July 7, 2026 4:40 am
Canonsburg Borough Council approved the acquisition of a road management program called Vialytics several months ago. According to Council President Eric Chandler, the borough’s engineer suggested the program that he saw used in other municipalities. Council got an update on the program at their agenda meeting. The artificial intelligence based program takes the guesswork and emotion out of road paving projects. A cellphone is mounted to the dashboard of a vehicle and it records road conditions as it drives. The program not only records road conditions, but road signs as well, giving council a comprehensive view of road conditions. The program rates the roads and their conditions and then processes the information on PennDot standards to allow officials to make the best decisions on roadwork. Chandler says that the analysis of roads will be used to make decisions for the 2027 road paving program. In business to be addressed next week, council will vote on a measure that will allow the combination of the mayor and borough manager to temporarily close portions of or all of a parking lot or lots when they deem necessary for the sake of public safety or property protection.
July 6, 2026 2:40 am
Gas prices are nine cents lower in Western Pennsylvania this week at $4.140 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report. As millions of drivers filled up and hit the road for the long Independence Day weekend, gas prices were the lowest they’ve been in several weeks. The national average is down 40 cents from a month ago at $3.79 for a gallon of regular. While that number is higher than last year, it’s a relief from this past spring, when the national average peaked at $4.56 on May 21. Crude oil prices have fallen to their lowest levels in months, dropping to the $65 per barrel range. According to new data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), gasoline demand increased last week from 8.77 million barrels per day to 9.13 million. Total domestic gasoline supply decreased from 216.3 million barrels to 214 million. Gasoline production increased last week, averaging 10 million barrels per day.
July 7, 2026 4:54 am
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A tanker traveling off the coast of Oman in the Strait of Hormuz has caught on fire after being struck by a projectile. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said Tuesday that the tanker had been hit near Limah, Oman, in the strait. It said the projectile hit the port side of the vessel while trying to traveling south out of the strait toward the Gulf of Oman. It said there was no environmental impact from the strike and that authorities were investigating. Iranian state television said the liquefied natural gas tanker came under attack after ignoring warnings but did not directly claim the assault.
July 7, 2026 4:53 am
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The U.S. military launched a series of strikes against Iranian targets early Wednesday after three merchant ships were struck in the waters off Oman. In a statement posted to social media, U.S. Central Command said American forces launched the strikes “to impose heavy costs for targeting and attacking commercial shipping crewed by innocent civilians in an international waterway.”
July 7, 2026 4:57 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is claiming credit for Walmart’s recent price cuts, though the retailer’s statement doesn’t mention his administration’s involvement. Trump faces backlash over inflation, which rose after his tariffs and the Iran war’s impact on energy costs. He blames Democrats for the ongoing issue. In a social media post Monday, Trump says Walmart lowered prices at his request to celebrate the nation’s 250th birthday. However, Walmart’s statement describes the cuts as a seasonal strategy, with no mention of government interaction. Inflation has climbed 4.2% over the past year, higher than the rate Trump inherited.
July 7, 2026 4:50 am
Politico reports that a woman has accused Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner of sexual assault. Platner denied the allegations Monday, but said he’d consider the next steps for his campaign. He states that any accusation of non-consensual behavior is categorically untrue. He says he will be considering next steps for his campaign. Jenny Racicot claims Platner entered her home in 2021 while drunk and assaulted her. She says they had been in an on-and-off relationship but cut off contact after the incident, which she says wasn’t consensual. Monday’s report pushed several supporters away from a candidate who has long been controversial.
July 6, 2026 4:52 am
DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Explosions rocked Damascus shortly after French President Emmanuel Macron entered the presidential palace to meet Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, wounding at least four people. Syrian authorities did not immediately comment on the incident. Two explosions happened near the Four Seasons Hotel, where Syrian media reported that Macron was staying. The French president’s office said he was safe and that his visit to Syria was continuing. Citing an unnamed security official, state media reported that the two blasts in the heart of the capital were caused by explosive devices. No group immediately claimed responsibility. The incident comes days after an explosive device was detonated in a cafe near the Justice Palace, killing at least 10 people.
July 7, 2026 4:47 am
WEST HOMESTEAD, Pa. — Sandcastle Waterpark is implementing a new chaperone policy. General Manager Richard Spicuzza announced the policy on Monday. Guests who are 15-years-old and younger are now required to be with an adult who is 21 or older while at the park. Kennywood Park announced an Identical policy last month following reports of possible unauthorized meetups. Spicuzza also serves as Kennywood’s general manager and said the change at Sandcastle was sparked by positive feedback coming from the historic amusement park’s guests. “I’ve had the opportunity to see firsthand the positive impact this policy has had at Kennywood this summer. We’ve heard from many guests who appreciate the welcoming atmosphere it has helped reinforce, and that feedback gave us confidence to introduce the same policy at Sandcastle,” Spicuzza said. A chaperone is able to look after six guests who are teens 15-years-old or younger. They must be present at the park at all times during the teens’ visit, but are not required to accompany them at all times. The new policy goes into effect on Friday.
July 6, 2026 1:37 pm
PennDOT says the scheduled restrictions and closure of a portion of South Main Street between Park Avenue and East/West Prospect Avenue in the City of Washington is underway. Monday, There will be daily single-lane restrictions in place from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and traffic will be controlled by flaggers. Then, starting Monday, July 13 and running through the end of September the area will close to traffic beginning at 6:00 a.m. Crews will be doing saw cutting and preparation work for the closure of South Main Street. During the closure, crews will demolish the existing concrete box culvert under South Main Street and replace it with a new cast-in-place concrete box culvert. Additional work to be performed includes drainage repairs/replacement, new inlets, and new asphalt roadway pavement. The work includes excavation of the existing concrete box culvert, installing a new pre-cast concrete box culvert, full-depth asphalt road replacement and concrete curb, gutter, and sidewalk replacement. This work is part of the Catfish Creek Bridge Replacement Project.
July 6, 2026 2:11 am
Sunday afternoon storms caused localized flooding in Washington for a second straight day. Three of Saturday’s flooded streets were under water again late afternoon Sunday. The flooding outside Cameron Stadium Sunday was even deeper than it was Saturday, flowing over the sidewalk in front of the W&J Football facility. For the second day in a row, Beau & Wheeling Streets, west of Jefferson Avenue, were impassible. Sunday flooding: Park Avenue Cameron Stadium West Wheeling Street
