August 21, 2025 5:11 am
Washington County District Attorney Jason Walsh is appealing a recent decision by a judge to dismiss all charges against a co-defendant in the shooting death of a man at a Donora convenience store back in 2021. According to the Observer-Reporter, Walsh filed an appeal with state Superior Court over Washington County Judge Traci McDonald to dismiss the homicide case against 31 year old Jah Sutton of Homewood. She was initially charged with conspiracy and then later with criminal homicide in the shooting death of 28 year old Nicholas Tarpley, an employee at Anna Lee’s store. 36 year old Devon McLean of McKeesport and Devell Christian of White Oak are accused of shooting and killing Tarpley. Judge McDonald Dimissed the homicide case against Sutton after finding that there was no conclusive evidence linking her to the killing. Walsh intended to pursue the death penalty against all three. The appeal comes as the Atlantic Center for Capital Representation has filed a petition with state Supreme Court asking it to curtail Walsh’s pursuit of the death penalty claiming that he has used it for political purposes and to gain leverage against defendants.
August 21, 2025 5:03 am
NEW YORK (AP) — President Donald Trump is proudly promoting the work of roughly 2,000 National Guard troops in Washington to confront what the Republican president describes as an out-of-control crime wave in the Democratic-run city. Trump and his allies are confident that his decision to dispatch soldiers to a key American city with no clear crisis is a big political winner. Democrats say this is a fight they’re eager to have. One Democratic strategist says it’s “an opportunity for the party to go on offense on an issue that has plagued us for a long time.” Trump’s power grab could be a factor for both sides in elections in Virginia and New Jersey this fall — and next year’s midterms.
August 21, 2025 4:59 am
CONNELLSVILLE, Pa. — (WPXI) – The decision to eliminate class rank at Connellsville Area Senior High School was made two years ago. It goes into effect with this year’s graduating class of 2026. But those incoming seniors don’t want to lose the class rank system and are urging the board to change its mind. The district said the decision was made in 2023 after a full year of research and public input. Superintendent Rich Evans said the board found eliminating class rank wouldn’t hurt college admissions, awards or scholarships. Instead of class rank, the district has moved to a cum laude system to honor more than just the top 10. The cum laude title requires a 3.8 GPA. Magna cum laude requires a 4.0 with at least two AP classes, and summa cum laude requires a 4.15 GPA with four AP classes.
August 21, 2025 4:53 am
HENRY CLAY TOWNSHIP, Pa. — (WPXI) – A man was rescued from a burning vehicle in Fayette County Tuesday night. State police say they were called around 11:15 p.m. for a two-vehicle crash on National Pike, west of Fern Road in Henry Clay Township. A sedan heading eastward crossed into the opposing lane and hit a semi-truck head-on. The sedan caught fire while the driver, Jared Peck, 23, of Markleysburg, was trapped inside. Police say a nearby family ran to the burning sedan and pulled Peck out. Medics took him to Ruby Memorial Hospital, where he is in stable condition. The semi-truck driver was not hurt.
August 20, 2025 5:28 pm
RODANTHE, N.C. (AP) — Hurricane Erin is strengthening again and forecasters say it could re-intensify into a major hurricane. The storm is creeping toward the mid-Atlantic coast and churning up menacing waves that have closed beaches from the Carolinas to New York City. It’s expected to peak over the next 48 hours. Erin is unlikely to make landfall along the East Coast before turning farther out to sea. But authorities are warning that its large swells will cut off roads on North Carolina’s Outer Banks and whip up life-threatening rip currents from Florida to New England. The National Hurricane Center is watching two more tropical waves to the east of Erin. (Photo: AP)
August 20, 2025 5:18 am
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas Democrats are joining a colleague who can’t leave the state Capitol because she won’t agree to having law enforcement officers shadow her. Republicans imposed that requirement to prevent Democrats from repeating a walkout that kept the GOP-controlled Legislature from passing a plan for redrawing the state’s congressional districts to President Donald Trump’s liking. Democrats who had gone to other states returned Monday and learned that Republicans insisted on the law enforcement escorts. Rep. Nicole Collier refused to agree and stayed overnight on the House floor. Democrats began joining her Tuesday to expand the protest. The House is expected to vote on the Republican maps Wednesday.
August 20, 2025 5:17 am
JERUSALEM (AP) — An Israeli military official says the country’s top generals have approved plans to call up tens of thousands of reservists in order to begin a new phase of operations in some of Gaza’s most densely populated areas. Speaking on the condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to speak publicly, the official said that the military will be operating in parts of Gaza City where the Israeli military has not yet operated and where Hamas is still active. The official says the plan would now progress toward a final approval stage. It remains unclear when the operation will begin. The official says 50,000 reservists will be called up in the coming month, nearly doubling the number of active reservists to 120,000.
August 20, 2025 5:15 am
RODANTHE, N.C. (AP) — Hurricane Erin is strengthening again and forecasters say it could intensify again to be a major hurricane. The storm is creeping toward the mid-Atlantic coast and churning up menacing waves that have closed beaches from the Carolinas to New York City. By Wednesday evening, its outer bands had reaching North Carolina’s Outer Banks. Erin is unlikely to make landfall along the East Coast before turning farther out to sea. But authorities are warning that its large swells will cut off roads on the Outer Banks and whip up life-threatening rip currents from Florida to New England. The National Hurricane Center is watching two more tropical waves.
August 20, 2025 5:15 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department has opened an investigation into whether police officials in Washington, D.C., have falsified crime data. That’s according to two people familiar with the probe who weren’t authorized to publicly discuss an open investigation. The investigation, reported Tuesday, comes amid an escalating showdown between the Trump administration and the city over control of the police department. It wasn’t immediately clear what federal laws could have been violated by the possible manipulation of crime data. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s office declined to comment.
August 20, 2025 5:15 am
KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — Uganda says it has agreed a deal with the United States to take deported migrants on condition that the deportees should not have criminal records and not be unaccompanied minors. The Ugandan foreign affairs ministry in a statement Thursday said the two sides are working out the details. Uganda also expressed a preference that those brought into the country should be of African nationalities. According to CBS News, which cited US government documents, the Trump administration had reportedly reached agreements with Uganda and Honduras to accept deportees as part of a broader effort to persuade countries worldwide to assist in its crackdown on illegal immigration.
