May 5, 2026 3:32 pm
Washington County Commissioners will consider a Washington County Sportsmen’s & Outdoor Recreation Advisory Council (WCSORAC). The council would be made up of 11-15 members. Some of the positions could come from the Parks and Recreation Department, The Pennsylvania Game Commission and Boat Commission, a watershed conservation expert and possible at large members. The mission of the organization would be to promote and enhance outdoor recreation, conservation and sportsmanship. They want to protect natural habitats and expand public access to fishing, hunting, hiking and other outdoor activities. In addition to the Game Commission and Fish and Boat Commissions, the county would like to connect with local outdoor clubs and school districts and youth groups. In the first two years, the council would like to hold events like a family fishing and boating day. A County Sportsmen’s Weekend is proposed featuring hunting safety and fly casting demonstrations. It would also hold a year round “Explore Washington County” education series in schools and camps. Commissioners will vote on the measure on Thursday.
May 5, 2026 3:16 pm
CARROLLTON, Texas (AP) — Texas police say a man shot five people and two of them are dead at a shopping mall north of Dallas. The shooting happened Tuesday in area known as Koreatown in Carrollton. Police say it wasn’t a random act of gunfire and that the victims knew the attacker. The suspect ran away but was later arrested. Video posted online showed officers with their guns drawn as they walked past doors at K Towne Plaza. Agents from the FBI and another federal agency were among law enforcement at the scene.
May 5, 2026 2:36 pm
Last fall, Washington County Commissioners embarked on the idea of building a miniature golf course in the Mingo Creek County Park. On Thursday, commissioners will vote on granting a proposal to Adventure Golf and Sports to build the venue. During their agenda meeting, Commissioner Larry Maggi questioned the spending of $318,595 to build the golf course. If commissioners wish, an additional $131,121 could be spent on an add on package that includes water features. He said that that is nearly a half million dollars that could be better spent elsewhere. He feels that adding a miniature golf course would take away from the “pristine natural atmosphere” that current park visitors enjoy. Commissioner Nick Sherman feels that it is a good idea. He says that the county should be doing more to add entertainment options for the younger generations. Sherman said that earlier questions about whether the original guidelines under which the park was founded would disallow the venture are not applicable. If approved, Sherman says that construction on the project could begin in June.
May 5, 2026 1:24 pm
HARRISBURG – Attorney General Dave Sunday is advising consumers with Spirit Airlines bookings to act quickly in attempts to recover costs as the company’s sudden shutdown has left many budget travelers stunned — and some stranded. Attorney General Sunday and his Bureau of Consumer Protection encourage impacted consumers to contact their credit card companies, third-party booking sites, or Spirit directly for refund options. If efforts to recoup costs fail, Pennsylvania consumers can file a complaint with the Office of Attorney General. “Rarely do we see such a large company shutdown so suddenly, and we know there are a lot of anxious and angry consumers out there looking for options,” Attorney General Sunday said. “I encourage those consumers to check with other airlines which are moving quickly to re-book passengers who were scheduled with Spirit Airlines. Consumers whose flight issues are not resolved should attempt to recover refunds, then consider reaching out to my office’s Bureau of Consumer Protection.” (Photo: AP)
May 5, 2026 12:50 pm
Verizon is experiencing a widespread outage. According to Verizon’s status map, data, voice, text and wireless home internet are limited throughout area. The website says it’s a “known issue” and Verizon is working on a solution. The company expects a fix to be implemented around 10 p.m. DownDetector shows that issues with Verizon service are being reported across the East Coast, into the southern United States and even in Seattle. Some users report their phones going into SOS mode, along with other connectivity issues. Verizon says users can make calls over Wi-Fi, even without cell service.
