December 14, 2021 4:13 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – The House panel investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection has voted to pursue contempt charges against former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows. Lawmakers have also revealed a series of frantic texts he received as the attack was underway. The texts reveal that members of Congress, Fox News anchors and even President Donald Trump’s own son were urging Meadows to push Trump to act quickly to stop the siege by his supporters. The panel voted 9-0 to recommend the contempt charges. The House is expected to vote Tuesday to refer the charges to the Justice Department, which will decide whether to prosecute the former Republican congressman.
December 14, 2021 4:11 am
MAYFIELD, Ky. (AP) – Workers, volunteers and members of the National Guard were spreading across tornado-damaged areas of Kentucky to assist with recovery tasks large and small. The work ranges from replacing thousands of damaged utility poles to delivering bottles of drinking water. The tornado outbreak Friday killed at least 88 people in five states. Seventy-four of them were in Kentucky. Gov. Andy Beshear said that the death toll could grow as authorities continue to work around debris that slowed recovery efforts. Nearly 450 National Guard members have been mobilized in the state, and 95 of them are doing fatality searches.
December 14, 2021 4:04 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) – Pennsylvania is again aiming to put its presidential primary in position to determine the winner, rather than let other states play that role. The state Senate on Tuesday unanimously approved a bill to move up Pennsylvania’s primary elections in presidential election years by five weeks to the third Tuesday in March. Critics of Pennsylvania’s current date – the fourth Tuesday of April – say its presidential primary clout is diminished by its late vote. The bill goes to the House. A spokesperson for the House Republican majority said it hasn’t been discussed in the caucus. The Senate passed an identical bill last year, but it died in the House.
December 14, 2021 4:03 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) – The Republican-controlled Pennsylvania Senate is advancing legislation to prevent school children from being required to get a COVID-19 vaccination to attend school, although it likely faces a veto by Gov. Tom Wolf. The bill passed on party lines Monday, and goes to the House of Representatives. Neither the state nor any school district in Pennsylvania require the COVID-19 vaccination to attend school. In cases of other infectious diseases, school children in Pennsylvania can invoke medical, religious or philosophical exemptions for immunization requirements. Evidence of immunity is sometimes acceptable. Wolf’s office says there are no plans to require the vaccine and is urging Pennsylvanians to get vaccinated.
December 14, 2021 3:59 am
Taxes will go up slightly in Peters Township in 2022. Council approved a .078 mil increase in township taxes. Township Manager Paul Lauer has been warning council of this increase since it issued bonds for the construction of Rolling Hills Park in 2019. The Township has been absorbing the additional debt service on this bond since 2019. This increase will offset roughly $250,000 of the $300,000 that that bond costs. Lauer says that the tax increase will be $25.74 annually to the average tax payer whose home is assessed at $320,000. The budget plan is flexible in that it is balanced as far as operations and expenses are concerned. There appears to be a $17 million difference between $22 million in revenues and $39 million in spending. Lauer states that the budget shows three large spending projects that council could take on. Most likely, council would only take on one of the projects. Those projects could be the $10 million aquatic center, a $4 million fire station and a $500,000 fire truck. American Rescue Plan monies will largely fund storm sewer projects. That will free up township money to aggressively pursue a road maintenance program that will include upgrades to streets once designated as minimum maintenance streets. Council began the meeting with a public hearing regarding the township’s participation in a sharpshooter program to enhance its deer culling program. The township is half way through the application process. Several people spoke against the program. The township’s Environmental Quality Board spoke in favor. Council will need to consider the idea at a future meeting.
December 13, 2021 3:32 pm
NEW YORK (AP) – Calling him a “clown, genius, edgelord, visionary, industrialist, showman,” Time magazine has named Tesla founder and CEO Elon Musk as its Person of the Year for 2021. Musk, who is also the founder and CEO of the space exploration company SpaceX, is estimated to be the richest person in the world with a net worth of around $300 billion. Tesla shares have risen about 60% in the past year, helping Musk to pass Amazon founder Jeff Bezos as the world’s richest person. With a market value around $1 trillion, Tesla is by far the most valuable car maker in the world. (Photo: AP)
December 13, 2021 3:28 pm
NEW YORK (AP) – Gothic novelist Anne Rice has died due to complications from a stroke. Rice’s son Christopher Rice announced her death late Saturday on her Facebook page and his Twitter page. Rice was widely known for her bestselling novel “Interview With the Vampire.” The 1976 book was adapted into a movie starring Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt in 1994. It was also expected to be portrayed in a TV series in 2022. Rice was expected to be laid to rest during a private ceremony at a family mausoleum in New Orleans. A public celebration of life was to take place next year. (Photo: AP)
December 13, 2021 12:56 pm
WASHINGTON (AP) – President Joe Biden said Monday that he will travel to Kentucky on Wednesday to view damage from last week’s devastating tornadoes that killed at least 64 people and displaced thousands more. Biden announced the upcoming trip following a briefing with homeland security and disaster response officials in the Oval Office to discuss what more the federal government can do to support those impacted by the natural disaster.
December 13, 2021 11:44 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) – Pennsylvania’s acting health secretary will depart at the end of December. The governor’s office made the announcement on Monday. Alison Beam had served in an acting role since January, when Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf tapped her to replace Dr. Rachel Levine. Beam guided the state’s COVID-19 pandemic response. She oversaw vaccine distribution and imposed a mask mandate for schools that was struck down by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court last week. Keara Klinepeter, the Health Department’s executive deputy secretary, will take over as acting secretary. The administration did not give a reason for Beam’s departure. Wolf is heading into the last year of his governorship. (Photo: Twitter)
December 13, 2021 5:56 am
NORTH STRABANE TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Crews are working to repair a water main break in North Strabane Township Monday morning. A motorist called in the break near the intersection of Route 19 and Demar Boulevard at around 5:30 a.m. When officials arrived, debris was being carried by the water flow. Crews have closed Demar Boulevard from the intersection of Route 19 to Norris Drive. Drivers are urged to use caution while driving through the area. Pennsylvania American Water is working on the incident.
