WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump appears poised for acquittal in his impeachment trial. Senators are preparing to vote late Friday to reject efforts to call more witnesses and instead start bringing a close to the third such trial in American history. Democrats’ hopes of prolonging the trial dimmed after a late decision from Republican Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee to oppose calling more witnesses.  Timing of a final vote on acquittal is still up in the air. But Trump wants it over before next Tuesday’s State of the Union Address.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has marked the 20th anniversary of federal legislation to help combat human trafficking by dedicating a new White House position to the issue. Trump signed an executive order Friday creating the position at the conclusion of a White House summit on human trafficking. Trump said his administration is “100 percent committed” to ending human trafficking. He likened the practice to a form of “modern-day slavery.” Trump has sought to elevate the human trafficking issue since taking office. Trump did not announce a candidate for the new post, but aides said he wants to fill it quickly.

BEIJING (AP) — The U.S. has advised against all travel to China as the number of cases of a worrying new virus spiked more than tenfold in a week, including the highest death toll in a 24-hour period. The virus has infected almost 10,000 people globally in just two months, a worrying sign of its spread among people that prompted the World Health Organization to declare the outbreak a global emergency. Hours after the State Department issued its level 4 “Do Not Travel” advisory, Delta Air Lines and American Airlines announced Friday that they will suspend all flights between the U.S. and China, joining several international carriers who have stopped flying to China as the virus outbreak continues to spread.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — U.S. health officials have issued a quarantine order for all 195 American evacuees from China. The evacuees will spend two weeks at a military base in California. They were flown earlier this week from Wuhan, the Chinese city at the center of the new virus outbreak. They landed Wednesday at March Air Reserve Base in Riverside, California. Officials believe it can take up to 14 days for someone who is infected to develop symptoms. As of Thursday, none of the evacuees had shown symptoms of the virus.

(Photo # 1 – Bill Vinovich – Chris Shovlin Midland Sports HOF 07-05-19, courtesy of Chris Shovlin)

Bill Vinovich III, formerly of Midland, will be the lead referee in Super Bowl XLV on Sunday. Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano reports. Click on ‘play’ to hear Sandy’s report…

(Photo # 2 – Bill Vinovich III -AGE 2 – Bill Vinovich, Jr, courtesy of Chris Shovlin)

(Photo # 3 – Bill Vinovich Sr – Bill Vinovich III – Bill Vinovich IV – Bill Vinovich Jr – circa 1989, courtesy of Chris Shovlin)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The mother of a man convicted in the shooting death of a Pennsylvania police officer has been convicted of helping him elude police in the days after the 2017 shooting. Sherry Holt was found guilty Thursday of hindering apprehension following a nonjury trial. The 49-year-old Pittsburgh resident faces up to seven years in prison when she’s sentenced April 23. Her son, Rahmael Sal Holt, was sentenced to death last year after he was convicted of first-degree murder in the slaying of New Kensington officer Brian Shaw. He was fatally shot after an attempted traffic stop on Nov. 17, 2017.

A new poll suggests Pennsylvania is ready for a new commander in chief. The Franklin and Marshall College poll shows 57-percent of registered voters in the state want President Trump out of office. The findings are based on a survey of 292 Democrats, 251 Republicans and 85 independents. Former Vice President Joe Biden still leads among Democrats for the nomination, though he is down by at least ten-percent from the last poll in October. The poll also notes Trump’s favorability rating in the state is similar to former President Barack Obama’s before his successful re-election campaign.

Pennsylvania anglers don’t have to wear their fishing license on them while fishing anymore. The state Fish and Boat Commission announced their board has approved the removal of the long-standing regulation. The change says anglers must still carry the license with them to present to law enforcement upon request. State officials say they hope the amendment means less worry over losing a license and the cost to replace it.

GLENSHAW, Pa. (AP) — Authorities have rescued an 11-year-old girl and her dog after they went over a hillside and became stuck in Glenshaw. Veronica Lavsa ran after her Golden Retriever named Penny after the dog got loose from the house and fell approximately 200 feet over a hill on Thursday night. Lavsa tells KDKA-TV she jumped from tree to tree until she reached the dog, but the two could not make it up the hill. Her brother called police. Shaler Township police posted on Facebook that fire and EMS units assisted Lavsa up first and then Penny. Police say neither appeared injured.

An Ambridge man faces a hearing in connection with a shooting in Aliquippa earlier this month. Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano has the story. Click on ‘play’ to hear Sandy’s report…

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