June 19, 2025 4:55 am
UNIONTOWN, Pa. — (WPXI) – Four people are now facing charges after police say an arrow filled with cocaine was fired at the Fayette County Jail in June. Police said that arrow was fired from the opposite side of Route 21, or McClellandtown Road, toward the jail in Uniontown. They said it was being aimed toward a window, but ended up hitting the building and not reaching the intended target — two inmates who were already in the jail. Staff found the arrow on the ground on June 6. Police checked surveillance video and saw the arrow hit the jail just after 8 p.m. on June 2. Police used bolt cutters to cut the arrow open and found something odd – tips that were cut off of the fingers of a rubber glove. Inside those glove tips? “A significant amount of cocaine,” District Attorney Mike Aubele said. Now, several people are charged with trying to smuggle cocaine into the jail. Charles Smith, Alfonso Pugh, Amanda Frey, and Seth Stepich — who is not yet in custody. Smith and Pugh were already in the jail on other charges, and police say Smith and Frey are in a relationship.
June 19, 2025 2:10 am
Many area businesses and organizations are stepping up to the plate this week to help those who were devastated by the flooding in the Wheeling area on Saturday, including the Canonsburg Fire Department. Fire Chief Tim Solobay and Assistant Fire Chief Dave Rhome say they are now collecting much needed supplies that will be delivered to Ohio County over the weekend. They say they are seeking cleaning supplies right now – no furniture, clothing or appliances at the moment. Donations are being accepted this week from nine a.m. until nine p.m. at the fire hall on 1 Greenside Avenue.
June 18, 2025 4:43 pm
DEDHAM, Mass. (AP) — A jury has found Karen Read not guilty of second-degree murder in death of her Boston police officer boyfriend but guilty of a lesser charge of drunken driving. The jury handed down its decision Wednesday after deliberating for at least 22 hours since June 13. The verdict comes nearly a year after a separate jury deadlocked over whether Read killed John O’Keefe in 2022. Along with the second-degree murder charge, Read also faced charges of manslaughter and leaving the scene for allegedly striking O’Keefe with her SUV during a blizzard and leaving him to die in the snow. The case attracted international attention, with many people siding with the defense argument that Read was framed by police. (Photo: AP)
June 18, 2025 10:19 am
It’s official. Japan’s Nippon Steel has finalized its $14.9 billion takeover of U.S. Steel. The companies making the announcement Wednesday morning. In addition, the companies have entered into a national security agreement with the federal government to mitigate concerns about a Japanese company having control over a domestic steelmaker. Nippon has committed to investing some $11 billion in U.S. Steel facilities by 2028 and keeping its headquarters in Pittsburgh. The federal government will have a so-called “golden share” in the company giving the president veto power over some matters, including reductions in capital investments, relocating its headquarters, transferring jobs outside the country and closing existing facilities.
June 18, 2025 8:53 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits dipped to 245,000 last week amid uncertainty over President Donald Trump’s trade policies. U.S. jobless claims ticked down from 250,000 the week before. Economists had forecast 250,000. The four-week average of claims, which smooths out week-to-week volatility, rose to 245,500, the highest since August 2023. The number of Americans collecting unemployment benefits the week of June 7 slid to 1.95 million.
June 18, 2025 5:15 am
Eight people are now confirmed dead from flooding in Ohio County, West Virginia on Saturday. At least one person is still listed as missing and officials are warning residents to pay close attention to rain that may come in the next twenty-four hours. Other victims include Lisa McMasters, 59, Michael Bokanovich, 73; Kyleigh Minch Shotton, 26, her daughter, Parker Shotton, 3, and Travis Creighton, 19, all of Triadelphia.
June 18, 2025 5:02 am
Officials in West Virginia have now recovered an eighth victim from Saturday’s flooding. An unidentified male was recovered but his identity is not being released pending notification of next of kin. One person is still presumed missing. Samaritan’s Purse, a faith-based humanitarian aid organization is to begin helping residents recover today. Led by Franklin Graham, son of the Rev. Billy Graham, Samaritan’s Purse travels to globe to crisis areas to provide spiritual and physical aid to those in need. According to the organization’s website, Disaster Relief Unit 3 – a tractor-trailer filled with relief supplies and equipment – is en route to West Virginia. Volunteers will start working in the community starting Thursday, helping homeowners remove waterlogged walls and flooring and salvage personal belongings.
June 18, 2025 4:54 am
Today is Juneteenth. The federal holiday commemorates the end of slavery in the United States, marking when enslaved people in Texas received news of the Emancipation Proclamation. The proclamation was issued on Sept. 22, 1862, and enacted on Jan. 1, 1863, but because of the Civil War and the delays in messages getting to Texas, it didn’t get to Texas until June 19, 1865, just months before the 13th Amendment was ratified. Texas was the first state to declare the day a state holiday, but it was made a federal holiday by former President Joe Biden in 2021. Because it is a state and federal holiday there will be closures. They include; no regular mail delivery, no trading on Wall Street, banks, some state government offices and federal offices.
June 18, 2025 4:53 am
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is lifting a curfew in downtown Los Angeles. Her announcement Tuesday comes after she first imposed the curfew June 10 in response to clashes with police, looting and vandalism amid protests against President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown in the city. Bass, a Democrat, says she is lifting the curfew following “successful crime prevention and suppression efforts.” On Monday she trimmed back the hours after a drop in arrests during evening demonstrations. She says the curfew protected stores, restaurants, businesses and residents from people engaging in vandalism and looting.
June 18, 2025 4:52 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump will sign an executive order this week to extend a deadline for TikTok’s Chinese owner to divest the popular video sharing app. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced Trump’s intention after Trump indicated earlier Tuesday he would “probably” make the move. Leavitt said in a statement Tuesday evening that “Trump does not want TikTok to go dark.” The extension will last for 90 days. Trump had signed an order in early April to keep TikTok running for an additional 75 days after a potential deal to sell the app to American owners was put on ice.
