May 28, 2026 5:52 pm
HARRISBURG — Attorney General Dave Sunday announced that a Fayette County man — serving a prison sentence for murdering his girlfriend in 2021 — pleaded guilty this week to dumping a large amount of waste tires at Ohiopyle State Park. Thomas L. Dean, 53, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor violations of the Solid Waste Management Act, and was sentenced to 6 to 12 months in prison. Dean is also ordered to pay a $2,500 fine to the Pennsylvania Solid Waste Abatement Fund. The Office of Attorney General’s Environmental Crimes Section investigated and prosecuted the case, which involved Dean (and his nephew, Donald Dean) dumping tires at the park while employed at an auto tire shop. ”Our state parks are areas of peace, beauty, and leisure, and this sort of conduct violates the sanctity of those protected lands,” Attorney General Sunday said. “While we recognize the defendant is already serving many years in prison for a separate crime, we feel this conviction is important in that it sends a message that illegal dumping is a serious offense.” The conduct dates back to 2018. The prosecution followed a third-degree murder conviction in 2024, regarding Thomas Dean killing his girlfriend in 2021. Following a referral from the Department of Conservation of Natural Resources, the Office of Attorney General filed charges earlier this year. Donald Dean is also charged, and is currently a fugitive. The investigation began when park patrons reported to authorities suspicious behavior — that report included a vehicle license plate traced to the Deans.
May 28, 2026 2:39 pm
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. and Iranian negotiators have reached a tentative agreement to extend the ceasefire by 60 days and launch talks on Iran’s nuclear program. That’s according to a U.S. official familiar with the matter. The official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, said President Donald Trump still needs to sign off on the emerging memorandum of understanding. Iran did not immediately confirm any deal with the United States. The tentative agreement worked out by the two sides comes at a moment when the fragile ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran appeared to be wavering.
May 28, 2026 2:43 pm
WASHINGTON (AP) — More Americans sought unemployment benefits last week, but layoffs remain low despite economic uncertainty caused by the Iran war. The Labor Department reported Thursday that jobless claims were up to 215,000, up from 210,000 the week before. The four-week moving average of claims, which smooths out week-to-week volatility, rose by nearly 6,300 to 209,000. The number of Americans signing up for unemployment benefits — a proxy for layoffs — has stabilized in a low range of mostly 200,000 to 250,000 a week since the U.S. economy emerged from a brief but nasty pandemic recession in 2020. (Photo: AP)
May 28, 2026 8:43 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — A key inflation gauge accelerated in April to the highest level in three years, the latest sign that spiking gas prices and higher food costs are squeezing Americans’ finances. Inflation jumped to 3.8% in April compared with a year ago, the Commerce Department said Thursday, up from 3.5% in March and the highest since May 2023. On a monthly basis, prices rose 0.4%, down from the 0.7% rise in March. The report
May 28, 2026 4:58 am
NEW YORK (AP) — The proportion of Americans without health insurance held steady at around 8% of the population in 2025, according to new findings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The national survey results published Thursday show the uninsured rate has stayed down from where it was a few years ago. However, changes from the Trump administration could increase this rate in the years ahead. Massive changes to Medicaid and the expiration of Affordable Care Act subsidies may lead to more uninsured individuals. The survey also indicates a possible increase in the percentage of insured Hispanic Americans, which could be due in part to immigration changes.
May 28, 2026 2:40 am
After more than six years of waiting, visitors to the Washington County Courthouse can finally walk through the front doors once again. What was originally projected to be a brief, two-month, 200-thousand-dollar fix turned into a prolonged seven-year, three-million-dollar restoration project. The Main Street entrance had been completely sealed off since 2019 due to severe weather damage. Officials say the extensive delays were caused by unforeseen structural challenges and the strict requirements needed to preserve the 1900 historical landmark. The three-million-dollar price tag was funded by the Federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. At a ribbon-cutting ceremony on the courthouse steps Wednesday morning, County Commissioners and Elected officials declared the opening of the six new mahogany doors as the start of a major revitalization chapter for Washington County. While the entrance retains its grand look, it is debuting some high-tech security. The courthouse is installing the Evolv Weapons Detection System—an AI-powered, touchless design that is the first of its kind in Pennsylvania, aimed at streamlining long security lines. Officials note that while the Main Street entrance is again open for business, the Cherry Street, handicap accessible entrance will also remain open to the public.
May 28, 2026 1:26 am
HARRISBURG — Attorney General Dave Sunday announced charges Wednesday against a Montgomery County man regarding the installation of hidden cameras in a southwestern Pennsylvania home to produce child sexual abuse material. Adam Benjamin Arena, 46, was charged this week with more than 100 felonies — including production and possession of child abuse material — and dozens of misdemeanor counts of invasion of privacy. Arena, who moved to Montgomery County after the conduct was discovered, was denied bail at arraignment. The Office of Attorney General’s Child Predator Section and the Brownsville Police Department conducted an investigation that revealed Arena had installed hidden cameras at a Fayette County home, primarily in a shower/bathroom area, to record a child in various states of undress. Investigators determined Arena concealed at least one camera in a shampoo bottle, which was discovered by the child victim. During a search warrant in June 2024, investigators found multiple devices owned by Arena with videos and images he obtained via hidden cameras. Some videos show Arena installing the camera and retrieving it.
May 28, 2026 9:40 am
PITTSBURGH — Shots were fired at an ATF agent in Pittsburgh on Wednesday night. The incident happened just before 11 p.m. in the 900 block of Clarissa Street in Upper Hill. Pittsburgh Police Chief Jason Lando said detectives and federal agents were working together to search for a person who was wanted on gun charges when someone opened fire on the ATF agent in his cruiser. The car was struck by at least one bullet, but the agent was not. Lando said Pittsburgh Police officers did not return fire, but he is unsure if the ATF agent did. SWAT operators were called in just before 12:30 a.m. and later received consent to search a home believed to be connected to the incident. ”This person is known to be dangerous. And that was the reason why we had a significant number of officers looking for him, because he is known to be dangerous and to carry firearms,” Lando said. Pittsburgh police said two people were taken to headquarters for questioning, but have since been released. No arrests have been made. FBI Pittsburgh has taken over the investigation.
May 28, 2026 4:56 am
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Kuwait says it was targeted with a missile and drone attack. That’s another challenge to the shaky ceasefire in the Iran war following strikes by both Washington and Tehran. Kuwait’s military made the announcement, without providing further details on what had been targeted. Iran said hours later that it launched an attack in the region. It did not say exactly what was targeted. Kuwait is a close ally of the U.S., and it repeatedly came under fire from Iran and Iranian-backed Shiite militias in Iraq during the war. Kuwait’s announcement Thursday comes as the Middle East is on the edge. U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed confidence that his administration is making headway in negotiations with Iran to end the war, but the talks remain in flux.
May 27, 2026 4:59 am
The Trump administration has placed additional sanctions on Iran as part of a sprawling economic pressure campaign during the war, this time targeting the country’s newly created agency that is trying to control shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. The move Wednesday, first reported by The Associated Press, is the latest U.S. effort to use economic leverage on top of military action to push Iran’s leadership into an agreement to end the war and open the waterway. The sanctions were announced late Wednesday after U.S. forces carried out strikes on an Iran military facility after downing Iranian attack drones, according to U.S. officials who were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity.
