Pittsburgh Officer Injured In Crash

September 6, 2022 4:12 am

PITTSBURGH — (WPXI) – A Pittsburgh police officer was injured in a crash on his way back from President Biden’s speech in West Mifflin, officials confirmed. The crash happened along the Parkway West in Robinson Township on Monday evening. According to a Pittsburgh public information officer, the officer was injured, but conscious and alert. He was taken to a local hospital. Pennsylvania State Police are handling the investigation.

President Biden Visits West Mifflin

September 6, 2022 4:09 am

WEST MIFFLIN, Pa. — (WPXI) – President Joe Biden visited the Steelworkers Union Hall in Allegheny County on Labor Day. The speech marked his second of the day. The first came in another battleground state: Wisconsin. “The middle class built America, and unions built the middle class,” Biden said. He highlighted recent bills signed into law, including the CHIPS Act, Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. He said the pieces of legislation are good for American workers. “I’m going to be back here not too long from now because we got $60 billion to rebuild that bridge that collapsed when I came here not long ago,” Biden said while speaking about the Fern Hollow Bridge. He also mentioned the coming expansion at Pittsburgh International Airport. Biden also took the opportunity to stump for statewide Democrats ahead of the midterm elections. “If I have to be in a foxhole, I want John Fetterman there with me,” he said. Lt. Gov. John Fetterman briefly appeared at the podium. He’s running for Senate against Dr. Mehmet Oz. The president also repeated some themes from his speech in Philadelphia a few days ago, calling “MAGA Republicans” undemocratic. He said the country is at an inflection point. “It’s clear which way the new MAGA Republicans are. They’re extreme. Democracy is really at stake. You can’t be a democracy when you support violence if you don’t like the outcome of an election,” Biden said.

Man Charged With Threatening, Assaulting Police

September 6, 2022 4:05 am

MONESSEN, Pa. — (WPXI) – A man is facing charges after allegedly threatening and assaulting officers while they attempted to arrest him in Monessen. According to a criminal complaint, Monessen police were called to the 1100 block of Maronda Way for a male trespassing and refusing to leave on Sept. 2. The caller told police that the suspect started an argument with her after dropping his wife off at work. The caller stated she offered his wife a ride, which upset the suspect, 39-year-old Charles Turman. He allegedly started to leave the property before stopping and picking up rocks and throwing them towards his wife. Turman allegedly fled the area in a white sedan. A responding officer initiated a traffic stop when the sedan was located. The criminal complaint showed that Turman exited his vehicle and was visibly upset. Police said Turman was screaming and causing a public disturbance, taking a fighting stance while threatening officers. He allegedly stated: “you’re lucky I don’t got that thang on me. I would shoot all of you.” According to police, an officer attempted to calm Turman down by telling him to get back in his vehicle and talk with the officers. The criminal complaint states that officers attempted to deescalate the situation, but Turman still refused to cooperate and continued to scream racial slurs and threaten officers. Rostraver Township, North Belle Vernon and Charleroi Regional police officers arrived at the scene to assist with the arrest. Turman allegedly resisted officers while handcuffs were being applied. Officers were able to get handcuffs on him and escort him to a police cruiser. The complaint states that, once at the vehicle, Turman resisted again and physical force was needed to get him into the vehicle. An officer suffered minor injuries to his right upper arm from Turman kicking his legs at him. Turman allegedly continued to resist, and an officer deployed one cartridge from his taser to get him into the cruiser. Turman began kicking the doors once inside the car. Police said that, once Turman was in a holding cell, he defecated on the floor and threw it. He allegedly used tissue paper and stuck it to the cell wall.

 

Taiwan Military Worries About China

September 5, 2022 4:43 am

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Chris Chen, a former captain in Taiwan’s military, spent a lot of time waiting during his weeklong training for reservists in June. Waiting for assembly, waiting for lunch, waiting for training. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has underscored the importance of mobilizing civilians when under attack, as Ukraine’s reserve forces helped fend off the invaders. Nearly halfway around the world, it has highlighted Taiwan’s weaknesses on that front, chiefly in two areas: its reserves and civilian defense force. Even before the invasion of Ukraine in March, Taiwan was working on reforming both. The question is whether it will be enough.

