WJPA News

 State Police are investigating an accident on the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Westmoreland County that left two people dead.  Authorities say it happened around two-thirty Saturday morning in the eastbound lanes of I-76 near the Route 136 overpass in Hempfield Township.  According to the Westmoreland County Coroner’s Office, Hunter R. Fronius of Connellsville was driving a Ford Explorer eastbound with passenger Raymond M. Foster of Connellsville.  The Ford failed to negotiate a left curve and left the south shoulder. It went through a grassy embankment and collided with a bridge abutment, causing it to roll over onto its driver’s side.  Airbags were deployed, and neither Fronius nor Foster was wearing a seatbelt at the time, officials note.  Their cause of death was blunt force injuries, and the incident has been ruled accidental.  A section of the Turnpike was closed for several hours.

PennDOT says it will be performing more maintenance work, beginning the week of June 29. Bridge replacement work continues on Rt. 331, Brush Run Road in Canton Township. Brush cutting will take place along Patterson Road in West Bethlehem Township, Robinson Road in North Bethlehem and Jolly School Road in South Franklin Township. There will be Culvert replacement on Noblestown Road in Robinson Township and Mowing on Rt. 22 in Hanover Township, the Intertate 70 Jefferson Avenue ramp in the city of Washington, Rt. 221, S Bridge Road in Buffalo Township and Rt. 837 in Donora. And Slide Repair will take place on Rt. 2038 in California Borough. Drivers can expect detours, flaggers and single-lane restrictions. All of the work is weather permitting.

State Treasurer Stacy Garrity has called for seven gubernatorial debates with incumbent Democrat Josh Shapiro. This comes after Shapiro’s campaign reportedly said he looks forward to engaging with Garrity in a “good faith” campaign. Garrity said every voter should have the opportunity to learn “where we stand on issues, what are our visions for the future of the Commonwealth, and what experience we bring to the table to lead 13 million Pennsylvanians for the next four years.” Garrity wants a debate in each of the state’s seven media markets. 

PITTSBURGH — (WPXI) – The Andy Warhol Bridge in Pittsburgh is 100 years old!  Allegheny County officials threw a birthday bash for the bridge on Saturday.  Named after Pittsburgh native and pop art pioneer Andy Warhol, the bridge connects the North Side to Downtown. It’s the oldest of the Sister Bridges, which were commissioned by Allegheny County in 1925 through a $2.5 million contract with the American Bridge Company.  The Rachel Carson Bridge will turn 100 in November, while the Roberto Clemente Bridge will do so in 2028.  “This is our first Sister Bridge to turn 100, and we’re excited to do some cool, fun community events for the other two in the next two years,” Allegheny County Communications Director Abigail Gardner said.  Saturday’s free birthday bash offered contests and games, including Campbell’s Soup stacking and bridge building with toothpicks and marshmallows.  Also, local artist Mary Temonte led a screen printing station, in true Andy Warhol fashion.

BEAVER, Utah (AP) — Three firefighters have died and two were injured while battling fires on the Colorado-Utah border. The U.S. Wildland Fire Service says they were responding to the Knowles and Gore fires on Saturday. Wildfire activity has intensified across the western U.S. due to hot, dry, and windy weather. The largest blaze, the Cottonwood Fire, has grown to over 144 square miles in southwest Utah. Utah’s governor declared an emergency earlier this week, and Colorado’s governor on Saturday followed suit and authorized the National Guard to help. Conditions have been critical, with record-low snowpack and extreme drought fueling the fires.

LA GUAIRA, Venezuela (AP) — Tensions are high in Venezuela as the death toll rises to 1,430 after two powerful earthquakes struck three days ago. Families have reported that 68,900 people are missing. Many civilians are leading search efforts, frustrated by what they see as an inadequate government response. International rescue teams continue to join the effort, with 17 flights bringing over 1,600 rescue workers by Saturday. The disaster is a major challenge for acting President Delcy Rodríguez. The capital’s main airport is damaged, complicating aid delivery.

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine has intensified its drone attacks on Russia, setting fire to a major oil refinery in the south and killing at least two people, according to Russian authorities. Kyiv’s long-range strikes aim to disrupt Russian fuel supplies and military deliveries, pressuring the Kremlin to negotiate. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the strike on the Slavyansk refinery and claimed another hit in the Yaroslavl region. Ukraine’s campaign targets Russian military industries and energy facilities to cut Moscow’s revenue and apply pressure. The attacks have stalled Moscow’s battlefield efforts, according to Western officials.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard says it launched drone and missile attacks targeting Bahrain and Kuwait in response to U.S. airstrikes that hit the Islamic Republic. The statement issued Sunday also threatened a “complete halt” to negotiations to end the war if Washington continues its attacks. The new crossfire in the Persian Gulf further strains the initial deal that Iran and the United States struck in an effort to find a permanent end to the war. Renewed fighting in Lebanon, where an Israeli soldier and Lebanese civilian were killed, further tested the interim deal.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Country music legend Alan Jackson has ended his touring career. On Saturday night, he performed his final show at Nashville’s Nissan Stadium. The event, titled “Last Call: One More for the Road — The Finale,” featured performances by top country stars like Carrie Underwood and Luke Combs. Jackson, who has sold over 60 million records, has been battling a degenerative nerve condition. Despite this, he delivered a memorable performance, sharing stories and hits. Although he’s retiring from touring, Jackson recently released a new song and plans to continue making music. An NBC concert special will air later this year.