March 15, 2024 4:51 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Jaromir Jagr is missing. Well, the bobbleheads of the former NHL star are anyway. The Pittsburgh Penguins say a shipment carrying bobbleheads of the franchise icon was stolen after arriving in California. The team had intended to give the bobbleheads away to fans during their home game against the San Jose Sharks. Instead, the club will give fans a voucher that will allow them to pick up the item at a later date. The team says it is “shocked” by the theft and is working with state and federal authorities in hopes of recovering the items.
March 14, 2024 5:44 pm
North Strabane Township Police say Demar Boulevard is closed due to an active police incident. SWAT has reportedly been called. This is a developing story. Check back for further details.
March 14, 2024 4:55 am
Houston Borough Council voted on Wednesday to disband their police department. Council just barely gathered a quorum with council members David Bails, Lisa Minney and Walt Nesic absent. The four remaining council members President Larry Scears, Vice President Nick Galbraith, Paul Hatalsky and Jon Taylor voted unanimously to enter into an Intergovernmental Cooperation Agreement with the Borough of Canonsburg. Canonsburg will now provide something to Houston that Scears says the borough never had, 24 hour a day, seven day a week police protection. The agreement is a three year deal that will cost Houston $337,000 over the life of the contract. It will release four part time police officers and Pennsylvania State Police from their duties. The contract will provide all customary police duties. Scears says that this is something that had to be done because of all of the businesses that are locating to the borough that are staying open to 11 or 12 at night. He pointed to the new Sheetz store that will be open for 24 hours a day. Scears says that public safety was the main driver in entering into the agreement. Canonsburg voted to approve the deal on Monday and have already begun their preparations to serve Houston. The contract is expected to begin on June 1, but if all parties agree, it could begin sooner.
March 13, 2024 2:25 am
The chair of the Local Share Account Committee, Jeff Kotula, says that, at the request of the Washington County Board of Commissioners, the Washington County Local Share Account Review Committee will convene virtually on Wednesday, March 20, 2024 at 9:00 a.m. to review the City Mission’s recent application to the Washington County Local Share Account program for a 50-bed Women’s Homeless Shelter. He says the committee will honor the commissioners’ recommendation to limit its review solely to the City Mission’s application. The public will be welcome to view the proceedings. The committee has also invited Diana Irey Vaughan, President & CEO of the City Mission, to attend the meeting and address the committee’s questions over the project’s readiness, availability of additional dollars to complete the shelter, and the alignment of the application with the county’s comprehensive plan. The committee has requested Ms. Irey Vaughan bring any necessary financial information or other documentation to support and clarify their application. Kotula says the LSA Review Committee reviewed 94 projects during this funding cycle and recommended 50 projects to the Washington County Board of Commissioners at a public meeting on February 6, 2024. Commissioners Sherman, Janis, and Maggi unanimously approved all 50 of the committee’s recommendations at their public meeting on February 15, 2024. The City Mission project was one of 44 projects not recommended by the committee nor approved by the commissioners at their respective public meetings. The commissioners have been disagreeing on the City Mission’s grant. Democratic Commissioner Larry Maggi said that the LSA Committee issued a list on January 30th, of recommended projects to be funded in 2024. Number 38 on the list was the homeless shelter with recommended funding of $500,000, but on February 6th, he says a new list was issued and the shelter project was removed. Maggi further stated that phone calls from the commissioner’s office were made to the LSA Committee indicating that the City Mission project be removed.
March 14, 2024 8:21 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is opposing the planned sale of U.S. Steel to Nippon Steel of Japan. Biden says in a statement obtained by The Associated Press the U.S. needs “strong American steel companies powered by American steel workers.” The announcement expected Thursday comes as the Democratic president campaigns in the Midwest and could have ripples in his race against Republican Donald Trump. Nippon Steel announced in December it plans to buy the Pittsburgh-based steel producer for $14 billion in cash. That raised concerns within the federal government about what the transaction could mean for unionized workers, supply chains and U.S. national security. Nippon Steel promises no job losses and says it’s committed to keeping U.S. Steel’s Pittsburgh headquarters.
March 14, 2024 9:58 am
PITTSBURGH — (WPXI) – The Jaromir Jagr bobbleheads meant to be given away at Thursday’s Pittsburgh Penguins game against the San Jose Sharks were stolen. The team said the bobbleheads were stolen after arriving in California and are not in Pittsburgh. They learned of the cargo theft when they didn’t arrive as scheduled. The team worked with the manufacturer and transportation companies to alert the appropriate state and federal authorities who are currently working to locate the cargo. “We were shocked to be a victim of cargo theft, and we are working closely with local and federal authorities on the investigation” said Penguins President of Business Operations Kevin Acklin. “While this unfortunate incident adds to the legend of Jaromir Jagr, who will be in attendance as our guest at tonight’s game, we look forward to resolving this theft and delivering the prized Jagr bobbleheads to their rightful homes, with our fans.” All fans in attendance at Thursday’s game will receive a voucher that includes a one-time scannable barcode that will be required to pick up the bobblehead at a later date, the team said. The date and location of the pickup with be announced when the bobbleheads are found or new ones are made. (PHOTO; Pittsburgh Penguins)
March 14, 2024 4:58 am
MONROEVILLE, Pa. — (WPXI) – Hanging wires snarled traffic for hours along the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Monroeville Wednesday. Police say it started when a semi-truck hit wires along the Northern Pike overpass around 3 p.m. The downed lines backed up traffic for miles. Officials say it was bumper to bumper for 7 miles in the eastbound lanes and 3 miles in the westbound lanes. The downed lines also led to a closure of the overpass itself. That’s where repair work was concentrated. It took workers a couple of hours to secure those downed lines – some hung over the turnpike in bucket trucks to reel them in.
March 14, 2024 5:08 am
(AP) – Former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin says he’s going to put together an investor group to buy TikTok after the House passed a bill that would ban the popular video app in the U.S. if its China-based owner doesn’t sell its stake. Speaking on CNBC’s “Squawk Box,” Mnuchin said he believes TikTok should be sold. He says the company should be owned by U.S. businesses and that China would never let a U.S. company own something similar in China. He offered no details about who may be in the group or about TikTok’s possible valuation. TikTok did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
March 14, 2024 5:09 am
NEW YORK (AP) — Prosecutors say they’re open to delaying the start of Donald Trump’s New York hush-money criminal trial to give the former president’s lawyers time to review evidence that was only recently turned over. The Manhattan district attorney’s office said in a court filing that it’s not opposed to adjourning the start of the trial for not more than 30 days. Jury selection in the trial is scheduled to begin March 25. The judge has yet to rule on the request. Trump’s lawyers are seeking an 90-day delay or the dismissal of charges against Trump, alleging violations of what’s known as the discovery process, where the sides exchange evidence.
March 14, 2024 5:04 am
LONDON (AP) — Artificial intelligence is supercharging the threat of election disinformation worldwide, making it easy for anyone with a smartphone to create fake – but convincing – content aimed at fooling voters. It’s a big leap from a few years ago, when creating phony photos or videos required teams of people with time and technical skill. Now, using free and low-cost generative artificial intelligence services from companies like Google and OpenAI, anyone can create high-quality “deepfakes” with a text prompt. A wave of AI deepfakes tied to elections in Europe and Asia has coursed through social media for months, serving as a warning for more than 50 countries heading to the polls this year.
