July 19, 2026 2:53 am
Demolition of the parking garage at Penn Highlands Mon Valley Hospital is set to begin this morning . Officials call it the first step of a modernization project designed to improve safety, accessibility and convenience for patients, visitors and staff. In its place the hospital will build a new, level, paved parking lot featuring safety lighting and easy access to the campus. Hospital operations, patient care and emergency services will remain fully operational throughout the demolition and construction process.
July 20, 2026 5:17 am
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The U.S. military is carrying out its tenth consecutive night of strikes on Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. Central Command says the strikes aim to degrade Iranian military capabilities used to attack commercial shipping. The conflict has escalated as Iran retaliates by attacking American allies Kuwait, Jordan, and Bahrain. Two U.S. soldiers were killed in Jordan on Friday, and another died in Iraq on Saturday. President Trump warns that Iran will pay for American casualties. Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts continue, with Iran’s interior minister visiting Pakistan for talks. The conflict has pushed oil prices higher, impacting global markets.
July 19, 2026 5:16 am
NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. gas prices have jumped to an average of $4 a gallon again as the U.S. and Iran launch more attacks. According to AAA, the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline is now back to $4. The average price a year ago was $3.14 a gallon. The price is a national average, meaning drivers in some states have been paying well over $4 a gallon for a while now. Prices vary between states due to factors ranging from nearby supply to differing tax rates. People around the world are also dealing with high gas prices as a result of the war.
July 20, 2026 6:20 pm
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Sen. Darline Graham announces she’s running for a full term in her late brother Lindsey Graham’s Senate seat. She shared her decision with Fox News Channel’s Sean Hannity in an interview set to air later Monday. Darline Graham was sworn in last week to fulfill the remaining months of her brother’s term, which ends in January. President Donald Trump has endorsed her candidacy. The special Republican primary is scheduled for Aug. 11, with a filing period opening Tuesday. Several other candidates, including Rep. Russell Fry, are also entering the race. Darline Graham says she’s prepared for the challenge and feels at peace with her decision.
July 20, 2026 6:23 pm
NEW YORK (AP) — The FBI says a former U.S. Army soldier started a fire and fired a pellet gun outside a New York building housing an immigration court and other government offices. Officials say suspect Andrew Arrabaca was taken into custody Monday and has been interviewed. No charges have been announced yet against Arrabaca, and it was not immediately clear if he has a lawyer. New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said Arrabaca had a sign affixed to a cart with him that read “ICE off our streets.” The building has become a focal point for demonstrations against the Trump administration’s immigration policies. Three people sustained minor injuries.
July 20, 2026 5:20 am
Defaults on student loans have surged across the United States, reaching record levels as borrowers struggle to keep up with payments. The numbers have spiked since payments started coming due again following a lengthy pause intended to provide relief during the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, around 9.5 million people — 1 in 5 federal student loan borrowers — are in default, meaning they are more than nine months behind on their payments. While credit scores can suffer when borrowers are just a few months behind, entering default brings the possibility of more serious consequences, including garnished wages or Social Security payments. For now, the Trump administration has held off on such involuntary collections.
July 20, 2026 5:08 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal health officials have remained focused on lettuce from Taylor Farms as the source of a multistate outbreak despite inaccurate test results reported over the weekend. Food and Drug Administration officials on Monday briefed reporters on how the government erroneously reported a direct link between a sample of lettuce from Taylor Farms and the parasite that causes severe diarrhea. Officials said the false positive result came from a rapid, molecular test used to screen incoming lettuce from Mexico at the border. While the FDA reported the link Saturday, officials said a subsequent quality check found the result was a false positive.
July 19, 2026 5:18 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President JD Vance and second lady Usha Vance have welcomed their fourth child. Their son Alec Neel Vance is the first child born to a sitting vice president in more than 150 years. The Vances announced the birth Sunday on social media. Alec joins older siblings Ewan, Vivek and Mirabel. The Republican vice president’s growing family is in keeping with his passionate advocacy for Americans to have more children. The vice president, who’s 41, has been accompanied on overseas trips by Usha Vance, 40, and their children, with the kids often pajama-clad as they board Air Force Two for the overnight flights.
July 19, 2026 1:49 am
Weather did not cooperate but a few Washington County citizens gathered on Main Street in front of the Washington County Courthouse to hold a ‘Good Trouble Lives On’ rally. The rally was hosted by the Washington-Greene Central Labor Council. The rally commemorated the memory of Congressman John Lewis and his fight to protect voting rights. Several people offered their reasons for battling the rain. Don Herschell says he has worries about the direction the country is heading. Audrey Holsclaw understands John Lewis’ rally cry and was there to cause her version of Good Trouble. Donna Patrina, chairperson of the Washington Greene Central Labor Council says her group is rallying against the SAVE Act and its restrictions on people’s right to vote. Finally, Byron Timmins Vice Chairman of the Washington County Democratic Committee says that bottom line, voting is most important thing you can do as a citizen, when you vote you make your opinion heard, so get out and vote. Congressman John Lewis was arrested more than 40 times while fighting to dismantle segregation and secure voting rights. ‘Good trouble’ was Lewis’ rallying cry used to urge people to peacefully challenge injustice and stand up for their rights.
July 19, 2026 5:59 am
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The U.S. military says it has carried out new airstrikes against Iran to “swiftly punish” the country’s Revolutionary Guard for an attack in Jordan that killed two American service members, left one more missing and four requiring hospitalization. U.S. Central Command said Sunday’s strikes were designed to further degrade Iran’s ability to restrict the traffic of oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz. The waterway accounted for roughly 20% of global oil supplies before the war. The new strikes came after the U.S. military announced the troop deaths following a drone and missile attack on a base in Jordan on Friday.
