August 1, 2021 4:23 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) – Pennsylvania’s Department of Health will carry out a text messaging campaign to encourage roughly 254,000 people in the state to follow through and get the second shot of the two-shot COVID-19 vaccine that they never received. Officials said Thursday that the campaign will begin early next week as the resurgent coronavirus in the form of the highly contagious delta variant is skyrocketing cases in Pennsylvania. The state’s acting health secretary, Alison Beam, said the second dose will provide stronger protection against the delta variant. She said it’s not too late to get it, and it’s not necessary to start over with the first shot.
July 31, 2021 9:30 am
UNITED NATIONS (AP) – Two U.N. agencies are warning that hunger is expected to rise in 23 global hotspots in the next three months with the highest alerts for “catastrophic” situations in Ethiopia’s embattled Tigray region, southern Madagascar, Yemen, South Sudan and northern Nigeria. The Food and Agriculture Organization and World Food Program said in Friday’s report that between August and November “acute food insecurity is likely to further deteriorate” especially in Ethiopia where the number of people facing starvation and death is expected to rise to 401,000 — the highest number since the 2011 áSomalia famine — if aid isn’t provided quickly.
July 31, 2021 9:28 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – The Russian hackers behind the massive SolarWinds cyberespionage campaign broke into the email accounts of some of the most prominent federal prosecutors’ offices around the country last year. The Justice Department made the announcement Friday. The department says 80% of Microsoft email accounts used by employees in the four U.S. attorney offices in New York were breached. All told, the Justice Department says 27 U.S. Attorney offices had at least one employee’s email account compromised during the hacking campaign. The Justice Department says it believes the accounts were compromised from May 7 to December 27, 2020.
July 31, 2021 9:24 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – Senators are returning to the Capitol for a rare Saturday session as they try to make further progress on a roughly $1 trillion infrastructure plan. A bipartisan group of senators helped it clear one more hurdle Friday and braced to see if support can hold during the next few days of debate and efforts to amend it. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said the chamber should be able to process the legislation quickly given the bipartisan support. But as Friday evening came around, the full text of what promises to be a massive bill was not finished by the time lawmakers adjourned.
July 31, 2021 9:21 am
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – The federal government has sued Kaiser Permanente, alleging the health care giant committed Medicare fraud and pressured doctors to list incorrect diagnoses on medical records in order to receive higher reimbursements. The Department of Justice lawsuit was filed Thursday in San Francisco federal court. It consolidates allegations made in six whistleblower complaints. Oakland, California-based Kaiser told the Sacramento Bee that its practices are good-faith interpretations from guidance received from the agency that oversees Medicare. A lawyer for one whistleblower says if Kaiser loses, it might have to pay hundreds of millions of dollars in penalties and damages.
July 31, 2021 9:18 am
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) – Florida’s coronavirus cases jumped 50% this week, continuing a six-week surge that has seen it responsible for 1 in 5 new infections nationally, becoming the outbreak’s epicenter. Friday’s report by the Health Department came shortly after Gov. Ron DeSantis barred school districts from requiring students to wear masks when classes resume next month. He says there is no evidence they prevent outbreaks among students or staff. More than 110,000 new coronavirus cases were reported statewide over the past week, up from 73,000 last week and 11 times the 10,000 that were reported the week of June 11, six weeks ago. Case numbers are now back to where they in January, just before vaccinations became widely available.
July 31, 2021 9:14 am
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) – U.S. Navy explosive experts believe a “drone strike” targeted an oil tanker that came under attack off the coast of Oman in the Arabian Sea, killing two on board. That’s according to a statement Saturday from the U.S. Navy’s Mideast-based 5th Fleet. The 5th Fleet added that the American nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan and the guided missile destroyer USS Mitscher now are escorting the Mercer Street as it heads to a safe port. While no one has claimed responsibility for the attack, Israeli officials alleged Tehran launched the drone strike. Iran has not directly discussed the attack yet, though tensions remain high over its tattered nuclear deal.
July 31, 2021 4:36 am
A major storm system that ran through Somerset County on Thursday caused significant damage to Laurel Hill State Park. The storm uprooted and snapped as many as 75 mature trees and damaged several buildings in Camp Tree Army. No one was in the buildings at the time of the storm. The damage was focused along Buck Run Road, Laurel Hill Park and Camp Tree Army. There were no injuries to staff or visitors. Clean up at Camp Tree Army has begun and park and forestry crews are working to clear roadways and remove hazardous trees. Laurel Hill Campground was not impacted and remains open with access from the County Line Road entrance. The main day use and beach area are also open.
July 31, 2021 4:27 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) – A transportation funding commission set up by Gov. Tom Wolf to find ways to end Pennsylvania’s reliance on its gas tax will issue a $15.6 billion package of recommendations, which lean heavily on shifting to a vehicle-miles-traveled fee that numerous states are exploring. The Transportation Revenue Options Commission reviewed its final recommendations at a Wednesday meeting, with the final report to be handed over Friday. It faces an uncertain future in the Republican-controlled Legislature, and is expected to kick off a debate that could last years. The recommendations are projected to raise $11.5 billion annually in the fifth year and beyond when an 8.1 cents-per-mile vehicle-miles-traveled fee is introduced.
July 31, 2021 4:05 am
MOUNT LEBANON, Pa. — (WPXI) – Authorities have identified the man who killed his parents before getting into a shootout with police in Mount Lebanon, then led officers on a chase before being found dead after a crash. The 25-year-old man, George Tratras, called police shortly after 12 a.m. Thursday to a home on Gilkeson Road. He said he had shot and killed his mother, Ana Tratras, 59, and his father, 65, who’s name hasn’t been released. He told police he was ready to surrender. During the 911 call, George Tratras alluded to an argument with his parents that resulted in their deaths. Police said he was calm at first, but he then began shooting at officers. Officer Rob Barnes, an 8-year veteran of the Dormont Police Department, was shot in the torso, and his bullet-proof vest likely saved his life, police said. He was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and was later released. He is expected to make a full recovery. A Mount Lebanon officer was also hurt, but was not hit by gunfire. That officer was treated at a hospital and released. George Tratras then took off in a car, leading police on a chase that ended in a crash in the area of Route 19 and McLaughlin Run Road in Upper Saint Clair. Police found him dead in his car, which had flipped. At least five guns were found in his vehicle. Police say George Tratras had a single gunshot wound to the head and believe it was be self-inflicted.
