FILE – A U.S. flag waves outside the New York Stock Exchange, Monday, Jan. 24, 2022, in New York. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks are holding relatively steady on Wall Street near their record levels. The S&P 500 fell 0.1% in Tuesday afternoon trading. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 149 points, or 0.4%, and the Nasdaq composite was mostly unchanged. Macy’s rose after unveiling a restructuring plan, and Norwegian Cruise Line steamed higher on hopes for a stronger 2024. Chevron was weighing on the Dow amid worries that its pending takeover of Hess may be facing a threat. Treasury yields were mixed in the bond market after a report showed that confidence among U.S. consumers unexpectedly weakened.

A phone holder hangs in a classroom at Delta High School, Friday, Feb. 23, 2024, in Delta, Utah. At the rural Utah school, there is a strict policy requiring students to check their phones at the door when entering every class. Each of the school’s 30 or so classrooms has a cellphone storage unit that looks like an over-the-door shoe bag with three dozen smartphone-sized slots. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The scene in classrooms around the country is similar: Kids are on their phones, even when school rules forbid it. Teachers say they see students on Snapchat, listening to music and even watching Netflix in class, among countless other examples of how smartphones distract from teaching and learning. Increasingly, educators are speaking with one voice on the question of how to handle it: Ban phones during classes. A growing number of leaders at the state and federal levels have begun endorsing school cellphone bans and suggesting new ways to curb access to the devices.

FILE – Taylor Swift performs during “The Eras Tour,” May 5, 2023, at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn. Swift is adding one more accolade to her repertoire this year: a resolution recognizing 2023 as the Taylor Swift era in her home state of Pennsylvania. The resolution passed the state House of Representatives on Wednesday, Dec. 13. (AP Photo/George Walker IV, File)

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — A photographer has told police he was punched in the face by Taylor Swift’s father on the Sydney waterfront hours after the popstar’s Australian tour ended. Ben McDonald said he provided police with a statement alleging the assault by Scott Swift at the Neutral Bay Wharf on Tuesday where the father and daughter had just come ashore from a yacht. The New South Wale Police Force media office confirmed that police were investigating the alleged assault. Taylor Swift’s representative accused members of the media of aggression during the interaction. The representative said in an email that two individuals pushed towards Taylor, grabbing at her security personnel and threatened to throw a female staff member into the water.

[FEB. 27, 2024] — The American Red Cross of Greater Pennsylvania is kicking off its annual Red Cross Month celebration in March to honor local community heroes who help ensure their neighbors never face crises alone.

Red Cross Month is a national tradition that began in March 1943 when President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued the first Red Cross Month proclamation — and each U.S. president has followed ever since.

“During Red Cross Month, we are proud to honor the people in our community who step up to support one another when help can’t wait during emergencies,” said Jorge Martinez, CEO, American Red Cross of Greater Pennsylvania. “This relief and hope wouldn’t be possible without these local heroes. Please consider joining in their commitment by donating, volunteering, giving blood or platelets, or taking a lifesaving skills course.”

Join the Red Cross Month celebration by visiting redcross.org to make a financial donation, give blood or platelets, become a volunteer or take a lifesaving skills course. Those who donate at redcross.org/givingday on March 27 will be part of the 10th annualRed Cross Giving Day, which aims to rally 30,000 supporters nationwide to help provide shelter, food, relief items, emotional support and other assistance for people affected by disasters big and small.

HELP CAN’T WAIT WHEN EMERGENCIES STRIKE Volunteers comprise 90% of the national Red Cross workforce to power its lifesaving mission, along with generous blood, platelet and financial donors; people trained in skills like first aid and CPR; and other supporters. The American Red Cross of Greater Pennsylvania is proud to have over 3,300 volunteers on our team.

In 2023, the American Red Cross of Greater Pennsylvania:

• Responded to more than 1,500 disasters and assisted over 6,400 people
• Installed more than 9,000 free smoke alarms in local homes
• Hosted more than 5,000 local blood drives and collected over 112,000 units of blood
• Provided nearly 7,000 services to support veterans, military members and their families
• Trained more than 124,000 people in Red Cross courses

GIVE BLOOD THIS MARCH As we approach the final weeks of winter, the public is urged to book a time to donate blood or platelets now as we continue to strengthen the blood supply heading into spring. Much like pets provide comfort and support, so does the Red Cross in local communities. As a thank-you for providing comfort during Red Cross Month, all come to give blood or platelets March 1-24 will get a $10 e-gift card to a pet supply merchant of choice, plus automatically be entered for a chance to win a $3,000 gift card. There will be five winners. See rcblood.org/Pets for details.

