WJPA News

It is not unusual to see Washington County Commissioners out and about in the county at community events or even the grocery store. Last week, Commissioner Electra Janis traveled for two days to Washington D.C. to advocate to federal representatives on behalf of Washington County residents. Janis, along with 10 other commissioners from surrounding counties were invited by the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission to meet with staff for Senators and Representatives from the region. Janis met with senior staff from the offices of Representatives Guy Reschenthaler and Chris Diluzio, and Senator Dave McCormick. She traveled, armed with evidence to prove the need for emergency funding by FEMA to alleviate flood damage caused by the two mid-September rain storms. Janis showed pictures of the sink hole at the South Strabane Township fire station, the flooding that happened at the W&J football field and other locations around Washington and South Strabane. She drove home the point that help is needed now, not a year from now. Janis says the report was well received by the bi-partisan panel with whom she met. She has since followed up with a flurry of emails to ensure quick action.

A portion of Route 50 (Miller Run Road) in Cecil Township will be closed from Friday, October 2 at 7:00 PM until Monday October 5 at 5:00 AM. The closing will take place at the railroad crossing between Blakemore Drive and Southview Road. A railroad crossing is being replaced. A posted detour using Water Dam Road, Pleasant Valley Road, Grant Street, Noblestown Road and Route 980.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health provided an update to the current measles outbreak in the commonwealth. On Friday, 977 measles cases have been confirmed in 39 counties so far this year. Since September 30, 34 new measles cases have been documented. There have been 195 total hospitalizations. There have been 5 confirmed measles associated deaths. There have only been 4 cases of measles among vaccinated individuals. According to the Department of Health, getting vaccinated is the best protection against the measles virus. The vaccine has proven to be 97% effective at preventing measles for life after two doses.

Severe flooding in September caused damage throughout Washington County. On Thursday and Friday, a Multi-Agency Response Center was open to residents and business owners who were affected by flooding. The event was held at the American Legion in Washington, and many organizations were there to provide information about insurance, repairs, and how to report damages. Clyde Chappell coordinates disaster action for the American Red Cross. He says it means a lot to the organization to be able to serve the community. Lieutenant Thomas Perez of the Salvation Army says having a one-stop shop for those who were affected is important, and he believes it will provide some hope for residents. Dustyn Montgomery, the emergency planner for the Washington County Department of Public Safety, encourages anyone with flood damage to report it.

Updated 2026-2027 COVID vaccines are available, but it seems as though less people are willing to get the shot. Dr. William Sharpnack, a family physician in Washington, believes this could be for several reasons, including COVID being less severe than it used to be, general apprehension of vaccines, and the fact that many people do not like seasonal shots. Sharpnack says it is still important to get the vaccine, and it is more important depending on a person’s risk factors. He says those with certain chronic illnesses, like asthma, cancer, and diabetes, children younger than two, and people older than 65 should all get vaccinated. Sharpnack says there is no question that COVID vaccines are safe.  (Photo:  AP)

Pennsylvania is beautiful in the fall as the leaves turn red, orange, and yellow. In Washington County, peak color can be seen from the third week of October until the end of the month. Dave Planinsek, a forester with the Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry, says recent heavy rainfall can have both positive and negative impacts on the leaves. Some trees get fungal leaf spot diseases, which causes brown spots on the leaves and less vibrant color. Other trees, like oak, take advantage of the rain and produce bright, colorful leaves. Planinsek explains that sunny days and cool nights help to produce bright fall colors. Planinsek says Southern Somerset County is the best area to view fall color now. Weekly fall foliage reports can be found here.

MOBILE, Ala. (AP) — President Donald Trump continued his midterm campaign swing with a rally in deep red Alabama Friday, returning to the place where he drew his first mega crowd but is hardly considered a top midterm battleground. With just weeks to go before elections that will determine control of Congress, Trump urged his supporters to back Republicans including Sen. Tommy Tuberville, who is running for Alabama governor, and state Rep. Rhett Marques, who is seeking to flip Alabama’s newly redrawn 2nd Congressional District. His decision to spend so much time in deep red states underscores his party’s uphill climb and his dismal poll numbers.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The FBI has commissioned a classified report to the workforce examining what it says are chapters from the bureau’s history when it “fell short.” That’s according to an internal message obtained Friday by The Associated Press. It’s unclear what episodes from the FBI’s past are documented in the new “Patel Report.” But the document’s mere existence is in keeping with Director Kash Patel’s frequent criticism of the leaders who preceded him and with his determination to rid the FBI of agents and other employees he contends have politicized the bureau in the past. Patel’s critics accuse him of politicizing the FBI.

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — The FlyDubai co-pilot who officials said nearly crashed a Tel Aviv-bound flight with 182 people aboard was barred from flying by his native Oman over concerns he had adopted extremist views, a person familiar with the matter said Saturday. The co-pilot was subsequently hired by the United Arab Emirates-based airline, the person said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing investigation. It was not immediately clear to what extent he was vetted when he was hired in the Emirates. Oman’s move to bar the co-pilot from flying was first reported by the Wall Street Journal.

A woman who says she was gang-raped at Cornell University testified at a campus hearing that she “felt like bait” as the attackers were “like lions around me.” This is according to newly released records from the school’s disciplinary investigation. Details of the alleged attack first emerged from a lawsuit filed by the woman, identified only as Jane Doe. Heavily redacted Title IX documents show conflicting reports of what happened at the Chi Phi fraternity party in October 2024. The documents are part of a separate lawsuit involving one of the accused men looking to overturn his punishment.

MIAMI (AP) — A former Miami congressman has been sentenced to ten years in prison for a secret $50 million lobbying campaign for Venezuela during President Donald Trump’s first term. Republican David Rivera, a longtime friend of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, has been jailed since being found guilty in May of failing to register as a foreign agent and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The details of his work for Nicolás Maduro’s Venezuelan government that came out during the trial highlighted Miami’s role as a hub for foreign influence campaigns targeting U.S. policy toward Latin America. Rubio testified that he had no idea it was going on and that he felt betrayed.

Christa Pike’s attorneys say she was placed on a ventilator in hospital and was unconscious hours after her failed execution in Tennessee. Her lawyers said in a court filing Friday that hospital staff were working to save Pike’s life and clear the pentobarbital from her system as of late Thursday. Pike was given two doses of the drug Wednesday in the failed execution. Pike’s attorneys say they believe problems with the IV lines caused the pentobarbital to flow into her body instead of her bloodstream. Gov. Bill Lee has ordered an independent review.