Wood, glass crafter was drawn to animals in the wild and in art
Clifford Howard loved to make and collect items fashioned from wood, and then give them away. “He made carvings of different waterfowl, and he gave a lot of them to his friends,” said his daughter, Sharon Johnson. “I have a lot of his carved ducks.” In his home wood shop,...
Study finds huge difference in cost of new voting machines for Pennsylvania counties
Seven of the 31 Pennsylvania counties that purchased new voting machines opted for a system that cost nearly twice as much as one ranked more secure, according to a new report from the University of Pittsburgh and Citizens for Better Elections. Counties across the state are rushing to buy new...
Trump, in praising Xi, links Hong Kong protests to trade war
WASHINGTON — President Trump made what seemed to be an overture to the Chinese leader Xi Jinping in a series of tweets on Wednesday night that linked the protests in Hong Kong to the continuing trade conflict between the United States and China. Trump praised Xi as “a great leader”...
Iowa Rep. Steve King suggests rapes, incest helped populate the worldVideo
DES MOINES — U.S. Rep. Steve King on Wednesday defended his call for a ban on all abortions by questioning whether “there would be any population of the world left” if not for births because of rape and incest. Speaking before a conservative group in the Des Moines suburb of...
Philadelphia gunman in custody after hourslong standoff; 6 officers woundedVideo
PHILADELPHIA — A gunman who opened fire on police Wednesday as they were serving a drug warrant in Philadelphia, wounding six officers and triggering a standoff that extended into the night, is in police custody, authorities said. Philadelphia police Sgt. Eric Gripp said early Thursday morning that the man was...
Florida man arrested for threatening neighbors with nunchucks, hits himself with them
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Police say they’ve arrested a Florida man who’s accused of threatening his neighbors with nunchucks and bug spray before cutting his own head when he accidently hit himself with the weapon. Daytona Beach police spokesman Messod Bendayan says 61-year-old Larry Adams complained about his neighbor’s loud...
Trump official: Statue of Liberty’s poem is about Europeans
A top Trump administration official says the famous inscription on the Statue of Liberty, welcoming “huddled masses” of immigrants to American shores, was referring to “people coming from Europe” and that the nation is looking to receive migrants “who can stand on their own two feet.” The comments on Tuesday...
Man dies after competing in California taco-eating contest
FRESNO, Calif. — Authorities say a man died shortly after competing in a taco-eating contest at a minor league baseball game Fresno Sheriff spokesman Tony Botti says 41-year-old Dana Hutchings, of Fresno, died Tuesday night shortly after arriving at a hospital. Botti says an autopsy on Hutchings will be done...
Some Apple MacBooks banned from airline flights for fire risk
Federal safety officials have banned some Apple laptops from airline flights after Apple recalled the batteries because they could catch fire. The Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement Wednesday that it alerted airlines last month about the recall involving batteries for some Apple MacBook Pro laptops. Under FAA policy,...
Police: Man broke into hotel, took shower, stole TV
A northern New Mexico man is facing charges after authorities say he broke into a hotel room and took a shower before stealing a television. The Las Vegas Optic reports Ignacio Gallegos was recently arrested following reports of a man leaving the Plaza Hotel in Las Vegas, New Mexico, with...
Pennsylvania to close 2 centers for disabled over next 3 years
Pennsylvania officials have announced plans to close two centers for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities over the next three years. The Department of Human Services said Tuesday that public meetings will be held next month to gather comment on the plans to close the Polk State Center in Venango...
Army veteran pleads not guilty in anthem assault on teen
SUPERIOR, Mont. — An Army veteran pleaded not guilty to assaulting a 13-year-old boy who the suspect said refused to remove his hat during the national anthem at a rodeo in Montana. Attorney Lance Jasper has told the Missoulian that defendant Curt Brockway, a 39-year-old veteran with a traumatic brain...
