WJPA News

The 10th Annual Washington Italian Festival is Saturday, September 26 from 12:00-7:00 PM. Held at the Community Pavilion on Main Street in Downtown Washington, the festival will feature music and dance performances, Italian food and beverages, and local vendors. The lineup of performers includes Allegro Dance Company, New Vintage Big Band, Washington Jazz Orchestra, Street Players, and more. Rebecca Robertson plays a big role in bringing everything for the festival together. She says this is a beloved event, and everyone is looking forward to celebrating Italian heritage. An honoree ceremony will recognize Italian American veterans, active-duty U.S. Military members, and the families of deceased Italian American veterans. Washington County Commissioner Larry Maggi, a U.S. Marines veteran, will emcee the ceremony. The festival will have experiences for all ages, and admission is free!

A Moon Township man who was shot twice at President Donald Trump’s Butler rally in 2024 has died.  The House Republicans confirmed on X the death of James Copenhaver. They released the following statement:  We are deeply saddened by the passing of Jim Copenhaver, who was gravely wounded in the horrific shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania.  Jim endured unimaginable hardship with strength and perseverance.  We join his family and loved ones in mourning his loss and praying for them.  Copenhaver was one of two people injured during the shooting. David Dutch, 57, a Marine veteran from New Kensington, was shot once.  Corey Comperatore, 50, a former fire chief, was killed in the assassination attempt.  In June of this year, Copenhaver and Dutch sued the United States. An attorney representing both men said a “cascade” of failures by the Secret Service led to their injuries  Copenhaver’s cause of death has not yet been released.

Residents in Washington County and beyond are interested in data centers. They come with concerns like the use of electricity, traffic congestion and other issues. There is also noise, health and environmental issues that raise questions. But they also can bring the prospect of job creation. Rich Fitzgerald, the former long-time Allegheny County Chief Executive, is now the Executive Director of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC), which is comprised of both a 60+ member governing body as well as a 50+ member administrative arm that work together on the goals of Transportation, Planning & Development and Information Systems. At the conclusion of a State of the Steel Valley Legislative breakfast Wednesday, Fitzgerald spoke to WJPA news about $40 billion of investment in three projects, and another set for Washington County, the growth of manufacturing companies like GE Vernova in Imperial. He also talked about the opportunities for young people to get into the trades and find gratifying work. He also urged those same residents to talk with their local leaders about contingencies that must be met to build data centers in Fort Cherry as well as other areas of Southwestern Pennsylvania.

Early Thursday morning members of the Pennsylvania State Police Vice Unit, with the assistance of their Special Emergency Response Team (“SERT”), patrol units, the Masontown Police Department, and Assistant DA Anthony Gentile of the District Attorney’s Office, executed search warrants on three locations in German Township and Masontown Borough in conjunction with an extensive narcotics trafficking investigation. These searches resulted in the seizure of multiple kilograms of methamphetamine and cocaine; twenty (20) firearms; approximately $425,000 in cash; and other indicia of a major drug operation. Mendo Love, 52, of Ronco, was arrested in connection with this operation and has been charged with offenses including Possession with Intent to Deliver; Dealing in Proceeds of Unlawful Activities; and Possession of Firearms Prohibited.

(AP) – An audit reveals significant weaknesses in the Pennsylvania Department of Aging’s oversight of agencies tasked with preventing elder abuse. Released Wednesday, the audit highlights deficiencies that could leave older adults at risk. Auditor General Tim DeFoor’s office found 10 issues in how the department monitors county-based agencies. The audit criticizes the department’s new monitoring system for not assessing key areas, potentially inflating performance scores. The department disputes the findings, calling the audit report inaccurate and accusing the auditors of bias. DeFoor insists the findings are accurate and urges the department to address the issues. The audit echoes previous reports of failures in the system.

NEW YORK (AP) — Reporters from CNN, MS NOW and Politico returned to the White House hours after a federal judge temporarily blocked President Donald Trump’s ban of the three news outlets. The judge said early Thursday that the news outlets must have their access restored. But reporters from all three outlets said they were still blocked early Thursday. The news outlets soon asked in a new court filing for an immediate hearing to address their continued ban from White House grounds. The back-and-forth was the latest in an extraordinary showdown between Trump and media outlets whose coverage he dislikes. Trump announced he was banning the outlets Friday, assailing what he called “fake news.” The outlets argued they were singled out over the content of their coverage.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is hailing the “truly great friendship” he’s forged with Xi Jinping as the Chinese leader began his highly anticipated state visit at the White House. Xi is pressing for the world’s two biggest economies to work more closely together to avoid friction as they compete. Xi also announced Thursday that China will invite 100,000 American youth to come to his country for studies and exchanges in the next five years and that China will send two pandas to the zoo in Atlanta in the coming days. Xi spoke about artificial intelligence and said China and the U.S. had a responsibility to ensure that humans always operate AI.

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Southwestern Mexico is bracing for heavy rain and mudslides after Polo became a major hurricane in the Pacific. Forecasters also warned Wednesday that another system heading toward Hawaii could cause catastrophic flooding later in the week. Hurricane Polo is expected to skirt Mexico’s Guerrero state, submerging coastal areas with up to 6 inches of rain through Thursday. Guerrero has been repeatedly pummeled by hurricanes in recent years. Tropical Storm Nolo was expected to approach the Big Island as early as Friday. Nolo is projected to drop up to 20 inches of rain, raising the possibility of flooding and mudslides.

(AP) – Starbucks plans to close 250 North American stores later this week. Starbucks Chief Operating Officer Mike Grams said the locations targeted either aren’t delivering acceptable financial results or can’t provide the experience Starbucks wants for customers and employees. The company didn’t say Thursday which coffeehouses will close or how many are located in the U.S. It also didn’t say how many of the affected coffeehouses are unionized. More than 700 U.S. Starbucks stores have voted to unionize since late 2021. Starbucks said it’s continuing to retrofit its stores to be cozier and more welcoming, and that process has helped it identify locations that don’t meet its standards.