October 25, 2019 3:57 am
The 2019 general election is less than two weeks away, but the League of Women Voters of Washington County has their sight set on the 2020 election. The LWV invited Washington County Director of Elections Melanie Ostrander to preview what the new machines will look like and what the process will be for their use. The machines will be delivered in December and voters will be educated on their use early next year. The process is a 3 step process where the voter will use a touch screen, much like they do now. They will print a paper ballot with their selections and then take it to a scanning machine that will register their choices and keep the paper ballot for counting. Ostrander will have workshops beginning next year to help voters acquaint themselves with the new system. In addition to the new machines, Ostrander also pointed out that several districts have had changes in their voting precincts. Voters in Cecil, North Strabane, South Strabane, Donegal and Amwell Townships have had precinct changes and new voting cards have been issued. If you have any questions please contact the Elections Office to verify you precinct and voting location. On a final note, the Elections Office is looking for poll workers. If you are interested, contact the Elections Office.
October 25, 2019 3:52 am
Three Pittsburgh women have been charged with numerous criminal offenses including felony animal cruelty charges. Washington County District Attorney Gene Vittone says the charges stem from a search of 41-43 Hamilton Acres in Hopewell Township that turned up ninety-two German Shorthair Pointer dogs. Vittone says the conditions at the property were deplorable, filthy and inhumane. Vittone says many of the dogs had been fighting each other and had suffered injuries. According to Vittone, the dogs were seized and taken to the Washington County Fairgrounds where veterinary care was provided. He says two of the dogs have since died and three dogs have injuries so serious that they are still requiring care. Vittone says 30-year-old Lucy Ann Binakonsky, 26-year-old Emily David Binakonsky and 64-year-old Charlotte Binakonsky were all arraigned on multiple charges including animal cruelty, neglect of an animal and Cruelty to an animal. They face a preliminary hearing on November 18th.
October 24, 2019 4:22 am
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) – Efforts by the U.S. Census Bureau to collect state driver’s license records as part of President Donald Trump’s order to gather citizenship information have been a bust so far.
As of Wednesday, the vast majority of state motor vehicle agencies had not agreed to share their records with the bureau, according to an Associated Press survey of the 50 states. At least 13 states have refused, 17 haven’t decided how to respond, and 17 haven’t yet received a request. Three states didn’t respond to multiple AP queries. The effort has alarmed civil rights groups that see it as part of a move by the Trump administration to reduce the political power of minorities.
October 24, 2019 4:21 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – The late Maryland Rep. Elijah Cummings will be remembered by congressional leaders and colleagues as he lies in state at the Capitol. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and other congressional leaders will speak at an arrival ceremony Thursday before Cummings lies in state at Statuary Hall. The public will be allowed to pay their respects to Cummings later Thursday. Cummings, a Democrat and chairman of the House Oversight and Reform Committee, died Oct. 17 after complications from long-standing health problems.
A wake and funeral are planned Friday in Baltimore. A sharecropper’s son, Cummings rose to become a civil rights champion, committee chairman and a leader of an impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump. As a tribute to Cummings, no votes are scheduled Thursday in the House.
October 24, 2019 4:19 am
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) – More than two months before the phone call that launched the impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump, Ukraine’s newly elected leader told advisers he was worried about pressure from the U.S. president to investigate Democrat Joe Biden. Volodymyr Zelenskiy gathered a small group together in Kyiv on May 7, where they discussed how to navigate Trump’s insistence for a probe and to avoid becoming entangled in American elections. The meeting was recounted to The Associated Press by three people familiar with the details who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the diplomatic sensitivity of an issue that has roiled U.S.-Ukrainian relations. The meeting came before Zelenskiy was inaugurated but about two weeks after Trump called to offer his congratulations on the night of the Ukrainian leader’s April 21 election.
October 24, 2019 4:16 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) – Pennsylvania state senators have voted unanimously to transfer control of what had been the lieutenant governor’s residence at Fort Indiantown Gap to the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. The Senate voted Wednesday to send the House a bill directing the property be used to support veterans’ programs and National Guard families. The current lieutenant governor, John Fetterman, has chosen to rent an apartment in Harrisburg and opened the Fort Indiantown Gap home’s pool this summer for hundreds of children to swim. Fetterman, a Democrat who presides over the Senate, says he supports the bill and looks forward to signing the legislation. He says the swimming program is expected continue indefinitely. The 2,400-square-foot State House is on the National Guard base property about 25 miles (40 kilometers) northeast of Harrisburg.
October 24, 2019 4:15 am
GEYSERVILLE, Calif. (AP) – The power is off to prevent utility company equipment from sparking wildfires for the fourth time in the Northern California town of Paradise since last November, where 85 people died in the fire that largely destroyed the community. The town’s Ace Hardware store is one of the few businesses open Thursday and motorists used to the outages are politely treating darkened traffic lights like four-way stop intersections. Store manager Brenda Miller says she uses a wood stove for heat and battery-operated lanterns when the power is out. She says she sympathizes with residents of wine country in Sonoma County as they flee a fast-growing wildfire. Miller says: “They’re leaving their homes, they don’t know when they can get back in there, and it’s a mess.”
October 24, 2019 4:10 am
DONORA, Pa. – Multiple crews battled a large fire at a Washington County home. According to emergency dispatchers, the fire started around 9:30 p.m. Wednesday at a home in the 600 block of McCrea Avenue in Donora. Three fire departments were called to the home to help get the fire under control. No injuries have been reported due to the fire at this point, and it is unclear how the fire started.
October 24, 2019 4:05 am
PITTSBURGH – (WPXI)- Police in two counties are searching for a registered sex offender. Carroll Township Police have a warrant out for Russell Marycz, who is wanted for attempted rape of a teen. Police said Marycz, 43 — who goes by his middle name Michael — approached a 15-year-old on the street and grabbed him, saying the boy had to help him with directions. The teen told investigators Marycz said his girlfriend was drugged and in danger, and that he had to help Marycz find her or he’d be hurt. Marycz allegedly dragged him to a local winery, forced him into the vineyards and told him, “If you run, I’ll hurt you.” According to the criminal complaint, Marycz offered the teen $500 and then $1,000 for sex acts. After a brief struggle, the victim told police Marycz tackled him and tried to rape him. The teen was able to elbow and punch Marycz to get away. He could be in Washington County or Pittsburgh, according to investigators. Police said Marycz should be considered dangerous, and he is being investigated by multiple departments.
October 23, 2019 5:35 pm
BOSTON (AP) – A California marketing executive and author has been sentenced to three weeks in prison for paying $50,000 to cheat on her son’s college entrance exam. Jane Buckingham was sentenced in Boston’s federal court Wednesday after pleading guilty to a single count of fraud and conspiracy. She is the 11th parent to be sentenced in a college admissions bribery scheme involving dozens of wealthy parents. The 51-year-old Los Angeles resident admitted to paying $50,000 to have a test proctor take the ACT exam for her son in 2018. She gave her son a practice test at home so he would think he took the real test. Prosecutors had requested six months in prison. Buckingham is CEO of the marketing firm Trendera. She has apologized and says she has “absolutely no excuse.”
