April 28, 2022 4:16 am
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) – The International Atomic Energy Agency chief says the safety of Europe’s largest nuclear plant which is currently under Russian occupation in Ukraine is a “red light blinking” as the IAEA tries in vain to get access for work including repairs. Rafael Grossi in an Associated Press interview turned the focus to the nuclear plant at Zaporizhzhia a day after Ukraine marked the anniversary of the 1986 deadly disaster at the Chernobyl nuclear plant. Chernobyl was itself occupied for weeks by Russian soldiers after their February invasion. Grossi says Russia and Ukraine need to help on access to the Zaporizhzhia plant but there is reluctance on both sides.
April 28, 2022 4:14 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) – Leading candidates for the Republican nomination for Pennsylvania’s open governor’s office met for their statewide live-televised prime-time debate Wednesday. They’re seeking an edge in a nine-person field. Four met the polling threshold set by the station’s parent company: former Congressman Lou Barletta; state Sen. Doug Mastriano; lawyer Bill McSwain; and plumbing and HVAC firm owner Dave White. They made big promises about what they can do for the economy. They also vowed to get rid of no-excuse mail-in voting. Democrat Josh Shapiro doesn’t face a challenger for the party’s nomination. The primary election is May 17.
April 28, 2022 2:54 am
A city man accused of stabbing another man at a busy intersection had aggravated assault charges dismissed. Shawn Laschinsky, 30 of Washington was accused slashing the face of Joshua Carr at the intersection of Wylie and Allison Avenues. According to police Laschinsky approached Carr about a girl and Carr knew nothing about her. Laschinsky then allegedly slashed Carr’s face with a knife. The victim did not appear for the hearing and the judge dismissed the case.
April 28, 2022 2:51 am
(WPXI) – A Greene County man won $1,000,000 on a scratch-off ticket earlier this month. Wednesday, the Pennsylvania Lottery presented 45-year-old Bob Keller with a commemorative check. Keller won his million-dollar prize on a ticket called $1,000,000 Merry and Bright, a holiday-themed ticket, purchased at Giant Eagle in Waynesburg. “Technically I wasn’t going for that ticket. I went to the machine and it didn’t have the ticket I wanted so I pushed the Christmas one,” said Keller. “I went to my car, scratched it and thought it was an April Fool’s joke! I went back in the store to ask the cashier about the ticket, and they were all excited.” He said he purchased the ticket on April 8, and claimed the prize on April 14th. According to a press release, the win was a memorable moment for Keller, who had just finished a long day of work. “I was exhausted, I had been up since 5 in the morning, and it was the afternoon,” said Keller, who shared that he has worked as a CNA for 16 years. I don’t know how this money will impact my life. I’m not sure what I’ll do. I’m not quitting my job any time soon. I like playing the Lottery because there’s always that hope of winning.” Giant Eagle received a $5,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket.
April 28, 2022 2:24 am
A Canton Township man who led police on a chase from North Franklin Township into the city before coming to a stop after hitting a vehicle waived his charges to court. Stanley Adler, 26 requested a fast track waiver for charges that include flight to avoid apprehension and attempt to elude and officer. According to the criminal complaint State Police tried to pull Adler over on Nokomis Street in North Franklin. They stated he had a warrant out for his arrest. Police apprehended Adler after the accident and also apprehended Austin McCloud, 22 of West Alexander. He, too, had a warrant out for his arrest. Both men are facing multiple drug possession charges unrelated to this case. Both will have preliminary hearings on May 23. Adler’s fast track hearing on these traffic charges is scheduled for June 28.
April 28, 2022 2:09 am
Seven area fire departments were called out shortly before ten-thirty Wednesday morning to the California Industrial Park on Technology Drive in California for reports of a large fire in the Perryman Corporation Building. California Volunteer Fire Chief Paul Hartley tells WJPA News that the fire ignited Titanium inside of the storage area of the building. Hartley says the time of day prevented many from being able to respond to the call so they were forced to call in multiple departments for help. Hartley says no one was seriously hurt. Two workers though, were reportedly treated for smoke inhalation. Hartley says they don’t believe the fire was suspicious but his department is conducting a full investigation. He says there wasn’t a lot of damage, but there is a lot of clean-up work to be done. He says it took firefighters about three hours to put the fire out.
April 27, 2022 4:26 pm
(AP) – Meteorologists are retiring the name Ida from the list of Atlantic hurricane names. Last year’s Ida was the fifth costliest U.S. storm on record, causing $75 billion in damage and killing 55 people. It made landfall in Louisiana and caused a swath of destruction throughout the eastern U.S., killing 49 people in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. This is the 12th hurricane name starting with the letter I that’s been retired, more than any other letter by far. There have been more category 4 and 5 landfalling hurricanes in the U.S. in the last five years than in the 54 years from 1963 to 2016.
April 27, 2022 7:56 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – Russia and the United States have exchanged prisoners. A senior U.S. official says Russia released a Marine veteran jailed in Moscow while the U.S. released a convicted Russian drug trafficker serving a prison sentence in Connecticut. Wednesday’s surprise exchange was done as Russia’s war with Ukraine has driven relations with the U.S. to their lowest point in decades. Russia gave up Trevor Reed, a Marine from Texas arrested in 2019 after Russian authorities said he assaulted an officer. The U.S. agreed to return Konstantin Yaroshenko, a Russian pilot who’d been serving a 20-year sentence for conspiracy to smuggle cocaine into the U.S. Reed’s family thanks President Joe Biden for deciding “to bring Trevor home.”
April 27, 2022 6:55 am
SOUTH FAYETTE, Pa. — (WPXI) – Softball player for James Madison University (JMU) and South Fayette standout Lauren Bernett has died. University President Jonathan Alger said in a statement on Tuesday that Bernett had died the previous day. She was a sophomore biology major and a high achieving member of the university’s softball team. The McDonald, Pennsylvania native was a four-year letter winner at South Fayette High School and graduated in 2020. During her time at JMU, Bernett played as a catcher and competed in the 2021 College World Series. As a freshman, she was a member of the VaSID All-State Second Team and was named Rookie of the Week after recording four hits, two being doubles scored during the team’s opening weekend. She recorded a season high of 18 putouts in a game against Liberty. Outside of the softball field, Bernett earned Dean’s List during the fall semester of 2020. Bernett was also named Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Week on Monday, less than 24 hours before her death. “Our condolences and deepest sympathies are with her family, friends, coaches and fellow members of the student-athlete community,” said Alger.
April 27, 2022 4:25 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – The Supreme Court is questioning lower-court orders that have blocked the Biden administration from ending a controversial Trump-era immigration program for asylum-seekers. Questions from conservative and liberal justices during nearly two hours of oral arguments on Tuesday suggested that the court could free the administration to end the “Remain in Mexico” policy that forces some people seeking asylum in the U.S. to wait in Mexico for their hearings. President Joe Biden suspended the program on his first day in office. After Texas and Missouri sued, lower courts required immigration officials to reinstate it, though the current administration has sent far fewer people back to Mexico than its predecessor.
