January 23, 2026 2:45 am
Washington Mayor JoJo Burgess tells WJPA that they are ready and waiting for the snow to arrive this weekend. He says crews are ready to hit the roads as soon as it begins to snow and will work as needed to keep them clear. He says it will likely involve overtime, but he says it really doesn’t matter, as the safety of residents come first, not the city budget. Burgess says they have a plan to attack the snowfall, starting with the well-traveled roads and working their way down to side streets and alleyways. However, he says if someone finds themselves with a snow issue, they should call and crews will be sent out. As for salt, Burgess says they are well-stocked, having received a shipment earlier and were still working with a supply from last year because it was such a mild winter. As for travel, Burgess is echoing most other officials across the state: Stay home and don’t go out unless you absolutely have to do so. Washington County is readying for the storm as well. Officials say they are bringing in extra staff to man the 911 center over the weekend and will have other information tomorrow, as the storm gets closer.
January 23, 2026 5:01 am
South Strabane Township Supervisors held their second special meeting in a week concerning the reopened 2026 budget. After a three hour workshop on Monday, supervisors previewed the new spending plan. The current budget calls for $8.772 million in revenue and $8.738 million in expenditures. The revised plan calls for $8.501 million in revenues and $8.487 million in expenditures. According to supervisor Zack Morgan, errors in calculations were discovered and adjusted to accurately reflect revenues. Morgan says that there were two major factors, building permit fees are split between the township and consulting firm Code.Sys. That makes up $120,000 in decreased revenue. Morgan also stated that Act 13 monies that were calculated at $250,000 are more likely to be in the range of $180,000. Morgan said that even though all departments will see an increase in funding, the township will lay off one employee and cease funding the Parks and Recreation department. The layoff will be for an administrative assistant/emergency services specialist that also supports the township with other administrative tasks. Fire Chief Jordan Cramer calls the layoff a blow to his department that will create more stress to his staff. Lois Gnagey, vice chairperson of the Parks and Recreation department is mad because the residents will not have Community Day, Easter Egg Hunts, Breakfast with Santa or bus trips that are popular with adults. The new budget will be available for inspection after the January 27 voting meeting. Supervisors plan to hold a special voting meeting on February 11 to formally adopt the new budget.
January 23, 2026 2:46 am
Attorney General Dave Sunday says a Washington County man pleaded guilty to rape and other sexual abuse of a 12-year-old child. Miguel Pedrosa, 63, pleaded guilty Thursday to rape of a child and numerous other felonies. In accordance with a plea agreement, Pedrosa was sentenced to 30 to 60 years in prison. The abuse happened over a period of months, and an incident was recorded in January, when the child’s mother installed a video camera inside her home. Pedrosa was a close acquaintance of the victim. “This heinous conduct has no place in society, and the plea resolution is effectively a life sentence for the defendant who is already in his sixties,” Attorney General Sunday said. “I commend the Pennsylvania State Police for a sound investigation that led to very serious charges, this conviction, and, we hope, a measure of justice for the victim and their family.” In all, Pedrosa pleaded guilty to rape of a child, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child, corruption of minors, aggravated indecent assault of a child, indecent assault, and endangering the welfare of a child — all felonies.
January 23, 2026 5:14 am
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A vast network of labor unions, progressive organizations and clergy has been asking Minnesotans to stay away from work, school and stores Friday to protest against immigration enforcement in the state. The Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul have seen daily protests since Renee Good was fatally shot by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer during an operation on Jan. 7. Federal law enforcement officers have surged in the area for weeks and have repeatedly squared off with community members and activists who track their movements online and in the streets. But Friday’s mobilization was planned as the largest action to date, including a march in downtown Minneapolis despite dangerously cold temperatures.
January 23, 2026 5:18 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Former Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith has defended his investigations of Donald Trump at a public congressional hearing. Smith insisted Thursday he acted without regard to politics and had no second thoughts about the criminal charges he brought. Smith said no one should be above the law, and the law required that Trump “be held to account.” Smith’s criminal investigations in Washington, D.C., and Florida shadowed Trump during his 2024 Republican presidential campaign. He testified behind closed doors last month but returned to the House Judiciary Committee for the public hearing. Republican lawmakers looked to undermine Smith while Democrats hoped to elicit damaging testimony about Trump’s conduct. Trump says Smith has “destroyed many lives.”
January 23, 2026 5:16 am
Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the settlement in Ukraine with U.S. President Donald Trump’s envoys during marathon overnight talks, and the Kremlin insisted that the territorial issue needs to be resolved to make peace. The Kremlin meeting, which lasted past 3 a.m. Friday, came hours after Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sharply criticized his European allies Thursday for what he cast as their slow and fragmented response to Russia’s nearly four-year full-scale invasion. Kremlin foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov, who took part in Putin’s meeting with Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, said it would be impossible to reach a peace deal “without solving the territorial issue.”
January 23, 2026 5:17 am
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Activists report that Iran’s crackdown on nationwide protests has killed at least 5,002 people. Many more are feared dead. But information is scarce in part because Iran has imposed the most comprehensive internet blackout in its history. The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency provided the latest death toll Friday and noted more than 26,800 people have been detained. Iran’s government says 3,117 have died. But it has a history of giving lower tolls for political reasons. The Associated Press has been unable to verify these numbers because of the two-week internet shutdown. The U.S. has moved an aircraft carrier group closer to the Middle East. And U.S. President Donald Trump is warning of potential action against Iran.
January 23, 2026 5:13 am
TikTok has finalized a deal to create a new American entity, avoiding the looming threat of a ban in the U.S. that has been in discussion for years. The social video platform company signed agreements with major investors including Oracle, Silver Lake and MGX to form the joint venture. The company said in a statement that the new version will operate under “defined safeguards” with an emphasis on data protections and software assurances for U.S. users. The establishment of a U.S. unit ends years of uncertainty about the fate of the popular video-sharing platform in the United States.
January 22, 2026 5:52 pm
ATLANTA (AP) — A massive winter storm is barreling toward the eastern U.S., threatening to bring severe ice and snow from Texas to Boston. Forecasters warn the storm could rival a hurricane in damage to power lines and trees, especially in areas with heavy ice. The storm is expected to start Friday in New Mexico and Texas, moving east through the South and then up the coast into New England. Bitterly cold air could follow, with wind chills dropping to minus-50 degrees Fahrenheit in parts of Minnesota and North Dakota. Utility workers are on alert and supplies like bread and salt are flying off shelves. (Photo: AP)
January 22, 2026 4:51 am
It looks like there is no getting away from this one. A Winter Storm Watch will be in effect for all of Southwestern Pennsylvania from 7 p.m. Saturday to 1 p.m. Monday as we await the arrival of significant amounts of snow. National Weather Service Meteorologist Bill Modzelewski in Pittsburgh, tells WJPA that although there’s a slim chance the track could change – they are pretty sure they nailed the expected snow totals of between eight and twelve inches, with Washington County likely see the higher amounts of snowfall. On the up side, however, Modzelewski says this storm will bring the white fluffy snow, as opposed to the heavier snow that can often feel like cement. Periods of snow will develop late Saturday night and continue into Sunday, where there is potential for heavy snow of at least six inches, especially east and south of Pittsburgh. Some areas could get even more than that, particularly by Sunday evening. Tune to WJPA 95.3FM/1450AM or wjpa.com for the very latest storm information.
