June 25, 2022 3:37 am
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection declares Saturday a Code Orange Air Quality Action Day for our area. The combined high pressure, sunshine, and temperatures near 90 will contribute to ozone average concentrations in the Code Orange range today. The Orange zone represents unhealthy pollution levels for sensitive groups of people. DEP recommends driving less by using car pooling or public transport, combining errands to reduce vehicle trips, limiting engine idling, refueling after dusk, and conserving electricity by turning of lights not being used and setting higher temperatures on air conditioning. Young children, the elderly, and those with respiratory problems like asthma, emphysema, and bronchitis are especially vulnerable to the effects of air pollutions. DEP recommends that those populations limit their outdoor activities.
June 25, 2022 3:30 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – The Supreme Court has ended constitutional protections for abortion that had been in place nearly 50 years – a decision by its conservative majority to overturn the court’s landmark abortion cases. Friday’s outcome overturning Roe v. Wade is expected to lead to abortion bans in roughly half the states. The decision, unthinkable just a few years ago, was the culmination of decades of efforts by abortion opponents, made possible by an emboldened right side of the court that has been fortified by three appointees of former President Donald Trump. The ruling came more than a month after the stunning leak of a draft opinion by Justice Samuel Alito.
June 24, 2022 3:29 pm
WASHINGTON (AP) – The House has sent President Joe Biden the most wide-ranging gun violence bill Congress has passed in decades. The bill that passed the House on Friday is a measured compromise that at once illustrates progress on the long-intractable issue and the deep-seated partisan divide that persists. The Democratic-led chamber approved the election-year legislation with every Democrat and 14 Republicans voting yes. That caps a spurt of action prompted by voters’ revulsion over last month’s mass shootings in New York and Texas. The Senate approved it earlier by a bipartisan 65-33 margin, with 15 Republicans joining all Democrats in supporting a package that senators from both parties had crafted.
June 24, 2022 4:14 am
LONDON (AP) – British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s leadership of the Conservative party has suffered a heavy double blow as voters rejected the Tories in two special elections. In the southwestern constituency of Tiverton and Honiton, the Liberal Democrats overturned a 24,000 Conservative majority to win, while the main opposition Labour Party reclaimed Wakefield in northern England. The contests, triggered by the resignation of Conservatives hit by scandals, offered voters the chance to give their verdict on the prime minister just weeks after 41% of his own MPs cast their ballots against him. The party’s chairman quit after the results early Friday, saying the party “cannot carry on with business as usual.”
June 24, 2022 4:12 am
GAYAN, Afghanistan (AP) – The death toll from a devastating earthquake in Afghanistan continued to climb days after it turned brick and stone homes into rubble. State media reports the quake has killed 1,150 and injured some 3000. The U.N. puts the number of dead at around 770 people. Either toll makes this the deadliest quake to hit Afghanistan in two decades. Despite some international aid flowing to the impacted villages in the east to provide people with food and tents, villagers are mostly on their own digging by hand for survivors. The country of 38 million people is in the midst of a spiraling economic crisis that had plunged millions deep into poverty.
June 24, 2022 4:12 am
SURFSIDE, Fla. (AP) – Friday marks the anniversary of the oceanfront condo building collapse that killed 98 people in Surfside, Florida. The 12-story tower came down with a thunderous roar and left a giant pile of rubble in one of the deadliest collapses in U.S. history. The disaster at Champlain Towers South also turned into Florida’s largest-ever emergency response that didn’t involve a hurricane. Its victims are being honored Friday at events on the ground where the grueling two-week search and rescue unfolded. Only two teenagers and a woman survived the fall and were pulled from the rubble, while others escaped from the portion of the building that initially remained standing. First Lady Jill Biden is expected at a public event organized by the town of Surfside.
June 24, 2022 3:46 am
WASHINGTON, Pa. — The Washington County Clerk of Courts could have to appear for a contempt of court hearing following an appeal rejection by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court Thursday. Reports say the one-sentence decision was filed Thursday morning and denied Brenda Davis a petition for writ of prohibition that was requested after she challenged President Judge John DiSalle’s orders to remove duties from her office. This all comes after Commonwealth Court rejected several appeals that were filed by Davis to block those orders, including an emergency stay of a contempt hearing originally scheduled for December 6. It followed an incident in late November when Davis attempted to stop sheriff’s deputies from transferring juvenile files from her office. Davis has been at odds with the Judge and County Commissioner’s over staffing and duty issues in her office. Davis also claims she was assaulted by deputies during that November 24 incident. Judge DiSalle has said that the contempt proceedings are important to get a full account of what happened that day. Additionally, the State Attorney General was investigating this situation, but decided against taking any legal action.
June 24, 2022 3:32 am
BURGETTSTOWN, Pa. — PennDOT wants to alert drivers to a road resurfacing project in Washington County starting early next week. Officials say the work will take place on Route 18 in Burgettstown Borough and Smith Township starting June 27th and lasting until the end of July. All work is weather and operational dependent. Crews from Golden Eagle Construction will be milling the road and performing paving operations. Drivers can expect single-lane alternating traffic during daylight hours on Route 18 between Fair Street and Union Electric Road during the project. This is all part of a larger resurfacing job for the company throughout Washington County this summer.
June 24, 2022 3:21 am
CECIL TOWNSHIP, Pa. — The Southern Beltway southern terminus at the Washington County line is set to be completely open to traffic Friday. The $800 million new toll road that connects Interstate 79 with the Pittsburgh International Airport has been open to vehicle traffic since October of last year, but only ramps for I-79 north traffic onto the toll road and eastbound 579 traffic to I-79 south were opened at that time. Friday, drivers coming south on the interstate will be able to access the toll road. Additionally, ramps will be open so toll road drivers can access I-79 north and Morganza Road. A ramp will also be open for drivers to access I-79 South from Morganza Road via the beltway. A turnpike spokesperson says all ramps at the interchange will be open by 6:00 p.m. Friday.
June 24, 2022 3:17 am
South Strabane Township held a Community Open House on Thursday with a focus on introducing their new fire chief to residents. The event held at the Oak Springs Road fire station welcomed Chief Jordan Cramer. Cramer was hired April 14 and has been busy with his new duties as chief. Cramer stated that he has been working with volunteer and career staff on communication and training techniques. Cramer is a trainer with the International Association of Fire Chiefs who teaches courses on how combination fire crews can get along and succeed. He is working on getting his whole staff advanced training so that everyone is equally trained. Cramer states that community involvement is important to him. He is looking forward to meeting residents of South Strabane. One of the ways that he hopes to do that is to offer classes. He is really looking forward to offering monthly CPR classes, stop the bleed classes and fire prevention programs. Cramer is also the Emergency Management Coordinator. He said that he always is interested in trying to build the ranks of his staff. If anyone is interested in being a fire fighter or emergency technician, reach out to him.
