September 27, 2022 4:45 pm
WASHINGTON (AP) – All 50 states have received final approval to begin construction on a first nationwide network of electric vehicle charging stations that places one roughly every 50 miles along interstate highways. It’s part of the Biden administration’s plan to spur widespread adoption of zero-emission cars. The Transportation Department approved plans Tuesday for the last set of 17 states that will install or upgrade fast chargers along 75,000 miles of highway, coast to coast. By year’s end, drivers could start seeing shiny upgrades to existing highway EV stations in states including California, Colorado, Florida and Pennsylvania.
September 27, 2022 12:45 pm
The Allegheny County Health Department announced today that a second human case of West Nile virus has been recorded in Allegheny County this year. The agency identified the person as a man in his 60s who lives in Pittsburgh’s Brighton Heights neighborhood. He experienced mild symptoms and was never hospitalized for the virus and has since recovered from the illness. According to a news release, the Pennsylvania Department of Health has reported eight other cases of West Nile virus this year to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The ACHD said it has set up more mosquito traps in Brighton Heights as part of its West Nile surveillance efforts. It has also treated five other areas where West Nile has been detected with a mosquito pesticide called Zenivex E20. The pesticide isn’t harmful to humans or pets.
September 27, 2022 4:23 am
Experts say the U.S. Supreme Court’s June ruling overturning Roe v. Wade appears to be sending more teens to their doctors in search of birth control, including long-acting reversible forms like intrauterine devices and implants. Waits for appointments are growing in some areas, Planned Parenthood is getting a flood of questions and doctors report demand even among teens who aren’t sexually active. Some patients are especially fearful because some of the new abortion laws don’t include exceptions for sexual assault. Dr. Peggy Stager said dedicated spots for insertion of the Nexplanon implant are consistently filled at her Ohio practice and requests for contraceptive refills have increased 30% to 40% since the Court’s June ruling.
September 27, 2022 4:23 am
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) – A NASA spacecraft has rammed an asteroid in an unprecedented test to see if a potentially menacing space rock could be knocked off course. The galactic grand slam occurred at a harmless asteroid 7 million miles away Monday. The Dart spacecraft plowed into the small space rock at 14,000 mph. Scientists say the impact should have carved out a crater and hurled streams of rocks and dirt into space. Most importantly, though, scientists are hoping the collision altered the asteroid’s orbit. NASA won’t know how much the spacecraft nudged the asteroid for a couple of months.
September 27, 2022 4:21 am
TOKYO (AP) – Japan’s hawkish former leader Shinzo Abe was honored by a rare and divisive state funeral that was full of militaristic presentation like soldiers carrying his ashes in a box brought by his widow and praise of his nine-year premiership. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has said the publicly financed ceremony was a deserved honor for Japan’s longest-serving modern political leader, but it has deeply split public opinion. The event attended by U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, Japan’s Crown Prince Akishino and other foreign and Japanese dignitaries. Kishida eulogized Abe as having a clear vision for economic growth and development and promoting the concept of a “free and open Indo-Pacific” as a counter to China’s rise.
September 27, 2022 4:20 am
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) – Pro-Moscow officials say that residents in three of the four occupied areas of Ukraine voted to join Russia. The Kremlin-orchestrated votes have been dismissed by the U.S. and its Western allies as illegitimate. According to Russia-installed election officials, 93% of the ballots case in the Zaporizhzhia region were in support of annexation, as were 87% of ballots in the southern Kherson region and 98% in Luhansk. The preordained outcome sets the stage for a dangerous new phase in Russia’s seven-month war in Ukraine because it is expected to serve as a pretext for Moscow to annex the four areas. That could happen as soon as Friday.
September 27, 2022 4:19 am
HAVANA (AP) – Hurricane Ian tore into western Cuba as a major hurricane Tuesday and left 1 million people without electricity. Now it’s on a collision course with Florida over warm Gulf waters expected to strengthen it into a catastrophic Category 4 storm. Ian made landfall early Tuesday in Cuba’s Pinar del Rio province, where officials set up 55 shelters, evacuated 50,000 people, rushed in emergency personnel and took steps to protect crops in the nation’s main tobacco-growing region. Ian was expected to get even stronger over the warm Gulf of Mexico. In Florida, 2.5 million people were ordered to evacuate.
September 27, 2022 4:12 am
WASHINGTON COUNTY, Pa. — (WPXI) – A Washington County woman is accused of sending thousands of harassing text messages to other parents over the last two years. Kristyn O’Donnell is facing harassment charges after police charged her with using “spoofing” apps to send the texts, which are sent anonymously to dozens of parents and coaches. Chartiers Township police charged O’Donnell and the case is awaiting trial, but parents say the texts have not slowed. One parent, who wants to remain anonymous, showed our news partners at WPXI hundreds of texts just from the last month. Many of them are lewd, make fun of kids, players, coaches and more. According to the criminal complaint, O’Donnell has been sending the texts via spoofing apps since July 2020. The texts allegedly include pornographic photos on which she had photo-shopped her ex-husband’s face. Parents reached out to Channel 11 with hundreds of the texts saying they are frustrated that the justice system has moved slowly, and the trial continually gets postponed. Channel 11 reached out to the FBI. It tells us it helps local police departments with investigations where spoofing is being used. It can’t comment specifically on the techniques used, though. Local parents have hired private investigators and attorneys and say they are desperate for the daily text messaging harassment to end. O’Donnell’s lawyers told WPXI they cannot comment on the case.
September 27, 2022 4:01 am
Peters Township Council had a number of business items accumulate throughout the last several months and Monday night was the night to put those items to rest. Council started by adopting their employee performance management policy that dictates how employees receive raises. They also updated their employee handbook. The most noteworthy was directing staff to enter into a lease agreement with AT&T to have them provide better cellular telephone coverage in the township. They will install a 90 foot high tower to attach antennae to begin to address their lack of cell coverage. They will also provide lighting from that tower to light a football practice field. A $24,000 lease for the land is also included. Township Manager Paul Lauer indicated that Verizon will begin addressing their needs by locating antennae on an existing power pole on Druid Drive and T-Mobile will do the same thing on a pole at the intersection of Center Church and Rolling Hills Drive. Lauer cautioned council that these are initial steps and will not solve all of the problems with cell coverage in the township. Council also directed staff to begin prequalifying contractors for the possible construction of the proposed aquatic center. The project still needs to be approved but according to Lauer, this is the first step in being able to put the project out to bid. Proposals came in over budget last year and the project was put on hold and changes were made to the design. Since then, the township has been awarded $3.2 million in grants. Lauer hopes to have the final proposals in so that council may approve the project and award bids on the fourth Monday in January.
September 27, 2022 2:26 am
WESTMORELAND COUNTY, Pa. (WPXI) — A former Washington County deputy is behind bars after police said he impersonated an officer and tried to be dismissed from prior criminal charges against him. According to the Westmoreland County Sheriff’s Office, Andreas Veneris was arrested after police said he presented himself as a law enforcement officer. The criminal complaint said that Veneris was a deputy in Washington County for over 25 years but was fired because he was arrested for official misconduct. Police said Veneris has recently been showing an official badge and identifying himself as a deputy sheriff to try to get the criminal charges against him dismissed. Veneris is charged with impersonating a public servant, terroristic threats and receiving stolen property. He was booked in the Westmoreland County Prison on the warrant, along with additional warrants from Allegheny County.
