July 6, 2024 5:39 am
The Washington County Board of Elections held a special meeting Friday to determine their course of action after a lawsuit was filed against them earlier this week. The ACLU filed the suit on behalf of seven county voters, the Washington Branch of the NAACP and the Center for Coalfield Justice, in an effort to have the Board of Elections, that is made up of the three Washington County Commissioners, overturn their decision to not allow ballot curing for mail in ballots. That decision made in April before the Pennsylvania primary election was a reversal of previous protocol that allowed the Department of Elections to alert voters of errors that would prevent their ballot from counting and gave them the opportunity to correct the error. The decision went further in not allowing elections officials to alert voters that their votes would not be counted. In a 2-1 vote, the board voted to hire a special counsel to fight the lawsuit in Washington County Common Pleas Court. Both Republican Commissioners Nick Sherman and Electra Janis voted in favor of hiring the special counsel, Democratic Commissioner Larry Maggi dissented. Maggi brought a motion to the floor in an effort to reverse the decision, but the effort died due to a lack of a second. Motions are scheduled to be heard in front of Judge Brandon Neuman on Tuesday.
July 6, 2024 4:26 am
MCKEESPORT, Pa. — A man died after he was shot in McKeesport Friday. Allegheny County 911 said police were called to the 3000 block of Garbett Street at around 2 p.m. Emergency crews found a man who had been shot inside of a house. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene. He has been identified as David Gamble, 39, of McKeesport. Isaiah Bridges, 30, is charged in connection to the shooting. He was taken into custody and is in the Allegheny County Jail.
July 6, 2024 4:23 am
WELLSVILLE, Ohio — A body found on the shoreline of the Ohio River in Wellsville, Ohio in 2023 has been identified as a missing teenager from Wilkins Township. Jayshawn Fountain, 17, was reported missing in February 2023. His body was found on the shoreline of the Ohio River on April 5, 2023. In a Facebook post, the Wellsville police department said Jayshawn’s body was taken to the Cuyahoga County Coroner’s office. Police said they checked local and surrounding states’ missing person reports and submitted DNA and fingerprint evidence but had no luck identifying his remains. An identification was officially made in June, police said.
July 6, 2024 7:26 am
WESTMORELAND COUNTY, Pa. — A young Westmoreland County man’s tragic death is hitting the community hard, especially his local fire department where he volunteered since he was 14 years old. Members of the Paintertown Volunteer Fire Department are paying tribute to Jacob Lazar, 18, who was hit by a tree and killed while cleaning up storm damage on Thursday. They thanked him for his service with a sign in front of the station that read, “Rest in peace FF Jacob Lazar. Thank you for your dedication.” “Seven is our station number so we have the seven draped, and this is his fire gear,” said Fire Chief Brian Lee. Chief Lee said Lazar volunteered with the department for the last four years and recently earned the title of a trained senior firefighter. “Right away, he was wanting to learn, wanted to do everything,” he said. “He was really gung-ho and excited about being a senior fireman…unfortunately, cut short. The Penn-Trafford High School senior was killed in a tragic accident on the Fourth of July when a tree fell on him. The county coroner said Lazar was with a group of volunteers at the Trafford Sportsmen’s Club helping to clean up storm damage from last week’s tornado. That’s when a tree somehow fell out of an excavator bucket, striking Lazar in the head. “It was devastating,” Lee said. “He just was helping somebody out like he always does. You asked him to do anything, he helped. That’s the nature of Jacob.” Serving his community is what Chief Lee said Jacob lived for. After he aged out of the Scouts Troop 236, he stayed on as a volunteer. “When you say he volunteers, he volunteers for everything,” said Lee. The young man with so much to look forward to is now being remembered as a dedicated firefighter, friend and son. “Hardest worker we have up here as a young guy. It’s a great loss to the fire department. It’s a great loss to his family,” Lee said. “It’s what it is up here, is one big family.” Two of Lazar’s older brothers also volunteer with the Paintertown Vol. Fire Department. Lazar leaves behind a total of five siblings including a twin brother.
July 5, 2024 5:10 am
Three people have been injured in a shooting in Canonsburg. Our news partners at Channel 11 say all three were taken to area hospitals with non-life threatening injuries. There is no word on their identities. Police say it happened just before midnight along Blaine Avenue and police believe it could be connected to recent shots-fired incidents earlier this week in the Borough. Canonsburg Police had posted about those incidents on social media. They were asking residents for help after shots were fired Monday and Tuesday in the area of Franklin and Highland Avenues. Police were reviewing surveillance video from the area. State Police are now assisting with the investigation. There is no word on the identity or condition of those shot Thursday night.
July 5, 2024 9:15 am
Three people were injured in a two-vehicle crash Friday morning in South Strabane Township. It happened around 7:45 a.m along N. Main Street near the intersection of Colonial Heights Boulevard. One person was ejected in the crash. Two were transported by ambulance to a Pittsburgh hospital. The other was taken by ambulance to UPMC Washington. There is no word on their identities or conditions. Washington County 9-1-1 dispatchers day two medical helicopters were initially called to the scene but one declined because of weather. The other had mechanical issues. The crash closed N. Main at Wilson Avenue but the roadway has since reopened. State Police were called in to help with the investigation.
July 5, 2024 4:08 am
A bond revocation hearing has been scheduled for next week for Washington County Controller April Sloane. A motion to revoke comes from District Attorney Jason Walsh after North Strabane Township police received a tip that Sloane was living in an apartment with a cat. Sloane faces two felony counts of aggravated cruelty to animals and a misdemeanor count of animal neglect for the death of a dog back in December of 2023. Part of her bond was that she not keep animals. The hearing will take place on July 10 at 9:00 AM in front of Judge John DiSalle.
July 5, 2024 9:18 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — America’s employers delivered another healthy month of hiring in June, adding 206,000 jobs and once again displaying the U.S. economy’s ability to withstand continually high interest rates. Last month’s job growth did mark a pullback from 218,000 in May. But it was still a strong gain, reflecting the resilience of America’s consumer-driven economy, which is slowing but still growing steadily. Still, Friday’s report contained some signs of a slowing job market. The unemployment rate ticked up from 4% to 4.1%, a still-low number but the highest rate since November 2021. The government also sharply revised down its estimate of job growth for April and May by a combined 111,000.
July 5, 2024 5:52 am
The State Police Fire Marshall is investigating a fire overnight in the City of Washington. Washington County 9-1-1 says it broke out just before midnight at a home in the 600-block of Broad Street. No injuries were reported and no other information is available at this time.
July 5, 2024 4:55 am
CANONSBURG, Pa. — (WPXI) – Canonsburg held its 61st annual Fourth of July parade on Thursday. Thousands of spectators from far and wide attend the event each year, making it the second-largest Fourth of July parade in Pennsylvania. Spectators reserve their chairs days in advance. For many people in this community, this parade is a long-standing tradition. Trumpet player Vic Bell, who has been marching in the parade since he was a kid. “I did the first parade in 1962,” he said. “I’m 80 years old, my dad marched in this parade, he was 86!” Now, four generations of Bells are marching, including Vic’s grandchildren. “I tell people all the time you have no idea how many people are in the parade or at the parade unless you’re in it,” Bell said. In the parade’s sixth decade, plenty of parents who were once in it are now watching their children march. “I love it, I’ve been coming here since I was a kid, so it’s really special this year to be in it as an adult, my son is in it this year,” said Kayla McCormley, assistant band director at Chartiers Houston.
