October 16, 2025 4:51 am
FAIRCHANCE, Pa. — A Fayette County school district is warning parents that their kids may have received contaminated shaved ice. The Albert Gallatin Area School District superintendent, Christopher Pegg sent a letter to parents on Wednesday. Pegg said that children who attended a trunk-or-treat at the A.L. Wilson Elementary School on Wednesday evening got shaved ice that may have been contaminated with broken glass and insulin. There’s been no word on how the materials wound up in the ice. Officials say they have called in the State Police to investigate. Anyone who has a child who may have consumed any of the shaved ice is asked to immediately seek medical attention if their child starts showing any adverse effects. The school district is asking anyone impacted to contact their business office.
October 16, 2025 2:34 am
Washington City Police Chief Steve Devenney issued a release Wednesday afternoon, saying that the city police department , along with the District Attorney’s Office, Pennsylvania State Police, Washington Regional SWAT Team and East Washington Borough Police served a search warrant at 147 N. Main Street in the city, which is currently being leased and occupied by “Sin City Disciples Motorcycle Club.” Devenney says the goal of the warrant was to obtain vital video information/evidence leading up to and after the shooting that occurred the morning of 10-11-2025. He says this information/evidence may also aid in identifying those individuals who may have crucial information that would aid in this investigation. He says the investigation is ongoing, and they continue to ask those who were present before, during, and after the shooting to please come forward with information. Twenty-year-old Julian Lassic was killed and another individual critically injured. WJPA also spoke with Washington County District Attorney Jason Walsh, who said this is an ongoing investigation and he can not comment on details – other than to say the law enforcement officers were armed but no shots were fired. Walsh says one individual was found, but at this time, no further information was released. There was one minor injury when a police officer fell through a ceiling during the search.
October 16, 2025 12:14 am
Freedom Transit held a Community Workshop, looking for feedback on their upcoming five year Transit Development Plan. Sheila Gombita, Executive Director of Freedom Transit says they are looking to navigate an arena where costs are continuing to rise and government funding remains limited. Freedom Transit is looking to increase efficiencies and lower costs on their fixed route and shared ride services. During the meeting scenarios were offered where service routes had small improvements or had defined shortened or streamlined routes. The shared ride service was the area where a great deal of attention was paid. Gombita says that it is the most expensive service they provide. Some changes that could be made include limits to recreational trips, reduced weekday and Saturday hours, a minimum distance trip requirement and limits in rural areas of the county where trips may only be available certain days of the week. Gombita also reintroduced the idea of microtransit routes. She describes them as similar to an Uber or Lyft ride experience. The proposed service would only be available in certain areas of Washington and in the Canonsburg, Houston, Southpointe area. Freedom Transit is looking for your feedback. A survey link is available on their Facebook page and on their website, www.freedom-transit.org
October 15, 2025 6:11 pm
WASHINGTON (AP) — The government shutdown is entering a third week, and Democrats say they’re not intimidated by President Donald Trump’s efforts to fire thousands of federal workers or by his threats of more firings to come. In fact, Democrats appear emboldened. And they’re showing no signs of caving as they return to Washington from their home states. Senate Democrats, in votes Tuesday and Wednesday, again rejected a Republican bill to open the government. Republicans are now planning additional votes on individual spending bills, starting Thursday with the defense legislation that would fund salaries for the military. It’s unclear whether Democrats will support it.
October 15, 2025 6:07 pm
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A federal judge has temporarily blocked President Donald Trump’s administration from firing workers during the government shutdown, saying the human cost “cannot be tolerated.” U.S. District Judge Susan Illston in San Francisco on Wednesday granted a temporary restraining order halting the job cuts, saying she believes evidence would show the cuts were illegal. The White House budget office said Friday that mass firings of federal workers had started. That announcement prompted labor unions for federal employees to ask the judge to block the Republican administration from issuing new layoff notices and implementing those already sent out. Emails sent to the White House and the Office of Management and Budget after the judge’s ruling haven’t been returned.
October 15, 2025 1:27 pm
Multiple fire departments were called to a house fire at 719 Fallowfield Avenue in Charleroi Wednesday morning just after eleven o’clock. Authorities say the call initially came in as a house fire with entrapment, but officials say everyone inside was able to get out safely, although one individual did suffer a minor burn. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
October 15, 2025 10:25 am
South Strabane Township Police have announced an emergency road closure for Cameron Road at Route 19 because of a water main break. Police say repairs are underway but it is unclear how long it may take or when the roadway may reopen. Police are asking motorists to try and avoid the area if possible. Only local traffic will be permitted beyond East Beau Street.
October 15, 2025 9:59 am
SOUTH FAYETTE TOWNSHIP, Pa. – A crash early Wednesday morning has left one person dead. It happened around 3:30am in the northbound lanes of I-79 in South Fayette Township. The vehicle went into the rear of a tractor-trailer stopped along the shoulder on the ramp to the Bridgeville rest stop. The crash left only one lane getting by northbound and led to significant traffic delays for the morning rush.
October 15, 2025 5:04 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — The ongoing government shutdown has delayed the announcement of the annual Social Security cost-of-living increase. This announcement, originally scheduled for Wednesday, is now set for Oct. 24. The delay affects millions of beneficiaries who rely on these adjustments to plan their finances. The Senior Citizens League and AARP are projecting a 2.7% increase. Many retirees worry this won’t cover rising costs. Some lawmakers propose using a different index to calculate these increases since they don’t factor in health care expenses. The agency plans to notify recipients of their new benefits in December. The program faces financial challenges, with a trust fund shortfall expected by 2034.
October 15, 2025 5:00 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is taking up a major Republican-led challenge to the Voting Rights Act, the centerpiece legislation of the civil rights movement, that could gut a key provision of the law that prohibits racial discrimination in redistricting. The justices on Wednesday are hearing arguments for the second time in a case over Louisiana’s congressional map, which has two majority Black districts. A ruling for the state could open the door for legislatures to redraw congressional maps across the South, potentially boosting Republican electoral prospects in the closely divided House of Representatives by eliminating majority Black and Latino seats that tend to favor Democrats. The court’s conservative majority has been skeptical of considerations of race.
