May 6, 2026 5:02 am
NEW YORK (AP) — The price of a gallon of regular gasoline climbed 31 cents in the past week, spiking to an average of $4.48 per gallon Tuesday, according to AAA. That’s up 50% since the war with Iran began. Many drivers were hopeful in mid-April, amid signs that the conflict could be winding down, and gasoline prices fell daily for almost two weeks. But as the war continued, gasoline prices reversed course and began increasing again. And energy experts say that even once the war ends, it will take months for gasoline prices to return to pre-war levels.
May 6, 2026 4:57 am
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Republicans are rapidly pursuing redistricting efforts across the South following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that affects majority-Black congressional districts. South Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, and Louisiana are all considering changes. In South Carolina, Republican leaders are targeting a district held by a longtime Black Democratic lawmaker. Alabama is debating legislation for a special congressional primary. Tennessee lawmakers are in a special session to consider a plan that could divide Memphis, a majority-Black city. Louisiana has postponed its congressional primary to allow time for a new redistricting plan. Democrats and civil rights groups are challenging these moves.
May 6, 2026 5:04 am
The primary election in Ohio has set up what is expected to be one of the most expensive races for U.S. Senate this year as Republicans try to hold on to the chamber, while biotech billionaire Vivek Ramaswamy will face a challenge from the state’s former health director as he seeks to keep the governor’s office in GOP hands. In what promises to be one of November’s most high-profile races, former Sen. Sherrod Brown easily defeated a challenger Tuesday in the Ohio Democratic primary and will now attempt to unseat Republican Sen. Jon Husted. Elections were also held in Indiana and Michigan.
May 6, 2026 5:01 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. health regulators have announced their first authorization of fruit-flavored electronic cigarettes intended for adult smokers. The Tuesday announcement from the Food and Drug Administration is a major shift that comes after months of appeals to the Trump White House from the vaping industry. As a presidential candidate, Donald Trump promised to save the vaping industry. But action on vaping and other tobacco policies has taken a backseat at the FDA. The White House has recently met with e-cigarette manufacturers who have called for the administration to loosen standards on their products. The new e-cigarettes authorized Tuesday come in mango, blueberry and two varieties of menthol.
May 5, 2026 2:24 am
Attorney General Dave Sunday is advising consumers with Spirit Airlines bookings to act quickly in attempts to recover costs as the company’s sudden shutdown has left many budget travelers stunned — and some stranded. Attorney General Sunday and his Bureau of Consumer Protection encourage impacted consumers to contact their credit card companies, third-party booking sites, or Spirit directly for refund options. If efforts to recoup costs fail, Pennsylvania consumers can file a complaint with the Office of Attorney General. “Rarely do we see such a large company shutdown so suddenly, and we know there are a lot of anxious and angry consumers out there looking for options,” Attorney General Sunday said. “I encourage those consumers to check with other airlines which are moving quickly to re-book passengers who were scheduled with Spirit Airlines. Consumers whose flight issues are not resolved should attempt to recover refunds, then consider reaching out to my office’s Bureau of Consumer Protection.” (Photo: AP)
May 5, 2026 3:16 pm
CARROLLTON, Texas (AP) — Texas police say a man shot five people and two of them are dead at a shopping mall north of Dallas. The shooting happened Tuesday in area known as Koreatown in Carrollton. Police say it wasn’t a random act of gunfire and that the victims knew the attacker. The suspect ran away but was later arrested. Video posted online showed officers with their guns drawn as they walked past doors at K Towne Plaza. Agents from the FBI and another federal agency were among law enforcement at the scene.
May 5, 2026 12:50 pm
Verizon is experiencing a widespread outage. According to Verizon’s status map, data, voice, text and wireless home internet are limited throughout area. The website says it’s a “known issue” and Verizon is working on a solution. The company expects a fix to be implemented around 10 p.m. DownDetector shows that issues with Verizon service are being reported across the East Coast, into the southern United States and even in Seattle. Some users report their phones going into SOS mode, along with other connectivity issues. Verizon says users can make calls over Wi-Fi, even without cell service.
May 5, 2026 9:54 am
Three people were transported by ambulance from the scene of a crash involving a school van and a dump truck Tuesday morning in Hanover Township. Washington County 911 says it happened around 7:30 a.m. along Steubenville Pike. According to reports, the van rear-ended the truck. Two of those injured were transported to UPMC Washington Hospital. The other was taken by to a hospital in Weirton, West Virginia. The student was among those injured and is reportedly a student in the Burgettstown School District.
May 5, 2026 3:31 am
Washington County Commissioners Chairman Nick Sherman admits that he has heard the rumor for nearly a year that Washington and Jefferson College was buying Jollick Manor and that residents there would be displaced. While admitting that W&J is interested in the property, he says the housing facility is not for sale at this time. Monday evening, the Washington County Housing Authority held a special meeting to take care of several employment issues. The meeting was quickly redirected by more than 60 people from Jollick Manor who wanted the board to address rumors that Jollick Manor was going to be sold to Washington and Jefferson College. Before opening the floor to public comment, Authority Chairman Steve Toprani addressed the crowd and told them that there are no plans to decommission Jollick Manor. He said that the Authority, and to his knowledge, County Commissioners are not entertaining any plans to sell the property. Washington and Jefferson President Dr. Elizabeth MacLeod Walls issued this written response to WJPA News regarding the reports; “Washington & Jefferson College is aware of recent community conversations regarding the future of local housing properties. At this time, the College has no active plans or agreements related to the purchase or development of Jollick Manor and Crumrine Towers. We are committed to communicate openly about our planning efforts. We have shared no plans to acquire this property because we have no such plans. We remain focused on our current priorities and on being a thoughtful and responsible partner in the Washington community”.
May 5, 2026 2:15 am
Gas prices are 49 cents higher in Western Pennsylvania this week at $4.654 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report. After ticking down for nearly two weeks, gas prices are going back up again with the national average seeing a 34-cent hike in one week. The national average is $1.29 higher than it was this time last year, as oil prices surge above $100/barrel with no indication of when the Strait of Hormuz will reopen. Gas prices are the highest they’ve been in four years, since late July 2022. According to new data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), gasoline demand increased last week from 9.05 million barrels per day to 9.10 million. Total domestic gasoline supply decreased from 228.4 million barrels to 222.3 million. Gasoline production decreased last week, averaging 9.8 million barrels per day.
