April 1, 2022 8:41 am
America’s employers extended a streak of robust hiring in March, adding 431,000 jobs in a sign of the economy’s resilience in the face of a still-destructive pandemic and the highest inflation in 40 years. The Labor Department’s report showed that last month’s job growth helped reduce the unemployment rate to 3.6%, the lowest level since the pandemic erupted two years ago. Despite the inflation surge, persistent supply bottlenecks, the damaging effects of COVID-19 and now a war in Europe, employers have added at least 400,000 jobs for 11 straight months.
April 1, 2022 4:12 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – The House has approved a bill decriminalizing marijuana and letting states set their own policies on pot. The bill faces an uphill climb in the Senate and is unlikely to become law. But Friday’s vote gave lawmakers the chance to show their views on the legalization trend spreading across the country. Thirty-seven states and District of Columbia allow the medical use of cannabis products while 18 states and the District of Columbia allow for recreational marijuana. Democrats said the federal prohibition on marijuana has had particularly devastating consequences for minority communities. Republicans mostly opposed the bill and called it a distraction from more pressing issues.
April 1, 2022 4:10 am
DETROIT (AP) – General Motors is recalling nearly 682,000 small SUVs because the windshield wipers can fail. The recall covers the Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain from the 2014 and 2015 model years. Ball joints in the wiper module can rust, causing one or both wipers to fail, increasing the risk of a crash. Dealers will inspect the module and repair or replace it. Owners will be notified by letter starting May 2nd. Ford is issuing two recalls covering over 737,000 vehicles to fix oil leaks and trailer braking systems that won’t work. The oil leak recall includes the 2020 through 2022 Ford Escape SUV and the 2021 and 2022 Bronco Sport SUV with 1.5-Liter engines. A housing can crack and oil can leak onto engine parts, possibly causing fires. The trailer brake recall includes F-150 pickups from 2021 and 2022, as well as the 2022 F-250, 350, 450 and 550. Also covered are the 2022 Maverick pickup, and Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator SUVs. A software error can stop trailers from braking.
April 1, 2022 4:08 am
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) – Russian troops have left the heavily contaminated Chernobyl nuclear site. Ukrainian authorities say the soldiers departed early Friday after returning control to Ukraine. Meanwhile, eastern parts of the country braced for renewed attacks and Russians blocked another aid mission to the besieged port city of Mariupol. The governor of the Russian border region of Belgorod accused Ukraine of flying helicopter gunships into Russian territory and striking an oil depot Friday morning. The depot is run by Russian energy giant Roseneft about 21 miles from the border. The governor says it was set ablaze by the attack that left two people injured. If confirmed, it would be the first attack of its kind by Ukrainian forces inside Russia.
April 1, 2022 4:05 am
UNDATED (AP) – Authorities say a police lieutenant killed on duty in Pennsylvania was one month away from retirement when a man suspected of breaking into a family member’s home opened fire on responding officers. The Lebanon County district attorney says Lebanon City Police Lt. William Lebo and three other uniformed officers were met with immediate gunfire when they entered the home Thursday afternoon. Two other officers were injured and remain hospitalized. The suspect is 34-year-old Travis Shaud of Lebanon, who also was killed.
April 1, 2022 2:23 am
Multiple emergency responders were called out around eleven-thirty to a fire at a popular Washington County Tavern. Heavy fire and smoke was seen coming from the Elrama Tavern on Route 837 in Union Township when firefighters arrived. The State Police Fire Marshal has reportedly been called to the scene – but the fire chief says they believe the blaze started when embers flew into the basement from boxes being burned behind the building. The owners of the tavern have posted on their Facebook page that the building appears to be a total loss, but there were no serious injuries. (Photo: Facebook)
March 31, 2022 5:00 pm
NEW YORK (AP) – Fox News Media says it has hired Caitlyn Jenner as a contributor. The failed Republican candidate for California governor was scheduled to make her first appearance as a Fox employee on Sean Hannity’s prime time show Thursday night, and Fox says she will offer commentary across a variety of Fox platforms. An Olympic gold medal winner in 1976 in the decathlon, Jenner came out as transgender and identifies as female. Suzanne Scott, Fox News Media CEO, called Jenner a trailblazer who “is an inspiration to us all.” Jenner unsuccessfully sought the GOP nomination for California governor last year. (Photo: AP)
March 31, 2022 4:56 pm
WASHINGTON (AP) – Lawmakers have moved to the brink of clinching a bipartisan compromise to provide a fresh $10 billion to combat COVID-19. That could set up final congressional approval next week. The price tag was a reduction from an earlier $15.6 billion compromise that fell apart weeks ago after House Democrats rejected cuts in pandemic aid to states to help pay for it. Utah Republican Sen. Mitt Romney is a lead negotiator and he says bargainers had reach an agreement in principle on a package that would be completely paid for. The new money would be to purchase vaccines, treatments and tests, which the administration says are running low, even as the more transmissible omicron variant BA.2 spreads.
March 31, 2022 8:56 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – More Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week, but layoffs remain at historic lows. Jobless claims rose by 14,000 to 202,000 for the week ending March 26, the Labor Department reported Thursday. The previous week’s tally of 188,000 claims was the fewest since 1969. First-time applications for jobless aid generally track the pace of layoffs. The four-week average for claims, which compensates for weekly volatility, fell to 208,500 from 212,000 the previous week. In total, 1,307,000 Americans were collecting jobless aid for the week ending March 19, the fewest since December 1969.
March 31, 2022 4:15 am
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) – Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves has signed a bill to authorize the state’s largest teacher pay raise in a generation. Legislative records show the Republican signed it Wednesday. Starting July 1, teachers will receive an average increase of about $5,100. That’s a jump of more than 10% over their current pay. Teachers’ assistants will receive $2,000 raises. Mississippi has some of the lowest teacher salaries in the nation. Lawmakers and the governor say increasing the pay could help Mississippi attract and retain classroom professionals. Longtime teacher Suzanne Smith of Grenada says the pay raise will make a huge difference for lots of educators.
