June 12, 2022 8:15 am
Phoenix, Las Vegas, Denver and California’s Death Valley all posted record temperatures on Saturday, as dangerous heat swept across the American Southwest. The National Weather Service in Phoenix reported a temperature of 114 degrees Fahrenheit, tying the record high for the date set back in 1918. Las Vegas tied a record for the day set in 1956, with temperatures soaring to 109 F. The National Weather Service said there was a chance the high temperatures in both cities could rise even more. In Colorado, Denver hit 100 F, tying a record set in 2013 for both the high temperature and the earliest calendar day to reach 100 F. Temperatures in several inland areas of California reached triple digits by the afternoon, with a record high for June 11 of 122 F reached in Death Valley. Excessive heat warnings and heat advisories were issued for parts of Northern California through the Central Valley and down to the southeastern deserts. The National Weather Service also predicted 114 F in Palm Springs and temperatures around 100F across the San Joaquin Valley and the Sacramento area. Heat was expected to extend to inland portions of the San Francisco Bay Area but most of the California coastal zones remained free of heat advisories. The scorching heat in Northern California was expected to subside Saturday evening. Heat advisories in parts of Southern California were extended through Sunday.
June 12, 2022 8:12 am
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — The leaders of the National Governors Association said Friday they’re forming a bipartisan working group to come up with recommendations to stop mass shootings following the Texas school massacre. Reaching consensus could be a tall order given that the nation’s governors have been divided along partisan lines on how to approach issues of gun control and school safety. Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson of Arkansas, the group’s chairman, and Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy of New Jersey, the vice-chair, told the White House in a letter that they will convene a group of six to 10 governors, with a particular focus on making schools safe. Hutchinson and Murphy appeared to leave open the possibility that the recommendations could include some gun control proposals. The U.S. House this week approved a wide-ranging gun control bill that has little chance of passing the Senate.
June 12, 2022 8:11 am
PARIS (AP) — French voters are choosing lawmakers in a parliamentary election Sunday as President Emmanuel Macron seeks to secure his majority while under growing threat from a leftist coalition. More than 6,000 candidates, ranging in age from 18 to 92, are running for 577 seats in the National Assembly in the first round of the election. Those who receive the most votes will advance to the decisive second round on June 19. While candidates have sought to address consumer concerns about inflation, which was a key campaign issue, voter enthusiasm has been generally low. That was reflected in Sunday’s early turnout figures, which showed just 18% of France’s 48.7 million voters had cast ballots by noon. Hard-left leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon, who hopes the election may vault him to the prime minister’s post, was among only a trickle of voters as he cast his ballot in a diverse neighborhood of Marseille, a southern port city. On France’s opposite coast, a small crowd gathered to watch Macron arrive to vote in the English Channel resort town of Le Touquet. Following Macron’s reelection in May, his centrist coalition is seeking an absolute majority that would enable it to implement his campaign promises, which include tax cuts and raising the retirement age from 62 to 65.
June 12, 2022 8:09 am
SINGAPORE (AP) — China’s defense minister accused the United States on Sunday of trying to “hijack” the support of countries in the Asia-Pacific region to turn them against Beijing, saying Washington is seeking to advance its own interests “under the guise of multilateralism.” Defense Minister Gen. Wei Fenghe lashed out at U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, rejecting his “smearing accusation” the day before at the Shangri-La Dialogue that China was causing instability with its claim to the self-governing island of Taiwan and its increased military activity in the area. Austin had stressed the need for multilateral partnerships with nations in the Indo-Pacific, which Wei suggested was an attempt to back China into a corner. China has been rapidly modernizing its military and seeking to expand its influence and ambitions in the region, recently signing a security agreement with the Solomon Islands that many fear could lead to a Chinese naval base in the Pacific, and breaking ground this past week on a naval port expansion project in Cambodia that could give Beijing a foothold in the Gulf of Thailand.
