March 26, 2023 8:08 am
ROLLING FORK, Miss. (AP) — Rescuers raced Saturday to search for survivors and help hundreds of people left homeless after a powerful tornado cut a devastating path through Mississippi, killing at least 25 people and injuring dozens. The tornado flattened entire blocks as it carved a path of destruction for more than an hour. Another person was killed in Alabama. The tornado flattened entire blocks of the small town of Rolling Fork, reducing homes to piles of rubble, flipping cars on their sides and toppling the town’s water tower. Residents hunkered down in bath tubs as the tornado struck and later broke into a John Deere store that they converted into a triage center for the wounded.
March 26, 2023 8:07 am
WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — President Joe Biden’s choice to run the Federal Aviation Administration has withdrawn his nomination. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg confirmed the withdrawal of Denver International Airport CEO Phillip Washington in a tweet Saturday night. The setback for the administration comes after Washington appeared to lack enough support in the closely divided Senate. Republicans were united in opposition to Washington, calling him unqualified because of limited aviation experience. Democrats and allied independents still might have pushed the nomination through, but key senators on their side balked at supporting Biden’s pick. Buttigieg called Washington “an excellent nominee” and blamed undeserved and partisan attacks.
March 26, 2023 8:01 am
WEST READING, Pa. (AP) — An explosion at a chocolate factory in Pennsylvania Friday killed three people and left four missing, but authorities say one person was found alive in the rubble. West Reading Borough officials say a number of people were injured by the explosion at the R.M. Palmer Co. plant just before 5 p.m. Police Chief Wayne Holben says the death toll rose on Saturday with the discovery of a third body in the community about 60 miles northwest of Philadelphia. Fire Chief Chad Moyer says four people remain missing as the search for victims continues and fire investigators work to determine a cause. The explosion destroyed one building and damaged a neighboring building with apartments. A spokesperson says eight people were taken to Reading Hospital Friday evening
March 26, 2023 7:58 am
PITTSBURGH (WPXI) — Thousands of people remain without power after strong winds tore through western Pennsylvania Saturday. Winds reached over 50 mph, knocked trees down and broke utility poles. As of 12:45 p.m. Sunday, Duquesne Light Company reports 5,547 of their customers are without power. Any Duquesne Light customer who is without power is asked to report their outage online or by calling 412-393-7000. West Penn Power continues to report thousands of outages.
A current look at West Penn Power outages:
- Allegheny – 2,666
- Beaver – 1,248
- Fayette – 147
- Greene – 2,359
- Washington – 1,297
- Westmoreland – 915
People are reminded to not approach downed power lines. Anyone experiencing an emergency during a power outage should contact 911 for help.
March 26, 2023 1:44 am
A fire broke out early Saturday morning in the borough of Burgettstown. The fire was at a home located at 1822 Main Street. First responders from Burgettstown and Slovan fire departments were dispatched at 4:05 am. The fire was extinguished quickly. The fire marshal was on the scene to determine the cause of the fire.
March 25, 2023 4:24 am
NEW YORK (AP) — After nearly two years and $1.4 million spent, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration released an external review of its overseas operations that barely mentions recent corruption scandals and offers a series of recommendations that critics dismissed as overly vague. Much of the report outlines the DEA’s 69-country “foreign footprint,” while lauding its efforts to plug gaping holes in the oversight of undercover money laundering operations. The probe followed reporting by The Associated Press on a disgraced former DEA agent who confessed to laundering money for Colombian drug cartels and skimming millions to fund an international joyride of parties and prostitutes.
March 25, 2023 4:22 am
FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Shares in Deutsche Bank, Germany’s largest lender, have fallen sharply and dragged down major European banks as fears about the global financial system send fresh shudders through the market. Deutsche Bank closed down 8.5% on the German stock exchange Friday after falling as much as 14%. That followed a steep rise in the cost to insure bondholders against the bank defaulting on its debts, known as credit default swaps. The new turmoil in the global financial system comes after the collapse of two U.S. banks and a government-orchestrated takeover of Swiss lender Credit Suisse by rival UBS. Asked whether Deutsche Bank could be the next Credit Suisse, Scholz said, “There is no reason to worry.”
March 25, 2023 4:21 am
NEW YORK (AP) — A powdery substance was found Friday with a threatening letter in a mailroom at the offices of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. It’s the latest security scare as the prosecutor weighs a potential historic indictment of former President Donald Trump. The letter said, “Alvin, I am going to kill you,” according to a person familiar with the matter. The person was not authorized to speak publicly about an ongoing investigation and did so on condition of anonymity. The discovery, in the same court building where a grand jury is expected to resume work Monday on the Trump case, came amid increasingly hostile rhetoric from the Republican.
March 25, 2023 4:16 am
WEST READING, Pa. (AP) — An explosion at a chocolate factory in Pennsylvania Friday killed two people and left nine people missing. West Reading Borough Police Department Chief of Police Wayne Holben says several other people were injured by the explosion at the R.M. Palmer Co. plant about 60 miles northwest of Philadelphia. The explosion just before 5 p.m. sent a plume of black smoke into the air, destroying one building at the facility and damaging a neighboring building with apartments. Holden says the cause of the explosion remains under investigation. A spokesperson says eight people were taken to Reading Hospital Friday evening.
March 25, 2023 3:46 am
The Washington County Chamber of Commerce hosted a Municipal Leaders Panel Discussion on Friday. Leaders from six communities related to members the challenges, successes and outlooks for each of their townships. Successes included ongoing recreational developments. Struggles described were with infrastructure funding and state regulatory bureaucracy. Outlooks, overall, were positive despite any difficulties that the communities faced. Darla Protch, Township Manager for Mt. Pleasant Township discussed her struggles trying to fund a $35 million sewerage project where they are financially qualified for a project one third that size due to their rural make up. Recreation projects were highlighted by Peters Township and North Franklin Township with regards to new parks in each township. Erin Dinch, Director of Planning and Development in North Franklin Township spoke of how their new Waterside Park will give the community the place to gain a sense of community and allow residents to meet the neighbors they otherwise may not meet. Outlooks overall were positive. Cecil Township Manager Don Gennuso says that supervisors there will be reviewing their comprehensive plan to make sure commercial and industrial development will be spurred along the recently opened Southern Beltway. South Strabane Township Manager Brandon Stanick spoke of their juggling act of planning for extensive residential and ongoing commercial development. The event was moderated by Chartiers Township Manager Jodi Noble.
