Police: At least 18 shot, with 4 dead, across Cincinnati
CINCINNATI (AP) — Police in Cincinnati said at least 18 people were shot and four killed as gunfire erupted in several places around the city overnight. In one shooting alone, 10 people were shot. Police said in a statement that among the victims were 34-year-old Robert Rogers and 30-year-old Jaquiez Grant, who were killed. In another shooting, 21-year-old Antonio Blair was killed and three others were wounded. And in a third, three people were shot. Police didn’t immediately provide details about the fourth fatal shooting. Cincinnati’s assistant police chief said the shootings seem to be separate incidents. No suspect information was immediately available.

US retail sales rise for 3rd month but slowdown expected
By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER and ANNE D’INNOCENZIO AP Business Writers
WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans increased their retail purchases by 1.2% in July, with solid gains in appliances and clothing, restoring sales to their level before the viral pandemic erupted in March. Sales at retail stores and restaurants have now risen for three straight months, after enormous plunges in March and April, when the pandemic suddenly shuttered businesses and paralyzed the economy. Still, much of that spending has been fueled by government relief spending that had put more money in people’s pockets but has since expired. With Americans’ overall income likely shrinking, economists expect a potential drop in spending and a weakening of economic growth.

This week’s Business Minute brought to you by Minute Man Press in Beaver Falls

Stocks drift on Wall Street following latest run at record
By STAN CHOE AP Business Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street is drifting Friday after a report showed that sales for U.S retailers strengthened again last month, but by less than economists expected. The S&P 500 was little changed in late morning trading as the market takes a pause after nearly erasing the last of the steep losses caused by the coronavirus pandemic. In each of the last two days, the index made a brief run above its record closing high, which was set in February, only to fade in the afternoon. It’s now 0.4% below the record. More stocks across Wall Street were rising than falling, but the moves were mostly modest.

 

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Gov. Tom Wolf says Pennsylvania doesn’t have the money to provide $100 a week as President Donald Trump pushes states to help pay for a new round of federal unemployment assistance. In a new letter to Pennsylvania’s congressional delegation, Gov. Tom Wolf Wolf urged them anew to extend the $600 per-week federal benefit, which ended last month. He also warned them that Trump’s plan is a convoluted and short-lived proposal that will delay payments to unemployed Pennsylvanians and create costly administrative burdens for states. States are deciding whether to sign onto Trump’s plan, a new $400 a week benefit that requires a state to commit to providing $100.

US retail sales rise for 3rd month but slowdown expected
By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER and ANNE D’INNOCENZIO AP Business Writers
WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans increased their retail purchases by 1.2% in July, with solid gains in appliances and clothing, restoring sales to their level before the viral pandemic erupted in March. Sales at retail stores and restaurants have now risen for three straight months, after enormous plunges in March and April, when the pandemic suddenly shuttered businesses and paralyzed the economy. Still, much of that spending has been fueled by government relief spending that had put more money in people’s pockets but has since expired. With Americans’ overall income likely shrinking, economists expect a potential drop in spending and a weakening of economic growth.

US industrial production up 3%; factory output up 3.4%
By PAUL WISEMAN AP Economics Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) — American industry continued to regain ground lost in the coronavirus recession last month but production remains well below where it was before the pandemic struck.The Federal Reserve reported Friday that industrial production — including output at factories, mines and utilities — climbed 3% in July after surging 5.7% in June. Still, production remains 8.4% below its level in February before the outbreak began to spread rapidly in the United States. Factory output rose 3.4% last month, pulled higher by a 28.3% gain in production of cars, trucks and auto parts. Mining production blipped up 0.8%, snapping five straight months of decreases, Utility output climbed 3.3% as hot weather forced many Americans to turn on the air conditioner.

 

Action Clears Way for Latest Round of Transportation Improvements across Pennsylvania

Harrisburg, PA – The State Transportation Commission (STC) today updated the 12-Year Program. The new plan anticipates $64.8 billion being available over the next 12 years for improvements to roads, bridges, transit systems, airports and railroads.

