Republicans nominate Trump; he questions election integrity
By JILL COLVIN and DARLENE SUPERVILLE Associated Press
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — President Donald Trump has turned a surprise opening-day appearance at his party’s scaled-down national political convention into an opportunity to cast doubt on the integrity of the fall election. That was just moments after delegates nominated him for a second term. Trump vigorously contended that he’s done such a great job as president that the only way he can lose “is if this is a rigged election.” He assailed anew the idea of mass mail-in voting by people worried about the coronavirus. Next: the convention moves to Washington for prime-time programming that will be a crucial moment for Trump, who is trailing in national and battleground state polls.

AAA: Pennsylvania Gas Prices Increase; All Eyes on Storms Marco and Laura
The average price of gasoline across Western Pennsylvania is two cents higher this week at $2.471 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report.

This week’s average prices: Western Pennsylvania Average                  $2.471
Average price during the week of August 17, 2020                                   $2.450
Average price during the week of August 26, 2019                                   $2.772

The average price of unleaded self-serve gasoline in various areas:      

$2.483      Altoona
$2.470      Beaver
$2.479      Bradford
$2.499      Brookville
$2.462      Butler
$2.484      Clarion
$2.469      DuBois
$2.490      Erie
$2.429      Greensburg
$2.496      Indiana
$2.493      Jeannette
$2.446      Kittanning
$2.499      Latrobe
$2.490      Meadville
$2.515      Mercer
$2.389      New Castle
$2.484      New Kensington
$2.499      Oil City
$2.443      Pittsburgh
$2.443      Sharon
$2.487      Uniontown
$2.499      Warren
$2.394      Washington

Trend Analysis:
At $2.18, the national gas price average increased by one cent on the week. The minimal change reflects the slow movement at pumps across the country on the week. Most states saw pump prices fluctuate by a penny, if at all. A few states in the Mid-Atlantic and Mid-West saw more significant jumps, including North Carolina (+7 cents), Kentucky (+6 cents), Virginia (+5 cents) and West Virginia (+5 cents), while Indiana (-5 cents) holds the spot for the largest weekly decrease. The increase in these states could be a result of increased demand, but nationally demand saw a one-week decline.

The Energy Information Administration recorded gasoline stocks at their largest one-week decline since May. Total stocks fell by 4 million barrels down to 243.7 million. Year-over-year, stocks are at a 10 million surplus while demand sits 1.3 million b/d less. U.S refinery utilization rates continue to hover at 80%.

This week the market is watching Tropical Storms Marco and Laura. Marco, whose force is decreasing and is expected to be a tropical depression late on Tuesday, is less of a concern. However, Laura is forecasted to move into the southeastern Gulf of Mexico and become a hurricane by early Tuesday.

According to the U.S. Department of Interior’s Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, approximately 58 percent, or 1.065 million b/d, of crude production in the Gulf of Mexico has been shuttered ahead of the storms and 114 (18%) platforms evacuated. While gasoline stocks remain at a healthy level, if platforms and rigs are offline for an extended amount of time, supply could tighten and gas prices could be impacted. AAA will continue to monitor activity and provide related gas price updates.

Motorists can find current gas prices nationwide, statewide, and countywide at GasPrices.AAA.com.

AAA East Central is a not-for-profit association with 78 local offices in Kentucky, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia serving 2.7 million members.  News releases are available at news.eastcentral.aaa.com.  Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

National Guard called out after police shoot Black man
By SCOTT BAUER and MORRY GASH Associated Press
KENOSHA, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin’s governor has summoned the National Guard to head off another round of violent protests after the police shooting of a Black man under murky circumstances turned Kenosha into the nation’s latest flashpoint city in a summer of racial unrest. Democratic Gov. Tony Evers says 125 members of the National Guard will be in Kenosha on Monday night with responsibility for “guarding infrastructure and making sure our firefighters and others involved are protected.” The move came after protesters set cars on fire, smashed windows and clashed with officers in riot gear Sunday night, hours after the wounding of 29-year-old Jacob Blake, who was hospitalized in serious condition. He was shot, apparently in the back, as he leaned into his SUV while his three children sat in the vehicle.

PHILADELPHIA—Attorney General Josh Shapiro today announced that his Office seized 20 guns, $480,000 in cash, 23,000 doses of fentanyl, 26,000 doses of cocaine, and 174 bottles of xylazine in the Kensington Initiative’s latest operation. Today’s law enforcement action is the result of an 8-month targeted investigation into three drug trafficking organizations in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia.

“Operations like this are where progressive reform and public safety meet,” said Attorney General Shapiro. “For essential reform efforts to work, from violence prevention outreach and stronger social services, to mental health and treatment programs — they need to have space to take root, and thrive.”

The Kensington Initiative is a unique partnership between local, state, and federal law enforcement to target major criminal drug organizations in the Kensington neighborhood. Agents executed search warrants Wednesday and Thursday mornings in 30 locations believed to be connected to the organizations. The organizations’ activities have been linked to two shootings in the Philadelphia area. Users of the drugs sold by the organizations have been located as far away as Delaware, New York, New Jersey and Virginia, in addition to their operations in Pennsylvania.

