Trump, DeSantis among 2024 GOP hopefuls set to appear at the Moms for Liberty gathering
PHILADELPHIA — Former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, the main rivals for the Republican presidential nomination, are scheduled to speak Friday at the annual gathering of Moms for Liberty, a two-year-old group that has fiercely opposed instruction related to race and gender identity in the nation’s classroom....
DeSantis signs controversial ‘radioactive roads’ bill lobbied by fertilizer giant Mosaic
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday signed a bill that will allow the Florida Department of Transportation to study the use of phosphogypsum, a mildly radioactive byproduct of the phosphate manufacturing process, in road construction. The measure — dubbed the “radioactive roads” bill by critics — was lobbied by Tampa-based...
Judge rejects Donald Trump’s request to toss out defamation claims by columnist
NEW YORK — Former President Donald Trump’s claims that absolute presidential immunity and free speech rights shield him from the defamation claims of a New York columnist were rejected Thursday by a federal judge. The writer, E. Jean Carroll, can continue to press claims that Trump owes her at least...
Changing their tune? Pennsylvania lawmakers consider replacing the state’s official song
HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania may soon be changing its tune. A proposal to establish a new state song got a positive vote Thursday in the House of Representatives, although there was some discord. The resolution to establish an independent commission to review the history, solicit suggestions from the public and make...
Trump ‘standing order’ to declassify documents not found by DOJ, Intelligence agency
A “standing order” that former President Donald Trump has claimed authorized him to instantly declassify documents removed from the Oval Office could not be found by either the Justice Department or Office of Director of National Intelligence. The disclosure by the agencies was made in response to a Freedom of...
New York City school food chief convicted in bribery case tied to tainted chicken tenders
NEW YORK — A man who oversaw food service for New York City schools was convicted Wednesday in a bribery case that picked apart how chicken tenders riddled with bone and bits of metal were served for months in the nation’s biggest public school system. Former city Department of Education...
Biden’s Iran envoy placed on unpaid leave pending a review of his handling of classified documents
WASHINGTON — The Biden administration’s special envoy for Iran has been placed on unpaid leave and had his security clearance suspended pending a review of allegations he may have mishandled classified information, U.S. officials said Thursday. Rob Malley has led administration efforts to revive the faltering Iran nuclear deal and...
Report: Chinese spy balloon was made with off-the-shelf American parts
The large Chinese spy balloon that floated over half the U.S. before being shot down by a fighters jet in February was reportedly made in part with off-the-shelf U.S. equipment. It’s unclear if materials used to make the balloon were acquired legally, according to ABC News, which is a cause...
Anthrocon attendees have added concerns with heat and smoke combination
Wearing a 30- to 50-
pound fur suit in temperatures in the mid-80s
with high humidity can
be uncomfortable enough.
Add in the smoke from the Canadian wildfires, and breathing can be a challenge. “There is always a concern about inclement weather of every type,” said John “KP” Cole of Orlando,...
Man wanted on Jan. 6 charges arrested in former President Obama’s Washington neighborhood
WASHINGTON — A man armed with explosive materials and weapons, and wanted for crimes related to the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, was arrested Thursday in the Washington neighborhood where former President Barack Obama lives, law enforcement officials said. Taylor Taranto, 37, was spotted by law enforcement...
Michigan officer performs CPR and saves the life of 2-year-old girl whose mother had stabbed her, chief says
ALBION, Mich. — Quick action, including CPR by a Michigan police officer, saved the life of a 2-year-old girl whose mother had stabbed her and tried to drown her, a public safety chief said. Albion police Lt. Aaron Phipps broke through the door of a bathroom Saturday, pulled the girl...
Western Pa. campuses say diversity will remain priority following high court ruling
Just as they had before Thursday’s U.S. Supreme Court decision striking down affirmative action in college admissions, campuses across Western Pennsylvania made one thing clear within hours after the historic ruling. They said they will find ways to keep their classes diverse, even without direct use of race. What that...
