July 9, 2026 2:46 am
PennDOT announced on Wednesday that landslide repairs are scheduled to begin on Locust Avenue between Hudack Hill and the Interstate 79 Interchange in South Strabane Township, on Monday, July 13th. On March 27th, the roadway was closed to traffic due to a landslide. There was no word on how long the repairs will take, but officials say the existing detour utilizing Country Club Road and Locust Avenue will remain in place until mid-October.
July 9, 2026 3:42 pm
The beach at Raccoon State Park in Beaver County is closed for swimming due to an elevated coliform count. Swimming is prohibited in Racoon Lake until further notice. The park said re-test results are expected on Monday. If those results show acceptable levels, the beach will reopen. The beach remains open for picnicking and other land-based activities. For more information, you can call the park office at 724-899-2200 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.
July 8, 2026 4:57 am
The U.S. Postal Service is once again raising postage rates. The price of a Forever stamp will go up from 78 cents to 82 cents, or an increase of 4 cents, on July 12, USA Today reported. The USPS announced its intent to raise raites in April, with the Postal Regulatory Commission approving the increase in May. The USPS said the increase was needed to offset rising costs and other challenges. “In the midst of the severe financial crisis facing the Postal Service and continued rising operational costs, the Postal Service is using all available tools, including available regulatory pricing authority, to ensure we can continue to fulfill our universal service obligation and serve the American public,” the agency said. The Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act of 2006, passed by Congress, also required the post office to prepay retirees’ health care benefits, according to reports. The Postal Regulatory Commission found that the post office incurred a $2.7 billion net loss for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2025, and that it has operated at a loss for the past decade, according to the report. The last time the USPS increased the price of a Forever stamp was in July 2025, when it went from 73 cents to its current rate. Forever stamps were introduced in 2007 and cost 41 cents each. They were good as their name indicates, forever, no matter what a person paid for them at the time of purchase The stamps are not the only rates that are changing this weekend. Here is the breakdown:
- Domestic postcards – 65 cents, up from 61 cents
- Letters (metered 1 ounce) – 78 cents, up from 74 cents
- Letters (1 ounce) – 82 cents, up from 78 cents
- International postcards – $1.75, up from $1.70
- International letter (1 ounce) – $1.75, up from $1.70
July 9, 2026 5:02 am
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The United States launched new airstrikes against Iran early Thursday, and Tehran responded by targeting Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar in crossfire that again threatened an interim deal intended to help end the war. The strikes came hours after U.S. President Donald Trump said recent Iranian attacks on ships signaled the end of the ceasefire. Thursday’s attacks appeared bigger all around than Wednesday’s strikes, though there has been no word on damage in the three Gulf Arab countries. Iran said the two days of strikes had killed at least 14 people, the majority members of Iran’s armed forces, and wounded 78 others.
July 9, 2026 5:05 am
NEW YORK (AP) — The potential unraveling of a fragile truce between Iran and the United States has renewed anxiety over fuel prices. It’s raising concern that gasoline prices could go up again if sustained fighting keeps oil tankers from traveling through the Persian Gulf. Oil prices rose to their highest point in weeks after President Donald Trump declared the U.S. ceasefire with Iran over on Wednesday. Trump spoke after Iranian attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz and on American military sites in other Gulf nations. Costlier crude oil could lead to costlier gas station fill-ups. That could happen as drivers in many countries were getting a break from elevated prices brought on by the war.
July 9, 2026 5:05 am
SCARBOROUGH, Maine (AP) — The Maine Democratic Party has voted to hold a convention now that Graham Platner has announced he’ll drop out of the U.S. Senate race. Platner, accused of sexual assault by a former girlfriend, denies the allegation but faced pressure to quit. The party plans to select a replacement, with potential contenders already showing interest. Platner had until July 13 for a new candidate to be considered. Ahead of his announcement, his campaign denied trying to influence the selection process. Meanwhile, voters expressed disappointment and called for Platner to withdraw.
July 9, 2026 5:07 am
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Former Wisconsin Judge Hannah Dugan has been spared from prison for ushering a Mexican defendant out of her courtroom as Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents waited in the hallway. A federal judge fined her $5,000 and cited her otherwise law-abiding life in issuing the sentence. Hannah Dugan resigned as a Milwaukee County judge after her obstruction conviction and had to move amid threats against her family. Her lawyers argued that President Donald Trump’s administration sought to crush her to ensure judicial compliance with courthouse arrests. She faced up to five years in prison Wednesday, but the judge cited her lifetime of public service.
July 9, 2026 5:46 am
LONDON (AP) — Bonnie Tyler, the gravelly voiced Welsh pop star known for “Total Eclipse of the Heart,” has died at 75. She was hospitalized in Portugal in May 2026 for emergency surgery and placed in an induced coma. Tyler earned three Grammy nominations and represented Britain at Eurovision in 2013. Her iconic song, boosted by real eclipses, has over 1 billion streams. Born Gaynor Hopkins, she grew up in Wales and was inspired by artists like Janis Joplin. Her career took off with hits like “It’s a Heartache.” Tyler was married to Robert Sullivan, a former Olympic judo competitor.
July 8, 2026 2:59 am
LOS ANGELES (AP) — “The Pitt” led all nominees with 25 in a dominant sophomore season, while “Hacks” led all comedies with a record-breaking 24 for its final season as the Emmy nominations were announced. HBO Max’s emergency room series “The Pitt” owned this year’s acting categories. Previous winners Noah Wyle and Katherine LaNasa were nominated again. Taylor Dearden, Fiona Dourif and Sepideh Moafi also got nominations, with “The Pitt” taking four of the seven supporting actress spots. “Hacks” star Jean Smart was nominated again, having won best actress in a comedy for all four previous seasons. Her sidekick, Hannah Einbinder, got a fifth nomination.
July 8, 2026 12:44 pm
Harrisburg, PA – Ahead of the 25-day closure of the Interstate 376 Commercial Street Bridge, PennDOT is encouraging drivers to plan their trip using the enhanced real-time travel information available on a specialized webpage at https://www.511pa.com/map/page/CommercialStBridge. These enhancements support Governor Josh Shapiro’s commitment to providing accessible, real-time digital services to every Pennsylvanian. Hosted through the department’s www.511PA.com traveler information website, the page is dedicated to monitoring traffic conditions on primary travel routes to events and around the greater Pittsburgh area. The new webpage includes links to traffic maps with travel time for primary routes around the City of Pittsburgh, as well as other helpful links and travel tips for navigating the closure. Users can see real-time incidents, construction, traffic cameras, traffic speeds, and message board displays on the maps. Travelers using the “My Routes” option will also have access to a list of special points of interest when choosing their starting point or destination, making it easier than ever to find the best route around the closure. There will also be real-time travel information posted on changeable message signs and PennDOT will be utilizing cameras throughout the closure to enhance monitoring of current traffic conditions, as well as message boards to help direct travelers.
