November 5, 2019 4:20 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) – Pennsylvania’s highest court is telling state elections officials not to tally or certify the results of a referendum on a victims’ rights constitutional amendment. A divided Supreme Court upheld a lower-court ruling Monday and directed the Department of State not to count or certify Tuesday’s results from Pennsylvania’s 67 counties. The ballot question was put in limbo last week, when Commonwealth Court Judge Ellen Ceisler issued an injunction at the request of the state League of Women Voters. Ceisler ruled her injunction should remain in place until the underlying lawsuit challenging the so-called “Marsy’s Law” amendment is resolved, including appeals. The amendment would enshrine into the state constitution rights that include notifications and being allowed to attend and weigh in during plea hearings, sentencings and parole proceedings.
November 5, 2019 4:19 am
It’s 2019 general election day with several key countywide races. There are four candidates vying for three seats for County Commissioner. There are also contested races for District Attorney, Register of Wills, Treasurer, Clerk of Courts and Prothonotary, as well as a race for Magisterial District Judge for Canonsburg, Chartiers, Houston and Canton. There are Mayor and Council races in Monongahela and Washington with a host of municipal and school board contests on the ballot as well. Polls opened at 7 am and closed tonight at 8. Join us for complete election coverage on WJPA until the votes are counted. Once ballots have been tabulated by the County, individual race results will be available.
Washington County CLICK HERE
Greene County CLICK HERE
November 5, 2019 4:11 am
Washington City Council regained an absent member at its agenda meeting on Monday afternoon. Matt Staniszewzski returned after a two month absence stemming from a DUI arrest that occurred on August 26. Staniszewski says the office and the public have received him warmly and offered well wishes on his return. Staniszewski takes responsibility for his actions saying that he made a wrong choice in coping mechanisms in dealing with issues that had him depressed. He says he is continuing to work a program that he began during a self initiated treatment period after the arrest. In regular business action, council will finalize a .2% reduction in the Payroll tax that funded pensions in the city and they will finalize the agreement to act as a signatory on a City of Washington Parking Authority bond refinance. Council will also take preliminary steps to set the budget, payroll and tax rate for the 2020 year.
November 5, 2019 4:10 am
A wrong-way crash in North Strabane Township has left a Washington Man dead and another man injured. State Police say the crash happened just before two o’clock Tuesday morning in the southbound lanes near the Houston exit when 57-year-old Darnell Hudson, the sole occupant of a car, was traveling the wrong way in the southbound lane of Interstate 79. Troopers say he slammed head-on into a vehicle driven by 28-year-old Zachary Porta of Altoona, who was traveling south. Porta was flown to a Pittsburgh area hospital with serious injuries. That stretch of highway was closed for several hours.
November 5, 2019 4:07 am
As November arrives it’s time to start thinking Turkey! Yes, Thanksgiving is just around the corner and that means we need your help making sure area families have a traditional Thanksgiving meal. WJPA’s annual 2000 Turkey’s event is already in full swing. Canonsburg Mayor Dave Rhome says since the 2019 drive began October 3rd they have raised $19,360. He says there are “a whole lot of families that we will provide Thanksgiving dinner to those in need” through the Washington County Food Bank. Laurel Ziemba of Range Resources says “when you prioritize how you feed your family, Thanksgiving dinner is a luxury that a lot of families can’t afford.” She says “that’s where 2000 Turkey’s will be able to supplement their income this holiday season to ensure they have a nice dinner for their family”. If you would like to donate, you can send a check to; 2000 Turkeys P.O. Box 2000 Washington, Pa. 15301.
November 4, 2019 12:39 pm
WASHINGTON (AP) – The Trump administration is proposing easing more Obama-era protections on contaminants from coal-fired power plants. Environmental Protection Agency administrator Andrew Wheeler signed a proposal Monday overhauling a 2015 rule on release of contaminated wastewater from power plants. The EPA says the change will save $175 million annually in compliance costs. Environmental groups say relaxing of the rule will allow more dumping of dangerous heavy metals from coal plants. It’s the latest Trump administration regulatory rollback for U.S. coal and coal-fired power plants. The U.S. coal industry is suffering in market competition against cheaper natural gas and renewables, and has sought a series of regulatory breaks. Another proposal due out shortly is expected to extend some deadlines for closing unlined coal dumps near groundwater.
November 4, 2019 7:48 am
TERRA ALTA, W.Va. – (WPXI) – Police are searching for a couple considered armed and dangerous after a murder Sunday in West Virginia, the Preston County Sheriff’s Office said. Aaron Hoard, 33, of Morgantown, is suspected of shooting and killing Grant Felton, 38, at a bar in Terra Alta, authorities said. Hoard’s girlfriend, Machaela Jeffries is believed to be helping him avoid arrest. Hoard and Jeffries might have their 1-year-old child with them. According to the Sheriff’s Office, Hoard drives a black 2018 Dodge Ram. Authorities said anyone who sees the couple should call 911 and not attempt to contact them.
November 4, 2019 4:27 am
NEW YORK (AP) – A federal appeals court in New York says President Donald Trump’s tax returns can be turned over to state criminal investigators. The ruling by the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals came Monday. It is certain to be further appealed. The decision upholds a lower-court ruling rejecting Trump’s lawsuit seeking to block his accountant from letting a grand jury see his tax records from 2011. Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr. sought the records in a broader probe that includes payments made to buy the silence of two women who claim they had affairs with the president before the 2016 presidential election. Trump’s lawyer told the three-judge appeals panel this month that Trump is immune from state criminal law even if he shoots someone because he’s president. (Photo: CNN)
November 4, 2019 4:26 am
CHICAGO (AP) – McDonald’s ousted CEO Steve Easterbrook will receive 26 weeks of pay but forfeit millions in unvested stock options as part of his severance agreement. McDonald’s Corp. announced Sunday that Easterbrook was fired for having a consensual relationship with an employee. McDonald’s forbids managers from having romantic relationships with subordinates. Easterbrook’s 2018 compensation totaled $15.9 million. That included $1.3 million in salary and the rest in stock options and incentive payments. Under his severance agreement, Easterbrook will be eligible for a prorated incentive payment for the 2019 fiscal year. He can also exercise stock options that have vested or will vest within three years. At the end of 2018, Easterbrook had unvested options worth $21.8 million. Easterbrook is also forbidden from working for a competitor for two years. (Photo: CNN)
November 4, 2019 4:25 am
LOS ANGELES (AP) – Authorities say they have now contained 70% of the wildfire northwest of Los Angeles known as the Maria fire. They say firefighters are being helped by the cooler temperatures and lighter winds. Crews are checking buildings for damage. The blaze has burned nearly 15 square miles (39 sq. kilometers) of dry brush and timber. The fire began Oct. 31 during dry winds that fanned fires across the state.
