April 19, 2024 4:59 pm
ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) — The Federal Aviation Administration says it will investigate after a flight at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport was instructed to cross a runway where another flight was starting its takeoff. The FAA says a JetBlue flight was starting its takeoff roll on Thursday morning, when an air traffic controller instructed a Southwest Airlines flight to cross the same runway. Southwest Airlines Flight 2937 was bound for Orlando, Florida, and JetBlue flight 1554 was bound for Boston. JetBlue says the flight aborted takeoff because of another aircraft trying to cross the runway, and it will work with federal officials as the event is investigated. Southwest says it’s working with the FAA to “fully understand the circumstances.”
April 19, 2024 5:05 am
NEW YORK (AP) — A full jury of 12 people and six alternates was seated Friday in Donald Trump’s hush money case, setting the stage for opening statements next week in the first criminal trial of a former U.S. president. Hours later, an appeals court judge rejected a last-minute bid by the Republican to halt the trial over his claims that jury selection was unfairly rushed. The jury includes a software engineer, investment banker, English teacher and multiple lawyers. It took final shape after lawyers spent days quizzing dozens of potential jurors on whether they can impartially judge the presumptive Republican presidential nominee.
April 19, 2024 5:00 am
The Washington County Coroner’s Office has identified the body that was found early Friday morning in a submerged car in the Boone Reservoir in Peters Township as that of 44-year-old Jessica Williams of McMurray. Authorities say Williams was the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle that had been traveling south on Sherwood Drive, crossed Waterdam Road and plowed through a guardrail, into the water. Emergency responders were called to the scene shortly after midnight and divers were able to locate the vehicle and a tow truck pulled it out of the water. Williams was not wearing a seat-belt. The crash is under investigation by Peters Township Police.
April 19, 2024 4:53 am
Washington County Commissioners sat through more than 90 minutes of public comment surrounding the decision of the County Board of Elections to disallow ballot curing in the upcoming April 23 primary election. Commissioners Nick Sherman and Electra Janis voted to not allow the practice, Commissioner Larry Maggi voted in favor of ballot curing. Roughly 75 % of the comment was against the decision stating disenfranchisement of voters due to age and disability. Those in favor cited legal decisions and the responsibility of the voter to properly fill out the paperwork. Commissioner Nick Sherman stood by his decision by citing the ruling from the Third U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that states that ballots filled out improperly should not count. Commissioner Electra Janis stood by her decision indicating that it is the responsibility of the voter to properly fill out the ballot and envelope. Both indicated that this is a question that voters should take up with legislators in Harrisburg. After public comment ended, Commissioner Larry Maggi stated that he consulted the solicitor and moved for an emergency meeting of the Board of Elections to reconsider the vote on ballot curing. The motion died due to lack of a second. Maggi went further and requested a meeting of the Board before Tuesday’s election. He was told that neither of his colleague’s vote would change.
April 19, 2024 4:49 am
Washington County Commissioners took a huge step in making upgrades to its Emergency Radio system on Thursday. In a 2-1 vote, commissioners terminated their August 2023 contract with MRA to perform those upgrades. According to Commissioner Chairman Nick Sherman, $6 million has been spent and no advances have been made in those upgrades. He called the contract with MRA an irresponsibly bid contract and hopes not to waste any more taxpayer monies. By that same 2-1 vote, commissioners voted to award a $200,000 contract Mission Critical Partners for consulting support for the Public Safety Department on various projects. Mission Critical Partners and the County’s Public Safety Advisory Committee were also authorized to prepare a scope of work and bid specifications for the Emergency Radio System. Commissioner Larry Maggi was the dissenting vote on all of these measures. In a written statement, Maggi said he is concerned about putting the county at great financial risk. He said more dialogue should have been had with MRA before taking such a drastic step. He was also against the hiring of Mission Critical Partners for consulting work. He said that that should have been put out for competitive qualifications bid to allow for different ideas. Maggi fears the decisions will cost the county a great deal of money in litigation.
April 19, 2024 2:57 am
The Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority (PBDA) announced Thursday that Washington County has been awarded a sizable grant to increase access to reliable, high-speed internet services. Among the successful bidders in this area was the Washington County Authority and its internet service provider partner Comcast, which received $9.4 million. The funding will bring service to 2,700 unserved homes and businesses across 400 miles. The grant was federally funded by the Broadband Infrastructure Program which awarded a total of two-hundred-million-dollars in grant money for projects across the state. Projects in Beaver, Butler and Westmoreland counties were also funded, but none in rural Greene or Fayette counties, where internet access is often spotty at best.
April 18, 2024 2:29 am
An inmate at SCI Fayette has died. The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections said Aurelio Rivera-Lopez, 50, was found unresponsive in his cell during regular rounds. Life-saving measures were started by security staff until medical staff arrived. Rivera-Lopez had been at SCI Fayette since October 2023. He was convicted of robbery in Lancaster County and sentenced to seven to 14 years in prison. Pennsylvania State Police are investigating, per state policy. The official cause of death will be determined by the Fayette County Coroner’s Office.
April 19, 2024 5:04 am
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran has fired air defenses at a major air base and a nuclear site near its central city of Isfahan after spotting drones. The commotion early Friday raised fears of a possible Israeli retaliatory strike following Tehran’s unprecedented drone-and-missile assault on the country. It was unclear if the country had come under attack, as no Iranian official directly acknowledged the possibility and Israel’s military did not respond to a request for comment. However, tensions have remained high in the days since the Saturday assault on Israel amid its war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip and its own strikes targeting Iran in Syria. U.S. officials declined to comment as of early Friday, but American broadcast networks quoting unnamed U.S. officials said Israel carried out the attack.
April 19, 2024 5:06 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Complaints about pregnant women being turned away from emergency rooms spiked in the months after states began enacting strict abortion laws following the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade. The cases are detailed in federal documents obtained by The Associated Press and raise serious questions about the state of emergency pregnancy care in the U.S. Federal law requires emergency rooms to stabilize patients who are in active labor and provide a medical transfer to another hospital if they don’t have the staff or resources to treat them. The Supreme Court is set to hear arguments next week in an Idaho case that could weaken those federal protections.
April 19, 2024 5:07 am
SYDNEY (AP) — Shoppers and workers have returned to a “really quiet” Sydney mall, where six days earlier an assailant stabbed six people to death in an attack that police believe targeted women. Westfield Bondi Junction mall had opened Thursday for a “community reflection day” while the shops inside the mall reopened Friday. There was a large police and security presence, with guards wearing black stab-proof vests posted on each level of the mall. Visitors numbered in the hundreds, but were fewer than the usual expected on a Friday during school holidays. One visitor said the atmosphere was somber and another said it was really quiet. Authorities said counseling services were available for retail workers and visitors.
