Pennsylvania asks court to extend mail-in voting deadlines
By MARC LEVY Associated Press
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration is asking the state Supreme Court to extend deadlines for mail-in ballots to be received in the November election when Pennsylvania will be a premier presidential battleground. The filing, submitted late Thursday, cited a letter dated July 29 by the general counsel of the U.S. Postal Service, Thomas Marshall. In it, Marshall warns that Pennsylvania’s election-day deadline for mail-in ballots is “incongruous” with the postal service’s delivery standards. As a result, Wolf’s administration is asking the state Supreme Court to order that ballots postmarked by election day be counted if they are valid and received during the three days following the election.

Biden calls for nationwide mask mandate
By ALEXANDRA JAFFE and WILL WEISSERT Associated Press
WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — Joe Biden is calling for a nationwide mask mandate, citing health experts’ predictions that it could save 40,000 lives over the next three months. Biden and vice presidential running mate Sen. Kamala Harris spoke briefly Thursday after being briefed by public health and economic experts on the coronavirus pandemic. The pandemic has caused the deaths of more than 166,000 Americans and plunged the global economy into the worst economic recession since World War II.

Trump opposes postal money that would help vote-by-mail
By DEB RIECHMANN and ANTHONY IZAGUIRRE Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says he opposes additional funding for the U.S. Postal Service, acknowledging that his position would starve the agency of money Democrats say it needs to process an anticipated surge in mail-in ballots during the coronavirus pandemic. The Republican president said Thursday on Fox Business Network’s “Mornings with Maria” that among the sticking points over a new virus relief package were Democrats’ demand for billions of dollars to assist states in protecting the election and to help postal workers process mail-in ballots. The campaign of Trump’s Democratic opponent, Joe Biden, jumped on Trump’s comments, likening the president’s actions to sabotage.

Story by Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano 

(Monaca, Pa.) Mario l Leone, Jr.  resigned his position at Tuesday night’s meeting to take  the borough manager’s job in Ambridge. Leone, said his last day  as  Monaca’s manager is September 3. He said yesterday he will  serve as a  consultant to monaca when needed.   He has served as Monaca’s manager for 13 years  and is responsible for   grants being written and received.  for the streetscape project which is ongoing .

Story by Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano

(Beaver, Pa.) PA Attorney General Josh  Shapiro issued a statement yesterday afternoon  announcing that Brighton Rehab and Wellness  Center is one of the agency’s subjects of their criminal investigation into neglect at nursing homes during the pandemic.   He said his office is dedicated to protecting seniors  and our most vulnerable citizens in the care of others. He said, “We won’t  tolerate mistreatment  of older Pennsylvanians  and will hold facilities that break the law  accountable.”

House Majority Leader Benninghoff to PDE: All Students Deserve Transportation

HARRISBURG – House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff (R-Centre/Mifflin) today sent a letter to the Pennsylvania Department of Education asking them to issue guidance that will ensure school transportation for students returning to in-person education.

The letter is in response to growing concerns about students of nonpublic and nontraditional public schools being denied transportation services.

“To clear up any confusion about the responsibility of local school districts to provide this service, I am asking that your department issue clarifying guidance on the matter to ensure that both public and nonpublic school students have access to their regular school transportation and the best possible educational opportunities. As I am sure your office and Pennsylvania’s 500 school districts remember: Despite these uncertain times, the legislature intentionally fully funded education for the entire year so that school districts would have the tools they need to return students to in-person education,” Benninghoff’s letter says in part.

“Without transportation, even those schools that have worked to develop a model for safely returning their students to in-person instruction will be unnecessarily hindered in doing so. With a few short weeks remaining before the start of school, we need to remove this unnecessary hurdle,” the letter continues. “Keep in mind, both parents of public and nonpublic school students pay taxes to Pennsylvania and its school districts. Government must be accountable to them by providing transportation to school. This includes providing transportation to nonpublic school students returning to in-person learning even if the accountable public school has elected to begin their school year virtually.”

For more information, visit KerryBenninghoff.com or Facebook.com/RepBenninghoff.

Radical or moderate? Trump paints Democratic ticket as both
By JILL COLVIN, ZEKE MILLER and JONATHAN LEMIRE Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s campaign is struggling to define Sen. Kamala Harris. Joe Biden’s decision to choose Harris as his running mate has further complicated the Trump campaign’s crude efforts to paint Biden as out of step with the country as Trump continues to lag in the polls. Less than 90 days out from Election Day, Trump’s team faces a pivotal choice in how it tries to define the Democratic ticket. Do they attempt to fire up their base and scare off moderates by painting Biden and Harris as radical socialists? Or do they aim to depress enthusiasm among Democrats by arguing Biden and Harris are opportunistic and insufficiently liberal?