March 23, 2021 9:39 am
In a private Facebook group called the Pittsburgh Area Police Breakroom, many current and retired officers spent the year criticizing chiefs who took a knee or officers who marched with Black Lives Matter protesters, whom they called “terrorists,” “racist” or “thugs.” Posts from the group were shared with The Associated Press, showing some of the 2,200 members including police officers, chiefs and retired law enforcement officials made regular transphobic bullying or violent posts, and bullied members who supported anti-police brutality protesters or Joe Biden in a forum billed as a place officers can “decompress, rant, share ideas.” The Associated Press says Mount Pleasant Township Police Chief Louis McQuillan was one of four administrators for the site. He said his comments and posts on the site were “meant to support law enforcement and police officers everywhere.” Township officials have not returned a call from WJPA News for comment and whether McQuillan could face possible disciplinary action. In addition to police chief, McQuillan is also a councilman in McDonald Borough and is currently a candidate for Magisterial District Judge for MCDonald, Cecil, Mount Pleasant and Robinson Township.
March 23, 2021 4:17 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – President Joe Biden’s administration has tried for weeks to keep the public from seeing images from the border like those released Monday. The new images show immigrant teenagers sleeping on mats in crowded conditions, separated in groups by plastic partitions. The administration steadfastly refuses to call the detention of more than 15,000 children in U.S. custody a crisis. But it has stymied most efforts by outsiders to decide for themselves. Officials have barred nonprofit lawyers who conduct oversight from entering a Border Patrol tent where thousands of children and teenagers are detained. And federal agencies have refused or ignored dozens of requests from the media for access to detention sites.
March 23, 2021 4:12 am
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – The jury seated for former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin’s trial in George Floyd’s death includes a chemist, a nurse, a social worker and a grandmother. It’s a racially mixed group – with six people who identify as Black or multiracial. Almost all have seen the bystander video of Floyd pinned on the street that fanned worldwide outrage. And some have ties to police. Although many said they had formed views of Chauvin’s conduct, all said they could set those aside and decide the case based on evidence. Opening statements are Monday in Minneapolis.
March 23, 2021 4:10 am
BERLIN (AP) – Germany is extending its lockdown measures by another month and imposing several new restrictions in an effort to drive down the rate of coronavirus infections. Chancellor Angela Merkel announced early Tuesday that the measures include largely shutting down public life for several days over Easter. Speaking after a lengthy video call with the country’s 16 state governors, Merkel stressed that regions with high rates of infection would need to pull an “emergency brake” agreed at a previous meeting three weeks ago. Amid concern over the rise in Germans traveling abroad on holidays, authorities also agreed on a blanket requirement for air travelers to be tested for COVID-19 before boarding a flight to Germany.
March 23, 2021 4:09 am
UNITED NATIONS (AP) – U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is calling for a halt to all violence against Asians and people of Asian descent. U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said “the secretary-general is profoundly concerned” about the targeting of Asians during the COVID-19 pandemic. He said “the world has witnessed horrific deadly attacks, verbal and physical harassment, bullying in schools, workplace discrimination, incitement to hatred in the media and on social media platforms, and incendiary language by those in positions of power.” The statement follows last Tuesday’s rampage at three Atlanta-area massage businesses that killed eight people, six of them Asian-American women.
March 23, 2021 4:08 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – Democrats say they are pushing toward a vote on expanded gun control measures as the nation reels from its second mass shooting in a week. President Joe Biden says “we have to act,” but prospects for any major changes were dim, for now, in the closely divided Congress. In brief remarks responding to the shooting, Biden urged Congress to move quickly to close the loopholes in the background check system and also to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer vowed Tuesday morning to bring House-passed legislation that would require background checks for most all gun sales and transfers to the Senate floor, whether it will pass or not. The attack in Colorado killed 10 people, including a police officer.
March 23, 2021 4:07 am
BOULDER, Colo. (AP) – Police have identified a 21-year-old man as the suspect who opened fire inside a crowded Colorado supermarket. The attack Monday in Boulder killed 10 people, including an officer, and sent terrorized shoppers and employees scrambling for cover. Authorities say Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa was from the Denver suburb of Arvada and that he engaged in a shootout with police inside the store. The suspect was expected to be booked into the county jail later in the day on murder charges. Investigators have not established a motive. A law enforcement official briefed on the shooting told The Associated Press that the gunman used an AR-15 rifle, a lightweight semi-automatic rifle.
March 23, 2021 4:04 am
Monday night’s Peters Township Council meeting was packed with construction projects for consideration. First, council agreed to amend permitted uses in its zoning district for West Venetia mixed use corridor. The zoning ordinance for that area now allows personal services as a permitted use. The trigger for the change is with the construction of the new Venetia post office there are multiple adjacent spaces that would allow businesses such as beauty salons, barber shops, tailors and laundries to operate. The amendment now allows all personal services. Council also will make application for a grant to offset costs of the proposed aquatic facility. Township Manager Paul Lauer states that they will make application for as much as $4 million dollars in grant money from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund that is operated by the National Park Service. Final determination for the grant is expected this fall. Lauer also verified that the township has reached out to North Strabane Township to offer their residents a membership deal to allow them to patronize the aquatic center as members at Peters Township membership rates. There is also an annual contribution to be made by North Strabane Township on behalf of their residents to sponsor that discount. Council continues to struggle with how the new fire station in Venetia will operate. Much discussion was held to try and determine just what is needed there and how many firefighters will be on duty at the new substation. Council scheduled several workshops to work through all of the questions regarding the pool, the fire station and upcoming zoning changes.
March 23, 2021 2:46 am
(WPXI) – Two people were charged after police say a 7-year-old boy was found bruised and burned in Bethel Park. Twenty-four-year-old John Stone and 32-year-old Kaiyla Bowers were charged with felony aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of a child after the incident on Friday. Police and EMS responded to the home after the boy was found unresponsive. He was taken to Children’s Hospital where they found extensive bruising and burns. Following a hearing, both Stone and Bowers were denied bail. According to court documents, the couple said the burns came from bathwater that was too hot. The complaint states that it was found that the burns were caused in November or December. Police said the two admitted to failing to take the boy to the doctor because Bowers was afraid she would lose custody to the boy’s father. The document also states that neighbors told police they would hear screaming coming from their home when Stone is watching the child and Bowers is at work.
March 22, 2021 5:42 pm
Police responded Monday afternoon to an active shooter call at a Boulder, Colorado grocery store. A person on the scene, who identified to passing police officers as a member of the media, began streaming live video of the event, and tactical units can be seen at the front of the store, and a handcuffed, shirtless man was seen being walked out of the store by officers. A law enforcement source told ABC News that officers responded to a report of someone shot in the parking area of the King Soopers grocery store and when they arrived at the scene, a suspect opened fire on them. (Photo: ABC)
