End Of The Line For Historic Charleroi Glass Plant

April 12, 2025 1:52 am

CHARLEROI, Pa. — (WPXI) – The Correlle Brands glass plant in Charleroi will officially close on Friday, April 10th. A last batch of glass will be made at 7 a.m., ending a 132-year business, known globally for making Pyrex. Last year, the parent company of Anchor Hocking, a previous competitor, acquired the Charleroi plant. In September, it announced plans to move all glassmaking from Charleroi to its plant in Lancaster, Ohio. Workers at the factory were experiencing a mix of emotions, from sadness to anger. “Angry. Everybody hates Anchor Hocking here. Nobody will buy Anchor Hocking. Nobody will buy Pyrex ever again because it’s not the same quality, it’s completely different,” said Danielle Byrne. Bryne’s grandfather worked at the plant for fifty years. She’s now their union rep. The closure had been pushed back multiple times, reportedly to continue making Pyrex orders. Workers say there will never be a Pyrex made like theirs again, and you’ll never see that trademark blue tint on the glass. Corelle Brands recently reacquired their former lunch horn that rang at noon in the community for decades, and they have plans for it on the last day of operations. “We’re going to ring the lunch horn for 132 seconds for 132 years making glass here.”

Canon-McMillan Moves Forward With New School

April 11, 2025 4:54 am

Canon-McMillan School Board members and administrators confirmed that excavation and construction for the new Wylandville Elementary School will officially begin next month once the Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection approves the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit application from the district. Director of Facilities and Transportation, Jurdon Maier, said that preparation work can still be done such as setting fencing and clearing foliage while waiting for the permit’s approval. Alongside the new elementary school, the high school refresh project is set to pick up again this summer. Maier noted that the ongoing renovations will include infrastructure updates aimed at improving the outdated building. Another project mentioned during the meeting was the installation of a new air conditioning system at Hills-Hendersonville Elementary School—a major improvement for the building, which previously lacked any air conditioning. The project, which began last summer, was completed recently, providing an upgrade for students and staff. The board also discussed new developments in curriculum, particularly in technology education. Dr. Ken Crowley, Assistant Superintendent for Grades 7–12, spoke about the district’s exploration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) courses for high school students.The district aims to equip students with foundational AI skills while maintaining a strong emphasis on teacher-led learning. In a shift aimed at minimizing classroom disruption, the Keystone Exams will now be administered in-person while students not taking the exams will learn asynchronously. This change condenses the testing schedule from six days to three, giving teachers more time for instruction.

States Sue Over Sudden Halt Of School Aid

April 11, 2025 4:58 am

Public officials in 16 states and the District of Columbia are suing the Trump administration to restore access to federal pandemic relief funding for schools. A coalition led by New York Attorney General Letitia James says the Education Department’s decision to abruptly halt hundreds of millions of dollars of promised aid will force cuts to vital services. The lawsuit was filed Thursday in federal court in Manhattan by 16 Democratic attorneys general and the governor of Pennsylvania. It claims the Trump administration’s action violates federal law because it reversed a prior decision to allow states to access the money through March 2026.

China Raises Tariffs To 125%

April 11, 2025 5:02 am

BEIJING (AP) — China has announced countermeasures by raising tariffs on U.S. goods from 84% to 125% starting Saturday. The U.S. and China have escalated trade war by raising tariffs even as U.S. President Donald Trump hit a pause on tariffs for other countries. Trump’s universal tariffs on China total 145%. When Trump announced Wednesday that China faced 125% tariffs, he did not include a 20% tariff on China tied to its role in fentanyl production. The rates have climbed, in a back and forth with no end in sight.

Administration Must Work To Bring Back Deported Man

April 11, 2025 5:10 am

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court says the Trump administration must work to bring back a Maryland man who was mistakenly deported to El Salvador, rejecting the administration’s emergency appeal. The court acted Thursday in the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran citizen who had an immigration court order preventing his deportation to his native country over fears he would face persecution from local gangs. The administration has conceded that it made a mistake in sending him to El Salvador, where he is being held in a notorious prison, but also argued that it no longer could do anything about it.

Republicans Narrowly Get Budget Plan Approval

April 11, 2025 5:08 am

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans narrowly got their budget plan over the finish line this week. Now comes the hard part. They’ll seek to craft a final bill with enough spending cuts to satisfy those on the right while not jeopardizing the reelection prospects of more vulnerable lawmakers whose constituents rely on key safety net programs such as Medicaid and nutritional assistance. House Speaker Mike Johnson had to pull the resolution from a Wednesday vote because more time was needed to win over some of the the chamber’s biggest deficit hawks. Sen. Chuck Schumer said the struggles Republicans have faced so far are only a glimmer of what’s to come.

Senate Confirms Trump Nominee As Joint Chiefs Of Staff

April 11, 2025 5:05 am

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate has confirmed President Donald Trump’s nominee to become the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Dan “Razin” Caine, before heading home for a two-week recess. Caine was nominated in February after Trump abruptly fired Gen. CQ Brown Jr. as part of his administration’s campaign to rid the military of leaders who support diversity and equity in the ranks. Caine is a decorated F-16 combat pilot who served in leadership in multiple special operations commands, in some of the Pentagon’s most classified programs and in the CIA.

Trump Has Annual Physical Exam

April 10, 2025 5:09 am

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has had his annual physical. The exam will potentially give the public its first details in years about the health of a man who in January was the oldest in U.S. history to be sworn in as president. The 78-year-old Republican said before the physical that he’s “never felt better” but “these things must be done!” If history is any indication, the finished report on his health is unlikely to include much. The exam Friday at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center could nonetheless offer the first public information on Trump’s health since the assassination attempt against him in July. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt promised a “readout from the White House physician” as soon as possible.

Cabot Creamery Butter Recalled

April 11, 2025 4:56 am

A Vermont firm is recalling more than 1,700 pounds of butter because it may be contaminated with coliform, a type of bacteria found in fecal matter. Agri-Mark Inc. of Waitsfield, Vermont, recalled 189 cases of Cabot Creamery 8-ounce premium butter made with sea salt. The butter was sold in seven states. The recall was announced on March 26 and is ongoing, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. It’s classified as the lowest level of recall and is not likely to cause health problems in people. Agri-Mark officials said they recovered nearly all of the product and addressed the problem.

Six Dead After Helicopter Crashes Into Hudson River

April 10, 2025 4:14 pm

NEW YORK (AP) — A helicopter broke apart in midair and crashed upside-down into the Hudson River between Manhattan and the New Jersey waterfront, killing all six people aboard. That’s according to witnesses and a law enforcement official who spoke to The Associated Press. It was the latest high-profile aviation disaster in the U.S. The New York Fire Department said it received a report of the crash at 3:17 p.m. Thursday. Witness Bruce Wall said he saw the helicopter falling apart in midair, with the tail and propeller coming off. He said the propeller was still spinning without the aircraft as it fell.