September 14, 2026 2:49 am
Washington Mayor JoJo Burgess tells WJPA News that the city has reached out to government representatives, Republican State Senator Camera Bartolotta and U.S. Senator Guy Reschenthaler for funding help following flooding that occurred from heavy rains over the weekend. Burgess says the city has spoken with Bartolotta and is waiting on a response from Reschenthaler on whether they’ll be able to receive federal financial assistance. In the meantime, Burgess is encouraging anyone with damages to keep receipts to document and issues. In the city, emergency responders were out most of the afternoon, answering calls regarding flooded roadways and basements, downed trees and vehicles stuck in rising flood waters. Burgess says the usual areas flooded again, including Park Avenue and W&J College field. Both were under water and the W&J Football came was called around half-time because the field was flooded. In South Strabane, the fire department says a “significant event” at their Oak Spring Road location occurred – the main stormwater pipe under their parking lot had collapsed and within minutes, the lot filled with water. The department says no one was hurt, but the parking lot collapsed, and the station flooded. About 80 people were inside the fire hall for an annual community event when the storms arrived, and the pavement gave way. Brown said none of the equipment was damaged. Township leaders are asking homeowners and business owners to self-report storm damage as crews conduct assessments this week and determine the next steps for repairs. Brown said firefighters will continue operating from the Oak Spring Road station as long as the building remains safe.
September 14, 2026 2:54 am
Gas prices are 23 cents higher in Western Pennsylvania this week at $4.537 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report. The national average for a gallon of regular gasoline has gone up 16 cents over the past week to $4.31 as crude oil prices continue climbing. Volatility in the Strait of Hormuz has pushed crude oil back in the $100 per barrel range for the first time since July. Pump prices are currently comparable to early June. The national average is increasing during a season when gas prices typically go down due to lower gasoline demand. According to new data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), gasoline demand decreased last week from 8.92 million barrels per day to 8.55 million. Total domestic gasoline supply increased from 205.7 million to 206.9 million barrels. Gasoline production decreased last week from 9.8 million barrels per day to 9.3 million barrels.
September 15, 2026 4:52 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve is widely expected to lift its short-term interest rate Wednesday for the first time in three years to fight stubbornly high inflation, a move that would put the central bank at odds with President Donald Trump’s demands. An increase in the Fed’s rate, currently about 3.6%, isn’t guaranteed but most analysts and economists expect a hike after a speech two weeks ago in which Fed Chair Kevin Warsh argued that the central bank had not yet achieved its goal of putting inflation in check.
September 15, 2026 4:53 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — The technology industry is urgently warning about the potential harm of artificial intelligence, but political inaction in Washington poses a challenge. President Donald Trump leads opposition to calls for greater oversight, dismissing them as a “conspiracy” on Monday. Democrats are pushing for a stronger response, with private discussions and briefings planned this week. The divide highlights a disconnect between tech warnings and government action. Some bipartisan efforts exist, but progress is slow. With elections approaching, swift legislative action seems unlikely. The debate underscores Washington’s struggle to address significant issues amid partisanship and election pressures.
September 15, 2026 4:56 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky has returned to the Senate after a long absence. The 84-year-old senator has not been to the U.S. Capitol since June 14, when he was hospitalized for a fall in his home. His three-month absence from the Senate generated a flood of criticism and online speculation, as the Kentucky senator initially remained quiet for weeks about his condition. The 84-year-old senator eventually disclosed that he had been “briefly unconscious” due to a fall and had also been treated for mild pneumonia in the hospital. In a statement Monday McConnell said his recovery has been a “long and often frustrating process.”
September 15, 2026 4:57 am
VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) — NATO jets have shot down a drone in Lithuanian airspace overnight. The incident came less than a day after NATO leaders pledged that strikes close to the alliance’s territory would drive the trans-Atlantic organization to increase support for Kyiv. Officials said Tuesday that the drone was downed about 60 miles or 100 kilometers west of the country’s capital Vilnius. The incursion follows a speech by NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte on Monday when he said that strikes “close to NATO territory” showed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “desperation and also his desire to sow fear and terror.”
September 15, 2026 4:57 am
LOS ANGELES (AP) — “Widow’s Bay” has stormed the Emmy Awards, breaking a record for a comedy series with 14 awards including best comedy series and three acting wins. The first-season horror comedy was created by Katie Dippold about a New England island community reckoning with a centuries-old curse. It spoiled the going-away party for “Hacks,” which had gotten the most comedy nominations of any show in its fifth and final season. It broke the comedy record set last year by “The Studio” when it won 13. Star Matthew Rhys won best actor, Stephen Root won best supporting actor and Kate O’Flynn won best supporting actress. Dippold won for writing.
September 14, 2026 12:14 pm
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Environmental Protection Agency plans to repeal rules limiting greenhouse gas emissions from coal and natural gas power plants. Administrator Lee Zeldin says this move could save billions for the industry and boost American energy. The rule change, proposed last year, could be announced as soon as Monday. It’s a significant shift from efforts by Presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama to combat climate change. The rule is expected to face legal challenges and could prevent future administrations from regulating emissions. The EPA has not commented on the proposal, which was first reported by the New York Times.
September 13, 2026 5:00 am
Both the City of Washington and South Strabane Township have issued emergency declarations following flooding that resulted from storms that rolled through the region Saturday. The South Strabane Fire Department says that as storms moved in and began flooding homes, flooding roads, trapping vehicles in stormwater, and triggering fire alarms and fires. While responding to multiple incidents across the community, firefighters learned of a “significant event” at their Oak Spring Road location — the main stormwater pipe under their parking lot had collapsed. Within minutes, the lot filled with water. The department says no one was hurt, but the parking lot collapsed, and the station flooded. Interim Fire Chief Jason Brown said roughly 4 inches of standing water accumulated outside its front door. About 80 people were inside the fire hall for an annual community event when the storms arrived, and the pavement gave way. An excavator operator was able to move a nearby shed containing critical equipment away from the collapse. Brown said none of the equipment was damaged. Township leaders are asking homeowners and business owners to self-report storm damage as crews conduct assessments this week and determine the next steps for repairs. Brown said firefighters will continue operating from the Oak Spring Road station as long as the building remains safe. As for the City of Washington, Multiple roads were either closed briefly or shutdown completely. Authorities were out most of the afternoon, answering calls regarding flooded roadways and basements, downed trees and vehicles stuck in rising flood waters. Once again, Park Avenue in the city of Washington and W&J College field were underwater. There were also reports of a retainer wall falling near a home in the nine-hundred block of Donnan Avenue.
September 13, 2026 2:00 am
On Friday, the City of Washington Police Department says they have arrest and taken into custody, Karl Kevin Sullivan II. They say Sullivan was found in Virginia during the late evening hours of September 10th, following a standoff with authorities. Sullivan was wanted in connection with the October 11, 2025, homicide of Jullian Lassic, which occurred in the 100 block of North Main Street in the City of Washington. This arrest is the result of an agency-wide effort involving the dedicated work of the department’s patrol officers and investigators. The City of Washington Police Department also acknowledges the assistance of the Virginia authorities involved in taking Sullivan into custody. Because criminal proceedings remain pending, no additional information will be released at this time.
