September 19, 2026 4:26 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump announced that all 50 states will join a program to provide Most Favored Nation pricing for some Medicaid drugs. The administration claims this plan, called the Medicaid “GENEROUS” model, will save billions on prescription drug costs. Last year, Trump signed an executive order to pay the same price for medications as the lowest-paying nation. The White House estimated these deals could save $529 billion over 10 years. However, details of the deals remain unclear, raising questions about the true savings. The announcement comes as cost-of-living issues are a major concern for voters.
September 19, 2026 4:24 am
COMSTOCK, Texas (AP) — The Trump administration has started building the border wall in the Big Bend region of west Texas. This marks the first major construction in an area where the plans have faced heavy opposition. Customs and Border Protection has doubled the pace of construction along the U.S.-Mexico border. In the Big Bend region, landowners, environmental groups, and ranchers oppose the construction, arguing the area isn’t a high-traffic zone for illegal immigration. The agency is building an average of 12 miles of barriers a week. Activists say they’ll continue to fight against the wall-building plans.
September 19, 2026 4:22 am
HAVANA (AP) — Cuba’s power grid has collapsed, leaving millions of people across the island without electricity. The Ministry of Energy and Mines announced the blackout on its official X account without mentioning the cause and added that officials had begun “activating service-restoration protocols.” Power grid collapses have become increasingly common over the past two years because of the severe economic crisis gripping the island. They have worsened since January, after the United States imposed an energy blockade aimed at forcing a change in Cuba’s political system. The two most recent nationwide blackouts occurred in early August, following others in July and March, as well as several regional outages.
September 19, 2026 4:21 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military’s price tag for the Iran war has grown to $43.6 billion as of Sept. 3. That’s according to a new estimate provided this week to lawmakers. The figure from U.S. Central Command offers the latest cost estimate for the conflict. A Congressional Budget Office report released Tuesday said the war had cost $38 billion through Aug. 1. The new breakdown showed the continued use of expensive munitions by American forces. Weapons costs jumped by more than $6 billion in just over a month, from $21.7 billion listed in the CBO report to $28.1 billion in U.S. Central Command’s estimate.
September 19, 2026 4:20 am
HENRICO, Va. (AP) — In-person voting for this year’s midterm elections is underway. Friday was the start of early voting in Virginia, and voters in a few other states, including Minnesota and South Dakota, can now cast absentee ballots in person. In Fairfax, Virginia, 18-year-old Sanya Singhal said she voted early to “try to be the first early voter.” In Henrico County, Laura Bland said she cast a ballot to send “a signal that we’re still here” despite President Donald Trump’s efforts to curtail mail voting. Americans now have just over six weeks to decide whether Congress remains in Republican control or flips to Democrats. Election administrators expressed confidence the vote will be secure.
September 19, 2026 1:08 am
Notice to drivers: Cameron Road will be closed beginning at 6:00 AM on Saturday, September 19th, at the intersection of Willowbrook Drive. This closure is necessary for the replacement of a collapsed pipe on Cameron Road. Willowbrook Drive residents should access their road via Route 19. Washington Woods residents should access their roads via E. Beau Street (Route 136). We hope to complete the project within the same day.
September 20, 2026 7:00 am
Authorities are investigating a one car vehicle accident occurred in Fallowfield Township, leaving one person dead. Emergency responders were sent to the 1300 block of State Route 481 in Fallowfield township just after eight-thirty Friday night, where a car struck a tree. One person was injured and flown to a Pittsburgh hospital. A second person was taken to Penn Highlands Mon Valley Hospital where they later died. The names and identity of the victims are unknown at this time.
September 20, 2026 7:00 am
A Washington County man was hit by a train in Allenport on Friday. Washington County dispatchers say the incident happened on the 1800 block of Main Street in Allenport at 5:13 p.m. In a release, Washington County Coroner Tim Warco said the victim was crossing the railway in a motorized wheelchair at the Bridge Street crossing when he was struck by a Norfolk Southern train. That man has been identified as Anthony Michael Chilzer, 43, of Allenport. Warco said it is unclear why Chilzer was trying to cross, but added that video shows the warning signals and crossing gates were working at the time of the incident. Chilzer’s cause and manner of death are still under investigation.
September 20, 2026 3:42 am
The Pennsylvania Department of Health released a statement that announced that 767 measles cases have been confirmed across 38 counties in Pennsylvania so far this year. Since September 16 there have been 36 new positive cases detected. There have been a total of 150 hospitalizations and 4 confirmed measles associated deaths. On September 16, the Department of Health began the formal process of requesting an Epi-Aid from the CDC to assist in the Department’s measles outbreak response. State health officials have administered nearly 4800 MMR vaccinations at 148 pop-up vaccination clinics in affected communities since the outbreak began in April. Dozens of additional vaccine clinics are scheduled for opening based on need in the next several weeks. State health officials have administered over 6900 MMR vaccines to Pennsylvania residents in 2026.
September 20, 2026 7:02 am
The Pennsylvania Insurance Department has approved its rates for the 2027 Affordable Care Act insurance premiums. The rate approvals cover both the individual and small group health insurance markets. According to the PID, Pennsylvanians that buy their own insurance will see an average increase of 15.97%. Small businesses will see an average increase of 10.28%. Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner Michael Humphries cites health care cuts by the federal government as the main driver of the spike in premiums. Contributing to the rise in rates are rising costs, the use of prescription drugs, and medical care. PID says that consumers should shop around on Pennie, the state’s official health insurance marketplace. They say that no two circumstances are alike. Premiums are decided on several factors such as age, location, household income, family size and market competition. Pennie also offers financial assistance to help lower monthly premiums and out of pocket costs. Open enrollment on Pennie is approaching. The enrollment period is November 1 through December 15 for coverage that will start on January 1, 2027. For information visit pennie.com or call 1-844-844-8040.