The 12-Year Program, or TYP, is a multimodal, fiscally-constrained planning tool used to identify and prioritize Pennsylvania’s transportation projects and the funds needed to complete them. State law requires the STC to review and update the 12-Year Program every two years. No capital project can move forward unless it is included in the 12-Year Program.

The newly adopted program, which takes effect October 1, anticipates the following funding availability in the first four years of the TYP from federal, state and local sources:

• $11.4 billion for state highway and bridge projects;
• $9.4 billion for public transit;
• $321 million for multimodal projects;
• $228 million for rail freight; and
• $138 million for aviation.

“Investments in transportation are critical for keeping our communities connected to the global economy,” said PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian. “While additional investment in our large transportation network is certainly needed, PennDOT takes pride in being a responsible steward of federal, state and local dollars to help improve infrastructure across all modes.”

The TYP also highlights some of PennDOT’s major accomplishments over the past two years, such as becoming REAL ID-compliant, as well as impacts to transportation in Pennsylvania because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Four Rural Planning Organizations, 19 Metropolitan Planning Organizations and one independent county partnered with PennDOT in the review and development of the update. Now that the STC has approved the update, it has been submitted to the Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Transit Administration for review and approval. The Federal Highway Administration coordinates with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to review the plan’s conformity with air quality requirements.

Public input early in the 12-Year planning process played a key role in identifying investments in the various transportation modes.

The State Transportation Commission is chaired by the Secretary of PennDOT and consists of 10 appointed citizens as well as the majority and minority chairs of the state House and Senate Transportation committees.

For more information about the TYP, visit www.TalkPATransportation.com.

Story by Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano 

(Industry, Pa.) A fatal accident  on Route 68 in Industry Tuesday night claimed the life of an Industry resident.  Beaver County Coroner David J. Gabauer reported Thursday night that Kayla McCullough who was 27 died as a result of blunt force trauma to the abdomen and pelvis. The cause has been ruled accidental. The accident occurred around 10 p.m..

Andrea Sears, Keystone State News Connnection

HARRISBURG, Pa. — A new report shows Pennsylvania needs to do much more to meet its goal under the Chesapeake Bay Clean Water Blueprint.

Three states are responsible for about 90% of the pollution damaging the bay. The report, from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, says Virginia and Maryland have plans in place that should meet their pollution-reduction goals – but Pennsylvania’s plan falls far short, and the state hasn’t budgeted the hundreds of millions of dollars needed to implement it.

William Baker, foundation president, said by approving that plan, the federal Environmental Protection Agency isn’t holding the state accountable.

“The U.S. EPA has failed to do its job during this,” said Baker, “the final and most important phase of the cleanup effort.”

The most recent report from Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection found almost 25,500 miles of impaired waterways in the state, a 25% increase from 2016.

Harry Campbell, director of the Pennsylvania Science Policy and Advocacy with the foundation, said the General Assembly has not invested enough in conservation to keep up with the state’s commitment to reduce water pollution from farms, wastewater and stormwater runoff.

“As a result, the state is significantly behind in achieving its load reductions from the agricultural sector,” said Campbell, “and our urban and suburban sectors as well.”

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation is helping coordinate efforts to plant 95,000 acres of streamside forested buffers in the state to keep pollution from reaching rivers and streams.

Baker called for federal funds, matched by the state, to assist Pennsylvania farmers in reducing agricultural pollution. He added the other watershed states have roles to play, as well.

“When the Chesapeake Bay Executive Council holds its annual meeting next week,” said Baker, “its members can address Pennsylvania’s shortfall and commit to their own plan, as a partnership, to get the Commonwealth back on track.”

District Attorney announce 23 prison corruption indictments
UNIONTOWN, Pa. (AP) — A Pennsylvania district attorney announced charges against more than 20 people Thursday after a months-long grand jury investigation into the smuggling of contraband, drugs and other alleged corruption at a county prison outside of Pittsburgh. The indictments stem from a grand jury investigation that began last fall and originally focused on illegal drugs such as K2, Suboxone and Xanax being smuggled into the Fayette County prison. The investigation branched out to include other allegations of oppression and corruption both inside and outside prison walls and resulted in 30 cases against 23 people including a former deputy warden.