Man Charged With Multiple Violent Crimes

May 9, 2026 11:22 am

[WPXI]–A Pittsburgh area man already in custody on accusations that he hit two teen girls with his car is now also facing charges for a deadly stabbing in Penn Hills. According to our news partners at Channel 11, 43-year-old George Mitchell II was accused of hitting two teenage girls with his car following a robbery and was taken into custody after a manhunt. He was arrested early Friday morning after an hours-long search. He’s facing two counts of attempted homicide and aggravated assault charges for this incident. On Saturday, the Allegheny County Police Department announced that Mitchell was charged with homicide for the stabbing death of Jinx Hairston of Penn Hills. Investigators say they used witness interviews, surveillance video and other tools to identify Mitchell. Investigators also learned of a string of violent incidents on May 7, before and after the homicide, linked to Mitchell. Those include chasing a woman with a gun and an attempted car jacking, a man and boy being hit by a car and the fatal stabbing. Mitchell remains in custody at the Allegheny County Jail and was denied bail.

Commission Doesn’t Want Church/State Separation

May 9, 2026 11:20 am

[AP] President Donald Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission is preparing to make recommendations after more than a year of hearings. Commissioners have spoken about their wish lists for what they want to see in the report. They reflect the perspectives of the commissioner’s largely conservative evangelical and Catholic membership. One idea is to increase avenues for religious expression in public schools and other public settings. Another is making public money more available to religious organizations. And there’s a push for allowing for religious-based exemptions from regulations and classroom lessons. The commissioner’s chair has repeatedly said “there is no separation of church and state.”

Hungary’s Magyar Sworn In As PM

May 9, 2026 10:35 am

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Hungary’s Péter Magyar has taken his oath of office to become the country’s new prime minister, ending Viktor Orbán’s autocratic 16-year rule. Magyar’s center-right Tisza party defeated Orbán’s nationalist-populist Fidesz in a landslide win last month. On Saturday, Magyar entered Parliament with 140 other Tisza representatives, controlling 141 of 199 seats. Orbán’s coalition now holds 52 seats. Magyar, a former Orbán insider, has vowed to tackle corruption and unlock frozen European Union funds to boost Hungary’s economy. He promises to repair ties with the EU and restore Hungary’s place among Western democracies. (AP Photo)

North Strabane House Fire Under Investigation

May 10, 2026 7:00 am

A house fire on Friday in North Strabane Township is under investigation.  Authorities say the blaze broke out Friday night in the 200 block of Clutter Street.  The fire started  just after six-thirty.  There were no injuries by multiple fire departments were called out.

Printing Error Affects Some Butler County Ballots

May 10, 2026 8:29 am

(WPXI) – Butler County election officials are warning of a printing error that’s impacting a small number of absentee ballot envelopes for the May primary election.  According to a letter from Butler County Commissioner Kevin Boozel, about 50 purple declaration envelopes are missing the address for the Butler County Bureau of Elections. He says this error accounts for less than 1% of absentee ballot envelopes mailed out.  Boozel says county officials are working closely with USPS distribution centers. All Butler County post officers were notified of the error and have been provided with address labels to assist voters as needed.  Voters are asked to make sure the mailing address is present on the envelope. If it’s not, the voter should fill in the physical or mailing address to the elections office. Those addresses are as follows:

Moscow Marks Victory Day With Red Square Parade

May 9, 2026 4:22 am

MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin is overseeing a military parade commemorating the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II on Red Square. Security was tight in Moscow as Putin was set to speak at the parade, even as a U.S.-brokered three-day ceasefire eased concerns about possible Ukrainian attempts to disrupt the festivities. Putin, in power for more than a quarter-century, has used Victory Day, Russia’s most important secular holiday, to showcase the country’s military might and rally support for his military action in Ukraine, now in its fifth year. But this year, the parade will take place without tanks, missiles and other heavy weapons.

Chaos In Italy After Jury Quits Over Tensions

May 9, 2026 4:20 am

VENICE, Italy (AP) — Geopolitical tensions have spilled over into the Venice Biennale contemporary art exhibition. This year’s edition is chaotic and contested, with no Golden Lions awarded after the jury quit in protest of Israel’s and Russia’s participation. Visitors will vote for the best national pavilion and best participant in the main show, “In Minor Keys,” with winners announced Nov. 22. Highlights include Koyo Kouoh’s focus on minority perspectives, Lubaina Himid’s exploration of life as a newcomer, the Vatican’s Mystic Garden offering spiritual respite, and Austria’s provocative performance art by Florentina Holzinger.

Alabama Passes Plan For New House Primary

May 9, 2026 4:17 am

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama lawmakers have approved a plan for new U.S. House primaries if courts allow the state to use different congressional districts in this year’s elections. Republican Gov. Kay Ivey signed the measure into law Friday shortly after the legislature approved it. The action came on the same day that the Virginia Supreme Court dealt a major setback to Democrats by overturning a redistricting plan that could have helped Democrats win as many as four additional House seats. The Alabama law could set aside the results of the May 19 primaries, if courts lift an injunction requiring it to use a map with two districts that have large Black populations.

Nothing “Sheepish” About Running Of The Wools

May 9, 2026 3:53 am

The “Running of the Wools” will be held this morning in downtown Washington. As a result there will be traffic restrictions in place.  South Main Street is closed between Wheeling Street and Maiden Street and will be in place until six this evening.  The actual Running of the Wools activities, including the sheep races, will occur from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.  For decades, Washington has had strong ties within the agriculture and farming community of the region – so much so that in the 19th century, Washington was the number one exporter of wool in the nation and running of the Wools is an annual celebration of the county’s agricultural history and the farmers who keep our nation running.  The Main Street Pavilion will feature agricultural exhibits, educational displays, a children’s area and plenty of food and craft vendors.

PennDOT District 12 Has Issued Maintenance Update

May 9, 2026 3:47 am

PennDOT has announced a full slate of work for the week of May 11 for Washington County. Maintenance Manager Brian Malik announced this includes bridge replacement work along Brush Run Road in Canton Township. The road will be closed between Maple Road and Jefferson Avenue with a detour from Brush Run Road to Jefferson Avenue and Scenic Drive. Various routes in Washington County will see crack sealing work done. Culvert cleaning and repair work will be along Rt. 18 (Prosperity Pike in Morris Township), State Line Road in Jefferson Township, and Crosscreek Road in Crosscreek and Smith townships. Crews will be cleaning ditch lines on State Route 221 S Bridge Road in Buffalo Township, along State Line Road in Jefferson Township, and mowing will be along Rt. 22 the Ramp 8046 in Hanover Township, Rt. 837 in Donora, and I-70 Ramp 8014, Jefferson Avenue in the city of Washington. There will be patching at various routes throughout the county, and rock lining on State Line Road in Jefferson Township. Shoulder cutting and slide repair work will take place throughout California Borough. Due to road construction, the route between SR 481 (Scenic Drive) and Route 2079 (South Ridge Road) will detour motorists from Scenic Drive to California Drive and South Ridge Road. There will be underdrain installation and ditch line along Rt. 40 (National Pike) in Claysville Borough. Crews will pick litter, replace downed signs, update existing signs, and address work orders on various state routes throughout the county. Drivers can anticipate detours, flaggers, moving operations, and/or single-lane restrictions. Please drive cautiously through all work areas and be alert for signed work zones requiring headlights. Safety is everyone’s responsibility. And all work is weather permitting.