August 17, 2023 5:10 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has devoted the past several weeks to talking up the positive impacts of his policies — but his efforts have yet to meaningfully register with the public. Only 36% of U.S. adults approve of Biden’s handling of the economy, slightly lower than the 42% who approve of his overall performance. That’s according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Both figures are close to where Biden’s approval numbers have stood for about the past year and a half. Signs of an improving economic outlook have done little to sway how people feel about him as Biden could face his predecessor and 2020 opponent, Republican Donald Trump, in next year’s election.
August 17, 2023 5:09 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Camp David is where U.S. presidents go to relax and escape Washington’s prying eyes. But the rustic military installation in the Maryland mountains is also where presidents conduct some U.S. diplomacy. The most historic event to take place at Camp David was peace talks in 1978 between the leaders of Egypt and Israel, brokered by President Jimmy Carter. This week, President Joe Biden will aim for his own place in Camp David’s history when he hosts the leaders of Japan and South Korea. The Asian allies have been trying to overcome a tense relationship that dates to World War II.
August 17, 2023 5:07 am
ATLANTA (AP) — The prosecutor in Atlanta who obtained an indictment this week against former President Donald Trump and 18 others wants to take the case to trial in March. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis said in a proposed scheduling order filed with the court Wednesday that she wants the trial to start on March 4. She is also proposing that arraignments for the defendants happen the week of Sept. 5. Trump and 18 others were indicted Monday by a Fulton County grand jury. They are accused of committing various crimes as part of a scheme to keep Trump in power after his 2020 election loss to Democrat Joe Biden.
August 17, 2023 4:53 am
PLUM, Pa. — (WPXI) – At least one of the six victims who died in a house explosion in Plum over the weekend survived the initial blast and made a call for help in his final moments. That’s according to our news partners at Channel 11. According to sources Casey Clontz, 38, and his son Keegan, 12, along with Kevin Sebunia, 55, and Michael Thomas, 57, were all inside the basement of the Plum home that exploded. Heather Oravitz, 51, was upstairs. Her husband, Paul, 56, later died at the hospital from his injuries. The Allegheny County Fire Marshal has confirmed that the house that exploded had hot water tank issues. According to sources, the victims were in the basement working on the tank — but it’s unclear what went wrong.
August 17, 2023 4:53 am
PLUM BOROUGH, Pa. — (WPXI) – Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala visited the site of that deadly home explosion in Plum on Wednesday. Zappala told our news partners at Channel-11 that it appears to be a tragic accident, but he said he still has a lot of questions about the magnitude and the intensity of that massive and deadly explosion, and he plans to bring in explosive experts to help the fire marshal with the investigation. Since 2008, there have been three separate explosions, and Peoples Natural Gas said so far they’ve found no connection between any of them. Zappala said investigators are concentrating on the hot water heater in the basement of home where the explosion originated. Two other nearby homes were destroyed by the blast and fire. Another dozen homes were damaged. Zappala says he will continue to monitor the investigation and he plans to meet with Peoples Gas to see what more can be done to put residents in Plum at ease.
August 17, 2023 4:49 am
The City of Washington Police department has announced that retired K9 Golem has died. According to a post on their Facebook page, the animal died due to an unexpected medical event. The German Shepard was 12 years old and served the City for five-years prior to retirement. The department says Golem was “not only an invaluable asset to the City and this department but also provided outstanding service to other communities throughout the region.” (PHOT0: City of Washington Police Department Facebook)
August 17, 2023 4:42 am
Washington County Commissioners began their August meeting by rejecting submissions for engineering services, consulting and bid specs for repairs to the Courthouse Square Building. According to Commissioner Chairwoman Diana Irey-Vaughan, commissioners are revisiting the idea of rehabilitating Courthouse Square, three years after purchasing the Crossroads Center Building. Irey-Vaughn states that the building has been found to be structurally sound despite earlier concerns that contributed to the purchase of the new building. She further indicates that the county needs to have more office space and the Courthouse Square building would go a long way to fulfill that need. Commissioner Larry Maggi was in favor of the rehabilitation three years ago and still is today. He indicated that the county does need space. He is in favor of the project and now needs to see what the costs of rehabilitation will be and where that money will be found. Maggi was reluctant in his support of the purchase of the Crossroads Building saying that he felt that the new building could have come at a better price. The construction firm SiteLogIQ has been hired to serve as the construction manager for the project.
August 16, 2023 5:39 pm
(WPXI) – Six people are now dead after an explosion on Rustic Ridge Drive in Plum Borough that destroyed three homes and damaged at least a dozen more. Heather Oravitz, 51, community development director for the borough, lived in the house that exploded and was killed, the Plum Borough mayor confirms. Her husband, Paul Oravitz, was in the hospital in critical condition but later died from his injuries. Two people who were taken to the hospital in stable condition and have since been released and fifty-seven firefighters were treated at the scene due to “minor issues.” The cause of the explosion is still under investigation.
August 16, 2023 4:57 pm
ATLANTA (AP) — The prosecutor in Atlanta who obtained an indictment this week against former President Donald Trump and 18 others wants to take the case to trial in March. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis said in a proposed scheduling order filed with the court Wednesday that she wants the trial to start on March 4. She is also proposing that arraignments for the defendants happen the week of Sept. 5. Trump and 18 others were indicted Monday by a Fulton County grand jury. They are accused of committing various crimes as part of a scheme to keep Trump in power after his 2020 election loss to Democrat Joe Biden.
August 16, 2023 1:45 pm
(AP) – Former West Virginia men’s basketball coach Bob Huggins has entered a 12-month diversion program to resolve a drunken driving arrest. Huggins had been scheduled for a formal arraignment on Thursday. But court records in Pittsburgh show that the hearing was canceled last month after he was accepted into the program. Under the agreement, his one-year probation period can be done after six months if he meets all conditions, including completion of an alcohol treatment program. Huggins was assessed $2,810 in court costs and fees and his driver’s license was suspended for at least 60 days. Huggins was arrested June 16 and West Virginia announced he had resigned the next day.
