September 21, 2023 2:47 am
A prayer service was held Thursday night for 15-year-old Samantha lee Kalkbrenner, a Serra Catholic High School student who was killed Wednesday morning in a crash in Dravosburg. Authorities say Kalkbrenner, was killed and three other students were taken to local hospitals in stable condition while two men were taken in critical condition. Kalkbrenner was pronounced dead at the scene. The initial investigation by county police shows the van was attempting to make a left-hand turn onto Richland when it was struck by a Jetta traveling north on Richland. Serra Catholic High School will be closed through Friday. School activities are also cancelled. (Photo: WPXI)
September 21, 2023 2:44 am
The Washington County Chamber of Commerce hosted its monthly Breakfast Briefing at the Rossin Campus Center at Washington and Jefferson College. Dr. John Knapp, President of W & J offered his view of challenges facing all colleges for the future. Knapp says that college admissions are declining because the population of college aged students peaked in the early 2010’s and continues to decline. Knapp says that W & J has been able to adapt from its founding in 1781 as a western frontier college that turned out professionals to the college it is today, still turning out highly successful professionals through its ability to adapt. Knapp pointed to programs such as the “simplified pricing” program that it uses to attract students by advertising what the cost of tuition truly is at W & J, and how affordable a college education can be. W &J’s biggest adaptation is asking that students participate in two complimentary programs of study to allow them to be a more well-rounded student and prepare them to be not just career ready but “professionally ready” to enter the workforce. They are doing that by the introduction of 27 new courses of study over the last two years. Part of that is the partnership with Washington Health System and offering a four year bachelor of science degree in nursing to supplement the already successful two year nursing school at Washington Hospital.
September 20, 2023 4:58 pm
(AP) – Detroit carmakers are announcing more layoffs that they blame on fallout from the United Auto Workers strike. General Motors said Wednesday it idled a plant in Kansas with 2,000 workers because they don’t have auto parts to work with. The plant that makes those parts is on strike. And Stellantis, the maker of Jeep and Chrysler, says it expects to lay off more than 300 workers in Ohio and Indiana. The layoff are adding to tension just two days before the UAW is expected to call for expanding its strike, which right now is limited to three vehicle-assembly plants.
September 20, 2023 4:56 pm
WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans have clashed with Attorney General Merrick Garland, accusing him of the “weaponization” of its work under President Joe Biden. The Republicans used a routine oversight hearing on Wednesday to grill Garland about a special prosecutor’s investigation of the president’s son, Hunter Biden. Garland’s appearance comes at an unprecedented moment in the Justice Department’s history. The department is overseeing two cases against Donald Trump, the first former president to face criminal charges, and another against the sitting president’s son.
September 20, 2023 11:55 am
Kraft Heinz is recalling more than 83,000 cases of individually-wrapped Kraft Singles American processed cheese slices because part of the wrapper could stick to the slice and become a choking hazard. The company says one of its wrapping machines developed a temporary issue that makes it possible for a thin strip of film to remain on the slice even after it’s been removed from the wrapper. The machine has since been fixed. Kraft Heinz says it initiated the recall after it received several consumer complaints, but no injuries or serious health issues have been reported. (Photo: ABC)
September 20, 2023 4:59 am
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Police body camera video shows an Alabama high school band director being shocked with a stun gun and arrested by officers in front of screaming students, in a chaotic scuffle that broke out after he refused to immediately stop the band as it played in the bleachers following a football game. The altercation in Birmingham erupted last Thursday after the game between Minor and Jackson-Olin high schools. The video released Monday night shows officers approaching Minor band director Johnny Mims and telling him to stop the music and clear the stadium. But the band keeps playing for another two minutes. Officers shock him with a stun gun and arrest him, in a scrum of bodies. Police say the incident is under investigation.
September 20, 2023 4:54 am
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Palestinian health officials say the death toll over a day of fighting between Israel and the Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip has risen to six. Officials said on Wednesday that an Israeli military raid in a West Bank refugee camp killed at least one Palestinian. Four Palestinians were killed in a raid late Tuesday on the Jenin refugee camp in the northern West Bank, known as a militant stronghold. Another Palestinian was killed in the Gaza Strip, where youths have been staging violent protests at a separation fence. It is part of some of the worst violence to rock the West Bank in some two decades.
September 20, 2023 4:52 am
NEW YORK (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has finally gotten his long-coveted meeting with President Joe Biden. The sit-down Wednesday in New York on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly is the first since Netanyahu took office at the helm of his country’s far-right government late last year. Biden opened the meeting by saying the U.S. relationship with Israel was “ironclad.” But he also said they would discuss “upholding democratic values that lie at the heart of our partnership, including checks and balances.” Netanyahu stressed common goals in his opening remarks. Netanyahu also said he would uphold democratic values, despite his proposed changes to Israel’s court system. (Photo: AP)
September 20, 2023 4:50 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Democrats in the Pennsylvania House will keep their one-vote majority after winning a Pittsburgh area seat in a special election. Voters on Tuesday elected former congressional aide Lindsay Powell, bringing the partisan split to 102-101. Powell defeated Republican challenger Erin Connolly Autenreith in the heavily Democratic district. She replaces progressive former Democratic Rep. Sara Innamorato, who resigned in July to pursue local office. The House is expected to return next week to consider budget legislation two months into an ongoing stalemate.
September 20, 2023 4:48 am
Two Allegheny County men who are accused of traveling a Peters Township road and firing gunshots out of the window of a vehicle will face trial. Greg Devers, 48 of Bethel Park and his son Michael Devers, 31 of Pittsburgh faced their preliminary hearing on Tuesday and waived their charges to court. According to the criminal complaint police were summoned to the 100 block of Lamplighter Lane to investigate reports of guns being fired and found Michael Devers trying to elevate an intoxicated Greg Devers to his feet. While being taken into custody, Greg Devers threatened police stating he had a firearm and would kill the officers. During the arrest Michael Devers also threatened police. Greg Devers is charged with aggravated assault, terroristic threats and reckless endangerment among others. Michael Devers also faces multiple charges that include terroristic threats, reckless endangerment and resisting arrest. Greg Devers is free on $250,000 bond. Michael Devers remains in the Washington County Jaill on $100,000 bond. Both men are scheduled for their formal arraignment on October 26.
