May 18, 2024 3:49 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Trucks carrying badly needed aid for the Gaza Strip have rolled across a newly built U.S. pier and into the besieged enclave for the first time. Friday’s shipment is the first in an operation that American military officials anticipate could scale up to 150 truckloads a day. It comes as Israeli restrictions on border crossings and heavy fighting hindered the delivery of food and other supplies seven months into the Israel-Hamas war. But the U.S. and aid groups warn that the floating pier project is not a substitute for land deliveries that could bring in all the food, water and fuel needed in Gaza. Before the war, more than 500 truckloads entered the territory on an average day.
May 18, 2024 3:46 am
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin says Moscow’s offensive on Ukraine’s Kharkiv aims to create a buffer zone but that there are no plans to capture the city. Meanwhile, Ukraine says it will allow prisoners to join the army’s depleted ranks. Putin has said in China that Moscow has launched attacks in the Kharkiv region, in response to the Ukrainian shelling of Russia’s Belgorod region. Russian authorities say a massive Ukrainian drone attack on Crimea has caused power cutoffs in the city of Sevastopol and set a refinery ablaze in southern Russia. Friday’s drone raids marked Kyiv’s attempt to strike back during Russia’s offensive in northeastern Ukraine.
May 18, 2024 1:43 am
(WPXI) – The National Weather Service has confirmed three tornado touchdowns in our area. One was reported in Harrison City, Westmoreland County, one in Elrama in Washington County and one on Washington Boulevard near the Highland Park Bridge, near Aspinwall. A funnel cloud was reported in South Strabane Township but forecasters say it did not touch ground. As of Friday evening, there were no reports of any serious injuries but damages were reported throughout the area. Several tornado warnings along with flash flood warnings were issued Friday afternoon as well. It has been a very active weather month for Pittsburgh. Pennsylvania has seen six tornadoes so far this year. In NWS Pittsburgh’s coverage area, which includes parts of Ohio and West Virginia, there have been nine in May.
May 18, 2024 3:34 am
ELRAMA, Pa. — (WPXI)-Residents in Elrama, Washington County are picking up the pieces after the National Weather Service confirmed a tornado blew through their community Friday afternoon. “It was loud, it was fast, and it was gone,” said homeowner Deb Evans. She saw the tornado in the Circle Avenue area around 3 p.m. Friday. “It was very dark and it was circular. You could see the trees circling a little bit,” said Deb Evans. “I was looking for my puppy because he’s small. I thought I was in Kansas, like where’s my dog, I’ve got to find my puppy,” said Deb’s mother-in-law, Dee Evans. Dee was sitting out back when the swirling winds picked up her three patio umbrellas, snapping one in half, collapsing another, and blowing the third away. “I was sitting on my patio and then all of a sudden my umbrellas started lifting and I actually held on to one and it started to pick me up so I let go. My husband saw it fly past the window,” Dee said. Right next door to Dee’s house, an above-ground pool crumpled. Just down the street, massive tree limbs plummeted to the ground, taking power lines down with them. “It got very dark, wind started to pick up, rain sideways, wind blowing, debris flying past the windows, then all of a sudden, the tree fell down, sparks, just littered the whole neighborhood and then it was gone,” Deb Evans said. Lori Shoemaker was not home when the tornado hit, but she found out her porch was damaged and her yard was a mess from a call from her neighbor. “She was like, ‘Your grill is laying in your yard, your chairs are down on the road,’ she said her husband was picking up my chairs, there were garbage cans all over my yard,” Shoemaker said. Residents are a little shaken, but grateful the outcome wasn’t much worse. “Thankfully everyone’s fine. It just took out the trees and the wires and everything but all the people and houses are okay. A few shingles here and there,” Dee Evans said. The National Weather Service still needs to complete an official survey to determine the strength of the tornado.
