April 3, 2024 4:20 am
(AP) – Thousands of homes and businesses are without power as severe weather roars through several states, causing at least one death and spawning possible tornadoes. A strong weather system in northeastern Oklahoma with heavy rains produced three suspected tornadoes. The storms were blamed for the death of a 46-year-old homeless woman in Tulsa who died inside a drainage pipe. In Ohio, firefighters rescued two people who were trapped under a bridge when the waters of an Ohio river began rising. Meanwhile in Wisconsin, a spring snowstorm was expected to drop more than a foot of snow. (Photo: AP)
April 3, 2024 5:30 am
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwan’s strongest earthquake in a quarter century has damaged buildings and left at least seven people dead. Damage was reported around the island but tsunami threats in Taiwan and Japan were later lifted. Taiwan authorities said seven people died in Hualien County near the epicenter. A five-story building in Hualien appeared heavily damaged and residents were helped out of windows. Scattered minor damage was apparent in Taipei, the capital. Landslides and debris closed highways on the east coast. Schools evacuated students to sports fields, and train service was suspended. Taiwan’s earthquake monitoring agency gave the magnitude as 7.2 while the U.S. put it at 7.4. Japan said a tsunami of about a foot was measured on one island.
April 3, 2024 4:34 am
(AP) – The largest fresh egg producer in the U.S. says it has stopped production at a plant in the Texas Panhandle after bird flu was found in the flock. Officials later saud the same infection was found at a poultry facility in Michigan. Mississippi-based Cal-Maine Foods said Tuesday it destroyed 1.6 million laying hens and 377,000 pullets at the Texas facility on the Texas-New Mexico border. Cal-Maine says there is no known risk with eggs in the market and no eggs have been recalled. In Michigan, the state Department of Agriculture and Rural Development said the infection was found in a commercial poultry facility there.
April 3, 2024 4:36 am
TORONTO (AP) — Comedian Joe Flaherty has died. He was a founding member of the beloved Canadian sketch series “SCTV.″ He was 82. His daughter says Flaherty died Monday following a brief illness. Flaherty, who was born in Pittsburgh, spent seven years at The Second City in Chicago before moving north of the border to help establish the theater’s Toronto outpost. He went on to star alongside John Candy and Catherine O’Hara in ”SCTV,″ about a fictional TV station known as Second City Television that was stacked with buffoons in front of and behind the cameras. (Photo: ABC)
April 3, 2024 4:35 am
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An estimated $1.09 billion Powerball jackpot that ranks as the 9th largest in U.S. lottery history is up for grabs. The Powerball jackpot has been growing for more than three months, reflecting the long odds of 1 in 292.2 million of winning the top prize. Since the last player won the jackpot on Jan. 1, there have been 39 consecutive drawings without anyone matching all six numbers and hitting it rich. The $1.09 billion prize on the line Wednesday night is for a sole winner who chooses to be paid through an annuity, with 30 annual payments. Winners almost always prefer the cash option, which for Wednesday’s drawing would be an estimated $527.3 million.
April 2, 2024 2:55 pm
(AP) – Thousands of homes and businesses were without power as severe weather roared through several states, causing at least one death and spawning possible tornados. And a spring snowstorm was expected to drop more than a foot of snow in Wisconsin. One of the hardest-hit areas was northeastern Oklahoma, where a strong weather system containing heavy rains produced three suspected tornadoes. The storms were also blamed for the death of a 46-year-old homeless woman in Tulsa who died inside a drainage pipe. In Ohio, firefighters came to the rescue of two people who were trapped under a bridge early Tuesday when the waters of an Ohio river began rising, and forecasters warned more severe weather was headed to the area.
