WJPA News

Once again, strong storms rolled through Washington County and caused damage in several areas. Flooding and its damage were the main concern once again in Canonsburg. Our news partner Channel 11 was in Canonsburg talking to business owners along West Pike Street. This is the second time in two weeks that flooding has affected the area near Mcburney Road. Cheryl Homerosky owns a tanning salon, she is frustrated because she has to re do the work they did a few weeks back. Sharon Mastrangioli is a business owner and wants the appropriate people to step up and fix the flooding issues that are causing the frustration of business owners along West Pike Street.

Flooding occurred all over the area near Canonsburg. Local news reports had flooding on Interstate 79 North  near the Southpointe interchange. A social media post showed Route 19 flooded near Demar Blvd. in North Strabane Township. In Cecil Township, Hahn Drive was reported to have been flooded. Cecil Township Police, in a social media post said that North Depaoli Road, Georgetown Road, Morganza Road and Valley street all were affected by severe flooding. And, in social media posts from Peters Township, Valleybrook Road near E. McMurray Road was flooded, as was a portion of E. McMurray Road near Donaldson’s Crossroads. Washington County 9-1-1 is reporting that there are no known road closures at this time. When you are out driving, exercise caution because ponding water is still evident in low lying areas.

Washington County 9-1-1 Dispatchers report that a fire occurred in Midway Borough overnight. They say a fire in a home broke out just after midnight. It happened in the 100 block of South Main Street in Midway. According to the Midway Fire Chief, a domestic situation may have occurred prior to the fire. As crews arrived, an occupant that lived with their family in the home ran off. Smith Township Police posted on their Facebook page that prior to the fire, they were dispatched to the home for a domestic incident. It states that Michael Higgins was seen by a witness intentionally setting fire to the home. After a brief chase, he was apprehended.  He has been charged with causing or risking a catastrophe and terroristic threats, among other charges. Higgins is now in the Washington County Jail awaiting arraignment. The Fire Marshal is investigating.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has ordered the Pentagon to scale back annual joint military exercises with South Korea. He explained the decision by saying South Korea had declined to help with the “denuclearization” of Iran and he cited his good relationship with North Korea’s leader. Trump said in a social media post on Sunday that the exercises are costly and “send a signal that is totally inappropriate and hostile” to North Korea, which he said “has been unthreatening and respectful” during his time in the White House. The 11 days of exercises involving 18,000 South Korean soldiers began Monday and were designed to beef up readiness against North Korean threats.

ETTRICK, Va. (AP) — Authorities are seeking additional people who fired weapons during a weekend shooting at Virginia State University that left five people wounded. A 19-year-old suspect remained in custody on Sunday. Investigators are trying to determine if others who fired weapons did so in self-defense or if they were aggressors. The shooting just after 1:30 a.m. Saturday came as students were getting ready for the new school year. The suspect is not a student but was found hiding in a dormitory closet Saturday afternoon. He faces four counts of malicious wounding and four counts of using a firearm during a felony. Only one of the victims is a student.

BOGOTÁ, Colombia (AP) — Colombia’s President Abelardo de la Espriella has asked U.S. President Donald Trump to suspend tariffs to help Colombia recover from a devastating earthquake. The 7.4 magnitude quake struck Monday, killing at least 289 people and injuring nearly 4,000. De la Espriella, who took office earlier this month, emphasized his connections with Trump, thanking him for $26.5 million in U.S. aid. The quake destroyed thousands of homes, including in western cities like Pereira and Cali. The government declared it a natural disaster, with at least143 people missing and extensive damage reported. Rescue efforts continue despite the challenging conditions.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Hayden Panettiere has died at age 36. She starred in television series including “Heroes” and “Nashville.” Panettiere’s father, Skip, announced the actor’s death in a statement provided to ABC News Sunday. No cause of death was announced, and a publicist did not immediately respond to an email from The Associated Press. Panettiere had a prolific career dating to 1996, and her credits included the voice of Dot in “A Bug’s Life,” “Remember the Titans” and “Scream VI.” Her role as a cheerleader with superpowers in “Heroes” propelled her to fame, with the series revolving around the mantra “Save the cheerleader, save the world.”