August 19, 2023 4:58 am
LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) — The head of the Maui Emergency Management Agency has resigned after facing criticism for not activating disaster sirens during last week’s deadly wildfires that killed at least 111 people. The County of Maui announced Thursday on Facebook that Mayor Richard Bissen accepted the resignation of Herman Andaya, who cited unspecified health reasons for leaving his post. Bissen said that “given the gravity of the crisis we are facing,” a replacement will be named as soon as possible. On Wednesday, Andaya defended the decision not to sound sirens as flames raged. Andaya said officials were afraid the sirens would have prompted people to flee toward the mountains or inland, or into the flames.
August 19, 2023 3:00 am
SOMERSET, Pa. (AP) — A former western Pennsylvania district attorney was sentenced to up to seven years in prison after a jury convicted him of attacking a woman in her home several years ago. Somerset County’s former district attorney Jeffrey Thomas was sentenced on Thursday after a Somerset County jury found him guilty earlier this year of strangulation and criminal trespassing, both felonies, and simple assault, unlawful restraint, indecent assault and false imprisonment. He was acquitted of sexual assault and aggravated indecent assault. His lawyer says Thomas maintains he’s innocent and considers the sentence to be too harsh.
August 19, 2023 3:00 am
The figurehead of an area school district will remain in his position for the foreseeable future. The Trinity School Board approved to reappoint superintendent Dr. Michael Lucas during a board meeting Thursday night by a near unanimous decision. Dr. Lucas has been a part of the Trinity Area School District since 2011, when he was the Assistant Superintendent. He was appointed Superintendent in July of 2014 for the school district. During his time, Trinity has been able to distinguish itself from other schools with their career programs. It allows students to pursue jobs that apply both classroom knowledge and hands-on experience in their field. The school currently offers nine career programs and it’s led to an increase in the school’s attendance. His new contract runs from July 1, 2024 to June 30th 2029.
August 19, 2023 3:00 am
PLUM, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania officials say it’s unlikely that natural gas seeped from an abandoned underground mine and caused a house explosion last weekend that killed six people. The state Department of Environmental Protection said Friday that its inspectors studied the coal seam in the area and found no shafts or bore holes near the house that exploded. The blast destroyed three structures and damaged others. The cause remains under investigation. The development is on abandoned mine land surrounded by shallow oil and gas wells. The state is looking for potential sources of combustible natural gas such as landfills, sewer lines, wells, pipelines and coal mines.
August 18, 2023 4:57 am
SCRANTON, Pa. (AP) — President Joe Biden has privately paid his respects to the mother of Pennsylvania U.S. Sen. Bob Casey. Ellen Casey died last week at age 91. She is a former Pennsylvania first lady and the widow of Gov. Robert P. Casey. Biden arrived before visiting hours Thursday at St. Peter’s Cathedral in his hometown of Scranton. Before and after the flight, Biden reminisced about Ellen Casey. He told reporters she was an honorable and decent woman who had an “enormous role” in his life. He said he’d stop by to see her whenever he was in Scranton.
August 18, 2023 3:00 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate has fallen to a new record low, and is at the same rate as the rest of the nation. Meanwhile, payrolls hit a new record high. The state Department of Labor and Industry said Friday that the state’s July unemployment rate fell three-tenths of a percentage point to 3.5% from June’s rate. The drop was the largest in the nation last month. Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate normally lags the national rate. But Pennsylvania’s workforce is relatively stagnant. The U.S. labor force has grown past pre-pandemic levels, while Pennsylvania’s labor force remains below its pre-pandemic record.
August 17, 2023 5:37 pm
LOS ANGELES (AP) – Britney Spears’ estranged husband, Sam Asghari, is seeking spousal support and attorneys’ fees in their divorce, according to his court filing. Asghari cites “irreconcilable differences” as the reason for the split. He indicates they separated on July 28. The filing says the value of their assets owned individually and jointly has yet to be determined. Asghari, who is 29, and Spears, who is 41, have been married for 14 months. They have no children together.
August 17, 2023 5:35 pm
YELLOWKNIFE, Northwest Territories (AP) — Residents of the capital of Canada’s Northwest Territories are fleeing an approaching wildfire in long convoys of cars, while air evacuations are underway for those who cannot leave by road. High risk residents of Yellowknife, a city of 20,000, have been told to leave as soon as possible, while those in other areas should be out by noon Friday, because strong north winds could push the fire toward the highway needed for evacuation. Canada has seen a record number of wildfires this year with more than 5,700 fires burning more than 53,000 square miles. As of Thursday, 1,053 wildfires were burning, more than half of them out of control.
August 17, 2023 5:23 pm
(WPXI) – The body found in the Allegheny River near Washington’s Landing on Thursday has been identified as a missing Shaler man. Mark Massimiani, 60, was last seen on Aug. 15 after taking a ride-share service to Strange Roots in Millvale. Police believe he was last seen walking in the Millvale Riverfront Park, on the river trail towards Pittsburgh. On Thursday, the Shaler Police Department along with Millvale Police, Pittsburgh River Rescue, Millvale Volunteer Fire Department and Ross West View EMS were called to the Allegheny County River near the 31st Street Bridge where a rowing group located a body floating in the river. The man was pronounced dead by paramedics on the scene. The Allegheny County Medical Examiner responded and was able to identify the man as Massimiani.
August 17, 2023 5:11 am
KIHEI, Hawaii (AP) — Hurricane-fueled flash floods and mudslides. Lava that creeps into neighborhoods. Fierce drought that materializes in a flash. Earthquakes. And now, deadly fires that burn block after historic block. Hawaii is increasingly under siege from disasters, and what is escalating most is wildfire. That’s according to an Associated Press analysis of Federal Emergency Management Agency records. The reality can clash with the vision of Hawaii as a paradise. It is, in fact, one of the riskiest states in the country. There were as many federally declared wildfire disasters this month in Hawaii as in the 50 years between 1953 and 2003.
