Newcomer seeks to unseat longtime Allegheny County councilman in at-large election
A stalwart of Allegheny County Council faces a rare challenger for a seat he’s held since the governing body started nearly 20 years ago. John DeFazio, a member of Allegheny County Council since its inception in 2000, faces political newcomer Bethany Hallam in a race for the Democratic at-large seat....
Gov. Tom Wolf on anti-abortion bills: ‘I would veto it’
Gov. Tom Wolf announced Thursday he will never allow an anti-abortion bill to make it into law while he’s governor. Wolf, in a video statement posted on social media, referenced other states that have recently passed antiabortion bills including Alabama and Georgia, where they have already been signed into law....
Trump pardons billionaire pal Conrad Black, who wrote a book about him
President Donald Trump gave a full pardon to a longtime friend who last year authored a glowing book about Trump’s successes. Conrad Black was convicted in 2007 on fraud charges, including alleged embezzlement, and obstruction of justice. He served more than three years in prison and was deported to his...
Former Nebraska state senator cited for urinating in public
LINCOLN, Neb. — A former Nebraska state senator who has been working for the city of Lincoln has resigned his post after being ticketed for urinating in public. Police say David Landis was charged Tuesday after an officer saw him urinating next to his car parked just west of the...
U.S. home construction climbed 5.7% in April
WASHINGTON — U.S. home construction rose in April, led by an uptick in single-family homes. The Commerce Department said Thursday that homebuilding rose 5.7% last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.24 million. But housing starts fell 2.5% from a year earlier, suggesting that would-be home buyers are...
Missouri’s GOP-led Senate passes strict antiabortion bill
As states across the nation are pushing stringent antiabortion legislation, lawmakers in Missouri have passed a bill that aims to make Missouri what the governor called “one of the strongest pro-life states in the country.” In the early hours of Thursday morning — before the legislators’ Friday deadline — Missouri’s...
Alligator blocks runway at Air Force base in Florida
TAMPA, Fla. — Staff at a U.S. Air Force base in Florida had to bring in a front-end loader to remove an alligator that was lounging on a runway. The Tampa Bay Times reports that the large reptile was spotted Tuesday morning on a MacDill Air Force Base flight line....
U.K. leader under pressure as rivals push for her ouster
LONDON — British Prime Minister Theresa May was braced for an uncomfortable meeting Thursday with Conservative Party lawmakers who are demanding she quit within weeks. Executive members of a committee that oversees party leadership contests were set to confront May with the threat of a leadership challenge if she does...
Pregnant Chicago woman slain, baby cut from her wombVideo
CHICAGO — A pregnant woman who had gone to a Chicago home in response to a Facebook offer of free baby clothes was strangled and her baby cut from her womb, police and family members said. The newborn was in grave condition and not expected to survive, and three people...
The ‘American Spirit’ lives in Washington County
The American spirit means many things to many people. It’s hard work and sacrifice. It’s family and community. In Washington County, it’s a smiley 10-year-old girl named Temperance Scott. Temperance, a fifth-grader at Canon-McMillan School District, was selected from a casting call to be the face of the Washington County...
Fire officials determine PG&E equipment sparked deadly wildfire
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — As California fire investigators officially concluded that the deadliest U.S. wildfire in a century was caused by Pacific Gas & Electric Corp. power lines, lawmakers expressed deep skepticism about whether the utility had made the dramatic changes needed to prevent another deadly blaze. The company’s new chief...
Prince Harry accepts apology for intrusive images
LONDON — Prince Harry settled privacy and data protection claims Thursday against a news agency that hovered over his home in a helicopter and took photos directly into his living room and bedroom. Harry accepted substantial damages and an apology from Splash News and Picture Agency. The figure was not...
Firefighter killed, 3 injured in Wisconsin shooting
APPLETON, Wis. — A firefighter responding to a medical emergency has been killed in a shooting in Wisconsin that left three others injured, officials said. The shooting happened after police and firefighters responded to a medical emergency around 5:30 p.m. Wednesday in downtown Appleton, fire and police officials said. Appleton...