Ex-GOP Ohio House speaker sentenced to 20 years for role in $60M bribery scheme; appeal expectedVideo
CINCINNATI — Former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Thursday for his role in the largest corruption scandal in state history. The 64-year-old Republican appeared before U.S. District Judge Timothy Black, who meted out the punishment, about an hour after he and his...
Pennsylvania budget agreement is elusive as fiscal-year deadline nears
HARRISBURG — Gov. Josh Shapiro and Pennsylvania’s politically divided Legislature appeared on track Thursday to start the state’s fiscal year without a spending plan in place, with closed-door talks yielding optimism from Republicans, but discontent from Democrats. For Shapiro, getting his first budget across the finish line is perhaps the...
Deputy acquitted of all charges for failing to act during deadly Parkland school shootingVideo
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — A Florida sheriff’s deputy was acquitted Thursday of felony child neglect and other charges for failing to act during the 2018 Parkland school massacre, concluding the first trial in U.S. history of a law enforcement officer for conduct during an on-campus shooting. Former Broward County Deputy...
Expect a hot, smoky American summer — and here’s why you’d better get used to it
The only break much of America can hope for anytime soon from eye-watering dangerous smoke from fire-struck Canada is brief bouts of shirt-soaking sweltering heat and humidity from a southern heat wave that has already proven deadly, forecasters say. And then the smoke will likely come back to the Midwest...
Hiroshima peace park, Pearl Harbor memorial park forge sister park deal to promote peace
TOKYO — Hiroshima and Pearl Harbor, two symbols of World War II animosity between Japan and the United States, are now promoting peace and friendship through a sister park arrangement. U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel and Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui signed a sister park agreement on Thursday for Hiroshima’s...
Sheetz expanding into Michigan, with planned store in Detroit area
Sheetz is heading West. The Altoona-based convenience store and gas station chain is slated to open its first store in Michigan — Romulus to be exact — in late 2024. “While it is too early in the development process to provide a timeline or location for any additional stores, our...
Supreme Court solidifies protections for workers who ask for religious accommodations
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Thursday used the case of a Christian mailman who didn’t want to work Sundays to solidify protections for workers who ask for religious accommodations. In a unanimous decision the justices made clear that workers who ask for accommodations, such as taking the Sabbath off,...
What is Bidenomics? President embraces moniker as campaign theme
Forty years ago, we had Reaganomics. Today, we’re hearing more and more about Bidenomics, a moniker that brands President Joe Biden’s efforts to grow the economy and jobs and fight inflation. Biden is leaning into the name as an early campaign theme of his reelection bid. But what exactly is...
Supreme Court outlaws consideration of race as a factor in college admissions
WASHINGTON— A divided Supreme Court on Thursday struck down affirmative action in college admissions, declaring race cannot be a factor and forcing institutions of higher education to look for new ways to achieve diverse student bodies. The court’s conservative majority effectively overturned cases reaching back 45 years in invalidating admissions...
Here’s which fireworks are legal, illegal in Pennsylvania
Nearly every U.S. state has legalized the purchase and use of fireworks, but regulations vary in strength across the country. In Pennsylvania, more advanced and explosive fireworks are illegal, but other types are widely available for purchase. Those caught violating state and local ordinances could face significant fines and even...
Applications for U.S. jobless benefits retreat after 3 weeks of elevated claims
Applications for unemployment benefits fell significantly last week after claims appeared to stabilize at modestly elevated levels in recent weeks. U.S. applications for jobless claims fell by 26,000 to 239,000 for the week ending June 24, the Labor Department reported Thursday. Economists were expecting the elevated claims numbers to continue...
3 people stabbed in Canada university building, police say a person is detained
TORONTO — Three people were stabbed on Wednesday in a university classroom in the Canadian city of Waterloo and a person has been taken into custody, police said. The extent of the injuries in the attack in the University of Waterloo’s Hagey Hall was not immediately known. The victims were...
Scientists have finally ‘heard’ the chorus of gravitational waves that ripple through the universe
NEW YORK — Scientists have observed for the first time the faint ripples caused by the motion of black holes that are gently stretching and squeezing everything in the universe. They reported Wednesday that they were able to “hear” what are called low-frequency gravitational waves — changes in the fabric...
