October 25, 2023 5:04 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House is developing “prudent contingency planning” to evacuate Americans from the Middle East in case the Israel-Hamas war spreads into a broad regional conflict. White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby on Tuesday stressed there are currently no “active efforts” to evacuate Americans from the region beyond charter flights the U.S government began operating earlier this month out of Israel. President Joe Biden and Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman also spoke by phone on Tuesday about the deteriorating situation. It was the two leaders’ first interaction since before Hamas attacked Israel.
October 25, 2023 5:02 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — Congressman Mike Johnson of Louisiana has been elected House speaker. As the roll call was underway Wednesday, Republicans were eager to put Johnson on track to win the gavel. Johnson picked up an important nod of support ahead of the vote from Donald Trump. Johnson is the fourth candidate Republicans have nominated to replace Kevin McCarthy. The Republican majority has been without a speaker for three weeks and is desperate to end the chaos and get back to work. Johnson will need almost all Republicans to win the gavel in a floor vote. Ahead of voting he said he felt “very good.” (Photo: AP)
October 25, 2023 5:01 am
RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — The Health Ministry in Gaza says hundreds of people were killed in the past day as a result of Israeli airstrikes. Israel has been striking Gaza since Hamas militants attacked southern Israeli towns on Oct. 7. Israel said Tuesday it had launched 400 airstrikes over the past day, killing Hamas commanders, hitting militants as they were preparing to launch rockets into Israel and striking command centers and a Hamas tunnel shaft. The Health Ministry, which is controlled by Hamas, said more than 700 people were killed in the past day, a claim that AP could not independently verify.
October 25, 2023 4:59 am
ACAPULCO, Mexico (AP) — Hurricane Otis has slammed into Mexico’s southern Pacific coast as a catastrophic Category 5 hurricane, bringing 165 mph winds and heavy rain to Acapulco and nearby towns. Otis rapidly intensified Tuesday, growing from a tropical storm to a Category 5 monster in 12 hours. The storm then quickly weakened to a Category 2 by early Wednesday with its maximum sustained winds decreasing to 110 mph. The hurricane is expected to continue to weaken quickly in Guerrero state’s steep mountains. As dawn broke, authorities had given no preliminary damage assessments as much of the area remained without power. Downed trees, persistent rain and flooding made it difficult to move.
October 25, 2023 4:56 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A bill passed the Pennsylvania state Senate that would require parents to opt in to allow children to view books deemed sexually explicit. The bill passed 29 to 21 on Tuesday, with most Democrats rejecting it. It now goes onto the Democrat-controlled House, where it faces an uncertain future. The bill is part of a larger nationwide effort of expanding parental oversight into schools. Other state Legislatures have taken up similar legislation that opponents say specifically targets LGBTQ+ and students of color. The bill’s sponsor rejected that characterization and said the bill would not ban any books but give more oversight for parents.
October 25, 2023 2:54 am
The Main Street Farmer’s Market in downtown Washington will close for the season on Thursday. The market was held at the community pavilion on South Main Street across from the Observer Reporter building on Thursdays from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. from May through October. Market organizers say they are closing down another outstanding season with old and new vendors in attendance. They plan a “Grand Finale” with lots of activities for adults and children, including a Halloween Parade for the kids and trick-or-treating from the vendors. Organizers say they are already making plans for next year that will include lots of activities, special days and possibly, new vendors.
October 25, 2023 2:42 am
Two people were found dead following a house fire in the 100 block of East Katherine Avenue in the city of Washington Tuesday morning. Fire Chief Chris Richer says multiple departments were called in around six o’clock, to assist in fighting the blaze, which he said was made more difficult, due to a case of hoarding that was discovered inside. Richer says when his crews arrived on scene – they could see flames coming out of the building. Once the fire was out, which took a little over half an hour, Richer says they discovered two bodies in a single room on the second floor. The Washington County Coroner’s office has identified one of the victims as 39 year old Kenneth Guy III. A cause and manner of death are pending. The identity of the second victim has not yet been released. A third person who lived in the home, an elderly woman, was not there at the time of the fire and has since been accounted for. The victims identities have not been made public at this time, pending notification of next of kin. The cause of the fire is under investigation. (Photo: WPXI)
October 25, 2023 2:22 am
An inquest into the police chase and fatal shooting of a Coraopolis man here in the City of Washington continues Thursday morning. Washington County Coroner Timothy Warco is to deliver his findings. In addition to determining a cause and manner of death, Warco will also determine if there is criminal liability resulting from the death and whether the use of lethal force was justified. 38 year old Eduardo Hoover Jr. was pronounced dead in the one-thousand block of Jefferson Avenue back in April following a police chase that began in Burgettstown. That chase was initiated by officers from Smith and Mt. Pleasant Township. Testimony was heard Tuesday concerning the events that unfolded that day. Today’s proceedings get underway at 10 a.m. in the public meeting room of the Crossroads Building along W. Beau Street. WJPA News will be there.
October 24, 2023 4:59 pm
ATLANTA (AP) — Donald Trump’s lead attorney in the 2020 Georgia election case against him is using another attorney’s guilty plea to cast doubt on the legitimacy of the racketeering charges brought against all 19 defendants. Trump attorney Steve Sadow says it’s the fourth time Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has dismissed the racketeering charge “in return for a plea to probation.” Attorney Jenna Ellis pleaded guilty Tuesday to a felony over efforts to overturn Trump’s election loss in Georgia. The Florida resident is the fourth defendant in the case to enter into a plea deal with prosecutors. Prosecutors say Ellis helped other lawyers as they lied to Georgia lawmakers.
October 24, 2023 5:16 am
HONOLULU (AP) — Maui County’s mayor says all of West Maui except for burned-out sections of historic Lahaina will reopen to tourism on Nov. 1. Maui has had impassioned discussions about when to welcome travelers back to the disaster-stricken region. Some residents drafted a petition opposing the return of tourists, saying the community wasn’t ready. Mayor Richard Bissen says workers are ready to return to their jobs while acknowledging that’s not true for everyone. He says those who aren’t prepared to go back to work should talk to their employers and continue to seek the help and attention that they need. He says residents who have been staying in hotels after losing their homes won’t lose their lodging because of the reopening.
