FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (AP) — Democratic presidential contenders are expressing support for a North Carolina congressional candidate in a hotly contested special election that could serve as a bellwether for 2020. Former Vice President Joe Biden and South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg tweeted support Tuesday for Democrat Dan McCready. He’s is in a tossup battle against state Sen. Dan Bishop for a vacant seat in North Carolina’s 9th Congressional District. President Donald Trump stumped for Bishop on Monday.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Tuesday forced out John Bolton, his hawkish national security adviser with whom he had significant disagreements on Iran, Afghanistan and a cascade of other global challenges. The two men offered opposing accounts on Bolton’s less than friendly departure, a leave-taking example of what had been a fractious relationship almost from the start.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi says there will be “hell to pay” if Senate Republicans don’t pass a universal background check bill. Pelosi’s warning came during a press conference with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and other Democrats during Congress’ first day back at work following the mass shootings that happened in Texas and Ohio while lawmakers were on their summer recess. Pelosi added that Democrats will make the background checks issue “too hot” for McConnell and President Donald Trump to handle and will not take “no for an answer. We are not going away.”

When a questioner at a town hall asked Kamala Harris what she would do in the next year to curb “the mentally retarded action” of President Trump, she laughed with the crowd. “Well said, well said,” she told him, the Washington Post reports. Now the Democratic senator and presidential candidate has apologized for her response to the “incredibly offensive” wording. Harris said the next day that the term “was not something that I really heard or processed” during the exchange Friday in New Hampshire. She said she would never condone that kind of language being spoken by anybody about anybody…and had she understood what the man was saying, she says she would have stopped and corrected him.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The Pennsylvania House of Representatives is cutting its ranks after 63 legislative employees jumped on the chance to be paid a bonus to quit their jobs. Pennlive.com says 31 Republican staffers, 21 Democratic staffers and 11 who work under the House chief clerk and comptroller’s offices took the offer. They’ll receive $1,000 payments for each year of service, up to 25 years. The offer was open to those with at least five years’ experience. It expired at the end of August.

Photos of the All Americans (Hopewell High School Seniors Madison Klodowski and Trinity Pisano) and of the principals (High School Principal Michael Allison, Elementary Principal Korri Kane and Junior High School Principal Ed Katkich) taken by Sandy Giordano

THE HOPEWELL AREA SCHOOL BOARD HEARD ABOUT VIKING PRIDE LAST NIGHT. BEAVER COUNTY RADIO NEWS CORRESPONDENT SANDY GIORDANO WAS THERE. Click on ‘play’ to hear Sandy’s report…

When Pennsylvania lawmakers return to the Capitol later this month, they will have new legislation to consider: a bill designed to cut carbon emissions from electric power plants by at least 90 percent by 2040. Don Rooney has details…

According to this week’s Triple-A East Central gas price report, the average price of gasoline across Western Pennsylvania is a penny cheaper this week at $2.74. In Beaver, the average is at  2.67 a gallon while drivers in New Castle are paying a penny less at 2.66. Slowly but surely, gas prices continue to trend cheaper with half of all states seeing pump prices drop two-cents on the week. This caused the national average to push cheaper by a penny down to $2.56. The average is 11-cents less than a month ago and 28-cents cheaper than a year ago.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court is set to hear arguments in Philadelphia over whether the chief lawyer for Penn State when the Jerry Sandusky scandal broke should face public censure. The state’s lawyer disciplinary board recommended that punishment in March for Cynthia Baldwin. The board has leveled several claims against Baldwin regarding her conduct. Lawyers for Baldwin and the Office of Disciplinary Counsel will debate the matter Tuesday. Baldwin’s lawyer is urging that the matter be dropped.

Pittsburgh’s mayor is among a group of mayors and police chiefs meeting with the White House to demand gun reform. Mayor Bill Peduto left for Washington, DC today with all mayors from cities that have seen mass shootings with assault rifles. Peduto says he plans on sitting one-on-one with Senator Pat Toomey because they have opposing views but a good working relationship. He wants to find a middle ground on solving the gun violence crisis.