August 1, 2025 5:05 am
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — A father and mother who died on an Arkansas hiking trail were stabbed to death and a 28-year-old schoolteacher has been charged in the killings. Arkansas State Police Col. Mike Hagar said during a news conference Thursday that authorities are trying to determine a motive for the attack. They have no reason to believe Andrew James McGann knew the couple or their children. McGann was arrested on Wednesday. Clinton and Cristen Brink were found dead on a walking trail at Devil’s Den State Park on Saturday. Two of their three daughters who were with them at the time were not hurt in the attack.
August 1, 2025 2:07 pm
MIAMI (AP) — A Miami jury ordered Elon Musk’s car company on Friday to pay more than $200 million to victims of a deadly crash involving its Autopilot driver assist technology, opening the door to other costly lawsuits and striking a blow to Tesla’s reputation for safety. The federal jury held that Tesla bore significant responsibility because its technology failed and that not all the blame can be put on a reckless driver, even one who admitted he was distracted by his cell phone before hitting a young couple out gazing at the stars. The decision comes as Musk seeks to convince Americans his cars are safe enough to drive on their own as he plans to roll out a driverless taxi service in several cities in the coming months. The decision ends a four-year long case remarkable not just in its outcome but that it even made it to trial. Many similar cases against Tesla have been dismissed and, when that didn’t happen, settled by the company to avoid the spotlight of a trial.
August 1, 2025 5:22 pm
SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — Former Food Network star Paula Deen has abruptly closed the Savannah, Georgia, restaurant she started with her two sons nearly three decades ago. Deen said in a statement Friday on her website and on social media that she and sons Jamie and Bobby Deen had made a “heartfelt decision” to close The Lady & Sons, which they opened in downtown Savannah in 1996. She also shut down an attached takeout business called The Chicken Box. No reason was given. Deen said four restaurants she owns in Tennessee, South Carolina and Missouri will remain open. Deen’s flagship Savannah restaurant helped launch her to fame. Her Food Network show premiered in 2002 and ran for a decade.
August 1, 2025 7:56 pm
(AP) Authorities have launched a manhunt after a shooting at a Montana bar left four people dead. State investigators said the shooting happened Friday morning at The Owl Bar in Anaconda. Public records show that the suspect lived next door to the bar. His home was cleared by a SWAT team, but he was still at large and believed to be armed, prompting warnings from officials to avoid the area. Authorities have yet to release details about what led to the shooting. Anaconda is a town of about 9,000 people and is about 75 miles southeast of Missoula. “He knew everybody that was in that bar. I guarantee you that,” Owl Bar owner David Gwerder said. “He didn’t have any running dispute with any of them. I just think he snapped.”
August 1, 2025 9:58 pm
NEW YORK (AP) — Jeannie Seely, the soulful country music singer known for hits like “Don’t Touch Me,” has died at 85. Her publicist says she died Friday from complications of an intestinal infection. Known as “Miss Country Soul,” Seely was a trailblazer for women in country music, celebrated for her spirited nonconformity and hits in the ‘60s and ’70s. She was hospitalized in May after multiple surgeries and a bout of pneumonia. Seely never stopped working in country music. Since 2018, she’s hosted the weekly “Sunday’s with Seely” on Willie Nelson’s SiriusXM channel. She appeared nearly 5,400 times at Grand Ole Opry, which will dedicate its Saturday show to her.
July 31, 2025 5:11 am
There is an active warrant for the arrest of a Washington teen in connection with a shooting in the city early Tuesday morning. Police have charged 16 year old Tristan Lassic as an adult with attempted homicide, aggravated assault, escape and other charges. According to police, he shot Rashard Carter multiple time along Shannon Avenue around 1:30 a.m. Carter was transported to UPMC Washington Hospital and then flown to a Pittsburgh hospital Police were able to interview him in the hospital and he claims he was involved in a altercation with another man when Lassic opened fire. Lassic reportedly had an ankle monitor from Washington County Juvenile Probation that had been cut off and was found in his home.
July 31, 2025 2:44 am
South Strabane Township Supervisors needed some time to review several housekeeping issues, so therefore they continued their July 22 meeting to July 30. Chief among the issues voted on was a lease agreement for a ladder truck that has been ordered for the fire department. According to Fire Chief Jordan Cramer, the 10 year lease agreement has a more than $600,000 balloon payment at the end of the contract. Cramer says that it is a cost savings mechanism for the township. He says that there are bond issues coming up in the next several years, and if interest rates are lower than the lease payments, the payment for the remainder of the $1.3 million dollar apparatus could be rolled into that bond issue. Cramer says that it is conceivable that could provide additional interest savings. The item passed 3-2 with supervisors Jeff Bull and George Rowand dissenting. Bull still feels that the ladder truck is an expense that should not have been approved. He points to mutual aid companies that he says could provide adequate ladder truck services. Cramer disagrees. He pointed to the December 2022 fire at the Thomas Campbell Apartments. He says the township’s current truck was unable to adequately serve the purposes needed that day. One person died in that fire. An area that both Bull and Cramer agree on is the idea of countywide services for organizations like fire departments. Bull feels that would be a better use of public funds. Cramer agrees, pointing to increasing costs of equipment and struggles to find fire fighters. In other township business, supervisors approved a plan put forth by township Roadmaster Kevin Montgomery to reopen Berry Road. He says that he can reopen the road for just over $2500 in materials and township manpower in a period of a couple of days. He was extremely direct in warning supervisors that this would be just a temporary fix to reopen the road. The proper solution would be to repair the road correctly by using a box culvert system to better manage storm water runoff. Berry Road has been closed since a severe rainstorm collapsed part of the road during Father’s Day weekend.
July 31, 2025 4:57 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration says billions of dollars in aid to Pennsylvania’s schools and human services will be delayed, as he and the politically divided Legislature struggle to end a monthlong budget stalemate. Shapiro’s administration said in letters sent Tuesday that state-supported universities, libraries, early-childhood education programs and county health departments also will see payment delays. Shapiro and top Republican lawmakers have said they’re trying to find a compromise. Without the governor’s signature on a new spending plan, the state lost some of its spending authority starting July 1. Budget stalemates are also playing out in Michigan and North Carolina, where Democratic governors are sharing power with Republican legislators.
July 31, 2025 2:46 am
PennDOT has announced that the scheduled closure of Bebout Road between East McMurray Road and Sugar Camp Road in Peters Township, that began on May 27th, will now remain closed until mid-to late August. They say no access remains from Bebout Road to East McMurray Road. Crews from Plum Contracting are reconstructing the intersection of Bebout and East McMurray Road – an infrastructure investment of $4.1 million. The scope of work includes widening East McMurray Road to accommodate northbound and southbound left-turn lanes, along with a minor alignment shift, and widening Bebout Road to include a westbound right-turn lane. They say construction is anticipated to last through late November, depending on weather and operational conditions.
July 31, 2025 2:15 pm
(WPXI) MCKEESPORT, Pa. — A man is dead and a woman is in critical condition after what police believe was an attempted murder-suicide in McKeesport early Thursday. Allegheny County Police said 911 was called around 12:29 a.m. for a shooting in the 2300 block of Grandview Avenue. When first responders arrived, they found a man and a woman shot inside a home. The woman was taken to a hospital in critical condition. The man was pronounced dead on the scene. The medical examiner’s office identified the man as 50-year-old Carlos Watts. Police said the preliminary investigation shows Watts shot the woman and then shot himself. Allegheny County Police continue to investigate.
