WJPA News

Prime Data Centers, LLC is proposing a data center at Starpointe Business Park in Hanover Township. It would include seven buildings and a separate power generation facility. During the last two hearings, there was testimony about Prime providing a trip to Chicago to see a data center campus in July. During Monday night’s hearing, Kate Nolan Bryden, the senior vice president of development, testified that all three Hanover Township supervisors, a member of the township’s planning commission, and owners of Starpointe Business Park attended the trip. Bryden stated that airplane tickets and lunch for the supervisors were paid for by Prime. An attorney representing concerned citizens says this was a violation of due process and that the supervisors showed bias. She asked that the board vote to deny the application during Monday’s hearing. Solicitor Dennis Makel said that was not going to happen, but he refused to comment on his decision. Resident Katie Weber agrees that the application should be thrown out, because there is nothing the supervisors can do to fix the violation. Another resident, Cody Cunningham, says this trip is a great reason to stop wasting everyone’s time and money. The hearing will continue October 28, November 10, and November 11 at 6:00 PM at the Hanover Township Fire Department Hall.

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. — A 39-year-old woman died Saturday, Oct. 10, in Chambersburg, Pa., following a past diagnosis of measles. The death meets the criteria established by the Pennsylvania Department of Health for a measles-associated fatality, marking the first such death in Franklin County in many years.  The case marks the sixth measles-related death recorded in Pennsylvania. The loss comes as the United States endures its highest annual number of measles cases and related complications since 1991.  The woman had several underlying medical conditions, including a past diagnosis of measles for which she had received treatment, according to the coroner’s office.  The Franklin County Coroner’s Office stated that no further identifying details about the woman would be made public.

The Washington High School Student Life Group is finding out early about politics as it exists today. The group teamed with the Washington County League of Women Voters and the Washington Branch of the NAACP, to put on a debate among candidates for state representative, state senator and the US House of Representatives, to gain more information about their views on subjects important to voters, especially young votes in Washington County. To their disappointment, their debate has turned into a “Meet the Candidates” gathering. WJPA Radio sat down with two leaders in the Student Life Group to discuss their experience so far. Eliza Boyd is the founder of the group. She says that multiple efforts were made; from emails, phone calls and even certified mail, to try and convince Republican party candidates to sit down and discuss their views. All of those efforts were ignored. She is upset. She feels that candidates are ignoring what young voters views. She says that it is a HUGE mistake for Republicans not to attend. Blaise Naraskivitch says that, he too, is disappointed in the Republican Party no show. He wants to know how Republicans expect young people to accurately assess community concerns when the candidates who are elected to address those concerns do not care to show up. Naraskivitch says that there is still time, show up to the event and present your views. Boyd says that if Republicans were to lose in Washington County, that is all their responsibility for not wanting to be involved with the community. The meet and greet is scheduled for Wednesday, October 14, at 6:30 pm at the Washington High School Gymnasium on Allison Avenue in the City of Washington.

Gas prices are six cents lower in Western Pennsylvania this week at $4.577 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report.  Gas prices remain the highest they’ve ever been for this time of year. Even though the national average dropped a penny this past week to $4.35, pump prices remain at record highs for autumn. This is the first year the national average has been above $4 per gallon in October. After dipping into the $80 per barrel range for several days, crude oil is back above $90 per barrel. Today’s national average is four cents more than a month ago and $1.27 more than a year ago.  According to new data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), gasoline demand increased last week from 8.68 million barrels per day to 8.76 million. Total domestic gasoline supply increased slightly from 204.4 million barrels to 204.7 million. Gasoline production decreased from 9.46 million barrels per day to 9.34 million barrels.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House says President Donald Trump’s ambassador to Greece, Kimberly Guilfoyle, has been asked to resign after coming under severe criticism over allegations she engaged in improper and possibly illegal conduct before and during her tenure in Athens. Guilfoyle’s requested departure comes after its possibility was previewed to The Associated Press over the weekend and the Republican president registered his unhappiness with reports about her alleged conduct on Monday. Trump was asked by reporters at the White House if he was considering firing Guilfoyle and said he was “looking at it” and was “not happy.” Guilfoyle’s lawyers deny she did anything wrong.

SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev says drones struck two ships in the Black Sea, sinking one and prompting emergency rescue operations. He said early Tuesday that one crew member from the sunken vessel was rescued. He did not give details on the others aboard. Rescuers have evacuated all 15 crew members from the other ship. Radev calls the attacks “absolutely unacceptable” and is seeking NATO and European Union assistance, saying Bulgaria lacks clear evidence to identify who was responsible.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Minnesota congresswoman Ilhan Omar says she will “not be silenced” and calls a search of her Washington home part of President Donald Trump’s “intimidation” campaign. House Democratic leaders are condemning the search of Omar’s home as an “abuse of power” by the Republican administration. Federal agents searched the Democratic congresswoman’s home as part of a criminal investigation. The search in the final weeks of Omar’s reelection bid was conducted Monday by Homeland Security Investigations agents. Details about the investigation are unclear. Republicans have in the past accused Omar of committing immigration fraud, an allegation she denies.

Six Flags has temporarily closed nine roller coasters across six amusement parks. The news came Monday after one person died and several others were injured in an incident involving a coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia near Atlanta. A spokesperson for Six Flags Entertainment Corporation says attractions similar to the coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia were closed out of an abundance of caution. Officials have not confirmed how the person died or what caused the others to be injured. A Six Flags spokesperson says the park and local authorities responded immediately and are fully cooperating with authorities. The death would be at least the seventh at the Georgia park.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Emergency help for Christa Pike was delayed by confusion among first responders and Tennessee prison officials following her failed execution last month. That’s according to 911 dispatch recordings reviewed by The Associated Press. The recordings show precious minutes elapsed as officials and responders tried to figure out whether a request for emergency help in the execution chamber was legitimate. The first call came in at 8:40 p.m. on Sept. 30. It was about a half an hour before prison officials affirmed it was legitimate. Pike had been hospitalized after surviving the state’s attempt to execute her for the 1995 beating and stabbing death of a classmate. She has since been discharged and is back at the women’s prison.

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Leo XIV is set to undergo surgery to remove a lung nodule, a procedure that will determine if the lesion is malignant. The Vatican has canceled all his audiences through Oct. 20. The pope revealed the nodule’s discovery during his Sunday noon prayer, emphasizing its early detection. Experts say the surgery, which includes a biopsy, is minimally invasive and carries a low risk. If the nodule is cancerous, the prognosis is excellent due to early removal. Leo’s openness about his health is a shift from the Vatican’s traditionally guarded approach to papal health issues.