Associated Press stories, Page 1741
Lawmaker calls for halt to PennDOT plan to toll 9 bridges
The chairman of Pennsylvania’s Senate Transportation Committee on Wednesday said he wants to halt plans to toll nine major bridges on interstates around the state. Senate Transportation Committee Chairman Wayne Langerholc, R-Cambria, introduced a bill to require legislative authorization of any proposed transportation project with a user fee, even it...
Fauci: U.S. covid shots ramping up toward immunity
WASHINGTON — The nation’s top infectious disease expert says the U.S. could see significant steps toward a return to the pre-pandemic normal, even before the country reaches coronavirus herd immunity. Dr. Anthony Fauci says best estimates when enough people are immune to end the outbreak range between 70-85% of the...
Clinics wait to vaccinate farmworkers: ‘Our hands are tied’
With Georgia’s sweet onion harvest approaching and covid-19 vaccine arriving in increasing quantities from the federal government, migrant health centers around the state want to start vaccinating farmworkers. But there’s a catch. In Georgia and many other places around the U.S., such efforts are blocked by state policies that give...
Stability in bond market helps lift most U.S. stock indexes
Major U.S. indexes are moving mostly higher Wednesday as stability in the bond market translates into gains for stocks. A key measure of inflation was lower than expected last month, helping to calm investors who had worried that prices could rise too quickly as the economy recovers. The S&P 500...
Russia slows down Twitter, part of social media clampdown
Russian authorities said Wednesday they are slowing down the speed of uploading photos and videos to Twitter over its failure to remove banned content — part of growing efforts to curb social media platforms that have played a major role in amplifying dissent. The state communications watchdog, Roskomnadzor, said it...
Huge virus aid bill nears final OK in win for Biden, Dems
WASHINGTON — Congress sped toward final approval Wednesday of a landmark $1.9 trillion covid-19 relief bill, as President Joe Biden and Democrats neared a major triumph for the party’s priorities and showcased the unity they’ll need to forge future victories. The House was on track to use a virtual party-line...
GOP struggles to define Biden, turns to culture wars instead
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden and the Democrats were on the brink of pushing through sprawling legislation with an eyepopping, $1.9 trillion price tag. But many Republican politicians and conservative commentators had other priorities in recent days. A passionate defense of Dr. Seuss. Serious questions about the future of Mr....
Biden’s first 50 days: Where he stands on key promises
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden laid out an ambitious agenda for his first 100 days in office, promising swift action on everything from climate change to immigration reform to the coronavirus pandemic. He hits his 50th day in office on Wednesday as his administration eyes a major milestone: final congressional...
Embattled California Gov. Newsom says ‘brighter days ahead’
LOS ANGELES — California Gov. Gavin Newsom sought to rally his state worn down after a year of coronavirus lockdowns, record wildfires and unfathomable sickness and death. He urged California’s nearly 40 million residents to “dream of brighter days ahead” while acknowledging mistakes that have put his political future on...
NHL reaches 7-year agreement with ESPN
The National Hockey League and ESPN are together again: The two sides announced a seven-year agreement Wednesday beginning next season that includes four Stanley Cup Finals, the NHL All-Star game and comprehensive streaming rights. ESPN has a long history with the league, stretching back to the network’s launch, but hasn’t...
Attorneys sift strong opinions, anxiety among Derek Chauvin jurors
MINNEAPOLIS — One was anxious, worried about high emotion surrounding the case. One worried his family might be targeted. And one was delighted to receive her jury summons — even after learning she might wind up on the panel considering whether to convict a former police officer in George Floyd’s...
Secondary scoring proves to be pivotal for the top NHL teams
The Tampa Bay Lightning hoisted the Stanley Cup last year, leaning on their top line of Brayden Point, Nikita Kucherov and Ondrej Palat to produce nearly 40% of their points during the postseason run. Tampa Bay is now winning a different way, nearing the midway point of the 56-game, pandemic-shortened...
