October 21, 2026 5:42 pm
Uniontown, PA – Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) District 12 is announcing the exit ramp of northbound Interstate 79 at Exit 19 (Ruff Creek/Jefferson) in Washington Township, Greene County is scheduled to close on Saturday, October 24 from 7:00 AM until 5:00 PM. All work depends on weather and operations. The posted detour will direct northbound I-79 traffic to continue past Exit 19 (Ruff Creek/Jefferson) to Exit 23 (Marianna/Prosperity). From Exit 23 drivers will re-enter southbound I-79 and travel to southbound Exit 19 (Ruff Creek/Jefferson). The ramp closure will allow crews from Lindy Paving to complete paving. Monday, October 26, will serve as a weather make-up day, if needed.
October 21, 2026 5:39 pm
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Leo’s doctors confirm that his lung cancer was localized, and no further treatment is needed. The Vatican released a statement Wednesday. Pope Leo returned to the Vatican on Saturday after having the lower lobe of his right lung removed. The surgery confirmed he had lung adenocarcinoma, the most common type of lung cancer. His personal physician, Dr. Luigi Carbone, and surgeon, Dr. Stefano Margaritora, said tests on the tissue removed during surgery confirmed the initial diagnosis and that the cancer had not spread. A subsequent oncology assessment confirmed no further treatment is necessary. (Photo: AP)
October 21, 2026 4:52 pm
Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) has announced that 1,317 measles cases have been confirmed across 43 counties in Pennsylvania so far in 2026, including Washington County. 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 our 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. Statewide, health care providers have also seen a surge of interest from residents seeking MMR vaccinations. In a typical month, Pennsylvania health care providers administer approximately 25,000 doses of the MMR vaccine. In September, more than 56,000 doses were administered. So far in the first three weeks of October, more than 39,000 MMR vaccines have been administered. (Photo: AP)
October 21, 2026 2:08 pm
NEW YORK (AP) — NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell says he has a high comfort level in the New Orleans Saints and Pittsburgh Steelers playing the league’s first game in France in light of the civil unrest that could include more protests this weekend in Paris and elsewhere around the country. Goodell at the end of the annual fall owners meeting said he had spoken with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and that officials are in touch with Parisian and French authorities. Saints general manager Mickey Loomis told reporters in Versailles that the team’s plans have not been affected by the situation.
October 21, 2026 6:54 am
Russia has released a retired American teacher imprisoned on charges of fighting as a mercenary in Ukraine. U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff announced the release Wednesday during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg. Stephen Hubbard, from Michigan, was sentenced in 2024 to nearly seven years in prison. Prosecutors said he fought with the Ukrainian military after Russia sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022. The U.S. government under the Biden administration designated Hubbard as wrongfully detained. The release comes as President Donald Trump advances policies that aid Putin, including waiving sanctions on Russia.
October 21, 2026 6:52 am
Big news for Houston-based Perryman Company. Apple has announced a partnership in which they will supply specialty titanium for its products, including the company’s first foldable phone, the iPhone Duo. The collaboration is part of Apple’s American Manufacturing Program and includes a commitment of up to $100 million over the next three years. Perryman Company will produce the titanium at its manufacturing campuses in the Pittsburgh region, including in Houston. The material will form a grade 5 titanium enclosure engineered to provide strength and durability for the foldable device. Perryman Company is a family-owned business specializing in vertically integrated titanium operations. The company operates melting, forging, rolling and finishing facilities to supply titanium products for the aerospace, medical, industrial, defense and consumer technology markets. Frank Perryman serves as the president and chief executive officer of Perryman Company. “The opportunity to support Apple with titanium produced right here in Pennsylvania is a tremendous honor for our company and our employees,” Perryman said. “This partnership reflects the strength of American manufacturing and highlights the critical role that titanium materials play in enabling innovative products. We are proud that Perryman’s expertise, built over decades of investment and innovation, will contribute to one of the most exciting new consumer products in the world.”
October 20, 2026 4:37 am
The Pennsylvania Departments of Transportation (PennDOT) and Education (PDE) have announced that they will invest nearly $12 million in 27 Pennsylvania educational institutions in 21 counties through the first round of funding for the PennDOT Career and Technical Education grant program. The new competitive grant program supports career pathway education, technical training, industry certification, and on-the-job learning in the highway industry for middle, high school, and college students. Eligible educational institutions will be able to use this funding to expand or create new education programs geared toward many skilled labor. “These grants will help schools start or expand programs to expose students to the trades that will continue building Pennsylvania,” said PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll. The grant program was developed following Governor Josh Shapiro’s July 2023 executive order that created a first-in-the-nation job training program that provides workforce development investments to ensure Pennsylvania’s infrastructure have the skilled workforce they need. The California Area School District is to receive $490,710 to establish a new welding program operated within the district’s existing approved career and technical education operation.
October 21, 2026 2:45 am
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 4:40 am
Rising childcare costs are a factor for parents weighing how to vote in November’s midterm elections. In Pennsylvania’s hotly contested 7th Congressional District, both candidates are making childcare part of their pitch to voters. Democratic nominee Bob Brooks supports universal prekindergarten and increased federal childcare assistance. Republican Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, the incumbent, favors bigger tax breaks for families paying for childcare and employers who subsidize it for their workers. Childcare costs have rose faster than inflation from from 2020 to 2024. The Campaign for a Family Friendly Economy said it has spent $60 million this year to support Democratic candidates, who have historically favored bigger-ticket childcare investments.
October 21, 2026 4:42 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — When Vice President JD Vance speaks on the campaign trail about the high costs Americans are facing, he often says he understands that people are hurting. But in the way President Donald Trump talks about affordability concerns, the pain is often his. Depending on which Republican is speaking, Americans are getting a different perspective on how bad things are with the economy. Trump says “the golden age of America is upon us.” Vance walks a tightrope to show that he knows voters are feeling an economic pinch while still selling them on Trump’s agenda.
