March 24, 2023 4:31 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans are pressing forward with a vote on a midterm campaign promise. The bill would give parents greater oversight of what is taught in public schools. Critics say it is a burdensome proposal that would fuel a far-right movement that has resulted in book bans. Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has made the Parents Bill of Rights Act a top priority during the early weeks of his tenure atop the House. It will be an early test of unity for House Republicans, who have a thin majority. Lawmakers have proposed a score of potential amendments to the bill, adding a degree of uncertainty to Friday’s vote.
March 24, 2023 4:27 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — A Pennsylvania woman linked to a far-right extremist movement has been sentenced to three years in prison for storming the U.S. Capitol and invading then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office with other rioters. The judge who sentenced Riley June Williams on Thursday also presided over her trial last year. Williams was charged but not convicted of helping steal a laptop from Pelosi’s office suite during the riot on Jan. 6, 2021. A jury convicted Williams in November of six charges, including a felony count of civil disorder. But it deadlocked on two other counts, including “aiding and abetting” the laptop’s theft.
March 24, 2023 4:26 am
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea claimed Friday to have tested a nuclear-capable underwater drone designed to generate a gigantic “radioactive tsunami” that would destroy naval strike groups and ports. Analysts were skeptical that the device presents a major new threat, but the test underlines the North’s commitment to raising nuclear threats. The test this week came as the United States reportedly planned to deploy aircraft carrier strike groups and other advanced assets to waters off the Korean Peninsula. Military tensions are at a high point as the pace of both North Korean weapons tests and U.S.-South Korea joint military exercises has accelerated in the past year in a cycle of tit-for-tat responses.
March 24, 2023 4:25 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon says a strike by a suspected Iranian-made drone killed a U.S. contractor and wounded five American troops and another contractor in northeast Syria. American forces retaliated soon after with “precision airstrikes” in Syria targeting facilities used by groups affiliated with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. The attacks threatened to raise regional tensions Friday across the Middle East. Iran and Syria did not immediately acknowledge the strikes. However, an activist group’s report said the U.S. airstrikes killed eight Iranian-backed fighters in Syria soon after the drone attack.
March 24, 2023 4:23 am
A man is in custody after a Samaritan here in Washington County spotted a vehicle in Canton Township that was wanted as part of an Amber Alert out of Zanesville, Ohio. State Police say the alert was for a gold colored Chevy Suburban with Ohio registration that had been stolen and had two children inside. Washington Police were then dispatched when the vehicle was spotted along Jefferson Avenue around 7:30 p.m. Thomas Pritchard Jr. was taken into custody. Police say he was operating the vehicle while under the influence. The children that had been reported abducted where found in the vehicle and were evaluated by EMS personnel. Pritchard Jr. is charged with receiving stolen property, endangering the welfare of a child, recklessly endangering another person and driving under the influence.
March 24, 2023 2:30 am
A Charleroi man who faces two dozen assorted charges, most of them drug charges will face a jury trial. Donald Franks, 54 was going to accept a plea deal to avoid trial but at the last minute opted to go to trial. Franks was arrested on outstanding drug charges when he was found in a home with John Beebe of Fallowfield Township who is facing his own drug charges. Both were arrested in a drug raid of Beebe’s home in March of 2022. Franks faces 6 felony counts of possession with intent to deliver along with 5 conspiracy counts of the same charge. He also faces several other felony and misdemeanor charges over 5 different cases. Franks turned down a plea deal of 12-24 years in jail. According to the district attorney, if convicted at trial, he could be sentenced to 16-32 years in jail on just one of the charges. He faces four charges in one case that carry that penalty. Franks stated in court that he was not comfortable with the length of the 12 year sentence indicating that it was excessive when compared to other cases he is familiar with. He is scheduled for a May trial. Franks remains in the Washington County Jail.
March 23, 2023 4:13 pm
AYER, Mass. (AP) — Officials say five freight train cars have derailed in Massachusetts. But no hazardous materials were being hauled, and there were no reports of injuries. Authorities say the freight cars toppled over at about 11:30 a.m. Thursday. They were carrying sealed containers of trash and recycling material. The fire department called railway operator CSX and the utility National Grid to the scene, and officials took precautions to protect a nearby waterway. The train was not moving at the time of the derailment. CSX said there were no effects on the environment, and the cause remains under investigation. CSX said the cars derailed on a line jointly owned with Norfolk Southern.
March 23, 2023 1:24 pm
DETROIT (AP) — Hyundai and Kia are telling owners of over 571,000 SUVs and minivans in the U.S. to park them outdoors because the tow hitch harnesses can catch fire while they are parked or being driven. The Korean automakers are recalling the vehicles. Affected Hyundais include the 2019 to 2023 Santa Fe, the 2021 to 2023 Santa Fe Hybrid, the 2022 and 2023 Santa Fe Plug-in hybrid and the 2022 and 2023 Santa Cruz. The only Kia affected is the Carnival minivan from 2022 and 2023. All have Hyundai or Kia tow hitch harnesses. The automakers say water can get into a circuit board and cause a short circuit. Dealers will remove a fuse and tow hitch module until a fix is ready. Later they’ll install a new fuse and wire extension.
March 23, 2023 7:24 am
A Bentleyville man had a preliminary hearing on Wednesday facing terroristic threats and harassment charges. Joshua Levers, 40 waived his charges to court. The criminal complaint states that Levers sent threatening and lewd text messages to his victim earlier in March. The victim, a relative, indicated that he sent nude photos of himself and threatened sexual violent acts on them if they did not comply with his request for articles of their clothing. Levers remains in the Washington County Jail unable to post a $150,000 bond. He will be arraigned April 27.
March 23, 2023 7:19 am
A Cokeburg couple faced a preliminary hearing on Wednesday on felony aggravated assault of a minor and child endangerment charges. Matthew Mance, 34 and Shalee Schnore, 26 waived the assault and endangerment charges to court. According to the criminal complaints, a report was made in October to police about the possible abuse of a child in their home. An investigation revealed bruising on a child in multiple locations on their body. Doctors at Children’s Hospital called the bruises concerning and consistent with abuse. The victim’s sibling told police that they do not like going to the Mance and Schnore home because they would hit the victim. The couple avoided three additional aggravated assault charges as the district attorney withdrew those charges. Mance is awaiting a hearing on a subsequent resisting arrest charge. Schnore waived a hindering apprehension charge to court. Both remain confined in the Washington County Jail.
