July 11, 2024 2:37 pm
Day two of testimony in the murder trial of North Strabane Township physical therapist Scott Edmonds continued much the same way as day one. The prosecution called 4 expert witnesses and a police officer to testify. Blood evidence, fingerprint and toxicology experts began the day. The afternoon began with a North Strabane Township police detective testifying to his findings and preliminary interview with Scott Edmonds when he arrived at the scene. The prosecution ended the day with the testimony of a forensic pathologist that reviewed autopsy results and other forensic evidence indicating that suicide was highly unlikely and that from the path traveled by the fatal bullet from the back of Weis-Edmonds head to where the bullet lodged in the front of her head, homicide was the true manner of death. Testimony will continue at 9:30 AM on Friday.
July 12, 2024 4:56 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Joe Biden faced a test Thursday that he had avoided so far this year — a solo news conference with questions from the White House press corps. He made at least two notable flubs, referring at an event beforehand to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as “President Putin” and then calling Kamala Harris “Vice President Trump” when asked about her by a reporter. But he also gave detailed responses about his work to preserve NATO and his plans for a second term. And he insisted he’s not leaving the race even as a growing number of Democratic lawmakers ask him to step aside.
July 12, 2024 4:53 am
Republicans have nominated Donald Trump for the presidency twice before. But the third time will be different. The Republican National Convention that begins Monday in Milwaukee marks the first time Trump comes into a summer convention with the GOP in crisp lockstep behind him and Democrats reeling. In 2016 and 2020, he was the underdog, and he faced persistent skeptics even among Republicans. Some of those dissidents remain. But they won’t be inside the arena in Milwaukee. Delegates will hear from Trump and ratify the GOP platform that he approved. They’ll be introduced to Trump’s vice presidential running mate. And, of course, they’ll hear plenty of speakers mock President Joe Biden as a failure.
July 12, 2024 4:57 am
SHIJAIYAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Palestinians have returned to breathtaking scenes of destruction in Gaza City after Israeli troops withdrew, ending a two-week offensive there. Civil defense workers said Thursday they had so far found the bodies of 60 people in the rubble. Nearly every building in the Shijaiyah neighborhood is flattened for block after block. Most are reduced to giant piles of concrete and twisted rebar. Families who fled Israel’s assault ventured back to salvage whatever they could. One resident, Sharif Abu Shanab, found his family’s four-story building collapsed. “I can’t enter it. I can’t take anything out of it, not even a can of tuna. We have nothing, no food or drink.” Israel says it was pursuing militants who regrouped in the district.
July 12, 2024 2:28 am
(AP) – Shelley Duvall, the intrepid, Texas-born movie star whose wide-eyed, winsome presence was a mainstay in the films of Robert Altman and who co-starred in Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining,” has died. She was 75. Duvall died Thursday in her sleep at her home in Blanco, Texas, her longtime partner, Dan Gilroy, announced. The cause was complications of diabetes, said her friend, the publicist Gary Springer. “My dear, sweet, wonderful life, partner, and friend left us last night,” Gilroy said in a statement. “Too much suffering lately, now she’s free. Fly away beautiful Shelley.” Duvall was attending junior college in Texas when Altman’s crew members, preparing to film “Brewster McCloud,” encountered her as at a party in Houston in 1970. They introduced her to the director, who cast her “Brewster McCloud” and made her his protege. Duvall would go on to appear in Altman films including “Thieves Like Us,” “Nashville, “Popeye,” “Three Women” and “McCabe & Ms. Miller.” (Photo: AP)
July 11, 2024 7:49 am
Freedom Transit has landed a $15 million federal grant for its new bus storage and maintenence facility. Wednesday’s announcement is part of approximately $1.5 billion in funding to support 117 projects that will improve public transportation in 47 states. Freedom Transit says the new facility will enhance their ability “to efficiently maintain its buses, strengthen service reliability, and meet safety standards.” They will also convert part of its fleet to Compressed Natural Gas to support its green bus fleet in the future. Back in 2022, Freedom Transit purchased 12 acres of property off of Berry Road in South Strabane Township for $3.2 million. It will serve as the site of the more than $50 million facility. At 88,000 square feet, it will include indoor storage for 80 vehicles, six maintenence bays, a mechanical bus wash, fueling stations and office space for dispatch, operations and staff training. Demolition of the current buildings on that site is planned for this fall with construction of the new facility to begin next year with completion expected in 2026.
July 11, 2024 4:56 am
The Canon-McMillan School Board held a special voting session on Wednesday with the purpose to appoint a new district superintendent. The board unanimously appointed Dr. Greg Taranto as the new superintendent. Taranto served as the Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and instruction K-6 before assuming his new role. Taranto is a 25 year veteran of the school district, coming in as a student teacher and then being offered a full time job later that summer. Taranto called the appointment “surreal” but expressed his gratitude to the board and to several members of the audience that filled the board room for the meeting. Taranto brings with him several awards from his career, chief among them is his being named Pennsylvania Principal of the Year in 2012. A published scholar, Taranto is also the author of 30 educational articles. He is also an adjunct professor at Penn West University. Taranto will be sworn in Thursday to officially begin work in his post. He has been awarded a 5 year contract that runs through June 30, 2029.
July 11, 2024 2:22 am
Washington County Controller April Sloane posted bond and was released from the Allegheny County Jail Wednesday afternoon. After a thirty minute hearing, Washington County Judge John DiSalle revoked Sloane’s $150,000 unsecured bond. Prosecutors argued that she was living with a cat and that was a clear violation of her probation terms that stated that she could not harbor any animal. Her defense attorney argued that she did not care for the cat so therefore harboring was not in question. Sloane was remanded into custody after a new bail was set at $150,000 straight cash. Sloane was initially taken to the Washington County Jail and then transferred to Pittsburgh. Her trial is expected to be held sometime in September. Sloane is facing animal cruelty and animal neglect charges after police – on a tip from the Humane Society, found a dead dog sealed in plastic in her garage in December of 2023. Washington County Commission Chairman Nick Sherman says Sloane will still be in charge of her office. Sherman, however, did say that he was pleased that the appropriate action was taken to revoke Sloane’s bond since her failure to follow the conditions of her probation for harboring a cat is both abhorrent and shocking.
July 10, 2024 2:18 am
A North Strabane Township physical therapist that has been in jail for 10 years had his trial begin Washington County court Wednesday. Scott Edmonds is on trial for homicide and tampering with evidence charges. He is accused of shooting his wife Louise Weis-Edmonds in their North Strabane Township home in March of 2014. Testimony Wednesday primarily laid the groundwork for the case seeing 8 witnesses called to the stand to interpret photographic and ballistics evidence. That testimony came from North Strabane Township Police and Pennsylvania State Police. The call to 9-1-1 was played during testimony. Evidence gathered at the scene included an anger management pamphlet that led police to discover that Edmonds had been involved in a previous domestic incident with his wife. The case has been bogged down in the courts due to Edmonds’ constant dismissal of defense attorneys and efforts to represent himself. Testimony will continue Thursday morning.
July 10, 2024 2:42 am
(WPXI) – First Lady Jill Biden will be traveling to Pittsburgh this weekend. The First Lady will be in town on Saturday, July 13. She is scheduled to deliver remarks at an Italian Sons and Daughters of America dinner. Former President Donald Trump is also scheduled to be in the Pittsburgh area on Saturday. He will be holding a rally in Butler County.
