January 9, 2023 2:23 am
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Another Mega Millions drawing, another night without a big winner. No one hit all six numbers and won the estimated $940 million jackpot, pushing the lottery prize to an estimated $1.1 billion ahead of the next drawing Tuesday night. The numbers drawn late Friday were: 3, 20, 46, 59, 63 and gold Mega Ball 13. The prize is now the third-largest in U.S. history. There have been 24 drawings without a jackpot winner. The winless streak is largely due to the game’s long odds of 1 in 302.6 million. The new estimated prize is for a winner who chooses an annuity paid annually over 29 years. Grand prize winners usually take the cash option, which for Tuesday night’s drawing will be an estimated $568.7 million.
January 8, 2023 8:09 am
BERLIN (AP) — German officials said Sunday that a 32-year-old Iranian man has been arrested in Germany on suspicion of planning an attack with deadly chemicals. Police and prosecutors said the man and another person were detained overnight in the town of Castrop-Rauxel. Authorities said the man is suspected to have planned a serious attack motivated by Islamic extremism, for which he had allegedly obtained the potent toxins cyanide and ricin. German news agency dpa quoted a spokesman for Duesseldorf prosecutors saying that an initial search of the premises turned up no toxic substances. It wasn’t immediately clear how far advanced the plans for an attack were and whether the suspect had picked a specific target.
January 8, 2023 8:08 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is heading to the U.S.-Mexico border later Sunday for a firsthand look at border security. The stop in El Paso, Texas, will be his first visit to the border as president. Republicans have hammered him as soft on security while the number of migrants crossing spirals. El Paso is currently the biggest corridor for illegal crossings, in large part because of Nicaraguans fleeing their country. They’re among migrants from four countries who are now subject to quick expulsion from the border under new U.S. rules. Biden is expected to meet with border officials to discuss migration as well as the increased trafficking of fentanyl and other synthetic opioids.
January 8, 2023 8:06 am
PENN HILLS, Pa. (WPXI) — Penn Hills police are looking for a missing woman they consider to be endangered. Authorities say Nia Rash was last seen on Dec. 28. She was seen at a bus stop on Frankstown Road and Duff Road in Penn Hills at around 4:15 p.m. and later seen getting off of a bus at Penn Avenue and South Graham Street in Pittsburgh. Rash was wearing a black coat with a hood with fur, gray sweatpants and light brown Ugg boots when she went missing. Family members say Rash requires medication but it was left at her house when she left. Anyone with information on Rash’s location is asked to call 911 or to contact Penn Hills Police at 412-342-1167.
January 8, 2023 4:21 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – Republican Kevin McCarthy has been elected House speaker on a historic post-midnight 15th ballot, overcoming holdouts from his own ranks. Floor tensions boiled over into shouting after a chaotic week that tested the new GOP majority’s ability to govern. But McCarthy prevailed in the end as he had said he would. “Now the hard work begins,” he declared as supporters cheered. During four days of grueling ballots, McCarthy flipped more than a dozen conservative holdouts to supporters. Then a few of the remaining holdouts switched to merely vote “present,” dropping the tally McCarthy needed to win. Members were finally sworn into office.
January 8, 2023 4:17 am
State Senator Camera Bartolotta (R-46) announced that she has been assigned to serve on five standing Senate committees during the 2023-2024 legislative session. Bartolotta will serve as vice chairperson on the Labor and Industry committee and will also serve on the Judiciary, Rules and Executive Nominations, Transportation and Veterans Affairs and Emergency Services. The purpose of each of the committees is to provide legislative oversight and help shape the language of bills that fall under their areas of responsibility.
January 8, 2023 2:14 am
Washington County District Attorney Jason Walsh announced Thursday that he intends to seek the Republican nomination for District Attorney in the upcoming May Primary. Walsh assumed the role of district attorney in August of 2021 after the untimely death of Gene Vittone, following his battle with lung cancer. Walsh has been with the office since 2016 as a Deputy District Attorney, where he was responsible for prosecuting homicides and other violent crimes. He was then promoted to First Assistant District Attorney where he assumed managerial duties but also continued to prosecute homicides. Walsh is a lifelong Washington County resident and Donora native. He is a graduate of St. Francis University and the Ohio Northern University School of Law. Prior to joining the district attorney’s office, Walsh had a private law practice. In 2022, Walsh received the Robert Faulkner Memorial Award for Outstanding Prosecution for his role in the prosecution of the Pagan Motorcycle Gang. Walsh lives in Carroll Township with his wife Rebecca and their four children.
January 8, 2023 1:41 am
Joe Hardy, the legendary businessman who grew 84 Lumber into a billion-dollar home improvement empire, passed away Saturday at the age of 100. Hardy’s family said he died on his birthday. “It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Joseph A. Hardy, III. The Hardy family lost their patriarch and all-around great man,” his family said in a statement Saturday. “Joe proved that nothing is impossible by willing himself to his 100th birthday. His family is beyond proud of him for making this final accomplishment.” He began construction on the first 84 Lumber facility in North Strabane in 1957. Hardy also developed Nemacolin Woodlands Resort & Spa in 1987.
January 7, 2023 4:28 am
NORFOLK, Va. (AP) – Police in the Virginia city of Newport News say a 6-year-old student shot and wounded a teacher at his school during an altercation inside a first-grade classroom. No students were injured during Friday’s shooting at Richneck Elementary School. Steve Drew, the city’s police chief, said this was not “a situation where someone was going around the school shooting.” One frightened parent said her “heart stopped” when she got a text message from the school saying one person was shot and another was in custody. Newport News is a city of about 185,000 people in southeastern Virginia known for its U.S. Navy shipyard.
January 7, 2023 4:26 am
A preliminary hearing for a Chartiers Township man and two Michigan men facing drug possession and delivery charges that were under seal was held Thursday. Christopher Lacks of Chartiers Township was arrested after The Pennsylvania State Police Vice and Narcotics Unit, using a confidential informant, arranged for Lacks to sell them cocaine on December 5, 2022. Earlier information to police from the confidential informant related that a large drug delivery would take place on that day. Lacks arrived to complete the transaction at the BP gas station on Racetrack Road in a leased Chevrolet Yukon with two additional unidentified men. Once the transaction was completed, other state police surveillance units followed the Yukon to Lacks’ home and then followed the Yukon once Lacks got out. The driver of the Yukon, Dmarco Marberry and his passenger Justin Gailliard, both of Michigan were stopped for traffic violations on Rt. 980 at its intersection with Rt. 50. The trooper detected a strong odor of marijuana and was granted permission to search the vehicle. The search revealed 4 cell phones, a laptop computer, marijuana blunts and a backpack containing a sum of money estimated to be in the area of $17,000. All charges for all three men were held for court. Marberry and Gailliard face felony possession and conspiracy possession charges along with a knowledge of proceeds from and illegal act charge. Lacks faces felony possession and conspiracy possession charges with a criminal use of a communications device charge. Marberry and Gailliard remain in the Washington County Jail. Lacks is free after posting bond. No formal arraignment date has been set.
