WJPA News

Authorities say an airplane pilot has died after a violent collision with a Pennsylvania state police helicopter near a runway at a small airport. Officials say both state troopers aboard the helicopter survived the crash Wednesday. The state’s acting police commissioner says the plane was coming down on the runway and veered into the helicopter that was close to the ground. The FAA and NTSB called it a midair collision but state police didn’t clarify if the plane was off the ground. Photos on social media showed a helicopter on its side near aircraft debris and a line of emergency vehicles near Carlisle.

An investigation continues into a fatal crash along Interstate 79 in Whiteley Township in Greene County Wednesday afternoon.  The Greene County Coroner says 26-year-old Robbi Bennett was involved in a two vehicle accident around 1:30 p.m., shutting down the northbound highway between Exit 7 (Kirby/Garards Fort) and Exit 14 (Waynesburg/Masontown). The highway opened around three o’clock.  The coroner says a cause and manner of death are pending.

Officials in the Monessen School District are considering beginning the school year with remote instruction.  In a letter sent to district families, Superintendent Dr. Robert Motte says resources like teacher supplies and instructional materials inside the middle-high school building cannot be affected building cannot be accessed.  He says no final decision has been made but “there’s a strong possibility” that the school year starts remotely and the district is “preparing for this possibility”.  The district previously pushed back the start of classes because of mold that was found inside the building.  Motte says the district is finalizing plans to distribute technology to students and staff.  He calls the situation “very fluid” and says they will share additional information as plans are finalized.

Last spring, the Washington Community Theatre became aware that funds were missing from their account. Police investigations led to their treasurer Andrew Mours for misappropriating funds. Mours was in court for a plea court hearing that was set up to allow Mours to make restitution payments to the organization. Washington Community Theatre President Jeff Zollars explained that the payment plan was suggested by a former board member Megan Faust, an attorney that once served as an assistant district attorney, to allow a successful outcome without a lot of drama. Zollars says that approximately $20,000 of the nearly $41,000 has been returned to the organization. Zollars says that when the incident came to light, he thought the organization would fold after 57 years. He is grateful to the community for their support and to local organizations that helped hold fundraising efforts. The group held a two night fundraiser in Washington Park that was a night of Broadway Songs. The Old Schoolhouse Players opened their doors host a “Theater Feud” trivia contest among four local theater groups as another fundraiser. Mours had no comment on the matter after the hearing. He is scheduled to continue making payments. Mours is charged with three theft felonies and one forgery felony. His next court date is December 2.

Pennsylvania State Representative Josh Kail hosted a Scam Jam event at the Burgettstown Community Library to inform constituents on how to spot and avoid financial frauds and scams. Representative Kail says these events are important to give constituents a point of contact and someone they can trust if they see something suspicious or fall victim to fraud. Presenters at the event represented organizations like the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities, the Smith Township Police Department, and AARP. Attendees had the opportunity to ask questions, collect contact information, and play Fraud Bingo! Tyler Evans, a detective with the Smith Township Police Department, says that a lot of people fall victim to scams in the area, and some do not realize it until there is an investigation. Katrina Boyer, an investor education coordinator for the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities, says that people should not be embarrassed if they fall victim, and she hopes that these events provide them with plenty of resources if they are a victim of fraud.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The national debt has surpassed a record $40 trillion, highlighting the impact of defense costs, social programs, and interest on the deficit. This milestone comes just five months after hitting $39 trillion. Experts say the growing debt is already affecting Americans by raising borrowing costs and lowering wages. Advocates for a balanced budget warn of tougher fiscal tradeoffs ahead. Margaret Spellings from the Bipartisan Policy Center says the fiscal trajectory is unsustainable. The U.S. is subject to a statutory debt limit, which Congress may need to address again by 2027.

OAKLAND, California (AP) — A former engineering director at Meta who has testified before Congress about child safety on Instagram told jurors at a landmark trial that the company took a “don’t ask, don’t tell” approach on kids under 13 on its platforms. During his second day of testimony Wednesday, Arturo Béjar said Meta consistently prioritized profits over safety in designing its products. The trial that began Tuesday in federal court in Oakland, California, pits Meta against the states of California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey and is expected to last about six weeks. The company has rejected the claims and said evidence at the trial will show its commitment to safety.

LONDON (AP) — Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, will return to the United Kingdom, seemingly marking an end to a yearslong rift with the royal family. Britain’s Daily Telegraph newspaper reported Wednesday that the couple won’t resume their roles as working members of the royal family. But returning to Britain means King Charles III, who is being treated for an undisclosed form of cancer, will get to see more of his grandchildren. Harry and Meghan quit royal duties in 2020 and moved to the United States, alleging hostility and racist attitudes by the press and royal establishment. But in recent months, there had been signs of a thaw in the tumultuous relationship.

The Israeli military plans a criminal investigation into the killings of a 5-year-old Palestinian girl and her family, as well as 15 paramedics in Gaza. Wednesday’s decision follows reviews of 150 incidents of troop conduct during the Gaza war. Meanwhile, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf is visiting neighboring Iraq for three days to meet with officials and leaders of an Iran-backed political coalition. Deadly Israeli airstrikes continue in Gaza. And France’s government has announced the expulsion of two Iranian diplomats in response to the expulsion of French diplomats from Iran earlier this week.