May 2, 2025 4:57 am
In a move to improve safety and accountability, council approved the purchase of a security camera for the police station lobby. The camera, which will cost approximately $467, comes in response to recent incidents involving inappropriate behavior by members of the public. Mayor JoJo Burgess addressed the issue during the meeting, referencing two recent incidents — one at the city treasurer’s office and another at the police station — where city workers were subjected to disrespectful treatment by residents. “No one should have to fear going to work,” Burgess said. “These employees are providing valuable services to our residents. If anyone has complaints, they should bring them to Council — not take them out on the staff. This is what we get paid for. This type of behavior will not be tolerated.” Burgess also states that there were no cameras in the lobby prior. In other matters, council approved a cooperation agreement for the City of Washington Roadway Project. The upcoming road work will take place behind Washington Hospital and will be funded through state grants. A timeline for the project has not yet been finalized. Officers Tristan Cooley and Bryce Schell were officially sworn in to the Washington City Police Department, filling vacancies left by recent retirements. Their appointments bring the department back to a full police force to provide continued service and coverage for the city. Also during the meeting, council appointed Rodney Jones to the Washington Parking Authority Board for a three-year term effective immediately. Jones replaces Paul Harton, who recently passed away.
May 2, 2025 2:57 am
West Penn Power crews are busy working to restore power to thousands of customers throughout Washington County. As of late Friday, West Penn was reporting more than 45-hundred customers without service. Most of these outages remain in the hardest hit areas of Washington County, including Smith Township; Cecil; Cross Creek; Independence and Mt. Pleasant Townships. West Penn Power Spokesman Todd Meyers says restoration is definitely a multi-day event and they’ve called in extra help. He says around two-thousand utility workers have been called in from other states to help in getting the power back on. Meyers is urging people to stay away from any downed power lines and if any are found, call 911. West Penn says they are hoping to have everyone back online by late Sunday.
May 2, 2025 2:48 am
May first is known as May Day in the United States and is designed to mark International Workers Day focused on immigrant workers. And because of current Trump Administration policies, marches and rallies are being held around the country. Here in Washington the Liberal and Progressive Women of Washington County held a May Day Rally in front of the Washington County Courthouse. The small group says that through peaceful protest, their aim is to hold the country’s leaders accountable and restore constitutional integrity. Andrea Szwarc of Washington says she’s had enough and needed to do something. Members of the group also said they were unhappy with the areas current Republican representatives in Washington D.C. as well.
May 2, 2025 2:25 am
Washington County Commissioners dealt a heavy blow to the Washington County Tourism Promotion Agency (WCTPA) at their meeting Thursday morning. The board voted two to one to withhold future hotel tax disbursements until the agency provides documentation necessary to satisfy concerns regarding financial transparency and accountability. Democrat Larry Maggi cast the no vote but tells WJPA News that they will have to vote again on the measure since it was not included in the online version of the agenda. State law requires that it be placed on the county’s website 24-hours prior to the voting meeting to allow the public to review it. County solicitor Gary Sweat says commissioners will vote on it again when they meet May 15. Commissioners say they issued a letter to WCTPA Executive Director Jeff Kotula, requesting organizational and financial documents that would show that the hotel tax dollars – which are the public funds collected by the county – are being managed and utilized in a transparent and responsible manner. Kotula, however, is denying that his agency has refused to release the records. He says they have provided commissioners with the requested information and have also met with them and reached out to them, inviting the board to visit their offices and review documents. Kotula says he was completely blindsided by this decision and called it very poor timing because the start of the summer tourist season begins this weekend. Kotula says they do have some money in reserve but that has been earmarked for events and activities for the NFL Draft in Pittsburgh next year. Maggi told WJPA that he believes his colleagues want to take over the agency and have the county decide where the tourism funds are spent. Sherman, however, has denied that, saying he simply wants more information from the agency.
May 1, 2025 12:49 pm
(AP) – North America’s three biggest measles outbreaks have grown to a total of more than 2,500 known cases. Three people have died in the U.S. and one in Mexico. Mexican and U.S. officials say the strains of measles spreading in Canada match the other large outbreaks. One official says the “virus was imported, traveling country to country.” Cities on the borders, like El Paso, Texas, and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, are informally working together to stop the spread. A recent World Health Organization report said measles activity in the Americas region is 11 times as much as the same time-frame last year and that the risk level is “high” compared to the rest of the world’s “moderate” level.
May 1, 2025 12:46 pm
)WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says he is nominating national security adviser Mike Waltz as United Nations ambassador while Secretary of State Marco Rubio would take over Waltz’s duties on an interim role. He announced the major shake-up of his national security team shortly after news broke that Waltz and his deputy are leaving the administration. Waltz has been under scrutiny for weeks after reporting from The Atlantic that he had mistakenly added the magazine’s editor-in-chief to a Signal chat being used to discuss military plans. There is precedent for the secretary of state to serve simultaneously as national security adviser. Henry Kissinger held both positions from 1973 to 1975. (Photo: AP)
May 1, 2025 5:06 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republicans have narrowly voted down a Democratic resolution that would have blocked global tariffs announced by Donald Trump earlier this month, giving the president a modest win Wednesday as lawmakers in both parties have remained skeptical of his trade agenda. Trump announced the far-reaching tariffs on nearly all U.S. trading partners April 2 and then reversed himself a few days later after a market meltdown, suspending the import taxes for 90 days. Amid the uncertainty for both U.S. consumers and businesses, the Commerce Department said Wednesday that the U.S. economy shrank 0.3% from January through March.
May 1, 2025 5:05 am
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Former Vice President Kamala Harris used a high-profile speech in San Francisco to deliver a sharp-edged critique of President Donald Trump, accusing him of “wholesale abandonment” of American ideals. Wednesday night’s speech was Harris’ most extensive public remarks since leaving office in January, after her defeat in the presidential election. She praised Democrats who have been especially prolific in criticizing Trump, name-dropping lawmakers diverse in their ideology and style. But she did not take a stand in one of her party’s central divides on how to best combat Trump. The speech comes when Harris has not ruled out a run for California governor or another White House try. Harris spoke to Emerge America, which recruits Democratic women to run for office.
May 1, 2025 5:03 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. and Ukraine have signed an agreement that will give the U.S. access to Ukraine’s vast critical mineral resources. The deal on reconstruction and investment could enable continued military aid to Kyiv amid concerns that President Donald Trump might scale back support during ongoing peace talks with Russia. It comes after a weekslong press by Trump on Ukraine to compensate Washington for billions of dollars in military and economic assistance to help Ukraine repel the Russian invasion. Trump has grown increasingly frustrated with the leaders of Russia and Ukraine. Treasury Scott Bessent said the “agreement signals clearly to Russia that the Trump administration is committed to a peace process centered on a free, sovereign, and prosperous Ukraine over the long term.”
May 1, 2025 5:00 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — A man who fell from the 21-foot-high Clemente Wall in right field at PNC Park during a game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago Cubs remains in critical condition. Pittsburgh Public Safety, which includes Pittsburgh Police and EMS, posted on X says that the “incident is being treated as accidental in nature.” The man appeared to fall while celebrating as Pittsburgh star Andrew McCutchen delivered a go-ahead two-run single. McCutchen said the team is focusing on the man’s health. The fan was tended to for approximately five minutes by members of both the Pirates and Cubs training staffs as well as PNC personnel. The Southern Alleghany School District identified the man as 2022 graduate Kavan Markwood.
