Cheney Braces For Loss In Wyoming

August 16, 2022 4:25 am

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) – Wyoming congresswoman Liz Cheney, a leader in the Republican resistance to former President Donald Trump, is fighting to save her seat in the House on Tuesday. Voters in Alaska as well as Wyoming are weighing in on the direction of the GOP. Cheney’s team is bracing for a loss against a Trump-backed challenger, Cheyenne attorney Harriet Hageman, who has harnessed the full fury of the Trump movement in her bid to defeat Cheney. In Alaska, a new nonpartisan primary system is giving a periodic Trump critic, Sen. Lisa Murkowski, an opportunity to survive the former president’s wrath.

Funeral Services Were Held For Sheriff’s Deputy

August 16, 2022 4:22 am

Final visitation and funeral services were held Tuesday for Washington County Sheriff’s Deputy Chad Beattie. Family and friends were received from 10 a.m to 1 p.m at McGuffey High School followed by a funeral service.  Beattie, who was 45-years-old, was buried at Claysville Cemetery.  Beattie died last week after assisting South Strabane Township police on a call at the Target store. Beattie suffered a cardiac emergency and was transported to Washington Hospital where he was pronounced dead. The Washington County Coroner has ruled that he died of natural causes. Meanwhile, County President Judge John DiSalle ordered most courts closed for the day to allow colleagues, staff and judicial officers to pay final respects.

I-79 Ramp Closure Leads To Traffic Headaches

August 16, 2022 4:13 am

ALLEGHENY COUNTY, Pa. — (WPXI)- Commuters in the South Fayette/Bridgeville area experienced long traffic backups Monday, after Pennsylvania Department of Transportation closed the on-ramp to Interstate 79 North. The shutdown officially started Friday evening, but the large delays from commuters started early this morning. “It normally takes me 3-4 minutes to get here and this morning it took me a little over a half an hour!” said Loretta Checca, a Bridgeville nurse. PennDOT officials told our news partners at Channel 11 the Miller’s Run Road Ramp to northbound I-79 closure is part of the Chartier’s Bridge Replacement project, which will be widened into seven lanes. The project will also include an exclusive lane from southbound Washington Pike to northbound I-79, while Chartier’s Street will be widened to include a turning lane. Bridgeville small business owners say the area has already seen significant traffic due to all of the growth in the area, and they’re hoping for some traffic relief when the construction is finally complete.

Peters Twp Hires 3 School Resource Officers

August 16, 2022 4:09 am

PETERS TOWNSHIP, Pa. — (WPXI) – The Peters Township school board voted Monday to hire three additional full-time school resource officers. Our news partners at Channel-11 News talked to parents who are glad that more police officers will be inside their children’s schools. “I have a kindergartner. That’s all you need to say,” said Kristina Rossin. Rossin has a daughter that will start kindergarten on Aug. 24. She tells Channel 11 that after a gunman shot and killed 19 children and two teachers at a school in Uvalde, Texas, she contacted the Peters Township School District. “We regularly review all of this. Those crises bring a lot of attention, but this is something that we do everyday,” said Shelly Belcher, communications coordinator for the school district. Belcher says they walked the school buildings in the district this summer with Peters Township police and found areas that needed more security. They already have two full-time school resource officers, and the school board just voted to hire three more. The district and Peters Township will share the costs for the new officers.

Trolley Museum ‘Tops Off’ New Building

August 16, 2022 4:04 am

The Pennsylvania Trolley Museum held a “topping off ceremony” to celebrate the last piece of structural steel being laid in place at its New Welcome and Education Center.  Local officials and county officials along with invited guests were asked to sign the final beam before it was put in its final position. Scott Becker, Executive Director and CEO of the museum says the new center will be much more than just a museum. The center has a class room and multi-purpose room so groups may hold meetings or celebrations. Interactive exhibits designed by the Carnegie Science Center will be available. Becker said that visitors will be able to have their own “Menu Experience” where they will be able to choose the types of tours and rides that they would like to take. Becker stated that they hope to have the 21,000 square foot center completed in the summer of 2023.

Multi-Vehicle Accident Shuts Down Interstate

August 15, 2022 1:39 pm

A section of Interstate 70 northbound, near the Laboratory Exit in South Strabane Township was closed for about two hours Monday morning, following a multi-vehicle accident. According to Washington County 911, the accident happened just after ten o’clock and shut down the interstate near the fly-over ramp until just after noon. There’s been no word on the cause of the crash, but we do know that it involved at least three vehicles and one person was flown by medical helicopter to a Pittsburgh hospital. Another individual was taken to a hospital by ambulance. There’s been no word on the extent of their injuries.

Allegheny County Courthouse Staff & Guests Evacuated

August 15, 2022 12:41 pm

(WPXI) — The Allegheny County Courthouse was evacuated “out of an abundance of caution” after a bomb threat Monday, Allegheny County Communications Director Amie Downs told our news partners at Channel 11. Downs said an anonymous call came in Monday morning that there was a bomb inside the courthouse. About 250 people were forced to evacuate. Allegheny County Sheriff Kevin Kraus said about half a dozen bomb-sniffing K9s were brought in to inspect the building. They did not find anything and after about 90 minutes investigating, authorities deemed the building safe. Employees were then allowed to file back inside followed by community members with appointments and scheduled court appearances. Sheriffs office detectives are now trying to figure out who called in the bomb threat. When they do, they say that person will face charges.

Facebook Misses Election Misinformation In Brazil Ads

August 15, 2022 4:45 am

Facebook failed to detect election-related misinformation in ads ahead of Brazil’s 2022 election, a new report from Global Witness has found. The group said the company’s persisting pattern of not catching material that violates its policies is “alarming.” The advertisements contained false information about the country’s upcoming election, such as promoting the wrong date for the vote and questioning the integrity of the election, including Brazil’s electronic voting system. It is the fourth such test of Facebook’s moderation system that the human rights group has conducted over the past few months – and the fourth one Facebook has flubbed.

Poll; Many In U.S. Doubt Impact On Climate

August 15, 2022 4:43 am

WASHINGTON (AP) – Americans are less concerned now about how climate change might impact them personally – and about how their personal choices affect the climate than they were three years ago. That’s according to a June poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research that shows a wide majority still believe climate change is happening. Many climate scientists told the Associated Press that those shifts are concerning but not surprising given that individuals are feeling overwhelmed by a range of issues, which now include an economy plagued by inflation after more than two years of a pandemic. In addition to being outpaced by other issues, climate change or the environment are mentioned as priorities by fewer Americans now than just a few years ago, according to the poll.

1 Killed, 17 Injured At Fundraiser; Suspect Kills Mother

August 15, 2022 4:41 am

BERWICK, Pa. (AP) – Pennsylvania state police say a man drove into a crowd at a fundraiser for victims of a recent deadly house fire. One person was killed and 17 others were injured Saturday. He then returned home and beat his mother to death. Police said 24-year-old Adrian Oswaldo Sura Reyes was arraigned early Sunday on two counts of criminal homicide. They allege that he told them he was upset about an argument with his mother, saw the crowd in Berwick and drove through it. Court documents don’t list an attorney for him. State police say Sura Reyes is not currently a suspect in the fire, which killed seven adults and three children.