July 17, 2019 7:57 am
A water main break has left some two dozen customers without water Wednesday morning in Canonsburg. Pennsylvania American Water says crews are working to make repairs but it could take six to eight hours to complete. The break involved a four-inch water line along Blaine Avenue. At least one home reportedly did get water in its basement as a result of the break. The break occurred just after 5 a.m. in the 400 block of Blaine.
July 17, 2019 7:52 am
OREM, Utah (AP) – Authorities say a 6-year-old Utah girl has died after her father accidentally hit her with a golf ball. Police say the ball struck the girl in the back of the head on Monday morning, while the father and daughter were golfing at Sleepy Ridge Golf Course in Orem. The ball collided with the base of her neck. Lt. Trent Colledge with the Orem Police Department says she was flown to a hospital in Salt Lake City in critical condition. She died from her injuries later that evening. Colledge said police are investigating but are not planning to pursue charges because it appears to have been a tragic accident. Police have not released the names of the girl or her father.
July 17, 2019 4:19 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – John Paul Stevens, who served on the Supreme Court for nearly 35 years and became its leading liberal, has died. He was 99. Stevens’ influence was felt on issues including abortion rights, protecting consumers and placing limits on the death penalty. He led the high court’s decision to allow terrorism suspects held at Guantanamo Bay to plead for their freedom in U.S. courts. As a federal appeals court judge in Chicago, Stevens was considered a moderate when Republican President Gerald Ford nominated him. On the Supreme Court he became known as an independent thinker and a voice for ordinary people against powerful interests. He retired in June 2010 at age 90, the second oldest justice in the court’s history.
July 17, 2019 4:17 am
CLEVELAND (AP) – Newly public federal data shows how drug companies increased shipments of opioid painkillers across the U.S. as a national addiction crisis accelerated from 2006 to 2012. The data reported Tuesday by The Washington Post shows that companies distributed 8.4 billion hydrocodone and oxycodone pills to commercial pharmacies in 2006 and 12.6 billion in 2012. Over that seven-year period, 76 billion bills were distributed in all and prescription opioids contributed to more than 100,000 deaths in the U.S. The data was released as part of lawsuits by local governments seeking to hold drug companies accountable for the crisis. The Post and HD Media, which owns newspapers in West Virginia, sued for the information. It has not yet been released to the public or other media outlets.
July 17, 2019 4:16 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – Immigrant advocates are suing the Trump administration over its move to end asylum protections for most migrants who cross the southern U.S. border. The American Civil Liberties Union, Southern Poverty Law Center and Center for Constitutional Rights sued Tuesday in federal court in Northern California. The Trump administration proposal would prevent most migrants from seeking protection as refugees if they have passed through another country first. It targets the tens of thousands of Central American families who cross into the U.S. through Mexico. But it would also affect people from Africa, Asia and South America who also seek refuge at the southern border. Immigrant advocates say the plan is illegal because it circumvents the process Congress has established for asylum.
July 17, 2019 4:14 am
NEW YORK (AP) – A lawyer says New York Police Officer Daniel Pantaleo (pan-tuh-LAY’-oh) is “gratified” that the Justice Department carefully reviewed his case rather than what he calls the “lies and inaccuracies” surrounding it. The government announced Tuesday that it had decided not to bring civil rights charges against Pantaleo in connection with Eric Garner’s 2014 death.
Attorney Stuart London says Pantaleo used techniques approved by the New York Police Department while arresting Garner, who died after uttering “I can’t breathe.” London added that a loss of life is “always a tragedy.” Meanwhile, a chant of “No justice, no peace!” erupted as Garner’s family and their supporters gathered outside City Hall. Cousin Michael Garner stressed that the family has the “utmost respect” for law enforcement when it is “applied fairly.” However, he said officers who were “there and did nothing” should be fired.
July 17, 2019 4:13 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – House Democrats have issued a remarkable rebuke against President Donald Trump, passing a resolution condemning what they called Trump’s “racist comments” aimed at four liberal congresswomen of color. Four moderate Republicans joined Democrats in Tuesday night’s 240-187 vote in spite of lobbying by Trump and Republican leaders trying to keep the vote along party lines. GOP leaders insist Trump’s comments were not racist and accused Democrats of political game-playing. Trump himself continued to claim that his exhortations against the congresswomen were not racist and repeated his challenge that they leave the U.S. if they aren’t happy. He originally urged the women to return to their home countries, though three of them are native-born Americans and all are citizens.
July 17, 2019 4:10 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) – Tolls on the Pennsylvania Turnpike will be going up 6% next year for both E-ZPass users and cash customers. Turnpike officials announced Tuesday that the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission had approved the increase slated to start Jan. 5 on all sections and extensions except for three “cashless” toll facilities in western Pennsylvania. Officials said the increase is needed to meet escalating debt service costs and to maintain aging roads. Officials said the most common toll for a passenger vehicle next year will increase from $1.40 to $1.50 for E-ZPass customers and from $2.30 to $2.50 for cash customers. The most common tractor-trailer toll will rise from $3.70 to $4.00 for E-ZPass and from $16.30 to $17.30 for cash. Three western Pennsylvania highways will see increases Oct. 27.
July 17, 2019 4:09 am
WILKINSBURG, Pa. (AP) – Two people have been sentenced to decades in prison after pleading guilty in the slaying of a young mother near Pittsburgh that authorities said was part of a scheme to rob her of her tax refund. Dane Taylor was sentenced to 30 to 60 years and Laya Whitley to 20 to 50 years after both pleaded guilty Tuesday to third-degree murder, robbery, and conspiracy.
Authorities said 27-year-old Keiauna Davis was carrying $3,000 cash when she was killed in February 2018 in Wilkinsburg. Prosecutors alleged that Whitley, a co-worker, conspired with Taylor to rob her. Twenty-three-year-old Whitley also pleaded to evidence-tampering and criminal use of a phone. Twenty-two-year-old Taylor also pleaded to a firearms crime. Whitley apologized, saying “This is not what I intended to happen.” A third defendant awaits trial.
July 17, 2019 4:07 am
FORT HILL, Pa. – (WPXI) – The YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh confirmed to Channel 11 that a 15-year-old boy died after a fall at a wilderness camp in Somerset County. YMCA officials said early Monday afternoon, the teen boy, identified Tuesday as Nathan Kanczes, was attending Teen Wilderness Camp through YMCA Camp Kon-O-Kwee Spencer in Beaver County. Campers from that location were on an outing near YMCA Deer Valley Camp in Fort Hill, which is in Somerset County. It was near the Deer Valley Camp where the teen was critically injured. Kanczes was airlifted to Conemaugh Meyersdale Medical Center where he died. “It was horrifying. I yelled for my husband ‘Oh my God, you have to come see this'”, said Leslie Truver. Truver attended the wilderness camp herself along with her older children, and one of her kids was at the camp when the incident occurred. Officials from the YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh were on site, and staff from both Deer Valley Camp and Camp Kon-O-Kwee Spencer are working with authorities in their investigation. “We are devastated by this tragic loss and our hearts and prayers are with his family during this difficult time,” the YMCA said in a statement.
