WJPA News

Last spring, the Washington Community Theatre became aware that funds were missing from their account. Police investigations led to their treasurer Andrew Mours for misappropriating funds. Mours was in court for a plea court hearing that was set up to allow Mours to make restitution payments to the organization. Washington Community Theatre President Jeff Zollars explained that the payment plan was suggested by a former board member Megan Faust, an attorney that once served as an assistant district attorney, to allow a successful outcome without a lot of drama. Zollars says that approximately $20,000 of the nearly $41,000 has been returned to the organization. Zollars says that when the incident came to light, he thought the organization would fold after 57 years. He is grateful to the community for their support and to local organizations that helped hold fundraising efforts. The group held a two night fundraiser in Washington Park that was a night of Broadway Songs. The Old Schoolhouse Players opened their doors host a “Theater Feud” trivia contest among four local theater groups as another fundraiser. Mours had no comment on the matter after the hearing. He is scheduled to continue making payments. Mours is charged with three theft felonies and one forgery felony. His next court date is December 2.

Pennsylvania State Representative Josh Kail hosted a Scam Jam event at the Burgettstown Community Library to inform constituents on how to spot and avoid financial frauds and scams. Representative Kail says these events are important to give constituents a point of contact and someone they can trust if they see something suspicious or fall victim to fraud. Presenters at the event represented organizations like the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities, the Smith Township Police Department, and AARP. Attendees had the opportunity to ask questions, collect contact information, and play Fraud Bingo! Tyler Evans, a detective with the Smith Township Police Department, says that a lot of people fall victim to scams in the area, and some do not realize it until there is an investigation. Katrina Boyer, an investor education coordinator for the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities, says that people should not be embarrassed if they fall victim, and she hopes that these events provide them with plenty of resources if they are a victim of fraud.

An investigation continues into a fatal crash along Interstate 79 in Whiteley Township in Greene County Wednesday afternoon.  The Greene County Coroner says 26-year-old Robbi Bennett was involved in a two vehicle accident around 1:30 p.m., shutting down the northbound highway between Exit 7 (Kirby/Garards Fort) and Exit 14 (Waynesburg/Masontown). The highway opened around three o’clock.  The coroner says a cause and manner of death are pending.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says he is delaying the 50% U.S. tariffs on $20 billion worth of Canadian imports after the two countries reached a last-minute deal hours before the sanctions were to go into effect. The announcement, which Trump made late Tuesday on his social media platform, buys time for more negotiations and avoids, for now, another strain in already tense relations between the historic allies. Trump said he had paused the tariffs “based on the fact that Canada and the U.S.A., subject to the finalization of documents, have a DEAL!” Trump’s import taxes would have hit about 5% of what Canada ships to the United States every year, including products ranging from hockey sticks to tongue depressors.

Democratic voters have elevated a progressive Senate candidate in Florida, while Republican Rep. Byron Donalds, backed by President Donald Trump, won the GOP nomination as he vies to become the first Black governor of the state. This mixed outcome comes as Republican-led redistricting efforts have scrambled congressional maps. Tuesday’s contests in Florida, Alaska, Wyoming and California will shape the fiercely contested midterms this fall. Donalds joins a historic slate of Black gubernatorial nominees across the country. Meanwhile, longtime U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz won a diverse, redistricted Florida seat. The internal battle between progressive and establishment candidates continues to play out with mixed results.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Sen. Darline Graham, running in South Carolina’s runoff election, stumbled over a foreign policy question during a debate Tuesday night. When asked about Taiwan and the South China Sea, she admitted, “national security is not my thing.” Graham was appointed to fill her late brother Lindsey’s seat after his unexpected death on July 11. She’s now running against Rep. Ralph Norman in a special election. Her brother was known for his foreign policy work, which she referenced by highlighting his Air Force service. Graham has been endorsed by President Donald Trump. She and Norman advanced to the runoff in last week’s primary.

ABC has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration’s Federal Communications Commission, alleging violation of its First Amendment rights. Tuesday’s lawsuit was a sharp escalation of the network’s battle against what it sees as the administration’s efforts to police its content. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has defended his agency’s actions against ABC, saying broadcasters have a duty to “operate in the public interest.” The FCC launched a review in April of eight ABC-owned broadcast licenses years before they expire. The order came after a joke by ABC late night host Jimmy Kimmel infuriated President Donald Trump.

HONG KONG (AP) — Shares of Unitree, one of China’s largest humanoid robot makers, have soared as much as 629% in its public stock trading debut in Shanghai. At market close, they had gained 460%. The company raised about $900 million in its listing on the Nasdaq-style STAR market. Advanced robotics is a key sector in the technology rivalry between China and the U.S. Last year, Unitree shipped over 5,000 humanoid robots, leading U.S. counterparts, according to industry data. While overseas sales account for more than 40% of Unitree’s overall revenue, a U.S. ban on new foreign-made robots could hinder its future sales in the United States.