February 23, 2022 3:24 am
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) – Tonga’s main internet connection to the rest of the world has finally been restored more than five weeks after a huge volcanic eruption and tsunami severed a crucial undersea cable. Three people in Tonga were killed by the Jan. 15 tsunami and dozens of homes destroyed. The fiber-optic cable is fully operational again after being reconnected Tuesday. Elon Musk’s SpaceX company has also been helping restore connections through its network of low-orbit satellites called Starlink. Meanwhile, Tonga has been grappling with its first outbreak of the coronavirus. The country of 105,000 people has begun easing some restrictions after initially imposing a lockdown.
February 16, 2022 4:14 am
MOSCOW (AP) – Russia has made two overtures to ease tensions around Ukraine. It reported a pullback of troops near its neighbor and welcomed talks with the West. But the United States and its allies say they need evidence of the troop movements and that the threat of a Russian invasion still looms. For the second day Tuesday, there were signs of hope that Europe might avoid war following weeks of escalating East-West tensions. President Vladimir Putin says that Russia does not want war and will rely on negotiations in efforts to eliminate any chance that Ukraine could one day join NATO. At the same time, he did not commit to a full pullback. President Joe Biden said American officials had not verified Russia’s claim about its troops.
February 16, 2022 4:10 am
MONONGAHELA, Pa. — (WPXI) – Parents of students in the Ringgold School District have told our news partners at Channel 11 they feel helpless and that their children are not safe when they walk into the classroom. Multiple families shared similar stories of fights breaking out and bullying so bad they’re afraid for the mental and physical health of the kids. Even worse, parents say an Instagram page was created just to highlight the brutal fights — some in school buildings. “A lot of us are just shocked by what’s going on in the bathrooms and the hallways,” parent Tiffany Stotka tells Channel 11. Lisa Black-Wysochanski says her daughter is being severely bullied, comes home crying most days and, at just 11, is seeing a counselor. Channel 11 talked to nearly a dozen parents. One says her son’s knee was fractured when another student kicked him in the hallway. Another pulled their child out of the district and someone else opted for online learning. The district says it shares the parents’ concerns about what’s in the videos, but says it gives a false impression of the district. The superintendent of Ringgold School District tells Channel 11 he’s working with Instagram to remove the fight videos, adding they’re not all taking place on school property. As for the no contact contracts, the district says it’s a behavioral management tool to help kids with conflict resolution and learn and grow from their mistakes. The superintendent says that is part of what a school district is created to do.
February 16, 2022 4:06 am
North Strabane Township Supervisors had a busy night of meetings on Tuesday. Starting off, supervisors reopened a public hearing that began on January 18. That hearing concerned a 5 acre, 24 unit expansion to the Greenwood Village development. In a previous public hearing residents had concerns about traffic on Garden Street and sight line difficulties as Garden intersected Rt. 980. Also at issue were traffic concerns as Locust Avenue intersected Rt. 19. The developer of the plan did a new traffic study as directed by the township. Residents were not happy as only an in depth study was done on the intersection of Garden Street and Rt. 980. Residents were not happy with the times selected to do the study either. Supervisors asked the developer to do another study but they refused. They stated that the study performed was exactly what the supervisors requested and it was. Residents complained about the possibility of accidents on Garden Street due to its very thin nature and cars parked along the road. Supervisors closed the meeting and will have 45 days to approve the conditional use application that was applied for. Supervisors then denied a text change to a zoning ordinance citing too little information as to the effects it would have on other zones. They then conducted their non legislative meeting. Committee reports from public works indicate an increase in paving materials costs. Supervisors will meet for their voting meeting on February 22.
February 16, 2022 4:05 am
An Avella man pleaded guilty to multiple counts of arson and risking a catastrophe on Tuesday. James Checco, 29 was charged with setting an awning on fire at the Stefkovich Funeral Home in Independence Twp. and setting his uncle’s car and Independence Twp. home on fire as well. Checco pleaded guilty to four arson, one risking a catastrophe and one reckless burning charges, all felonies. Checco will receive a sentence of 5-10 years in a state correctional facility and will make restitution to two insurance companies and the Stefkovich Funeral home for a total amount of $310,759.32.
February 15, 2022 1:51 pm
LOS ANGELES (AP) – Attorneys for the family of a cinematographer shot and killed on the set of the film “Rust” say they’re suing Alec Baldwin and the movie’s producers for wrongful death. Lawyers for Halyna Hutchins’ family announced a lawsuit filed in the name of Hutchins’ husband, Matthew Hutchins, and their son at a Los Angeles news conference Tuesday. At least three other lawsuits have been filed over the shooting, but this is the first directly tied to one of the two people shot. Baldwin was pointing a gun at Hutchins during setup for filming in New Mexico on Oct. 21 when it went off, killing Hutchins and wounding the director, Joel Souza. (Photo: AP)
February 15, 2022 10:57 am
The families of nine victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting have agreed to a settlement of a lawsuit against the maker of the rifle used to kill 20 first graders and six educators in 2012. The families and a survivor of the shooting sued Remington over how it marketed the AR-15-style rifle used in the shooting and alleged the company targeted younger, at-risk males in its advertising. Remington had denied the allegations. A news conference was planned later Tuesday morning some of the plaintiffs.
February 15, 2022 4:31 am
Peters Township Council spent most of their night looking at two presentations. One of them was a presentation on the development of an apartment complex at the intersection of Waterdam and Galley Roads. The second presentation was a traffic study prompted by a number of accidents on Johnston Road. Patrick Byrne from the developer Al. Neyer explained that they would like to develop a 10 acre site with roughly 250 apartments. To do that they would need relief from an ordinance that limits multifamily housing units to no more than 36 apartments per structure. Al. Neyer feels that the limitation would not fit the type of Class A development that they are looking to build. Council was split 4-3 on the initial feeling toward the development. Councilmen Robert Lewis, Gary Stiegel and Frank Arcuri felt that buildings holding 50 or more apartments are too large and imposing. Traffic Engineer Michael Mudry delivered his presentation on Johnston Road accidents stating that 15 accidents occurred on the road in the last 5 years, 12 of them in a concentrated stretch. He proposed upgrades to signage, possible street lights flexible reflective delineator posts and pavement markings. Mudry states that most of the accidents occur in an area that has a curve in the road that can catch drivers by surprise when they enter that curve.
February 15, 2022 4:09 am
NEW YORK (AP) – The accounting firm that prepared former President Donald Trump’s annual financial statements says the documents, used to secure lucrative loans and burnish Trump’s image as a wealthy businessman, “should no longer be relied upon” after investigators said they found evidence he and his company regularly misstated the value of assets. Mazars USA LLP disclosed its findings and cut ties with the Trump Organization in a letter on Feb. 9, just weeks after New York Attorney General Letitia James said her office uncovered evidence Trump and the company used “fraudulent or misleading” valuations of its golf clubs, skyscrapers and other property to get loans and tax benefits. The firm says it is also cutting ties with Trump.
February 15, 2022 4:06 am
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Federal prosecutors have rested their case against three former Minneapolis police officers charged with violating George Floyd’s civil rights. The prosecution rested Monday after nearly three weeks of testimony from bystanders, doctors, police officers and others. J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao are accused of depriving Floyd of medical care while the Black man was handcuffed, facedown as Officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee onto Floyd’s neck. Kueng and Thao are also accused of failing to intervene to stop the May 2020 killing that triggered protests worldwide. Thao and Kueng told the judge Monday that they plan to testify. An attorney for Lane said earlier that his client would testify, but now says they’ll discuss it further.
