WJPA News

Hope you didn’t put away your winter weather gear.  There is a Freeze Warning in effect from eleven o’clock Monday night until nine o’clock Tuesday morning.  Lows will be in the upper twenties. If you have outdoor plants that can be brought in – better safe than sorry and if you have plants in the ground, it may be a good idea to cover them.  On the upside though, more sunshine and warmer temperatures are on the way this week.  Highs will return to near average temperatures in the 60s and warmer air is expected later this week with highs in the 70s and even low 80s by Friday.

You may have heard that the NFL Draft is coming to Pittsburgh later this week. Officials have been working to come up with the best travel plan. PennDOT is encouraging drivers to plan their trip using real-time travel information available on a specialized web page. Governor Josh Shapiro’s office has set up 5-1-1 PA.com/map/page/NFL. The page is dedicated to monitoring traffic conditions on primary travel routes. This is just the start of major sports events in the Commonwealth with Philadelphia set to host some FIFA World Cup Soccer matches in June and July and the Phillies are set to host the Major League Baseball All-Star Game on July 14. Experts say Pittsburgh will host between 500 and 700 thousand people between August 23^rd and the 25^th.

To help accommodate those attending the NFL draft, Freedom Transit has added three additional return times from Pittsburgh back to Washington County on Thursday, April 23 and Friday, April 24. One bus will depart downtown Pittsburgh at approximately 10:00 PM, another bus will depart at approximately 11:30 PM and the last bus will depart at approximately 12:15 AM. Information on stop locations in downtown are listed below in the inbound and outbound detour sections.  Freedom Transit has a limited fleet of buses and may not be able to accommodate all riders wishing to use the public transit service during the NFL draft.  Fixed‑route bus service is subject to vehicle capacity limits. Boarding is permitted on a first‑come, first‑served basis until capacity is reached. Seating is not guaranteed, and standing may be required.  The cost to ride the Metro is $4.00 for a one-way ticket.  Tickets can be purchased by downloading the Freedom Transit app on the App Store or Google Play. Learn more about buying bus tickets or click the button.

A Butler County man is facing charges after police said a gun was found in his carry-on bag at Pittsburgh International Airport on Monday. Transportation Security Administration officers found the loaded handgun in the passenger’s bag at the main security checkpoint and alerted Allegheny County Police. Police determined that the passenger, Garrett Beattie, 43, of Cranberry Township, did not have a valid concealed carry permit. He is charged with carrying a firearm without a license. The FBI was also notified. According to Allegheny County police, passengers who bring firearms into an airport security checkpoint can face federal civil fines from the Transportation Security Administration up to $10,000. Repeat offenders can be fined up to $13,910.

The State Police Fire Marshal is investigating a fire in North Franklin Township that sent one person to UPMC Washington Hospital with burns.  The blaze broke out Saturday around 4:30 p.m in the 200-block of Park Avenue.  Heavy fire was reported in the rear of the home.  Two people were treated at the scene.  There is no word on the identity or condition of the person hospitalized.  Meanwhile, crews battled a pair of fires in Fayette County on Sunday.  The first was reported around 4 a.m. along Back Street in German Township.  The fire marshal is also investigating  the cause of this fire. The third fire was in Uniontown Saturday afternoon.  A home along Wilbur Avenue was damaged.  Reportedly, the fire was accidentally sparked by burning outside the home.  No injuries were reported in either fire in Fayette County.

MILL HALL, Pa. (AP) — Authorities say a mother and six children ranging in age from 3 to 11 were killed in an explosion and fire at a central Pennsylvania home. Pennsylvania State Police say firefighters responding to a report of an explosion and fire at a home in Clinton County on Sunday morning confirmed that seven people were trapped, but they couldn’t search the building engulfed in flames. All seven died. Police identified them as 34-year-old Sarah Stolzfus, four sons and two daughters. The cause is under investigation. Police say a propane leak inside the home may have caused the explosion and fire, however exterior propane tanks did not explode and were not contributing factors.

SHREVEPORT, La. (AP) — Police say a Louisiana man who fatally shot seven of his children and another child used an assault-style weapon despite a 2019 felony firearms conviction. The attack early Sunday in Shreveport, Louisiana, was one of the nation’s deadliest mass shootings in recent years. The shooter, identified as Shamar Elkins, died after a police pursuit that ended with officers firing on him. Louisiana law says a person convicted of certain violent felonies are banned from having a gun for at least 10 years. Officials say the children who died ranged in age from 3 to 11 years old. Police say two people escaped by jumping from a roof.

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan is preparing for new talks between the U.S. and Iran, even as tensions rise around the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. seized an Iranian cargo ship over the weekend, accusing it of evading a blockade. Iran’s military has vowed to respond, calling U.S. actions disingenuous. With a ceasefire set to expire midweek, Pakistan has intensified diplomatic efforts to resume talks on Tuesday. Iran remains undecided about attending. The conflict has also caused oil prices to soar, with Brent crude reaching about $95 a barrel. Iran warns of continued economic impact if tensions persist.

NEW YORK (AP) — A refund system for businesses that paid tariffs which the U.S. Supreme Court eventually struck down is scheduled to launch on Monday. U.S. Customs and Border Protection says importers and their brokers will be able to begin claiming refunds online beginning at 8 a.m. It’s the first step in a complicated process that also might eventually lead to refunds for consumers who were billed for some or all of the tariffs on products shipped to them from outside the United States. In a 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court ruled in late February that President Donald Trump usurped Congress’ taxation authority when he set double-digit import tax rates on products from almost every other country.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court will hear from Catholic preschools that say it’s unconstitutional to exclude them from a state-funded program because they won’t admit kids from LGBTQ+ families. It’s the latest religious rights case for the conservative-majority court. The justices on Monday said they’ll hear from Colorado’s St. Mary Catholic Parish and the Archdiocese of Denver, which are supported by the Republican Trump administration. The schools argue Colorado is violating their religious rights by barring them from the taxpayer-funded universal preschool program over their faith-based admission policies. The state says religious schools are welcome to participate but are required to follow nondiscrimination laws. The case will be heard in the fall.

PARIS (AP) — Elon Musk has been summoned to Paris as part of an investigation into alleged misconduct on the social media platform X. French authorities are looking into the spread of child sexual abuse material and deepfake content. Musk and former X CEO Linda Yaccarino have been invited for voluntary interviews. It’s unclear if they will attend. The investigation is still ongoing after a search at X’s French premises in February. French prosecutors have alerted U.S. authorities, but the Justice Department reportedly declined to assist. Reporters Without Borders has also filed a complaint against X for allowing disinformation.