Russian Bombardment Hits Beloved Historic Sites

July 25, 2023 5:12 am

ODESA, Ukraine (AP) — In just a week, Russia has fired dozens of missiles and drones at the Odesa region of Ukraine, hitting the historic city center that had been largely spared since the beginning of the war. Among the places struck was the Transfiguration Cathedral, which stands at the heart of the city’s romantic, notorious past and its deep roots in both Ukrainian and Russian culture. Before the war, many in Odesa saw themselves as more than simply Ukrainian. There were rumors, spread by Kremlin propaganda, that the city would welcome Russian soldiers. But they turned out to be false. Now that the city has come under an onslaught of attacks, it has become even more defiant.

‘Catastrophic Failure’ Cause Of Fire

July 25, 2023 5:09 am

PITTSBURGH — (WPXI) – Emergency crews are on the scene of a fire at a Duquesne Light specialized transformer on Brunot Island.  Photos and videos shared with our news partners at Channel 11 from viewers showed smoke filling the sky as flames sprout from the island in the Ohio River. Pittsburgh Public Safety said the fire started after a reactor “catastrophically failed,” according to Duquesne Light. Flames could be seen from miles away. While the island is in Pittsburgh’s Marshall-Shadeland neighborhood, images and videos sent to Channel 11 are from as far back at Ross Township. Officials said no one was hurt in the blaze and the fire and any related hazards are contained on Brunot Island. Officials at the scene said the oil inside of the reactor was on fire. Rail traffic was shut down but the river remains open. There is currently no threat to the public and no power outages reported due to the blaze.

Victim In Fatal Finleyville Crash Identified

July 25, 2023 5:00 am

The Washington County Coroner’s office has identified the person killed in a crash early Monday morning in Finleyville.  37 year old Sarah McClintock of Monongahela was pronounced dead at Penn Highlands Monongahela Valley Hospital just after 2 a.m.  According to the coroner’s report,  she was the sole occupant of a vehicle that went out of control and rolled along Route 88. She was partially ejected.  A cause and manner of death are pending.  Monongahela Police are investigating.

Peters Township Approves Waste Contract

July 25, 2023 4:52 am

Peters Township Council unanimously approved a new contract for waste collection and disposal with the South Hills Council of Governments. Beginning in 2024 through 2028, Waste Management will use automated services to handle garbage and recycling pickup. Residents and property owners will be given a bin for each type of disposal, additional bins would cost 100 dollars per year. There is a limit on how much waste each bin can handle, but glass recycling can be done from your home bins.  There were some reservations despite the five yes votes and no opposition in the meeting minutes. Council members were hesitant on the cost of Waste Management’s automation for trash pickup. In the first year of this four-year contract, the cost of waste collection services would increase 27 percent from 70 dollars to 100 dollars quarterly. The services cost would then increase by 7 percent every year after. Township Manager Pete Lauer says it’s a combination of labor costs like fuel and equipment costs. The lack of bidders for the service also played a role, only Waste Management and Westmoreland Landfill Supply applied for the rights. Waste Management’s deal was said to be substantially cheaper. Decisions on how payment will be handled for township residents through property taxes, or the township’s sanitary authority and Jordan Tax Service will be made in upcoming council meetings.

Carlee Russell Admits Hoax

July 24, 2023 6:50 pm

(WPXI)-Carlee Russell admitted to Alabama police on Monday that her story about being abducted from the side of an Alabama interstate after seeing a baby on the side of the road earlier this month was a hoax. Russell’s attorney, Emory Anthony, sent a statement to Hoover Police Chief Nick Derzis on Monday, AL.com reported. “My client has given me permission to make the following statement on her behalf: There was no kidnapping on July 13, 2023,” Anthony said in the statement. “My client did not see a baby on the side of the road. My client did not leave the Hoover area when she was identified as a missing person. My client did not have any help in this incident, but this was a single act done by herself.” Derzis read the statement during a news conference on Monday afternoon, WIAT-TV reported. “My client was not with anyone or at any hotel during the time she was missing,’’ Anthony’s statement continued. “My client apologizes for her actions to the community, the volunteers who were searching for her, to the Hoover Police Department and other agencies, as well as to her friends and family. “We ask for your prayers for Carlee as she addresses her issues and intends to move understanding that she made a mistake. Carlee again asks for your forgiveness and prayers.” Police still have no motive in the case, and are looking into filing charges against Russell

‘Barbie’ Breaks Box Office Record For Female Directors

July 24, 2023 10:49 am

“Barbie” didn’t just break the opening weekend record for 2023; It also shattered the first weekend record for a film directed by a woman. With $162 million in ticket sales from North American theaters, according to studio totals Monday, “Barbie” catapulted past both “Captain Marvel,” which was co-directed by Anna Boden and opened to $153.4 million in 2019, and “Wonder Woman,” Patty Jenkins’ 2017 film that debuted to $103.3 million. Boasting a reported price tag of $145 million, “Barbie” also cost less to produce than “Captain Marvel” ($152 million) and “Wonder Woman” ($200 million).

Trader Joe’s Recalls Cookies That May Contain Rocks

July 24, 2023 9:44 am

Trader Joe’s has announced the recall of two types of cookies. The company said that it has recalled Trader Joe’s Almond Windmill Cookies and Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate Chunk and Almond Cookies. The cookies may contain rocks. The Almond Windmill Cookies have SKU #98744 with 10/19/23 through 10/21/023 sell-by dates, while the Dark Chocolate Chunk and Almond Cookies have SKU #82752 with 10/17/23 through 10/21/23 sell-by dates. The cookies that were still on the shelves have been destroyed, the company said. If you have the recalled cookies, you’re being told not to eat them and either throw them away or return them to the store for a full refund. If you have questions, you can call the company at 626-599-3817, Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. PT or email Trader Joe’s.

Twitter To Change Logo To “X”

July 24, 2023 5:15 am

NEW YORK (AP) — Elon Musk plans to change the logo of Twitter to an “X” from the famous blue bird, marking what would be the latest big change since he bought the social media platform for $44 billion last year. In a series of posts on his Twitter account starting just after 12 a.m. ET on Sunday, Twitter’s owner said that he’s looking to make the change worldwide as soon as Monday. Earlier this month, Musk put new curfews on his digital town square, a move that sparked criticism that it could drive away advertisers and undermine its cultural influence as a trendsetter.

Texas Governor Tells Biden He’ll See Him In Court

July 24, 2023 5:12 am

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is promising a legal showdown with the Biden administration in their fight over immigration enforcement. He told the federal government Monday that the state won’t remove its floating barrier on the Rio Grande. In a letter to the Department of Justice, Abbott said his state has the authority to protect its border. The Justice Department last week threatened to sue Texas over the buoys between Eagle Pass and Piedras Negras, Mexico. Immigration enforcement is typically the purview of the federal government, which says the buoy wall raises humanitarian and environmental concerns. Abbott wrote in his letter, “Texas will see you in court, Mr. President.”

UN; Conversations Held With N. Korea Over U.S. Soldier

July 24, 2023 5:10 am

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The deputy commander of the U.N. Command says it has started conversations with North Korea over an American soldier who ran into the North last week across the Koreas’ border. Gen. Andrew Harrison said the process has started through a communications line set up under the armistice agreement that stopped the fighting of the 1950-53 Korean War. He said the well-being of Pvt. Travis King remains the command’s primary concern, but refused to provide more details. The update came as South Korea’s military said a nuclear-propelled U.S. submarine arrived at a port on Jeju Island in the second deployment of a major U.S. naval asset to the Korean Peninsula this month.