WJPA News

Family and friends gathered in front of the Washington County Courthouse on Friday, to protest a lack of movement by local authorities, including the Washington County District Attorney’s Office, in attempting to find out what happened to Matthew McDonald. McDonald was last seen on March 9, 2023, when his girlfriend reportedly picked him up at a job site in California and drove him to the area of Howe Cemetery in Long Branch Borough. She had claimed that he got out of the car and was last seen in the cemetery. She told police she returned to the job site to retrieve McDonald’s phone and when she returned to Howe, she was unable to locate McDonald. McDonald’s sister, Samantha Cummins says they believe the police department has given up on trying to locate him. She says they have not heard from any authorities since a few months after his disappearance. McDonald is described as six-foot-one with brown hair and eyes and weighed at the time, around 185 pounds. He also has a tattoo of praying hands on his right arm. Cummins say they are not giving up hope and asks anyone with information to call the police.

Close to 3,000 acres of land once owned by George Washington is being recognized with a historical plaque along the Montour Trail Thursday.The plaque dedication was a collaborative effort between five organizations as part of the celebration of America’s upcoming 250th birthday. The organizations involved included the Montour Trail Council, Montour Railroad Historical Society, Historic Fort Cherry Association, Rails to Trails Conservancy, and the William G. Pomeroy Foundation.The idea for the plaque came after a member of the Montour Trail Council discovered that part of the trail runs through land once owned by Washington, something many within the council were unaware of. Organizers decided to use the opportunity to commemorate the historical connection with a permanent marker.Vice Chair of the Washington County Board of Commissioners, Electra Janis, along with other community members, gathered at the trail to learn about the history of the land and witness the unveiling of the plaque. Washington received the land in 1774 in recognition of his service to the British during the French and Indian War. You can find the plaque at mile marker 20.5 on the trail in Mount Pleasant Township and near the intersection of Southview Road and Antil Road.

Representatives from some two dozen coal, gas and energy companies and groups filled a room at the North Strabane Firehall No. 2 on Thursday for the chance to speak directly with sympathetic federal officials. “The goal is to listen to small businesses,” said James “Jim” Spencer III, regional administrator for the Small Business Administration’s Mid-Atlantic Region. “What are the problems that they’re having? For example, what are some burdensome regulations … that might need to be changed or corrected or done away with?” More than 258,000 people in Pennsylvania work in the energy sector, accounting for 4.2% of all jobs in the state, according to the Department of Environmental Protection. Spencer said representatives from the DEP were invited but did not attend the meeting. An official from the Clean Air Council in Philadelphia who was in attendance could not be reached for comment. The meeting was publicized through a press release, but organizers asked our WPJA reporter to leave, citing concerns that people would not feel comfortable speaking candidly with media present.

A Greene County man wanted for a series of thefts throughout Western Pennsylvania has been arrested. Keith Dille, 29, is charged with retail thefts in Rice’s Landing, South Strabane, South Union Township, and West Mifflin. In addition, he and two others are charged in a May 8th incident where a man was beaten and his car stolen in Grindstone, Redstone Township in Fayette County. Dille is currently being held in the Fayette County jail on thirty-thousand-dollars bond.  He’s facing multiple charges, including felony retail theft and robbery of a motor vehicle.  His preliminary hearing is set for May 21st.

BEIJING (AP) — Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping have wrapped up their critical talks. They’re claiming important progress in stabilizing U.S.-China relations even as deep differences persist between the world’s two biggest powers on Iran, Taiwan and more. Xi welcomed Trump at his official residence, Zhongnanhai, on Friday for the final talks of the summit before the U.S leader’s return to Washington. Over tea and lunch, Trump and Xi — with top aides and translators in tow — huddled for three hours of talks as the U.S. leader completed his three-day visit to China. Trump claimed, “It’s been really a great couple of days.” Xi, for his part, described it as a “milestone” visit.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Tensions are escalating again near the Strait of Hormuz after a ship anchored off the United Arab Emirates was seized and taken toward Iran and another was attacked and sank near the coast of Oman. The incidents reported on Thursday came as a senior Iranian official reiterated his country’s claim to the waterway. Another Iranian official says Tehran has a right to seize oil tankers connected to the U.S. The British military says the ship seized near the UAE was moving toward Iranian territorial waters. The seizure comes as U.S. President Donald Trump meets with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing.

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says that a Russian missile attack on a Kyiv apartment building the previous day killed 24 people, including three children. Zelenskyy said Friday on X that emergency workers finished digging through the building’s rubble after more than a day. The cruise missile hit the nine-story corner block amid what the Ukrainian air force said was Russia’s biggest barrage of the country since its all-out invasion in 2022. Thursday’s assault mostly targeted the Ukrainian capital, where 48 people were wounded, Zelenskyy said.

New U.S. House districts in Florida are facing their first test in court. A state judge is set to hear arguments Friday on a request to block the new districts from being used in the midterm elections. Several lawsuits contend the districts violate a state constitutional provision against partisan gerrymandering. Republicans already hold 20 of the state’s 28 U.S. House seats. The new districts signed into law by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis could improve Republicans’ chances to win four additional seats. Florida is one of several states to redraw congressional districts after President Donald Trump urged Republicans to do so.