May 21, 2023 7:47 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Before Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman checked himself into a hospital for clinical depression in February, he used to walk the halls of the Senate stone-faced and dressed in formal suits. These days, he’s back to wearing the hoodies and gym shorts he was known for before he became a senator. People close to Fetterman say his more relaxed style is a reflection of the progress he’s made after six weeks of inpatient treatment for clinical depression. He was treated with medication and fitted for hearing aids for hearing loss that had made it harder for him to communicate. His hospitalization came less than a year after he had a stroke during his Senate campaign.
May 20, 2023 3:58 am
VENICE, Italy (AP) — Scottish-Ghanaian architect Lesley Lokko is giving voices that have long been silenced a platform at this year’s Venice Architecture Biennale. It’s the first biennale architectural exhibition ever curated by an African and features a preponderance of work by Africans and the African diaspora. Opening Saturday, the 18th architectural Biennale is titled “The Laboratory of the Future” and explores decolonization and decarbonization. Lokko says these are topics about which Africans have much to say, citing the long exploitation of the continent of both human and environmental resources. Lokko tapped global stars like David Adjaye and Theaster Gates among 89 participants in the main show — more than half of them from Africa or the African diaspora.
May 20, 2023 3:56 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Debt limit talks between the White House and House Republicans have stopped and started and stopped again at the Capitol. The dizzying series of events Friday came amid high-stakes negotiations to avoid a potentially catastrophic default. President Joe Biden remains “optimistic” a deal can be reached, the White House press secretary says while acknowledging there are “serious differences.” Biden and Republicans are racing to strike a deal as the nation careens toward a potentially catastrophic debt default if the nation fails to pay its bills. A top Biden adviser says the White House remains hopeful. Talks are likely to resume over the weekend.
May 20, 2023 3:55 am
HIROSHIMA, Japan (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived Saturday in Japan for diplomatic talks with the leaders of the world’s most powerful democracies as they tighten sanctions meant to punish Moscow over its 15-month invasion of Ukraine. Japan says Zelenskyy’s decision to visit Hiroshima stems from his “strong wish” to participate in talks with the Group of Seven and other countries that will influence his nation’s defense against Russia. Bolstering international support is a key priority for Ukraine as it prepares for what is seen as a major push intended to take back territory seized by Russia in the war that began in February last year.
May 20, 2023 3:54 am
CARROLL, Iowa (AP) — Harrowing video of a driver fleeing from Iowa police with an officer on his hood and roof has emerged as the motorist was sentenced this month to up to five years in prison. Twenty-nine-year-old Dennis James Guider Jr. was sentenced last week after pleading guilty to serious injury by vehicle, a felony. Video shows the officer approaching Guider on March 5, 2021. Guider is from the Chicago area and had an outstanding arrest warrant in an Illinois forgery case. His attorney argued that as a Black man Guider was fearful of a white officer, noting the murder of George Floyd less than a year earlier.
May 20, 2023 3:52 am
ALBANY, Ore. (AP) — Police say the driver of a semitruck that slammed into a passenger van on Interstate 5 in western Oregon has been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter, DUI and other charges. Oregon State Police say 11 people were in the van when it was struck. Six people died at the scene, one more died after being airlifted to a hospital and four were injured. Police say Lincoln Clayton Smith was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of intoxicants, reckless driving, manslaughter and assault. He was arraigned Friday. The state public defender’s office did not immediately say whether an attorney had been assigned to his case yet. Thursday’s crash near Albany is one of Oregon’s deadliest in recent years.
May 20, 2023 3:49 am
JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP, Pa. (WPXI) — Our news partners at WPXI report that two people are behind bars after police say a drug test showed their six-month-old baby tested positive for cocaine. In March, Pennsylvania State Troopers were called to a home on Third Street in Jefferson Township for a child welfare check. When they got to the home, they found there had been a domestic dispute between Howard Bland and Angel Friend. Court documents say Friend had facial injuries, and Bland was arrested for simple assault and other related charges. Police say they responded to the home with Children and Youth Services. From there, investigators say they found a six-month-old baby sleeping. She was also very lethargic. A teenager in the home told police the baby was last fed more than 12 hours before. The baby was taken to Uniontown Hospital for medical attention. That’s when police say Friend became erratic. She was also taken to the hospital. A drug test was done on the baby’s urine, which tested positive for narcotics. On April 5, a search warrant was executed for the WVU Medicine records, which showed the baby had tested positive for cocaine. Both Friend and Bland are being held in the Fayette County Prison. They have a court hearing set for May 31.
May 20, 2023 3:44 am
A 22-year-old man was shot at Washington’s 8th Ward playground in the West End. The man was shot around 8 p.m. Wednesday night, sending children and teenagers running for cover. The victim, identified as Zackary Harmon of Washington, showed up at Washington Hospital a short time later with a gunshot wound. Two men from Ohio were arrested and questioned about the shooting. Tyler Shrieve, 20, and T’Kai Jett, 20, are facing weapons charges. Neighbors called 911 giving a description of a suspect seen running from the scene. A short time later, a man called 911 saying someone fitting that description was getting into a vehicle in the McDonald’s parking lot. That Good Samaritan followed at a safe distance until police caught up and made arrests. Washington Police Chief Dan Rush says more charges are expected. (Photo: WPXI)
May 20, 2023 3:44 am
Washington County Commissioners voted to approve broadband expansion that is expected to provide high-speed internet services to some twenty-two-hundred new customers in the county. The board, at their meeting Thursday, gave their approval to two separate bids totaling over twelve-million-dollars, that will provide broadband services to more than fourteen-hundred under-served and unserved locations in the Bentworth, Beallsville and Deemston areas, plus rural sections of South Strabane and Amwell Townships. The county’s share of the funding will be a little over six-million-dollars and will be paid out of the federal American Rescue Plan stimulus money. Vendors will pay the remaining costs.
May 20, 2023 3:43 am
Washington County 911 tells WJPA News that authorities were called out around one o’clock Friday afternoon to a vehicle into a house at 159 Francis Mine Road near Burgettstown. They say one person was transported from the scene but there’s been no word on what type of injuries the individual suffered or how severe they were. The home reportedly sustained quite a bit of damage.
