July 8, 2026 6:27 pm
South Strabane Township will now be in search of a new fire chief. Jordan Cramer, Chief of Fire and Emergency Services and Emergency Management Coordinator tells WJPA News that he tendered his resignation on Wednesday to take on a new position as the Director of Fire Services in Ross Township. Cramer said that his final day will be September 11. He will be at the annual September 11 memorial. He said he looks forward to working through the transition period and serving South Strabane residents. Cramer came to South Strabane Township in 2022 from Peters Township. (File Photo)
July 8, 2026 5:49 pm
The Washington County Coroner’s Office has been searched again, this time, by the Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office. They say they assisted Monessen Police in executing the search warrant to obtain documents needed for an investigation. “This is uncharted territory for our office. As a law enforcement agency, the Monessen Police Department is entitled to material pursuant to a criminal investigation and prosecution. Pursuing justice and accountability shouldn’t come at a cost to the victim, the victim’s family, or public safety,” Westmoreland County District Attorney Nicole W. Ziccarelli said. This is the second time the office was searched. Last November, a search warrant was executed amid a dispute over access to autopsy reports. The Washington County District Attorney’s Office, Pennsylvania State Police, Washington City Police and Canonsburg Police all searched for autopsy reports connected to five cases. Officials said investigators and the DA’s office had repeatedly requested the documents and were denied. The DA’s office said it was told three reports were available but would only be released for a fee of about $700 each. District Attorney Jason Walsh said those reports were essential to prosecuting crimes and serving victims. Coroner Tim Warco at the time, said he had decided to charge fees because his office wasn’t receiving police reports needed to complete autopsies and related records.
July 8, 2026 3:46 pm
PennDOT announced on Wednesday that landslide repairs are scheduled to begin on Locust Avenue between Hudack Hill and the Interstate 79 Interchange in South Strabane Township, on Monday, July 13th. On March 27th, the roadway was closed to traffic due to a landslide. There was no word on how long the repairs will take, but officials say the existing detour utilizing Country Club Road and Locust Avenue will remain in place until mid-October.
July 8, 2026 12:44 pm
Harrisburg, PA – Ahead of the 25-day closure of the Interstate 376 Commercial Street Bridge, PennDOT is encouraging drivers to plan their trip using the enhanced real-time travel information available on a specialized webpage at https://www.511pa.com/map/page/CommercialStBridge. These enhancements support Governor Josh Shapiro’s commitment to providing accessible, real-time digital services to every Pennsylvanian. Hosted through the department’s www.511PA.com traveler information website, the page is dedicated to monitoring traffic conditions on primary travel routes to events and around the greater Pittsburgh area. The new webpage includes links to traffic maps with travel time for primary routes around the City of Pittsburgh, as well as other helpful links and travel tips for navigating the closure. Users can see real-time incidents, construction, traffic cameras, traffic speeds, and message board displays on the maps. Travelers using the “My Routes” option will also have access to a list of special points of interest when choosing their starting point or destination, making it easier than ever to find the best route around the closure. There will also be real-time travel information posted on changeable message signs and PennDOT will be utilizing cameras throughout the closure to enhance monitoring of current traffic conditions, as well as message boards to help direct travelers.
July 8, 2026 4:48 am
The Cecil Township Board of Supervisors held a public hearing on the Conditional Use Application for the Cool Valley Development. The site of the proposed development is 216 acres along Interstate I-79, Lewicki Rd., and Morganza Rd. It will be used for retail, town homes, and an apartment complex. Frank Egizio, the Chairman of the Board, believes that the applicant was not fully prepared for the hearing. He said that there are still a lot of unanswered questions, including what the traffic flow would be like and how the development would impact residents in the surrounding area. Residents who spoke at the hearing expressed concerns regarding traffic, public safety, and light pollution. One resident, Michelle Turbanic, was pleased with the number of residents who showed up at the hearing, because she believes that taking part in local government is extremely important. Supervisor Cindy Fisher ensures that the Board will represent the residents and make sure that their concerns are validated. John Haynes, who spoke on behalf of Cool Valley Development, refused to comment after the hearing. The hearing will be continued on Monday, August 3, 2026, at 6:00 PM, with a vote immediately following.
