McKeesport Man Sentenced To Prison

April 30, 2025 5:50 pm

A McKeesport man who was convicted of shooting a teenager from Tennessee at Jollick Manor nearly three years ago, was sentenced in Washington County Court on Wednesday.  Twenty-five-year-old Jamil Carr was convicted of third-degree murder a few weeks ago following a two day trial.  The jury found Carr guilty after deliberating less than three hours, of the shooting death on July 15, 2022, of Antonio Martinez.  He was sentenced to twenty-seven and a half to sixty-years in prison.  Authorities alleged that the shooting occurred after the two got into an altercation.  Carr has been held in the Washington County Jail without bond since his arrest.

School District Sues Norfolk Southern Railroad

April 30, 2025 5:23 pm

(AP) – Not long after a Norfolk Southern train derailed and caught fire in eastern Ohio in February 2023 the railroad started to repeat its promise that it would “make it right” in East Palestine. But a new lawsuit filed Wednesday by the school district adds to the doubts about the railroad’s commitment after plans for a student wellness center stalled. Some residents also point to Norfolk Southern’s attempts to force other companies to help pay for its $600 million class-action settlement and its agreement to abandon a training center for first responders that was supposed to help the village. Superintendent James Rook said the railroad hasn’t fulfilled promises to reimburse the schools.  (Photo:  AP)

Greene County Man Among Those Killed In Storms

April 30, 2025 12:20 pm

Three people are dead after severe storms blew through Southwestern Pennsylvania on Wednesday. State Police said 25-year-old Andrew Celaschi of Jefferson, was traveling as a passenger on Jefferson Road in Greene County at 5:30 p.m. when a tree fell on top of the vehicle he was in. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Troopers say the tree was knocked over by high winds. There were also two storm-related deaths reported in Allegheny County on Tuesday, including a man who was electrocuted by live wires in Pittsburgh.  A Pittsburgh Public Safety official says police, fire and EMS responded to the 1000 block of St. Martin Street for a man electrocuted by live wires around 7 p.m. He died on scene. “I walked down there and [saw] him lying between the car and the truck, and his feet were on fire and wires were lying on top of him,” Mike Bryan said.Ross Township Police confirmed the other person who was killed in Allegheny County during the storms was a man who was hit by a tree on Evergreen Road.  Authorities are urging residents to use extreme caution after the storm, especially as night falls, due to storm damage hazards like downed trees and possible live wires.

Wisconsin High Court Suspends Milwaukee Judge

April 30, 2025 5:24 am

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Wisconsin Supreme Court has suspended a judge accused of helping a man evade immigration authorities. The FBI took Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan into custody on Friday morning at the county courthouse. She faces federal charges of concealing an individual to prevent his discovery and arrest and obstructing or impeding a proceeding. The state Supreme Court issued a two-page order Tuesday noting that Dugan faces two federal charges and saying it is in the public interest to temporarily relieve her of her duties. Her attorney had no immediate comment. Democrats have accused the Trump administration of trying to chill the nation’s judiciary.

Trump Attacks Biden, Polling & News Coverage At Rally

April 30, 2025 5:22 am

WARREN, Mich. (AP) — President Donald Trump has celebrated the 100th day of his second term — yet spent much of his rally marking it in campaign mode, fixated on past grudges and grievances. He repeatedly mocked his Democratic predecessor, Joe Biden, at Tuesday’s rally — attacking Biden’s mental acuity and even how he appears in a bathing suit. He again uttered the lie that he won the 2020 presidential election. And he attacked polling and news coverage not favorable to him. And the rally just outside Detroit, which marked Trump’s largest political event since returning to the White House, glossed over two forces that had rocked the state: his steep trade tariffs and combative attitude toward Canada.

US Consumer Confidence Plummets

April 30, 2025 5:20 am

WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans’ confidence in the economy slumped for the fifth straight month to the lowest level since the onset of COIVD-19 as worries about the impact of tariffs take a heavy toll on consumer expectations for future growth. The Conference Board said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index fell 7.9 points in April to 86, its lowest reading since May 2020. The figures reflect a rapidly souring mood among consumers, most of whom expect prices to rise because of the widespread tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump.

US Economy Shrinks In First Quarter

April 30, 2025 5:18 am

The U.S. economy shrank 0.3% from January through March, first drop in three years. It was slowed by a surge in imports as companies in the United States tried to bring in foreign goods before President Donald Trump imposed massive tariffs. The January-March expansion was the slowest in almost three years and was down from 2.4% in the last three months of 2024. Imports shaved 5 percentage points off first-quarter growth. Consumer spending also slowed sharplye

Trump; US Kids May Get ‘2 Dolls Instead Of 30’

April 30, 2025 5:08 am

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is acknowledging that his tariffs could result in fewer and costlier products in the United States. He says American kids might “have two dolls instead of 30 dolls.” But he’s also insisting China will suffer more from his trade war. The Republican president has tried to reassure a nervous country that his tariffs won’t provoke a recession. But a new government report shows the U.S. economy shrank during the first three months of the year. Trump told his Cabinet on Wednesday that his tariffs meant China was “having tremendous difficulty because their factories are not doing business.” He said the U.S. didn’t really need imports from the world’s dominant manufacturer.

Warrant Issued For Suspect In Washington City Shooting

April 30, 2025 2:42 am

Washington County District Attorney Jason Walsh says a Washington man has been charged with criminal homicide in the shooting death of 28 year old Nasstylejah Wilkerson of Washington.  Walsh says they have issued an arrest warrant for Trevon McCrary.  Wilkerson was shot just before noon on Monday near JFK elementary school and was found lying on the sidewalk in the 100 block of West Walnut Street, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.  He was taken to UPMC Washington Hospital where he died in the emergency room.  The shooting happened near the school’s playground where dozens of children had been playing.  Walsh says they were able to name a suspect quickly, thanks to investigative work by the City of Washington Police Department and witnesses in the area.  He tells WJPA they do believe they have a motive for the shooting, however they are not releasing that information at this time.

Trump Offers Automakers Some Relief On Tariffs

April 29, 2025 5:16 am

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has signed executive orders to relax some of his 25% tariffs on automobiles and auto parts. Tuesday’s action is a significant reversal as the import taxes threatened to hurt domestic manufacturers. Automakers and independent analyses have indicated that the tariffs could raise prices, reduce sales and make U.S. production less competitive worldwide. Trump portrayed the changes as a bridge toward automakers moving more productions into the United States. The administration provides automakers that finish their vehicles domestically a 15% rebate this year, offsetting the cost of the tariffs. That rebate would be 10% the second year, giving automakers some time to relocate production of parts to the U.S.