August 25, 2022 4:17 am
LAWRENCE COUNTY, Pa. — (WPXI) – A hazing investigation has led to severe consequences for the Mohawk Warriors football team. All practices, games and events for both the varsity and junior varsity teams are “inactive” and on hold until at least Aug. 28 while the Lawrence County District Attorney’s Office investigates the hazing allegations. That means Friday’s first home game against Union is also canceled. Mohawk parents say they’re angry, disgusted and deserve to know the truth about what happened on the football team as the district attorney’s office looks into possible “unlawful activity.” The Lawrence County District Attorney’s Office has not commented. Head football coach Tim McCutcheon told our news partners at Channel-11 , “There are so many rumors right now. I have no plans to step down from coaching the football team.” Parents say many kids who did nothing wrong and have worked hard all summer, now might have to sit out a season.
August 25, 2022 4:11 am
MIDDLETOWN, Pa. (AP) — A Pennsylvania school district has announced it’s canceling its high school’s football season after obtaining a video that allegedly showed hazing among team members. The Middletown Area School District earlier this month had announced an investigation into what it called a “disturbing and upsetting” Aug. 11 cellphone video showing hazing. The head football coach resigned within days of the video surfacing. Superintendent Chelton Hunter said Wednesday in a letter to parents that additional video surfaced and indicated “this hazing was much more widespread, and involved many more students” than was previously known. “In light of this, we have made the decision to cancel the 2022 football season,” Hunter said, adding that he knew the decision would affect many students and families and “will be met with many different opinions and emotions. School officials would work to find other opportunities in the fall for cheerleaders and the marching band, and alternative plans would be made for homecoming, “which is typically scheduled around a football game,” he said.
August 25, 2022 4:05 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. — A push last week to recruit new Pennsylvania poll workers produced more than 1,100 applicants, including at least one in 58 of 67 counties. State elections officials said Wednesday the push brought in the most applicants in some of the populous suburbs of Philadelphia. Poll workers are paid to help run elections in some 9,000 polling places across the state. It’s been a challenge to recruit and train sufficient numbers during the pandemic, in part because their work can require 14- or 16-hour days.
August 24, 2022 4:46 pm
(AP) – Heavy rain and flash floods drenched Mississippi, prompting rescue operations, closures and evacuations Wednesday including dozens of residents at a nursing home in the central part of the state. Rain has pummeled the central and southern parts of the state for the last three days. The National Weather Service says flash flood warnings are in effect for several areas from Jackson, the state capital, to Meridian and southern parts of the state. First responders say they’re working to rescue people from their homes amid the downpour.
August 24, 2022 4:19 am
PRESTONSBURG, Ky. (AP) – Nearly a month after torrential rainfall brought devastating floods to eastern Kentucky, many victims remain in shelters. Some people housed at Jenny Wiley State Resort Park vow to rebuild on land they still call home. Others plan to leave, and there are some who still haven’t decided. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said 455 people were still being housed in Kentucky state parks, churches, schools and community centers late last week. Many are waiting on decisions from the federal government about what kind of help they might get before they know whether they can rebuild. The catastrophic flooding caused at least 39 deaths in eastern Kentucky.
August 24, 2022 4:18 am
NEW YORK (AP) – U.S. Rep. Jerry Nadler has defeated U.S. Rep. Carolyn Maloney in a Democratic primary after a court forced the two veteran lawmakers into the same New York City congressional district. As the chair of the House Judiciary Committee, Nadler twice led fights to impeach former President Donald Trump. His victory ends a 30-year run in Congress for Maloney, who fought to get government aid for people sickened by clouds of toxic soot after the Sept. 11 attacks. The unusual battle between incumbents resulted from a redistricting process that lumped Nadler’s home base on the west side of Manhattan together with Maloney’s on the east side.
August 24, 2022 4:18 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – President Joe Biden has announced his long-awaited plan to deliver on his campaign promise to provide $10,000 in student debt cancellation for millions of Americans – and up to $10,000 more for those with the greatest financial need. Biden announced in a Wednesday tweet that borrowers who earn less than $125,000 a year, or families earning less than $250,000, would be eligible for the $10,000 loan forgiveness. For recipients of Pell Grants, which are reserved for undergraduates with the most significant financial need, the federal government would cancel up to an additional $10,000 in federal loan debt. Biden is also extending a pause on federal student loan payments through the end of 2022.
August 24, 2022 4:15 am
MIAMI (AP) – U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist has won the Democratic nomination for governor in Florida, putting him in position to challenge Gov. Ron DeSantis this fall in a campaign that the Republican incumbent is eyeing as the first step toward a potential White House run. In selecting Crist, Florida Democrats sided with a candidate backed by many in the party’s establishment who viewed him as the safest choice. The 66-year-old Crist defeated Nikki Fried, the state agriculture commissioner, who staked out a more progressive campaign. New York City Democrats picked Jerry Nadler over Carolyn Maloney in a congressional primary that featured two powerful House committee chairs competing for the same seat.
August 24, 2022 4:14 am
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) – Ukraine’s president says Russian forces have launched a rocket attack on a train station in central Ukraine on the country’s Independence Day, killing at least 15 people and wounding about 50. The lethal strike Wednesday came after warnings from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in recent days that the Russians might “try to do something particularly nasty, something particularly cruel” this week. Wednesday is a national holiday in Ukraine commemorating the country’s declaration of independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. It also marks the six-month point in the war against Russia.
August 24, 2022 4:11 am
WASHINGTON, Pa. — (WPXI) – Safety is not a new topic, but it is a highly debated one. “They’ve put metal detectors in the schools, they’ve gotten around that. A number of other things and nothing seems to work,” said Princess Makokele. For Washington County parent Makokele, more needs to be done in schools and State Rep. Aaron Bernstine, who represents parts of Beaver, Butler and Lawrence Counties agrees. “There is no reason for our kids to be sitting ducks in schools for those that intend to do our kids and educators harm. They want to be able to protect themselves should they choose,” Bernstine said. That’s why he introduced HB 2771 and Sen. Doug Mastriano introduced SB 1288. If passed, both will allow a school employee who has a concealed carry permit to have their gun on school grounds if they choose to. While it will allow staff to be voluntarily armed, the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers is not on board. Nina Esposito-Visgitis with PFT said “To think they want to put a gun for the teacher to worry about too in addition to 30 lives in front of them. They should be ashamed of themselves. They should go back to school and learn something,”. Both bills are sitting in the Education Committee for the House and Senate. Bernstine said his number one goal when he returns to session in a few weeks is to push these bills to the floor.