“Every dose of these drugs, every firearm we picked up was capable of killing someone,” Attorney General Shapiro continued. “I am here today in Kensington to reinforce our continued promise to this great city: We are still here. We will not turn our backs on this community.”

AG Shapiro also announced at today’s press conference that his Office has added, for the first time, dedicated investigative analysts to the Philadelphia Gun Violence Task Force. This targeted investment will help carry out additional, high-value operations to curb gun violence.

Those participating in last week’s operation include: Office of Attorney General, the Philadelphia Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, PA National Guard Counterdrug Joint Task Force, SEPTA Police, Pennsylvania State Police, FBI, US Marshals, Bensalem Police Department, Central Bucks Regional Police K9, Warrington PD K9, and Hatboro Borough PD K9.

 

Those arrested include:

Carmelo Morales; Daniel Caraballo; Damon McCandless; Omar Carasquillo; Jose Vidal; Yogeiny Bautista Robles; Aaliyah Spurrell; Henry Figueroa; Keith McMullin; Michael Cotto Rivera; James Martinez ; Chastiy Rodriguez; Juan Miguel Diaz Miranda; Elvis Mendez; Celia Gonzalez; Marcial Julio Rivera; Maria Reyes; Juan Bautista; Carlos Lugo Torres; Wandaly Collade; Tashona Waters; Raul Escolastico; Algler Nichols; Juan Carlos Escolastico Disca; Jose Migues Suarez Duran; Julio Abreu; Noerlin Gonzalez; Ernie Pastrana; Johan Liriano; Mariluz Garcia; Luz Laboy; Irena DeLamota; Oscar DeLamota; Jacqueline Perez; and Ernesto Lopez.

Thousands allowed to bypass environmental rules in pandemic
By ELLEN KNICKMEYER, CATHY BUSSEWITZ, JOHN FLESHER, MATTHEW BROWN and MICHAEL CASEY Associated Press
Thousands of oil and gas operations and other sites have won permission to stop monitoring for hazardous emissions or otherwise break government rules because of the coronavirus outbreak. The findings come in an investigation by The Associated Press. The Trump administration announced the first nationwide, extended easing of environmental enforcement in March. Oil and gas companies had complained that the pandemic was complicating compliance with pollution rules. Facilities won permission more than 3,000 times to skimp on compliance during the sweeping government clemency.  The Environmental Protection Agency says its clemency was not a license for increased pollution.

Zoom suffers outage as students start classes online
NEW YORK (AP) — Zoom is experiencing partial outages during the first day of school for thousands of students who are relying on the video conferencing technology to connect with educators. The company said Monday that it began receiving reports of disruptions around 9 a.m. Eastern time.  It has identified the issue causing the problem and is working on a fix, it reported on its status page. Grade schools, high schools and universities are relying on Zoom and competing technologies like Microsoft Teams to reduce the chance of infection during the pandemic. Technical issues are occurring across the U.S., with the most reports on the East Coast, as well as in Europe, according to downdetector.com, which monitors self-reported outages.

Andrea Sears

PHILADELPHIA — Creating a religious exemption to anti-discrimination laws could have far-reaching, negative effects – that’s the conclusion of a new report on a case soon to be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court.

The City of Philadelphia refused to renew its contract with Catholic Social Services, a child-welfare agency. It said the agency’s policy of refusing to license same-sex couples as foster parents on religious grounds violates the city’s nondiscrimination law.

CSS sued, saying denying a contract violates its rights to free exercise of religion and free speech. But Naomi Goldberg, policy and research director at the Movement Advancement Project, said creating a religious exemption for CSS could open the door to similar claims for a wide variety of services.

“The most broad way in which the court could rule,” said Goldberg, “could essentially create a constitutional right to discriminate for individuals, for businesses and for taxpayer-funded entities.”

Lower federal courts have ruled the city’s policy is neutral and doesn’t target CSS or its religious beliefs. The case has been scheduled for Supreme Court arguments on Nov. 4.

The report also said foster children could be harmed by creating a religious exemption for discrimination. Goldberg pointed out there are many lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender children who need foster care.

“What we could end up with are agencies that receive taxpayer funding to care for kids in state care who might force children to undergo things like conversion therapy,” said Goldberg, “or refuse to recognize their sexual orientation or gender identity.”

She added there is a shortage of foster families and said refusing to place children with qualified couples or individuals for religious reasons alone makes that shortage worse.

Goldberg noted that any entity receiving public funds is expected to live up to the terms of its contract.

“Considering all qualified families without regard to their religion or sexual orientation is a contract term that’s really important,” said Goldberg. “It speaks to the welfare of children.”

She said creating a religious exemption in government contracts would make it nearly impossible for state or local governments to set standards for provision of services.

Former Chicago, Las Vegas mobster Frank Cullotta dies at 81
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Frank Cullotta, a former mobster turned government witness who had a cameo role in the 1995 movie “Casino” and later was a Las Vegas mob museum tour guide, has died. He was 81. The Mob Museum says Cullotta died Thursday in a Las Vegas hospital from coronavirus complications. In “Casino,” he had a bit role as a hitman who carries out several murders. Cullotta arrived in Las Vegas from Chicago in 1979 and later admitted to killing a former friend and grand jury witness suspected of informing on a money exchange scam he was working on.