After suddenly spiking more than a dime two weeks ago, the national average for a gallon of gas is a penny cheaper this week at $3.26.  Today’s average is 16 cents more than a month ago but 10 cents lower than a year ago. The average price for a gallon of gas in Beaver County is currently $3.66.

Pittsburgh, PA – PennDOT District 11 is announcing gas line work on Coraopolis Road (Route 51) in Robinson and Kennedy townships, Allegheny County will begin Wednesday, February 28 weather permitting.

Lane restrictions will occur in both directions on Coraopolis Road between Herbst Road and the I-79 interchange daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. through late May. Flaggers will assist motorists through the work zone.

Crews from Banks Gas Services Company will conduct gas line replacement work.

PennDOT is not involved in this work and is providing this information as a public service announcement only. For further information contact Robert Paruolo at 860-324-5681.

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 1,000 traffic cameras.

Story by Sandy Giordano – Beaver County Radio. Published February 27, 2024 10:36 A.M.

(Aliquippa, Pa) One thousand signatures are required to be sent to the PIAA to help prevent the PIAA from moving the Aliquippa Quips football team to 5A next season.  Many reasons have been given by those who signed the petition to let the team stay in 4A.

DALLAS (AP) — AT&T says it will give affected customers $5 each to compensate for last week’s network outage. Many customers were left many without cellphone service for hours on Thursday. The company now says on its website that customers will get a $5 credit on their account within two billing cycles. The credit doesn’t apply to AT&T Business, prepaid service or Cricket, its low-cost wireless service. AT&T said prepaid customers will have options available to them if they were impacted, although it did not elaborate on what those options might be. AT&T blamed the outage on an error in coding, without elaborating, and says it was not the result of a cyberattack.

Spring break is rapidly approaching and according to AAA Travel booking data, Florida tops the list of destinations this year. The Sunshine State’s Atlantic and Gulf Coast beaches, family-friendly attractions, and cruise ports make Florida a logical choice for travelers seeking fun in the sun.

“The sunny Florida beaches are always a top Spring Break choice, along with Orlando and the popular cruise ports of Fort Lauderdale and Miami,” said Bevi Powell, senior vice president, AAA East Central. “By the time spring arrives, families are ready to head to warmer destinations where they can enjoy time together by the pool or on the beach, and many are choosing to finally take that long-awaited cruise adventure.”

Cruising is off to a strong start in 2024 with sold-out ships and inaugural sailings, and that robust demand is evident in Spring Break bookings. AAA Travel data shows a 28% increase in cruise bookings for March and April compared to last year, and a 60% percent increase for cruises departing from South Florida.

Good to Know: More travelers are booking cruises farther in advance, which is one of AAA Travel’s cruising trends this year. Many Spring Break cruises have been sold-out for months. Last-minute bookings are possible, options may be limited. AAA Travel suggests booking a summer cruise now before they sell out, especially if looking at popular destinations like Alaska.

AAA Trip Canvas Tips: For families traveling with teens, check out the best cruise lines for teenagers.

• Best for Onboard Activities:  ROYAL CARIBBEAN
• Best for Teen Clubs: CARNIVAL
• Best for Families with Kids of Different Ages: DISNEY CRUISE LINE
• Best for Recreational Tournaments: PRINCESS CRUISES
• Best for Entertainment Options: HOLLAND AMERICA LINE
• Best For Family Accommodations: CELEBRITY CRUISES

International Spring Break trips are also on the rise compared to last year. AAA data for March and April shows international flight bookings are up 20% and hotel bookings are up 37%.  European cities top the list of most popular destinations: London, Paris, Rome, Dublin, and Amsterdam. More AAA members are also booking tours for their international Spring Break vacations as they look for the convenience, expertise, and peace of mind that guided travel brings.