June 24, 2022 4:12 am
SURFSIDE, Fla. (AP) – Friday marks the anniversary of the oceanfront condo building collapse that killed 98 people in Surfside, Florida. The 12-story tower came down with a thunderous roar and left a giant pile of rubble in one of the deadliest collapses in U.S. history. The disaster at Champlain Towers South also turned into Florida’s largest-ever emergency response that didn’t involve a hurricane. Its victims are being honored Friday at events on the ground where the grueling two-week search and rescue unfolded. Only two teenagers and a woman survived the fall and were pulled from the rubble, while others escaped from the portion of the building that initially remained standing. First Lady Jill Biden is expected at a public event organized by the town of Surfside.
June 24, 2022 3:46 am
WASHINGTON, Pa. — The Washington County Clerk of Courts could have to appear for a contempt of court hearing following an appeal rejection by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court Thursday. Reports say the one-sentence decision was filed Thursday morning and denied Brenda Davis a petition for writ of prohibition that was requested after she challenged President Judge John DiSalle’s orders to remove duties from her office. This all comes after Commonwealth Court rejected several appeals that were filed by Davis to block those orders, including an emergency stay of a contempt hearing originally scheduled for December 6. It followed an incident in late November when Davis attempted to stop sheriff’s deputies from transferring juvenile files from her office. Davis has been at odds with the Judge and County Commissioner’s over staffing and duty issues in her office. Davis also claims she was assaulted by deputies during that November 24 incident. Judge DiSalle has said that the contempt proceedings are important to get a full account of what happened that day. Additionally, the State Attorney General was investigating this situation, but decided against taking any legal action.
June 24, 2022 3:32 am
BURGETTSTOWN, Pa. — PennDOT wants to alert drivers to a road resurfacing project in Washington County starting early next week. Officials say the work will take place on Route 18 in Burgettstown Borough and Smith Township starting June 27th and lasting until the end of July. All work is weather and operational dependent. Crews from Golden Eagle Construction will be milling the road and performing paving operations. Drivers can expect single-lane alternating traffic during daylight hours on Route 18 between Fair Street and Union Electric Road during the project. This is all part of a larger resurfacing job for the company throughout Washington County this summer.
June 24, 2022 3:21 am
CECIL TOWNSHIP, Pa. — The Southern Beltway southern terminus at the Washington County line is set to be completely open to traffic Friday. The $800 million new toll road that connects Interstate 79 with the Pittsburgh International Airport has been open to vehicle traffic since October of last year, but only ramps for I-79 north traffic onto the toll road and eastbound 579 traffic to I-79 south were opened at that time. Friday, drivers coming south on the interstate will be able to access the toll road. Additionally, ramps will be open so toll road drivers can access I-79 north and Morganza Road. A ramp will also be open for drivers to access I-79 South from Morganza Road via the beltway. A turnpike spokesperson says all ramps at the interchange will be open by 6:00 p.m. Friday.
June 24, 2022 3:17 am
South Strabane Township held a Community Open House on Thursday with a focus on introducing their new fire chief to residents. The event held at the Oak Springs Road fire station welcomed Chief Jordan Cramer. Cramer was hired April 14 and has been busy with his new duties as chief. Cramer stated that he has been working with volunteer and career staff on communication and training techniques. Cramer is a trainer with the International Association of Fire Chiefs who teaches courses on how combination fire crews can get along and succeed. He is working on getting his whole staff advanced training so that everyone is equally trained. Cramer states that community involvement is important to him. He is looking forward to meeting residents of South Strabane. One of the ways that he hopes to do that is to offer classes. He is really looking forward to offering monthly CPR classes, stop the bleed classes and fire prevention programs. Cramer is also the Emergency Management Coordinator. He said that he always is interested in trying to build the ranks of his staff. If anyone is interested in being a fire fighter or emergency technician, reach out to him.
June 24, 2022 1:45 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – The Supreme Court said Thursday that Americans have a right to carry guns in public, a major expansion of gun rights. The court struck down a New York gun law in a ruling expected to directly impact half a dozen other populous states. The justices’ 6-3 decision is expected to allow more people to legally carry guns on the streets of the nation’s largest cities. It’s high court’s first major gun decision in more than a decade. Justice Clarence Thomas wrote for the majority that the Constitution protects “an individual’s right to carry a handgun for self-defense outside the home.” (Photo: AP)
June 24, 2022 1:29 am
The facade of a former restaurant collapsed overnight. The building, located at 352 South Main Street, used to house Hepinger’s Legacy Tavern. Before that, it was known as Nunny’s Place. Washington Mayor Scott Putnam told WJPA News that he didn’t have a lot of information at this time, but he did know that the new owners, Kush Property Management, were doing renovations without a building permit. He said he hoped to have more information within the next several days. Kush Property reportedly purchased the building for 120-thousand-dollars at an auction last year. Putnam said he did not, at this time, know what caused the facade to collapse. The collapse caused bricks and debris to fall onto the sidewalk. There were no reported injuries.
June 24, 2022 1:14 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – Health officials have ordered vaping company Juul to pull its electronic cigarettes from the U.S. market. It’s the biggest blow yet to the embattled company that is widely blamed for sparking a surge in teen vaping. The announcement Thursday by the Food and Drug Administration is part of a sweeping regulatory review of e-cigarettes, which faced little regulation until recently. Since last fall, the FDA has greenlighted a few e-cigarettes that account for a tiny share of the vaping market. To stay on the market, manufacturers must show their products help reduce the harm of smoking for adults, without appealing to kids.
June 23, 2022 3:47 am
BRUSSELS (AP) – The European Union’s leaders have agreed to make Ukraine a candidate for EU membership, setting in motion a potentially years-long process that could draw the embattled country further away from Russia’s influence and bind it more closely to the West. Ukraine applied for membership less than a week after Moscow invaded on Feb. 24. The decision by the 27-nation bloc to grant Ukraine candidate status Thursday was uncharacteristically rapid. But the war and Ukraine’s request for fast-track consideration lent urgency to its cause. The EU also granted candidate status to Moldova, which borders Ukraine. Gaining membership could take years or even decades. Countries must meet a host of economic and political conditions, including the embrace of certain democratic principles.
June 23, 2022 3:46 am
GAYAN, Afghanistan (AP) – Survivors are digging by hand through villages in eastern Afghanistan reduced to rubble by a powerful earthquake that killed at least 1,000 people. The Taliban and the international community that fled their takeover are now struggling to aid the disaster’s victims. The quake Wednesday was Afghanistan’s deadliest in two decades. Officials fear the toll could rise. An estimated 1,500 others were reported injured. The disaster inflicted by the 6 magnitude quake heaps more misery on a country where millions face increasing hunger and poverty and the health system has been crumbling since the Taliban retook power nearly 10 months ago amid the U.S. and NATO withdrawal.
