TribLive stories, Page 2273
Navy SEAL commander arraigned in alleged Iraq war crime cover-up
SAN DIEGO — A general court martial began with the arraignment of a Navy SEAL platoon commander Tuesday for allegedly failing to report war crimes that prosecutors say were committed by another SEAL under his command. Lt. Jacob X. Portier was in a San Diego military courtroom where he was...
In a surprise move, Pennsylvania is throwing the door open for industrial hemp production
In a surprising turn, Pennsylvania is throwing the door wide open for industrial hemp production — something the state, or the country for that matter, has not seen since before World War II. State Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding said Tuesday that Pennsylvania submitted a plan to the Department of Agriculture...
Ex-Trump lawyer Michael Cohen delaying testimony to Congress
WASHINGTON— President Trump’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen, will not testify before a House committee next month as scheduled, his adviser said Wednesday, depriving Democrats for now of a prime opportunity to scrutinize Trump, his links to Russia and payments to buy the silence of a porn star. Cohen indefinitely delayed...
Venezuela’s Juan Guaido declares himself president amid protests
CARACAS — Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido declared himself interim president in a defiant speech Wednesday before masses of anti-government demonstrators who took to the streets to demand President Nicolas Maduro’s removal — a bold move that was immediately recognized by the Trump administration and a growing number of other...
Editorial: Gigs are up with Walmart announcement
The news of Walmart grocery delivery in the Pittsburgh area was met with interest. A way to go to Walmart without actually going to Walmart? A chance to casually select ice cream, laundry detergent, half a pound of chipped ham, six frozen pizzas and a dozen bagels from a phone...
Cheesy nachos turn after-school snack into a fiesta
These nachos are a cinch to make and can turn after-school snack time for a few kids into something of a fiesta. Or double the recipe and use a 13-by-9-inch baking dish, and you’ll have enough nachos to really get the party started! If you like your nachos spicy, layer...
James Gandolfini’s son to play young Tony in ‘Sopranos’ prequel
James Gandolfini’s son is sticking with the family business. Michael Gandolfini is set to take on the role made famous by his father, Tony Soprano, in the upcoming “The Sopranos” prequel film, Deadline reported. Michael will play a young version of the no-nonsense mob boss in “The Many Saints of...
Man accused of stabbing dog in retaliation for chicken’s death, affidavit says
AUSTIN, Texas — A man accused of stabbing a dog that he said killed his chicken a year ago was arrested in northwestern Travis County, Texas, over the weekend, according to an arrest affidavit filed in Travis County on Tuesday. Owen Jay Pettit, 45, was charged with cruelty to animals...
Conan O’Brien aired his first half-hour show Tuesday night. Here’s what was different.
After a three-month hiatus, Conan O’Brien returned to television Tuesday night - as he announced last fall, after 25 years of hosting an hour-long late-night program, his TBS show “Conan” would move to a 30-minute format. It might seem small, but as you might know, late-night is typically very regimented:...
Could Kansas abandon daylight saving time?
TOPEKA, Kan. — Imagine no longer “falling back” or “springing ahead.” Imagine a world where you don’t have to figure out how to set your microwave or dashboard clock. If you live in Kansas, imagine it’s a day that may be closer than you think. A bill before state lawmakers...
Hulu cuts basic monthly subscription to $6 after Netflix hike
Hulu is lowering the price of its entry-level, ad-supported online TV service by 25 percent to $6 a month — a week after Netflix raised prices. The on-demand video service, which features over 85,000 episodes of shows such as “The Good Doctor” and “The Handmaid’s Tale,” is keeping the price...
White supremacist pleads guilty to NYC sword killing
NEW YORK — A white supremacist has pleaded guilty to killing a black man with a sword as part of a racist plot that prosecutors described as a hate crime. James Jackson admitted to fatally stabbing 66-year-old Timothy Caughman in 2017 after stalking a number of black men in New...
