September 21, 2022 4:25 am
CHICAGO (AP) – Lottery officials say two people who wish to remain anonymous have claimed a $1.337 billion Mega Millions jackpot after a single ticket was sold in a Chicago suburb for a late July drawing, opting to take a lump sum payment of $780.5 million. The Illinois Lottery said Wednesday the prize for the July 29 drawing was claimed by two individuals who agreed to split the prize if they won. The lottery says it is unable to share any information about the winners except to say that they must be “over the moon” with their win. The jackpot-winning ticket was bought at a Speedway gas station and convenience store in Des Plaines. The jackpot was the nation’s third-largest lottery prize.
September 21, 2022 4:23 am
UNITED NATIONS (AP) – President Joe Biden has declared that Russia has “shamelessly violated the core tenets” of the United Nations charter with its “brutal, needless war” in Ukraine. Biden on Wednesday delivered a forceful condemnation of Russia’s invasion to the international body, saying abuses against civilians in Ukraine “should make your blood run cold.” He also said Russian President Vladimir Putin’s new nuclear threats against Europe show a “reckless disregard” for his nation’s responsibilities as a signatory of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. And he highlighted consequences of the invasion for the world’s food supply, pledging $2.9 billion in global food security aid to address shortages caused by the war and the effects of climate change.
September 21, 2022 4:22 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – The House is preparing to vote on an overhaul of a centuries-old election law in an effort to prevent future presidential candidates from trying to subvert the popular will. The legislation under consideration Wednesday is a direct response to the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection and former President Donald Trump’s efforts to find a way around the Electoral Count Act. That arcane 19th century law governs, along with the U.S. Constitution, how states and Congress certify electors and declare presidential election winners. Trump and a group of his aides and lawyers tried to exploit loopholes in the law to overturn his defeat.
September 21, 2022 4:21 am
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) – Hurricane Fiona strengthened into a Category 4 storm Wednesday after lashing the Turks and Caicos Islands and was forecast to squeeze past Bermuda later this week. The storm was blamed for causing at least four direct deaths in its march through the Caribbean, where it unleashed torrential rain in Puerto Rico, leaving a majority without power or water as hundreds of thousands of people scraped mud out of their homes following what authorities described as “historic” flooding. Power company officials initially said it would take a couple of days for electricity to be fully restored but then appeared to backtrack late Tuesday night.
September 21, 2022 4:19 am
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) – Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced a partial mobilization in Russia. The measure appeared to be an admission that Moscow’s war against Ukraine is not going according to plan after nearly seven months of fighting and amid recent battlefield losses for the Kremlin’s forces. The Russian leader also warned the West that he is not bluffing over using all the means at his disposal to protect Russia’s territory, in what apparently was a veiled reference to Russia’s nuclear capability. Putin has previously warned the West not to back Russia against the wall. Officials said the number of reservists to be called up is around 300,000.
September 21, 2022 4:13 am
The Washington School District has informed Elementary School parents of a possible case of monkeypox. In a letter dated Monday, Superintendent George Lammay says “a child suspected of having monkeypox or another disease with a similar presentation was present at school” on Monday. He says the “District will not have confirmation of the diagnosis for up to three days”. The district immediately sanitized all physical locations that the suspected child accessed before being removed from school. The letter says any child identified as a potential close contact would receive a separate notice with additional information. Monkeypox and similar diseases spread between people through direct contact with an infectious rash, body fluids or by respiratory secretions during prolonged, face-to-face contact.
September 21, 2022 4:03 am
North Strabane Township Supervisors held their agenda setting meeting on Tuesday and the proposed agenda will be largely procedural where they will be considering several land development items that have been in the works for several months. The most controversial will be a conditional use application for Ashford Place. It is a single structure multifamily development that is proposed to be located along Morganza Road. Also under consideration is another conditional use application by 84 Lumber to build an office park adjacent to the fitness center and training center. A third consideration will be for a final land development application for the Hornickel Wedding Venue located along Burkett Lane. Supervisors will also be setting dates for budget workshops. The legislative meeting will take place on September 27.
September 21, 2022 2:37 am
A Westmoreland County man accused of having several sexual encounters with a minor will face trial for those actions. Thirty-one-year-old Clayton Warmus of Manor asked for a jury trial on charges of statutory sexual assault, indecent sexual assault of a minor less than 16, and others. A fifteen year old victim told police that she had approximately 30 sexual encounters with Warmus in Canton Township and Union Township from August of 2020 through March of 2021. In a plea court hearing Warmus was offered a sentence of 6-12 years in state prison on one of two counts of indecent sexual assault of a person less than 16. He opted to face trial on five felony counts and one misdemeanor. Warmus remains in the Washington County jail. He is scheduled for a December jury trial.
September 21, 2022 2:11 am
One of two men accused of deceitful business practices will stand trial for his role in a series of non-performance of work activities. Alexander Walker, 66 of McDonald attended a plea hearing on Tuesday expecting to have any plea deals postponed because he has been making restitution payments. That plan was dashed when a victim voiced opposition to any further delays in closing the cases against Walker and his son Matthew. Frank Pollack objected to any further continuances in his case because he is looking for closure. Pollack hired the Walkers, doing business as Three Rivers Decks and Porches in 2019. As in several other instances, victims paid a down payment for work contracted and the Walkers started work and never returned to finish keeping all of the money. Pollack told the judge that he does not expect to see any of his money back and would be surprised if Walker would live long enough to pay him back. He wants to see Walker put in jail. The judge told Walker that the court is not a collection agency, the case has been going on for more than two years. She told him to get a loan, go to trial or plead guilty and make payments. The request for continuance was denied. Walker is now scheduled for a jury trial in January 2023. Walker’s son Matthew has his cases working through the courts. He had a pre trial conference earlier this month. He is scheduled for plea court again in November. The Walkers have several other cases that have closed by pleading guilty in Allegheny and Beaver counties.
September 20, 2022 5:41 pm
WASHINGTON (AP) – The independent arbiter tasked with inspecting documents seized in an FBI search of former President Donald Trump’s Florida home says he intends to push briskly though the review process. Raymond Dearie, the veteran Brooklyn-based judge, also appeared skeptical of the Trump team’s reluctance to say whether it believed the records had been declassified. The purpose of Tuesday’s meeting was to sort out next steps in a review process expected to slow by weeks, if not months, the criminal investigation into the retention of top-secret information at Mar-a-Lago after Trump left the White House.