May 19, 2024 3:38 am
PETERS TOWNSHIP, Pa. — (WPXI)-Peters Township police took Naresh Garapati into custody outside of a Peters Township home where he had already been twice this week, allegedly stealing from an elderly man. The police chief is praising his officers for catching the alleged scam artist – the type of criminal who is hard to catch and typically leaves the state after a cash transaction occurs. The victim withdrew nearly $25,000 from his PNC account and handed it to the suspect in person outside of his house. Garapati allegedly told the victim he was putting the money in a safe bank account until a computer breach was resolved. “These folks are very difficult to catch, very good at what they do. They are professionals at scamming people out of money. We were actually surprised they came back the third time,” Police Chief Joseph Glover said. The suspect wanted a third money delivery and that’s how he got caught. Undercover officers were waiting all around the street, and as the victim handed over an envelope, an officer came from behind the front door and arrested Garapati. Garapati is being held without bond in the Washington County Jail.
May 17, 2024 4:55 am
The Trinity Area School District approved a preliminary budget on Thursday. The spending plan for the 2024-2025 school year is a balanced $75,138,319. Taylor Hott, Director of Fiscal Services for Trinity Area School District says that there will be a 1 mill increase in taxes this year. The millage rate will increase to 16.21 mills from the current 15.21 mills. That means that homeowners will pay an additional $100 per year per $100,000 dollars of assessed value on their homes. Hott did say that this number could change between now and next month when the budget is formally adopted. He called this a bare bones budget, but analysis is still being performed from daily outlays to staffing to find savings. He states that there are no intentions to cut items of need and there are no extravagant equipment purchases in the budget. The formal budget will be approved in June.
May 17, 2024 2:08 am
It was a business as usual agenda that was on tap for Washington County Commissioners on Thursday until the meeting reached the public comment slot. Several residents further criticized Commissioners Nick Sherman and Electra Janis for their decision to prevent ballot curing for the April primary election. One county resident chimed in with those complaints and addressed other concerns. A.C. Rowland asked county commissioners if there was any follow up to claims made by County Controller April Sloane about spending being over budget. Rowland then turned on Sloane and criticized her for her ongoing animal cruelty case now working its way through the court system. Sloane stood up during the comment to vehemently defend herself letting Rowland know that she was not meeting with the District Attorney about her case but in fact meeting about items concerning her position. The confrontation quickly turned into a screaming match and Commissioner Nick Sherman tried to gavel the meeting back to order to no avail. He quickly ordered sheriff’s deputies to escort both Rowland and Sloane from the meeting. Commissioner Larry Maggi commended Sherman for his quick action in bringing the meeting back to order. Sherman concluded the meeting by saying that he appreciates all public comment, even comments critical of him, but he will not let meetings “turn into a circus.”
May 17, 2024 4:57 am
CARROLL TOWNSHIP, Pa. — (WPXI) – A motorcyclist was hurt in a crash in Washington County on Thursday night. The crash happened around 9:30 p.m. on Dry Run Road, near Ridge Road in Carroll Township, a 911 supervisor confirms. No other vehicles were involved in the crash.
May 17, 2024 4:59 am
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — A coal miner has died while working at a southern West Virginia mine. Gov. Jim Justice says Virgil Paynter was operating an excavator Thursday at the CM Energy Operations LP surface mine in Wyoming County. A statement from the governor’s office says Paynter was “fatally injured” but did not include details. The death is being investigated by the state Office of Miners’ Health Safety and Training and the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration. It was the first reported coal fatality of the year in West Virginia and the second nationally. There were nine coal-related deaths in the country last year.
May 17, 2024 5:13 am
HOUSTON (AP) — Severe thunderstorms have hit southeastern Texas for the second time this month, and Houston’s mayor says at least four people are dead. There have also been windows blown out of high-rise buildings, downed trees and power outages for more than 900,000 customers. Flights were briefly grounded at Houston’s two major airports Thursday. The storm system moved through swiftly, but flood watches and warnings remained for Houston and areas to the east. Heavy storms slammed the region during the first week of May, leading to numerous high-water rescues, including some from the rooftops of flooded homes.
