WJPA News

During the Washington County Board of Commissioners meeting, it was announced that the board had tabled the decision to vote on the miniature golf course proposed for Mingo Creek County Park. The decision was made due to backlash from community members who were concerned that the miniature golf course would take away from the park’s natural aesthetic and interfere with the hiking and horse trails. Commissioner Nick Sherman said that the miniature golf course would occupy only one quarter of an acre and would not disturb the natural aesthetic of the park. Sherman expressed concern about the lack of entertainment options for younger generations, while Commissioner Larry Maggi emphasized the importance of preserving the park’s pristine natural resources and avoiding disruption to the property. Sherman also said the county may conduct a poll on its website so residents can voice their opinions on whether they support the miniature golf course. The project would cost $318,595 to build, and commissioners could choose to spend an additional $131,121 on an add-on package that includes water features. In the same meeting, the Washington County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved the creation of a new Sportsmen’s & Outdoor Recreation Advisory Council. The county aims to appoint council members by mid-summer.

A Washington County woman says she lost more than $40,000 in a long-running sweepstakes scam that police now believe may have evolved into a money laundering operation.  Seventy-eight-year-old Joyce Hennick says it started with a phone call telling her she had won five-point-five-million-dollars plus a Mercedes and an F-150, but in order to get the money and prizes, she  had to pay all the taxes and fees up front.   Police say the demands continued for more than two years, with dozens of phone calls every day.  scammers convinced Hennick to open multiple bank accounts and send money in various ways, and at one point, police say, cash even started arriving in her mailbox hidden inside magazines, leading them to believe it had also turned into a money laundering scheme as well.  Police say arrests in scams like these are rare, but they say Hennick kept detailed records so they’re hopeful that will be helpful.

One person was killed in a head-on crash on Interstate 70 westbound between the Taylorstown and Claysville exits.  Authorities say the crash happened around one-thirty Thursday afternoon when a Ford Focus that was traveling eastbound crossed over the grass median and continued into oncoming traffic. The car slammed head-on into a tractor-trailer that was going westbound.  The driver of the car was pronounced dead at the scene and the truck driver was treated for minor injuries. According to the Washington County Coroners Office, the driver was wearing their seat belt. Authorities have not yet released the identity of the victim.  Meanwhile, the westbound lanes in that area were closed for a few hours until one lane was re-opened around four p.m.

UPMC Washington has earned an “A” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit watchdog focused on patient safety. This recognition follows the hospital’s “A” grade in fall 2025, reflecting sustained performance in key measures designed to prevent errors, accidents, injuries and infections.  The Leapfrog Group assigns letter grades ranging from “A” to “F” to general hospitals across the country using evidence‑based measures focused exclusively on patient safety.  “Earning an ‘A’ once again is a testament to the extraordinary commitment of our team and their continuous focus on patient safety,” said Brook Ward, president of UPMC Washington and UPMC Greene. “I am incredibly proud of our physicians, nurses and staff for the care they provide every day. Their dedication to delivering exceptional, safe care is what our patients and community count on..  An ‘A’ Grade is a strong sign that UPMC Washington is deeply committed to protecting patients from harm,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “We commend the leadership, board, clinicians, staff and volunteers for the role each played in earning this distinction.”  The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is the only national hospital ratings program focused solely on preventable medical errors, infections and injuries. The program is peer‑reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public, with grades updated twice annually in the fall and spring.

A member of the Trump administration visited Washington County. SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler visited Steel Nation on her tour of the United States to recognize small businesses during National Small Business Week. Loeffler met with Steel Nation President Mark Dooley and his staff to gain an understanding of their business. Steel Nation is a manufacturer of steel buildings that house equipment in the oil and gas and data center industries. They employ 45 people from western Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia. Loeffler promoted the advantages small businesses were able to gain with the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill, the No Tax on Tips policy and loosening of regulations. Dooley spoke of Steel Nation’s experience with the SBA, when they were able to take advantage of the payroll protection plan and the IRS employee retention program when business slowed considerably during the Covid 19 pandemic. According to the SBA, there are 36 million small businesses that represent 99% of all private sector employers and they create 2 of every 3 new jobs. Small businesses contribute to roughly half of our nation’s Gross Domestic Product.

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. jobless claim applications rose last week but remain at historically low levels despite elevated inflation and other economic headwinds. The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits in the week ending May 2 rose by 10,000 to 200,000, the Labor Department reported Thursday. That’s fewer than the 205,000 new applications analysts surveyed by the data firm FactSet were expecting. The previous week’s new claims figure, which was the fewest since 1969, was revised up by 1,000 to 190,000. Weekly filings for unemployment benefits are considered a proxy for U.S. layoffs. The total number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits for the previous week ending April 25 declined by 10,000 to 1.77 million.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran has said it is reviewing new U.S. proposals to end the war, as U.S. President Donald Trump threatens more bombing if no deal is reached. The conflict has closed the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil route, affecting global markets. On Wednesday, the U.S. fired on an Iranian tanker trying to break an American blockade on Iranian ports. Trump says Iranian officials want a deal, but warns of intensified bombing if they refuse. Talks hosted by Pakistan failed last month. Pakistan’s foreign ministry spokesperson says a deal is expected soon.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Republican lawmakers in Tennessee are poised to vote on a plan to reshape a majority-Black congressional district. The move is part of a broader strategy in Southern states following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that weakened the Voting Rights Act. The court found Louisiana relied too heavily on race when creating a second Black-majority district. Tennessee’s proposal would break up a Democratic-held district centered on Memphis. Alabama and South Carolina are also considering redistricting changes. President Donald Trump has encouraged the redistricting. But Democrats and civil rights activists have criticized the efforts.

VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Vatican raised the “need to work tirelessly in favor of peace” in talks Thursday with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who came to Rome on a fence-mending visit after President Donald Trump’s criticisms of Pope Leo XIV over the Iran war.  Both the Vatican and the U.S. State Department stressed that Rubio’s meetings with Leo and the Vatican’s top diplomat underscored strong bilateral ties. Those relations, though, have been strained over Trump’s repeated broadsides about Leo’s calls for peace and dialogue to end the U.S.-Israeli war.  Rubio, a practicing Catholic, has often been called on to tone down or explain Trump’s harsh rhetoric. He had an audience first with Leo, which was complicated at the last minute by Trump’s latest criticism of the Chicago-born pope. During a 2½-hour visit, Rubio then met with the Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, who on the eve of his visit had strongly defended Leo and criticized Trump’s attacks.

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Officials and experts in Argentina are scrambling to figure out if their country is the source of a deadly hantavirus outbreak that has gripped an Atlantic cruise. Argentina is consistently ranked by the World Health Organization as having the highest incidence of the rare, rat-borne disease in Latin America. And it’s seeing a surge of hantavirus cases that many local public health researchers attribute to the accelerating effects of climate change. The Argentine Health Ministry on Tuesday reported 101 hantavirus infections since June 2025. That’s roughly double the caseload recorded over the same period the previous year.