May 3, 2026 9:17 am
Monday is the last day to register to vote in the May 19th Primary Election. You will have until the end of the business day on Monday, to register to vote at your county’s elections office, or you can register online through the state’s website at www.pavoterservices.pa.gov. Only Democrats and Republicans may vote in the primary. Independents will be able to cast their votes in November’s general Election. There are many contested races this time around, including the state senate race. State Sen. Camera Bartolotta, R-Carroll, is being challenged by fellow Republican Al Buchtan of Cumberland Township in the 46th Senate District. That district includes all of Washington and Greene counties, along with a slice of Beaver County. State Representative Bud Cook, R-West Pike Run, is being challenged by Benjamin Humble of Waynesburg. The winner in that Republican race for the 50th House District, which includes all of Greene County and several Mon Valley communities in Washington, will then face Democrat Lois Bower-Bjornson of North Bethlehem Township in the general election.
May 3, 2026 9:08 am
The Fayette County Coroner says 53-year-old Samuel Clinton Newman was arrested after State Police say they received a report that a 13-year-old girl had been the victim of multiple sexual crimes by an individual she referred to as “Uncle Sam.” Troopers say they were able to confirm her report through evidence gathered from Facebook, text messages, letters and video depicting the incidents. Police say they were able, with the help of the family, to set up a sting operation where Newman thought he was coming to pick up the girl to take her to a local park, but were met instead by State Police and arrested. Troopers say Newman was in possession of a bookbag containing two blankets and a hot pink sexual aid device. Newman is facing multiple charges including sexual abuse of children, statutory sexual assault and unlawful contact with minors.
May 3, 2026 7:25 am
(AP) – Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins this week attributed a multimillion-person drop in the number of participants receiving food stamps through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program to the tamping down of fraud and an improved economy. It is true that SNAP beneficiaries decreased by nearly 4.3 million from January 2025 to January 2026, according to preliminary government data released by the Agriculture Department. However, experts say fraud detection and economic upturns are not the primary reasons. Instead they say the key drivers are new requirements mandated by a massive tax and spending cut bill Republicans pushed through Congress last summer.
May 3, 2026 7:22 am
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President Donald Trump says he is reviewing a new Iranian proposal to end the war but expressed skepticism it would be acceptable. He mentioned this on Saturday before boarding Air Force One. Iran reportedly shared a 14-point proposal via Pakistan. Trump rejected a previous proposal this week, but conversations continue, and a three-week ceasefire is holding. Meanwhile, the health of imprisoned Iranian rights lawyer Narges Mohammadi is at high risk, according to her family. The U.S. has warned shipping companies about possible sanctions for paying Iran to pass safely through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has also hanged two men convicted of spying for Israel.
May 3, 2026 7:30 am
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine has launched a wave of strikes against Russia’s oil export infrastructure, hitting a key loading port on the Baltic Sea and two tankers that Ukraine alleges were illegally used to transport Russian crude. A nighttime drone strike sparked a blaze at Russia’s largest oil exporting port on the Baltic Sea, according to Russian regional Gov. Alexander Drozdenko. The port of Primorsk lies over 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) from Ukraine. Elsewhere, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukrainian forces had hit two tankers in the Black Sea that had been used to transport Russian oil in violation of Western sanctions.
May 3, 2026 7:27 am
BERLIN (AP) — A rescue team has released from a barge in the North Sea a humpback whale that had been stranded in shallow waters near Germany since March, witnesses said. Nicknamed Timmy by German media, the whale was spotted swimming near Germany’s Baltic Sea coast on March 3, far from its natural habitat in the Atlantic Ocean. The mammal’s health deteriorated as it became repeatedly stranded in shallow waters, and unsuccessful efforts were made to coax it toward deeper seas. The environment minister for Germany’s Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania state gave the green light for the attempt to save the whale, despite some warnings from the scientific community that it may be too much for the animal.
May 3, 2026 7:21 am
PITTSBURGH — Travelers who were supposed to fly to or from Pittsburgh on a Spirit flight have options after the budget airline ceased operations. On Saturday morning, Spirit Airlines announced it was going out of business after 34 years and immediately cancelled flights, including three departing from and one arriving at Pittsburgh International Airport. The markets Spirit served from Pittsburgh were Orlando, Ft. Lauderdale and Myrtle Beach, all of which are served nonstop by other carriers — Southwest, Frontier, Allegiant, JetBlue and Breeze. Even more carriers serve the markets via connections. Per the Pittsburgh International Airport website, Spirit customers should not come to the airport. Instead, customers should contact to other carriers for alternative booking options to their destinations. Spirit customers can also seek information about refunds and other traveler options on the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Aviation Industry Bankruptcy and Service Cessations webpage.
May 3, 2026 7:15 am
A woman was shot multiple times at a state park in Western Pennsylvania early Saturday morning. According to a Pennsylvania State Police report, a man and woman from New Jersey were visiting the area and got into an argument while at Moraine State Park after 3 a.m. During that argument, police say Jevonn Brown, 31, shot the 29-year-old woman multiple times while she was seated inside a vehicle. First responders rendered aid on scene, then took the woman to a Pittsburgh hospital for further treatment. Troopers did not specify her current condition. Investigators took Brown into custody and later charged him with attempted homicide, aggravated assault and reckless endangerment. He’s being held in the Butler County Jail.
May 2, 2026 5:06 am
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Spirit Airlines has announced it is going out of business after 34 years. The ultra-low-cost airline known for its bright yellow planes and deep discount fares said Saturday it has started winding down operations. It said all its flights have been canceled and customer service is no longer available. The airline had been struggling financially since the COVID-19 pandemic, weighed down by rising costs and debt. Efforts to secure a government bailout failed, leaving about 17,000 jobs at risk. Spirit’s closure could impact budget-conscious travelers, especially in areas like Las Vegas and Florida, where the airline had a significant presence.
May 2, 2026 4:53 am
UNIONTOWN, Pa. — A family is displaced after a fire broke at a home in Fayette County. Dispatchers said firefighters were called to the 90 block of Connellsville Street in Uniontown just before 6:30 p.m. on Friday. Uniontown Fire Department Assistant Chief Rick Lint said the first arriving units saw heavy smoke when they arrived. “As soon as we pulled in, we had bystanders state that there were possibly two kids in the upstairs of the house. We did a very aggressive attack and search right off the get-go for that,” Lint said. Lint said the back of the house sustained most of the damage. The Red Cross has been notified and they will give the family shelter and clothing. No injuries were reported.
