WJPA News

PennDot is advising motorists of a single lane restriction that is scheuled for one day this week. Beginning on Tuesday, October 6 at 10:00 PM, one lane eastbound on Interstate 70 will be closed. The affected area is between Exit 18 (I-79 North) and Exit 19 (Murtland Avenue). The lane will reopen on Wednesday, October 7 at 3:00 PM. During the single lane restriction PennDot maintenance crews will be removing a damaged slab, addressing drainage issues and repaving the section. Drivers are asked to exercise caution and obey posted signs and speed limits.

A portion of Route 50 (Miller Run Road) in Cecil Township will be closed from Friday, October 2 at 7:00 PM until Monday October 5 at 5:00 AM. The closing will take place at the railroad crossing between Blakemore Drive and Southview Road. A railroad crossing is being replaced. A posted detour using Water Dam Road, Pleasant Valley Road, Grant Street, Noblestown Road and Route 980.

An automobile accident in Washington in the early morning hours of Saturday morning found two people injured and taken to hospitals. A third person involved in the crash was taken into police custody. According to Washington County 9-1-1 dispatchers, a car overturned in the 300 block of Montgomery Avenue and crashed onto the steps of the Fairhill Manor Christian Church. The two people that were hurt were flown to Pittsburgh hospitals. There has been no update on the crash by City of Washington Police.

It is not unusual to see Washington County Commissioners out and about in the county at community events or even the grocery store. Last week, Commissioner Electra Janis traveled for two days to Washington D.C. to advocate to federal representatives on behalf of Washington County residents. Janis, along with 10 other commissioners from surrounding counties were invited by the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission to meet with staff for Senators and Representatives from the region. Janis met with senior staff from the offices of Representatives Guy Reschenthaler and Chris Diluzio, and Senator Dave McCormick. She traveled, armed with evidence to prove the need for emergency funding by FEMA to alleviate flood damage caused by the two mid-September rain storms. Janis showed pictures of the sink hole at the South Strabane Township fire station, the flooding that happened at the W&J football field and other locations around Washington and South Strabane. She drove home the point that help is needed now, not a year from now. Janis says the report was well received by the bi-partisan panel with whom she met. She has since followed up with a flurry of emails to ensure quick action.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health provided an update to the current measles outbreak in the commonwealth. On Friday, 977 measles cases have been confirmed in 39 counties so far this year. Since September 30, 34 new measles cases have been documented. There have been 195 total hospitalizations. There have been 5 confirmed measles associated deaths. There have only been 4 cases of measles among vaccinated individuals. According to the Department of Health, getting vaccinated is the best protection against the measles virus. The vaccine has proven to be 97% effective at preventing measles for life after two doses.

Pennsylvania is beautiful in the fall as the leaves turn red, orange, and yellow. In Washington County, peak color can be seen from the third week of October until the end of the month. Dave Planinsek, a forester with the Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry, says recent heavy rainfall can have both positive and negative impacts on the leaves. Some trees get fungal leaf spot diseases, which causes brown spots on the leaves and less vibrant color. Other trees, like oak, take advantage of the rain and produce bright, colorful leaves. Planinsek explains that sunny days and cool nights help to produce bright fall colors. Planinsek says Southern Somerset County is the best area to view fall color now. Weekly fall foliage reports can be found here.

LOUISVILLE, Colo. (AP) — Colorado’s Boulder County is one of dozens of governments around the United States suing oil and gas companies to help pay for damage caused by disasters linked to climate change. The county’s case is part of a wave of climate change litigation across the United States and the world, with billions of dollars at stake. On Monday, the first day of the Supreme Court’s new term, the justices will hear the Boulder case that could decide the fate of others like it. Energy companies say climate change is a global issue and not suited for state courts.

WASHINGTON (AP) — An AP-NORC poll finds that voters are deeply dissatisfied with President Donald Trump and his Republican Party heading into the Nov. 3 elections. The Democratic Party has built an advantage on pressing issues such as the cost of living and healthcare. But the survey also points to a bigger problem for both political parties. It finds that few registered voters think either Republicans or Democrats are able to solve important problems or help Americans like them. That undercurrent of cynicism about either party’s ability to change things will be a challenge for both the Democrats and the Republicans, no matter which party controls Congress.

The head of Tennessee’s prison system is resigning after the failed execution of Christa Pike. The announcement was made Saturday by Gov. Bill Lee, who calls the circumstances a “difficult moment.” Tennessee Department of Correction Commissioner Frank Strada says stepping aside is in the best interests of the state as a review looks at why Pike’s execution failed Wednesday. Pike’s lawyers say she was placed on a ventilator and was unconscious in a hospital. The lawyers say medical staff were trying to clear two doses of a drug that the state uses to execute prisoners.

Intense public outcry over a woman’s account of being gang-raped at Cornell University has prompted New York’s governor to angrily yank control of the investigation away from the local prosecutor who didn’t initially see what happened as a crime. Now, the task of unraveling the case will fall to New York Attorney General Letitia James, who was appointed as a special prosecutor this week. James is a Democrat best known for tangling with President Donald Trump. She suggested at a news conference Friday that her investigation wouldn’t be rushed. She described it as a monthslong process, with no predetermined outcome.

America’s multibillion-dollar market for impairing hemp products faces potential elimination before the end of the year. The products include everything from THC seltzers to smokable cannabis flowers. Congress voted to close the loophole in federal law that has allowed the industry to flourish, but the hemp THC ban doesn’t take effect until Dec. 11. Advocates for the industry and some lawmakers in Washington are fighting to save it. They say it should be regulated rather than banned. Proposals include better age verification for purchases and limits on potency.

CAIRO (AP) — The United Arab Emirates says the co-pilot on a FlyDubai flight that nearly crashed with 182 people on board attacked the captain with the cockpit’s crash ax in a “terrorist attack.” Earlier Saturday, the co-pilot was identified as an Omani national named Hamam al-Hammami by three people with knowledge of the situation, including a Gulf and a Western diplomat. The Gulf diplomat said investigations are underway to determine whether he acted alone or has connections to extremist groups. Two other people familiar with the matter said the co-pilot had been barred from flying by Oman over concerns he had adopted extremist views.

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian attacks in Ukraine have killed at least six people and damaged Kyiv’s Northern Bridge, causing traffic disruptions for a third day. This is part of Moscow’s ongoing efforts to disrupt life in the Ukrainian capital. Russia’s Foreign Ministry said it would continue “mass retaliatory strikes” on Kyiv and other cities, urging foreign nationals and diplomats to leave. Kyiv Mayor Vitalii Klitschko said the bridge strike damaged the road surface and trolleybus cables. Moldova has expressed concern over the war’s spillover, with President Maia Sandu condemning Russia’s actions. Fighting along the front line remains deadlocked.

An Israeli strike on Sunday morning targeted a civilian vehicle in central Gaza, killing one Palestinian and wounding at least 11 others, according to local health officials. Israel’s military says it aimed at a known Hamas militant. Palestinians have reported a surge in Israeli fire and airstrikes over the past month. In Yemen, Houthi rebels claimed airstrikes hit the capital, Sanaa, at midnight, blaming Saudi Arabia. The Yemeni military, which is backed by the Saudis, claimed responsibility. Meanwhile, a projectile struck a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, damaging the engine room. The crew is reportedly safe, says the British military.