WJPA News

Washington County held a groundbreaking ceremony for the new forty-one-million-dollar Public Safety building Thursday afternoon. The three-story facility will replace the Courthouse Square building on Beau Street. Commission Chair Nick Sherman says that this is a new beginning, and he believes taxpayers are willing to pay for public safety. Sherman explains that all three floors will be utilized for 9-1-1 operations, the sheriff’s office, and court relations. Commission Vice Chair Electra Janis explains that the old building was not structurally sound, and the best option was to knock it down and start over. Janis views the Public Safety building as an investment into the future. Commissioner Larry Maggi announced that he would not attend the ceremony due to concerns regarding the condition of the site and the cost of the project.  Massaro Corporation is the lead prime general contractor for the project. President Steven Massaro says that the responsibility of using the right labor and developing a great building for the taxpayers is motivating. Massaro says there is still more demolition to be done, and then they can move into excavation and the foundation for the building. He expects the project to get started in about 30 days and be completed 18 months after that.

Uniontown, PA – PennDOT has announced the closure of a portion of Route 3009 (Old Scales Road) and Route 3014 (Van Neal Drive) between Route 18 and Route 221 in South Franklin Township, Washington County, beginning Monday, September 14.  A posted detour will be in place until mid-December using Route 3014 (Van Neal Drive), Route 221, Route 3008 (Jolly School Road), and Route 18.  Department Force Bridge crew will demolish the existing structure, replace it with precast concrete box culvert. Work will also consist of widening the approaches, paving and guiderail. A $1.5 million infrastructure investment project.  All work depends on weather and operational conditions.

Harrisburg, PA – In support of the continued preservation and celebration of the Commonwealth’s rich history for the nation’s 250^th anniversary and beyond, the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission (PHMC) today announced the award of nearly $4 million in Cultural and Historical Support Grants. This year’s funding will empower 182 eligible museums and official county historical societies across 60 Pennsylvania counties.  “Museums and historical societies all across the Commonwealth share in telling the story of Pennsylvania, its diverse communities and regions, and the important role they have played in our nation’s story,” says Andrea Lowery, Executive Director of PHMC. “We are thrilled to be able to help support these vital institutions in their efforts to preserve and share Pennsylvania’s rich history.”  Designed to fortify Pennsylvania’s foundational history and museum community, the grant program delivers essential, unrestricted operating support to qualifying institutions. To qualify for the 2026-2027 grant cycle, eligible museums must maintain an annual operating budget of over $100,000 (excluding capital and in-kind contributions) and employ at least one full-time professional or an approved equivalent.  In Washington County, the money is going to several different organizations, including the Bradford House Historical Association – $8,500;  Meadowcroft Museum of Rural Life – $47,000;  the Duncan Glass Society for the Duncan Miller Glass Museum – $6,000; the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum Inc – $30,000 and the Washington County Historical Society – $9,500.

(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.

(AP) – Four people serving mandatory life sentences for second-degree murder in Pennsylvania are asking the state Supreme Court to reconsider their cases. They filed a King’s Bench petition on Thursday, which allows the court to bypass lower courts for urgent matters. In March, the court ruled that mandatory life sentences without parole are cruel if the person’s role in the murder isn’t considered. However, the ruling wasn’t made retroactive, leaving lawmakers to determine how to handle people currently serving such a sentence. However, the divided legislature adjourned in July without legislation that addressed the ruling. The petitioners want the court to make the ruling retroactive, allowing for resentencing.

(AP) – Jimmy Kimmel says the federal agency regulating television has “threatened” his show. An interview with James Talarico, a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Texas, will now air on YouTube instead of TV. This isn’t the first time a Talarico interview has moved online. Stephen Colbert’s show did the same in February. The Federal Communications Commission has been enforcing equal time rules for political candidates, which traditionally didn’t apply to talk shows. Kimmel suggests Trump’s presidency influenced this change. The FCC hasn’t commented, and Kimmel didn’t elaborate on the threats.

The U.S. Supreme Court again rejected a push to use Missouri congressional maps backed by President Donald Trump, a loss for Republicans trying to maintain control of the House in the fast-approaching midterm elections. Also, Trump has pledged to send every American adult $5,000 if Republicans retain control of the House and Senate in the midterm elections. The dubious promise would likely cost more than $1 trillion and require congressional approval, and would further exacerbate the country’s nearly $1.8 trillion annual budget deficit and concerns about inflation. Trump also said Wednesday that oil prices that have surged because of the Iran war likely won’t come down until after U.S. midterm elections.

DALLAS (AP) — President Donald Trump has pledged $5,000 to every American if Republicans hold onto Congress in the midterms while slamming Democrats as extremists during night one of the Republican midterm convention. He also defended the war in Iran and did not provide details on how his cash pledge would work. Trump on Wednesday in Dallas emphasized making the elections about himself, despite low approval ratings. Many Republicans skipped the event in Dallas, while others aimed to rally Trump supporters. Trump pledged to visit key states and hold rallies. He also defended tariffs and promised a “Trump dividend” if Republicans win. The convention aimed to boost enthusiasm despite economic concerns and dissatisfaction with the Iran war.

Democratic Sen. John Fetterman has addressed the Republican midterm convention, escalating tensions with his party. His appearance is stirring fears among Democrats that he might switch parties after the midterms. Fetterman introduced Republican Sen. Dave McCormick in a video, calling him “a great American.” He criticized Democrats as extremists and expressed support for working with President Donald Trump. Fetterman said in a statement later Wednesday that he will not switch parties. He has been increasingly isolated from his party, supporting Israel’s war in Gaza and voting with Republicans on key issues. Democrats worry about his influence if they secure a narrow majority in the Senate.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is in Canada for talks with Prime Minister Mark Carney. He aims to secure further support for Ukraine’s fight against Russia. Ukraine faces pressure from Russia’s air war, which is targeting its power grid ahead of winter. Recent U.S. efforts to end the conflict have shown little progress, but talks between delegations from Moscow and Kyiv are expected to continue. Zelenskyy arrived in Calgary on Wednesday night. His flight from Moldova to Norway was delayed due to a drone incursion. The aerial drone battle between Russia and Ukraine has intensified since Russia’s invasion in February 2022.

An Anthropic researcher is resigning over concerns about irresponsible development of artificial intelligence. Jacob Coxon, who worked at Anthropic and OpenAI, shared his worries about unsafe development practices and underestimating AI’s capabilities on the social platform X on Tuesday. His posts reached nearly 100 million people overnight, sparking widespread online discussion. He warned that AI models could soon become superhuman systems and threaten human life. Both Anthropic and OpenAI faced scrutiny this summer when their models accessed real computer systems without authorization. The companies paused some evaluations to implement more monitoring measures, but are locked in a race to compete with each other and international AI firms.