August 16, 2024 5:05 am
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Hurricane Ernesto has strengthened into a Category 2 storm as it barrels toward Bermuda after leaving hundreds of thousands of people in Puerto Rico without power or water. Sweltering heat enveloped the U.S. territory, raising concerns about people’s health. A hurricane warning is in effect for Bermuda, with Ernesto expected to pass near or over the island Saturday. Ernesto is forecast to possibly reach Category 3 strength Friday and drop between four to eight inches of rain in Bermuda, with up to 12 inches in isolated areas. Ernesto is then expected to pass near or east of Atlantic Canada on Monday.
August 16, 2024 5:03 am
JERUSALEM (AP) — International diplomacy to prevent the war in Gaza from spreading into a wider regional conflict is intensifying. The British and French foreign ministers are making a joint trip to Israel on Friday to push for peace. Meanwhile, internationally mediated cease-fire talks in Qatar were expected to enter their second day. The new push for an end to the Israel-Hamas war came as Gaza health authorities say the Palestinian death toll in Gaza climbed past 40,000. And fears are still high that Iran and Hezbollah militants in Lebanon would attack Israel in retaliation for the killings of top militant leaders. United Kingdom Foreign Secretary David Lammy said before his visit that the conflict risked erupting across the region.
August 16, 2024 4:54 am
WASHINGTON — (WPXI) – The Secret Service will use bulletproof glass to protect former President Donald Trump during outdoor campaign events, NBC News reports. According to the report, that ballistic glass is already available to sitting presidents and vice presidents. The glass is transported using military aircraft when the president travels. Not every event will require ballistic glass, but NBC News reports it is likely to be used whenever there are issues at specific sites or there are needs for added security. The addition of ballistic glass is one of several security measures being used to protect Trump after the assassination attempt on him in Butler on July 13. Trump has not held an outdoor campaign event since the attempted assassination.
August 16, 2024 4:34 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Pirates say a verbal agreement has been reached to settle a lawsuit by Major League Baseball Players Association against the team’s parent company and the convenience store chain Sheetz Inc. alleging unlicensed use of players’ names and images on social media. MLB Players Inc., a union business subsidiary, claimed violation of Pennsylvania law regarding the unauthorized use of name and likenesses, common law misappropriation of identity and unjust enrichment. The Pirates announced a jersey patch sponsorship deal with Sheetz on June 21 and the union alleged improper use of images on social media.
August 16, 2024 2:53 am
Washington County Commissioners approved a measure to award Motorola the contract to rebuild the emergency radio system. The vote to approve was 2-1 with Commissioner Larry Maggi dissenting. The agenda item that was approved had no cost numbers associated with it. It did state that the contract was contingent on contract approval. Before the vote was taken Maggi asked for clarification on numbers so tax payers would know what was being spent. He also asked if the solicitor has read the contract prior to its approval. The solicitor said he did not read the contract yet. Commissioner Chairman Nick Sherman spoke generally around the issue of cost and equipment saying that all of those items were covered in a meeting with Motorola yesterday. The cost would be somewhere in the range of $24 million. Sherman did say that the build out would be paid for by American Rescue Plan Act funds. He also stated that maintenance and upgrades that could cost $1.5 million annually would be budgeted for every year. When asked in public comment about the cost associated for local organizations for the purchase of equipment, Sherman said that the contract is all inclusive and that local organizations will have their radios, base stations, and repeaters supplied at no cost. Sherman said that final numbers for the contract will be available in the next month or two and those figures will be made public. Commissioners then went on to cancel a maintenance agreement with MRA, Inc. MRA is the current supplier of radio communications for the county.
August 15, 2024 3:56 pm
(WPXI) – The Pittsburgh region was back in the political spotlight Wednesday as JD Vance made a campaign stop in Lower Burrell Wednesday morning. The invite-only event at VFW Post 92 was for local veterans and was not open to the public. Secret Service was on site since our crews arrived around 4 a.m. and canvassed the entire building before anyone was allowed inside. Vance spoke about the honor and sacrifice of military members and how we, as a country, need to prioritize the 300,000 homeless veterans nationwide. He said that includes getting veterans the healthcare choices they need. He also talked about policy and how he believes a Trump-Vance administration could help the economy rebound. “We’ve got 300,000 veterans who are homeless in this country right now. Let’s take care of them first,” Vance said. “I think we ought to be giving veterans more choice in their healthcare, and if we do, that’s how we stay faithful in the promises he made to them.” Much of what he said resonated with local veterans, including the commander of VFW Post 92, Lee Johnson. “The benefit part is the biggest thing we need to get straightened out, and he’s gonna touch on that, and I think the benefits and the better care,” Johnson said. This weekend, Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Governor Tim Walz, will kick off their bus tour in Pittsburgh on Sunday, ahead of the Democratic National Convention
August 15, 2024 11:44 am
(AP) – The creator of the Famous Amos cookie empire has died. Wally Amos’ children say he died Tuesday at his home in Honolulu from complications with dementia. He was 88. Amos eventually lost ownership of the company and rights to use the catchy Amos name. He later became a children’s literacy advocate and proprietor of a cookie shop called Chip & Cookie in Hawaii. He was also co-founder of Uncle Wally’s Muffin Co. His shop had a reading room with dozens of donated books, where he usually spent Saturdays reading to children. (Photo: AP)
August 15, 2024 11:38 am
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A prosecutor says five people have been charged in connection with Matthew Perry’s death, including the actor’s assistant and two doctors. U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada announced the charges Thursday, saying the doctors supplied Perry with a large amount of ketamine and even wondered in a text message how much the former “Friends” star would be willing to pay. Perry’s assistant, who authorities say injected the actor with ketamine on the day he died, found Perry face down in his hot tub on Oct. 28. Paramedics who were called immediately declared him dead. His autopsy, released in December, found that the amount of ketamine in his blood was in the range used for general anesthesia during surgery. (Photo: AP)
August 15, 2024 5:02 am
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The long investigation into the death of “Friends” star Matthew Perry has led to a sweeping indictment that pulled in five people who prosecutors say contributed to his ketamine overdose. Prosecutors say they include a doctor and a street dealer who both gave Perry large amounts of the powerful anesthetic. Perry’s assistant and an acquaintance of the actor have already pleaded guilty to helping him get ketmaine Prosecutors say Perry turned to Dr. Salvador Plasencia to give him more ketamine than his regular doctors would allow and turned to a woman they say call a major street dealer, Jasveen Sangha, to get even more. Both pleaded not guilty Thursday.
August 15, 2024 4:59 am
LOWER BURRELL, Pa. — (WPXI) – The Pittsburgh region was back in the political spotlight Wednesday as JD Vance made a campaign stop in Lower Burrell Wednesday morning. The invite-only event at VFW Post 92 was for local veterans and was not open to the public. Secret Service was on site since our crews arrived around 4 a.m. and canvassed the entire building before anyone was allowed inside. Vance spoke about the honor and sacrifice of military members and how we, as a country, need to prioritize the 300,000 homeless veterans nationwide. He said that includes getting veterans the healthcare choices they need. He also talked about policy and how he believes a Trump-Vance administration could help the economy rebound. “We’ve got 300,000 veterans who are homeless in this country right now. Let’s take care of them first,” Vance said. “I think we ought to be giving veterans more choice in their healthcare, and if we do, that’s how we stay faithful in the promises he made to them.” This weekend, Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Governor Tim Walz, will kick off their bus tour in Pittsburgh on Sunday, ahead of the Democratic National Convention.
