February 16, 2022 4:54 pm
(AP) – The nation’s top federal health official says the U.S. is moving closer to the point that COVID-19 is no longer a “constant crisis” as more cities, businesses and sports venues began lifting pandemic restrictions around the country. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said at White House briefing Wednesday that the government is contemplating a change to its mask guidance in the coming weeks. Walensky noted recent declines in COVID-19 cases, hospital admissions and deaths and acknowledged “people are so eager” for health officials to ease masking rules and other measures. With the omicron variant waning and Americans eager to move beyond the virus, government and business leaders have been out ahead of the CDC in ending virus measures. (Photo: ABC)
February 16, 2022 4:44 pm
(PBRTV.com) – Long-time Pittsburgh sports talk reporter and personality Stan Savran announced on his program on Monday that he was diagnosed with lung cancer in January. As a result he will be receiving chemotherapy treatments every three weeks throughout 2022. Savran hosts the Noon-2:00 p.m. slot on WBGG (970) ESPN each weekday and he says he has no intention of stopping calling it “therapeutic”, though he admitted that he was still feeling the effects from the second treatment late last week. As the cancer has not spread from the one lung, doctors tell Savran the prognosis is good and, all things considered, he’s “doing great!” Treatments will continue through the end of the year and then, “life will go on,” Savran said. Savran is no stranger to health woes. He’s had two brain tumor operations, back surgery, and open-heart surgery. “It’s almost comical” he told his listeners as he assured that he would beat this one too. (Photo: Twitter)
February 16, 2022 8:26 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – President Joe Biden is ordering the release of Trump White House visitor logs to the House committee investigating the riot of Jan. 6, 2021, once more rejecting former President Donald Trump’s claims of executive privilege. The committee has sought a trove of data from the National Archives, including presidential records that Trump had fought to keep private. The records being released to Congress are visitor logs showing appointment information for individuals who allowed to enter the White House on the the day of the insurrection. A Trump spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the decision.
February 16, 2022 7:43 am
State Police say a 30-year-old Pittsburgh man was struck and killed by a tractor trailer while he was walking along the westbound lanes of the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Beaver County early Wednesday morning. They say Devin Glace was first struck by a tractor-trailer before being hit by two more vehicles just before 3 o’clock. The drivers of the tractor-trailer and one of the other two vehicles stopped. However, police said the third driver kept going. Authorities said the vehicle of the driver who did not stop was described as a “green Peterbilt long wood trailer with grain on top.” Anyone with information about that vehicle is asked to call Pennsylvania State Police in Gibsonia at 724-443-5907. All westbound lanes of the turnpike were closed between Cranberry and New Castle until about 8 a.m. (Photo: WPXI)
February 16, 2022 4:22 am
Federal safety officials aren’t ready to give back authority for approving new planes to Boeing when it comes to the large 787 jet, which Boeing calls the Dreamliner. The plane has been plagued by production flaws for more than a year. The Federal Aviation Administration said Tuesday it will retain authority to issue certificates for each new 787 until it’s confident that Boeing is consistently churning out Dreamliners that meet federal design standards. For years, the FAA has relied on employees of aircraft manufacturers to perform key safety checks and certify the airworthiness of individual planes. That practice came under fire after two deadly crashes involving Boeing 737 Max jets.
February 16, 2022 4:20 am
LOS ANGELES (AP) – A second CNN executive is exiting the cable news network in the wake of an internal investigation. Allison Gollust’s resignation follows the company’s conclusion of its inquiry concerning ex-anchor Chris Cuomo and his brother, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Gollust’s exit followed the resignation earlier this month of CNN President Jeff Zucker. According to a memo from Jason Kilar, CEO of CNN parent WarnerMedia, the investigation found violations of company policies, including CNN’s news standards and practices, by Zucker, Gollust, and Chris Cuomo. Gollust fired back, saying the memo was an attempt at retaliation intended to distract attention from its own actions.
February 16, 2022 4:18 am
KATY, Texas (AP) – Two Texas sheriff deputies have been shot and wounded after exchanging gunfire with a suspect who was struck and killed. Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said the incident happened Tuesday night in Katy, Texas, about 30 miles west of Houston. Gonzalez said via Twitter that both officers were hospitalized with what appeared to be non-life-threatening injuries. Gonzalez said the deputies responded to the scene after receiving reports of shots being fired. He said when deputies arrived the suspect shot at the deputies and the deputies returned fire. The deputies were hit and the suspect was declared dead at the scene.
February 16, 2022 4:16 am
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) – At least 18 people are dead from mudslides and floods caused by torrential rains in a mountainous region of Rio de Janeiro state, and there are fears the toll could rise as searchers check damaged areas Wednesday. The state fire department says more than 180 soldiers are working in the stricken Petropolis region, which saw hundreds of deaths from heavy rainfall in 2011. The department says the area got 25.8 centimeters (just over 10 inches) of rain within three hours Tuesday. That is almost as much as during the previous 30 days combined.. Footage posted on social media shows cars and houses being dragged away by landslides and water swirling through the city of Petropolis and neighboring districts.
February 16, 2022 4:15 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – The Biden administration is telling Congress it needs an additional $30 billion to press ahead with the fight against COVID-19. Two people familiar with the details tell The Associated Press that the request includes $17.9 billion for vaccines and treatments, $4.9 billion for testing, $3 billion to cover coronavirus care for uninsured people, and $3.7 billion to prepare for future variants. The two spoke on condition of anonymity. Congress has already approved $5.8 trillion to battle the pandemic in a series of major bills spanning the Trump and Biden administrations.
February 16, 2022 4:14 am
MOSCOW (AP) – Russia has made two overtures to ease tensions around Ukraine. It reported a pullback of troops near its neighbor and welcomed talks with the West. But the United States and its allies say they need evidence of the troop movements and that the threat of a Russian invasion still looms. For the second day Tuesday, there were signs of hope that Europe might avoid war following weeks of escalating East-West tensions. President Vladimir Putin says that Russia does not want war and will rely on negotiations in efforts to eliminate any chance that Ukraine could one day join NATO. At the same time, he did not commit to a full pullback. President Joe Biden said American officials had not verified Russia’s claim about its troops.
