WJPA News

A large crowd gathered at noon on Sunday in front of the Washington County Courthouse to protest the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renee Good, who was shot and killed by an ICE officer last week  in Minneapolis.  Washington’s protest was one of  hundreds held across the county over the weekend following the shooting of Good by federal officers.  Speaking to the Associated Press, Good’s former husband, who declined to be identified for the safety of their children, said his former wife was not an activist and had never, to his knowledge, even attended a protest.  Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara says a protest Friday night turned violent when people threw ice, snow and rocks at officers. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey faults “agitators who are trying to rile up large crowds.” The demonstrations come as the U.S. Department of Homeland Security pushes forward in the Twin Cities with what it calls its biggest-ever immigration enforcement operation.

(WPXI)-CHARTIERS TOWNSHIP, Pa. — A person was hit by a vehicle in Washington County on Saturday, officials say. A Washington County 911 supervisor says the crash was reported around 9 p.m. at the intersection of Pike Street and Second Street in Chartiers Township. One person was taken to the hospital from the scene, the supervisor says. There’s been no word on their condition.

(WPXI)-First responders were on the Monongahela River on Saturday. In a social media post, the Rostraver Township Fire Department said it was assisting the Donora Fire Company with a search on the river. Rostraver reportedly provided water rescue resources to search the area and used a thermal imaging drone. Officials say they were “unable to locate a person in distress.” No further information was available. Police continue to investigate, the post says.

A fight that broke out in August at the Forty Bar and Grille in North Franklin Township caused 8 men to face preliminary hearings for their roles in the incident and all will face trial. Top charges for all men were Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO) charges along with riot with intent to commit a felony charges. The crux of the prosecution’s argument centered on the fact that all men charged are members of the War Dogs Motorcycle Club and the victim, Jordan Henderson is a member of the Pagans Motorcycle Club and that is what caused the fight. Testimony came from Julia Quarture, the bartender that was on duty when the fight broke out. She described how Kenneth Haymon entered the bar and spoke to Henderson instigating the fight. The bar’s owner Cheyenne Bennison testified to activity at the scene when she arrived after being called by her bartender. Police testimony centered on surveillance video from the bar. Detective and expert witness testimony was offered building a case for the RICO charges. In the end, the judge dismissed The RICO charges and held charges for riot with intent to cause a felony. Clark Young, Robert Conner, Kristoper Gardner, Jerry Barnett, Daniel Ullrick, Paul Prevost, Zachary Williams and Benjamin Bowman will face that charge. Barnett, Young, Conner and Gardener all face assorted other charges including aggravated assault. Two other men, Eric Hadrych and Corey Palmer waived their cases to court prior to the hearings. Not charged in the case is Kenneth Hayden. He was killed in a separate incident in Allegheny County in October. All will be arraigned next month.

Washington County Commissioner Chairman Nick Sherman took to social media to provide an update on progress of the Courthouse Square Building demolition. In a post to Facebook on Friday, Sherman said that currently contractors are conducting a wall shoring project that is stabilizing a wall between the Washington County Courthouse and the new Public Safety Building. Sherman says that once that project is complete, the timeline will be demolition in late March, site preparation in April and the construction on the new Public Safety Building will begin in May. The Public Safety Building will hold the new 9-1-1 operations center that will employ the new emergency radio system, offices for the Sheriff, and a booking center. The cost of the project is estimated to be between $30 and 35 million.

WEST POINT, Miss. (AP) — Authorities in Mississippi have charged a 24-year-old man with murder after six people were killed in a series of related shootings Friday night. Clay County Sheriff Eddie Scott says Daricka M. Moore shot his father, brother and uncle at one house before driving to another home and shooting the 7-year-old daughter of a cousin. He then allegedly drove to a church and shot the pastor and the pastor’s brother. Moore was captured at a police roadblock after an hourslong search. Prosecutors say they plan to seek the death penalty. Moore is expected to be appointed a public defender on Monday.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A Virginia man has pleaded not guilty to charges accusing him of planting two pipe bombs outside the headquarters of the Democratic and Republican national parties on the eve of the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021. Brian J. Cole Jr. entered the plea at a brief hearing on Friday. He is facing two counts of transporting and attempting to use explosives. Justice Department prosecutors have said that Cole confessed to placing pipe bombs outside the Republican National Committee and the Democratic National Committee headquarters only hours before a mob of President Donald Trump’s supporters stormed the Capitol.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Activists say the death toll in nationwide protests challenging Iran’s theocracy has reached at least 116 people killed. The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency gave the new figure, saying arrests had reached more than 2,600 people as well. The agency has been accurate in multiple rounds of unrest previously. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has signaled a coming clampdown, despite U.S. warnings from President Donald Trump that America could intervene to protect peaceful demonstrators. Tehran escalated its threats Saturday, with the Iran’s attorney general, Mohammad Movahedi Azad, warning that anyone taking part in protests will be considered an “enemy of God,” a death-penalty charge.

SAN FRANCISCO DE YARE, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuelan detainee Diógenes Angulo has been released from prison after a year and five months. He was detained for posting a video of an opposition demonstration. As he left the prison Saturday, he learned that former President Nicolás Maduro had been captured by U.S. forces on January 3rd. Venezuela’s government pledged to release a significant number of prisoners, but only 16 have been freed so far. Meanwhile, Venezuelans aligned with the government have been marching, demanding Maduro’s return. The U.S. and Venezuela are evaluating the restoration of diplomatic relations, broken since 2019.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Bob Weir, guitarist, singer and founding member of the Grateful Dead, has died at 78. Weir’s death was announced Saturday in a statement on his Instagram page. The statement says Weir had beaten cancer but succumbed to underlying lung issues. Weir joined the Grateful Dead in 1965 at just 17 years old. He would spend the next 30 years playing on virtually nonstop tours alongside fellow singer and guitarist Jerry Garcia, who died in 1995. Weir wrote or co-wrote and sang lead vocals on classics including “Sugar Magnolia” and “Mexicali Blues.” In the decades since, he kept playing with other projects including Dead and Company.