Nepal committee recommends new rules for Everest climbers
KATHMANDU, Nepal — A Nepal government committee formed after a bad mountaineering season on Mount Everest has recommended new rules that would require climbers to have scaled tall peaks, undergone proper training, and possess certificates of good health and insurance that would cover rescue costs if required. A report by...
Ohio State seeks to trademark ‘The’ for its merchandise
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State University wants to trademark the word “The” when used as part of the school’s name on university merchandise. The Columbus Dispatch reports OSU submitted a trademark application this month to the United States Patent and Trademark Office in Washington. The application requests a standard character...
Man charged in Pa. Planned Parenthood break-in, vandalism
WILKES-BARRE — A man has been charged with breaking into a Planned Parenthood office in northeastern Pennsylvania, smashing glass doors and painting graffiti on the walls. Iain Carberry, 39, is charged in Luzerne County with burglary, criminal trespass, criminal mischief and disorderly conduct in the early morning break-in Monday at...
Administration takes step to relax trucker drive-time rules
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration took a key step Wednesday toward relaxing federal rules that govern the length of time truck drivers can spend behind the wheel, a move long sought by the trucking industry but opposed by safety advocates who warn it could lead to more highway crashes. The...
ICE raids raise question: What about the employers?
HOUSTON — The images of children crying after their parents were arrested in a massive immigration raid in Mississippi revived a longstanding complaint: Unauthorized workers are jailed or deported, while the managers and business owners who profit from their labor often go unprosecuted. Under President Donald Trump, the number of...
Satellite photos appear to show Chinese paramilitary vehicles near Hong Kong
BEIJING (AP) — Satellite photos show what appear to be armored personnel carriers and other vehicles belonging to the China’s paramilitary People’s Armed Police parked in a sports complex in the city of Shenzhen, in what some have interpreted as a threat from Beijing to use increased force against pro-democracy...
Epstein accuser sues as questions swirl about his death
NEW YORK — Jail guards on duty the night Jeffrey Epstein apparently killed himself are suspected of falsifying log entries to show they were checking on inmates every half-hour as required, according to a person familiar with the investigation into his death. Surveillance video shows guards never made some of...
French government: Stones fall from damaged Notre Dame
PARIS — France’s Culture Ministry says several stones fell from the vaulted ceiling of the fire-ravaged Notre Dame Cathedral after last month’s heat wave, and is urging renewed stabilization efforts to prevent further damage. A ministry official said Wednesday that the stones fell after temperatures reached a record 108.7 degrees...
Library of spider silk could hold secrets for new materials
NEW YORK — A scientist at New York City’s American Museum of Natural History is creating a sort of “silk library” that could be the key to designing newer and better materials. Cheryl Hayashi has collected spider silk glands of about 50 species, just a small dent in the more...
A$AP Rocky found guilty of Sweden assault, won’t face prison
STOCKHOLM —A Swedish court on Wednesday found American rapper A$AP Rocky guilty of assault for his role in a June 30 street brawl in Stockholm that drew the close attention of President Donald Trump. Though the 30-year-old rapper, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, and his two bodyguards were found...
Trump official Ken Cuccinelli: Statue of Liberty poem refers to EuropeansVideo
WASHINGTON — A top Trump administration official said Tuesday that the famous inscription on the Statue of Liberty welcoming immigrants into the country is about “people coming from Europe” and that America is looking to receive migrants “who can stand on their own two feet.” The comments from Ken Cuccinelli,...
Trump amplifies conspiracy theories from perch of presidency
MORRISTOWN, N.J. — With a pair of weekend retweets, President Trump amplified an unfounded conspiracy theory. It was hardly the first time. His political career began the same way. Trump has a long history of spreading falsehoods drawn from the conservative fringe. His unlikely rise to the White House was...
Gov. Wolf calls for sweeping reforms for charter schools in Pennsylvania
Gov. Tom Wolf on Tuesday vowed to level the playing field between Pennsylvania’s traditional public schools and charter and cyber charter schools. He said the latter lack accountability and transparency and are draining millions of dollars from struggling school districts. Calling the state’s 22-year-old public charter school law flawed and...
