October 29, 2026 5:24 pm
(AP) – Patrick Stewart, the classically trained stage actor who scaled the Shakespearean canon and added gravitas to a “Star Trek” franchise and the “X-Men” films, has died. He was 86. A spokesperson said Stewart died Wednesday in Los Angeles, following “a brief and poignant journey” with Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy Body Dementia. Stewart was best known as Professor Charles Xavier from the “X-Men” and Captain Jean-Luc Picard from “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” but he spent more of his career onstage than in the X-Mansion or on the USS Enterprise. (Photo: AP)
October 28, 2026 4:42 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve kept its key rate unchanged Wednesday at about 3.9% despite stubbornly high inflation, while providing little hint about its next moves. The Fed meeting took place less than a week before the midterm elections, which have focused heavily on concerns about the cost of living and affordability, but Fed Chair Kevin Warsh denied politics affected the central bank’s decision. The Fed wants to return inflation to its 2% target, which it typically does by raising its short-term interest rate. Warsh dismissed the notion that not raising rates would cause the public to lose faith in the Fed.
October 29, 2026 4:41 am
JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his party have amplified claims that the country’s election was “stolen” by Arab-led parties. Final results are expected to confirm on Thursday that Netanyahu’s bloc has lost its majority in parliament. The opposition accuses Netanyahu of demonizing the Arab population after a strong showing by Arab-led parties. If the opposition teams up with those parties in a rare and politically risky move, they could form the next government. The elections committee has asked the Shin Bet intelligence service to investigate alleged election interference by unspecified “foreign entities.” Netanyahu’s Likud party targeted Arab-led parties even before the vote, despite lacking specific evidence.
October 29, 2026 5:44 pm
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (AP) — After a brief bidding war, the manuscript map that helped divide the United States into North and South, free and slave states, sold for $950,000. Lauren Brunk of Brunk Auctions in Asheville, North Carolina, said Thursday that 45 bidders battled for just under three minutes to own the hand-drawn survey of the Mason-Dixon Line, finished in 1768 by Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon. Bidding started at $400,000. And while it didn’t fetch the hoped-for $1.2 million high estimate, Brunk says it was a very high price for an American map. She says the buyer asked to remain anonymous, at least for now.
October 28, 2026 2:54 am
The Main Street Farmers Market in downtown Washington is giving the community one more chance to shop before the end of the season. The president, Tracee Malik, explains that shopping at the market is a great way to support local farmers. Despite some bad weather, Malik says it was still a very successful season. The market’s last day is Thursday, October 29 and there will be trick-or-treat for children. The market will be open from 3:00-6:00 PM and parking is free.
October 29, 2026 2:21 pm
MOUNT LEBANON, Pa. — Roadside Development and Wegmans Food Markets announced Thursday that Wegmans will serve as the anchor tenant of the Galleria of Mt. Lebanon. The proposed grocery store will occupy approximately 110,000 square feet within the two-story, 168,000-square-foot commercial complex. Existing retailers at the Galleria will remain open while redevelopment plans move forward. The Galleria originally operated as a Kaufmann’s department store before being converted into an indoor shopping center in 1988. Roadside Development and Wegmans plan to remodel the site while maintaining its commercial character. The planned supermarket will include Wegmans’ standard selection of departments, including produce, seafood, meat, bakery, deli, cheese and prepared restaurant foods. The location will also feature an extensive selection of wine and beer. The Mt. Lebanon project marks Wegmans’ second planned store in the Pittsburgh area following the company’s initial entry into the regional market in 2025. Construction is underway on an approximately 115,000-square-foot location in Cranberry Township, where groundbreaking occurred in August 2026.
October 28, 2026 4:48 am
The Environmental Protection Agency’s response to the disastrous 2023 East Palestine train derailment will be investigated after dozens of residents of the small town on the Ohio-Pennsylvania and Vice President JD Vance requested the review. The Inspector General of the EPA announced the investigation Tuesday to assess the agency’s response to the worst rail disaster in more than a decade. Resident Jami Wallace said she is glad the concerns raised by people who live in the area are getting attention again. She has tracked more than 80 cases of cancer among residents.
October 28, 2026 2:58 pm
WASHINGTON (AP) — The cost of the Iran war to American taxpayers has grown to an estimated $47.1 billion. The Pentagon has provided the figure to Congress, showing a $3.5 billion bump over six weeks. The growing cost of the unpopular 8-month-old war and its economic ripple effects could hurt Republicans in next week’s midterm elections. Voters are deciding which political party will control Congress during President Donald Trump’s last two years in office. The Republican president has said new strikes on Iran are an option after the midterms and is sending more military resources to the Middle East. The war’s cost and military spending in general are already a contentious issue on Capitol Hill.
October 28, 2026 2:57 pm
URDA, Spain (AP) — A high-speed train has collided with another train in Spain, killing at least 68 people and injuring dozens. The crash happened Wednesday in the central province of Toledo. The regional government confirmed the death toll and said 58 people are receiving medical treatment. Rescue workers continue searching the wreckage for survivors and bodies. This is the second deadly rail collision this year involving the same companies. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced three days of national mourning. He called for increased safety measures to restore confidence in the rail system. Authorities are investigating the cause of the crash.
October 28, 2026 4:35 am
North Strabane Township residents will need to wait a little bit longer for a hearing on a proposed data center ordinance. Supervisors voted to cancel a public hearing scheduled for November 24. Township Manager Patrick Karnash said details in the new ordinance were not complete and that the Planning Commission would need time to review the ordinance before it could be presented to the public. Karnash said that the ordinance is near completion. He anticipates that the public hearing will be scheduled in the first quarter of 2027. In other township business, supervisors approved a measure to use general fund budget monies to make emergency repairs along Blue Jay Drive, Dicio Street and Meadowlands Boulevard. Those repairs are for sink holes created from extensive rainfall last summer.
