WJPA News

Washington County Commissioners will consider a Washington County  Sportsmen’s & Outdoor Recreation Advisory Council (WCSORAC). The council would be made up of 11-15 members. Some of the positions could come from the Parks and Recreation Department, The Pennsylvania Game Commission and Boat Commission, a watershed conservation expert and possible at large members. The mission of the organization would be to promote and enhance outdoor recreation, conservation and sportsmanship. They want to protect natural habitats and expand public access to fishing, hunting, hiking and other outdoor activities. In addition to the Game Commission and Fish and Boat Commissions, the county would like to connect with local outdoor clubs and school districts and youth groups. In the first two years, the council would like to hold events like a family fishing and boating day. A County Sportsmen’s Weekend is proposed featuring hunting safety and fly casting demonstrations. It would also hold a year round “Explore Washington County” education series in schools and camps. Commissioners will vote on the measure on Thursday.

Last fall, Washington County Commissioners embarked on the idea of building a miniature golf course in the Mingo Creek County Park. On Thursday, commissioners will vote on granting a proposal to Adventure Golf and Sports to build the venue. During their agenda meeting, Commissioner Larry Maggi questioned the spending of $318,595 to build the golf course. If commissioners wish, an additional $131,121 could be spent on an add on package that includes water features. He said that that is nearly a half million dollars that could be better spent elsewhere. He feels that adding a miniature golf course would take away from the “pristine natural atmosphere” that current park visitors enjoy. Commissioner Nick Sherman feels that it is a good idea. He says that the county should be doing more to add entertainment options for the younger generations. Sherman said that earlier questions about whether the original guidelines under which the park was founded would disallow the venture are not applicable. If approved, Sherman says that construction on the project could begin in June.

HARRISBURG – Attorney General Dave Sunday is advising consumers with Spirit Airlines bookings to act quickly in attempts to recover costs as the company’s sudden shutdown has left many budget travelers stunned — and some stranded.  Attorney General Sunday and his Bureau of Consumer Protection encourage impacted consumers to contact their credit card companies, third-party booking sites, or Spirit directly for refund options.  If efforts to recoup costs fail, Pennsylvania consumers can file a complaint with the Office of Attorney General.  “Rarely do we see such a large company shutdown so suddenly, and we know there are a lot of anxious and angry consumers out there looking for options,” Attorney General Sunday said. “I encourage those consumers to check with other airlines which are moving quickly to re-book passengers who were scheduled with Spirit Airlines. Consumers whose flight issues are not resolved should attempt to recover refunds, then consider reaching out to my office’s Bureau of Consumer Protection.”  (Photo:  AP)

Verizon is experiencing a widespread outage. According to Verizon’s status map, data, voice, text and wireless home internet are limited throughout area. The website says it’s a “known issue” and Verizon is working on a solution. The company expects a fix to be implemented around 10 p.m. DownDetector shows that issues with Verizon service are being reported across the East Coast, into the southern United States and even in Seattle. Some users report their phones going into SOS mode, along with other connectivity issues. Verizon says users can make calls over Wi-Fi, even without cell service.

Three people were transported by ambulance from the scene of a crash involving a school van and a dump truck Tuesday morning in Hanover Township.  Washington County 911 says it happened around 7:30 a.m. along Steubenville Pike.  According to reports, the van rear-ended the truck.  Two of those injured were transported to UPMC Washington Hospital.  The other was taken by to a hospital in Weirton, West Virginia.  The student was among those injured and is reportedly a student in the Burgettstown School District.

Washington County Commissioners Chairman Nick Sherman admits that he has heard the rumor for nearly a year that Washington and Jefferson College was buying Jollick Manor and that residents there would be displaced.  While admitting that W&J is interested in the property, he says the housing facility is not for sale at this time.   Monday evening,  the Washington County Housing Authority held a special meeting to take care of several employment issues. The meeting was quickly redirected by more than 60 people from Jollick Manor who wanted the board to address rumors that Jollick Manor was going to be sold to Washington and Jefferson College. Before opening the floor to public comment, Authority Chairman Steve Toprani addressed the crowd and told them that there are no plans to decommission Jollick Manor. He said that the Authority, and to his knowledge, County Commissioners are not entertaining any plans to sell the property.  Washington and Jefferson President Dr. Elizabeth MacLeod Walls issued this written response to WJPA News regarding the reports;  “Washington & Jefferson College is aware of recent community conversations regarding the future of local housing properties. At this time, the College has no active plans or agreements related to the purchase or development of Jollick Manor and Crumrine Towers. We are committed to communicate openly about our planning efforts. We have shared no plans to acquire this property because we have no such plans. We remain focused on our current priorities and on being a thoughtful and responsible partner in the Washington community”.

