July 30, 2026 5:01 am
It’s been a choppy year for restaurants that lean into lettuce. Lettuce prices rose sharply in the first half of 2026 due to hot weather in Arizona, where about one-third of America’s lettuce is grown. Now, some restaurants are dealing with the fallout from a cyclospora outbreak linked to shredded lettuce that has sickened thousands of Americans. Taco Bell will likely see the biggest sales impact from the outbreak. But market research companies say other salad-focused chains are seeing reduced foot traffic as well. Federal health officials first tied the outbreak to shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell restaurants in multiple states, although health officials say there might be additional causes.
July 30, 2026 4:56 am
KUMAMOTO, Japan (AP) — The Kumamoto prefectural government says the powerful earthquake that hit southwestern Japan earlier this week has now killed at least 25 people. The magnitude 7.1 earthquake on Tuesday set off an explosion at a mall, toppled a factory chimney and flattened homes in the Kumamoto area on Japan’s southern main island of Kyushu. Time was running out to find survivors as rescuers continued to work. The total number of those missing was unclear. The quake left at least 86 people injured, five of them seriously, the prefectural government said.
July 29, 2026 3:40 pm
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve left its key interest rate unchanged Wednesday despite persistently high inflation and a spike in energy prices caused by the Iran war. The Fed’s rate-setting committee reached the 9-3 decision after two days of deliberations, marking the fifth straight meeting at which the benchmark rate was kept at around 3.6%. Three Fed officials dissented in favor of a rate increase, and Fed Chair Kevin Warsh described the policy discussion to reporters as a “good family fight.” Inflation has been stuck above the central bank’s 2% target for more than five years and Wall Street still expects a rate hike in September.
July 29, 2026 9:10 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Dr. Anthony Fauci will face a contempt of Congress vote in a Senate committee next week after he invoked the Fifth Amendment in a hearing about his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. In Wednesday’s hearing, Fauci declined to answer dozens of questions from senators. The scientist’s decision to not testify injected drama into the lingering tensions between Fauci and GOP lawmakers over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic and accusations he lied about its origins, which he denies. Fauci was subpoenaed by Sen. Rand Paul, who led the charge to have the now-retired infectious disease expert testify again. The hearing was part of a campaign to arrest Fauci, spearheaded by some congressional Republicans. Fauci says Paul has an “obvious obsession” with calling for his prosecution.
July 29, 2026 5:00 am
South Strabane Township Supervisors have tabled their fossil fuel power generation ordinance. Supervisor Zach Morgan tells WJPA News they want to make some changes to the measure and will consider it again when they meet next month. It is part of the township’s overall data center ordinance which was approved in June. Supervisors also voted unanimously to change their emergency notification service. Cancelling the use of Code Red after seven years. Fire Chief Jordan Cramer says Code Red was costing the township $4,200 annually and they did not use it once last year. They will now use the ‘Regroup Mass Notification’ System.
July 29, 2026 2:39 am
A woman from Ohio wanted on homicide charges is last reported in the Washington County jail awaiting extradition. 38 year old Karenda Hutsenpiller was charged in connection with a police chase Friday here in the City of Washington as well as East Washington Borough. Police stopped her vehicle along North Avenue and she was apprehended by an East Washington police officer after she tried to flee on foot. Police say she is wanted on an active warrant in connection with a homicide in Ohio and was on supervised release after pleading guilty to manslaughter 15-years ago in Warren, Ohio. She has been charged with fleeing police, evading arrest, resisting arrest and other offenses.
July 28, 2026 2:50 am
City of Washington Police have filed charges against a West Virginia man in connection with an alleged fraud scheme involving Stewart Snacks, LLC, an independent distributor of Little Debbie snack products. The investigation began after reports of fraudulent business records and missing product associated with deliveries made throughout Washington County at stores including Shop-N’-Save, Giant Eagle and WalMart. James Powell, of Valley Grove, was employed as a distributor and allegedly created fraudulent delivery invoices indicating that the products had been delivered to several retail stores. Powell allegedly forged signatures on delivery invoices and received commission payments for deliveries that never occurred. Police have charged him with three counts of Forgery, two counts of Theft by Deception, two counts Theft by Unlawful Taking and other charges. Police say they are seeking more than $17-thousand dollars restitution. Powell was taken into custody in West Virginia and is last reported awaiting extradition to Washington County.
July 29, 2026 5:24 am
BAGHDAD (AP) — Iran has launched a barrage of missiles at American forces in the Middle East. The U.S., meanwhile, partnered with Saudi Arabia on Wednesday to strike Iran-backed militias in neighboring Iraq, killing at least 20 fighters. Iraqi militia officials said six Iranian advisers were also killed in the U.S.-Saudi strikes. The flare-up after several days of relative calm raised the risk of a return to all-out war. It also underscored the difficulty of winding down a five-month conflict that has jolted the world economy and is deeply unpopular among Americans. Elsewhere, drone strikes ignited fires on two natural gas vessels at an Egyptian port. It was not immediately clear who was responsible.
July 29, 2026 5:26 am
NEW YORK (AP) — More progressive Americans are swearing off traditional media. They’re turning to independent podcasts, social media and digital news for information. This shift could impact Democratic primaries by promoting progressive candidates. The rise of alternative media has been fueled in part by declining trust in institutions. Ryan Grim, a co-founder of Drop Site News and a veteran of online political debates, said progressive politicians have sought out his platform to reach voters. In Michigan, a Senate primary is testing its influence, with progressive Abdul El-Sayed challenging establishment-backed Haley Stevens. In New York City, a slate of progressive congressional candidates endorsed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani defeated establishment-backed candidates.
July 29, 2026 5:23 am
HONG KONG (AP) — The U.S. Federal Communications Commission has announced a ban on new foreign-made humanoid robots, citing national security concerns. The move mainly targets China, which dominates the global market for humanoid robots with an estimated market share of roughly 85%. The FCC also banned foreign-made power inverters. That reflects concerns over potential risks for American electricity grids and a push to fortify U.S. supply chains. China’s Foreign Ministry protested the move. The FCC’s bans follow a slew of U.S. restrictions on imports of Chinese products, including drones, and on exports of U.S. advanced technology to China. Such measures are likely to test relations with Beijing ahead of a planned U.S. visit by Chinese leader Xi Jinping in September.
