Trump disputes finding that he directed McGahn to seek Mueller’s ouster
President Donald Trump disputed Wednesday that he had told former White House counsel Donald McGahn to seek the firing of special counsel Robert Mueller in the midst of his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. The episode, detailed in the report by Mueller that was publicly released last...
Father of suspected Easter bombers arrested; Colombo on edge
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — The father of two of the suspected Easter suicide bombers was arrested Thursday on suspicion of aiding his sons, Sri Lanka’s prime minister said, as businesses and religious leaders worried about a new attack four days after blasts killed more than 350 people. Across Colombo and...
Story on a teen porn worker could cost high school journalism teacher her job
The whispers wound their way through the hallways of Bear Creek High School in Stockton, California. They said a senior at the school was working in adult entertainment. Her name came up in March at a pitch meeting of the Bruin Voice, the award-winning high school newspaper, whose motto is,...
Autopsy, court hearing set in case of missing Illinois boy
WOODSTOCK, Ill. — An Illinois couple is due in court on charges accusing them in the death of their 5-year-old son whose body was found wrapped in plastic and buried in a shallow grave. McHenry County sheriff’s records show that 36-year-old JoAnn Cunningham and 60-year-old Andrew Freund Sr. of Crystal...
U.S. durable goods orders up solid 2.7% in March
WASHINGTON — Orders to U.S. factories for big-ticket manufactured goods rose 2.7% in March with a key category that tracks business investment decisions rising at the strongest pace in eight months. The increase in orders for durable goods followed a 1.1% drop in orders in February, the Commerce Department reported...
A parrot tipped off drug dealers to a raid, authorities say. Now it’s in custody.
A parrot was taken into custody Monday after nearly spoiling a raid while playing lookout for two crack-dealing suspects by repeatedly yelling, “Mamãe, polícia!” according to Brazilian police in the state of Piauí. The phrase means, “Mama, police!” Police encountered the unnamed parrot at the home of the two alleged...
Sen. Bob Casey endorses Biden in Democrats’ 2020 race for president
HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania’s Democratic U.S. Sen. Bob Casey is endorsing Joe Biden for president, just minutes after the former vice president entered the crowded 2020 race. In a statement Thursday, Casey touted Biden as a fighter for the middle class who can beat President Donald Trump in Pennsylvania if Biden...
Ex-Vice President Joe Biden officially launches 2020 presidential campaign
WASHINGTON — Former Vice President Joe Biden formally joined the crowded Democratic presidential contest on Thursday, betting that his working-class appeal and ties to Barack Obama’s presidency will help him overcome questions about his place in today’s increasingly liberal Democratic Party. He made his announcement in a video posted on...
McDonald’s to hire more than 10,000 workers in Pennsylvania
McDonald’s and its franchisees expect to hire about 10,650 workers at its roughly 1,000 Pennsylvania restaurants for the summer season. That includes 450 new hires in Allegheny County, according to the company. Job seekers can visit McDonalds.com/careers to learn more and to apply to a restaurant near them. In addition,...
Expert: No force needed in ex-Minneapolis officer’s fatal encounter
MINNEAPOLIS — Even if he was startled by a loud noise, the Minneapolis police officer who fatally shot Justine Ruszczyk Damond two summers ago would not have been justified in using a Taser or pepper spray — much less his gun — a use-of-force expert testified Wednesday. “The use of...
Ryan Shazier ‘dead serious’ about swapping ‘Avengers: Endgame’ tix for Steelers tix
It’s not quite the golden ticket, but it’s the Steel ticket for sure. And it’s definitely a steal. Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier sent out a tweet Wednesday afternoon begging his followers to provide him with three tickets to the “Avengers: Endgame” movie, where he would exchange three tickets to...
Trump threatens more troops to border after incident
WASHINGTON — President Trump renewed his threat Wednesday to send more troops to the U.S.-Mexico border following an incident in which Mexican soldiers confronted U.S. personnel. Mexico blamed the incident on confusion and said it was not looking for confrontation with the U.S. In morning tweets, Trump said, “Mexico’s Soldiers...