This date in sports history: March 10Video
1913 — The Quebec Bulldogs win the Stanley Cup in two games over Sydney. 1920 — Quebec’s Joe Malone scores six goals to lead the Bulldogs to a 10-4 rout of the Ottawa Senators. 1961 — Wilt Chamberlain of the Philadelphia Warriors becomes the first NBA player to score 3,000...
U.S. aid to Pa. draws GOP warning to use it for 1-time costs
HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania state government is expected to receive more than $7 billion from the $1.9 trillion covid-19 rescue package making its way through Congress, or almost one-fifth of its operating costs this year, with some warning that the one-time aid should be used only for one-time costs. Many across...
House approves pro-union bill despite dim Senate oddsVideo
WASHINGTON — The Democratic-led House on Tuesday approved legislation that would invigorate workers’ unions, following decades of court defeats and legislative setbacks that have kneecapped the labor movement’s once formidable ability to organize. The measure, which union leaders and labor allies have presented as a cure for decades of working-class...
New owner Buzzfeed lays off 45 from HuffPost newsroom
NEW YORK — Buzzfeed announced Tuesday that it has laid off 45 reporters, editors and producers from the newly acquired HuffPost. HuffPost Executive Editor Hillary Frey, the website’s executive editor, and Executive Editor Louise Roug also resigned over the layoffs, Buzzfeed said. The dismissals come just three weeks after Buzzfeed...
PGA Tour slowly creeps toward normalVideo
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — The backdrop was a navy blue board filled with 33 logos of The Players Championship. Sitting next to PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan was the gold trophy as he spoke about scrapping the tour’s premier event last year and how golf made it through the...
Roger Mudd, longtime network TV newsman, dies at 93Video
Roger Mudd, the longtime political correspondent and anchor for NBC and CBS who once stumped Sen. Edward Kennedy by simply asking why he wanted to be president, has died. He was 93. CBS News says Mudd died Tuesday of complications of kidney failure at his home in McLean, Va. During...
Former Penn State WRs Chris Godwin, Allen Robinson top franchise tag listVideo
The big money that accompanies franchise tags for the 2021 season is going to receivers, safeties and linemen. No running backs. No tight ends. No linebackers. And, with Dak Prescott reaching agreement with the Dallas Cowboys on a new four-year deal, no quarterbacks. So wideouts Chris Godwin, who helped the...
No shortage of Top 25 teams in Big 12 TournamentVideo
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Chris Beard played college basketball in Texas, worked for a spell at his alma mater, then spent most of his coaching career at small schools across the state before taking over as coach at Texas Tech. Yet, he was downright flabbergasted to learn no school from...
Ex-Army captain who killed family seeks release because of coronavirus
FORT BRAGG, N.C. — A former Army captain serving three life sentences for the murders of his pregnant wife and two young children in 1970 has asked a federal judge to free him because of his age and failing health. A hearing on Jeffrey MacDonald’s request for compassionate release is...
Arkansas governor signs near-total abortion ban into law
LITTLE ROCK — Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson on Tuesday signed into law legislation banning nearly all abortions in the state, a sweeping measure that supporters hope will force the U.S. Supreme Court to revisit its landmark Roe v. Wade decision but opponents vow to block before it takes effect later...
Biden won’t put his name on relief checks, unlike TrumpVideo
President Joe Biden will not be attaching his signature to the $1,400 relief checks that are expected to be mailed soon — a break with his predecessor who last year had “President Donald J. Trump” printed on the economic impact payments approved by Congress. The next round of paper checks...
Piers Morgan quits ‘Good Morning Britain’ after comments about Meghan MarkleVideo
LONDON — British talk show host Piers Morgan on Tuesday quit “Good Morning Britain” after making contentious comments about Meghan following her bombshell interview about the royal family. The U.K.’s media watchdog said earlier Tuesday that it was launching an investigation into the show under its harm and offense rules...
Big Ten entering postseason eager to end NCAA title drought
The coach of the Big Ten’s last national championship team believes the conference’s 20-year title drought could end this season. “We’ve got four or five teams that are on top that could do it,” Michigan State’s Tom Izzo said. “There’s enough good teams that we could get a couple teams...
