WJPA News

A man who police say is armed and dangerous is facing charges a month after a shooting at the Washington Community Club.  On Wednesday, Washington Police announced that an arrest warrant has been issued for 32-year-old Brennan Cole who is facing aggravated assault, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person and two firearm charges.  He’s accused in a Thanksgiving Day incident where a man was shot multiple times.  Authorities say Cole was kicked out of the Washington Community Club in the early morning hours of Thanksgiving, but came back a few minutes later, saying he forgot his coat.  The club’s security guard, Cory Whitlock, told police Cole got into an argument with the owner, Richard Barnes Jr., then punched Barnes in the face when he wouldn’t let him back inside. Court documents said Cole was wrestled to the ground on the sidewalk, and during that struggle, multiple shots were fired.  Police say Whitlock, who was working as a bouncer and checking people in, was shot at least once in the foot and leg. He was taken to UPMC Washington and eventually transferred to UPMC Mercy for treatment.  Authorities say Cole should be considered armed and dangerous. Anyone who knows where he may be should call the City of Washington Police Department immediately. If you see him, do not approach, but instead, call 911.

A Jefferson, PA man has been charged in connection with a hit and run accident at the McDowell Shops in Peters Township in November. Keith Shearer, 47 is accused of striking 79 year old Sally Sherfinski and then driving away. Court documents said Shearer told police he went to Applebee’s that day after work and had one beer and two shots before driving away. Police say Shearer denied knowing he hit Sherfinski but said there was a chance he blacked out. Police say Sherfinski was taken to Allegheny General Hospital in critical condition. She spent two days in the ICU with multiple broken bones and a brain bleed and is now recovering at home. Shearer faces accidents involving death or injury and aggravated assault by vehicle felonies and a misdemeanor charge of reckless endangerment.

BRISTOL, Pa. (AP) — Rescuers braved shooting flames, falling debris and the threat of more explosions to save nursing home residents after a blast at a Pennsylvania facility killed a resident and employee, and set off a dramatic and chaotic evacuation. The blast happened Tuesday at the Bristol Health & Rehab Center. Bristol Police Chief Charles Winik said Wednesday that searchers accounted for everyone considered missing. The Bucks County coroner’s office says an employee who died was 52-year-old Muthoni Nduthu. Authorities didn’t immediately identify a resident who died. The cause of the blast is under investigation. Authorities say a utility crew was on site responding to reports of a gas odor when the explosion occurred.

BETHLEHEM, West Bank (AP) — On Christmas Eve, thousands of people flocked to Bethlehem’s Manger Square and other Holy Land sites, after two years of subdued Christmas celebrations because of the war in Gaza. Scouts groups marched and played festive music on Wednesday in Bethlehem and Nazareth, the cities where Christians believe Jesus was born and grew up. At the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV celebrated his first, packed Christmas Eve Mass as leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics. And around the globe, people gathered to pray but also donned Santa hats and took to ice-skating rinks and the ocean for charity plunges.

(AP) – California officials are urging holiday travelers to avoid the roads on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. A series of powerful winter storms is expected to douse California with relentless rain, heavy winds, and snow this week. Much of the state will see heavy rains and gusts that could lead to flooding, mudslides and rockslides. The Sacramento Valley and San Francisco Bay Area are under flood and high wind warnings through Friday. The Sierra Nevada will see heavy snow and strong winds, making travel nearly impossible. Southern California could see its wettest Christmas in years and warned about mudslides and debris flows. Some 380 particularly vulnerable households were ordered to leave.

(AP) – U.S. regulators have approved a pill version of the weight-loss drug Wegovy. This gives Novo Nordisk an edge over Eli Lilly, whose similar drug is still under review. Both pills mimic a hormone that controls appetite. The Wegovy pill is expected to be available within weeks. Experts say oral pills could expand access and reduce costs for obesity treatments. In a clinical trial, participants taking Wegovy lost 13.6% of their body weight. The pills promise convenience, though Wegovy must be taken on an empty stomach.

(AP) – A Powerball player in Arkansas has won a $1.817 billion jackpot Wednesday amid the Christmas holiday. That ends the lottery game’s three-month stretch without a top-prize winner. The winning numbers were 04, 25, 31, 52 and 59, with the Powerball number being 19. Final ticket sales pushed the jackpot higher than previous expected. Organizers say that made it the second-largest in U.S. history and the largest Powerball prize of 2025. The jackpot has a lump sum cash payment option of $834.9 million.