August 16, 2026 8:04 am
(AP) – Hurricane Lala has skirted Hawaii’s Big Island without making landfall and is expected to weaken after lashing the region with strong winds and drenching rain. The eye of the storm passed the island’s southern tip without making landfall. The National Hurricane Center says the powerful storm is expected to weaken. Lala’s maximum sustained winds increased to 75 mph (120 kph), the hurricane center reported, making it a Category 1 hurricane. The Big Island is Hawaii’s largest and has a population of about 210,000.
August 16, 2026 8:07 am
(AP) – Police in Virginia have arrested a 19-year-old in connection with a shooting Saturday that left five people injured. No one died in the shooting, though one victim sustained critical injuries. Chesterfield County Police announced the arrest of Camron Harris of Henrico, Virginia. They found him hiding in a closet on campus Saturday afternoon. Authorities say he was not a student at the university. Police say they obtained eight felony warrants for his arrest including malicious wounding and use of a firearm in commission of a felony. Only one person injured, a 20-year-old, was a student. The other victims ranged in age from 17 to 23.
August 16, 2026 8:09 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s war against Iran is stretching the limits of the nation’s aircraft carriers and leaving the western Pacific without one of the key American warships. The USS George Washington is departing the Pacific and heading toward the Middle East. It’s expected to relieve the USS Abraham Lincoln after its extended deployment has raised concerns about mental health and supply issues aboard. The lack of a carrier in the Pacific may be short-lived. But it shows how the Trump administration is further retreating from the Asia-Pacific region and focusing on the Western Hemisphere.
August 16, 2026 7:54 am
MONESSEN, Pa. (WPXI) — The Monessen City School District is delaying the start of classes by two weeks after environmental testing confirmed mold inside its middle-high school building. The district’s first day of school is now scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 8, instead of Aug. 25. The delay applies districtwide, including the elementary center. Testing confirmed fungal growth on water-damaged materials in two restrooms, an office area and the concession room. According to a report shared by the superintendent, the concession room had the most significant airborne mold levels. The cafeteria and two nearby common areas had low mold levels at the time of testing. The report recommends removing and replacing the affected materials. Superintendent Dr. Robert Motte said the delay is a precaution intended to give crews time to complete necessary work. “This delay is being implemented as a precautionary measure to complete building maintenance and ensure a safe, fully prepared environment for our students and staff,” Motte wrote. Motte said the district will release more information in the coming days.
August 16, 2026 8:02 am
Parking for patients and visitors is being temporarily shifted at a local hospital. The change is coming as Penn Highlands Mon Valley continues to demolish its parking garage to make room for a new one-level lot. Starting Monday, the parking lot adjacent to the Anthony M. Lombardi Education Conference Center will close to patients and visitors. This closure is expected to last for no longer than three weeks. The circle in front of the conference center will remain open for patient drop-off and pick-up. During the closure, parking will be available in the rear of the hospital. Drivers arriving at the hospital should turn left at the four-way stop at the campus entrance, then continue to the lot behind the hospital. Hospital operations, emergency services and patient care are uninterrupted by the demolition work.
August 16, 2026 3:48 am
The Washington County Agricultural Fair is underway and will continue through Saturday. The fair offers fun for all ages. In addition to animal shows, rides, and games, the fair will have events including a school bus demolition derby, a monster truck show, and senior high band performances. The full fair schedule can be found here. Admission is $15. Tickets can be purchased at the door or online.
August 15, 2026 3:59 am
The Pennsylvania Trolley Museum (PTM) hosted community leaders, partners, members, and volunteers at a ceremony inside their new outdoor pavilion. The Pavilion will allow an expansion of event capabilities. It also offers a great place for picnics and reunions. Executive Director Jeanine DeBor says that the pavilion was “built by the community for the community.” PTM is also excited to continue the tradition of offering trolley rides to the Washington County Agricultural Fair. Guests will be shuttled to the Fairgrounds from 10:00 AM to 11:00 PM. Trolleys will depart every 10-15 minutes. Rides to the fair are $5 per person round trip and children aged two and under are free.
August 15, 2026 4:07 am
Rep. Bud Cook (R-Greene/Washington) announced that several schools in the 50th Legislative District will receive more than a combined $1.5 million. The grants were approved through the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency’s School Safety and Security Committee. The money will be used to make the schools safer and to provide behavioral health support to students and staff.
August 15, 2026 4:41 am
Duquesne University broke ground on a Health Sciences Facility along Forbes Avenue. The $68 million facility will bring multiple academic programs together, and it will be designed for hands-on learning and collaboration. The new facility is a five-story, 82,000-square-foot development.
August 15, 2026 9:36 am
A shooting involving multiple suspects and five people shot at Virginia State University prompted a campus lockdown early Saturday. The shooting happened near the university’s Quad Annexes, and both campus and Chesterfield County police are actively investigating. County police said officers discovered five people wounded from gunshots outside campus dormitories when they arrived. County police say the five were transported to hospitals, and one initially listed as having life-threatening injuries has been upgraded to critical condition. Police say the other injuries were not life-threatening. They say officers responded just before 1:30 a.m. and the lockdown was lifted at about 9 a.m.