Letter to the editor: 2 cheers for Gov. Tom Wolf
The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI, www.rggi.org) was established several years ago by Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont “to support the development and implementation of each RGGI State’s CO2 Budget Trading Program” using a cap-and-trade mechanism to lower greenhouse gas emissions. In...
Letter to the editor: Border crisis manufactured by past administrations
Yes, border security is a manufactured crisis. It was manufactured by past administrations and supported by President Obama and his administration’s policies. June Morrison Zelienople...
Letter to the editor: Noncitizens & taxes
Regarding the editorial “Everyone counts in census” (Jan. 15, TribLIVE): How many of these noncitizens have real Social Security number to pay income taxes? Why should they have any say on how it is spent through the extra politicians their numbers would allow to be elected? Clem Zahrobsky Delmont...
Letter to the editor: Let’s move forward on methane
The commitment by Peoples Gas on Jan. 8 to cut 50 percent of its methane emissions in the city of Pittsburgh is welcome news in the fight against climate change (“Peoples pledges to plug leaking methane from Pittsburgh gas lines,” Jan. 9, TribLIVE). Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas, far...
Boeing’s flying car has taken off
A Boeing flying car designed to whisk passengers over congested city streets and dodge skyscrapers completed its first test flight on Tuesday, offering a peek into the future of urban transportation the aerospace giant and others are seeking to reshape. A prototype of its autonomous passenger air vehicle completed a...
Erica Smith: Good-character requirements violate rights
Rejected for lacking “good- moral character.” That was what the letter said from the Pennsylvania Board of Cosmetology to Courtney Haveman. Haveman had just spent thousands of dollars on beauty school learning to become an esthetician. She had enjoyed learning how to do facials, waxing, tweezing and more. She was ready...
Cops: Mom spanked other parents’ kids with a belt, wooden spoon at sleepover
A Florida woman faces child abuse charges after police say she spanked other parents’ children at a sleepover she was hosting. “One girl mentioned that she was hit in the knee with a wooden spoon, and another one said that she was hit with a shoe,” Fred Jones of the...
Melissa McCarthy has an early bedtime. Should all adults?
Do you ever wish that you could go to sleep shortly after you put your kids to bed? Maybe you should. Early bedtimes don’t have to be just for kids. Actress Melissa McCarthy, 48, has one. The actress, who earned an Oscar nomination for her performance in “Can You Ever...
Analysis: Falling home sales not helping middle-class buyers
WASHINGTON — When home sales weaken, prices typically do, too, and buyers benefit. Not quite this time. Home purchases in many areas of the country have dipped, and price gains have slowed. Yet a rising number of middle-class Americans are finding that home ownership is unaffordable. Why? Mortgage rates are...
Russell Baker, droll columnist and memoirist who twice won Pulitzer, dies at 93
Russell Baker, the Pulitzer Prize-winning writer who for 36 years brought whimsy, irreverence and droll commentary to the Observer column in the New York Times and whose memoir, “Growing Up,” was a bestseller, died Jan. 21 at his home in Leesburg, Virginia. He was 93. The cause was complications from...
Mueller looking into Trump campaign ties to NRA as part of Russia probe
Special counsel Robert Mueller is probing the Trump campaign’s “dealings” with the National Rifle Association as part of his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, a person familiar with the matter said Tuesday. Mueller’s investigators asked former Trump aide Sam Nunberg about the campaign’s relationship with the NRA...
Beijing urged to free detained Canadians
BEIJING — The United States will continue to seek the extradition of jailed technology executive Meng Wanzhou, the U.S. Department of Justice confirmed Tuesday, news that will intensify a high-stakes dispute between China and the United States. Meng, who is chief financial officer for Huawei Technologies, was arrested in Vancouver...
Chiefs fire defensive coordinator Bob Sutton after loss to Pats
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Chiefs fired defensive coordinator Bob Sutton on Tuesday, just two days after Kansas City failed to stop Tom Brady and the New England Patriots on what turned out to be the only possession of overtime in a crushing 37-31 playoff defeat. Chiefs coach Andy Reid...
