Tony Awards Show A Return To Broadway During Pandemic

May 9, 2022 3:28 am

NEW YORK (AP) – After a frantic end to the Broadway season and some nervous moments as shows struggled to reach the eligibility deadline amid fresh COVID-19 outbreaks, nominations for the Tony Awards are finally at hand. Tony Award winner Adrienne Warren and three-time nominee Joshua Henry were scheduled to announce the 26-category list Monday morning on the Tony’s YouTube channel. The season represents a full return to theaters after nearly two years of a pandemic-mandated shutdown. It is also notable for a wave of plays by Black playwrights, reflecting the impact on Broadway of the global conversation about race following the killing of George Floyd in 2020.

Wildfires Worsen Due To Winds In New Mexico

May 9, 2022 3:24 am

LAS VEGAS, N.M. (AP) – Dangerous, gusty winds are expected to continue across northeast New Mexico into Monday. That’s likely to complicate the fight against wildfires that threaten thousands of homes in mountainous rural communities. Firefighters have been able to stop the fire from spreading eastward toward Las Vegas, New Mexico, the area’s largest city with 13,000 people. But the northern and southern ends of the flames are proving trickier to contain. Wind gusts have topped 50 miles per hour and are keeping some firefighting aircraft on the ground. The fires now cover 275 square miles. That’s more than twice the size of Philadelphia.

Jill Biden Spending Time In Europe

May 9, 2022 3:23 am

UZHHOROD, Ukraine (AP) – Jill Biden spent several hours in Ukraine on Sunday, driving from the border with Slovakia to a town 10 minutes away to see first lady Olena Zelenska on Mother’s Day. Biden is the latest high-profile American to enter Ukraine during the war, while Zelenska’s public appearance was her first since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24. The first ladies met at a school being used to temporarily house Ukrainian migrants. Biden and Zelenska came together in a small classroom and greeted each other in front of reporters before they met in private. Zelenska and her two children have been staying at an undisclosed location for their safety.

Country Music Legend Mickey Gilley Dead

May 9, 2022 3:22 am

NEW YORK (AP) – During his career, Mickey Gilley had 39 Top 10 country hits and 17 No 1 songs – and was in various TV shows. But in 2002, he told The Associated Press he thanked John Travolta every night before bed for keeping his career alive. Gilley says it was his association with the movie “Urban Cowboy” that “had a huge impact” on his career. The movie was based on the self-named nightspot Gilley ran in Texas featuring a mechanical bull. The movie made the club a tourist draw. Mickey Gilley has died at 86. He’d been performing as recently as last month, but was in failing health over the past week.  (Photo:  AP)

Over 60 Feared Dead After Bomb Hits Ukraine School

May 9, 2022 3:21 am

ZAPORIZHZHIA, Ukraine (AP) – Dozens of Ukrainians are feared dead after a Russian bomb destroyed a school sheltering about 90 people in eastern Ukraine. The governor of Luhansk province said Sunday that 30 people were rescued from the rubble of the school in the village of Bilohorivka but the rest probably didn’t survive. Elsewhere, more explosions rocked the Black Sea port of Odesa. Meanwhile, Ukrainian soldiers making a last stand at a steel mill in the besieged city of Mariupol said they wouldn’t surrender following the evacuation of civilians from the sprawling site. As the largest European conflict since World War II churned on, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and U.S. first lady Jill Biden made surprise visits to Ukraine.

Attacks On Dr. Oz Heating Up

May 9, 2022 3:16 am

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) – Mehmet Oz’s rivals in Pennsylvania’s Republican primary for U.S. Senate are escalating their attacks on the celebrity heart surgeon’s connections to his parents’ native country of Turkey, raising it as a possible national security issue. Oz, best known as TV’s Dr. Oz, has rejected any suggestions he is a threat to national security and has accused his opponents, particularly GOP rival David McCormick, of making “bigoted attacks.” If elected, Oz would be the nation’s first Muslim senator. The criticism of Oz and his ties to Turkey has mushroomed in the weeks after Oz won the endorsement of former President Donald Trump, who remains deeply popular with conservative voters.

Westmoreland Man Turns Himself Into Police

May 9, 2022 3:15 am

WESTMORELAND COUNTY, Pa. (WPXI)— Edward Zdobinski is back in the United States after more than a month spent in Poland with his exotic dancer girlfriend, and has turned himself into police. Zdobinski is the owner of Triple A Motorsports in Rostraver Township, and officials say he stole over $200,000 from a company he co-owns over a year-long period. Details in police paperwork show the office manager found a large amount of money from business accounts missing, allegedly being used by Zdobinski for his personal use. Police said he used the money on things like hotels, rent for his other business, alcohol and even a stripper. Initially, Zdobinski asked that office manager to cover up his wrongdoings. The company is cooperating and an attorney for the business said the business will remain dedicated to its customers and loyal employees. Zdobinski was arraigned yesterday and has a preliminary hearing on June 6.

Brownsville Couple Identified As I-70 Crash Victims

May 9, 2022 1:42 am

OHIO COUNTY, W.Va. — A Brownsville couple has been identified as the victims in a four-vehicle accident that had Interstate 70 West closed for hours Tuesday. According to reports, Dr. Marc and Terri Tinstman died as a result of the accident near Triadelphia, just over the Pennsylvania-West Virginia border. Brishesh Kumar Yadav, 23, of Renton, Washington, faces two counts of negligent homicide for his alleged role in causing the accident.  According to the criminal complaint, Yadav was driving a commercial motor vehicle on Interstate 70 West and had just crossed the state border. Yadav then came upon stopped traffic in a posted work zone, with signs posted in advance alerting drivers to that work zone. Witnesses reportedly said the vehicle in front of Yadav was stopped or nearly stopped. Roadway evidence at the scene allegedly showed that the brakes were applied on Yadav’s vehicle only within 51½ feet of the point of impact. The braking evidence and witness statements, according to the complaint, showed a delayed response to the stopped traffic, which resulted in a chain-reaction collision. The complaint also says Yadav’s vehicle hit a  pickup hauling a trailer, which then hit an SUV, which caused a collision with a stationary tractor-trailer. The Tinstmans were in the SUV according to reports. One other individual was hospitalized because of the accident.

PennDOT Restrictions On I-70 And I-79 Starting Today

May 9, 2022 1:17 am

PennDOT will have single-lane restrictions on I-70 east and westbound between Beau Street and the South Junction with I-79 (towards Morgantown), that is Exits 20 and 21, starting Monday, May 9 through Friday, May 27, from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  Workers will be repairing and replacing seals in the concrete roadway.

Wanted Washington Man Turns Himself In

May 9, 2022 1:12 am

WASHINGTON, Pa. — The search for a wanted Washington man is over after the suspect turned himself in Saturday evening. According to City of Washington Police, 20-year old Martez Thomas Jr. was on the run stemming from an incident on May 3rd. Thomas was wanted for two counts of criminal attempt homicide, two counts of aggravated assault and numerous counts of recklessly endangering another person. Officials say Thomas turned himself into State Police Saturday after a plea to turn himself was sent from Washington Police Friday. Thomas faces a preliminary hearing in front of Magisterial District Judge Curtis Thompson on May 20th. Officials say this incident remains under investigation. If you have any information regarding it Washington Police ask that you call the department at 724-223-4226 or send them a message via messenger on Facebook.