April 19, 2024 5:04 am
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran has fired air defenses at a major air base and a nuclear site near its central city of Isfahan after spotting drones. The commotion early Friday raised fears of a possible Israeli retaliatory strike following Tehran’s unprecedented drone-and-missile assault on the country. It was unclear if the country had come under attack, as no Iranian official directly acknowledged the possibility and Israel’s military did not respond to a request for comment. However, tensions have remained high in the days since the Saturday assault on Israel amid its war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip and its own strikes targeting Iran in Syria. U.S. officials declined to comment as of early Friday, but American broadcast networks quoting unnamed U.S. officials said Israel carried out the attack.
April 19, 2024 5:00 am
The Washington County Coroner’s Office has identified the body that was found early Friday morning in a submerged car in the Boone Reservoir in Peters Township as that of 44-year-old Jessica Williams of McMurray. Authorities say Williams was the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle that had been traveling south on Sherwood Drive, crossed Waterdam Road and plowed through a guardrail, into the water. Emergency responders were called to the scene shortly after midnight and divers were able to locate the vehicle and a tow truck pulled it out of the water. Williams was not wearing a seat-belt. The crash is under investigation by Peters Township Police.
April 19, 2024 4:53 am
Washington County Commissioners sat through more than 90 minutes of public comment surrounding the decision of the County Board of Elections to disallow ballot curing in the upcoming April 23 primary election. Commissioners Nick Sherman and Electra Janis voted to not allow the practice, Commissioner Larry Maggi voted in favor of ballot curing. Roughly 75 % of the comment was against the decision stating disenfranchisement of voters due to age and disability. Those in favor cited legal decisions and the responsibility of the voter to properly fill out the paperwork. Commissioner Nick Sherman stood by his decision by citing the ruling from the Third U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that states that ballots filled out improperly should not count. Commissioner Electra Janis stood by her decision indicating that it is the responsibility of the voter to properly fill out the ballot and envelope. Both indicated that this is a question that voters should take up with legislators in Harrisburg. After public comment ended, Commissioner Larry Maggi stated that he consulted the solicitor and moved for an emergency meeting of the Board of Elections to reconsider the vote on ballot curing. The motion died due to lack of a second. Maggi went further and requested a meeting of the Board before Tuesday’s election. He was told that neither of his colleague’s vote would change.
April 19, 2024 4:49 am
Washington County Commissioners took a huge step in making upgrades to its Emergency Radio system on Thursday. In a 2-1 vote, commissioners terminated their August 2023 contract with MRA to perform those upgrades. According to Commissioner Chairman Nick Sherman, $6 million has been spent and no advances have been made in those upgrades. He called the contract with MRA an irresponsibly bid contract and hopes not to waste any more taxpayer monies. By that same 2-1 vote, commissioners voted to award a $200,000 contract Mission Critical Partners for consulting support for the Public Safety Department on various projects. Mission Critical Partners and the County’s Public Safety Advisory Committee were also authorized to prepare a scope of work and bid specifications for the Emergency Radio System. Commissioner Larry Maggi was the dissenting vote on all of these measures. In a written statement, Maggi said he is concerned about putting the county at great financial risk. He said more dialogue should have been had with MRA before taking such a drastic step. He was also against the hiring of Mission Critical Partners for consulting work. He said that that should have been put out for competitive qualifications bid to allow for different ideas. Maggi fears the decisions will cost the county a great deal of money in litigation.
April 19, 2024 2:57 am
The Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority (PBDA) announced Thursday that Washington County has been awarded a sizable grant to increase access to reliable, high-speed internet services. Among the successful bidders in this area was the Washington County Authority and its internet service provider partner Comcast, which received $9.4 million. The funding will bring service to 2,700 unserved homes and businesses across 400 miles. The grant was federally funded by the Broadband Infrastructure Program which awarded a total of two-hundred-million-dollars in grant money for projects across the state. Projects in Beaver, Butler and Westmoreland counties were also funded, but none in rural Greene or Fayette counties, where internet access is often spotty at best.
April 18, 2024 5:35 pm
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — President Joe Biden has accepted endorsements from at least 15 members of the Kennedy political family. The Kennedy family backing came during a campaign stop Thursday in Philadelphia as the Democratic incumbent aims to undermine Republican Donald Trump and marginalize the candidacy of independent Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The decision to highlight the Kennedy family endorsement with Election Day more than six months away is an indication of how seriously Biden’s team is taking the threat of a long-shot candidate using the Kennedy name to siphon support. The candidate’s sister Kerry delivered the endorsements by calling Biden her hero. Kennedy Jr. writes on social media his campaign is about “healing America.”
April 18, 2024 1:38 pm
A Monongahela man faces trial in connection with a fire at The Main Street Tavern in March. Following his preliminary hearing, 29-year-old Hunter McMahon was held for court on multiple charges, including arson, aggravated assault of an officer and public drunkenness. Authorities say he was seen setting fire to a dumpster behind the Great Wall Chinese Restaurant and then behind the bar. Police say there is a video of McMahon at the tavern. Police also say they found two lighters on him. McMahon remains in the Washington County Jail in lieu of two-hundred and fifty-thousand-dollars bond.
April 18, 2024 12:53 pm
(AP) – Guitar legend Dickey Betts, who co-founded the Allman Brothers Band and wrote their biggest hit, “Ramblin’ Man,” has died. He was 80. The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer died at his home in Osprey, Florida, David Spero, Betts’ manager of 20 years, told The Associated Press by phone. He says Betts had been battling cancer for more than a year and had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Betts shared lead guitar duties with Duane Allman in the original Allman Brothers Band to help give the group its distinctive sound and create a new genre: Southern rock. Acts ranging from Lynyrd Skynyrd to Kid Rock were influenced by the Allmans’ music, which combined the blues, country, R&B and jazz with ’60s rock. (Photo: AP)
April 18, 2024 5:10 am
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel will decide whether and how to respond to Iran’s major air assault earlier this week, brushing off calls for restraint. Israel has vowed to respond to Iran’s unprecedented attack, leaving the region bracing for further escalation after months of fighting in Gaza. Israel’s allies have been urging Israel to hold back on any response that could spiral. The pressure came as Iran’s president warned that even the “tiniest” invasion would bring a “massive and harsh” response. Israel and Iran have waged a long shadow war, but the weekend strike was Iran’s first direct military attack on Israel. Iran held an annual army parade at a new location Wednesday, possibly to avoid being targeted.
April 18, 2024 5:09 am
NEW YORK (AP) — A jury of 12 people has been seated in former President Donald Trump’s hush money trial in New York. Alternates are now being selected. The rapid progress Thursday afternoon propels the case closer to opening statements and weeks of testimony in a case charging the Republican with falsifying business records to suppress stories about his sex life in the final days of the 2016 election. The jury includes a sales professional, a software engineer, an English teacher and multiple lawyers. The case centers on $130,000 Trump’s lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen paid to porn actor Stormy Daniels. Trump faces 34 felony counts. He denies any wrongdoing.
