WJPA News

It has been 25 years since terrorists hijacked airliners and crashed them into the  World Trade Center, The Pentagon and a vacant field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. South Strabane Township police and fire departments held their annual 9/11 memorial on a bright, blue sky morning honoring the 2977 people that were killed that day. More than 100 people were on hand as a single bell tolled to open the ceremony. Pastor Gary Gibson, Chaplain of the Washington Health System reflected on the unity the nation felt immediately after the event and how our seemingly divided nation needs to return to that unity, knowing we are all children of God. Pastor Robert Grewe, South Strabane Fire and Washington County Sheriff’s Chaplain drew comparisons between the hymn “Amazing Grace” with the lyric ‘once blind, but now I see’ and the experience first responders must have felt when they heroically were blinded by smoke as they entered and exited the rubble of the World Trade Center trying to save anyone they could. Donna Gmitter was working as a Service Director for United Airlines that day. She recalled how difficult it was trying to answer questions for victim’s families when they had no answers themselves and, in fact, were looking for 17 aircraft that could not be traced. Departing South Strabane Township Fire Chief Jordan called for understanding among people and to make sure that first responders and victims and their families remain supported by the September 11 Victim Compensation Fund and advocacy for them is never diminished.

Aliesha Walz, the president and CEO of the Washington County Community Foundation says they are still counting the donations, but as of Friday, the Day of Giving raised more than $1.68 million for the  local nonprofit community.   Walz says WCCF Gives 2026 brought donors, nonprofits, businesses, and neighbors together for another extraordinary day of giving across Washington County.  Every contribution made through WCCF Gives helps participating charities continue the work they do right here at home. Whether you made a gift, shared a participating charity’s story, or helped spread the word about WCCF Gives, the WCCF says thank you for being part of it.  And while Gives Day may be over, we’re not quite finished counting. Mailed gifts are still being received, and final prizes, including Power Boost awards, are being calculated. We’ll share the official WCCF Gives 2026 grant totals soon.

A North Strabane Township man accused of sexually assaulting six juveniles in his home as far back as 2012 has now scheduled three trials for those offenses. Leo McIntyre, 31 had negotiated a plea deal with the district attorney for a sentence of 10-30 years for all six cases in June of 2025. At his sentencing hearing in December, Judge Traci McDonald rejected the plea deal and sentenced McIntyre to 32-64 years in jail. McIntyre and his lawyers immediately withdrew his guilty plea and asked for a jury trial. During the 90 minute pre trial conference on Thursday, defense attorneys severed two of the cases from the other four and McIntyre will now face 3 separate trials. His first trial will be November 2 where he will face 2 counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, corruption of minors, child endangerment and indecent assault of a minor charges. McIntyre still has a plea deal covering all six cases for a jail sentence of 21-42 years in jail. Prosecutors said that in the first case alone, if he were convicted of all charges, he could be sentenced to 12½ to 42 years in jail, before the other trials even began. McIntyre’s second trial will commence December 9 and the final trial encompassing the 4 remaining cases has yet to be scheduled.

(Harrisburgh) – By a vote of 5-0, the State’s Public Utility Commission approved a motion directing PUC staff to develop proposed updates to Pennsylvania’s emergency electric load control regulations, including greater clarity regarding the order, criteria and circumstances under which customers may be curtailed during pre-emergency and emergency conditions.  The motion also directs the Commission to hold a technical conference this fall examining cost responsibility associated with large computational loads, including data centers.  The Commission’s action comes amid growing concern about the balance between rapidly increasing electricity demand and the resources available to serve that demand across the PJM Interconnection.  Pennsylvania’s existing regulations provide a basic framework for electric utilities to manage load during pre-emergency and emergency conditions. The Commission will now examine potential updates to provide greater and more consistent direction concerning the order, criteria and applicability of curtailment.

NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. is commemorating the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks that left nearly 3,000 people dead and the nation shaken. On Friday’s anniversary people will mark memorials by laying wreaths, flying flags, reading victim names and holding moments of silence and vigils. President Donald Trump plans to attend a ceremony at the Pentagon. Other administration officials are expected at the observance at the National Sept. 11 Memorial in New York and the Flight 93 National Memorial in Pennsylvania. In 2001 attackers took command of four commercial jets and rammed them into New York’s World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. The attacks left a decades-long trail of aftermath, from personal grief to far-flung wars.

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. health officials have declared the largest cyclospora food poisoning outbreak in the country’s history over. The FDA said Friday that all recalled iceberg lettuce linked to the outbreak is off the market. Cyclospora is a microscopic, spherical parasite that commonly causes watery diarrhea. Nearly 13,000 cases were reported. The outbreak affected 21 states, with Michigan hit hardest. The parasite spreads through human feces, but the exact contamination source remains unclear. The FDA has ended inspections at the Mexican facility.

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. inflation accelerated last month as gas prices spiked in the wake of renewed fighting in the Middle East, underscoring the affordability challenges that are top of mind for many voters as midterm elections near. The Labor Department said Friday that the consumer price index rose 3.4% last month compared with a year ago, the same as in July. But on a monthly basis, inflation accelerated, as costs jumped 0.4% from July to August, up from an increase of just 0.1% the previous month. The figures show that inflation remains stubbornly elevated, more than five years after prices first soared as the economy emerged from the COVID pandemic.

NEW YORK (AP) — Diesel prices in the U.S. has hit yet another record, soaring past $6 a gallon on average as Washington’s war with Iran disrupts the world’s flow of fuel. The national average of $6.05 is up from $5.85 last week and $3.70 from this time last year, according to motor club AAA. Higher diesel prices mean more expensive transportation for a long list of everyday goods. That’s because diesel is used for many freight and delivery networks. And some businesses have already passed along steeper costs to consumers in the form of added fees.

The United States has succeeded in loosening Iran’s grip over the Strait of Hormuz while virtually shutting down Iran’s own exports. But the conflict is far from over and remains costly for both sides. The economic pressure on Iran has yet to spark an uprising. And its leaders may choose military escalation instead of backing down. The price of Brent crude surged above $100 on Wednesday. The U.S. military deployment to maintain a blockade and help ships through the strait is costly. Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen are meanwhile stepping up attacks on Saudi Arabia. That injects even more uncertainty into global oil markets.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Friday’s inflation report is shaping up to be among the most consequential in years. Oil and gas prices have spiked again on the back of renewed combat in the Middle East. The Federal Reserve is considering whether to lift its short-term interest rate next week, with some officials saying Friday’s report could swing them either way. And longer-term interest rates jumped Thursday, pushing mortgage borrowing costs higher, partly on fears of more persistent inflation. The Trump administration is seeking to counter voter concerns about high prices and rising borrowing costs as the midterm elections approach.

The Trump administration is proposing a dramatic overhaul around the once-a-decade U.S. Census head count that could leave out millions of immigrants based on status and key racial and ethnic data, jeopardizing the allocation of resources and the country’s voting map. The Census Bureau announced Wednesday potential changes would exclude immigrants who are in the country without legal permission and anyone without permanent status and make the survey more “color blind.” Numbers from the questionnaire are typically used to determine congressional districts and Electoral College votes. Racial and ethnic data has been used to look at issues in communities of color such as discrimination, wealth gaps and crime rates.