March 13, 2025 5:22 am
A sweeping storm system moving across the U.S. threatens to bring tornadoes, blizzards and possibly wildfires to different regions of the country. The National Weather Service says an outbreak of severe storms ramping up Friday afternoon could spawn tornadoes, with the greatest risk in Missouri and Illinois as well as portions of Iowa, Kentucky, Tennessee and Arkansas. Heavy snow and high winds in the Great Plains could make travel treacherous in the Dakotas and parts of Minnesota. Forecasters say strong winds and warm, dry weather farther south pose a critical risk of wildfires in northwest Texas, Oklahoma and a portion of southeast Kansas. Severe weather threats are expected to persist into the weekend.
March 14, 2025 3:46 pm
DENVER (AP) — A fire on an American Airlines plane after it diverted mid-flight and landed at Denver International Airport sent fleeing passengers to a wing amid billowing smoke. Airport officials say 12 people were taken to hospitals with minor injuries. The incident Thursday is the latest in a spate of aviation disasters and close calls stoking fears about air travel, though flying remains a very safe mode of transport. The Federal Aviation Administration says Flight 1006 was headed from Colorado Springs to Dallas-Fort Worth but diverted to Denver after the crew reported engine vibrations. The FAA says that while taxiing to the gate, an engine caught fire. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating.
March 13, 2025 2:32 am
The Washington County Chamber of Commerce is merging with a neighbor. The Washington Chamber announced that it will be merging with the Southpointe Chamber of Commerce. The Washington County Chamber will not only acquire the Southpointe Chamber members, it will also take over publication rights to Southpointe Magazine and the Southpointe Chamber’s events. Don Hodor, outgoing president of the Southpointe Chamber says the merger will be the most effective networking organizations in the region, calling it a win-win for all involved especially for Southpointe Chamber’s members. Jeff Kotula, president of the Washington County Chamber of Commerce thanked Hodor for his leadership, utilizing the Southpointe Chamber to fully focus on the development of the Southpointe Business Park.
March 13, 2025 2:51 am
A Washington County Court Jury deliberated for just a few hours Thursday before returning a not guilty verdict in the trial of 81-year-old Anthony Ardeno of Canton Township. Ardeno was facing multiple charges related to the alleged rape of a girl over a period of several years, from the time she was five-years-old until she was eleven. Prosecutors laid out their case during the trial by calling on the victim’s divorced parents who had entrusted the care of the victim and her brother to Ardeno several days a week when the mother had to work at night during her days of custody. Testimony revealed that Ardeno told the girl not to say anything to anyone regarding the assaults. Finally, a school counselor was told of the assaults while they were trying to figure out the victim’s chronic absenteeism at school and failing grades. Victim testimony described the assaults that started as inappropriate touching all the way to full acts of intercourse. Defense attorneys tried to poke holes in the victim’s testimony – pointing to differences in a forensic interview and direct testimony on the stand regarding the timeline of events. Ardeno’s attorney, Lane Turturice told WJPA that the verdict gives him hope for our system of justice and that things went the way for someone whom he thinks is a good man. Ardeno remains in the Washington County jail on unrelated charges.
March 13, 2025 3:15 pm
WASHINGTON (AP) — American retailers say President Donald Trump’s threatened 200% tariff on European wine would harm consumers. Holly Seidewand owns First Fill Spirits in New York state and says a tariff war hurts importers, distributors and retailers but “consumers will bear the brunt.” Ronnie Sanders is CEO of Vine Street Imports in New Jersey and says customers aren’t prepared to pay two or three times more for wine. Trump on Thursday called the EU among “the most hostile and abusive taxing and tariffing authorities.” The Republican complains about the lack of U.S. auto sales in Europe and about lawsuits and fines against U.S. tech companies there. The European Commission says Europe wants to “negotiate to avoid tariffs.”
March 13, 2025 4:49 am
BRUSSELS (AP) — Canada and the European Union swiftly hit back at increased steel and aluminum tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump. Canada matched Trump’s 25% increase on steel and aluminum and raised tariffs – that is, import taxes – on a slew of other U.S. goods. Across the Atlantic, the European Union will raise tariffs on American beef, poultry, bourbon and motorcycles, bourbon, peanut butter and jeans. Combined, the new taxes will cost American companies billions of dollars. Companies will either take the losses and earn fewer profits, or, more likely, pass costs along to consumers in the form of higher prices.
March 13, 2025 4:51 am
LA MALBAIE, Canada (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio may be walking into unusually unfriendly territory this week when he meets his counterparts from the Group of 7 industrialized democracies. The strong American allies have been stunned by President Donald Trump’s actions against them. Just hours after Trump’s steel and aluminum tariffs kicked in against close U.S. partners, Rubio arrived in Canada for two days of talks with the top diplomats of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan. Rubio will likely be hearing a litany of complaints starting Thursday about Trump’s decisions from once-friendly, like-minded countries in the G7, notably host Canada. Still, Rubio can expect cautiously optimistic responses after Ukraine accepted a proposed 30-day ceasefire with Russia.
March 13, 2025 4:46 am
(AP) – Russian President Vladimir Putin said he agrees in principle with a U.S. proposal for a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine. But he emphasized that the terms are yet to be worked out and noted that any truce should pave the way to lasting peace. Putin spoke Thursday at a news conference in Moscow. He said more discussions are needed with the U.S., including President Donald Trump. In Washington, Trump offered guarded optimism about Putin’s statement and reiterated that he stood ready to speak with him. The Russian leader made the remarks just hours after the arrival of Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, in Moscow for talks.
March 13, 2025 4:44 am
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — A launch pad problem has forced a flight delay to replace NASA’s two stuck astronauts. The new crew needs to get to the International Space Station before Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams can head home after nine months in orbit. Concerns over a critical hydraulic system arose less than four hours before the Falcon rocket’s planned evening liftoff from Florida’s Kennedy Space Center. The decision to cancel finally came down with less than an hour remaining in the countdown. Officials say the launch is off until at least Friday.
March 13, 2025 4:41 am
ROME (AP) — Pope Francis marked the 12th anniversary of his papacy Thursday with increasingly positive medical updates four weeks into his hospitalization for double pneumonia. The pope spent another tranquil night, the Vatican said in its brief morning statement. A chest X-ray confirmed improvements, the Vatican said on Wednesday, just two days after days after doctors declared he’s no longer in imminent danger of death. The latest medical bulletin said that the 88-year-old pope’s condition remained stable, but indicated a complex picture considering his overall fragility.
