February 2, 2023 7:47 am
PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. (AP) – A furry critter in a western Pennsylvania town has predicted six more weeks of winter during an annual Groundhog Day celebration. People gathered Thursday at Gobbler’s Knob as members of Punxsutawney Phil’s “inner circle” summoned him from his tree stump at dawn to learn if he has seen his shadow. According to folklore, if he sees his shadow there will be six more weeks of winter. If he doesn’t, spring comes early. The annual event in Punxsutawney originated from a German legend about a furry rodent. The 2021 and 2022 forecasts also called for six more weeks of winter.
February 2, 2023 4:12 am
NEW YORK (AP) – U.S. health officials are advising people to stop using over-the-counter eye drops that have been linked to an outbreak of drug-resistant infections. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday night sent a health alert to physicians. It says the outbreak includes at least 55 people in 12 states. One died in Washington state. Disease investigators have linked the infections, including some found in blood, urine and lungs, to EzriCare Artificial Tears. Many of the patients said they had used the product, which is a lubricant used to treat irritation and dryness. (Photo: ABC News)
February 2, 2023 4:08 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – A new poll shows that more U.S. adults disapprove than approve of the way President Joe Biden has handled the discovery of classified documents at his home and former office. Yet that seems to have had little impact on Biden’s overall approval rating. The new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research finds 41% of Americans say they approve of how Biden is handling his job as president. That’s about the same as the 43% who said that in December. In the new poll, 77% of Democrats approve of how Biden is handling his job, while 91% of Republicans disapprove.
February 2, 2023 4:07 am
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) – Tyre Nichols’ family and friends remembered him with songs of faith and heartfelt tributes, blending a celebration of his life with outraged calls for police reform after the brutal beating he endured at the hands of Memphis police. The Rev. Al Sharpton and Vice President Kamala Harris both delivered impassioned speeches Wednesday calling on Congress to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. It’s a broad package of police reforms that includes a national registry for police officers disciplined for misconduct, a ban on no-knock warrants and other measures. In the three weeks since his death, five officers have been fired and charged with murder, and their specialized unit was disbanded.
February 2, 2023 4:00 am
A Charleroi man who allegedly raped a minor in their Charleroi home in August of 2019 pleaded guilty in court on Wednesday. James Heinzelman-McIvor, 18 was charged in August of 2022 when a child came forward to police and claimed that Heinzelman-McIvor raped them in 2019 and continued with inappropriate advances afterward. The victim indicated that the assaults occurred when they were 11 or 12 years old. Heinzelman-McIvor pleaded guilty to statutory sexual assault. He was facing charges of child rape and involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child among several other felonies not prosecuted by the district attorney. Heinzelman-McIvor will spend the next 3-6 years in state prison and will have to register as a sex offender. The judge was reluctant to take the plea to reduced charges. The district attorney stated that the victim agreed with the sentence, offering that they did not want to see Heinzelman-McIvor go to jail.
February 2, 2023 2:24 am
An Elizabeth woman charged with breaking into the former Bentworth middle school with two others pleaded guilty in court on Wednesday. Amanda Disman, 30 pleaded guilty to criminal trespass and breaking into a structure. According to the police report, Disman and two others, Jacob Keffer, 27 of Bunola and Ashlee Childs, 30 of Charleroi were observed walking toward the building carrying a suitcase and hacksaw in April of 2022. Pennsylvania State Police arrived to hear a commotion before the suspects realized the police arrived and tried to escape. Disman will serve two years probation for her role in the break in. Keffer’s and Childs’ cases are still working their way through the courts. A hearing to determine restitution is scheduled for next week.
February 1, 2023 10:30 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – The FBI has searched President Joe Biden’s Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, home as part of its investigation into the potential mishandling of classified documents. Biden’s attorney says that agents didn’t find any classified documents during the Wednesday search, but did take some handwritten notes and other materials relating to Biden’s time as vice president for review. The search Wednesday followed a top-to-bottom review of Biden’s Wilmington, Delaware, home on Jan. 20, when agents located documents with classified markings and also took possession of some of his handwritten notes. The president has been voluntarily allowing the Justice Department into his residences as a separate investigation of former President Donald Trump’s holding of classified materials continues.
February 1, 2023 9:19 am
No injuries were reported following a school bus crash Wednesday morning in West Finley Township. Washington County 9-1-1 tells WJPA News is happened just after 7:30 a.m. along Good Intent Road. The bus was carrying students from the McGuffey School District. There are unconfirmed reports that the bus slid on ice and struck a tree. No other information is currently available.
February 1, 2023 8:45 am
NEW YORK (AP) – Missy Elliott, Willie Nelson, Kate Bush, Iron Maiden, Cyndi Lauper, Soundgarden, Sheryl Crow and the late George Michael are nominees for 2023 induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, a list that includes a mix of country, soul, hip-hop, metal, pop, rap-rock and grunge. The Cleveland-based institution announced Wednesday the 14 artists and groups being considered for Rock Hall induction, also including Rage Against the Machine, The Spinners, A Tribe Called Quest, The White Stripes, Warren Zevon and Joy Division/New Order. Artists must have released their first commercial recording at least 25 years before they’re eligible for induction.
February 1, 2023 4:12 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Newly empowered House Republicans are preparing to oust Democratic congresswoman Ilhan Omar from the Foreign Affairs Committee. Republicans want to remove the African-born Black lawmaker from the panel over comments she has made critical of Israel. The move is also seen as payback after Democrats booted far-right Republicans from panels for incendiary, violent remarks. Voting could come as soon as Wednesday. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has been eager to flex Republican power in the new Congress. He has already blocked two other Democrats, Adam Schiff and Eric Swalwell, from rejoining the House Intelligence Committee. Omar has apologized for her comments and calls the move against her “politically motivated.”
