WJPA News

“Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.” That’s the unofficial motto of the United States Postal Service. They made need to make a few adjustments thanks to Winter Storm Fern. The U.S. Postal Service says the snow and the cold are affecting delivery services – particularly to residential customers. Mail delivery, we have been told, is on hold for now, although the post office is accepting mail for delivery. At the main post office in Washington on Jefferson Avenue, customers on Wednesday braved a long line to use a courtesy phone to request their mail. Many in line told us that they have not received any mail since Saturday and they only learned there was a problem with deliveries through social media posts.

Winter Storm Fern also left its mark on the Wilfred R. Cameron Wellness Center in South Strabane Township.  Officials there tell us that a massive water main break on Saturday caused significant damages to the fitness floor, pool area, and both the family and ladies locker rooms.  They say repair work is underway and membership dues will be adjusted accordingly.  Some services are still available though – including Spa Harmony, yoga and Pilates studios, the membership office, nutrition services and outpatient rehab are still open.

Be prepared for the dangerously cold weather because it’s here to stay for at least this week and perhaps, beyond.  A Cold Weather Advisory is in effect through eleven o’clock Thursday morning.  Temperatures will rise to the teens in the afternoon, but wind chill will stay below zero much of the day. Make sure to stay safe in the extreme cold. If you can’t stay indoors, limit your time outside, make sure to dress in warm layers and wear waterproof clothing. Cover exposed skin; wear a hat, mask and gloves. Keep pets indoors. Make sure to protect indoor pipes.  Many communities have declared states of emergency, including the city of Washington, Charleroi and South Strabane Township. The City of Washington has also announced that there will be no trash pick-up this week because of snow covered roads and alley condition.  Services will resume Monday.  On the plus side, Washington Mayor JoJo Burgess says their Emergency Declaration has enabled them to hire an outside contractor to remove all of the snow that is piled up around the city and they got to work on Wednesday.  He says it will be taken and dumped in a specially cleared area of Washington Park.  For those in need, Washington County has opened nearly two dozen warming centers.  For a complete listing, Click Here.

Fire crews were called to a home in the 200-block of E. Hallam Avenue in the City of Washington early Wednesday morning.  Washington County 9-1-1 dispatchers say it was a small fire and electrical in nature.  No injuries resulted.  The Red Cross is now assisting the family.

South Strabane Township Supervisors took the next steps in amending their 2026 budget. During their voting meeting, they authorized the advertisement of the revised spending plan for 10 days. They also authorized the scheduling of a special voting meeting to take place on February 11 at 6:30 pm to adopt the budget. Both measures passed 3-2 as with all other votes concerning the budget. Supervisors George Rowand, Jeff Bull and Zack Morgan approved, Bob Weber and Russell Grego voted no. Supervisors also adopted a measure to direct the township manager to contact the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development to participate in an information program that could make recommendations for budget allocations. Supervisor Chairman George Rowand says that conversations held with other communities indicate that the 62% of the budget spent on public safety may be out of line. Supervisors also passed an ordinance governing the development of solar farms. The ordinance will be amended to have decommissioning fees increased and property setback lines established at 1000 feet. Supervisors also tabled a measure to advertise draft ordinances for Data Centers, Battery Energy Storage Systems and a noise ordinance. Township Manager Peter Stefansky stated that the ordinances need approval from several other governing bodies before they can be offered for public view. Stefansky also said that each of the ordinances would have public hearings before any official action would be taken.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The man accused of squirting an unknown substance on Democratic U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar at a town hall in Minneapolis has a criminal history and made online posts supportive of President Donald Trump. Minnesota court records show Anthony Kazmierczak was convicted of felony auto theft in 1989 and has multiple arrests for driving under the influence. Police say Kazmierczak used a syringe to squirt liquid at Omar on Tuesday. Kazmierczak has been charged with assault. Omar continued speaking and says she’s OK. It’s unclear if Kazmierczak has a lawyer who could speak on his behalf. In social media posts, Kazmierczak criticized Democrats, calling them “angry and liars.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — A Customs and Border Protection official told Congress in a notice that two federal officers fired shots during the encounter that killed ICU nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. Tuesday’s notification obtained by The Associated Press said officers tried to take Pretti into custody and he resisted, leading to a struggle. The official said that during the struggle, a Border Patrol agent yelled, “He’s got a gun!” multiple times. The notice says a Border Patrol agentsr and a CBP officer each fired Glock pistols. Investigators from CBP’s Office of Professional Responsibility conducted the analysis based on a review of body-worn camera footage and agency documentation.

Authorities say a man who was involved in a human smuggling operation was shot Tuesday in an exchange of gunfire with the U.S. Border Patrol and after firing at a federal helicopter. The FBI says agents returned fire, striking the man and wounding him. Authorities say the 34-year-old man was transported to a hospital and was recovering from surgery Tuesday evening. He was identified as Patrick Gary Schlegel. The Pima County Sheriff’s Department says the FBI asked it to lead a use-of-force investigation of the Border Patrol. It noted that such investigations are standard when a federal agency is involved in a shooting in the county.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve pushed the pause button on its interest rate cuts Wednesday, leaving its key rate unchanged at about 3.6% after lowering it three times last year. With the economy growing at a healthy pace and no signs of deterioration in hiring, Fed officials likely see little reason to rush any further rate cuts. While most policymakers do expect to reduce borrowing costs further this year, many want to see evidence that stubbornly-elevated inflation is moving closer to the central bank’s target of 2%. According to the Fed’s preferred measure, inflation was 2.8% in November, slightly higher than a year ago.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The National Transportation Safety Board says the placement of a helicopter route so close to Reagan National Airport’s secondary runway was a key factor in causing a midair aircraft collision that killed 67 people near Washington, D.C., a year ago. The NTSB said Tuesday that air traffic controllers’ over reliance on asking pilots to avoid other aircraft also contributed to an American Airlines jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter colliding a year ago. The Federal Aviation Administration has taken steps to ensure helicopters and planes no longer share the same crowded airspace around the nation’s capital. An NTSB investigator says air traffic control had a big workload around the time of the crash.