June 26, 2025 5:02 am
ATLANTA (AP) — U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s new vaccine advisory committee endorsed fall flu vaccinations Thursday for just about every American but with a twist: The group says people should only be given shots free of an ingredient antivaccine groups have falsely tied to autism. The seven-member panel, which includes vaccine skeptics, replaced the previous 17-member group earlier this month. Public health officials are worried that ideological decisions could make vaccines less accessible and more expensive for millions of Americans.
June 26, 2025 5:00 am
BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union leaders are meeting in Brussels to address key global and regional issues. They will discuss Thursday tougher sanctions on Russia, U.S. trade tariffs, and the Middle East conflicts. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will join via videoconference as the EU debates further sanctions and a Russian oil price cap. Defense and security dominate the agenda following a NATO summit where leaders pledged increased defense spending. Internal divisions persist, including disagreements over Israel’s conduct in Gaza and climate policies. The summit’s conclusions will set the agenda for the bloc for the next four months.
June 26, 2025 4:59 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Pentagon leaders have laid out new details about military tactics and explosives to bolster their argument that U.S. attacks had destroyed key Iranian nuclear facilities. But at a Pentagon briefing Thursday, little more emerged on how far back the bombing had set Tehran’s atomic program. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine tried to shift the debate from whether the nuclear targets were “obliterated” as President Donald Trump has said. Hegseth was asked whether Iran’s highly enriched uranium was moved before the weekend strikes. He said the Pentagon is looking at the intelligence to ensure “we have a sense of what was where.”
June 26, 2025 4:55 am
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has formally approved plans to establish a new international court to prosecute senior Russian officials for the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The special tribunal will be created through an agreement between Ukraine and the Council of Europe which is the continent’s top human rights body. Zelenskyy visited the Strasbourg-based organization for the first time on Wednesday as part of the announcement. The special tribunal aims to target senior Russian leaders for the “crime of aggression.” Existing international courts including the International Criminal Court in The Hague lack jurisdiction to prosecute Russian nationals for that specific offense.
June 26, 2025 4:50 am
Storms that rolled through Thursday evening have left some in Washington County without power. According to West Penn Power’s online outage map, there were more than 460 customers county-wide without service as of 5 a.m. More than 150 of those were in South Franklin Township. Nottingham Township had about 130 without power. Other areas with outages included; Hanover and Cross Creek Townships. West Penn is estimating that they should have all service restored by 7:30 a.m.
June 26, 2025 4:45 am
The proposed zoning change is a key step in a potential transformation in paving the way for the creation of a $35 million investment of a Light Industrial Redevelopment Overlay District at the long-struggling Washington Crown Center property. Prep Funds representative Chris Salata confirmed that the investment group is under contract with the mall owner, but still in a 60-day due diligence period, with closing expected within 30 days if all goes according to plan. Salata emphasized that several existing tenants — including MAC Bid, Rural King, and the Crown Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram dealership — will remain in place, as they are independently owned. When asked about Marshalls, Salata said the store is under lease until October 2026 but could not confirm if the retailer plans to stay long-term. Supervisor Chairman Bob Sabot welcomed the change, calling the mall “a dinosaur” that has weighed down the community for years. In other matters, supervisors officially recognized a Disaster Emergency declared on June 16, 2025, due to storm-related flooding, and the board voted to discontinue the declaration effective June 25. “This will allow residents to be eligible for any future aid that might come from PEMA or FEMA,” Sabot explained. Supervisors also unanimously approved a resolution requesting that the Trinity Area School District Board of Education reconsider its recent pattern of tax increases. “They’ve raised taxes for six straight years. We’re tired of it,” Sabot said. The resolution urges the school board to commit to a five-year freeze on property tax hikes, citing the cumulative burden on township residents.
June 26, 2025 2:14 am
Victims of sexual assault from a swim instructor can breathe a little easier today. On Wednesday, Leo McIntyre, 30 of North Strabane Township pleaded guilty to multiple charges of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child, corruption of minors, indecent assault and corruption of minors. In all McIntyre faced six cases with 17 charges combined. He pleaded guilty to all charges. According to District Attorney Jason Walsh, they are recommending that McIntyre be sentenced to 10-30 years in prison in exchange for the plea. That plea agreement was reached with the consultation and agreement of the victim’s parents and where possible, the victims themselves. Walsh said that he and the parties involved are pleased with the outcome. With the plea, the victims will not have to testify at a trial and relive the events that transpired. The majority of the victims were less than 13 years old when the assaults took place. McIntyre was a swim instructor at the Goldfish Swim School in Peters Township when the charges were filed in December of 2022. In addition to the jail time, McIntyre will have to register as a sex offender for life. McIntyre will be sentenced on October 7.
June 26, 2025 2:06 am
Fire Chief Jordan Cramer reported that Berry Road is closed long-term from Old Mill Boulevard to Manifold Road due to severe structural damage. “This will be a long-term closure. The road will not reopen anytime soon” Cramer explained, citing the recent storms as the cause. In direct response to the growing impact of repeated flooding events, the board also unanimously authorized a Declaration of Disaster and Emergency for the township which ended June 23. The declaration activates South Strabane’s Emergency Management Plan, allowing the township to coordinate efforts with Washington County, the state, and other relevant agencies. Chief Cramer noted that geospatial data, or GIS, played a crucial role in post-flood damage assessments, helping evaluate the impact on residents’ homes, local businesses, public infrastructure, and for future floods. In other matters, firefighter Wendi Wentzell resigned, and while Cramer didn’t disclose details due to privacy concerns, the board promoted part-time firefighter Broderick Balanti to full-time to address staffing needs. Additionally, another candidate from the part-time eligibility list was moved up to the next level to fill the department’s personnel gap. In a separate matter, Township Manager Jeffrey Ziegler announced his resignation, submitting a 60-day notice to the board. Ziegler, who has served South Strabane for two years, said he is taking a similar position closer to home.
June 25, 2025 5:40 pm
ATLANTA (AP) — U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s new vaccine advisory panel plans to revisit long-settled questions about childhood vaccines. On Wednesday, the new committee announced it would be looking into the childhood vaccine schedule and into specific shots like the hepatitis B and MMR-chickenpox combination. Pediatricians and scientists are expressing alarm. The American Academy of Pediatrics criticized the committee, calling its process “no longer credible.” The panel also discussed COVID-19 vaccines and shots that protect infants from RSV.
June 25, 2025 3:47 pm
