WJPA News

WASHINGTON, Pa – The City of Washington Police Department has filed criminal charges against Brett Carroll following an investigation into an incident that occurred on July 7, 2026, in the area of the Uni-Mart located at 500 North Main Street.  At 3:59 p.m. on July 7, officers were dispatched to the area after receiving reports that an armed male had threatened another individual with a handgun. During the investigation, detectives learned that the suspect allegedly pointed a firearm at the victim, threatened to kill him, and pursued him from the area. Witness statements, surveillance footage, and additional investigative efforts led detectives to identify Brett Carroll as the suspect.  At 10:50 a.m. on July 8, officers were dispatched to the 300 Block of Burton Avenue for the victims involved in the previous incident reporting that the suspect was back in the immediate vicinity of their residence. Upon officers arriving on scene, the male was found to already have left the area and officers were not able to locate the male.  During the overnight hours into the morning of July 9, Carroll turned himself in on an Adult Probation bench warrant that had been issued as a result of this incident and other probation-related concerns. He remains in custody.  He faces multiple charges, including aggravated assault, stalking, and firearms not to be carried without a license.  Authorities say their investigation is continuing and more charges could be filed.

An investigation is underway into the death of a Pittsburgh man whose body was found in his vehicle Thursday morning just before ten o’clock.  Washington County Coroner Tim Warco says the body of 60-year-old Cecil Braun was found in his vehicle which was parked at the Pennsylvania Welcome Center on Interstate 70 East in Donegal Township.  Two dogs were rescued from the vehicle and are currently being held by the coroner’s office.  Authorities say Braun’s death does not appear to be suspicious.  They say he had been living in his vehicle since July third, after being evicted from his home in Pittsburgh.  The cause and manner of death are pending an autopsy.

The Whiskey Rebellion is back – and according to organizers – bigger and better than ever!  Tracie Liberatore is the festivals program manager, and she says this year is bigger and better than ever and she believes it has everything to do with America250.  She says the focus on history has increased the number of participants this year and they are excited to be a part of it.  The Whiskey Rebellion Festival honors the significant period of America’s early days through historical re-enactments, history and heritage displays, street theater performances, children’s activities, music, food and libations.  The official start of the festival kicks off on Thursday at the Main Street Farmer’s Market with the UPMC Health Fair.  The festival has a full slate of activities through Saturday, ending with a performance of the Clarks.  Main Street will be closed from Wheeling to Maiden Street starting at three o’clock on Friday and again Saturday morning starting at nine.

State Police have charged a Bentleyville man with sexually assaulting a 15 year girl in Butler County.  According to police, 22 year old William Leach took an Uber to the girl’s home and engaged in sexual acts inside the home. He then hid inside when family members returned but took the girl for a walk.  Police say the girl’s mother realized she was missing around 1 a.m. and called police. Police say he provided the victim with alcohol and marijuana.  An initial search failed to locate Leach but officers returned later and were able to take him into custody.  The criminal complaint says Leach faces charges that include; two-counts each of Involuntary Deviate Sexual Intercourse and Statutory Sexual Assault.  Police say they found items including knives, razor blades and drug paraphernalia and that Leach told the girl he would kill  her and her entire family if she told anyone.

South Strabane Township is in the market for a new fire chief. Jordan Cramer, Chief of Fire and Emergency Services and Emergency Management Coordinator tells WJPA News that he tendered his resignation on Wednesday to take on a new position as the Director of Fire Services in Ross Township. Cramer said that his final day will be September 11. He will be at the annual September 11 memorial. He said he looks forward to working through the transition period and serving South Strabane residents. Cramer came to South Strabane Township in 2022 from Peters Township. Ross Township commissioners voted to hire Cramer at their meeting Monday.  According to reports, his salary will start at $108,000.  Ross does have a residency requirement meaning that he will have to move to the Township. Ross has eight volunteer fire companies. (PHOTO: Jordan Cramer)

PennDOT announced on Wednesday that landslide repairs are scheduled to begin on Locust Avenue between Hudack Hill and the Interstate 79 Interchange in South Strabane Township,  on Monday, July 13th.  On March 27th, the roadway was closed to traffic due to a landslide.  There was no word on how long the repairs will take, but officials say the existing detour utilizing Country Club Road and Locust Avenue will remain in place until mid-October.

