WEATHER FORECAST FOR FRIDAY, JUNE 28TH, 2019
TODAY – MOSTLY CLOUDY THIS MORNING. THEN SUNSHINE
FOR THE AFTERNOON. HIGH NEAR 90.
TONIGHT – MOSTLY CLEAR. LOW – 71.
SATURDAY – VARIABLE CLOUDS WITH SCATTERED
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS, WHICH MAY
CONTAIN GUSTY WINDS. HIGH – 86.
SUNDAY – MOSTLY SUNNY. HIGH – 81.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Lawmakers are sending legislation to Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf to help counties afford new voting machines, but the bill has changes to voting laws that prompted opposition from Democratic lawmakers. Both chambers of the Republican-controlled Legislature approved the bill by near-party line votes Thursday. One provision in the bill eliminates the ballot option for voters to simply select a straight-party ticket in elections. Democrats say that’ll benefit down-ballot Republican candidates.
WASHINGTON (AP) — California Sen. Kamala Harris offered a deeply personal attack Thursday on former Vice President Joe Biden, reminding a national television audience that he opposed public school busing in the 1970s. She said she was one of the students being bused then, and decried Biden as long being on the wrong side of the issue. Biden was left angry and flustered. The extraordinary moment could shake up the Democratic presidential primary _ possibly denting Biden’s early lead over the rest of the field.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — The battle for political advantage in state capitols is poised to become more intense after the U.S. Supreme Court decision declaring that federal judges have no role in deciding partisan gerrymandering claims. The ruling Thursday could empower Republicans and Democrats to become even more aggressive in drawing districts to their benefit after the 2020 census. It also could shift legal challenges to state courts and lead to more state ballot measures adopting redistricting reforms.
UNDATED (AP) — The mayor of Atlanta is endorsing Democrat Joe Biden for president in 2020, providing crucial support from a high-profile black female political leader. Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms tells The Associated Press that her decision came down to Biden’s experience and her belief the former vice president is best positioned to beat President Donald Trump. Bottoms dismisses concerns about Biden’s comments this month about the “civility” of working with segregationist senators.
MIAMI (AP) — President Donald Trump is weighing in on the Democratic presidential candidates’ debate from Japan, claiming it didn’t go well for former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont. Trump tweeted Friday that he heard it was “not a good day” for them. During the Thursday night debate in Miami, 10 candidates took jabs at one another but mostly focused on their shared desire to beat Trump.
3RD AVENUE IN NEW BRIGHTON IS GOING TO BE COMPLETE SHUT DOWN TONIGHT DUE TO A MAJOR EVENT TAKING PLACE IN THE BORO. NEW BRIGHTON BOROUGH MANAGER TOM ALBANESE EXPLAINS…
Two bear sightings have been reported in Bell Acres. Police reported the first sighting on Wednesday near Witherow Road, where a bear was spotted feeding on a bird feeder behind a home. A second sighting was reported Thursday on the 1700 block of Big Sewickley Creek Road. Police said residents should remove any food sources for the bear, including unsecured garbage cans.
A bill authored by State Representative Jim Marshall intending to help local charities and collegiate sports games is now on its way to approval from the governor.
Beaver County Radio News Intern Kristian Biega has more on the story…
Bell homers again as Pirates cruise past Astros 10-0
By KRISTIE RIEKEN AP Sports Writer
HOUSTON (AP) — Josh Bell homered for the second straight game as one of five home runs by Pittsburgh as the Pirates routed the Houston Astros for the second game in a row with a 10-0 win on Thursday.
Former Astro Joe Musgrove (6-7) threw six scoreless innings for the win and Kevin Newman, Corey Dickerson, Starling Marte and Jacob Stallings added home runs for the Pirates to send Houston to its ninth loss in 11 games.
The Pirates picked up where they left off in Wednesday night’s 14-2 rout of Houston when Newman sent Brad Peacock’s first pitch of the game into the seats in left field for his first career leadoff homer. He has a career-long 17-game hitting streak, which is the longest active streak in the majors.
Houston starter Brad Peacock (6-6) allowed six runs in three innings, a game after Framber Valdez also made an early exit after the Pirates jumped on him for six runs through the first three.
There were two outs in the first inning when an RBI double by Colin Moran made it 2-0. Pittsburgh extended the lead to 4-0 when Dickerson, who tied a career high with four hits on Wednesday, homered to left field.
Marte started the third with a bunt single before Bell launched his 22nd homer onto the concourse in left-center to make it 6-0.
Marte opened the fifth inning with a home run off Cy Sneed, who was making his major league debut, and Stallings collected his first career home run when he added a solo shot with one out in the sixth.
Musgrove, traded to the Pirates in the deal that brought Gerrit Cole to Houston, picked up the win for the Astros in relief in Game 5 of the 2017 World Series. He allowed nine hits in his first meeting with his former team, but they were all singles to allow him to keep Houston off the board.
The Astros remain firmly in first place in the AL West, but are in the midst of a tough stretch where their pitching outside of Justin Verlander and Cole has struggled. Houston went 1-6 on a road trip against Cincinnati and the New York Yankees, before losing two of three in this series.
Jacob Stallings added an RBI single for Pittsburgh in the eighth and Newman made it 10-0 with a run-scoring double.
Sneed allowed seven hits and four runs in six innings to save Houston’s taxed bullpen after being called up from Triple-A Round Rock before the game.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Astros: LF Yordan Alvarez left the game after the third inning because of discomfort in his left knee. … RHP Joe Smith (Achilles tendon) will pitch at Round Rock on Friday as he continues a rehabilitation assignment.
UP NEXT
Pirates: RHP Chris Archer (3-6, 5.56 ERA) will start for Pittsburgh in the opener of a three-game series at Milwaukee on Friday night. Archer allowed just two hits and one run in five innings in his previous game against San Diego but did not factor in the decision.
Astros: LHP Wade Miley (6-4, 3.51) is scheduled to start for Houston to start a series against Seattle on Friday night. Miley allowed four runs in five innings in a loss to the Yankees in his previous start.
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