October 20, 2026 5:44 pm
Pennsylvania American Water crews were called out to the Claysville area Tuesday afternoon for reports of a water main break. Company officials say some one-hundred customers were affected and as a result, the McGuffey Middle/High School dismissed students early because of the lack of water. The outage affected customers on Route 40, High Ridge, South Sunset Beach, Reese Lane, Valley View Road, Hawthorn and Mosier Hill Roads. Crews say repairs were made and completed by around four o’clock.
October 20, 2026 4:49 pm
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is hoping $5,000 checks can boost Republican turnout in the midterm elections. Some supporters doubt the payments will arrive. At a recent rally, attendees expressed skepticism about the promise. Trump has used similar tactics before, like offering dividends from tariff revenues, which didn’t materialize. Critics argue his economic leadership has been lacking, with inflation and overseas conflicts causing concern. Trump claims the payouts will happen if Republicans maintain control of Congress. However, many voters remain unconvinced, with polls showing a lack of trust in his promises.
October 20, 2026 4:45 pm
Harrisburg, PA – Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt today reminded registered Pennsylvania voters planning to vote by mail ballot in the Nov. 3 general election that they must apply for their ballot online or in person by 5 p.m. Oct. 27th. “If you want to vote by mail, now is the time to apply so you will have enough time to receive, complete, and return your ballot to your county elections office by the deadline of 8 p.m. on Election Day,” Sec. Schmidt said. “You also have the option of applying for your mail ballot in person at your county elections office, completing it, and returning it all in one visit through Oct. 27. Voters are encouraged to check their county elections office’s hours before making the trip.” The Department of State’s Elections Data page links to a downloadable Daily Mail Ballot Report, which provides point-in-time data showing each county elections office’s statistics. County elections offices must receive completed mail ballots by 8 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 3. Mail ballots returned after that time, even if postmarked by 8 p.m. Nov. 3, will not count.. Polls will be open 7 a.m. through 8 p.m. on Election Day for registered voters who want to vote in person. If a voter is in line by 8 p.m., they can vote.
October 20, 2026 12:49 pm
PITTSBURGH — An investigation is underway after a small fire was set outside the rectory at Pittsburgh’s St. Paul Cathedral. Authorities say firefighters were called to the Bishop’s residence on the 100 block of North Dithride Street for reports of a fire overnight. Investigators said the fire was on the rear porch, made up of twigs and brush and had been extinguished upon crews’ arrival. The fire was on a stone surface, so there was no property damage. No injuries were reported. Police say a suitcase with women’s clothing in it was left behind. Fire investigators are reviewing camera footage and speaking with staff to learn more about what happened.
October 20, 2026 4:46 am
The Peters Township School Board met for the first time since a Pleasant Valley Elementary School Teacher was arrested for public drunkenness on October 8. Not one person in the meeting addressed the school board about the incident. Shelly Belcher is the Communications Coordinator for the Peters Township School District. She reviewed the statement released by the district surrounding the series of events. It outlined the circumstances where it was believed that Katharine Viviano suffered a medical emergency and students were moved to another classroom and parents were notified. A further police investigation into the incident resulted in charges of public drunkenness being filed against Viviano. The statement further states that because of the ongoing police investigation and it being a personnel matter, no further details can be revealed. The statement further states that the district’s focus remains on supporting the impacted students and ensuring a safe, stable and positive learning environment for the remainder of the school year. The Peters Township School District has been in the news frequently since the beginning of the year. In February, Senior Class President, Zachariah Meyers was arrested for allegedly coordinating a sextortion ring. In August, recently graduated Karoline Heintz was allegedly killed by her boyfriend Royce Moser. Belcher said the district will not comment those incidents as they also are under active investigations and victim’s families have requested privacy.
October 19, 2026 2:43 am
Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) announced on Monday that 1,286 measles cases have been confirmed across 42 counties in Pennsylvania so far in 2026. The DOH continues to lead Pennsylvania’s robust response to the ongoing measles outbreak and is making the most up-to-date information on cases, hospitalizations, and deaths available on its measles dashboard. While daily numbers fluctuate, tracking these trends provides Pennsylvanians and health care providers with visibility into community transmission across the Commonwealth and helps inform DOH’s ongoing response. New Positive Cases (since October 16, 2026): 26; Total Counties: 42; Total Cumulative Cases: 1,286; Total Hospitalizations: 247; Total Confirmed Measles-Associated Deaths: 5; Measles cases among vaccinated individuals: 4 (less than 1% of cases)
October 19, 2026 2:11 am
Gas prices are 12 cents higher in Western Pennsylvania this week at $4.698 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report. The national average for a gallon of regular gasoline is down six cents from last week at $4.29 even though crude oil prices are up to around $100 per barrel. The national average has stayed above $4 per gallon since late July and is currently more than a dollar higher than it was this time last year. The fall months typically bring lower gas prices, but volatility in the oil market has led to seasonal record highs this year. According to new data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), gasoline demand decreased last week from 8.76 million barrels per day to 8.40 million. Total domestic gasoline supply increased from 204.7 million barrels to 208.3 million. Gasoline production decreased from 9.34 million barrels per day to 9.23 million barrels.
October 19, 2026 4:57 am
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Rising fuel prices coinciding with harvest season are frustrating farmers across the Midwest and raising concerns for Republicans ahead of the midterm elections. President Donald Trump appeared in Kansas on Monday and will go to Iowa on Thursday as his party tries to energize voters in states it has long dominated. Some longtime Republican voters say they’re considering supporting Democrats, while others have lost enthusiasm for their party. Republicans are pouring millions of dollars into Senate races in Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa as farmers struggle with high costs from gas prices and tariffs. Trump said Monday that the Department of Agriculture will be launching a new harvest fuel relief program.
October 20, 2026 4:54 am
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv is once again receiving early warnings from its partners following recent Russian attacks that he said occurred without enough notice to Ukraine. The warnings, he said, save lives by allowing the public to be alerted and giving military units time to try to intercept the missiles. Zelenskyy said the change happened after talks Tuesday with his American counterparts, including a phone call with Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Norway’s prime minister said U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff will fly to St. Petersburg on Wednesday to meet with Russian leaders.
October 20, 2026 4:52 am
PARIS (AP) — Paris and Lyon have imposed fresh curfews in parts of their city centers after the first quiet night since France’s most destructive rioting in years. The government is preparing a massive police deployment for protests planned for Saturday and will deploy soldiers to guard sensitive sites, freeing up police officers for crowd control. Police arrested a suspect in an arson attack that charred a historic city hall in central France. Footage of the attack was shared by U.S. Vice President JD Vance and President Donald Trump. Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin said 149 people had been jailed nationwide.
