WJPA News

PennDOT announced on Tuesday that there will be nightly ramp closures on Interstate 79 at Exit 14, Masontown/Waynesburg, in Franklin Township in Greene County. They say the ramp closures will occur nightly from 8:00 p.m. until 6:00 a.m. beginning Monday, July 13th, and continue through Saturday, July 25th.   All work depends on weather and operations.  Officials say the ramp closures will be coordinated so detour routes do not conflict with one another.  Current I-79 single-lane restrictions between Exit 14, Masontown/Waynesburg, and Exit 23, Marianna/Prosperity,  that began on June 18th, will continue until late August.  The ramp closures will allow crews to perform concrete patching and to overlay entrance and exit ramps with asphalt.  The work is part of the I-79 Waynesburg to Marianna Project, which will make improvements to approximately 11 miles of I-79, extending through Franklin and Washington townships in Greene County and Amwell Township in Washington County, a $45.9 million infrastructure investment.

PennDOT says single-lane restrictions will be in place during their annual bridge inspections in Greene, Washington, and Westmoreland counties.  In Greene County, bridge inspections will take place on Interstate 79 northbound over Route 221 at Exit 19 in Washington Township on Wednesday, July 8th, from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m.  In Washington County, Interstate 70 in both directions from Exit 40 and 41 in Speers Borough will be affected on Thursday, July 9th, from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m.  In Westmoreland County, the inspections will occur on July 8th from noon until 4 p.m. on Route 981 between Wimmerton Industrial Park and Lloyd Avenue in Unity Township.  PennDOT District 12 staff will perform the inspection work on the structures and all work is dependent on weather and operational conditions.

The Cecil Township Board of Supervisors hosted a public Data Center Workshop Monday evening. The purpose of this workshop was to give residents a chance to offer feedback on future ordinances, ask questions, and express concerns. The Board would like to get ahead of the curve and have conditions in place before a company would propose developing a data center in the township. Supervisor Tom Casciola says that the first step, and ultimately the hardest part, is deciding where the best location for a data center would be. Supervisor Cindy Fisher says that the Board will be spending a lot of time writing an ordinance that would allow data centers in a safe area. Fisher also says that even if the township would benefit from allowing a data center, the safety and well-being of residents is her first priority. Lee Sahene, a resident of Cecil, spoke during the workshop and said he was grateful that the Board was allowing residents to voice their opinions. The Board says that there will be a public hearing once an ordinance is written.

Canonsburg Borough Council approved the acquisition of a road management program called Vialytics several months ago. According to Council President Eric Chandler, the borough’s engineer suggested the program that he saw used in other municipalities. Council got an update on the program at their agenda meeting.  The artificial intelligence based program takes the guesswork and emotion out of road paving projects. A cellphone is mounted to the dashboard of a vehicle and it records road conditions as it drives. The program not only records road conditions, but road signs as well, giving council a comprehensive view of road conditions. The program rates the roads and their conditions and then processes the information on PennDot standards to allow officials to make the best decisions on roadwork. Chandler says that the analysis of roads will be used to make decisions for the 2027 road paving program. In business to be addressed next week, council will vote on a measure that will allow the combination of the mayor and borough manager to temporarily close portions of or all of a parking lot or lots when they deem necessary for the sake of  public safety or property protection.

WEST HOMESTEAD, Pa. — Sandcastle Waterpark is implementing a new chaperone policy.  General Manager Richard Spicuzza announced the policy on Monday.  Guests who are 15-years-old and younger are now required to be with an adult who is 21 or older while at the park.  Kennywood Park announced an Identical policy last month following reports of possible unauthorized meetups.  Spicuzza also serves as Kennywood’s general manager and said the change at Sandcastle was sparked by positive feedback coming from the historic amusement park’s guests.  “I’ve had the opportunity to see firsthand the positive impact this policy has had at Kennywood this summer. We’ve heard from many guests who appreciate the welcoming atmosphere it has helped reinforce, and that feedback gave us confidence to introduce the same policy at Sandcastle,” Spicuzza said.  A chaperone is able to look after six guests who are teens 15-years-old or younger. They must be present at the park at all times during the teens’ visit, but are not required to accompany them at all times.  The new policy goes into effect on Friday.

NEW YORK (AP) — Officials say an under-construction high-rise in Manhattan remains unstable after columns buckled and floors sagged. Officials said Tuesday that the building, a former Pfizer headquarters being converted to luxury apartments, was still moving. Nearby buildings, including a school, were evacuated. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani says engineers are working to stabilize the structure, using drones for monitoring. The Fire Department of New York Chief John Esposito confirmed the building continues to move, making it a dangerous situation. Builders say the 37-story tower is part of the city’s largest office-to-residential conversion project, with over 1,600 planned units.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The U.S. military launched a series of strikes against Iranian targets early Wednesday after three merchant ships were struck in the waters off Oman. In a statement posted to social media, U.S. Central Command said American forces launched the strikes “to impose heavy costs for targeting and attacking commercial shipping crewed by innocent civilians in an international waterway.”

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A tanker traveling off the coast of Oman in the Strait of Hormuz has caught on fire after being struck by a projectile. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said Tuesday that the tanker had been hit near Limah, Oman, in the strait. It said the projectile hit the port side of the vessel while trying to traveling south out of the strait toward the Gulf of Oman. It said there was no environmental impact from the strike and that authorities were investigating. Iranian state television said the liquefied natural gas tanker came under attack after ignoring warnings but did not directly claim the assault.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The U.S. military launched a series of strikes against Iranian targets early Wednesday after three merchant ships were struck in the waters off Oman. In a statement posted to social media, U.S. Central Command said American forces launched the strikes “to impose heavy costs for targeting and attacking commercial shipping crewed by innocent civilians in an international waterway.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is claiming credit for Walmart’s recent price cuts, though the retailer’s statement doesn’t mention his administration’s involvement. Trump faces backlash over inflation, which rose after his tariffs and the Iran war’s impact on energy costs. He blames Democrats for the ongoing issue. In a social media post Monday, Trump says Walmart lowered prices at his request to celebrate the nation’s 250th birthday. However, Walmart’s statement describes the cuts as a seasonal strategy, with no mention of government interaction. Inflation has climbed 4.2% over the past year, higher than the rate Trump inherited.

Politico reports that a woman has accused Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner of sexual assault. Platner denied the allegations Monday, but said he’d consider the next steps for his campaign. He states that any accusation of non-consensual behavior is categorically untrue. He says he will be considering next steps for his campaign. Jenny Racicot claims Platner entered her home in 2021 while drunk and assaulted her. She says they had been in an on-and-off relationship but cut off contact after the incident, which she says wasn’t consensual. Monday’s report pushed several supporters away from a candidate who has long been controversial.