WJPA News

The Fayette County Coroner’s Office has identified the man found dead in the Youghiogheny River last week as forty-two-year-old William Guidi of Somerset.  He was identified using rapid DNA testing and advanced fingerprint analysis. His family has been notified. Two fishermen found Guidi’s body along the river. He reportedly had no ID, wallet, phone or fishing or hiking equipment on him. The coroner says preliminary autopsy findings suggest he died from accidental drowning, but final toxicology reports are still needed.

As the first quarter of the year comes to an end, the annual Municipal Leaders Breakfast was held by the Washington County Chamber of Commerce. Municipal leaders from Chartiers Township, Charleroi, East Washington Borough and Peters Township gathered to discuss topics such as infrastructure, zoning, resources and how to attract that next generation of leaders. Alyssa Curry-Broderick is the Office Administrator for East Washington. She says that the $25,000 American Spirit Grant offered by the Washington County Tourism Promotion Agency will go a long way to make improvements to their municipal park.  They hope to build a gazebo, install electricity and lighting for their flagpole and add sidewalks. Jodi Noble, Township Manager from Chartiers Township says that infrastructure improvements in her area will include a sanitary sewer extension on Western Avenue into Mt. Pleasant Township. She says the sewer line will take care of failed sewers along the line. Zoning challenges were addressed by Charleroi Borough Manager Joe Manning. He said Gerry Raymond Automotive is coming to town to build a prototype Ford Dealership. Charleroi needed to accommodate their need to expand their footprint by abandoning a little used borough street and deed it over to the corporation. Peters Township Assistant Manager Kyle Thauvette spoke about recruiting the next generation of municipal leaders. He said Peters Township tries to do that by employing interns that have an interest in administration, parks and recreation and the library. The Washington County Tourism Promotion Agency said that the American Spirit Grant program is still open for applicants. Information and the application may be found on the Washington County Tourism Promotion Agency webpage.

HARRISBURG — The Pennsylvania House of Representatives has passed a bill that would codify marriage equality into law. House Bill No. 1800 calls to change the definition of marriage in Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes from: “a civil contract by which one man and one woman take each other for husband and wife” to “a civil contract between two individuals.” The legislation advanced with a vote of 127 yeas and 72 nays. Representative Malcolm Kenyatta was the prime sponsor for the bill. He released a statement on its passing, saying: “I know some folks in this building have never had to refresh a computer screen to see if a court has given you access to a fundamental right, but that’s where I was when Obergefell v. Hodges ruling came up – and the court voted correctly,” Kenyatta said. “Because of this vote, I got to marry my best friend, Dr. Matthew Kenyatta. As important as this vote is to me, my family and people across the commonwealth who are in loving same-sex marriages, it’s equally as important that this law is passed to ensure our state law reflects the law of the land held in Obergefell. “Marriage is not symbolic, there are legal, practical and financial things connected to the institution of marriage.” Governor Josh Shapiro also celebrated the movement. The bill is now moving to the Republican-led Senate for consideration.

Governor Josh Shapiro and Visit PA, in partnership with Philadelphia Soccer 2026 — the 501(c)(3) nonprofit local host committee planning and executing FIFA World Cup 2026™ matches in Philadelphia — today announced the official locations of three “Pennsylvania World Cup Fan Zones,” which will bring the electricity of the world’s biggest sporting event to communities across the Commonwealth. The Fan Zones, championed by Governor Josh Shapiro to ensure that every Pennsylvanian can experience the magic of FIFA World Cup 2026™, will be located in Pittsburgh, Reading, and Scranton — bringing free, world-class public viewing events to tens of thousands of fans.  The fan zones  will be located Pittsburgh at Acrisure Stadium, Reading at the Reading Arena, and Scranton at the Lackawanna County Courthouse Square.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Pressure is mounting on Congress to end the funding shutdown. It’s resulted in travel disruptions, missed paychecks and even warnings of airport closures. But lawmakers have yet to resolve the underlying issue of reining in President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement operations. Senators are expected to vote Thursday on a Republican proposal that would fund the Transportation Security Administration and much of the Department of Homeland Security, except the immigration enforcement and removal operations. But it’s expected to fail. Democrats argue the GOP plan falls short in putting guardrails on federal officers engaged in immigration sweeps. Congress is set to leave town by week’s end for its own spring break recess as calls intensify for an end to the 41-day stalemate.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran and the United States have hardened their positions after diplomacy aimed at reaching a ceasefire in the Middle East war appeared to be faltering. Tehran moved to formalize its control over the crucial Strait of Hormuz as Washington prepared for the arrival of combat forces that could be used on the ground in the Islamic Republic. Israel on Thursday carried out a wave of strikes targeting Iranian infrastructure, and Iran kept up its attacks on Persian Gulf neighbors, with Saudi Arabia intercepting multiple drones. The United Arab Emirates’ air defenses also worked to intercept incoming fire, and Bahrain was extinguishing a blaze near its international airport.

The Iran war has deflected global attention from Russia’s all-out invasion of its neighbor Ukraine as Europe’s biggest conflict since World War II enters its fifth year and an emboldened Kremlin undertakes a spring offensive. The past week showed that neither side is easing up. Russia on Tuesday fired almost 1,000 drones and 34 missiles at Ukraine in one of the war’s biggest bombardments. The following day Ukraine launched almost 400 drones in the largest reported overnight attack on Russian regions and Crimea. Ukraine’s fate is still Europe’s top foreign policy issue, fueled by fears that Moscow has wider ambitions.

An appeals court has ruled that the U.S. can continue to detain immigrants without bond. The ruling Wednesday handed a victory to the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration. The opinion from a panel of the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis overturned a lower court ruling. The latter ruling required that a native of Mexico arrested for lacking legal documents be given a bond hearing before an immigration judge. It’s the second appeals court to rule in favor of the administration on this issue. Both appeals court opinions counter a slew of lower court decisions across the country saying the practice is illegal.

MONTCLAIR, N.J. (AP) — A growing faction of concerned citizens across America’s suburbs are positioned on the front lines of the anti-Trump resistance. They are voters who are often wealthier and more educated than average Americans — and they historically tended to prefer Republicans. But now, on the eve of the 2026 midterm elections, many suburbanites are energized to fight President Donald Trump and his party. Suburbanites will be especially active at this weekend’s “No Kings” protests against Trump. Few areas illustrate the upside-down politics of the Trump era more than the nation’s suburbs, which may ultimately decide the balance of power in Washington for the president’s final two years in office.

GENEVA (AP) — Transgender women athletes are now excluded from the Olympics after the IOC agreed to a new eligibility policy It aligns with U.S. President Donald Trump’s executive order on women’s sports ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Games. The International Olympic Committee says “eligibility for any female category event at the Olympic Games or any other IOC event, including individual and team sports, is now limited to biological females.” Eligibility will be determined by “a one‑time SRY gene screening.” It is unclear how many, if any, transgender women are competing at an Olympic level.  (Photo:  AP)

NEW YORK (AP) — Singer-songwriter Darrell “Dash” Crofts, who teamed with childhood friend Jim Seals for such 1970s soft-rock hits as “Summer Breeze,” “Diamond Girl” and “Get Closer,” has died at 87. Seals & Crofts were native Texans who had known each other since high school and had played together in various groups before becoming a duo in the late 1960s. They were part of a wave of million-selling soft-rock bands that included America, Bread and the Carpenters. “Summer Breeze,” “Diamond Girl” and “Closer to You” all reached the Top 10, while their other popular singles included “I’ll Play for You” and “Hummingbird.”