October 14, 2025 4:48 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A man who scaled a security fence in the middle of the night and set fire to the Pennsylvania governor’s mansion has pleaded guilty to attempted murder and other charges. Cody Balmer entered the plea Tuesday for the attack in April that caused millions of dollars of damage to the state-owned building in Harrisburg. Gov. Josh Shapiro and members of his family were inside and had to be evacuated. No one was injured, but authorities say the 38-year-old Balmer told them he planned to beat the governor with a small sledgehammer if he encountered him. Balmer’s family has said he has a history of mental health problems. Balmer was sentenced under a plea deal to 25 to 50 years in state prison.
October 14, 2025 4:45 am
Washington Mayor Jo Jo Burgess is calling for an end to further acts of violence following Saturday’s fatal shooting downtown. In a statement released Monday night, Burgess says since the incident, “numerous rumors and misinformation have been circulated throughout the community. Unfortunately, this has led to acts of vigilantism and other potential violence”. The mayor says “this type of behavior will not be tolerated” and “those who engage in such actions will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law”. Washington City Police continue to investigate the shooting that occurred around 3 a.m. near Joe’s Bakery in the 100-block of N. Main Street. 20 year old Julian Lassic was killed. Another person was also shot and transported to a Pittsburgh hospital. There is no word on their identity or condition. Mayor Burgess says police are working tirelessly but the investigation has been “hindered by a lack of cooperation”. Both the mayor and police say they know there are eyewitnesses who have critical information that could help solve this case. Anyone with information is urged to come forward. You can contact Police directly at 724-223-4226 or submit information anonymously through the tip line at 724-223-4108.
October 14, 2025 10:28 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A man who scaled a security fence in the middle of the night and set fire to the Pennsylvania governor’s mansion has pleaded guilty to attempted murder and other charges. Cody Balmer entered the plea Tuesday for the April attack that caused millions of dollars in damage to the state-owned building in Harrisburg. Gov. Josh Shapiro and members of his family were inside and had to be evacuated. No one was injured, but authorities say the 38-year-old Balmer told them he planned to beat the governor with a small sledgehammer if he encountered him. Balmer’s family has said he has a history of mental health problems.
October 14, 2025 4:47 am
Canonsburg Borough Council has appointed Trenton McPherson to the borough’s Park Board, filling an open seat for a five-year term beginning in November. McPherson, who works as a commercial real estate broker for Burns & Scalo, moved to Canonsburg with his family about three years ago from West Virginia. Borough Council President Richard Russo said McPherson’s enthusiasm for community spaces and his professional background made him an ideal fit for the role. “Trenton loves the park and the green space, and he’s been coming to meetings as a volunteer for the past three months,” Russo said. “The interests and ideas he’s bringing are very professional, and we think he’ll be a strong asset for the upcoming projects.” Russo noted that two major park projects are planned within the next two years — relining the pool liner and adding new amenities to the pool area. McPherson has already suggested replacing the old water slide with a new one, which could cost around $70,000. “The board needs some professional people to take on these projects, and we think Trenton is a good guy to do that,” Russo added. In other business, council approved Trick or Treat night for Friday, October 31, 2025, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Council also approved Range Resources’ 2025 Turkey Fund Drive, which will take place on the sidewalks at North Central and North Jefferson avenues on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
October 14, 2025 4:54 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is making this government shutdown unlike any the country has ever seen. The White House budget office headed by Russ Vought is deciding who gets paid or fired in an unprecedented restructuring across the federal workforce. As the shutdown enters its third week, the Office and Management and Budget said Tuesday it’s preparing to “batten down the hatches” with more reductions in force to come. The president calls budget chief Vought the “grim reaper” who’s seized on the opportunity to fund Trump’s priorities, paying the military while slashing employees in health, education, the sciences and other areas. The actions have been criticized as illegal and are facing court challenges.
October 14, 2025 4:55 am
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — The fragile ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war is being tested. An Israeli military agency said Tuesday it will halve the number of trucks allowed to bring humanitarian aid into devastated Gaza over concerns about the slow return of the remains of dead hostages. The issue emerged a day after jubilation over the return of the last 20 living hostages and the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in exchange. A U.N. spokesperson says Israel has informed it of plans to halve aid into Gaza. Hamas appeared to heed the pressure. Israel’s military later said several coffins would be transferred to the Red Cross.
October 14, 2025 4:57 am
(AP) – Fox News, the former employer of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, has joined a near-unanimous outpouring of news organizations rejecting new rules for journalists based in the Pentagon. Fox signed on to a statement with ABC, CBS, NBC and CNN saying they would not agree to Hegseth’s new rules. It said “the policy is without precedent and threatens core journalistic protections.” So far, only the conservative One America News Network has said its reporters would follow the new regulations. Hegseth has said that outlets who don’t agree to the new rules by the end of Tuesday, which restrict reporting on news not specifically approved by his team, will be evicted from the Pentagon on Wednesday.
October 14, 2025 4:58 am
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles County officials will vote Tuesday on whether to declare a state of emergency that would give them power to provide assistance for residents they say have suffered financially from ongoing federal immigration raids. The move would allow the LA County Board of Supervisors to provide rent relief for tenants who’ve fallen behind as a result of the crackdown on immigrants. Opponents argue that the raids do not meet the criteria of an emergency and that it could be unfair to landlords.
October 14, 2025 4:52 am
MIAMI (AP) — Forecasters say Tropical Storm Lorenzo has gotten slightly stronger in the central tropical Atlantic Ocean but still is not threatening land. The U.S. National Hurricane Center says Monday that the storm was located about 2,005 miles west of the Cape Verde Islands and had maximum sustained winds of 60 mph. It was moving northwest at 13 mph. No coastal watches or warnings are in effect. Forecasters say the storm was expected to turn northward on Tuesday, with some gradual intensification possible by midweek. The forecast track through Saturday shows Lorenzo staying out in the ocean and away from land.
October 14, 2025 4:46 pm
(AP) – D’Angelo, the Grammy-winning R&B singer recognized by his raspy yet smooth voice and for garnering mainstream attention with the shirtless “Untitled (How Does It Feel)” music video, has died. He was 51. The singer, whose real name was Michael Eugene Archer, died Tuesday, according to a statement from the family. The singer’s family confirmed in a statement Tuesday that he died after battle with cancer. His family called him a “shining star of our family and has dimmed his light for us in this life.”
