News

Changes to Medicaid already affecting rolls

Local News July 9, 2026

Controversial work requirements added to the Medicaid program were intended to ensure that able-bodied adults are earning paychecks and enrolled in employer-provided healthcare coverage whenever possible. Critics say the way the new requirement is being implemented, though, creates barriers that could boot people from Medicaid even if they are working. The Big Beautiful Bill signed into law last summer by President Donald Trump mandates that most adults enrolled in Medicaid must work or do other qualifying activities at least 80 hours a month. However, a final rule issued by the ...

Ticker: Fed unveils members of new task forces

Local Business July 9, 2026

Venture capitalist Marc Andreessen, economist Raj Chetty and former Bank of England governor Mervyn King are among a slate of names released by the Federal Reserve Thursday that will help develop recommended changes to the central bank’s operations. Warsh called for “regime change” at the Fed last year while he was under consideration by the Trump administration to replace former chair Jerome Powell. Yet it’s not yet clear how transformative the task forces will be. News outlets urge judge to sanction OpenAI The New York Times, the Daily News and other media outlets are ...

New York sues chemical companies

Local Business July 9, 2026

ALBANY, N.Y. — New York’s attorney general sued several large chemical and agricultural companies on Thursday, alleging they knowingly sold harmful so-called forever chemicals used in cosmetics, non-stick cookware and other products. The lawsuit against 3M, DuPont de Nemours, The Chemours Company and Corteva and other manufacturers is the latest legal action over PFAS, which have been linked to an increased risk of certain cancers and developmental delays in children. “Big companies like 3M and DuPont knowingly sold toxic products that threatened New Yorkers’ health and ...

Prices of existing US homes hit all-time high

Local Business July 9, 2026

Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes slowed in June, but a key measure of home prices climbed to an all-time high, adding to affordability challenges for prospective homebuyers. Existing home sales fell 2.4% last month from May to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.09 million units, the National Association of Realtors said Thursday. Sales rose 2.8% compared with June last year. The latest sales tally fell short of the roughly 4.21 million pace economists were expecting, according to FactSet. Home sales have been mostly hovering close to a 4-million annual pace going back to ...

Greenfield Township residents urged to attend Bedford Street project open house

Local News July 9, 2026

HOLLIDAYSBURG — Blair County leaders are encouraging Greenfield Township residents to attend a July 15 open house meeting in Claysburg, where plans for improvements to County Road 101 — also known as Bedford Street — will be available for review and comment. Those interested in the project can attend the open house meeting at any time between 3:30 and 7 p.m. at the Greenfield Community Center, 122 Senior Drive. Commissioner Amy Webster said Thursday that the meeting will offer an opportunity for people to learn more about the forthcoming efforts in the ongoing project being ...

Duncansville assistance form raises concern

Local News July 9, 2026

DUNCANSVILLE — A few residents aired concerns about Duncansville Borough’s practice for residents to request property assistance by borough employees before the citizen request sheet was unanimously approved during Wednesday’s meeting. Now that the form has been approved, borough residents who need outdoor work done on their properties are allowed to request an assistance form. Once approved, borough employees can use equipment to take care of that request. The citizen request sheet was included under the solicitor’s report by Michael S. Emerick, who spoke about formalizing ...