The beach at Raccoon State Park in Beaver County is closed for swimming due to an elevated coliform count.  Swimming is prohibited in Racoon Lake until further notice.  The park said re-test results are expected on Monday. If those results show acceptable levels, the beach will reopen.  The beach remains open for picnicking and other land-based activities.  For more information, you can call the park office at 724-899-2200 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits dipped slightly last week as layoffs in the U.S. remain historically low. U.S. applications for jobless aid in the week ending July 4 ticked down by 2,000 to 215,000, the Labor Department reported Thursday. Analysts surveyed by the data firm FactSet forecast 220,000 new applications. Weekly filings for unemployment benefits are considered a proxy for layoffs and are close to a real-time indicator of the health of the U.S. job market. The total number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits for the previous week ending June 27 rose by 8,000 by to 1.81 million, also historically low.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A former Olympic canoe racer has pleaded not guilty to deliberately damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. David Hearn, who competed in three Summer Olympics, entered the plea on Thursday in D.C. Superior Court. Hearn, 67, from Bethesda, Maryland, faces a felony count of property destruction. President Donald Trump ordered a multimillion-dollar renovation of the pool, but the project has faced issues. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said six others were arrested on related charges. Hearn’s attorneys argue the charges are based on a “concocted narrative” and criticize the administration’s handling of the situation.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The United States launched new airstrikes against Iran early Thursday, and Tehran responded by targeting Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar in crossfire that again threatened an interim deal intended to help end the war. The strikes came hours after U.S. President Donald Trump said recent Iranian attacks on ships signaled the end of the ceasefire. Thursday’s attacks appeared bigger all around than Wednesday’s strikes, though there has been no word on damage in the three Gulf Arab countries. Iran said the two days of strikes had killed at least 14 people, the majority members of Iran’s armed forces, and wounded 78 others.

NEW YORK (AP) — The potential unraveling of a fragile truce between Iran and the United States has renewed anxiety over fuel prices. It’s raising concern that gasoline prices could go up again if sustained fighting keeps oil tankers from traveling through the Persian Gulf. Oil prices rose to their highest point in weeks after President Donald Trump declared the U.S. ceasefire with Iran over on Wednesday. Trump spoke after Iranian attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz and on American military sites in other Gulf nations. Costlier crude oil could lead to costlier gas station fill-ups. That could happen as drivers in many countries were getting a break from elevated prices brought on by the war.

SCARBOROUGH, Maine (AP) — The Maine Democratic Party has voted to hold a convention now that Graham Platner has announced he’ll drop out of the U.S. Senate race. Platner, accused of sexual assault by a former girlfriend, denies the allegation but faced pressure to quit. The party plans to select a replacement, with potential contenders already showing interest. Platner had until July 13 for a new candidate to be considered. Ahead of his announcement, his campaign denied trying to influence the selection process. Meanwhile, voters expressed disappointment and called for Platner to withdraw.

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Former Wisconsin Judge Hannah Dugan has been spared from prison for ushering a Mexican defendant out of her courtroom as Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents waited in the hallway. A federal judge fined her $5,000 and cited her otherwise law-abiding life in issuing the sentence. Hannah Dugan resigned as a Milwaukee County judge after her obstruction conviction and had to move amid threats against her family. Her lawyers argued that President Donald Trump’s administration sought to crush her to ensure judicial compliance with courthouse arrests. She faced up to five years in prison Wednesday, but the judge cited her lifetime of public service.

LONDON (AP) — Bonnie Tyler, the gravelly voiced Welsh pop star known for “Total Eclipse of the Heart,” has died at 75. She was hospitalized in Portugal in May 2026 for emergency surgery and placed in an induced coma. Tyler earned three Grammy nominations and represented Britain at Eurovision in 2013. Her iconic song, boosted by real eclipses, has over 1 billion streams. Born Gaynor Hopkins, she grew up in Wales and was inspired by artists like Janis Joplin. Her career took off with hits like “It’s a Heartache.” Tyler was married to Robert Sullivan, a former Olympic judo competitor.