April 19, 2022 4:19 am
(AP) – A judge has denied a motion to reduce bonds for the jailed parents of a Michigan teenager who is charged in a shooting at Oxford High School that left four of his fellow students dead. Oakland County Circuit Judge Cheryl Matthews said Tuesday that James and Jennifer Crumbley’s actions before their Dec. 4 arrests in a commercial building in Detroit were “not consistent with cooperating with law enforcement.” The Crumbleys had disappeared the day before – after they were charged with involuntary manslaughter. Their attorneys had requested that their bonds be lowered from $500,000 each to $100,000 each. They indicated they would appeal and would seek a change of venue. Ethan Crumbley is charged with murder and other crimes in the Nov. 30 shooting. (Photo: ABC News)
April 19, 2022 4:18 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – The number of migrants attempting to cross the U.S.-Mexico border has surged in recent weeks as the U.S. prepares for even larger numbers with the expected lifting of a pandemic-era order that turned away asylum seekers. Immigration authorities stopped migrants 221,303 times along the Southwest border in March, a 34% increase from the month earlier and the highest in nearly two decades. U.S. Customs and Border Protection filed the data with a federal court in Texas. CBP was expected to publicly release the monthly statistics soon, before the looming expiration of a public health order that enabled U.S. authorities to turn back most migrants, including people seeking asylum.
April 19, 2022 4:16 am
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) – Russia is attacking cities and towns in Ukraine’s eastern industrial heartland and pouring more forces into the country. It intensified assaults along a front hundreds of miles long Tuesday in what officials on both sides described as a new phase of the war. After a Russian push to overrun the capital failed, the Kremlin declared that its main goal was the capture of the eastern Donbas region. Moscow-backed separatists have been fighting Ukrainian forces there for eight years. If successful, that offensive would give President Vladimir Putin a vital piece of Ukraine and a badly needed victory in the now 7-week-old war.
April 19, 2022 4:14 am
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) – A federal judge in Florida struck down a national mask mandate on airplanes and mass transit Monday, and airlines and airports swiftly began repealing their face covering requirements. The judge’s decision freed airlines, airports and mass transit systems to make their own decisions about mask requirements, resulting in a mix of responses to the ruling. The major airlines switched to a mask optional policy, eliciting cheers from passengers when the changes were announced over loudspeakers. The Transportation Security Administration said Monday night that it will no longer enforce the mask requirement, and airports in Houston and Dallas almost immediately did away with their mandates after the TSA announcement.
April 19, 2022 4:11 am
A box truck rolled onto its side overnite at the Jefferson Avenue on-ramp to Interstate 70 Westbound. Washington County 9-1-1 says it happened just before 11 p.m Monday night. Dispatchers tell WJPA News that no one was transported from the scene and no other vehicles were involved. A HazMat team was brought in because the truck had a refrigerator unit that was leaking. State Police Washington say the ramp has reopened to traffic.
April 19, 2022 4:04 am
CECIL TOWNSHIP, Pa — (WPXI) – A tractor trailer crashed into a telephone pole along State Route 980 in Cecil Township, eventually ending up in a creek. Cecil Township Volunteer Fire Company #3 said on Facebook that the driver lost control of the vehicle. The crash was cleaned up in under three hours. The crash caused State Rte 980 to close between Vincenty Road and Pifferetti’s Asian Automotive, but it has since reopened. There is no word on any injuries caused by the accident. (Photo: Cecil Twp Volunteer Fire Company #3)
April 19, 2022 4:01 am
Peters Township Council adopted a pilot program of sharpshooting to enhance the already existing archery program in order to reduce the number of deer in the township to cut down on deer related car accidents. They were updated on the results of the program at their council meeting Monday night. The program began on February 1 and lasted through March 5 with a goal of harvesting 125 deer. Officer Jason Brunetti of the Peters Twp. Police department reported that the goal of 125 deer was met. Township parks and private property were used by the program. Of the 125 deer harvested, 91 of them came from private property along Rt. 19, E. McMurray Rd. and Bebout Rd. Only 11 deer were taken from six township parks. The total cost of the program was $21,600. The total amount of venison donated through the Hunters Sharing the Harvest organization was 6181 pounds. That meat went to the Greater Washington Food Bank, the Allenport Food Pantry and the Donora Food Pantry. Additionally, 45 deer were harvested through the existing archery program bringing the total harvest to 170 deer throughout the township.
April 19, 2022 3:33 am
A McDonald man whose company allegedly contracted with homeowners to replace decks and porches will face trial for his taking money and not completing the work. Alexander Walker, 65 is the owner of Three Rivers Decks and Porches. He is facing several felony charges of receiving payment and failure to perform services and deceitful business practices among other charges. Walker appeared for a plea court proceeding where he had hoped to continue his case until July to align it with identical cases that are levied against his son Matthew. A victim at the hearing objected and forced Walker’s attorney to schedule a trial. Frank Pollack stated in court that he objects to any further delay and wants the case that he began in 2020 to reach a resolution. The judge agreed with Pollack despite Walker’s attorney trying to explain how cases against his client in Allegheny and Beaver Counties are making it difficult to arrange restitution agreements with Pollack and several other Washington County victims, some whose cases began as early as 2017. Pollack stated that he is out more than $12,000 and does not expect to see the money returned. He called Walker a criminal and wants to see him and his son put in jail. Walker’s attorney had no comment on the development. Walker is scheduled for an August 8 trial.
April 19, 2022 2:37 am
A Monongahela man accused of shooting and killing his wife will face trial. Dennis Vaccaro, 64 faced his preliminary hearing on Monday and had charges of criminal homicide and aggravated assault held for court. Vaccaro allegedly was arguing with his wife Mecca Vaccaro outside their Monongahela home. The couple separated and Mecca went back inside. A witness indicated a few moments later Dennis went inside the home and a second argument broke out and shots were fired. The witness found Dennis Vaccaro standing over Mecca Vaccaro as she was laying on the ground. Mecca was taken to Penn Highlands Mon Valley Hospital where she later died. Vaccaro will be arraigned on May 26. He is being held in the Washington County Jail without bond.
April 18, 2022 2:46 pm
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) – A federal judge in Florida has voided the national mask mandate covering airplanes and other public transportation as exceeding the authority of U.S. health officials. The decision Monday by U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle in Tampa also said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention improperly failed to justify its decision and did not follow proper rulemaking. The CDC recently extended the mask mandate until May 3 to allow more time to study the BA.2 omicron subvariant. The Justice Department declined to comment Monday when asked if the government planned to appeal the ruling.
