June 17, 2023 4:13 am
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — With leader Kim Jong Un in attendance, North Korea has opened a key political conference to discuss improving its struggling economy and reviewing defense strategies in the face of growing tensions with rivals. That’s according to state media reports Saturday. The enlarged plenary meeting of the ruling Workers’ Party’s Central Committee came as the United States sent a nuclear-powered submarine to South Korea. It’s the allies’ latest show of force against the North, which has ramped up its testing of nuclear-capable missiles to a record pace in recent months.
June 17, 2023 4:11 am
PERRYTON, Texas (AP) — Residents of the Texas Panhandle town of Perryton are digging out of the rubble after a deadly tornado struck the town, shredding mobile homes and ripping apart brick buildings along main street. Cleanup efforts continued Friday, a day after severe storms swept across Southern states, killing at least five people. The tornado in Perryton killed three people, destroyed hundreds of homes, tossed vehicles into buildings and knocked out power. One person died in the Florida Panhandle when at least one confirmed tornado cut through Escambia County. In Mississippi, a man died after a tree fell on him during stormy weather early Friday.
June 17, 2023 4:08 am
There are still more questions than answers about what led up to one of the worst shipwrecks in recent Mediterranean history, in which some 500 people are feared dead. The Greek Coast Guard said that the overcrowded fishing trawler was moving steadily toward Italy, refusing almost all assistance, until minutes before it sank. This is in part supported by the account of a merchant vessel that was nearby. But activists said that people on board were in danger and made repeated pleas for help more than 15 hours before the vessel sank. Much of these accounts could not immediately be independently verified, and still missing is the testimony of survivors, who have been transferred to a closed camp and kept away from journalists.
June 17, 2023 4:07 am
KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — Ugandan police say at least 25 people have been killed in a suspected rebel attack on a school near the Congo border. Police said in a statement Saturday that the Allied Democratic Forces carried out the attack late Friday night on a school in the border town of Mpondwe. The school is located about 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) from the Congo border. “A dormitory was burnt and a food store looted. So far 25 bodies have been recovered from the school and transferred to Bwera Hospital,” the statement said, adding that eight others are in critical condition. It also added that Ugandan troops are tracking the attackers into Congolese territory.
June 17, 2023 4:04 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will tout his pro-labor bona fides on Saturday at his first major political rally since he formalized his reelection campaign, appearing alongside union members to make his case that his economic agenda is boosting the middle class. His campaign says Biden will “lay out the core principles of his economic message” in his remarks. Biden also plans to talk about how a sweeping climate, tax and health care package he signed into law last year has cut the cost of prescription drugs and lowered insurance premiums. Ahead of the event, several of the nation’s most powerful unions officially endorsed Biden’s campaign. (Photo: AP)
June 17, 2023 3:46 am
The Center For Coalfield Justice held a gathering in North Strabane Township Thursday to help introduce a program for people in the region who have concerns about rare cancers in children and adults who feel that the oil and gas industry plays a large roll in the cause for those cancers. Mad Facts, Mothers and Dads-Family Awareness of Cancer Threat Spike is a grass root effort developed by Jodi Borello, Washington County Community Organizer for the Center for Coalfield Justice whose family developed breathing problems and rashes related to fracking operations near their home in South Franklin Township, and Janice Blanok of Cecil Township who lost her 19 year old son Luke to the rare cancer Ewing Sarcoma. The meeting broke out into four separate discussion groups before coming back together to discuss the group’s ideas about driving attention to the rare cancer issues throughout southwestern Pennsylvania. The groups discussed lack of media coverage, gas and oil company influence on local governments, schools and hospital systems. They also discussed how fracking companies place their well pads and explain how safe they are. The group will hold several additional meetings to gather support for one another and support for the overall community. Gatherings are scheduled for July 26 and August 23 where author Kristina Marusic will discuss her book “The New War On Cancer”. Additional information may be obtained by contacting the Center For Coalfield Justice.
June 17, 2023 3:46 am
The Washington County Planning Commission held an open house on Thursday to seek input on the draft of the County Comprehensive Plan. The plan is a blue print of how Washington County would like to see development on several fronts. Jason Theakston, Development Manager for Washington County Planning calls the plan “the guiding document of development” for the county over the next 10 years. It addresses issues like community and economic development and how the two intertwine. Redevelopment of cities and transportation issues are also addressed. Natural resource management and attention to the agriculture industry are all concerns taken into account in the comprehensive plan. According to Theakston, the Planning Commission is seeking further input from residents over the next 45 days. A final draft of the plan will be available on the county website in the next week. Commissioners are expected to adopt the plan in either August or September.
June 17, 2023 3:45 am
CANONSBURG, Pa. — (WPXI)- Investigators said a group of teenagers is responsible for causing tens of thousands of dollars in damage at Canon-McMillan High School’s football stadium. Officials said the fire got so hot, it burned right through the metal bleachers. “It definitely was very suspicious, no reason for it to burn there, and as hot as it burned to melt that aluminum on the bleachers,” said Fire Chief Tim Solobay. Investigators believe a group of young teenagers, likely around 8th grade, set the fire that spread to the roof of the concession stand. It happened around 2 a.m. Police spent the morning reviewing the surveillance video that show the teens before and after the fire. The state police fire marshall spent Thursday investigating. Canon-McMillan said they’re waiting for the insurance company report as well as a report from the fire marshall. They have no estimate on how much damage this caused, but Solobay said he guesses $150,000 at the very least.
June 17, 2023 3:44 am
The Catholic Partnership Parishes of St. James in Western Washington County and St. Katharine Drexel in Southeastern Washington County are hosting a series of outreach and social programs this summer. The events planned include bi-weekly “Eat n Pray in the Park” on Thursday evenings at community parks around the county, featuring scriptural and spiritual talks as well as cookouts. The parishes are also hosting “Up In Holy Smoke,” a fellowship event to learn and share in the basics of cigar smoking, with donations benefiting JFK Catholic grade school. They are also hosting the “Holy Wheels Ministry Car Show” three times this summer–the first one happening today at 4:00 p.m. at St. Hilary Church on Henderson Avenue in Washington. The event will include a blessing of the cars at 5:30 p.m., followed by a car show until 7:30 p.n., plus food, a DJ, and a 50/50 raffle.
June 16, 2023 5:18 am
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The United States has deployed a nuclear-powered submarine capable of carrying about 150 Tomahawk missiles to South Korea. The USS Michigan’s arrival Friday was the first of its kind in six years. It came a day after North Korea resumed missile tests in protest of the U.S.-South Korean live-fire drills. South Korean officials say the submarine’s arrival is part of a recent bilateral agreement on enhancing “regular visibility” of U.S. strategic assets to the Korean Peninsula in response to North Korea’s advancing nuclear program. President Joe Biden and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol agreed at their summit in April that that the United States would enhance the visibility of its strategic assets to the region.
