WJPA News

The deadline for removing skill game machines went into effect at midnight, prompting non-compliant venues across the area to get rid of their devices.  In June, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that skill game machines are essentially slot machines.  Lawmakers had 120 days to regulate the machines after the ruling, but ultimately couldn’t agree on how much to tax the games, with proposals rising as high as 52%. The fight became a stalemate between the Senate and the House.  Harrisburg insiders said “very little progress” was made before the deadline, but also said discussions are expected to continue.  Under the new rules, licensed casinos and qualifying licensed truck stop establishments are the only entities permitted to operate skill games. To maintain the machines, qualified businesses must pay a licensing fee of $500 per month for each machine, a cost that several local businesses say is not worth the expense.  If caught operating a skill machine, you will face a first-degree misdemeanor charge. It carries up to five years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine.  Officials estimated that there were about 70,000 skill games throughout Pennsylvania

Washington County Commissioners reached out to inform and educate communities across the county on their efforts to improve life in Washington County with their outreach programs. Commissioner Nick Sherman detailed the new public safety building and 9-1-1 radio upgrade. Commissioner Larry Maggi discussed the blight mitigation program. Currently 73 blighted projects have been addressed. Of those, 59 are complete and 14 are in progress. One of the projects underway is the demolition of the old Somerset Inn on Rt. 136 in North Strabane Township. Commissioner Electra Janis discussed LSA and Opioid Settlement funding. Human Services Director Dr. John Tamiggi discussed the Human Services Department. Winding up the presentation was Bob Griffin, Director of the Redevelopment Authority of the County of Washington. He updated the audience on projects ranging from upgrades at the Washington County Airport to complete renovation of the former Washington Crown Center, now known as the Franklin Crossroads Park. He pointed to renovations at Lazear Hall on Washington And Jefferson’s campus that houses the college’s nursing program. Griffin called Canonsburg the “Gold Standard” for redevelopment with their efforts in redeveloping an old department store into the Midtown Market and the New Canonsburg Educational And Cultural Institute’s revitalization of the old Canonsburg Middle School. The Canon Theatre just had its ribbon cutting where they hope to host up to 150 shows per year. Smaller municipalities such as Charleroi were there to investigate the blight mitigation program. Deemston Borough spoke of their use of LSA funds to do electrical security camera upgrades at their buildings. Brownsville Borough spoke of their use of LSA funds for playground upgrades, war memorial restoration and the revitalization of their municipal center.

North Franklin Township will be holding a special meeting to consider zoning changes in the township. The township is looking to rezone a large tract of land that sits along Park Avenue, adjacent to the reservoirs and dams. Supervisors wish to create the Franklin Lakes Overlay Area in an effort to make sure developers do not arrive and try to build housing developments that would stress the township’s infrastructure. They also wish to protect the green areas of the township as much as possible. Supervisors will also be entertaining changes in zoning to portions of the property that holds the closed Ramada Inn hotel. Currently the zoning for the parcel is a combined C3 and R3. A request for light manufacturing to be added as part of the C3 zoning is also proposed. A prospective buyer for the property is asking for the residential zoning to be eliminated to better suit their needs. That hearing will be held on November 18 at 5:30 pm. Supervisors are also studying the possibility of teaming with a neighboring municipality for police coverage. Last month, resident Fawn Schooley said that she and other residents would prefer to have a neighborhood police presence as opposed to the current State Police coverage. Their complaint is that State Police are only around when they are called. They feel a neighborhood police presence would be more effective shiuld issues arise. Supervisors expressed that they are happy with State Police coverage. They did meet this week with City of Washington Police for very preliminary discussions.

More than 150 community stakeholders working to address the opioid epidemic gathered Wednesday at the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum for the third annual Road to Recovery Symposium, hosted by the Washington County Department of Human Services.  The annual event brings together individuals with lived experience, community organizations, service providers and local leaders to share ideas, strengthen partnerships and identify solutions in the ongoing fight against opioid addiction.  “The people in this room are the boots on the ground getting the work done. The thing I love about this event is we do not sit around and have the conversations in this room and that is the end. We leave here and the collaboration continues,” said Vice Chair Electra Janis.  Washington County officials say they continue to play a role in addressing the opioid epidemic through the distribution of opioid settlement funds, which support programs and organizations working to prevent substance use, expand recovery resources and strengthen community support. Several symposium speakers represented organizations that have received settlement funding since it first became available in 2023.  Presenters included Teresa Burroughs of the Lemoyne Community Center; Pastor Tom Ravasio of Shekinah Ranch Camp; Nicole Masur of the Washington County Department of Human Services Housing and Homelessness division; Margie Ratay, social worker for the Peters Township Police Department; and keynote speaker Dr. Mary Jo Podgurski of the Common Ground Teen Center 

