WJPA News

ROBINSON TOWNSHIP, Pa. —PennDOT is advising motorists of a road closure in Robinson Township.  Route 4037 (Noblestown Road) will be closed between Route 980 (Lincoln Avenue) and Route 4012 (Johns Avenue). That stretch of road will close on June 24 and is expected to last until the end of July.  PennDOT said Department Force Crews will be replacing a pipe in that area.  A detour will be in place along Route 4012 (Johns Avenue) to Route 980. Drivers are asked to follow posted signs.

A Western Pennsylvania man was among the twelve people killed when a plane carrying a pilot and 11 skydivers crashed in western Missouri on Sunday.  The fiery crash happened shortly after the plane took off from Butler Memorial Airport, about 65 miles south of Kansas City, around 11:30 a.m. Officials said during a news conference that the turboprop aircraft was unable to get to full power.  Kurt John Roy, 69, of Winder, Somerset County, was among those killed, according to the Bate’s County Coroner Jerret J Reno.  The coroner’s office said it continues to work with local, state and federal agencies to investigate the crash.

NEW YORK (AP) — Luigi Mangione will assert a psychiatric defense at his state murder trial in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, a judge said Wednesday. Judge Gregory Carro said Mangione’s lawyers have informed him they will attempt to show that he was suffering from “extreme emotional disturbance at the time of the occurrence.” By asserting a psychiatric defense, Mangione would effectively be admitting that he killed Thompson but did so because of mitigating circumstances. If a jury finds that Mangione was emotionally disturbed at the time of the killing, it could convict him of manslaughter instead of murder, meaning he’d be sentenced to less time in prison. It is not the same as a not guilty by reason of insanity defense, which would allow a defendant to go to a psychiatric facility instead of prison.  Carro’s ruling came two weeks after he held a secret hearing on the matter at the request of the defense. He said he will unseal records pertaining to the hearing and the defense’s move for a psychiatric defense.  Mangione, 28, has pleaded not guilty to state and federal charges in the Dec. 4, 2024, killing. His federal trial, which involves stalking charges, is set to begin on Oct. 13. He could spend his life in prison if convicted in either case.

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. gas prices are just barely below an average of $4 a gallon nationwide on Thursday, shortly after President Donald Trump signed an agreement with Iran that calls for Tehran to dilute its stockpile of highly enriched uranium and waives U.S.-backed sanctions on the country. Gas prices are at $3.99 on average in the U.S., according to AAA. A gallon of gas has hovered above $4 a gallon since March. But fluctuations in gas prices remain across the country. In California, gas prices are averaging $5.64 per gallon, while in South Carolina it’s $3.58 per gallon.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President JD Vance has embraced the role of being the chief defender of the agreement he and President Donald Trump signed with Iran over the weekend. It’s a striking transformation for a politician that was known for his skepticism of foreign military interventions and who seemed reluctant to speak on the conflict when Trump launched it in late February. The vice president is poised to yoke himself further to the conflict’s outcome on Friday, when he’s expected to travel to Switzerland to kick off a new phase of negotiations with Tehran after Trump signed the agreement Wednesday.

BRUSSELS (AP) — U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has criticized NATO allies for not taking more responsibility for their own security. He announced a six-month Pentagon review of American forces in Europe to ensure NATO moves toward Europe leading its own defense. Speaking in Brussels on Thursday, Hegseth calls it “shameful” that European allies denied U.S. forces access to bases for attacks on Iran. He emphasized the need for a “NATO 3.0,” urging the alliance to become a hard-line military force. The U.S. plans to invest $1.5 trillion in defense by 2027, focusing on protecting American interests and supporting NATO.

Parents of kids with disabilities say they have waited months for the Education Department to address complaints of bullying or discrimination. Now, the department is offloading civil rights enforcement and special education, raising concerns about further chaos. On Tuesday, the Trump administration said the Department of Justice would take over civil rights enforcement in schools. The Department of Health and Human Services will oversee special education. Some advocates argue special education doesn’t belong in a health department. The Education Department’s civil rights office has been a last resort for parents whose kids have experienced discrimination, but under President Donald Trump, case backlogs have grown. Many families are now seeking justice elsewhere.