October 13, 2026 3:36 pm
The second annual Pittsburgh Walk of Fame had a definitive Western Pennsylvania feel with Washington County native Shirley Jones, Indiana County native Jimmy Stewart and Henry Mancini, who grew up in Aliquippa. Pittsburgh Steelers legends Myron Cope and Franco Harris were honored. The morning started when it was sunny and 66 degrees in the Strip District, which are good numbers for honoree Mario Lemieux. HJ Heinz, and George Westinghouse were among the other awardees. The event is seven years in the making and has more than 120 Selection Committee members, ranging from 10 counties. They include members of the Washington County History and Landmarks Foundation, Washington County Chamber of Commerce, Washington and Jefferson College and Donora Public Library, just to name a few. Jones, 92, who was “Miss Pittsburgh” in 1952, was well known for musical films, such as Oklahoma! (1955), Carousel (1956), and The Music Man (1962) before landing an Oscar for Elmer Gantry (1960) before becoming the beloved Shirley Patridge in the Patridge Family (1970-1974). She was represented by her son, actor Patrick Cassidy and her granddaughter Juliet. Patrick Cassidy told WJPA News that his mother was delighted with the honor.
October 12, 2026 2:46 am
Gas prices are six cents lower in Western Pennsylvania this week at $4.577 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report. Gas prices remain the highest they’ve ever been for this time of year. Even though the national average dropped a penny this past week to $4.35, pump prices remain at record highs for autumn. This is the first year the national average has been above $4 per gallon in October. After dipping into the $80 per barrel range for several days, crude oil is back above $90 per barrel. Today’s national average is four cents more than a month ago and $1.27 more than a year ago. According to new data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), gasoline demand increased last week from 8.68 million barrels per day to 8.76 million. Total domestic gasoline supply increased slightly from 204.4 million barrels to 204.7 million. Gasoline production decreased from 9.46 million barrels per day to 9.34 million barrels.
October 13, 2026 4:48 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle has resigned after allegations of improper conduct but says she’ll “vigorously defend” herself. The White House says Guilfoyle was asked to resign after coming under severe criticism over allegations she engaged in improper and possibly illegal conduct before and during her tenure in Athens. Guilfoyle’s departure comes after its possibility was previewed to The Associated Press over the weekend and President Donald Trump registered his unhappiness with reports about her alleged conduct on Monday. The Republican president was asked by reporters if he was considering firing Guilfoyle and said he was “looking at it” and was “not happy.”
October 13, 2026 4:51 am
SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev says drones struck two ships in the Black Sea, sinking one and prompting emergency rescue operations. He said early Tuesday that one crew member from the sunken vessel was rescued. He did not give details on the others aboard. Rescuers have evacuated all 15 crew members from the other ship. Radev calls the attacks “absolutely unacceptable” and is seeking NATO and European Union assistance, saying Bulgaria lacks clear evidence to identify who was responsible.
October 12, 2026 4:52 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Minnesota congresswoman Ilhan Omar says she will “not be silenced” and calls a search of her Washington home part of President Donald Trump’s “intimidation” campaign. House Democratic leaders are condemning the search of Omar’s home as an “abuse of power” by the Republican administration. Federal agents searched the Democratic congresswoman’s home as part of a criminal investigation. The search in the final weeks of Omar’s reelection bid was conducted Monday by Homeland Security Investigations agents. Details about the investigation are unclear. Republicans have in the past accused Omar of committing immigration fraud, an allegation she denies.
October 13, 2026 4:53 am
ATLANTA (AP) — Witnesses watched in horror as a man riding a roller coaster at Six Flags over Georgia was ejected from his seat and fell to his death. The nightmarish death prompted Six Flags to temporarily close nine similar coasters across North America. The man was killed Monday while riding Goliath, the park’s tallest roller coaster with a first hill of 200 feet. Authorities are investigating, but questions remain Tuesday about how the man fell out and whether there were problems with his restraints. Police identified him as 42-year-old Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, a school employee from Atlanta.
October 13, 2026 4:54 am
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Emergency help for Christa Pike was delayed by confusion among first responders and Tennessee prison officials following her failed execution last month. That’s according to 911 dispatch recordings reviewed by The Associated Press. The recordings show precious minutes elapsed as officials and responders tried to figure out whether a request for emergency help in the execution chamber was legitimate. The first call came in at 8:40 p.m. on Sept. 30. It was about a half an hour before prison officials affirmed it was legitimate. Pike had been hospitalized after surviving the state’s attempt to execute her for the 1995 beating and stabbing death of a classmate. She has since been discharged and is back at the women’s prison.
October 12, 2026 5:53 pm
NEW YORK (AP) — Trillionaire Elon Musk has quietly become the biggest known spender in this year’s midterm elections, doling out more than $276 million since July to try to save Republican majorities in the House and Senate. The numbers were first reporter by the New York Times ahead of this week’s federal filing deadline and confirmed by Andrew Romeo, a spokesperson for Musk’s super PAC. It includes $158 million given to the Senate Leadership Fund, the main super PAC supporting the party’s Senate candidates — one of the largest known political donations in American history — and over $76 million to America PAC, a Musk super PAC. (Photo: AP)
October 12, 2026 4:44 pm
State Police say they are investigating an officer-involved shooting on Friday that left a deaf Washington man dead. Police issued a statement via email on Monday, saying that they are looking into the death of 26-year-old Darion Thompson, who was shot once by police inside his home at 18 Oak Street in Washington. Police say they were there to serve a search warrant as part of an investigation into Thompson’s alleged possession of child pornography. Troopers say they were let into the home around six-thirty a.m. by the woman who answered the door. While inside, troopers say they found Thompson in an upstairs bedroom where he refused verbal commands to drop the firearm he was brandishing, so an officer discharged one round – striking him. Thompson was flown to UPMC Mercy Hospital in Pittsburgh, where he later died. Washington Mayor Jo Jo Burgess says Thompson was his cousin. According to Burgess, the man was deaf and that police had been to the home before. Burgess is questioning why this encounter ended in gunfire. It is unclear if troopers knew Thompson was deaf. The mayor wants body camera video released. He says we need to know where the lack of communication and the breakdown was. Police say they will turn the results of their investigation over to the Washington County District Attorney
October 12, 2026 8:54 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal agents have searched Democratic U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar’s home as part of a criminal investigation. That’s according to people familiar with the matter. The people say the search was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations agents. The people were not authorized to publicly discuss an ongoing investigation and spoke on the condition of anonymity. Details about the investigation are unclear. The Justice Department said in a statement Monday that HSI agents executed a judicially authorized search warrant secured by the department in the Washington, D.C., area but provided no other details. An email seeking comment has been sent to a representative for Omar.
