would “finish the job.” Linders-Heck also told police a similar story. Moore told police she had no idea Linders-Heck was going to attack the victim and said that she did not plan the attack, court documents say. She faces conspiracy aggravated assault charges and Linder-Heck faces aggravated assault and criminal conspiracy charges.
April 20, 2024 4:17 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — The House is preparing to vote on approval of $95 billion in foreign aid for Ukraine, Israel and other U.S. allies. Congressional leaders are pushing aside opposition from hard-right conservatives to near the completion of a months-long, grueling effort to renew American support for repelling Russia’s invasion into Ukraine. Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson — putting his job on the line — relied on Democratic support this week to bring to the House floor a series of three votes on the aid packages, as well as a fourth on several other foreign policy proposals. The Senate would still need to approve the House bill in votes expected next week.
April 20, 2024 4:15 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate has voted to reauthorize a key U.S. surveillance law after divisions over whether the FBI should be restricted from using the program to search for Americans’ data nearly forced the statute to lapse. The legislation approved 60-34 with bipartisan support shortly after midnight Saturday would extend for two years the program known as Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. It now goes to President Joe Biden’s desk to become law. U.S. officials have said the surveillance tool, first authorized in 2008 and renewed several times since then, is crucial in disrupting terror attacks, cyber intrusions and foreign espionage. But concerns over Americans’ civil liberties almost blocked its reauthorization.
