WJPA News

The Public Utilities Commission began a series of public input hearings in Washington County on a rate increase proposal filed by The Pennsylvania American Water Company. The PUC voted 5-0 to suspend and investigate the proposed rate changes. PAWC is seeking a 14.6% rate increase for water and wastewater services. That is an increase of $168.7 million. PUC Administrative Law Judges Emily DeVoe and Jeff Watson were greeted by a standing room only crowd offering testimony on the rate change. Nearly three dozen people spoke and the vast majority asked the PUC to approve the rate hike. Those people were consultants, contractors and grant recipients, people who are benefit from their association with PAWC. Several of the contractors told of their experiences dealing with infrastructure that sometimes is tracked to be nearly 100 years old. Only six people spoke against the rate hike. They stated that the rate hike was excessive and hurtful to customers. Some delved into company profits information. It was stated that in 2024 the American Water Works Company, parent company to PAWC profited $1.05 billion. They asked why some of that money could not be used for infrastructure upgrades. Rate increases are dependent on services. Water only customers could see a rate increase of anywhere from $2.73 per month to $27.77 per month depending on location. Wastewater customers could see increases of $0 to $26.29 depending on location. Customers that use both services could see an increase of $20 per month. Anyone who missed the meeting may still participate by going to consumer@paoca.org.

Residents in North Franklin Township will begin the new year with modifications to their burning ordinance. Supervisors unanimously approved changes to days and times residents can conduct burning. Burning will now be allowed on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The times will be from 8:00 am until 7:00 pm. Burning for agricultural purposes will be permitted every day. Small recreational fires such as those in firepits will also be allowed each day. There is a fine associated with ordinance if someone is caught in violation. That fine is up to $1000 each occurrence. The fine will be issued by either the fire chief or code enforcement officer. The township still reserves the right to ban all burning in times of excessively dry weather.

DONOROA BOROUGH, Pa. — A Pennsylvania Lottery Cash Five with Quick Cash ticket worth $350,000 was sold in Donora for Monday’s drawing. The ticket matched all five drawn numbers: 4, 16, 24, 28 and 37. It was sold at Station, located in the 700-block of Meldon Avenue. The retailer will receive a $500 bonus for selling the winning ticket. Winners can claim their prizes within one year of the drawing and tickets must be validated.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Days of demonstrations against immigration agents and a new lawsuit have left Minnesota tense. Federal officers sprayed eye irritant and dropped tear gas at activists on Tuesday in Minneapolis. Students, meanwhile, walked out of a school in a Minneapolis suburb to protest the Trump administration’s bold immigration sweeps. Minnesota and its two largest cities are suing the government to try to halt or limit the enforcement surge that led to the fatal shooting of a woman last week in Minneapolis. There’s more fallout: At least five prosecutors have resigned amid turmoil over how the government is handling Renee Good’s death.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republicans are facing intense pressure from President Donald Trump to vote down a war powers resolution that is aimed at limiting the president’s ability to carry out further military action against Venezuela. Five GOP senators joined with Democrats to advance the resolution last week. Democrats are forcing the vote after U.S. troops captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro in a surprise nighttime raid earlier this month. The legislation has virtually no chance of becoming law because it would eventually need to be signed by Trump himself. But the vote has become a test of Republican loyalty to the president.

NUUK, Greenland (AP) — U.S. Vice President JD Vance is meeting with Danish and Greenlandic officials in Washington on Wednesday as President Donald Trump insists on controlling Greenland. Greenlanders say the Arctic island, which is a semiautonomous region of Denmark is not for sale. Denmark’s prime minister has warned that taking the island by force could end the NATO alliance. Trump claims the U.S. must own Greenland for strategic reasons, and has cited threats from Russian and Chinese ships but Greenlanders who spoke to AP questioned those claims and suggested Trump wants the island for its natural resources.

Iran’s top judge has hinted that trials and executions are ahead as activists say the death toll from Iran’s protests has risen to at least 2,571. The country has eased some restrictions, allowing mobile phone calls abroad for the first time in days. Internet and texting services remain restricted. The satellite internet service Starlink is offering free service in Iran to help people attempting to share protest footage. Outside the country, international reactions continue with other nations summoning Iranian ambassadors and announcing sanctions in response to the crackdown.