August 18, 2026 2:51 am
STATE COLLEGE — Attorney General Dave Sunday announced that the leader of a cocaine-trafficking ring involving Penn State University students and two student fraternities surrendered Tuesday morning. Agostino Abbatiello, 24, was arraigned by Magisterial District Judge Kelley Gillette-Walker on numerous felonies, including multiple counts of possession with intent to deliver (cocaine), and conspiracy. The district judge denied bail at arraignment. Abbatiello and 13 other defendants were charged Monday morning. Abbatiello failed to appear for his scheduled arraignment Monday morning. Thirteen of the charged defendants were Penn State University students at or around the time of the alleged conduct, in 2023 and 2024. According to the investigation and a grand jury presentment, Abbatiello and Thomas Robinson were the main suppliers for the criminal organization, making regular trips to Philadelphia and New York for large quantities of cocaine. The cocaine was then cut and packaged — primarily at the Delta Upsilon and Sigma Chi fraternity houses — and distributed mainly to Penn State University students. “We are pleased to report that the most significant members of this cocaine-trafficking organization are accounted for, and will have their fair process in court,” Attorney General Sunday said. “These are very serious charges and the next steps will be preliminary hearings.”
August 19, 2026 5:06 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says he is delaying the 50% U.S. tariffs on $20 billion worth of Canadian imports after the two countries reached a last-minute deal hours before the sanctions were to go into effect. The announcement, which Trump made late Tuesday on his social media platform, buys time for more negotiations and avoids, for now, another strain in already tense relations between the historic allies. Trump said he had paused the tariffs “based on the fact that Canada and the U.S.A., subject to the finalization of documents, have a DEAL!” Trump’s import taxes would have hit about 5% of what Canada ships to the United States every year, including products ranging from hockey sticks to tongue depressors.
August 19, 2026 5:03 am
Democratic voters have elevated a progressive Senate candidate in Florida, while Republican Rep. Byron Donalds, backed by President Donald Trump, won the GOP nomination as he vies to become the first Black governor of the state. This mixed outcome comes as Republican-led redistricting efforts have scrambled congressional maps. Tuesday’s contests in Florida, Alaska, Wyoming and California will shape the fiercely contested midterms this fall. Donalds joins a historic slate of Black gubernatorial nominees across the country. Meanwhile, longtime U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz won a diverse, redistricted Florida seat. The internal battle between progressive and establishment candidates continues to play out with mixed results.
August 19, 2026 5:04 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Sen. Darline Graham, running in South Carolina’s runoff election, stumbled over a foreign policy question during a debate Tuesday night. When asked about Taiwan and the South China Sea, she admitted, “national security is not my thing.” Graham was appointed to fill her late brother Lindsey’s seat after his unexpected death on July 11. She’s now running against Rep. Ralph Norman in a special election. Her brother was known for his foreign policy work, which she referenced by highlighting his Air Force service. Graham has been endorsed by President Donald Trump. She and Norman advanced to the runoff in last week’s primary.
August 19, 2026 5:07 am
ABC has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration’s Federal Communications Commission, alleging violation of its First Amendment rights. Tuesday’s lawsuit was a sharp escalation of the network’s battle against what it sees as the administration’s efforts to police its content. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has defended his agency’s actions against ABC, saying broadcasters have a duty to “operate in the public interest.” The FCC launched a review in April of eight ABC-owned broadcast licenses years before they expire. The order came after a joke by ABC late night host Jimmy Kimmel infuriated President Donald Trump.
August 19, 2026 5:01 am
HONG KONG (AP) — Shares of Unitree, one of China’s largest humanoid robot makers, have soared as much as 629% in its public stock trading debut in Shanghai. At market close, they had gained 460%. The company raised about $900 million in its listing on the Nasdaq-style STAR market. Advanced robotics is a key sector in the technology rivalry between China and the U.S. Last year, Unitree shipped over 5,000 humanoid robots, leading U.S. counterparts, according to industry data. While overseas sales account for more than 40% of Unitree’s overall revenue, a U.S. ban on new foreign-made robots could hinder its future sales in the United States.
August 18, 2026 2:18 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — More governors are shifting their stances or taking more steps to squeeze data centers, as the midterm elections near and public opinion sours on the energy-hungry behemoths. The backlash to the server warehouses is enveloping races for governor in some of the nation’s biggest states and presidential battlegrounds. On Tuesday, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, said his administration would no longer put data center projects at the head of the line when it comes to issuing construction permits or granting tax exemptions if they don’t meet certain standards. Meanwhile in Texas, Democratic challenger Gina Hinojosa released a TV ad in rural markets accusing Republican Gov. Greg Abbott of selling out residents to data center executives and companies. (Photo: AP)
August 17, 2026 4:55 am
MIDWAY, Pa. — A man now faces charges after police say he set fire to a Midway Borough home shortly after officers handled a domestic dispute at the residence. Michael Higgins, Sr. was taken into custody and charged with felony causing or risking a catastrophe, misdemeanor terroristic threats, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. He is last reported in the Washington County Jail. Smith Township Police Department first responded to 111 South Main Street at 10:22 p.m. Sunday for a report of a “loud physical domestic dispute.” Roughly two hours later, at 12:31 a.m. Monday, police were dispatched back to the same address for a fire that had engulfed the home while firefighters worked to tackle the flames. “We had heavy fire on division one, on two sides,” said Doug Bair, chief of the Midway Volunteer Fire Department. “We had 9 fire departments here to assist just for manpower because of the heat.” One firefighter was treated on the scene for heat exhaustion. During the investigation at the scene, a witness reported to Washington County 911 that they saw Higgins set the house on fire and run away down Noblestown Road toward the entrance of Midway Community Park. Officers with the Mount Pleasant Township Police Department located Higgins near the intersection of Noblestown Road and Johns Avenue.
August 18, 2026 4:47 am
SPEERS BOROUGH, Pa. — Three people were injured in a crash in Speers Borough Monday afternoon. The Charleroi Fire Department posted online that the crash happened near the intersection of State Street and Maple Drive just before 4 p.m. Firefighters said all three people were transported from the scene by ambulance. The crash involved three vehicles, with one sustaining heavy front-end damage.
August 17, 2026 2:24 am
Community College of Beaver County (CCBC) hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the grand reopening of its Washington County College Center. It is now located at the Western Area Career and Technology Center (WACTC). Jeff Kotula, the president of the Washington County Chamber of Commerce, believes that having CCBC connected with WACTC will give students more options for education. CCBC is committed to making higher education and workforce training accessible to residents in Washington, Greene, and Fayette counties. Anitre Bell, the Assistant Director of Enrollment Management, says that people in the community can now take classes and feel like they have a space without having to travel far. Fall 2026 classes begin at the new facility on August 24. Dr. Roger W. Davis, the president of CCBC, says that the best is yet to come, and he wants students to know that the college will help them get through their educational journey.