Man shot dead over allegation of smuggling cows in Kashmir
SRINAGAR, India — A Muslim man was shot and killed and another injured by Hindu vigilantes on Thursday in Indian-controlled Kashmir over allegations of smuggling cows. A group of Hindu men intercepted the two Muslims in the outskirts of southeastern Bhaderwah town before dawn and shot at them after an...
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio seeking Democratic nod for president
NEW YORK — New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio says he is running for president. The Democrat announced his bid with a video released by his campaign early Thursday morning. In announcing his candidacy, de Blasio is seeking to claim a role on the national stage that has eluded...
Greensburg man loved cycling, Scottish heritage
David Hamilton and some of his closest friends were avid cyclists, and when they found out the Regional Trail Corp. was planning to bring part of the Great Allegheny Passage through his hometown of Van Meter in Fayette County they sprang into action. “They called themselves ‘The Over the Hill...
Pa. Catholic Conference to abuse survivor: ‘Why do you have to troll here?’
HARRISBURG — The lobbying arm of the Catholic Church in Pennsylvania on Wednesday accused a clergy sex abuse survivor of trolling it on social media — then apologized as a result of a swift backlash. The unusual exchange, since deleted, unfolded on the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference’s Facebook page. It began...
Thousands protest against cathedral in Russian city
MOSCOW — Several thousand people rallied on Wednesday in Russia’s fourth-largest city as the showdown between authorities and activists protesting the plans to a build a new cathedral in a local park entered its third day. Thousands gathered Wednesday evening in a riverside park in Yekaterinburg. Some of them were...
Mexico cancels school in capital due to poor air quality
MEXICO CITY — Mexico’s education ministry cancelled schools in the capital and surrounding areas for Thursday due to a siege of air pollution. Weather conditions at the end of Mexico’s dry season combined with dozens of brush fires burning in and around the city have produced a blanket of smoky...
8 days after cyberattack, Baltimore’s network still hobbled
BALTIMORE — More than a week after a cyberattack hobbled Baltimore’s computer network, city officials said Wednesday they can’t predict when its overall system will be up and running and continued to give only the broadest outlines of the problem. Baltimore’s government rushed to take down most computer servers May...
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio adds his name to the Democratic presidential field
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, the twice-elected chief executive of the nation’s largest city, will announce on Thursday that he is joining the Democratic field of presidential candidates, according to two people involved in his campaign preparations. De Blasio is expected to make a public announcement during an appearance...
Wisconsin lawmakers recognize Jayme Closs as ‘Hometown Hero’
Jayme Closs, the 13-year-old Wisconsin girl who was kidnapped after her parents were brutally murdered in their home last October, was recognized for her bravery by the state’s lawmakers Wednesday. Closs was missing for nearly three months until she escaped her captor in January. #FBI Milwaukee salutes Wisconsin teenager Jayme...
Treasury Secretary Mnuchin optimistic on trade battles
WASHINGTON — Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Wednesday that the U.S. is making progress on lifting tariffs imposed on steel and aluminum from Canada and Mexico, potentially overcoming a key hurdle toward approval of a trade agreement among the three countries. Addressing another contentious trade issue, Mnuchin said he expects...
‘Time for us to live for him’: Slain Colorado student remembered
HIGHLANDS RANCH, Colo. — Nearly 2,000 people turned out Wednesday for a memorial service to honor the Colorado teenager who was killed while charging one of the two gunmen who opened fire inside a high school and shot nine people just days before graduation. A line of Jeeps and trucks...
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey signs abortion ban into law
MONTGOMERY — Alabama’s Republican governor signed the most stringent abortion legislation in the nation Wednesday, making performing an abortion a felony in nearly all cases. “To the bill’s many supporters, this legislation stands as a powerful testament to Alabamians’ deeply held belief that every life is precious and that every...