Texas executes avowed racist John William King in black man’s dragging death
HUNTSVILLE, Texas — An avowed racist who orchestrated one of the most gruesome hate crimes in U.S. history was executed Wednesday in Texas for the dragging death of a black man. John William King, who was white, received lethal injection for the slaying nearly 21 years ago of James Byrd...
Police: California motorist said he drove into people, did not say why
SUNNYVALE, Calif. — A California motorist told investigators Wednesday that he deliberately drove into a crosswalk in a quiet Silicon Valley suburb, hitting seven people and injuring eight, but did not say why. Isaiah Joel Peoples, 34, was being held on eight counts of attempted murder as four of the...
U.S. measles cases hit highest mark in 25 yearsVideo
NEW YORK — Measles in the United States has climbed to its highest level in 25 years, closing in on 700 cases this year in a resurgence largely attributed to misinformation that is turning parents against vaccines. “This is alarming,” said Dr. William Schaffner, a Vanderbilt University vaccine expert. Not...
Former Reading mayor Vaughn Spencer gets 8 years in prison for corruption schemeVideo
PHILADELPHIA — A former Pennsylvania mayor was sentenced Wednesday to eight years in prison for trading city contracts for campaign contributions in a pay-to-play investigation that’s resulted in the convictions of more than a dozen people, including another mayor. “I let ambition take over, and I’m truly sorry,” a tearful...
Former DHS head Kirstjen Nielsen took up cyber despite White House aversionVideo
WASHINGTON — A top White House official told Kirstjen Nielsen, then Homeland Security secretary, not to bring up election security with President Trump, steering her away from discussing a critical national security threat with a president who bristles at suggestions that Russian interference contributed to his 2016 victory, according to...
Federal Clean Slate law unveiled with bipartisan support
A proposed federal law designed to seal nonviolent criminal records is drawing from the kind of bipartisan support that ushered a similar measure to law in Pennsylvania last summer. The federal Clean Slate Act, H.R. 2348, includes sponsorship from U.S. Reps. Guy Reschenthaler, a Peters Township Republican, and Delaware Democrat...
Police: Ohio man stole $166K from mom to buy porn, sex dolls, 150 lingerie items
A Dayton, Ohio, man spent more than $150,000 of his mother’s money on sex-related items and a laptop computer, according to court records. In court records, Shaun Joseph, 59, admitted to investigators that he should not have spent the $166,000 on pornography and fetish materials, the Dayton Daily News reports....
People stop traffic to help gigantic snake cross the road
Why did the humongous snake cross the road? Well, really … for any reason it wants. But, in this case, it crossed because a few folks in Brazil were kind enough to halt traffic and let the anaconda get across a divided highway. The Dodo reported on the incident, talking...
In Mexico, migrants turn to ‘The Beast’ after highway raids
IXTEPEC, Mexico — The train known as “The Beast” is once again rumbling through the night loaded with people headed toward the U.S. border after a raid on a migrant caravan threatened to end the practice of massive highway marches through Mexico. A long freight train loaded with about 300...
U.S. WWII bomb detonated in Germany, causing widespread damage
The controlled detonation of an American World War II bomb in the southern German city of Regensburg has still caused widespread damage to nearby houses. Some 4,500 residents had to be evacuated from the area before experts performed the detonation. A spokeswoman for the Bavarian city, Dagmar Obermeier-Kundel, said the...
2020 Democrats confronting debate over letting felons vote
Democratic presidential contenders are facing a new debate over whether criminals in prison, even notorious ones like the Boston Marathon bomber, should be able to win back their right to vote. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders says they should and that voting is “inherent to our democracy — yes, even for...
Cop, teacher, others accused of trying to lure teens for sex
HACKENSACK, N.J. — A New Jersey police officer and a New York City high school teacher are among 16 men who allegedly tried to set up sexual encounters with people they thought were teenage boys and girls. New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal announced the arrests Wednesday. They were made...
Texas high school posts dress code for parents
A Texas high school is telling parents that they need to dress appropriately for school. James Madison High School in Houston shared a letter on April 9 with parents stating they must set an example of what to wear in certain settings, including the school. The letters listed several items...