Gas prices are 49 cents higher in Western Pennsylvania this week at $4.654 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report.  After ticking down for nearly two weeks, gas prices are going back up again with the national average seeing a 34-cent hike in one week. The national average is $1.29 higher than it was this time last year, as oil prices surge above $100/barrel with no indication of when the Strait of Hormuz will reopen. Gas prices are the highest they’ve been in four years, since late July 2022.  According to new data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), gasoline demand increased last week from 9.05 million barrels per day to 9.10 million. Total domestic gasoline supply decreased from 228.4 million barrels to 222.3 million. Gasoline production decreased last week, averaging 9.8 million barrels per day.

CARROLLTON, Texas (AP) — Texas police say a man shot five people and two of them are dead at a shopping mall north of Dallas. The shooting happened Tuesday in area known as Koreatown in Carrollton. Police say it wasn’t a random act of gunfire and that the victims knew the attacker. The suspect ran away but was later arrested. Video posted online showed officers with their guns drawn as they walked past doors at K Towne Plaza. Agents from the FBI and another federal agency were among law enforcement at the scene.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The U.S. military says it fired on Iranian forces and sank six small boats as it moved to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The United Arab Emirates, a key American ally, said it had come under attack from Iran on Monday, the first since a fragile ceasefire took hold in early April. The attacks appeared to be in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s latest efforts to reopen the strategic strait. The U.S. military said two American-flagged merchant ships had successfully transited the strait on Monday. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned early Tuesday on X that both the U.S. and the UAE “should be wary of being dragged back into quagmire.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — A man spotted carrying a gun near the White House complex was shot by law enforcement officers after he opened fire on them near the Washington Monument. That’s according to Secret Service Deputy Director Matt Quinn, who said plainclothes agents spotted the man around 3:30 p.m. Monday in the area near the White House complex and saw the imprint of the weapon on him. The unidentified man attempted to flee when uniformed officers with the Secret Service approached him. Quinn said the man fired at the officers, who returned fire. The alleged gunman was transported to a local hospital, as was a minor who was shot but not seriously injured.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has restored broad access to the abortion pill mifepristone, blocking a ruling that had threatened to upend one of the main ways abortion is provided across the nation. The order issued Monday allows women seeking abortions to obtain the pill at pharmacies or through the mail, without an in-person visit to a doctor. Those rules had been in effect for several years until a federal appeals court imposed new restrictions last week. Most abortions are obtained with medication, normally mifepristone and a second drug, misoprostol. The availability of those drugs has made abortion accessible to women in states with bans. Louisiana sued, saying mifepristone’s availability undermined the ban there.

EDMOND, Okla. (AP) — Oklahoma police have made no arrests and are seeking suspects in connection with a mass shooting at a weekend party beside a lake. Authorities say at least 23 people were injured in the shooting Sunday night at Arcadia Lake, just north of Oklahoma City. Hospitals in the Oklahoma City area said they treated at least 18 people afterward. But it’s unclear how many had been shot. Police said the violence erupted at an unsanctioned party jammed with young people at a public park near the lake. A witness says the shooting started after an argument broke out at the party.

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Greg Brockman, OpenAI’s president and CEO Sam Altman’s top lieutenant, disclosed in court Monday that his stake in the artificial intelligence company is worth nearly $30 billion. Brockman, who also said he did not invest in OpenAI, took the witness stand Monday in the landmark trial that centers on the 2015 birth of ChatGPT maker OpenAI as a nonprofit startup primarily funded by Musk before evolving into a capitalistic venture now valued at $852 billion.