WJPA News

Washington Mayor JoJo Burgess says they are searching for individuals who were attempting to write on the exterior walls of the office of State Representative Guy Reschenthaler during the John Lewis Good Trouble Rally in front of the Washington County Courthouse.  Burgess say he immediately  advised them that this type of behavior was unacceptable and did not reflect the message or purpose of the rally organized by the Washington-Greene Central Labor Council and the Washington Democratic Party.  After returning to the area later, I discovered that these same individuals had come back after the rally had dispersed and had written on the walls of Reschenthaler’s office.  Burgess says this type of vandalism is unacceptable and does not represent the values or intentions of those who organized the event.  He says the city will review surveillance footage from the area to identify those responsible, and the matter will be referred to the appropriate law enforcement authorities for investigation and prosecution.  Burgess says he encourages everyone who participates in demonstrations, rallies, or public events in the city to respect both public and private property and those responsible will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.

Uniontown, PA – PennDOT announced on Monday that nightly ramp closures on Interstate 79 at Exit 14 (Masontown/Waynesburg) in Franklin Township, Greene County will begin now and all ramp closures will occur nightly from 8:00 p.m. until 6:00 a.m. and continue through Thursday, July 23rd.  Detours will be in place.  The ramp closures will allow crews to perform concrete patching and overlay entrance and exit ramps with asphalt.  The work is part of the I-79 Waynesburg to Marianna Project, which will make improvements to approximately eleven miles of I-79, extending through Franklin and Washington townships in Greene County and Amwell Township in Washington County a $45.9 million infrastructure investment. The ramp closures will be coordinated so detour routes do not conflict with one another.  All work is weather-dependent.

Gas prices are 25 cents higher in Western Pennsylvania this week at $4.260 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report.  The national average for a gallon of regular gasoline has gone up 13 cents over the past week and is now at $4.00 per gallon. Instability along the Strait of Hormuz is contributing to the increase at the pump and pushing crude oil prices over $80 per barrel. Earlier this year, the national average remained in the $4 range all of April and May and most of June. Last time the national average was $4 or above was on June 17 when it was $4.02. Today’s national average is five cents more than a month ago but 86 cents more than a year ago.  According to new data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), gasoline demand remained flat last week at 8.84 million. Total domestic gasoline supply decreased from 212.1 million barrels to 210.5 million. Gasoline production decreased last week, averaging 9.6 million barrels per day.

PITTSBURGH — Days after the old Commercial Street Bridge was imploded, the new bridge is being slid into place.  The Penn DOT crews started the lateral slide of the new I-376 Commercial Street Bridge around 10 a.m. Sunday.  In all, PennDOT says the fully constructed bridge will move 102 feet into its new place. It’s being moved with a skidding system that slowly aligns it with the Parkway East.  Each of the 42 skid shoes can operate independently, with integrated hydraulic jacks used to lift the load from its temporary supports and set it down on the permanent bearings.  PennDOT didn’t say when the slide could be completed

PERRY TOWNSHIP, Pa. – Pennsylvania State Police are investigating reports that a nine-year-old boy was tattooed.  Authorities say the child, who is from Washington County, told troopers he was given a tattoo without his consent by his father on July 13th.  Police say it happened along Church Run Road in Perry Township, Greene County.  The father has not been named, and  there’s currently been no word on if he will be facing charges.

The demolition of the old Washington County Courthouse Square is complete. The next step is to find a construction company to build the new Public Safety building. According to Commissioners Chairman Nick Sherman, construction companies must submit their formal bid by July 22, and the bids will be opened publicly. That opening was scheduled for July 9, but a local contractor questioned the bidding process, which put it on hold. Officials reviewed the process and Sherman says that everything is squared away. The bid will be awarded at a special meeting on July 30. Sherman explains that the Public Safety building, which will house all the inner operations of 911, is very important for the first responders who deserve all the assets they need.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has imposed 50% tariffs on most Canadian goods, declaring that Canada has unfairly discriminated against American autos, alcohol and dairy products. The move, announced Monday, could unleash a new wave of economic chaos, with risks of higher inflation and further fraying of relations between two nations that had been closely woven together before Trump’s return to the White House. The administration official previewing the action said that Canada was one of the only nations other than China that retaliated against Trump’s previous tariffs and must be held accountable.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The U.S. military is carrying out its tenth consecutive night of strikes on Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. Central Command says the strikes aim to degrade Iranian military capabilities used to attack commercial shipping. The conflict has escalated as Iran retaliates by attacking American allies Kuwait, Jordan, and Bahrain. Two U.S. soldiers were killed in Jordan on Friday, and another died in Iraq on Saturday. President Trump warns that Iran will pay for American casualties. Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts continue, with Iran’s interior minister visiting Pakistan for talks. The conflict has pushed oil prices higher, impacting global markets.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Sen. Darline Graham announces she’s running for a full term in her late brother Lindsey Graham’s Senate seat. She shared her decision with Fox News Channel’s Sean Hannity in an interview set to air later Monday. Darline Graham was sworn in last week to fulfill the remaining months of her brother’s term, which ends in January. President Donald Trump has endorsed her candidacy. The special Republican primary is scheduled for Aug. 11, with a filing period opening Tuesday. Several other candidates, including Rep. Russell Fry, are also entering the race. Darline Graham says she’s prepared for the challenge and feels at peace with her decision.

NEW YORK (AP) — The FBI says a former U.S. Army soldier started a fire and fired a pellet gun outside a New York building housing an immigration court and other government offices. Officials say suspect Andrew Arrabaca was taken into custody Monday and has been interviewed. No charges have been announced yet against Arrabaca, and it was not immediately clear if he has a lawyer. New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said Arrabaca had a sign affixed to a cart with him that read “ICE off our streets.” The building has become a focal point for demonstrations against the Trump administration’s immigration policies. Three people sustained minor injuries.

Defaults on student loans have surged across the United States, reaching record levels as borrowers struggle to keep up with payments. The numbers have spiked since payments started coming due again following a lengthy pause intended to provide relief during the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, around 9.5 million people — 1 in 5 federal student loan borrowers — are in default, meaning they are more than nine months behind on their payments. While credit scores can suffer when borrowers are just a few months behind, entering default brings the possibility of more serious consequences, including garnished wages or Social Security payments. For now, the Trump administration has held off on such involuntary collections.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal health officials have remained focused on lettuce from Taylor Farms as the source of a multistate outbreak despite inaccurate test results reported over the weekend. Food and Drug Administration officials on Monday briefed reporters on how the government erroneously reported a direct link between a sample of lettuce from Taylor Farms and the parasite that causes severe diarrhea. Officials said the false positive result came from a rapid, molecular test used to screen incoming lettuce from Mexico at the border. While the FDA reported the link Saturday, officials said a subsequent quality check found the result was a false positive.