December 30, 2025 4:55 am
Overnight snow surprised commuters Tuesday morning, with significant accumulations and county-wide power outages thanks to gusting winds. Much colder air has moved in and that will settle in and will stick as another round of snow hits our area for New Year’s Eve. A Winter Storm Watch is in effect for the ridges of Fayette County from 4 p.m. Wednesday through 10 a.m. Thursday. Temperatures will be in the 20’s with wind chills in the teens as the ball drops on New Year’s Eve. (Photo: Houston, Pa. courtesy of Tony DePalma)
December 30, 2025 5:02 am
Gas prices are six cents lower here in Western Pennsylvania this week. That’s according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report. The average stands at $3.15 per gallon. Here in Washington, the average is down to $3.12 per gallon. Motorists continue to find lower prices at the pump. Over the past week, the national average for a gallon of unleaded has fallen three cents to $2.82. Gas prices have not been this low since December of 2020. Cheaper crude oil prices and increases in supply are contributing to the decrease in gasoline prices. Overall, 2025 has been a stable year for the national average with few fluctuations and no sharp spikes. Today’s national average is 19 cents less than a month ago and 20 cents less than a year ago.
December 30, 2025 4:59 am
PITTSBURGH — It’s been more than two years since a federal jury sentenced Robert Bowers to death for killing 11 people at Tree of Life Synagogue. Now, his defense team is asking the Third Circuit Court of Appeals for a new sentencing hearing. The brief lists more than a dozen reasons why the defense team believes a new sentencing hearing is fair for Bowers. One of those reasons includes the fact that he had to wear shackles around his legs during the trial, which his attorneys claim may have made the jury view him as dangerous and created a prejudice. The appeal lists several other reasons for their request, including the lack of diversity of the jury. The Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh is responding to the latest filing, and told our news partners at WPXI; “The jury verdict and sentencing reflected the gravity of this horrific crime, and we believe justice was served.”
December 30, 2025 5:05 am
A strengthening bomb cyclone is barreling across the northern United States, unleashing severe winter weather in the Midwest and aiming at the East Coast. The storm brought blizzard conditions, treacherous travel and widespread power outages Monday across the Plains and Great Lakes. Forecasters say the storm intensified rapidly, meeting the criteria of what’s known as a bomb cyclone. The sharp cold front left parts of the central U.S. waking up to temperatures 50 degrees colder than the day before. The National Weather Service had warned of whiteout conditions beginning Sunday that could make travel impossible in some areas.
December 30, 2025 2:47 am
PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President Donald Trump is warning Iran against reconstituting its nuclear program. Trump said “we’ll knock the hell out of them” if Tehran attempts to rebuild its nuclear program as he welcomed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to his home in Florida for talks Monday. Trump has insisted Tehran’s nuclear capabilities were “completely and fully obliterated” after U.S. strikes on key nuclear enrichment sites in June. But Israeli officials have been quoted in local media expressing concern about Iran rebuilding its supply of long-range missiles capable of striking Israel. Netanyahu’s visit also came as Trump was looking to create fresh momentum for the U.S.-brokered Israel-Hamas ceasefire that is in danger of stalling.
December 30, 2025 5:08 am
PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President Donald Trump has indicated that the U.S. has “hit” a dock facility along a shore as he wages a pressure campaign on Venezuela. But the U.S. offered few details. Trump initially seemed to confirm a strike in what appeared to be an impromptu radio interview Friday. When questioned Monday by reporters about “an explosion in Venezuela,” the president said the U.S. struck a facility where boats accused of carrying drugs “load up.” Trump declined to say if the military or CIA was involved or where it occurred. He didn’t confirm it happened in Venezuela. The White House and Venezuela’s government did not immediately respond to a request for more details or comment.
December 30, 2025 5:08 am
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — China’s People’s Liberation Army is staging a second day of large-scale military drills around Taiwan. It’s unleashing live-fire exercises as part of what it calls “Justice Mission 2025” to showcase its ability to deter any external armed support for the self-ruled island that it has long insisted is part of its sovereign territory. The PLA sent destroyers, frigates, fighters and bombers to the waters to the north and south of the island to test its ability in sea-air coordination and blockading. Its ground forces carried out long-range, live-fire drills. Taiwan’s Civil Aviation Administration was notified that seven temporary “dangerous zones” had been set up, affecting international and domestic air travelers.
December 30, 2025 5:09 am
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A Utah judge has ordered the release of a transcript from a closed-door hearing in October over whether the man charged with killing Charlie Kirk must be shackled during court proceedings. State District Judge Tony Graf said Monday in ordering the transcript’s release that public transparency was “foundational” to the judicial system. Graf had earlier rejected a request by the defense that Robinson not be shackled. Prosecutors have charged Tyler Robinson with aggravated murder in the Sept. 10 shooting of the conservative activist Kirk on the Utah Valley University campus in Orem. They plan to seek the death penalty. Robinson has not yet entered a plea.
December 29, 2025 2:36 pm
GENEVA (AP) — The United States has announced a $2 billion pledge for U.N. humanitarian aid as President Donald Trump continues to slash U.S. foreign assistance funding. The money is a tiny fraction of what the U.S. has contributed in the past but reflects what the administration believes is a generous amount that will maintain the United States’ status as the world’s largest humanitarian donor. The pledge creates an umbrella fund from which money will be doled out to individual agencies and priorities. The announcement caps a crisis year for many U.N. organizations as the U.S. and other Western donors have cut billions in funding, prompting massive cuts in spending and jobs.
December 29, 2025 5:00 am
A big change in the weather on Monday. Rain will move across the region bringing with it strong winds. Crashing temperatures will follow behind the cold front, dropping to the freezing mark by lunchtime. We do have a wind advisory that will be in effect until 1 a.m. Tuesday. Wind gusts could reach 50 mph in some locations. Scattered snow showers are expected by afternoon, with possible snow squalls in the area Monday evening through Tuesday morning. Snowfall will be around 1.5 inches or less, with higher amounts north of I-80 and in the ridges and mountains.
