Trump: US grounding Boeing 737 Max 8, 9 after Ethiopia crash
By ZEKE MILLER Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. is issuing an emergency order Wednesday grounding all Boeing 737 Max 8 and Max 9 aircraft “effective immediately,” in the wake of the crash of an Ethiopian Airliner that killed 157 people, President Donald Trump said.
Many nations had already barred the Boeing 737 Max 8 from its airspace, but until Trump’s announcement, the Federal Aviation Administration had said that it didn’t have any data to show the jets are unsafe. Trump cited “new information” that had come to light in the ongoing investigation into incident. He did not elaborate.
“All of those planes are grounded, effective immediately,” Trump said during a scheduled briefing on border security.
Trump said any airplane currently in the air will go to its destination and then be grounded. He added all airlines and affected pilots had been notified.
Trump said the safety of the American people is of “paramount concern,” and added that the FAA would soon put out a statement on the action.
Trump said the decision to ground the aircraft “didn’t have to be made, but we thought it was the right decision.”
The president insisted the announcement was coordinated with aviation officials in Canada, U.S. carriers and aircraft manufacturer Boeing.
“Boeing is an incredible company,” Trump said. “They are working very, very hard right now and hopefully they’ll quickly come up with an answer.”
In a statement, Boeing said it “continues to have full confidence in the safety of the 737 MAX.” The company added that it had decided “out of an abundance of caution and in order to reassure the flying public of the aircraft’s safety — to recommend to the FAA the temporary suspension of operations of the entire global fleet of 371 737 MAX aircraft.”
Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg said the company was “supporting this proactive step out of an abundance of caution.”
Associated Press writers Deb Riechmann and Kevin Freking contributed to this report.

The FBI says actress Lori Loughlin has been taken into custody in connection with a scheme in which wealthy parents paid bribes to get their children into top colleges. FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller says Loughlin is in custody Wednesday morning in Los Angeles. She is scheduled to appear in court there in the afternoon.

BREAKING NEWS: Donald Trump’s former campaign chairman Paul Manafort has been indicted in New York on state charges, seen as a strategy for preventing a potential presidential pardon. An indictment unsealed Wednesday in Manhattan accuses the 69-year-old Manafort of conducting a yearlong residential mortgage fraud scheme that netted millions of dollars. Trump has repeatedly defended Manafort in other cases and floated the idea of granting a pardon, but would not be able to do so in a state case. The judge today sentenced Manafort to an additional three and a half years of prison as she questioned his remorse and criticized him for his crimes and years of lies. The sentence is on top of the roughly four-year prison sentence Manafort received last week in a separate criminal case in Virginia.

(Matt Drzik/Beaver County Radio)

It was a dog day morning at the Commissioners’ work session, as the recent grant for the Sheriff’s office from the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation turned into an extended questionnaire for Beaver County Sheriff Tony Guy.

Guy, who is running for re-election in 2019, said that he hopes the $50,000 from this grant becomes of solid use in a financial situation that is already in the black:

 

Guy also responded tersely to Commissioner Sandie Egley, who had concerns about the usefulness of a second K-9 dog in the Sheriff’s unit as well as the communications process in the acceptance of the grant. Sheriff Guy’s response:

 

Commissioner Egley responded back a few minutes later, questioning Sheriff Guy on the immediate need for his backup dog. That led to this particular confrontation:

 

Coming to Sheriff Guy’s defense on the issue was District Attorney David Lozier, who explained further the purpose of having additional K9 units for the county:

 

Also in attendance were several members of Beaver County’s K-9 staff (human members, just to clarify), who also sided with Sheriff Guy on the issue. Not in attendance for the meeting was Commissioner Tony Amadio.

A SIX-YEAR-OLD GIRL SCOUT FROM BEAVER IS AWARDED FOR SELLING HUNDREDS OF BOXES OF GIRL SCOUT COOKIES. BEAVER COUNTY RADIO NEWS CORRESPONDENT SANDY GIORDANO HAS MORE…

THIS IS ‘SUNSHINE WEEK’…A RESOLUTION AUTHORED BY STATE REPRESENTATIVE ROB MATZIE. BEAVER COUNTY RADIO NEWS CORRESPONDENT SANDY GIORDANO HAS MORE. Click on ‘play’ to hear Sandy’s report…

The House of Representatives Monday unanimously approved legislation, sponsored by Rep. Josh Kail (R-Beaver/Washington), which would improve public safety by strengthening penalties for operating a motorcycle without the proper endorsement or license. House Bill 384 would increase the fine for driving a vehicle without the proper endorsement for that type of vehicle to $200 plus fees and surcharges, making it equal to driving without an operator’s license. In Pennsylvania, the fine for driving without a license is $200 plus fees and surcharges. Meanwhile, the standard fine for operation of a vehicle without the proper endorsement is only $25 plus fees and surcharges. Kail noted that while this violation is more common with operators of motorcycles, it also happens with other motor vehicles, such as tractor trailers. According to data from the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts, there were 1,002 convictions for violations relating to classes of licenses in 2017. House Bill 384 is the first piece of legislation introduced and passed by the House for the freshman legislator. It now awaits consideration by the Senate.

State lawmakers unveiled a proposal to enact term limits for members of the state House and Senate Tuesday in Harrisburg. The measure seeks to amend the Pennsylvania Constitution to limit a member of the General Assembly to 12 consecutive years of service in each chamber. That equates to six consecutive two-year terms for House members and three consecutive four-year terms for senators. The lawmakers expressed their believe that the change would help improve the legislative environment in both chambers. Rep. Aaron Bernstine (R-Beaver, Butler & Lawrence) attended the capitol press conference and voiced his support for the new term limits proposal…

Bernstine will have more to say on the subject tomorrow morning on “Rappin’ With The Reps” on Teleforum beginning at 9am on Beaver County Radio, 1230 WBVP and 1460 WMBA.

AMBRIDGE COUNCIL PLANS TO SEEK A GRANT FOR A NEW PLAYGROUND IN THE BOROUGH. BEAVER COUNTY RADIO NEWS CORRESPONDENT SANDY GIORDANO WAS AT LAST NIGHT’S COUNCIL MEETING. Click on ‘play’ to hear Sandy’s report…

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