Rudy Giuliani sued for defamation by supermarket employee he accused of assault
NEW YORK — A man who spent a night in jail for smacking Rudy Giuliani on the back and calling him a “scumbag” is suing him and several New York City police officers for false arrest and defamation. Daniel Gill brought the federal lawsuit in Manhattan court on Wednesday, accusing...
Man indicted in theft of ‘Wizard of Oz’ ruby slippers worn by Judy GarlandVideo
A man has been indicted by a grand jury on charges of stealing a pair of ruby red slippers worn by Judy Garland in “The Wizard of Oz,” federal prosecutors in North Dakota say. The shoes were stolen in 2005 and recovered in a 2018 FBI sting operation, but no...
Montana becomes 1st state to ban TikTok
HELENA — Montana became the first state in the United States to enact a complete ban on TikTok on Wednesday when Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte signed a measure that’s more sweeping than any other state’s attempts to curtail the social media app, which is owned by a Chinese tech company....
Effort to expel George Santos falters as Republicans vote to send measure to Ethics CommitteeVideo
WASHINGTON — A resolution to expel Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., from Congress was referred to the House Ethics Committee on Wednesday as Republicans successfully sidestepped an effort to force them into a vote that could have narrowed their already slim four-seat majority. The House voted along party lines, 221-204, to...
Abortion pill case moves to appeals court, on track for Supreme CourtVideo
NEW ORLEANS — Appellate judges with a history of supporting abortion restrictions heard arguments Wednesday over access to a drug used in the most common method of abortion. The closely watched case is likely to wind up at the Supreme Court, which already intervened to keep the drug, mifepristone, available...
Key Trump attorney says he’s departing legal team as Mar-a-Lago probe intensifies
A core member of the legal defense team representing former President Donald Trump against the Justice Department special counsel investigations has left. Tim Parlatore said in a phone call Wednesday morning that he had decided to leave the team “for personal reasons” and that his departure didn’t reflect his “opinion...
Man who killed 8 in NYC terrorist attack gets 10 life sentences plus 260 years
NEW YORK — An Islamic extremist was given 10 life sentences and another 260 years in prison on Wednesday for killing eight people with a truck on a bike path in Manhattan and severely injuring 18 others. “The conduct in this case is among the worst if not the worst...
Elizabeth Holmes will start 11-year prison sentence on May 30 after losing her bid to remain freeVideo
SAN FRANCISCO — Disgraced Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes will remain free through the Memorial Day weekend before surrendering to authorities on May 30 to begin her more than 11-year prison sentence for defrauding investors in a blood-testing scam. U.S. District Judge Edward Davila set Holmes’ revised prison-reporting date after her...
Lauren Boebert files for divorce from husband
DENVER — U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert is divorcing her husband, Jayson Boebert, who has shared a portion of the congresswoman’s spotlight and controversy during her time in politics. Boebert, of Silt, announced the impending divorce Tuesday “with a heavy weight on my heart.” “I am grateful for our years of...
Trust in Supreme Court fell to lowest point in 50 years after abortion decision, poll shows
WASHINGTON — Confidence in the Supreme Court sank to its lowest point in at least 50 years in 2022 in the wake of the Dobbs decision that led to state bans and other restrictions on abortion, a major trends survey shows. The divide between Democrats and Republicans over support for...
Police say Pa. man killed neighbor’s cat with blow gun dart
A Jefferson County man is facing animal cruelty charges after police say he admitted to killing his neighbor’s cat with a blow gun dart. On May 5, police said they were called to a home along Elk Street in Punxsutawney after receiving a report of animal cruelty, according to reports...
DeSantis signs bills targeting drag shows, transgender kids and the use of bathrooms and pronouns
TALLAHASSEE — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed bills Wednesday that ban gender-affirming care for minors, target drag shows, restrict discussion of personal pronouns in schools and force people to use certain bathrooms. DeSantis has made anti-LGBTQ+ legislation a large part of his agenda as he prepares to seek the Republican...
Grand jury indicts man in 4 University of Idaho stabbing deaths, eliminating need for hearing
BOISE, Idaho — A grand jury has indicted a man who was already charged in the stabbing deaths of four University of Idaho students, allowing prosecutors to skip a planned week-long preliminary hearing that was set for late June. Bryan Kohberger was arrested late last year and charged with burglary...