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Social Security Administration projects a 3.6% cost-of-living adjustment for older adults and people with disabilities starting in 2027. Some recipients say it won’t offset rising prices. This adjustment means $75 extra per month for the nearly 72 million Social Security beneficiaries and about 7.3 million Supplemental Security Income recipients. Inflation continues to pressure household budgets and savings, and some older Americans feel the increase isn’t enough. The Social Security Administration faces a looming bankruptcy date if a funding shortfall isn’t addressed by Congress. Lawmakers have proposed measures to replenish the trust funds, including lifting the payroll tax cap to generate substantial revenue.

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. inflation accelerated last month as gas, clothes, and air fares got more expensive, evidence that rising prices remain an economic challenge just a few weeks before the midterm elections. The consumer price index rose 3.7% in September compared with a year ago, the Labor Department said Wednesday, up from 3.4% in August. On a monthly basis, costs jumped 0.6% from August to September, up from 0.4% the previous month. The figures underscore the lingering impact of the Iran war on gas prices and the stubborn persistence of inflation, which fell sharply from a 9.1% peak in 2022 but this year has ticked higher since the war began in late February.

ROME (AP) — The Vatican says Pope Leo XIV has celebrated Mass in a special room set up for him at the hospital after cancer surgery. The Vatican says Leo celebrated along with his secretaries on Wednesday afternoon. Doctors say Leo is eating regularly and has begun walking and doing respiratory exercises, and his post-operative tests are normal following surgery to remove a cancerous mass from his lung. Pope Leo XIV spent a peaceful night in Rome’s Gemelli hospital after doctors removed the lower lobe of his right lung and confirmed he has cancer. Wednesday’s announcement offered further evidence that this pope is taking a new approach to communicating about his health. His doctors say Leo’s recovery is proceeding as planned.  (Photo:  AP)

A federal judge has extended an order blocking the Trump administration from banning reporters for three news outlets from the White House. U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly ruled Tuesday that CNN, MS NOW and Politico are likely to succeed in their constitutional free speech and due process claims. Kelly previously ordered the White House to restore the reporters’ “hard pass” press credentials while he weighed their claims. With that temporary order due to expire on Tuesday, the judge issued a preliminary injunction that preserves the status quo while the case is pending. The Justice Department, which is arguing the case on behalf of the administration, did not respond to a request for comment.

The new press secretary for Donald Trump’s White House stepped to the podium. The eyes of a packed room of journalists — and many in their audiences — were upon her. Like her predecessor before her, she smiled broadly at the sea of faces both probing and friendly. With that, Katie Zacharia went live and became the official voice of the most powerful human being in the world. Fourteen minutes and just three questioners later, she was done. It was clear that the former commentator accomplished at least one thing: She put the “brief” back in briefing.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats are preparing an ambitious 100-days agenda if they win the House majority in the midterm elections. Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said the Democrats will be united “right out of the gate” on reinstating Affordable Care Act tax breaks, reversing Medicaid cuts, holding votes against the Iran war and undoing President Donald Trump’s tariffs. They expect to launch the agenda in the first 100 hours, once the new Congress is seated in January. The Republicans fighting to hold the House portray Democrats as beholden to a far-left socialist agenda. They say they’ll continue to build on their accomplishments with Trump if they win.

CAIRO (AP) — The Saudi Ministry of Energy says a limited fire broke out in an administrative building in Aramco, one of the world’s largest oil facilities, that was targeted in the country’s Eastern Province. The ministry said no injuries were reported. It comes as the Iranian-backed Houthis and the Saudi coalition exchanged attacks Tuesday night. It marks a fresh escalation in the widening Middle East crisis and came shortly after the Saudi coalition reported a series of alerts for incoming missiles heading for the country’s Eastern Province, a major oil-producing region and the capital Riyadh

ENSENADA, Mexico (AP) — Hurricane Simon and the remnants of Tropical Storm Rachel have led to six deaths along Mexico’s Pacific coast. Simon was a Category 1 storm before strengthening Tuesday night and was nearly a major hurricane again. Authorities report that Simon is bringing heavy rain to Nayarit and Sinaloa, with alerts for rising rivers and flooding. Over the weekend, the storm hit Guerrero, killing one person. The worst damage occurred in Ensenada, Baja California, where Rachel’s remnants caused flooding that killed at least five people. Five others remain missing. Floodwaters have swept away vehicles and damaged homes.