October 15, 2019 4:19 am
CEYLANPINAR, Turkey (AP) – Doctors Without Borders says it has decided to suspend the majority of its activities and evacuate its international staff from northeast Syria because of Turkey’s military operation against Kurdish fighters. The aid organization said Tuesday that the extremely volatile situation has forced the group to evacuate from projects in areas including Ein Issa, Tal Abyad and al-Hol that includes a camp hosting tens of thousands of women and children related to Islamic State group fighters. It said the “highly unpredictable and fast-changing situation” has made it impossible for the aid organization to negotiate safe access to deliver health care and provide humanitarian assistance to people in distress. Given the numerous groups fighting on different sides of the conflict, the group said it can no longer guarantee the safety of its Syrian and international staff.
October 15, 2019 4:17 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump says he is fully prepared to destroy Turkey’s economy if its leaders continue what he calls “this dangerous and destructive path” in Syria.
On Monday, Trump announced a halt to negotiations on a $100 billion trade deal with Turkey. Other sanctions include raising steel tariffs back up to 50% and actions against three senior Turkish officials and Turkey’s defense and energy ministries. The U.S. is calling on Turkey to stop its invasion of Syria and declare a cease-fire in the assault that began after Trump announced he was moving U.S. troops out of the way. Trump is sending Vice President Mike Pence and national security adviser Robert O’Brien to Ankara as soon as possible in an attempt to begin negotiations with Kurdish forces in Syria.
October 15, 2019 4:15 am
CORNWALL, Pa. (AP) – Authorities say the co-owner of a landscaping company died when his mower slid into a creek and overturned while he was working at a retirement community in Pennsylvania. Cornwall police say 66-year-old Ralph Schreiber was cutting grass with a zero-turn mower when the accident occurred Saturday at the Alden Place community. He apparently became trapped under the mower and was later found by an employee around 12:20 p.m. It’s not clear how long Schreiber was trapped under the machine. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The cause of the accident remains under investigation.
October 15, 2019 4:14 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) – A former Pennsylvania state senator’s conviction for using government employees to work on political campaigns is being upheld by federal appeals judges. A 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel on Tuesday ruled against former Allegheny County Republican Sen. Jane Orie, saying her second trial in 2012 did not constitute double jeopardy and that the trial judge properly prevented testimony from a defense expert. The appeals court says it was not a violation for the first trial to be halted during jury deliberations because a forgery had just come to light that could have tainted the verdict. Orie served most of a 2 1/2-year minimum sentence for theft of services, conspiracy, evidence tampering and forgery.
October 15, 2019 4:12 am
GREENSBURG, Pa. – A retired priest of the Diocese of Greensburg who was under investigation for allegations of sexually abusing a minor has died. Msgr. Michael W. Matusak died on Sunday at the diocese’s residence for retired priests. He was removed from his positions and placed on administrative leave after a credible allegation was made of him sexually abusing a minor. He resigned and retired in July after 44 years. The results of the police investigation have still not been shared with the Diocese, according to a news release. A viewing will be held on Thursday, October 17, 2019, in St. Joseph Chapel at Christ Our Shepherd Center, Greensburg, from 1-6:30 p.m. Mass will be celebrated at 7 p.m. followed by additional viewing until 9 p.m. Additional viewing will be held on Friday 9-10:45 a.m. followed by a Christian Funeral Mass at 11 a.m. Interment will follow at Greensburg Catholic Cemetery.
October 15, 2019 4:06 am
UNIONTOWN, Pa. – (WPXI) – A school bus driver in the Laurel Highlands School District has been arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, according to school officials. Our news partners at Channel 11 learned that on Friday, the bus company conducted random tests and school officials tell us this driver failed a breathalyzer. The driver was fired. So far, no charges have been filed. State police said they are investigating, but are waiting for test results to come in before releasing any other information. It’s unknown at this time if the driver had any students on his bus while allegedly under the influence.
October 14, 2019 3:49 pm
MCKEESPORT, Pa. (AP) – More than 16,000 customers in four western Pennsylvania communities are waiting to learn if a boil water advisory has been lifted. The Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County told residents in McKeesport, Port Vue, Versailles and White Oak to boil their water after a pump failed on Saturday. The agency says the loss of water pressure could allow disease-causing organisms to enter the water distribution system. The agency says the McKeesport Water Treatment Plant is operating and purging air from its system. Two successful tests are needed before the boil water advisory will be lifted.
October 14, 2019 12:25 pm
An investigation is underway following a fatal, two-vehicle accident in Fayette County. Authorities say the crash occurred Sunday on Route 21. According to a release from Pennsylvania State Police Uniontown, a black Ford F-150 struck a Honda CR-V on the driver’s side, causing the Honda to roll. Police said both people inside the Honda were ejected from the vehicle as it continued to roll over. The passenger in that car died from his injuries. That victim, a 60-year-old man, was not identified pending the notification of his family.
October 14, 2019 10:25 am
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) – Fort Worth’s interim police chief says he expects a “substantial update” by Tuesday on whether a former police officer will be criminally charged in the shooting death of a black woman inside her home. Interim Chief Ed Kraus said Monday that Officer Aaron Dean would have been fired had he not resigned following Saturday’s shooting death of 28-year-old Atatiana Jefferson. Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price called for “justice and closure” for Jefferson’s family. Officers had responded to Jefferson’s home on a neighbor’s report of an open door. An attorney for Jefferson’s family says she was playing video games with her 8-year-old nephew when a shot was fired into her window, killing her. Kraus said Monday that there’s no sign that officers knocked on the front door and that the shot was fired from within the fenced-off backyard.
October 14, 2019 4:28 am
NEW ORLEANS (AP) – The coroner’s office in New Orleans has identified one of two workers known to have died when a hotel under construction partially collapsed. He was 49-year-old Anthony Floyd Magrette. His body was removed from the wreckage Sunday and his identity was confirmed by the coroner Monday. New Orleans news outlets report his wife and family had kept a vigil at the site in downtown New Orleans until the body was removed. Efforts to retrieve another body and find the missing worker continued Monday in the dangerously unstable building at the edge of the French Quarter. Experts also are making plans to stabilize and move a huge crane at the site. Fire Chief Tim McConnell says engineers are in the structure to looking for ways to stabilize it. A huge crane at the site also must be stabilized. Two major thoroughfares near the French Quarter and the main business district remain closed. The cause of the collapse is under investigation. Officials said the last inspection of record at the site was Sept. 24th. (Photo: CNN)
