WJPA News

PETERS TOWNSHIP, Pa. — A Peters Township elementary school teacher is off the job after investigators say she was drunk at school and left her first-grade class unattended.  Katharine Viviano is a first-grade teacher at Pleasant Valley Elementary School. According to investigators, last Thursday, Viviano left school property and drove to the Wine and Spirits store during the school day.  Police say surveillance video shows that she purchased alcohol and left, then returned to the elementary school and backed into another car while parking.  Investigators say Viviano was visibly intoxicated, and another teacher found her inside the internal classroom bathroom with her students unattended.  The other teacher told investigators that Viviano was semi-conscious and would not exit nor verbally respond.  Police say she admitted to drinking vodka earlier in the day, and that she had slurred speech, glassy, bloodshot eyes, and was unable to walk without assistance.

(AP) – Grocery store chain Kroger says it will lay off 3,000 corporate employees over the next three years as it ramps up its use of artificial intelligence to streamline operations. In a memo to Kroger employees on Monday, CEO Greg Foran said the company needs to take advantage of recent advances in technology. Kroger last month outlined its AI strategy with the goal of improving the customer experience and making work easier for its employees. Cincinnati-based Kroger is the largest standalone U.S. supermarket chain with 409,000 employees and more than 2,700 stores operating under various brands, including Ralphs, King Soopers, Smith’s and Fred Meyer.  (Photo:  AP)

LATROBE, Pa. — The Arnold Palmer Regional Airport in Westmoreland County has a new airline.  Breeze Airways announced on Tuesday that it will now be flying out of the Latrobe airport.  The airline will offer direct flights to Myrtle Beach, S.C., starting Feb. 9, and Orlando, Fla., starting May 26.  “Latrobe has been a city we had been keeping an eye on, and we know the local community was in need of new travel options after losing all commercial service earlier this year,” said David Neeleman, Breeze Airways’ founder and CEO. “With Breeze’s high-value, low-cost model, and convenient new service to Myrtle Beach and Orlando coming in the first half of 2027, we know this will be a great fit for the community.”  In September, the Westmoreland County Airport Authority announced that it had secured an $850,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation. Funding came from the agency’s Small Community Air Service Development program, which provides a financial incentive to help an airline establish service at the airport.

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.

The second annual Pittsburgh Walk of Fame had a definitive Western Pennsylvania feel with Washington County native Shirley Jones, Indiana County native Jimmy Stewart and Henry Mancini, who grew up in Aliquippa. Pittsburgh Steelers legends Myron Cope and Franco Harris were honored. The morning started when it was sunny and 66 degrees in the Strip District, which are good numbers for honoree Mario Lemieux. HJ Heinz, and George Westinghouse were among the other awardees. The event is seven years in the making and has more than 120 Selection Committee members, ranging from 10 counties. They include members of the Washington County History and Landmarks Foundation, Washington County Chamber of Commerce, Washington and Jefferson College and Donora Public Library, just to name a few. Jones, 92, who was “Miss Pittsburgh” in 1952, was well known for musical films, such as Oklahoma! (1955), Carousel (1956), and The Music Man (1962) before landing an Oscar for Elmer Gantry (1960) before becoming the beloved Shirley Patridge in the Patridge Family (1970-1974). She was represented by her son, actor Patrick Cassidy and her granddaughter Juliet. Patrick Cassidy told WJPA News that his mother was delighted with the honor.

ROME (AP) — The Vatican says Pope Leo XIV has lung cancer and had the lower lobe of his right lung removed. The surgery Tuesday confirmed a diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma. The 71-year-old was in the operating room for about three hours, with the surgery lasting 90 minutes. The Vatican stated the surgery was successful with no complications. Leo returned to his room at Rome’s Gemelli hospital after the procedure. The American pontiff had revealed the discovery of a nodule during his Sunday prayer and announced plans for its removal. Oncologists say his prognosis is excellent since it was removed early.

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle has resigned after allegations of improper conduct but says she’ll “vigorously defend” herself. The White House says Guilfoyle was 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 departure comes after its possibility was previewed to The Associated Press over the weekend and President Donald Trump registered his unhappiness with reports about her alleged conduct on Monday. The Republican president was asked by reporters if he was considering firing Guilfoyle and said he was “looking at it” and was “not happy.”

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.