February 7, 2024 4:54 am
GRINDAVIK, Iceland (AP) — A volcano in southwestern Iceland has erupted for the third time since December and sent jets of lava into the sky. The eruption on Thursday morning triggered the evacuation the Blue Lagoon spa which is one of the island nation’s biggest tourist attractions. The Icelandic Meteorological Office says the eruption began about at about 0600 GMT or 1 a.m. EST along a three-kilometer or nearly two-mile fissure northeast of Mount Sundhnukur. The event is taking place about four kilometers or 2½ miles northeast of Grindavik. The coastal town of 3,800 people was evacuated before a previous eruption on Dec. 18.
February 7, 2024 2:48 am
Washington County Commissioners have announced that they have hired a new director of Human Resources. Chairman Nick Sherman says Brian Guyton of Canonsburg brings a great deal of human resources knowledge and experience that will benefit county employees. Guyton will oversee an office that develops policies related to benefit programs for workers, the selection of new employees, labor contracts, employee counseling and training activities for workers.
February 7, 2024 1:55 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Gov. Josh Shapiro’s second budget proposes significant increases to education and economic development and would regulate adult use marijuana, while leaning heavily on Pennsylvania’s flush reserves to underwrite his vision. The Democrat on Tuesday unveiled his budget for the upcoming fiscal year in front of a joint session of the House and Senate. Shapiro is calling on lawmakers to enact his projected $48.3 billion budget to inject more cash into underfunded public schools and attract major industrial and high-tech projects to invigorate a slow-growing economy. He says the budget does not call for a tax increase, or require one for at least five years.
February 7, 2024 1:49 am
(WPXI) – Two people are facing charges after an “extensive investigation” into the abuse of a 6-year-old child in Fayette County, state police announced Tuesday. Jacob Weight Sr., 37, and Mimi Frost, 33, were both charged in Fayette County with aggravated assault, corruption of minors, strangulation, endangering the welfare of children and more. A state police spokesperson said the investigation began when troopers were called to a home on Sheridan Avenue in Brownsville on an undisclosed date for an unresponsive child. Responding troopers found the home in “deplorable condition,” noting dog feces, trash and urine throughout. Troopers interviewed all the children in the home and learned the 6-year-old was being held in a dog crate, zip tied and beat with a broom on multiple occasions. State police say Weight and Frost also committed “various other criminal acts against the child.”
February 7, 2024 1:40 am
In an emailed statement on Tuesday, Washington County Commission chairman Nick Sherman said an emergency meeting was held to take further action regarding a cyber-security attack in January on the county’s computer system. Sherman says they approved the retention of Digital Mint of Chicago, Illinois to provide digital security consulting services and to take the steps necessary to restore the County’s computer network and authorize expenditures for incident response, settlement, attorneys fees and to address implement cyber security issues within the County. They also voted to retain Sylint, LLC of Sarasota, Florida to conduct a thorough analysis of the County’s computer network and present a plan to implement a broader modernization of cyber security within the County, that would include the installation of hardware, software, etc., needed to protect and preserve critical information maintained by the county. Any and all expenditures are to be paid from the American Rescue Plan Act (“ARPA”) and not from the county’s general fund. Sherman said the funds shall not exceed an amount of $400,000.00, without further approval by the commissioners, The board also voted to authorize the county solicitor to execute any engagement agreements required, with the firms identified, as well as other documentation necessary to address the ransomware attack, Sherman, however, did not address the issue of whether all services had been restored at this time or whether there was any ransom involved in the attack.
February 7, 2024 1:38 am
The Washington County Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Promotion Agency chose the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum as its host for their February Breakfast Briefing. Chamber President Jeff Kotula pointed out that tourism is an important industry in Washington County that accounts for $700,000,000 annually and employs 6000 people and a part of that tourism package is the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum which is celebrating its 70th anniversary on February 7th. Scott Becker, Executive Director of the museum, says he was honored to host the event. During his remarks he thanked Washington County for its support over the years from the museum’s initial purchase of three trolleys in 1954 to the current campus that houses interactive displays designed by the Carnegie Science Center and a display building that houses most of the 52 trolleys that the museum owns and Volunteer Blvd., a brick paved street commemorating days gone by. Carrie Lepore, Deputy Secretary of Tourism for the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (pictured) cited destinations like the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum as important drivers in tourism. She said that not only does the venue prosper, but so do local businesses like restaurants, gas stations and hotels. She pointed to tourism locations as great sources of education especially with schools. The museum has several events coming up over the next few months beginning with a volunteer open house on Saturday February 10. They also are finalizing details of the Bunny Trolley event beginning on March 22. For more information check their website at www.patrolley.org.
February 6, 2024 1:45 pm
PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) — A Michigan jury has found a school shooter’s mother guilty of involuntary manslaughter in a groundbreaking trial to determine whether she has any responsibility in the deaths of four students in 2021. Prosecutors said Jennifer Crumbley was grossly negligent. She failed to tell Oxford High School officials that the family had a gun that her son, Ethan Crumbley, had used at a shooting range. Ethan was allowed to stay in school on Nov. 30, 2021, following a roughly 12-minute meeting with Jennifer and James Crumbley when school staff expressed concerns about a violent drawing. The teenager pulled the gun from his backpack that afternoon and show 11 people. No one had checked the backpack. (Photo: AP)
February 6, 2024 10:25 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal appeals court panel has ruled Donald Trump can face trial on charges he plotted to overturn the results of the 2020 election. The court on Tuesday rejected the Republican ex-president’s claims he’s immune from prosecution. It’s the second time in as many months judges have spurned Trump’s immunity arguments and said he can be prosecuted for actions undertaken while in the White House and in the run-up to the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot. The court’s decision sets the stage for additional appeals from Trump, to either the U.S. Supreme Court or the entire U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. The trial was originally set for March, but it was postponed last week and the judge didn’t immediately set a new date.
February 6, 2024 5:58 am
Country music singer-songwriter Toby Keith has died. He was 62. A statement posted on his website says Keith, who was battling stomach cancer, died peacefully Monday surrounded by his family. The statement says: “He fought his fight with grace and courage.” He was diagnosed in 2022. Sometimes a polarizing figure in country music, the 6-foot-4 singer broke out in the country boom years of the 1990s, crafting an identity around his macho, pro-American swagger and writing songs that fans loved to hear. His hits included “How Do You Like Me Now?!,” “Should’ve Been a Cowboy,” “As Good As I Once Was,” “My List” and “Beer for My Horses,” a duet with Willie Nelson.
February 6, 2024 5:04 am
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Rainfall from one of the wettest storms in Southern California history is easing off but forecasters say floods are still possible and saturated ground raises the threat of potentially deadly landslides. The National Weather Service says the slow-moving storm that parked itself over the region on Monday could linger into Wednesday. Authorities are warning people to remain on high alert and most of Southern California remains under flood watches. By Monday night, downtown Los Angeles had received nearly half its annual rainfall total in just two days. Meanwhile hundreds of landslides were reported. One near the Hollywood Hills sent mud and boulders down hillsides dotted with multimillion-dollar
