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.
May 17, 2024 5:11 am
NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump’s lawyers have sought to portray the star prosecution witness in his hush money trial as a serial fabulist who is bent on seeing the presumptive Republican presidential nominee behind bars. During hours of cross-examination Thursday, defense attorney Todd Blanche pressed former Trump attorney Michael Cohen for hours with questions that focused as much on his misdeeds as on the case’s specific allegations. The defense is trying to sow doubt in jurors’ minds about Cohen’s crucial testimony implicating the former president. Whether the defense is successful in undermining Cohen’s testimony could determine Trump’s fate. Trump has denied any wrongdoing.
May 17, 2024 5:12 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Trucks carrying badly needed aid for the Gaza Strip have rolled across a newly built U.S. floating pier into the besieged enclave for the first time. The shipment Friday is the first in an operation that American military officials anticipate could scale up to 150 truckloads a day entering the Gaza Strip as Israel presses in on the southern city of Rafah as its 7-month offensive against Hamas rages on. But the U.S. and aid groups also warn the pier project is not considered a substitute for land deliveries that could allow in all the food, water and fuel needed in Gaza. Before the war, more than 500 truckloads entered Gaza on an average day. Israeli restrictions on border crossings and heavy fighting hinder food and other supplies reaching people there.
May 17, 2024 5:09 am
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — 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. The offensive has added to the pressure on outnumbered and outgunned Ukrainian forces who are waiting for delayed deliveries of crucial weapons and ammunition from Western partners. The Russian Defense Ministry said air defenses downed 51 Ukrainian drones over Crimea, another 44 over the Krasnodar region and six over the Belgorod region. It said Russian warplanes and patrol boats also destroyed six sea drones in the Black Sea.
May 17, 2024 5:08 am
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea has fired suspected short-range ballistic missiles off its east coast a day after South Korea and the U.S. flew powerful fighter jets in a drill that the North views as a major security threat. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff says the launches were made from the North’s east coast on Friday afternoon. Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary said a North Korean missile landed outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff statement called the launches “a clear provocation” that threatens peace on the Korean Peninsula. North Korea in recent months has extended its weapons testing as part of its efforts to enlarge and modernize its military capabilities while diplomacy with the United States and South Korea remains stalled.
