March 23, 2026 1:20 pm
(AP) – President Donald Trump has paused military pressure on Iran by extending his deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and delaying strikes on Iranian power plants for another five days. Trump said the US has been negotiating with a “respected” Iranian leader but Iran denies any talks and said Trump is backing down after their warnings and hoping to reassure financial markets with “fake news.” Oil prices did decrease and stocks jumped, but markets remain uneasy. Meanwhile Trump said any deal must involve ending Iran’s nuclear capacity by allowing the U.S. to take its its enriched uranium.
March 23, 2026 4:47 am
The body of a missing Monongahela man has been found. The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office states that the body of Shelby Rhodes, 26, was found in a riverbed off Benola River Road in Forward Township on Friday. Rhodes was reported missing in early February, and searchers spent days combing the river in the Donora area with sonar, drones, divers and a search-and-rescue dog. His cause and manner of death remain under investigation.
March 23, 2026 4:57 am
SOUTH UNION TOWNSHIP, Pa. — State Police continue the search for a teenage girl missing from Fayette County. Emily Grace Salonick, 17, was last seen at the McDonald’s at 1 Work Parkway, South Union Township. She is described as about 5 feet, 6 inches tall, weighing 140 pounds and having hazel eyes and black hair. She’s believed to be wearing a black jacket, black McDonald’s hoodie and jeans. Anyone with information about her location is asked to call PSP Uniontown Barracks at (724) 439-7111.
March 22, 2026 4:51 am
SEWICKLEY TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Four high school students were killed in a fiery crash in Westmoreland County on Saturday. State Police say troopers responded to the crash on Derr Road in Sewickley Township at 3:31 a.m. The vehicle reportedly hit a tree and caught fire. All four were found dead on scene. The Westmoreland County Coroner’s Office identified the victims on Sunday: Brady D. Hunker, 15, of Herminie; Rocco A. Zugai, 18, of West Newton; Felicity M. Martini, 15, of Yukon; and Kylee Nicole Korber, 16, of Smithton. The cause and manner of death are pending autopsy and toxicology results, the coroner’s office says. The investigation is ongoing, and updates are expected to come next week, PSP says. Anyone with information about the crash is asked to call (724) 832-3288. Yough School District Superintendent Anthony DeMaro said those killed in the crash were students at the high school. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the families, friends and all those impacted by this heartbreaking loss,” DeMaro said. “As a school community, we mourn together and extend our deepest condolences.” Demaro said the administration believes it is best to have school in session on Monday so the school can “provide care, connection, and support during this difficult time.” Counselors will be available at the middle and high schools.
March 22, 2026 5:02 am
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — President Donald Trump has extended his deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, saying the U.S. will hold off on power plant strikes for five days. Trump made the announcement on his Truth Social site Monday, just hours ahead of a deadline later in the day. Trump said the U.S. and Iran have had “very good and productive conversations” that could yield “a complete and total resolution” in the war. He did not elaborate on the diplomatic negotiations that had taken place. Iran did not immediately acknowledge any talks between the countries, but Iran’s foreign minister did say he spoke by phone with his Turkish counterpart. Turkey has been an intermediary before in negotiations between Tehran and Washington.
March 23, 2026 5:03 am
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — The head of the International Energy Agency says the global economy faces a “major, major threat” because of the Iran war. Fatih Birol told Australia’s National Press Club in Canberra on Monday that the crisis in the Middle East has had a worse impact on oil than the two oil shocks of the 1970s combined, and a worse effect on gas markets than the Russia-Ukraine war. Israel launched a new wave of attacks early Monday against Tehran. Iran renewed strikes on its Gulf neighbors and threatened to start hitting their power plants.
March 23, 2026 5:04 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court’s conservative majority sounds skeptical of state laws that allow the counting of late-arriving mail ballots, a target of President Donald Trump. The court heard arguments Monday in a case from Mississippi that also could affect voters in 13 other states and the District of Columbia, which have grace periods for ballots cast by mail. An additional 15 states that have more forgiving deadlines for ballots from military and overseas voters also could be impacted. A ruling is expected by late June, early enough to govern the counting of ballots in the 2026 midterm congressional elections. The court challenge is part of Trump’s broader attack on most mail balloting. (Photo: AP)
March 23, 2026 4:45 pm
(AP) – The National Hockey League is morning the death of 37-year-old Minnesota Wild reporter Jessi Pierce and her three children from a weekend house fire. Firefighters in White Bear Lake, Minnesota, responded to 911 calls from neighbors who saw flames coming through the roof. An adult, three children and a dog were found dead inside the home. Pierce covered the Wild for NHL.com and was a prominent pod-caster among several other roles she held in sports media. Pierce’s husband and the father of their children ages 8, 6 and 4 was out of town on a work trip at the time.
March 22, 2026 8:31 am
(AP) – Nonprofits and airport communities across the country are feeding Transportation Security Administration officers who keep working without full pay during the partial government shutdown. On Thursday, Feeding San Diego started handing out food boxes near the airport. Groups are also delivering meals at Washington-area airports and setting up pantries in places like St. Louis. Organizers are working closely with airports and TSA because ethics rules restrict gifts to federal employees. Unions say they can accept donations and pass them to members. TSA workers report missed bills, eviction notices, and trouble buying basics. They say support helps, but that they need their paychecks most.
March 22, 2026 8:21 am
State Police are investigating a fiery crash in Westmoreland County that killed four people on Saturday. Troopers were dispatched to the crash on Derr Road in Sewickley Township at 3:31 a.m. A vehicle reportedly hit a tree and caught fire. PSP says four people were found dead on scene. The investigation is ongoing, and updates are expected to come next week, PSP says. Anyone with information about the crash is asked to call (724) 832-3288.
