March 17, 2026 5:58 am
Give yourself some extra time to scrape the windshield and shovel the driveway. Several inches of snow will make for a slow morning commute in some areas. Scattered snow showers will continue off and on throughout the day. The National Weather Service says some areas could see another inch or two of snow. Washington County 911 is not reporting any major problems. Several schools are operating on two-hour delays. Temperatures are expected to return to the 50s for the end of the work week with the chance for a few rain showers late Thursday and again later Friday evening.
March 17, 2026 4:54 am
The Waffle House along Racetrack Road remains open after it was hit with four violations following an inspection by the State Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety Program. According to the Department of Agriculture’s website, there were repeat violations for cigarette butts, paper and food found on the ground near the back door and trash on the ground near a trash bin. The inspection also found that the back door to the washing area had a gap that could allow insects, rodents or other animals to enter. According to the report, the person in charge at the time did not have adequate knowledge of food safety. A follow-up inspection was scheduled in ten days.
March 17, 2026 2:40 am
Gas prices are stable in Western Pennsylvania this week at $3.733 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report. Spring Break season is here as the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline jumped nearly 24 cents since last week to $3.71. The last time the national average was in the $3.70 range was October of 2023. Gasoline demand increases this time of year as the weather warms up and more drivers hit the road. Gas prices are also rising due to the conflict in Iran. The national average has gone up 73 cents since the conflict began on February 28th. Crude oil prices play a major role in what drivers pay at the pump, and prices have surpassed the $100/barrel mark multiple times in recent days. To help offset rising prices, the U.S. announced it will release 172 million barrels of oil from its strategic reserves over four months. The move is part of a broader effort by the International Energy Agency to release a total of 400 million barrels of oil, the largest emergency release in its history.
March 17, 2026 2:24 am
The McDonald Police Department is sending a warning to parents after seizing several BB guns that were modified to look real. Police said they found two of these guns this month that were reportedly modified with metal parts and fake gun manufacturer stampings in order to look real. “In past incidents across the country, suspects have been shot by police and citizens brandishing these facsimile guns. We would advise parents to educate their children on the danger that these items can present,” the McDonald Police Department said in a statement. Police said one gun was found in a case involving a fight and another was found in a suspicious activity case that involved marijuana, gummies, a THC vape, wax and spray paint. They added that both of the juveniles said they had the guns “for protection.” Both juveniles are facing charges, police say. (Photo: McDonald Police Department Facebook page)
March 17, 2026 5:06 am
ATLANTA (AP) — Hundreds of flights are canceled or delayed one day after powerful storms swept across the eastern half of the country and disrupted thousands of others. The flight-tracking site FlightAware says more than 550 flights scheduled to fly into, out of or within the U.S. have been called off as of early Tuesday, It says over 460 have been delayed. Travelers have been facing additional jams at airport security checkpoints as a partial government shutdown strains screener staffing. The disruptions come at an already challenging time for air travel, in part because the shutdown that began Feb. 14 has pressured staffing at some security checkpoints.
March 17, 2026 5:04 am
BANGKOK (AP) — The escalating Iran war is pushing parts of the world into energy triage. Governments are deciding where to cut demand or absorb higher costs, while prioritizing dwindling supplies. In places like Bangkok and Vietnam, people are being urged to work from home, take the stairs and keep air-conditioning above 24°C, while some businesses are preparing for disruptions. The conflict is disrupting critical oil and natural gas shipments from the Middle East, sending prices soaring and threatening global growth — with Asia facing the greatest risk from the shock. That prompted some governments to draw on their emergency reserves, a stopgap measure that can only go on for so long.
March 17, 2026 5:05 am
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Israel says it has killed the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards’ all-volunteer Basij force, a key force used to suppress demonstrations in the Islamic Republic. The Israeli military said Tuesday a strike the day before had killed Gholamreza Soleimani. Iran did not immediately acknowledge Soleimani’s killing. “The Basij forces are part of the armed apparatus of the Iranian terror regime,” the Israeli military said in its statement. Also Tuesday, Dubai, a major transit hub for international travel, briefly shut its airspace as the military said it was “responding to incoming missile and drone threats” around the city, and a man was killed by the debris of a missile intercepted over Abu Dhabi.
March 17, 2026 5:07 am
President Donald Trump and his team are increasing the pressure on journalists to cover the war in the Middle East the way the administration wants. The president has complained on social media about stories he doesn’t like and berated a reporter on Air Force One over the weekend. The government’s top media regulator warned that broadcasters risk losing their licenses to operate if they don’t stay away from “fake news.” Both Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have questioned the patriotism of some news outlets because of their reports. Antagonism between presidential administrations and the press isn’t unusual, but Trump’s team has shown a hostility toward the very idea of being questioned.
March 16, 2026 12:28 pm
WASHINGTON (AP) — Extreme weather conditions from coast to coast are putting over 100 million people across the U.S. in the path of rough conditions on Monday. Storms across the nation’s eastern half forced airlines to cancel more than 3,000 flights nationwide Monday, and many schools closed early in the mid-Atlantic states where high winds and tornadoes were in the forecast. Blizzards buried parts of Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota while torrential rains flooded homes and washed out roads in Hawaii. California is dealing with unusually high temperatures for this time of year. Areas near San Francisco could see temperatures in the high 80s. (Photo: AP)
March 16, 2026 5:44 pm
(AP) – Storms sweeping across the eastern half of the country are disrupting air travel across the United States. FlightAware reported more than 3,500 flights canceled Monday and about 6,300 others delayed. The storms already dumped heavy snow across parts of the Midwest and were moving toward the East Coast with strong winds and the threat of tornadoes. The travel disruptions come during a busy period for airports, with spring break vacations and fans traveling for March Madness games. Meanwhile, a partial government shutdown affecting the Transportation Security Administration has stretched staffing at some airport security checkpoints, leading to longer lines in some places.
