September 20, 2025 7:41 am
Around 2 a.m. Saturday morning, two men were walking near the reservoir near 7th Street in Marianna in Washington County, when one of them fell into a trench. The other man called 9-1-1. According to Washington County dispatchers, several volunteer fire departments, including Marianna, Cokeburg and East Beth all responded, as well as an ambulance. The man was extracted from the ravine and flown to a hospital in Pittsburgh. His name and condition have not been released.
September 20, 2025 5:34 am
Washington County Controller Heather Sheatler has raised an alarm over what she says is the county’s Finance Department circumventing oversight, which has resulted in a 130-thousand-dollar loss of money to hackers. Sheatler says her office was alerted on September 19th that the county’s finance department had bypassed a legally required oversight of the controllers office when making vendor payments and has now caused significant financial harm, with thousands of dollars in taxpayer funds being fraudulently transferred after the finance department changed a vendor’s banking information and directed payments to a malicious third party. Sheatler says responsibility for this failure lies directly with the County Finance Department, which reports to County Administrator Daryl Price. Sheatler also claims that Commissioner Chair Nick Sherman was aware of the consequences of these actions, yet has continued to support and direct these improper procedures. Sheatler says her office is calling for immediate corrective action to ensure this type of breach does not happen again. Stronger safeguards and adherence to the established financial review process are critical to restoring public trust and protecting taxpayer resources. In response, Commissioner Chair Nick Sherman says the county had no responsibility for the hack, but he said he needed more time to determine whether there was an unlawful act on the part of the finance department. He says he believes everything was done according to protocol and called Sheatler’s accusations a way for a candidate running for office to make a little political hay.
September 20, 2025 4:49 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has signed a proclamation that will require a new, $100,000 annual fee for H-1B visa applications. This move is among the changes to the program for highly skilled foreign workers, which has come under scrutiny by the administration. H-1B visas are intended to bring skilled foreigners for jobs that tech companies struggle to fill with U.S. citizens. Critics argue the program allows companies to pay lower wages and fill entry-level jobs. Historically, these visas have been distributed through a lottery system, with California having the highest number of H-1B workers.
September 20, 2025 4:46 am
Grammy-winning songwriter Brett James has died in a plane crash in North Carolina. Authorities reported that the crash Thursday afternoon involved a small plane with three people aboard. There were no survivors. James, known for hits like “Jesus, Take the Wheel” and “When the Sun Goes Down,” was 57. The plane, a Cirrus SR22T, was registered to him, but it’s unclear if he was the pilot. The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board will investigate. James, who left medical school for music, was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2020.
September 19, 2025 5:57 pm
YUCAIPA, Calif. (AP) — Flooding and mudslides have buried roads, damaged homes and trapped drivers in several Southern California communities. Authorities say the mudslides affected Forest Falls, Oak Glen and Potato Canyon in San Bernardino County on Thursday. A group of about 10 people traveling in at least six vehicles was stranded on state Route 38 near the San Bernardino National Forest. The group was stuck for about 10 hours. No one was hurt or needed medical attention. The route was still closed as of Friday. The mudslides happened after heavy rain. The National Weather Service had issued flash flood warnings for the area.
September 19, 2025 5:55 pm
ATLANTA (AP) — Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s new vaccine advisers added confusion Friday to this fall’s COVID-19 vaccinations. For the first time since the shots were developed, the group has declined to recommend their use — instead leaving the choice up to those who want them. The Food and Drug Administration recently put new restrictions on this year’s shots from Pfizer, Moderna, and Novavax, reserving them for people over 65 or younger ones at higher risk. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advisers declined to recommend that those people seek a shot but narrowly avoided urging states to require a prescription for those who want one. (Photo: AP)
September 19, 2025 5:53 pm
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate rejected competing measures to fund federal agencies for a few weeks when the new budget year begins on Oct. 1, increasing prospects for a partial government shutdown on that date. Leaders of the two parties sought to blame the other side for the standoff. Democrats accused Republicans of not negotiating with them to address some of their priorities on health care as part of the funding measure. Republicans said Democrats were making demands that would dramatically increase spending and were not germane to the core issue of keeping the government open. It’s unclear how the two sides will be able to avoid a shutdown.
September 19, 2025 2:24 pm
Two men had their preliminary hearings for an April 28th shooting that occurred on West Walnut Street, adjacent to John F. Kennedy Catholic School in Washington, that left one man dead. Trevon McCrary, 31 of Washington and William Howell, 24 of Pittsburgh had a joint hearing. Both men are facing homicide charges in the shooting that left 28 year old Nasstylejah Wilkerson dead. The brunt of the testimony came from Sydney Vaughn who is a close friend to McCrary. She said on the day of the shooting, she and McCrary left her home at 103 West Walnut Street and took her car to Pittsburgh to run an errand. That errand was to pick up William Howell at his Pittsburgh home. One hour after returning to her home, Vaughn heard, but did not see, 5 gunshots in front of her home. She ran with her daughter and sister to her room to hide. Vaughn received a video phone call from McCrary and she said McCrary told her “I h ad to do what I had to do.” McCrary and Howell left the scene in Vaughn’s car and were later tracked to a parking lot in South Fayette Township. McCrary and Wilkerson are described as brothers. Police testimony described the investigation of a car with bullet holes and other corroborating evidence collected at the scene. In addition to the homicide charge McCrary faces two firearms charges. Howell, who represented himself at the hearing, faces homicide and conspiracy homicide charges. Their cases were held for court, they will be arraigned next month.
September 19, 2025 5:12 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser is defending her policies on crime during a House committee hearing. Her appearance Thursday comes during a federal law enforcement surge in the city and efforts by lawmakers to limit the local council’s control. President Donald Trump federalized the city’s police force last month through an emergency order that has since expired. Federal agencies and the National Guard continue their operations. Bowser highlighted the city’s crime reduction achievements, acknowledging federal intervention. Committee chair Rep. James Comer criticized D.C.’s crime policies, blaming them for high juvenile crime rates. The hearing followed the House’s approval of major criminal justice reforms.
September 19, 2025 5:10 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is asking the Supreme Court for an emergency order to remove Lisa Cook from the Federal Reserve’s board of governors. The Republican turned to the high court Thursday after an appeals court refused to go along with his effort to oust Cook, who participated in Wednesday’s Fed vote cutting its key interest rate. Trump wants to reshape the Fed’s seven-member governing board and strike a blow at its independence. Trump accuses Cook of mortgage fraud related to properties in Michigan and Georgia. Trump’s administration says the president may reasonably determine interest rates “should not be set by a Governor who appears to have lied.” Cook denies lying and refuses to leave her post.
