January 10, 2023 4:24 am
Washington City Council held their agenda meeting Monday and got the year started on a positive note. Police Chief Dan Rush reported that the police department has qualified for a $442,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency. Rush hopes to use the funds for additional body cameras for police, wi-fi upgrades, in car computers and new radios. Shana Brown, Main Street Manager has several events planned for the winter beginning with a February 11 Cocoa Tour. March 11 is the Washington Goes Irish celebration and May 6 is the target date for the Running of the Wools. Mayor Scott Putnam expressed his desire to have the “Pride in Washington Award” resurrected. He says that there are several groups and individuals that have shown extraordinary efforts to make Washington a great city and he would like to recognize their efforts. Council will meet for their voting meeting on Thursday.
January 10, 2023 4:20 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – The top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee has requested that U.S. intelligence conduct a “damage assessment” of potentially classified documents found in the Washington office space of President Joe Biden’s former institute, Rep. Mike Turner sent the request Tuesday to Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, saying that Biden’s retention of the documents puts him in “potential violation of laws protecting national security, including the Espionage Act and Presidential Records Act.” It comes a day after the White House confirmed that the Department of Justice was reviewing “a small number of documents with classified markings” that were discovered as Biden’s personal attorneys were clearing out the offices of the Penn Biden Center.
January 10, 2023 4:16 am
ATLANTA (AP) – The special grand jury in Atlanta that has been investigating whether then-President Donald Trump and his allies committed any crimes while trying to overturn his 2020 election loss in Georgia has finished its work. The judge overseeing the panel issued an order Monday dissolving the special grand jury. The order says the grand jurors completed a final report and that a majority of the county’s superior court judges voted to dissolve the special grand jury. It heard from dozens of witnesses, including numerous close Trump associates, and the case is among several around the country that threaten legal peril for the former president as he seeks a second term in 2024.
January 10, 2023 4:15 am
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) – Thousands of protesters in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paolo demanded “No amnesty!” Monday, following a riot that invaded the heart of Brazil’s capital Sunday in an effort to reinstall former President Jair Bolsonaro. The words evoke memories of an amnesty law that for decades has protected military members accused of abuse and murder during the country’s 1964-85 dictatorship. Justice minister Flávio Dino vowed to prosecute those who acted behind the scenes to summon supporters on social media and finance their transport for crimes including organized crime, staging a coup, and violent abolition of the democratic rule of law. He also said authorities would investigate allegations local security personnel allowed the destruction to proceed unabated.
January 10, 2023 4:15 am
LOS ANGELES (AP) – The latest in a relentless string of California storms is swamping roads, battering coastlines with high surf, turning rivers into gushing flood zones and forcing the evacuation of thousands in towns with histories of deadly mudslides. At least 14 people have died since the storms began last week, including two people killed by falling trees. Forecasters expect the rain to continue through Tuesday after dumping up to 14 inches at higher elevations in central and Southern California. The storm on Monday prompted evacuation orders for 10,000 people along the central California coast, including the entire town of Montecito – home to Prince Harry and other celebrities – which saw 23 people killed in a mudslide five years ago.
January 10, 2023 4:12 am
LIGONIER TWP, Pa. — (WPXI) – Ligonier Valley police are searching for a man suspected in an attempted kidnapping in Ligonier Township. Assistant police chief Michael Matrunics says a young woman jogging Sunday morning near a shaded area on a popular walking trail on Route 381 was approached by a man with a gun. “A girl was running on a back road, and she was approached by a male in a rural area (in Rector) where there are no homes and then this incident occurred,” said Matrunics. Police are unsure if the suspect had been following the woman. They said he pulled his sedan in front of her, got out of the car, and demanded she get in the trunk. The suspect fired multiple shots. The victim was not shot, but police believe the suspect may have been trying to scare her into following his orders. The jogger was able to fight off her attacker until a passer-by arrived, and she got to safety unharmed. Police are searching for the suspect who they described as a white male between 50 to 60 years old, about 5 feet, 7 inches tall, with a “scruffy” white beard. The suspect was driving an older model blue sedan with chipping paint. Anyone with information about the vehicle or the suspect is asked to contact 911.
January 10, 2023 4:06 am
A Washington woman accused of forcing her way into an apartment and robbing the occupant will face trial. Victim testimony in the preliminary hearing of Brittany Molinaro, 35 of Washington accused Molinaro of falsely identifying herself at approximately 3:30 AM Christmas morning. A visitor staying with the victim was told to let the person in. As soon as the door opened, Molinaro forced her way into the apartment and argued with the victim. Molinaro then went into the kitchen and returned with a knife pointing it at the victim. Molinaro stole the victim’s purse that contained her ID and several bank cards.During the argument the victim called 9-1-1 looking for police help. Police did apprehend Molinaro who is now in the Washington County Jail on $100,000 bond. Molinaro will face felony charges of burglary and robbery and a misdemeanor charge of terroristic threats. Molinaro will be arraigned on February 23.
January 10, 2023 2:36 am
(AP) – Doctors who treated Damar Hamlin say the Bills safety is back in Buffalo in an uplifting sign of the remarkable progress he’s made a week after going into cardiac arrest and having to be resuscitated on the field during a game in Cincinnati. Hamlin, who is from McKess Rocks, was discharged from the University of Cincinnati Medical Center in the morning and flown to Buffalo, where Dr. William Knight said he was “doing well.” He will continue his recovery at a Buffalo hospital. Hamlin’s return comes a day after he cheered on the Bills from his hospital bed during their 35-23 win over the New England Patriots. The game proved to be a cathartic outpouring of support for the Bills and Hamlin. (Photo: ABC)
January 10, 2023 2:15 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) – The Pennsylvania state House Republican who nominated and voted for Democratic state Representative Mark Rozzi to serve as speaker says Rozzi is waffling on whether he will register as an independent and should resign. A letter sent to Rozzi on Monday by Representative Jim Gregory says “bonds of trust” between the two have been broken. The men have worked closely together on child sexual abuse issues. Rozzi was the surprise choice as speaker last week, breaking a deadlock caused by the two parties’ photo finish results in November. Rozzi promised that day to govern as an independent, but questions were raised whether he would change his party registration.
January 9, 2023 3:34 pm
NEW YORK (AP) – Thousands of nurses have gone on strike at two of New York City’s major hospitals. The walkout began Monday after contract negotiations stalled over staffing and salaries nearly three years into the coronavirus pandemic. As many as 3,500 nurses at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx and about 3,600 at Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan are off the job. The privately owned, nonprofit hospitals are postponing nonemergency surgeries, diverting ambulances to other medical centers and pulling in temporary staffers. Talks at are set to resume Monday afternoon at Montefiore, but there’s no immediate word on when bargaining might resume at Mount Sinai.
