WJPA News

The Common Pleas Court of Washington County has made its decision on the request by the Washington County Board of Elections to close 24 precincts and realign the voting districts in Peters Township. In an order released on Monday, Judge Michael Lucas is granting the closure of 24 precincts across 14 municipalities. During testimony last Thursday, Director of Elections Melanie Ostrander stated that Americans With Disabilities Act issues, dilapidated buildings, building availability and precinct staffing issues all contributed to the safety and convenience of voters in the affected precincts. Peters Township had their realignment request denied. Lucas pointed to the “Good Cause” clause in the voting code. It states that precincts should be between 100 and 1200 voters. In each of Peters Township’s districts, voting numbers would exceed 1200 voters. In some cases, precincts would exceed limits by 50%. The order states that Peters Township needs to file a new petition at a later date to offer evidence as to why their precincts should exceed limits set by the voting code. Four individual objectors, three from Peters Township, asked the court to dismiss the request to realign. Their assertion was that timing of a decision to realign districts could suppress their vote. The judge found no basis of that, indicating that nearly seven weeks prior to the primary election on May 19 is plenty of time for notice of change. Their argument is moot as the decision to realign Peters Township precincts was denied.

Washington City Council will entertain a largely routine business agenda on Thursday. One of the items up for approval is purchase of equipment from a $25,000 Pennsylvania State Fire Grant. Some of the items that will be purchased is a shipping container for $8000. Also to be purchased are rescue mannequins. Fire Chief Chris Richer says the shipping container will be used to mimic a home that may be on fire. He says using those as opposed to standard burn buildings are a large savings in cost. Rescue mannequins are also going to be purchased for $5200. Richer says that the new mannequins are more lifelike in structure and weight than what the department currently uses. Sound effects can also be programmed into the mannequins.  In addition, a $2500 grant from the Washington County Community Foundation will be used to purchase a thermal imaging camera.

Gas prices are steady in Western Pennsylvania this week at $3.958 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report.  Today’s national average of $3.99 is up four cents over the past week and more than one dollar since last month. Crude oil prices remain high as the Iran conflict hits the four-week mark. The national average could reach $4/gallon in the coming days for the first time since August 2022. Gasoline demand is also on the rise as spring break season continues, another factor in surging pump prices.

The City of Washington Police Department is advising motorists that beginning on Monday, April 6th at six a.m. until June 30th, a portion of West Beau Street will be closed in both directions as part of the Courthouse Square demolition work.  The closure on Beau will only be from the Crossroads visitors lot to North Franklin Street, so that the parking lot and the city parking garage will remain open and accessible from North Main Street.

BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraqi officials say kidnappers have seized an American female journalist in Baghdad, and security forces are chasing the group. The Interior Ministry says it its pursuing the captors after intercepting one getaway car that overturned. Iraqi security officials said two cars took part in the abduction and the second car escaped. A U.S. Embassy spokesperson declined comment. The embassy has warned about kidnapping risks to U.S. citizens during the regional war.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge has agreed to permanently block the Trump administration from implementing a presidential directive to end federal funding for National Public Radio and the Public Broadcasting Service. The two are media entities that the White House has said are counterproductive to American priorities. U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss cited the First Amendment in his decision. The impact was not immediately clear — both because it will likely be appealed and because too much damage to the public-broadcasting system has already been done, both by the president and Congress.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge on Tuesday ordered the Trump administration to suspend its construction of a $400 million ballroom where it demolished the East Wing of the White House. U.S. District Judge Richard Leon in Washington granted a preservationist group’s request for a preliminary injunction that temporarily halts President Donald Trump’s White House ballroom project. Leon wrote that the president is a steward of the White House, not its owner. The National Trust for Historic Preservation sued for an order pausing the ballroom project until it undergoes multiple independent reviews and wins approval from Congress.

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. gas prices have jumped past an average of $4 a gallon for the first time since 2022 as fuel prices continue to soar worldwide amid the Iran war. According to motor club AAA, the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline is now $4.02 — over a dollar more than before the war began. The last time U.S. drivers were collectively paying this much at the pump was nearly four years ago, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The price is a national average, meaning drivers in some states have been paying well over $4 a gallon for a while now.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has ruled against a law banning “conversion therapy” for LGBTQ+ kids in Colorado, one of about two dozen states that banned the discredited practice. The high court majority sided Tuesday with a Christian counselor who argues the law banning talk therapy violates the First Amendment. The justices agreed the law raises free speech concerns and sent it back to a lower court to decide if it meets a legal standard few laws pass. President Donald Trump’s Republican administration supported the counselor. Colorado said the measure simply bars a practice of using therapy to try to “convert” LGBTQ+ people to heterosexuality, a practice that’s been scientifically discredited and linked to serious harm.

The Transportation Safety Administration says most of its officers received most of their backpay Monday for working during the shutdown. Weary travelers hope the overdue paychecks will end the hourslong waits in security at several major U.S. airports. Wait times began improving when the TSA workers were promised their first paychecks in weeks. Bottlenecks disappeared at airports in Atlanta and Houston on Monday. Houston’s main airport went from a four-hour line just day ago, to a 10-minute wait. President Donald Trump on Friday ordered the Department of Homeland Security to pay TSA officers immediately to ease the lines.