February 28, 2023 5:52 am
PETERS TOWNSHIP, Pa. — (WPXI)- Peters Township Police are warning people about a recent string of home break-ins. On Monday, Peters Township Police shared a post on Facebook alerting homeowners to the potential threat. Recently, according to the police chief, there have been three home break-ins. They are believed to be connected to a “South American Theft Group,” the Facebook post claims. The break-ins, according to police, have taken place between noon and 9 p.m. and have not been in just one specific part of the township. Investigators say the crimes are similar to an incident that led to multiple arrests back in August. Police are encouraging homeowners to remain vigilant. They say do not post vacation plans or photos of expensive belongings online, lock up valuables, request police check on your home if you’re out of town for multiple days, and use a security alarm system and cameras. Police have not released specifics about the recent break-ins, including information about what was stolen. Investigators have not publicly named any suspects or announced any arrests.
February 28, 2023 4:21 am
NEW YORK (AP) – The comic strip “Dilbert” disappeared with lightning speed following racist remarks by creator Scott Adams, but it shouldn’t come as a shock to anyone who has followed them both. Adams, who is white, was an outspoken presence on social media long before describing Black people as a “hate group” on YouTube. To some observers, “Dilbert” had strayed from its roots as a chronicler of office culture. áAn expert said the strip had started to reflect Adams’ political ideas. Adams said his distributor had been given little choice but to cut ties with him. He said his book publisher and agent had “canceled” him.
February 28, 2023 4:18 am
KUPIANSK, Ukraine (AP) – Ukrainian tanks and soldiers train every day on the country’s northeastern front. They throw grenades and fire machine guns at mock targets. It’s only a drill. But the sounds of the real war rumbling just a short distance away underscore the high stakes in this part of Ukraine. Military officials say a much-anticipated Russian offensive has already started with fighting that could determine the next phase of the war. Time is of the essence, so speed and cohesion is the goal of the exercises. Grueling artillery battles have stepped up in recent weeks in the vicinity of Kupiansk. The strategic town is on the eastern edge of Kharkiv province by the banks of the Oskil River.
February 28, 2023 4:17 am
DOVER, Del. (AP) – Court documents say Fox Corp. chairman Rupert Murdoch acknowledged that some Fox News commentators endorsed false allegations of a stolen 2020 presidential election. Those allegations are at the heart of a defamation lawsuit against the cable news giant by Dominion Voting Systems. In court filings released Monday referencing Murdoch’s deposition, Dominion says he acknowledged that Fox commentators Lou Dobbs, Maria Bartiromo, Jeanine Pirro and Sean Hannity (pictured) endorsed the false notion of a stolen election. Attorneys for Fox Corp. note that Murdoch testified he never discussed Dominion or voter fraud with any of the accused hosts.
February 28, 2023 4:14 am
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – The Northeast is gearing up for what could be very heavy snow. Parts of the region that have seen little snow were under a winter storm warning early Tuesday. Tornadoes and other powerful winds have swept through parts of the Southern Plains, with emergency officials saying at least one person was killed in a tornado in western Oklahoma. In Michigan, residents had faced a sixth consecutive day without power on Monday following last week’s ice storm. In California, weather officials said winter storms will continue moving into the state through Wednesday after residents got a brief break from severe weather.
February 28, 2023 4:13 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – Conservative justices in the Supreme Court’s majority seem likely to sink President Joe Biden’s plan to wipe away or reduce student loans held by millions of Americans. Chief Justice John Roberts led his conservative colleagues Tuesday in questioning the administration’s authority to broadly cancel federal student loans because of the COVID-19 emergency. The plan has so far been blocked by Republican-appointed judges on lower courts. The Biden administration says 26 million people have applied and 16 million have been approved to have up to $20,000 in federal student loans forgiven. The program is estimated to cost $400 billion over 30 years.
February 28, 2023 4:11 am
Peters Township Council put in some overtime on Monday night as they tackled a small but very detailed agenda. First off was a public hearing on how the township will go about making use of $3.7 million that will be awarded to the township by the United States Food and Drug Administration Task Force. Peters Township Detective Ed Walker was vital in the elimination of an entrepreneur that set up businesses that marketed steroids and kratom claiming them to have medical benefits. Those claims are illegal if not supported by the FDA and therefore Walker’s efforts brought down a large illegal shipping and processing plant. Walker was awarded a distinguished achievement award thanking him for his efforts. Among the agencies having funds donated to them from Peters Township will be the South Hills Area Council of Governments Cooperative Police Program and the Washington County District Attorney’s office. District Attorney Jason Walsh thanked the township for its generous offer of picking up the licensing fees for the phone extraction programs used in detective investigations. (pictured) In other township business, council adopted a new voting district map that slightly altered voting district boundaries. The Washington County Elections Board will approve the map and alert township residents of any changes in their district or voting precinct. Finally, council scheduled a public hearing for June 5 to consider changes in the Conservation Residential Overlay Zoning District. Council is looking to tighten up rules in the ordinance to better fit the vision council had when the district was approved approximately 10 years ago.
February 28, 2023 4:05 am
NORTH BELLE VERNON, Pa. — (WPXI)- The rain didn’t stop over 200 people from going to Fayette Street in North Belle Vernon at the site of where a tragedy happened. In just her six years, Aria Woznick made quite an impact on her family and friends. “Stealing her sisters makeup, clogging our sinks with toilet paper to wash her baby dolls,” Aria’s mother Amanda Woznick said. Just days after Aria was hit and killed, a vigil was held for the beloved little girl. The grief, spread among the tight knit town as the community has already come together for a fundraiser garnering $11,000 for the family. “It’s just outrageous the support with the inclement weather they still come out,” Assistant Fire Chief of North Belle Vernon Todd Reppert said. Also included at the vigil were prayers for the driver of the car who hit Aria. Visitation begins today and will be held at the Ferguson Funeral Home in Belle Vernon with the funeral taking place on Wednesday starting at 10 a.m.
February 28, 2023 4:01 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — A spokesman for Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman says the Democrat is “on a path to recovery” after checking himself into a hospital for clinical depression earlier this month, and he is still expected to be away from the Senate for several weeks. Fetterman communications director Joe Calvello said in a statement Monday that the senator’s recovery will be a “weeks-long process.” He is at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, where he checked in Feb. 15 as he was still struggling with the aftereffects of a stroke. His office said then that he had experienced depression before but it had become severe.
February 28, 2023 1:47 am
A Washington County man accused of child rape and other felonies has been sentenced to forty-two and a half to eighty-five-years in prison. Thirty-year-old Logan Hunt of South Strabane Township was convicted on all nine charges against him back in November. Hunt was charged with multiple felonies, including rape of a child, sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault of a child, aggravated assault, corruption of minors and endangering the welfare of children. He also faced misdemeanors for indecent assault and simple assault. Police said that Hunt had been living at the Rodeway Inn since December 2020, and often babysat the child. They said that in June, the child’s father noticed bruising on her face and chin and took her to Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh. According to the complaint, hospital staff found that the child had a broken arm, and determined the injuries were consistent with abuse. According to court documents, the child said Hunt would hit her in the face and that the suspect had raped her on more than one occasion. As a result of his conviction, Hunt will be required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.
