Trump pays $3 million for partial Wisconsin vote recount
By SCOTT BAUER Associated Press
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — President Donald Trump has paid $3 million for a partial recount in Wisconsin but has yet to file a petition indicating which counties it is targeting. The Wisconsin Elections Commission tweeted Wednesday that the Trump campaign has told the commission that it will file the petition by the 5 p.m. deadline. A statewide recount would cost Trump $7.9 million. The $3 million he paid would be enough to cover the $2.8 million cost of a recount in the state’s two most Democratic counties of Milwaukee and Dane. In those counties, Democrat Joe Biden received 577,455 votes. He won statewide by 20,608 votes, based on canvassed results submitted by the counties.

FAA clears Boeing 737 Max to fly again
By DAVID KOENIG and TOM KRISHER AP Business Writers
After nearly two years and a pair of deadly crashes, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration is clearing Boeing’s 737 Max for flight. The nation’s air safety agency announced the move early Wednesday, saying it was done after a comprehensive and methodical 20-month review process. Regulators around the world grounded the Max in March 2019, after the crash of an Ethiopian Airlines jet. That happened less than five months after another Max flown by Indonesia’s Lion Air  plunged into the Java Sea. A total of 346 passengers and crew members on both planes were killed. The planes won’t return to the skies for a while. The FAA says it must approve pilot training changes.

Pennsylvania school disciplined for marching band’s costumes
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Officials have disciplined a western Pennsylvania high school because of costumes worn by some members of its marching band that were perceived as blackface. The Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League on Tuesday placed the Peters Township School District on probation until Oct. 31, 2021 and ordered it to submit a written plan to “educate and eradicate the social and racial insensitivity displayed by the marching band.” At least two members of the band wore black full-body suits during a pregame performance when the school, which is comprised of mostly white students, played Woodland Hills, a predominantly Black school, on Oct. 30. The Woodland Hills community likened the outfits to wearing blackface.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Officials have disciplined a western Pennsylvania high school because of costumes worn by some members of its marching band that were perceived as blackface.
The Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League on Tuesday placed the Peters Township School District on probation until Oct. 31, 2021 and ordered it to submit a written plan to “educate and eradicate the social and racial insensitivity displayed by the marching band.”
At least two members of the band wore black full-body suits during a pregame performance when the school, which is comprised of mostly white students, played Woodland Hills, a predominantly Black school, on Oct. 30.
The Woodland Hills community likened the outfits to wearing blackface.
In a statement to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, a Peters district spokeswoman said the district found the students “acted without racist or harmful intent.”
“Nonetheless, their choice of costumes, in the context of the game, was insensitive. The investigation also revealed that there were multiple missed opportunities for adults present at the game to address the costumes prior to the students entering the field,” Shelly Belcher said.
“We’re very happy with the outcome of the incident with Peters Township,” Woodland Hills Superintendent James Harris told the newspaper.

PennDOT Requests Public Feedback on Transportation Funding

Harrisburg, PA – As part of its ongoing work to explore sustainable transportation options, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) is requesting public feedback for the PennDOT Pathways Program. Information is accessible at www.penndot.gov/funding and feedback will be accepted through December 17, 2020.

“A safe and reliable transportation network is critical to quality of life for those who travel throughout our state,” said PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian. “We take our responsibility as stewards of mobility very seriously, which is why we must explore our options.”

The department faces an $8.1 billion gap in its annual highway and bridge transportation funding to keep the network in a state of good repair. Federal funding has remained essentially flat for several years despite rising inflation. Gas taxes, which comprise 74 percent of PennDOT’s funding, have become increasingly unreliable.

Through the PennDOT Pathways program, the department is launching an extensive initiative to examine possible near- and long-term funding solutions – and how they could potentially work in Pennsylvania. As part of this program, PennDOT recently launched an alternative funding Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) Study as part of the PennDOT Pathways program to explore options for funding the maintenance and improvement of Pennsylvania’s highways and bridges.

PennDOT encourages the public to review the information presented on its online engagement platform and to provide comments. Online comments can be submitted directly from the website, or through the below methods:

• Email: PennDOTPathways@pa.gov
• Hotline: 717-325-6129
• Mail: PA Department of Transportation, Keystone Building, 400 North St., Fifth Floor, Harrisburg, PA 17120

For more information about PennDOT Pathways, visit www.penndot.gov/funding.

Story By Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano

(Aliquippa, Pa.) An Aliquippa woman was stopped for a traffic violation on Franklin Avenue in Aliquippa  at 1:15 p.m. on Tuesday afternoon.  According to a police report, Candy Brown, 50 of Aliquippa , showed signs of impairment , and  field sobriety tests were administered. She was placed under  arrest for suspicion  of driving while under the influence of a controlled substance.  She consented to a search of the vehicle and drug paraphernalia found.  Charges are pending  until results of her blood tests are complete.

(Brighton Twp., Pa.) PA State Police reported they were investigating an accident on I-376 in Brighton Township  at 6:30 p.m. when  the cruiser that was parked off the road was struck by a vehicle operated by Brad A. Bartley of Monaca, PA. State Police said  Trooper Zakery Mata was investigating another crash when the cruiser was struck on the slippery road.

Story by Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano

(Beaver Pa.) Zachary Ruskin, 35 of Beaver was arrested by PSP  at 8:33 p.m. October 24 on I-376westbound.  State Police reported that  they made a traffic stop near the Center exit because Ruskin was speeding..  He was found to be under the influence of alcohol, he failed Field Sobriety Tests and was taken into  custody.  He submitted to a chemical test which determined that his Blood Alcohol Level was 0.16% at the time of the traffic stop.

Story by Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano

(Center Twp., Pa.) Center Township Supervisors Chairman Bill DicCioccio, Jr. said that the township  has given  a time extension  to Sheffield Funeral Home   per their request   for their preliminary and final land development plan at Union Cemetery. The supervisors discussed the  time extension at last night’s meeting. The township’s zoning hearing board will address the dimensional variance  to construct a chapel, crematory and related burial services at 1400 Chapel Road, Monaca (Center Township). The property is  located in a R-1 low-density residential district.