DeSantis Puts Imprint On Florida School Board Races

September 5, 2022 4:40 am

MIAMI (AP) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ effort to place candidates fully aligned with his conservative views on school boards throughout the state is helping him expand his influence. Of the 30 candidates endorsed by DeSantis in the Aug. 23 elections, 19 won, five lost and six are headed to runoffs. The endorsements highlight DeSantis’ expanding sphere of influence as he runs for reelection as governor this year and considers a 2024 presidential bid. It also shows his success in leveraging culture war battles over education, anti-racism policies and COVID-19 restrictions into support from voters.

Canada Searches For Deadly Stabbing Suspects

September 5, 2022 4:38 am

REGINA, Saskatchewan (AP) — Canadian police are searching across the expansive province of Saskatchewan for two suspects believed to have stabbed to death 10 people in an Indigenous community and a nearby town in one of the deadliest mass killings in the country’s history. The suspects also injured 15 people in the series of knife attacks that led the James Smith Cree Nation to declare a state of emergency and shook residents of the nearby village of Weldon. Resident Ruby Works, who was close to one of the victims, said “No one in this town is ever going to sleep again.” Police chief Evan Bray said they believe the suspects are in Regina.

1 Dead, 9 Missing After Puget Sound Float Plane Crash

September 5, 2022 4:37 am

LANGLEY, Wash. (AP) — Authorities say one person has been killed and nine others are missing, including a child, following a floatplane crash in Puget Sound in Washington state. The U.S. Coast Guard said the plane was flying from Friday Harbor, a popular tourist destination in the San Juan Islands, to the Seattle suburb of Renton. The crash happened Sunday afternoon in Mutiny Bay, roughly 30 miles (50 kilometers) northwest of Seattle. The Coast Guard said one body was recovered. The cause of the crash is unknown. The Coast Guard said four Coast Guard vessels, a rescue helicopter and an aircraft were involved in the search.

Israel Tightens Rules On West Bank

September 5, 2022 4:35 am

JERUSALEM (AP) — An Israeli military body has released a list of rules and restrictions for foreigners wanting to enter Palestinian areas of the West Bank, extending its control of daily life and movement in and out of the occupied territory. COGAT, the Israeli body in charge of Palestinian civilian affairs, stepped back from a number of controversial restrictions that had appeared in an earlier draft of the rules. That included a requirement that people who form romantic relationships with local Palestinians register with Israeli authorities. But many of the changes released on Sunday appeared to be largely cosmetic. The U.S. ambassador expressed concern over the rules, and rights groups said they entrench Israel’s 55-year control over the Palestinian population.

Liz Truss Selected As Britain’s Next PM

September 5, 2022 4:34 am

LONDON (AP) — Britain’s Conservative Party has chosen Foreign Secretary Liz Truss as the party’s new leader, and she will take office Tuesday as the U.K.’s new prime minister to steer the country through an acute cost-of-living crisis. Truss’ selection was announced Monday in London after a leadership election in which only about 170,000 dues-paying members of the Conservative Party were allowed to vote. Truss beat rival Rishi Sunak, the government’s former Treasury chief. She faces immediate pressure to deliver on her promises to tackle the economic crisis walloping the U.K. Queen Elizabeth II is scheduled to formally name Truss as Britain’s prime minister on Tuesday.

Busy Sunday Morning For Local Fire Crews

September 5, 2022 4:31 am

WASHINGTON, Pa — Multiple fire incidents kept crews busy in Washington County Sunday, with two calls involving lightning strikes from early morning storms. Just after 3 a.m. North Strabane Fire Crews were dispatched to a house struck by lightning according to officials. While crews investigated a burning odor due to an electrical issue, a call came in from Peters Township regarding a house fire on Crosswinds Drive just before 4 a.m. Peters, Canonsburg and North Strabane crews put out that blaze which was showing from the 2nd floor front and corner of the home according to reports. About an hour later, those departments were called to a commercial building in Peters Township with smoke in the building. Officials on scene say that smoke was from an HVAC unit. Bentleyville Fire Crews were called to cover North Strabane during these incidents. Meanwhile Canton Township Fire Crews were dispatched to a tree fire along McClay Road after it had been struck by lightning in the morning storm and slowly burned into the afternoon.  Members used the brush truck to extinguish the fire. (Photo: Canton Township Fire & Rescue Facebook Page)