June 13, 2026 5:37 am
NEW YORK (AP) — A beloved movie critic and arts reporter for the “Today” show, Gene Shalit has died. Known for his puffy hair, oversized handlebar mustache and a love for puns, Shalit joined “Today” in 1970 and became arts editor in 1973. He was a middle-of-the-road critic, known for his wit and intelligence. Shalit was instrumental in changing the balance of critical power in America, moving it from print to television. He was regularly mocked on “Saturday Night Live” and made cameos on shows like “Sesame Street.” Shalit was predeceased by his wife and had six children.
June 13, 2026 5:28 am
(WPXI) — The Rolling Hills Aqua Park in Peters Township is scheduled to reopen today, after a malfunction caused a temporary closure. The spray park is only about 10 months old, but a malfunction this week forced a shutdown. Officials said a half-inch hose flew off the filtration line, and water damaged the control box that runs the filtration system. Anyone who had a birthday party scheduled at the park when it was closed will receive a refund, officials said.
June 13, 2026 5:30 am
The Washington County Historical Society has been awarded a $25,000 Keystone Historic Preservation Grant, the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission announced. The money is part of more than $2.2 million in grant awarded to 38 historical organizations, museums and local government in 19 Pennsylvania counties. In Fayette County, the Greater Uniontown Heritage Consortium got $25,000 and the National Road Heritage Corridor covering Washington, Fayette and Somerset counties also received $25,000.
June 13, 2026 2:41 am
A Canonsburg man has been found guilty of shooting and killing another man at a house party last year. According to published reports, Kristopher Moorehouse, 21, sat motionless as the guilty verdict on a lesser charge, along with aggravated assault and five misdemeanor charges was read Thursday. Officials say Moorehouse shot and killed 25-year-old Brady Paul of Canonsburg after a romantic entanglement over Paul’s girlfriend and fistfight. Canonsburg police had testified that Moorehouse admitted to the shooting. The jury of seven men and five women listened to testimony for three days and took about four hours to come to the ruling in President Judge Valarie Costanzo’s court. Moorehouse will be sentenced on September 11. [WPXI picture]
June 13, 2026 2:40 am
NEW YORK (AP) — Shares of SpaceX soared 19% in their Wall Street debut, making the rocket maker’s founder and CEO Elon Musk the first-ever trillionaire. The shares opened at $150 and finished Friday slightly above $161. That price gave the company a market value of around $2.2 trillion. Forbes estimates that Musk, who is also a major shareholder in Tesla, is now worth $1.1 trillion. Musk says SpaceX is going public because it needs money to fund its ambitions of putting satellites and data centers in space and eventually establishing a colony of people on Mars. The $75 billion in proceeds from the IPO tops the previous high of $26 billion for Saudi Aramco’s IPO in 2019.
June 13, 2026 2:37 am
Today, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced it is directing $25 million in investments to build EV chargers in Western Pennsylvania as part of the Community Charging phase of the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program, called NEVI. This is the second region where funding has been made available, after funding for chargers in Southeastern Pennsylvania was announced in February. Governor Josh Shapiro’s administration is directing a total of $100 million in federal funding to build public EV charging stations throughout Pennsylvania. “The most critical element when considering an EV is knowing where you can charge it,” said PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll. The newly announced Western region charging station includes Washington County. Local transportation planning agencies will determine specific areas within the region to prioritize for investment, but all publicly available locations within the region are eligible to apply.
June 13, 2026 2:35 am
Authorities in Texas say a man who opened fire in a shooting that left one dead and 10 injured had shot at police just days earlier during a chase. Texas officials say the suspect began firing shots at officers and bystanders in Midland, Texas, on Friday morning before barricading himself inside an abandoned veterinary clinic. The Texas Department of Public Safety identified him as 45-year-old Victor Mata Villarreal. Police say he was found dead a few hours after the shooting began. Police have not said how he died. No officers were hurt.
June 14, 2026 7:00 am
Just days after Paul Miller’s Law took full effect; the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) conducted a statewide enforcement initiative aimed at deterring the use of handheld mobile devices while driving. From June 8 – 10, Troopers conducted Operation Hands Off, where Troopers cracked down on distracted drivers across the Commonwealth as part of their ongoing effort to reduce crashes, prevent fatalities, and ensure everyone can travel roadways safely. Officials say the three-day initiative resulted in 694 traffic citations and 308 warnings related to Paul Miller’s Law. The The operation builds on Paul Miller’s Law, which Governor Josh Shapiro signed into law back in 2024. Those cited will receive a $50 citation that with court costs, will reach nearly $200 in fines.
June 13, 2026 2:37 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is anticipating a significant weekend for his presidency. The World Cup returns to the U.S. on Friday, a bid Trump helped secure. On Sunday, his 80th birthday, he hosts a UFC fight night at the White House. But he has set expectations even higher by announcing that the U.S. and Iran might reach an agreement to end a three-month-old war. He has said before that a deal was within reach without anything coming to fruition. Trump claims Iran is eager to settle the conflict, though Iranian officials have not confirmed this. The war has affected global oil markets and is expected to be a major topic at the G7 summit in France next week.
June 13, 2026 2:25 am
(AP) – At least three tornadoes have battered communities outside Chicago, leveling homes and ripping down trees and power poles. Storms have also grounded flights and knocked out power for hundreds of thousands across the Midwest and Northeast on Thursday. The large column of air swept through Merrillville, Indiana, a town about 33 miles southeast of Chicago. Meanwhile, the nearby manufacturing and farm city of Streator, Illinois, has set up a family reunification center for displaced residents in its city hall as officials took stock of the major damage. The National Weather Service says tornado warnings were also in place in Chicago and in parts of Indiana and Michigan.
