WJPA News

A key part of the Washington County business community will no longer be here after October 31^st.    After more than 130 years, Sprowls City Appliance on West Chestnut Street in Washington is closing its doors.  Owner Nick Sprowls says it wasn’t an easy decision, but he says he is just worn out.    Early in 1891, George B. Sprowls gave up his job as a country school teacher and with the sum of $50 entered into the sale of buggies, wagons, harnesses, cook stoves and general merchandise for farm and home in a small back alley store in Claysville, Pa. As business grew, he expanded into the sale of automobiles in Claysville and another retail store in Washington, PA, which included home appliances.

Beloved music legend Donnie Iris has died at the age of 83.  Long-time concert promoter Rich Engler and several reports confirmed Iris died on Monday.  Iris was the beloved frontman of Donnie Iris and the Cruisers.  He was born in New Castle on Feb. 28, 1943.  Just a few weeks ago, Iris announced he was retiring from performing live, citing “recent health issues.”  His final show was held right here in Pittsburgh for the grand opening of Citizens Live at the Wylie on Sept. 28.  Around 1978, Iris joined the band Wild Cherry after their hit song “Play That Funky Music.”  He may be best known for his work with the Jaggerz and their hit song “The Rapper.” Other beloved hits include “Ah! Leah!,” “Love Is Like a Rock” and “My Girl.”  In June 2023, he canceled a Youngstown concert with REO Speedwagon after being diagnosed with cancer. He returned to the stage in March 2024 following chemotherapy.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro has signed SB 1014 into law, requiring schools in the state to adopt and implement a policy to prohibit the use of cell phones during the school day beginning next school year.  Shapiro signed the legislation at Lenape Middle School in Bucks County with legislators, educators, parents, and students on hand.  “As educators, teachers, and caregivers, we understand the challenges of raising and educating young people in a digital world. For years, schools have been striving to address the distraction that comes with student cell phones,” said Dr. Joanna Wexler, Superintendent, Central Bucks School District. “Now, we will continue to work with students, staff, and parents to engage in conversations and dialogue around this issue, knowing our students and staff will rise to the occasion and meet these new expectations, continue to excel, achieve, and make us proud in countless ways.”

A major announcement Monday morning from both EQT Corporation and Range Resources.  Officials say they have entered into a definitive merger agreement under which EQT will acquire Range Resources in an all-stock transaction with a value of more than $50 billion. In a news release, EQT President and CEO Toby Z. Rice stated, “This transaction brings together two of the highest-quality, longest-duration asset bases in North America and creates a company uniquely positioned for the next era of natural gas”.  According to the release, terms of the agreement were approved by the Board of Directors of both companies.  The transaction is expected to close during the first-quarter of 2027 and is subject to regulatory approvals.  Officials say the combined company will keep its headquarters in Canonsburg.

In a legal déjà vu moment, a North Strabane man put to rest six child sex assault cases that he was facing. Leo McIntyre, 31, was charged in 2022 of assaulting at least six juveniles in his home dating back to 2012. He was facing charges of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, indecent assault and corruption of minors. During a pre-trial conference being held before his November trial, McIntyre agreed to a negotiated plea deal that will have him serve 14 ½ -30 years in state prison. Back in December, McIntyre was set to accept a negotiated plea deal of 10-30 years in prison, before Judge Traci McDonald rejected the plea deal and sentenced McIntyre to 32-64 years in prison. At that point, McIntyre withdrew his guilty plea and opted for a jury trial. The cases were split into three separate trials. With the global plea deal all six cases have now been put to rest. McIntyre was given the opportunity to present an allocution statement, but he declined to address victim families or the court. In addition to the 14 ½ to 30 years in jail, McIntyre will also serve 30 years of probation. He was found to be a sexually violent predator and will have to register as a sex offender with state police for the rest of his life.

