Washington
Washington County pays nearly $350,000 in ransom to hackers
:quality(70)/d1hfln2sfez66z.cloudfront.net/02-15-2024/t_6f903a8818134eaa8284b29d8b5117b8_name_washcocomputer11pv021224.jpg?ssl=1 "Washington County pays nearly 0,000 in ransom to hackers")
WASHINGTON COUNTY, Pa. — Washington County leaders addressed the cyber attack that shut down the county, revealing how much they paid in ransom to “Russian hackers”.
Solicitor Gary Sweat said the hackers demanded ransom money or they’d release the hacked data to the dark web. The county hired a cyber security firm to facilitate the payment of $346,687.
Several citizens spoke out at the meeting, asking for more transparency.
>> Washington County government back online after security breach
“We were advised not to make any statements because the cybercriminals were listening in on everything being said,” said Sweat.
The ransom money was in exchange for a decryption key to unlock the servers and a promise of deletion of stolen data.
Commissioner Larry Maggi said he voted against paying the ransom, calling it “repugnant” to give in to cybercriminals.
>> Cyber attack on Washington County now considered ransomware attack
“We can’t live in fear, my goodness! Home of the brave… we are living in fear of Russia! The whole thing stinks and I understand it’s more complex than this speech here,” said Maggi
Commissioner Nick Sherman voted ‘yes’ to pay the ransom. “I agree, nobody wanted to pay that. We don’t wake up to say, I’m excited to pay cyber terrorists in Russia…. that hacked our system.”
But Sherman explained the hackers stole more than social security numbers and driver’s license numbers.
Sherman explained it was more than leaked social security numbers that swayed his vote, but protecting children of the county from their information getting into the wrong hands.
“Some of the info they got was Children and Youth Services information about the children of Washington County… children in severe need of services, children who have been abused, abducted… very sensitive information,” said Sherman.
County leaders told Channel 11 that immediately after they paid the ransom the decryption key was delivered. The county is now 80% restored and back online.
Sherman called the hackers, “a highly skilled organization that goes across the world and hijacks information”.
“When you pay the ransom they go away, and they leave you alone, because they know if they don’t people will continue to not pay ransom. It’s a business model they follow.”
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A 26-year-old man had an argument with a co-worker before allegedly fatally shooting the colleague in Washington Heights, prosecutors said Friday.
Bobby Martin, who was charged with first-degree murder Thursday, made his first appearance Friday in Cook County court.
Martin, is accused of killing his co-worker, Antoine Alexander, 32, in a parking lot at 9411 S Ashland Ave about 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, according to Chicago police.
Prosecutors said Martin and Alexander worked together at an armed security company and got into a verbal altercation inside the guard shack on Tuesday afternoon. During the altercation, prosecutors said Alexander removed his bullet proof vest and threw it to the ground. A witness, another co-worker, then told the defendant and the victim to take the altercation outside.
After stepping outside, the defendant pulled his firearm and fired one shot into the victims abdomen, prosecutors said. The victim’s firearm was holstered at the time of the argument and the shooting. The defendant fled the scene and came into contact with another co-worker, whom he told that he had just shot Alexander.
Alexander was then taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he was pronounced dead.
Martin was arrested by authorities three blocks from his home approximately 20 minutes after the shooting, prosecutors said.
Martin was detained and will appear in court again on March 17, authorities said.
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Trinity Rodman signs record deal with Washington Spirit
USWNT forward Trinity Rodman signed a three-year deal with the NWSL’s Washington Spirit. The deal makes Rodman the highest-paid female footballer in the world.
unbranded – Sport
Washington Spirit goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury has announced that she and her husband Matt are expecting a baby in July.
The couple made the announcement in a video on the Spirit’s social media channels, holding a baby goalkeeper jersey on the pitch at Audi Field.
Kingsbury becomes the most recent Spirit star to go on maternity leave, following defender Casey Krueger, midfielder Andi Sullivan and forward Ashley Hatch.
Sullivan gave birth to daughter Millie in July, while Hatch welcomed her son Leo in January.
Krueger announced she was pregnant with her second child in October.
Kingsbury has served as the Spirit’s starting goalkeeper since 2018, and has been named the NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year twice (2019 and 2021).
The 34-year-old has two caps with the U.S. women’s national team, and was named to the 2023 World Cup roster.
The club captain will leave a major void for the Spirit, who have finished as NWSL runner-up in back-to-back seasons.
Sandy MacIver and Kaylie Collins are expected to compete for the starting role while Kingsbury is on maternity leave.
The Spirit kick off their 2026 campaign on March 13 against the Portland Thorns.
YAKIMA, Wash. — Yakima could soon take a major step toward redesigning Sixth Avenue after the Washington State Public Works Board awarded the city a $985,600 loan.
The loan was approved for the design engineering phase of the Sixth Avenue project. The funding can also be used along Sixth Avenue for utility replacement and updated ADA use.
The Yakima City Council must decide whether to accept the award. If the council accepts it, the city’s engineering work will move forward with the design of Sixth Avenue.
The cost of installing trolley lines is excluded from the plan. The historic trolleys would need to raise the funds required to add trolley lines.
The award is scheduled to be discussed during next week’s City Council meeting.
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