July 8, 2026 5:40 am
UPMC Hillman Cancer Center at UPMC Washington hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the installation of a new, second linear accelerator, an advanced radiation machine used to treat cancer. Beth Wild, the president of the UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, says this addition not only ensures that patients receive the best care possible, but that they receive it as soon as they need it. Ziad Fawaz, a radiation oncologist and medical director at the Cancer Center, explains that this technology offers more advanced imaging and improved treatment accuracy. The system can accurately target tumors and minimize exposure to healthy tissue. Brook Ward, the president of UPMC Washington, says that this is an important milestone for the hospital, the Cancer Center, the Washington community, and the surrounding area. He also says that, while the technology is important, it is the great team at the Cancer Center that really makes a difference.
July 7, 2026 2:50 am
PennDOT says single-lane restrictions will be in place during their annual bridge inspections in Greene, Washington, and Westmoreland counties. In Greene County, bridge inspections will take place on Interstate 79 northbound over Route 221 at Exit 19 in Washington Township on Wednesday, July 8th, from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. In Washington County, Interstate 70 in both directions from Exit 40 and 41 in Speers Borough will be affected on Thursday, July 9th, from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. In Westmoreland County, the inspections will occur on July 8th from noon until 4 p.m. on Route 981 between Wimmerton Industrial Park and Lloyd Avenue in Unity Township. PennDOT District 12 staff will perform the inspection work on the structures and all work is dependent on weather and operational conditions.
July 7, 2026 2:41 am
PennDOT announced on Tuesday that there will be nightly ramp closures on Interstate 79 at Exit 14, Masontown/Waynesburg, in Franklin Township in Greene County. They say the ramp closures will occur nightly from 8:00 p.m. until 6:00 a.m. beginning Monday, July 13th, and continue through Saturday, July 25th. All work depends on weather and operations. Officials say the ramp closures will be coordinated so detour routes do not conflict with one another. Current I-79 single-lane restrictions between Exit 14, Masontown/Waynesburg, and Exit 23, Marianna/Prosperity, that began on June 18th, will continue until late August. The ramp closures will allow crews to perform concrete patching and to overlay entrance and exit ramps with asphalt. The work is part of the I-79 Waynesburg to Marianna Project, which will make improvements to approximately 11 miles of I-79, extending through Franklin and Washington townships in Greene County and Amwell Township in Washington County, a $45.9 million infrastructure investment.
July 8, 2026 4:51 am
A group of former justices from Pennsylvania and Ohio and a former Pennsylvania Governor are on a barnstorming bus tour to discussing democracy, public trust and the importance of an independent judiciary. The “Justice In Motion” tour is organized by the nonpartisan civic organization Keep Our Republic. They are dedicated to strengthening trust in American democracy, constitutional norms and the rule of law. Their stop at the LeMoyne Community Center found a group of teenagers looking to find out more about an independent judiciary. Former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett spoke of freedom and how the judicial process works in concert with the idea of freedom. Retired Ohio Supreme Court Justice Michael Donnelly explained how current political party fighting is threatening the independence of the courts. Retired Ohio Supreme Court Justice Maureen O’Connor specifically stated that there is no room for politics in the court of law. According to tour organizers, the tour is designed to create space for direct, unscripted conversations about democracy, constitutional government, and the role courts continue to play in American civic life.
July 8, 2026 4:58 am
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The U.S. military says it is carrying out another round of strikes on Iran after the Islamic Republic attacked ships in the Strait of Hormuz a day earlier. The announcement on Wednesday came hours after President Donald Trump threatened to unleash more military action against Iran after saying that the Iranian attacks signaled the end of the ceasefire. Iranian state media reported explosions in several locations, including the port city of Bandar Abbas on the strait, Sirik, another southern coastal city, and Bushehr, home to Iran’s nuclear power plant complex.
