Local School Districts Victims Of Non-Credible Threats

September 10, 2024 2:26 am

Several school districts throughout Washington County have received – over the past few days – several threats that have been deemed “non-credible” by police.  Included in that list, was the Canon-McMillan, Trinity, Chartiers, and Burgettstown School Districts.  Emails were sent out to parents and guardians in the school districts notifying them that there would be an increased police presence at the schools Tuesday.  Canon-McMillan officials say they became aware of an internet post as students were walking into the building Tuesday morning,  After a sweep of the building,  they say police deemed that threat non-credible.  That was also the case in the three other school districts as well.  State Police had told WJPA on Monday that they were investigating what they called “an incident” that occurred over the weekend, after a video was supposedly uploaded to a social media sight, but then taken down, directing a threat to a Trinity area school.  Troopers said they would offer more information once their investigation was complete.  Authorities in each school district have said they are continuing to investigate each and every incident to ensure the safety of all students.

North Franklin Calls For Trinity Tax Freeze

September 11, 2024 4:45 am

North Franklin Township Supervisors took an unusual step and voted on a non-binding resolution calling on the Trinity Area School District to hold the line on tax raises for the next five years. Supervisors unanimously approved the motion and they are going to be asking the other municipalities in the school district, Canton, Amwell and South Strabane Townships, to follow suit. Supervisor Bob Sabot said that “Enough is enough” stating that municipalities set their budgets and work within those budgets year after year. He pointed out that in the last five consecutive years that Trinity has raised taxes, North Franklin Township has not, in fact, they cut taxes a couple years back. Supervisor Mike Quinn pointed out that the township collects $470,000 in taxes from its residents and Trinity collects $5.5 million from those same residents. He pointed to the school buildings in the township that do not generate revenue. The supervisors want to send a message that they perceive the district to be on an unchecked spending spree that is creating a hardship for residents, especially senior citizens.

Wheeling Man Killed In I-70 Crash In Donegal Township

September 11, 2024 2:13 am

A Wheeling, West Virginia man was killed in a one vehicle accident on Interstate 70 early Tuesday morning in Donegal Township.  Washington County Coroner Tim Warco says 35-year-old Christopher Aaron Clutter lost control of the vehicle he was driving in the westbound lane near the Claysville exit, sometime between four and eight-thirty.  Warco says Clutter was the only person in the vehicle and was not wearing a seat-belt.  Warco says the accident is under investigation by the State Police and an autopsy is pending to determine the exact cause of death.

Man & Woman Struck By Pickup Truck In Pittsburgh

September 11, 2024 4:52 am

PITTSBURGH — (WPXI) – A man and woman were hit by a pickup truck in a Downtown Pittsburgh crosswalk on Tuesday evening, Pittsburgh police said. The crash happened at the intersection of Sixth and Centre Avenues at 7:15 p.m. Police say the driver was heading north when he hit the pedestrians and then crashed into the BNY Mellon parking garage. Investigators believe the driver had a medical emergency. The driver and the pedestrians were taken to area hospitals. The driver is in critical condition and police say the pedestrians are stable. Police said the damage to the parking garage is being assessed. The investigation is ongoing.

Two Planes Collide On Tarmac At Atlanta Airport

September 10, 2024 1:48 pm

(ABC) –  Two planes collided on the tarmac at Atlanta s airport.  A pilot on board Delta Flight 295 about to take off from Atlanta s Hartsfield-Jackson didn’t immediately know what happened.  Turns out the plane clipped the tail of another flight, knocking the tail off. Witnesses say the second plane was on an adjacent runway headed to Louisiana, as the Delta flight was taxiing for takeoff to Tokyo. There were no injuries on board either flight.

State Police Investigating “Incident” Involving Trinity

September 9, 2024 7:00 am

Social media sites in Washington County have been buzzing over the past twenty-four-hours, about a video that was posted – and subsequently taken down, about a possible threat to a school in the Trinity School district. WJPA reached out to State Police, who only would say that they are “Investigating an Incident.” Troopers would offer no further comment, pending the outcome of that investigation. WJPA News also reached out to Trinity Superintendent Dr. Michael Lucas and Trinity School District Police but they have not returned our calls or emails.

North Franklin Supervisors Want Trinity To Stop Tax Hikes

September 10, 2024 11:32 am

Supervisors in North Strabane Township are schedule to meet tonight and discuss recent multiple increases in Trinity School District taxes. The board is expected to pass a non-binding resolution that calls for the district to freeze future tax hikes for the next five years. Supervisor Chairman Bob Sabot says Trinity has raised taxes for five years in a row and residents are angry. Although Sabot says the board has no control over the matter, since the tax rate is set by the school district, the resolution will call on Amwell, Canton and South Strabane to pass similar resolutions. Sabot is also disputing comments that the tax increases follow on the heels of large increases in school growth. He says the population in all of the district’s municipalities, except South Strabane, is stagnant. Tonight’s meeting is set for five-thirty in the township building.

Payment To Begin City Garage Appraisal On Agenda

September 10, 2024 4:52 am

Washington City Council will contemplate a brief agenda on Thursday. The item of interest will be council’s consideration to approve a $1667 payment to Integra Realty Resources to begin its appraisal of the City’s parking garage. The Parking Authority rejected a county offer of $4 million dollars to purchase the garage. It is the feelings of the principal owners that they need to see another opinion before they decide to sell. In departmental reports, Park Director DeAnna Martin said that the pool had a successful season drawing 11,500 people. That is double what the pool drew in 2022 and outperformed last year when the pool drew approximately 8000 people. She said the second annual Arts in the Park event also did well. She estimated that approximately 500 people were in attendance, they gave out 186 free lunches to kids that participated. Martin also reminded everyone that Dark in the Park has moved dates. It is now October 18 and 19. She said she is still looking for volunteers to add a little more “excitement” to the event.

All Eyes On Harris-Trump Debate

September 10, 2024 4:58 am

WASHINGTON (AP) — Tuesday’s presidential debate will give Americans perhaps their most detailed look at a campaign that’s been dramatically reshaped. Kamala Harris and Donald Trump will meet for the first time face-to-face at 9 p.m. in Philadelphia. For both of them, it’s a high-pressure opportunity to showcase their starkly different visions for the country after a tumultuous campaign summer. Trump, a 78-year-old white man, has struggled to adapt to Harris, the first woman, Black person or person of South Asian descent to serve as vice president. Harris, meanwhile, will face a rare round of sustained questioning. She has sat for only a single formal interview in six weeks since taking over the Democratic ticket.

Harris & Trump Offer Worlds-Apart Contrasts

September 10, 2024 5:04 am

WASHINGTON (AP) — This year’s presidential race is a genuine contest of ideas between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump. There are clear differences on taxes, abortion, immigration, global alliances, climate change and democracy itself. Since replacing President Joe Biden as the Democratic nominee, Harris has pledged to chart a new way forward even as she has embraced many of his ideas about the middle class and abortion access. Trump wants to accomplish much of what he couldn’t during his past term in the White House. He wants deeper corporate tax cuts, higher tariffs and more support for American fossil fuel development.