February 2, 2026 4:20 am
PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. (AP) — Punxsutawney Phil’s handlers will be announcing if the weather-predicting groundhog sees his shadow. If he’s deemed to have seen his shadow around daybreak Monday, it’ll mean six more weeks of winter. If not, an early spring is expected. Tens of thousands are descending on Gobbler’s Knob in western Pennsylvania for the annual ritual. The event gained popularity after the 1993 movie “Groundhog Day.” Last year, Phil predicted more winter, which is his more common forecast. Observed on Feb. 2, Groundhog Day marks the midpoint between the winter solstice and the spring equinox.
February 1, 2026 8:30 am
(AP) – A “bomb cyclone” that brings heavy snow to parts of the Carolinas and ushers in frigid temperature to much of East Coast Saturday is likely to persist into Sunday. Charlotte, North Carolina, saw one of its heaviest snowfalls in years — about a foot or more fell in the region. Treacherous road conditions led to an hours-long backup on Interstate 85 northeast of the city. The state highway patrol said it counted at least 750 traffic collisions Saturday, but none was fatal. Temperature dips below freezing in many areas, and the frigid cold is expected to plunge as far south as Florida. Forecasters say the subfreezing weather will persist in the East into February.
February 1, 2026 8:28 am
(AP) – A judge has ordered the U.S. to release a father and 5-year-old son who were taken into custody during the immigration crackdown in Minnesota. Images of preschooler Liam Conejo Ramos in a bunny hat and Spider-Man backpack being surrounded by federal agents in a Minneapolis suburb on Jan. 20 added to the outcry about the immigration actions of President Donald Trump’s administration. The government says the father and son, originally from Ecuador, entered the U.S. in 2024. They were taken to a detention facility in Dilley, Texas. The judge previously ruled that they could not be removed from the U.S. for now.
February 1, 2026 8:27 am
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A federal judge says she won’t halt the immigration enforcement surge in Minnesota and the Twin Cities as a lawsuit over it proceeds. Judge Katherine M. Menendez on Saturday denied a preliminary injunction sought in a lawsuit filed this month by state Attorney General Keith Ellison and the mayors of Minneapolis and St. Paul. It argued that the Department of Homeland Security is violating constitutional protections. The lawsuit sought a quick order to halt the enforcement action or limit its scope. Lawyers with the U.S. Department of Justice have called the lawsuit “legally frivolous.” Federal officers have fatally shot two people on the streets of Minneapolis: Renee Good on Jan. 7 and Alex Pretti on Jan. 24.
February 1, 2026 8:26 am
NEW YORK (AP) — Newly released files on Jeffrey Epstein have prompted the resignation of a top official in Slovakia and revived calls in Britain for a former prince to cooperate with authorities. Miroslav Lajcak resigned Saturday from his role as an adviser to Slovakia’s prime minister. He was not accused of wrongdoing. But Lajcak faced pressure to resign after emails showed he met with Epstein in 2018. The disclosures also renewed questions about whether long-time Epstein friend Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew, should talk with investigators about Epstein and his links to powerful people around the world.
February 1, 2026 8:22 am
(AP) – Demond Wilson, the actor who played the son on the seminal 1970s sitcom “Sanford and Son,” has died. He was 79. Wilson’s Lamont character was the subject of endless insults from Redd Foxx’s Fred Sanford in an early sitcom that focused on Black characters. The Vietnam War veteran was born in Georgia and grew up in Harlem. He had starring roles in a few more short-lived shows and returned to acting occasionally. Starting in the mid-1980s, he focused on his role as a minister and had mostly disdain for Hollywood.
February 1, 2026 8:06 am
The bitter cold temperatures put firefighters to the test on Saturday, as they worked to put out a massive apartment fire that left several people injured in Greene County. Greene County 911 tells WJPA that he fire started around three in Mather Apartments, which are located on 3rd Street in Morgan Township. Pennsylvania State Police say the fire involved the entire building, which consisted of ten apartment units. Authorities say three people were hurt and two were taken to hospitals by helicopter. Officials with the Jefferson Volunteer Fire Company say multiple companies worked in extreme temperatures of -14 degrees.. (Photo courtesy of the Jefferson VFD)
February 1, 2026 8:19 am
Two people were taken into custody during a drug trafficking investigation spanning Pennsylvania and Ohio. In a social media post Saturday, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office said the four-month investigation concluded on Thursday, with multiple agencies from both states involved. The investigation focused on the distribution of heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine in various municipalities, the office said. Numerous people are alleged to have taken part. On Thursday, authorities initiated a traffic stop on State Route 18 in Burgettstown. During the stop, 53-year-old Archie Orison of McDonald/Burgettstown was arrested and found to have an unspecified amount of crack cocaine on him, according to the sheriff’s office. Orison was lodged at the Washington County Correctional Facility on a bench warrant and an arrest warrant out of Mount Pleasant Township, the office said. Additional charges are pending. After Orison’s arrest, the Jefferson County Drug Task Force executed a search warrant at a home in Steubenville, Ohio. A person was taken into custody after authorities found cocaine, crack cocaine and more than $15,000 in cash, the office said. More arrests may come as a result of the investigation, the office said.
January 31, 2026 10:40 am
Greene County 911 tells WJPA news that crews are still on the scene of a fire in Mather. According to the Jefferson Volunteer Fire Company, crews battled the multi-family structure fire this morning in minus 14 degree temperatures. A number of volunteer fire and EMS departments are on the scene. The Salvation Army also reported to the scene to provide hot meals and beverages to support first responders. No word yet if there are any injuries or what might have caused the blaze. [Photo from Jefferson Volunteer Fire Department Facebook page.]
February 1, 2026 7:00 am
One woman was injured in a two-car crash in South Strabane Township this morning. According to Washington County 911, the unidentified woman was suffering chest pains following the accident along Rt. 136 near Davis School around 5:30 this morning. She was transported to a nearby hospital and her condition is unknown. The scene was quickly cleared according to dispatchers.
