The Latest: Wolf signs $34B ‘divided government’ budget

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Gov. Tom Wolf has signed a $34 billion compromise state budget after Pennsylvania lawmakers wrapped up the week with a flurry of votes.

Wolf made the announcement Friday, shortly after the Republican-controlled Legislature took its final votes and adjourned for the summer. The 2019-20 fiscal year starts Monday.

Healthy state revenues eased pressure on the governor and lawmakers.

The budget carries more money for public schools and universities, holds the line on taxes and stuffs cash into reserve. Wolf calls it a product of ‘divided government’ amid criticism from his fellow Democrat’s.

Republicans prevailed over Democrats’ protests to end a decades-old cash assistance program for the destitute deemed temporarily unable to work.

About 10,000 people were in the program. Wolf says he’s working on ways to help them.

(Photos taken by Mark Peterson)

Tiger Pause Youth Ministries of Beaver Falls held a special Event at the splash Pads in Beaver Falls Thursday Afternoon with a little help from the Beaver Falls Fire Department. Beaver County Radio Station Manager Mark Peterson spoke with Brittany Maverich, the Tiger Pause Camp Director…

Pictured in the above photo is Brittany Maverich,  Tiger Pause Camp Director.

 

The  firefighters pictured in the above photo are: Darrin Cole, Chris Crawford and Curtis Bagley, all from the Beaver Falls Dire Department.

Kids participating in the organization’s sixth Week Summer Youth Camp were rewarded with an extra big splash cool down on a 90 plus degree day provided by a City Fire truck.

 

 

WASHINGTON (AP) — California Sen. Kamala Harris offered a deeply personal attack Thursday on former Vice President Joe Biden, reminding a national television audience that he opposed public school busing in the 1970s. She said she was one of the students being bused then, and decried Biden as long being on the wrong side of the issue. Biden was left angry and flustered. The extraordinary moment could shake up the Democratic presidential primary _ possibly denting Biden’s early lead over the rest of the field.

 

Ambridge police are looking for a woman who’s accused of setting her ex-boyfriend’s car on fire. Detectives say Stephanie Norman was recently caught on camera making five attempts to torch the car. Norman is on the run with warrants out for her arrest.

WEST HOMESTEAD, Pa. (AP) — Authorities say a man reported to police for possibly taking inappropriate photos of children at Sandcastle Water Park in West Homestead is a private investigator involved in a worker’s compensation/disability case. A female patron at the park spotted the man Tuesday night. He was using a long camera lens that was poking out of his car window and appeared to be aimed at children wearing bathing suits. The woman called police and took photos of the man and his car.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court will decide whether President Donald Trump can end an Obama-era program shielding young immigrants from deportation. The justices’ order sets up high-stakes legal arguments in late fall or early winter, with a decision likely by June 2020 as Trump seeks re-election. Trump ordered an end to the program called DACA in 2017, resulting in protests and a failed congressional effort to salvage it.

Democrats are criticizing an off-handed comment President Donald Trump made about election meddling during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of a summit in Japan. After a reporter asked Trump if he was going to warn Russia not to meddle in the U.S. election, Trump turned to Putin and jokingly said: “Don’t meddle in the election.” The Senate’s top Democrat, Chuck Schumer, says Trump is basically giving Russia a green light to interfere again in 2020.

Current Pennsylvania law allows boys and girls as young as 15 to be married with parental consent. Legislation is moving through the state Senate that would change that. Don Rooney has more…

PennDOT District 11 is reminding motorists that a portion of Route 168 in Midland Borough remains closed to traffic due to a slide. Route 168 remains closed in both directions between Woodlane Avenue and Midland Heights Circle due to a landslide. Traffic is being detoured via Route 68, Smiths Ferry Road (Route 4047), and Tuscarawas Road (Route 4028). PennDOT geotechnical engineers are currently monitoring the site as the hillside continues to move. In the interest of public safety, the department will keep the roadway closed until further notice. PennDOT and various utility companies are coordinating future clean-up efforts. The roadway closed on Wednesday, June 19.

Motorists can check conditions on more than 40,000 roadway miles, including color-coded winter conditions on 2,900 miles, by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information and access to more than 950 traffic cameras.

511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional Twitter alerts accessible on the 511PA website.

WEATHER FORECAST FOR FRIDAY, JUNE 28TH, 2019

 

TODAY – MOSTLY CLOUDY THIS MORNING. THEN SUNSHINE
FOR THE AFTERNOON. HIGH NEAR 90.

TONIGHT – MOSTLY CLEAR. LOW – 71.

SATURDAY – VARIABLE CLOUDS WITH SCATTERED
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS, WHICH MAY
CONTAIN GUSTY WINDS. HIGH – 86.

SUNDAY – MOSTLY SUNNY. HIGH – 81.