Russia agrees to extend Ukraine grain deal in a boost for global food security
ANKARA, Turkey — Russia agreed to extend a deal that has allowed Ukraine to ship grain through the Black Sea to parts of the world struggling with hunger, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced Wednesday, a boost to global food security after the more than year-old war drove up prices....
U.S. drug overdose deaths slightly increased in 2022, CDC says
NEW ORLEANS — Drug overdose deaths in the U.S. went up slightly last year after two big leaps during the pandemic. Officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say the numbers plateaued for most of last year. Experts aren’t sure whether that means the deadliest drug overdose epidemic...
2nd escaped inmate captured after breaking out of Philadelphia prison
PHILADELPHIA — A task force led by federal marshals recaptured the second of two inmates who escaped from a Pennsylvania prison earlier this month, a man who had been held on charges in four slayings, authorities said. Ameen Hurst, 18, was rearrested Wednesday morning in Philadelphia, according to Robert Clark,...
Biden declares ‘America will not default’ — confident of deal with GOP lawmakers
WASHINGTON — An optimistic President Joe Biden declared Wednesday that he is confident the U.S. will avoid an unprecedented and potentially catastrophic debt default, saying talks with congressional Republicans have been productive as he prepared to leave for a global summit in Japan. Biden’s upbeat remarks came as a select...
Penguin Random House sues Florida school district over book bans
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Publisher Penguin Random House and PEN America sued a Florida school district Wednesday over its removal of books about race and LGBTQ+ identities, the latest opposition to a policy central to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ agenda as he prepares to run for president. The federal lawsuit alleges the...
Ford recalls 310,000 trucks to fix problem with airbags
DETROIT — Ford is recalling more than 310,000 trucks in the U.S. because the driver’s front air bag may not inflate in a crash. The recall covers certain F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 Super Duty trucks from the 2016 model year. The company says dust can accumulate in a cable...
New Heinz machine will let users craft their own sauces
Mixing condiments is getting easier with a digital customizable sauce dispenser unveiled Wednesday by Kraft Heinz Company. The Heinz Remix machine can create more than 200 potential sauce combinations through a touchscreen that allows consumers to select from a range of flavors and intensities. The base sauces are Heinz Ketchup,...
Jacksonville voters elect Florida city’s first female mayor
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Democrat Donna Deegan’s decisive win over a Republican in the open Jacksonville mayor’s race will make her the first woman to hold the job in the Florida city’s history, sparking a flicker of hope for a besieged Democratic Party that has few levers of power in a...
Proposed Pa. budget nearly quadruples funding for local government cooperation
This story was produced by the State College regional bureau of Spotlight PA, an independent, nonpartisan newsroom dedicated to investigative and public-service journalism for Pennsylvania. Sign up for our regional newsletter, Talk of the Town. A state program that incentivizes local governments in Pennsylvania to work together to provide public...
Democrats keep Pennsylvania House majority, positioning party to prevent limits on abortion rights
HARRISBURG — Democrats maintained their narrow Pennsylvania House majority Tuesday by winning a special election and along with it continued control over how the chamber will handle abortion, gun rights and election law legislation. Heather Boyd won a seat in the Philadelphia suburbs, beating Republican Katie Ford for a vacancy...
North Carolina GOP overrides veto of 12-week abortion limit, allowing it to become lawVideo
RALEIGH, N.C. — Legislation banning most abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy will become law in North Carolina after the state’s Republican-controlled General Assembly successfully overrode the Democratic governor’s veto late Tuesday. The House completed the second and final part of the override vote after a similar three-fifths majority —...
Hempfield Area: Incumbents take top spots in races for school board
With 100% of precincts reporting Tuesday, Hempfield Area school director candidates Jeanne Smith and Jennifer Bretz topped the Democratic and Republican primaries, respectively. Smith had received 11.6% of more than 16,000 votes, followed by Colleen Gallagher (10.4%), Kathy Charlton (9.8%), Vince DeAugustine (9.8%) and Erin Johns Speese (7.3%) on the...