June 12, 2022 8:06 am
PITTSBURGH (WPXI) — Kenny is back in the Burgh after a four-year hiatus — the infamous Kenny Chesney concert has returned for its 11th summer. The crowds also returned, with fans flooding Art Rooney Avenue as early as 11 a.m., and with boats docking some two to three weeks ago to get a prime spot for the show. North Shore parking lots opened at 1 p.m., and the stadium gates opened at 4 p.m., several hours before the three opening acts (beginning at 5 p.m.) and Chesney (scheduled for 9 p.m.) took the stage. Chesney was to be joined by Dan + Shay, Old Dominion, and Carly Pearce. Fans who spoke with our news partners at Channel 11 throughout the day said this year’s concert felt much safer and cleaner. In the past, Kenny Chesney’s concerts have been characterized as unruly and messy. Following 2018′s event, 25 tons of trash had to be removed. And in 2013, 75 fights erupted in and outside of the stadium.
June 12, 2022 8:03 am
DONEGAL TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Just a week after two incidents had Interstate 70 west closed throughout the day, another truck rollover accident had emergency crews busy Saturday night. A tractor-trailer rolled off the roadway and had the westbound lanes jammed for over an hour near the Claysville interchange according to reports. The accident occurred around 7:30 p.m. Officials say it took an hour to extricate the trapped driver, with STAT MedEvac helicopter services flying the patient to an area trauma center. Ambulance and Chair EMS, Claysville and West Alexander Volunteer Fire Departments also assisted on scene. Pennsylvania State Police have the incident under investigation. There is no word on the identity or the condition of the driver at this time. (Photo: Ambulance and Chair Facebook Page)
June 12, 2022 4:00 am
WASHINGTON, Pa. — The City of Washington renamed Sixth Street in the name of a former dedicated community resident Saturday. The road is now named Frances Vactor Way after a ceremony on the corner of Sixth Street and Forrest Avenue. Vactor, who was known as “Ms. Funny,” loved helping the people of Washington and served as a mentor and role model for generations of children and parents. Her smile was contagious and her sense of humor unmatched, leading to her nickname. Vactor had extensive community involvement before her passing in 2003, including serving as the manager of the Washington High School Cafeteria, President of the Washington Branch of the NAACP, board member of the LeMoyne Community Center, president of the Washington-Greene County Food Service Association and was an active member of the Nazareth Baptist Church. She also had extensive involvement in youth sports during her time serving the community. Vactor was a tireless volunteer for organizations like Meals on Wheels and a prolific fundraiser in support of the LeMoyne Center.
June 12, 2022 1:17 am
A Smith Township man will face trial for killing his next door neighbor. 52-year-old Bryce Tacy waived his case to court following his preliminary hearing in Washington County Court on Friday. Tacy is accused of killing 44-year-old Jerry Anderson late last month. The SWAT team was called to 18 Loffert Road after Tacy allegedly refused to come out peacefully. Family members have said that Tacy and Anderson had a history of disputes. Jason Walsh, the Washington District Attorney, said an argument is what fueled the shooting and alleges Tacy shot Anderson while he was on his lawnmower. Authorities allege that Tacy fired two shots into Anderson’s back and in the back of the head. According to state police, the gun used was legally owned by Tacy. Tacy is being held in the Washington County Jail without bond. His next court date is in August for his formal arraignment.
June 11, 2022 4:54 am
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) – The National Governors Association says it’s forming a working group of governors to come up with recommendations to stop mass shootings following the Texas school massacre. Reaching consensus could be a tall order given that the nation’s governors have been divided along partisan lines on how to approach issues of gun control and school safety. Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson and New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy told the White House in a letter that their group is creating a panel of six to 10 governors to look at the issue. Their letter left open the possibility the recommendations could include gun control proposals.
June 11, 2022 4:53 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – Angered by the unrelenting toll from gun violence, tens of thousands of people are expected at rallies this weekend in the nation’s capital and around the United States demanding that Congress pass meaningful changes to gun laws. The second March For Our Lives rally will take place Saturday in front of the Washington Monument. It’s a successor to the 2018 march organized by student protestors after the mass shooting at a high school in Parkland, Florida. Now with recent shootings from Uvalde, Texas, to Buffalo, New York, bringing gun control back into the national conversation, organizers of this weekend’s events say the time is right to renew their push for a national overhaul.