Gas prices are two cents lower in Western Pennsylvania this week at $4.679 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report.  The national average for a gallon of regular gasoline is a penny cheaper this week at $4.28. The drop is fueled by the transition to winter-blend gasoline which is cheaper to produce and costs less for consumers. But high crude oil prices are preventing steep declines at the pump. Currently, the price for a barrel of crude oil is over $100 per barrel amid instability in the Strait of Hormuz. This month is poised to set a record as the most expensive October ever for gas prices following similar records set in August and September of this year.  According to new data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), gasoline demand increased last week from 8.40 million barrels per day to 8.98 million. Total domestic gasoline supply decreased from 208.3 million barrels to 205.3 million. Gasoline production increased from 9.23 million barrels per day to 9.75 million barrels.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans’ confidence in the economy rebounded somewhat in October as gas prices fell modestly but remain elevated. The Conference Board said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index jumped 7.5 points to 91.7 in October from 84.2 last month. September’s reading was the lowest in the board’s survey since April 2014 and below the lowest level reached during the pandemic. Respondents’ views of their present situation rose by 6.9 points to 72.6 while their short-term outlook climbed 8.6 points to 120.4. Even with the improved outlook, Americans remain flustered by the economy after five years of elevated inflation.

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israelis are voting in a pivotal election as the country grapples with unfinished wars and divisions over its future. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces a strong challenge from former military chief Gadi Eisenkot. Polls show neither candidate’s party is likely to garner enough support for a parliamentary majority, leading to possible weeks of negotiations over forming a winning coalition. The election is Israel’s first national vote since the Oct. 7 attacks and serves as a referendum on Netanyahu’s leadership. The outcome could shape Israel’s identity as either more nationalist and religious or liberal democratic.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is attempting to prosecute James Comey for what it calls a decade-old leak of classified information. The former FBI director’s lawyers immediately dismissed the effort as invalid and outside the time limit for when the Justice Department can file a case. The allegations from the Justice Department came in documents unsealed Monday in federal court in Washington. Prosecutors are trying to bring what would be the third criminal case against Comey, a longtime critic and foe of President Donald Trump, since the Republican returned to the White House last year. Comey says, “It would almost be funny if it weren’t such an appalling abuse of the Department of Justice.”

CORINTH, Miss. (AP) — President Donald Trump campaigned in Mississippi as both parties made their closing arguments ahead of midterm elections in eight days. And the Mississippi Democrat who Trump wants defeated stopped by the president’s rally site, too. Senate candidate Scott Colom said he wanted to hear from the Mississippians attending Trump’s rally on Monday with Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith. Trump’s campaign blitz highlights Republicans’ challenges ahead of an election that could shift power in Washington and beyond. Colom is trying to pull off an upset bid against Hyde-Smith. Elsewhere on Monday, Vice President JD Vance campaigned in Montana and Kansas, once considered safe GOP territory.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — An appeals court has declined to rule on whether California elections officials can count roughly 20,000 ballots that the Justice Department alleges likely belong to noncitizen voters. Monday’s decision sets the federal government and state officials up for another legal showdown Tuesday before a federal district judge. That gives the federal government a very short window to compel California to sequester votes before the Nov. 3 elections. The Republican administration sued election officials in the heavily Democratic state in mid-October, accusing them of failing to meet a 48-hour deadline to review a list of 20,000 people it alleged were likely noncitizens on the state’s voter rolls. The Justice Department didn’t immediately respond to an emailed inquiry about Monday’s decision.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge has agreed to extend an order blocking the Trump administration’s renovation plans for a century-old public golf course in the nation’s capital. U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes issued a preliminary injunction that halts tree-cutting and other work at the East Potomac Golf Course. On Oct. 18, President Donald Trump announced plans on social media to close the golf course for 15 months and redevelop it despite a court challenge. Reyes previously ordered the administration to suspend work on the project until at least Oct. 26.

PARIS (AP) — France’s government has pledged to replace its national online university admissions platform in 2028. The move announced on Monday seeks to quell student anger after weeks of mass protests over education and living costs. Higher Education Minister Philippe Baptiste announced during a news conference “substantial change” for 2027 before the platform’s replacement in 2028. The system is called Parcoursup and handles applications to universities and other higher education courses. Students have criticized unclear selection criteria and unequal access to their preferred courses. The announcements followed France’s worst unrest in years on Oct. 17. Demonstrations over school funding and rising living costs descended into rioting and looting across the country.