April 3, 2024 3:00 am
Rain showers are expected to taper off through the day, but flooding issues continue to be reported in several communities. In Union Township, multiple homes are flooding on Little Mingo Road and water rescue teams have been called out to help evacuate residents. A mudslide closed Elm Street in Washington, from South Main Street to Prospect and a multi-vehicle accident was reported on Interstate 70 between the Claysville and Chestnut Street exits. There was no word on injuries. On Tuesday, a driver was rescued after his van became stuck in flood waters on Barney’s Run Road. Emergency responders used ladders to rescue the driver. Flood waters have caused major problems throughout Washington, Greene, Allegheny and Fayette Counties, forcing the closure of several roadways. In Pittsburgh, the 10th Street Bypass has been closed to traffic, along with the ramps from northbound and southbound I-279 to the 10th Street Bypass. Motorists are advised to use Fort Duquesne Boulevard. The Parkway East “Bathtub” section has also been closed, as has the Mon Wharf. Officials say there will be no parking there until at least Saturday. Throughout the past two days, however, there have been no reports of any serious injuries. (Photo: WPXI) PennDOT has issued a list of the following road closures in Washington County:
-
-
- Route 221 between Conger Road and Cowden Lane/Plumsock Road in Morris Township.
- Route 231 between Enon Church Road and beginning of Route 231 in East Finley Township.
- Route 481 between Van Voorhis Lane in Carroll Township and First Street/Main Street in the City of Monongahela.
- Route 837 between Nelson Street and Valley Street in the City of Monongahela.
- Route 1010 (Georgetown Road) eastbound between Spring Avenue in Cecil Township and Rock Run Road in Peters Township.
- Route 2013 (Little Daniels Run Road) between Sundecker Road and Mong Road in North Bethlehem Township.
- Route 2019 (Almond Road) between Route 917 (Main Street) and Wherry Road in Somerset Township.
- Route 2020 (Ten Mile Road) between Hufford Run Road in Amwell Township and Little Creek Road in West Bethlehem Township.
- Route 2023 (Grange Road/Van Voorhis Hazelkirk Road/Bentleyville Road) between Malmgren Road and Rosena Road in Fallowfield Township
- Route 2020 (Ten Mile Road) between Route 2047 (Little Creek Road) and Route 2049 (Jefferson Avenue)
- Route 4029 (Crosscreek Road) between Strope Road and Cedar Grove Road in Cross Creek Township.
April 3, 2024 4:28 am
(AP) – Officials say the aftermath of last year’s fiery train derailment in eastern Ohio doesn’t qualify as a public health emergency because widespread health problems and ongoing chemical exposures haven’t been documented. The Environmental Protection Agency never approved that designation after the February 2023 Norfolk Southern derailment even though the disaster forced the evacuation of half the town of East Palestine and generated many health fears. EPA’s response coordinator says the agency’s tests simply haven’t shown ongoing chemical exposure and health agencies haven’t documented widespread problems. The topic came up in emails obtained by the Government Accountability Project watchdog group through a public records request.
April 2, 2024 12:18 pm
A Washington man pleaded guilty to a vehicular felony charge and was sentenced. Ricardo Martinez, 28 received a jail sentence of 2-4 years for his role in an accident that occurred on November 7th. According to the criminal complaint, Martinez was driving at a high rate of speed when he crashed his car into the vehicle of Frank Hervol at the corner of Latimer and View Avenues in Strabane. Both Martinez and Hervol were flown to Pittsburgh hospitals with serious injuries. Martinez was convicted on an aggravated assault by vehicle while DUI charge.
April 2, 2024 2:51 pm
(WPXI) – A passenger was stabbed multiple times on a Pittsburgh Regional Transit bus in Hazelwood Tuesday morning. It happened on the 56-Lincoln Place bus around 11:45 a.m. near the intersection of Second and Flowers avenues. The suspect fled on foot but was taken into custody about a half hour later. The victim was taken to a hospital in critical condition. The suspect was also taken to a hospital with a cut on his hands. There were about a dozen other passengers on the bus at the time which was heading to downtown Pittsburgh. No one else was injured.
