August 29, 2023 4:59 am
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Idalia became a hurricane on Tuesday as it intensified on a path toward Florida’s Gulf coast, with the National Hurricane Center warning of an increasing risk of life-threatening storm surge and dangerous hurricane-force winds in Florida in the next two days. Idalia would be the first storm to hit Florida this hurricane season and a big blow to the state, which is still recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Ian almost a year ago. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency in 46 counties, evacuation notices were issued in 21 counties and the state has mobilized 1,100 National Guard members.
August 29, 2023 4:56 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. — Pennsylvania State Police has removed the college credit requirement for people who want to serve as state troopers. Gov. Josh Shapiro announced the decision on Monday. “Policing is [a] noble profession, and this is the finest law enforcement agency in the nation. We need to show those who want to serve that this door of opportunity is open – and we want you on our team,” said Governor Josh Shapiro. “Our State Police Academy trains highly capable public servants who work hard to make our communities safer. Our Administration has worked to emphasize skills and experience in Commonwealth hiring practices, and now the PSP have dropped the college credit requirement for state troopers to empower those who want to serve their community and open even more doors for Pennsylvanians to chart their own course and succeed.” Previously, 60 college credits were required for applicants. Leaders believe waiving this requirement on a trial basis will help attract more candidates. Applicants must be at least 20 years old when applying and must be between ages 21 and 40 when they enter the training academy. Cadets must be Pennsylvania residents and have a valid driver’s license at the time of graduation.
August 29, 2023 4:52 am
WHEELING, W.Va. (AP) – Newspaper publisher G. Ogden Nutting has died. He was 87. The newspaper in Wheeling, West Virginia, where Nutting’s family business was based says he died Friday. The Intelligencer and Wheeling News-Register published Nutting’s obituary and a separate story on his death Monday. Nutting once held a stake in the Pirates before his son, Bob, supplanted Kevin McClatchy as principal owner in 2007. Ogden Nutting helped grow his family’s newspaper business to more than 50 daily publications in 18 states. His grandfather founded The Wheeling Evening News in 1890, and it formed the basis of the newspaper chain. In 1996, Nutting joined with Kevin McClatchy’s partnership group to ensure the Pittsburgh Pirates did not leave Pittsburgh. He later worked with McClatchy to help design and open PNC Park in 2001.
August 29, 2023 4:50 am
Peters Township Council has set dates to begin and finalize the budget process for next year. Township Manager Paul Lauer listed the dates for workshops on the budget for public information. Three workshops will be held on September 18, October 16 and 30. The budget will be available for public view on November 13. A public hearing regarding the 2024 Operating Budget and the 2024-2028 Capital Improvement Plan will be held November 28. Council will adopt the Operating Budget and Capital Improvement Plan on December 18. In other township business, council awarded a $119,000 contract to purchase ballistic shields for all Peters Township Police Officers, including School Resource Officers. In addition, council will spend $169,500 for the purchase of 50 tactical vests to be used by the South Hills Area Council of Government’s Cooperative Emergency Response Team. Both purchases are funded by an award received by the township for its participation in police activities in cooperation with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Task Force.
August 28, 2023 4:06 pm
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — The University of North Carolina has ended the lockdown after an apparent shooting at its flagship campus in Chapel Hill. About three hours after warning students to seek shelter indoors and avoid windows Monday, the school posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, “All clear. All clear. Resume normal activities.” Although school officials and local authorities didn’t provide details about the alleged shooting on campus, Gov. Roy Cooper posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, that he had spoken to the Orange County sheriff and the state’s public safety secretary and “pledged all state resources needed to capture the shooter and protect the UNC campus.” Cooper’s office declined to provide further information.
August 28, 2023 3:51 pm
(ABC) – Not too far southwest of Erie, Pennsylvania, a 3.6-magnitude earthquake took place in Ohio. The earthquake, which happened near the Lake Erie shoreline northeast of Cleveland, happened Sunday night around 10:43 p.m. The United States Geological Survey says it was estimated to be five kilometers deep, give or take two kilometers. Originally, the earthquake was reported as being magnitude 4.0, but it was later downgraded. The USGS says it’s collected nearly 1,200 responses from people in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and even western New York and Canada who claim to have felt the quake, even if to a weak degree.
August 28, 2023 5:56 am
Emergency crews were called out to a house fire early Monday morning in Canton Township. Washington County 9-1-1 tells WJPA News the fire broke our around 12:30 a.m. at a home along Linwood Avenue. We are told one person was taken by ambulance to an area hospital. There is no word on their identity or condition. Fire officials say no one was in the home at the time of the fire. There is no word on the cause of the fire. (Photo: Canton Twp Volunteer Fire & Rescue)
August 28, 2023 5:03 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — A judge has set a March 4, 2024, trial date for Donald Trump in the federal case in Washington charging the former president with trying to overturn the results of the 2020 election. U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan’s Monday decision denies a defense request to push the trial back until April 2026, about a year and a half after the 2024 election. The decision also sets the trial later than the January date proposed by special counsel Jack Smith’s team. The trial would come the day before Super Tuesday. The Republican ex-president was charged in a four-count indictment with scheming to undo the election he lost to Democrat Joe Biden.
August 28, 2023 5:02 am
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Eight U.S. Marines remain in a hospital in the Australian north coast city of Darwin after they were injured in a fiery crash of tiltrotor aircraft that killed three of their colleagues. Officials say all 20 survivors were flown from Melville Island 50 miles south to Darwin within hours of the Marine V-22 Osprey crashing on Sunday morning during a multinational training exercise. All received treatment at Royal Darwin Hospital, and 12 had been discharged by Monday. The first five Marines to arrive at the city’s main hospital were critically injured and one underwent emergency surgery. The conditions of the eight that remain in hospital have not been released. Emergency responders say they were surprised the death toll from the crash was not higher given the impact.
August 28, 2023 5:01 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — A new poll finds rare agreement across partisan lines and in this case President Joe Biden is the unifying figure, though not the way he would prefer to be. A hefty 77% in the AP-NORC poll say he’s too old to be effective in a second term. That sentiment about the 80-year-old Democrat is shared not only by 89% of Republicans but also 69% of Democrats. Far fewer express concerns about age with his leading rival, Donald Trump, even though the 77-year-old Republican isn’t much younger. There are many indications, though, that people have other problems with the former president.