May 5, 2026 9:54 am
Three people were transported by ambulance from the scene of a crash involving a school van and a dump truck Tuesday morning in Hanover Township. Washington County 911 says it happened around 7:30 a.m. along Steubenville Pike. According to reports, the van rear-ended the truck. Two of those injured were transported to UPMC Washington Hospital. The other was taken by to a hospital in Weirton, West Virginia. The student was among those injured and is reportedly a student in the Burgettstown School District.
May 5, 2026 3:31 am
Washington County Commissioners Chairman Nick Sherman admits that he has heard the rumor for nearly a year that Washington and Jefferson College was buying Jollick Manor and that residents there would be displaced. While admitting that W&J is interested in the property, he says the housing facility is not for sale at this time. Monday evening, the Washington County Housing Authority held a special meeting to take care of several employment issues. The meeting was quickly redirected by more than 60 people from Jollick Manor who wanted the board to address rumors that Jollick Manor was going to be sold to Washington and Jefferson College. Before opening the floor to public comment, Authority Chairman Steve Toprani addressed the crowd and told them that there are no plans to decommission Jollick Manor. He said that the Authority, and to his knowledge, County Commissioners are not entertaining any plans to sell the property. Washington and Jefferson President Dr. Elizabeth MacLeod Walls issued this written response to WJPA News regarding the reports; “Washington & Jefferson College is aware of recent community conversations regarding the future of local housing properties. At this time, the College has no active plans or agreements related to the purchase or development of Jollick Manor and Crumrine Towers. We are committed to communicate openly about our planning efforts. We have shared no plans to acquire this property because we have no such plans. We remain focused on our current priorities and on being a thoughtful and responsible partner in the Washington community”.
May 5, 2026 2:15 am
Gas prices are 49 cents higher in Western Pennsylvania this week at $4.654 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report. After ticking down for nearly two weeks, gas prices are going back up again with the national average seeing a 34-cent hike in one week. The national average is $1.29 higher than it was this time last year, as oil prices surge above $100/barrel with no indication of when the Strait of Hormuz will reopen. Gas prices are the highest they’ve been in four years, since late July 2022. According to new data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), gasoline demand increased last week from 9.05 million barrels per day to 9.10 million. Total domestic gasoline supply decreased from 228.4 million barrels to 222.3 million. Gasoline production decreased last week, averaging 9.8 million barrels per day.
May 4, 2026 2:37 am
Two corrections officers and a former inmate are facing charges for alleged drug trafficking at SCI Fayette. Attorney General Dave Sunday’s office announced Monday that following the recommendation of a grand jury, charges were filed against Beau Angelo, 37, and Charity Thompson, 40 — the officers — and Vadol Lewis, 33. Each person is charged with felony counts of corrupt organizations, conspiracy, contraband and delivery of a controlled substance. Sunday says the charges are connected to trafficking that was discovered in late 2024. “This case involves a betrayal of sworn oaths to protect the public, and conduct that threatens the public’s confidence in all officers with duties to keep their communities safe,” Attorney General Sunday said. Sunday says, per the investigation and grand jury testimony, Angelo and Thompson brought K2 and Suboxone into the prison on their persons and distributed the drugs to inmates in exchange for payment. Lewis, a former inmate at the prison, is accused of sending the drugs to the officers. Angelo and Thompson, who are no longer employed as corrections officers, turned themselves in on Monday and were each given $50,000 unsecured bail. Lewis is incarcerated on unrelated charges in Allegheny County, but is also expected to be arraigned on Monday. The cases will be prosecuted by the Office of the Attorney General’s Drug Strike Force Section.
May 5, 2026 5:01 am
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The U.S. military says it fired on Iranian forces and sank six small boats as it moved to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The United Arab Emirates, a key American ally, said it had come under attack from Iran on Monday, the first since a fragile ceasefire took hold in early April. The attacks appeared to be in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s latest efforts to reopen the strategic strait. The U.S. military said two American-flagged merchant ships had successfully transited the strait on Monday. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned early Tuesday on X that both the U.S. and the UAE “should be wary of being dragged back into quagmire.”
