November 10, 2020 4:04 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is brushing aside results of last week’s presidential election showing that President Donald Trump lost his bid for a second term. He’s also dismissing as “ridiculous” questions about whether Trump’s evidence-free claims of fraud could hurt America’s credibility when weighing in on foreign elections. One of Trump’s most loyal Cabinet members, Pompeo told reporters Tuesday with a grin that the “transition” to a second Trump term would be “smooth.” But he later said the State Department was prepared for any eventuality. Trump has refused to concede to President-elect Joe Biden.
November 10, 2020 4:02 am
Pennsylvania’s top health official says the state is at a “critical point” in the pandemic. Dr. Rachel Levine, the state health secretary, is begging residents to wear masks, avoid congregating and take other simple preventative measures to slow the spread. Pennsylvania has reported more than 6,300 new virus cases over the past 48 hours. Cases are up more than 70% in the past two weeks, and Pennsylvania now has an average of nearly 3,000 new cases per day, according to The COVID Tracking Project. Levine said Monday the virus is spreading more rapidly than at any point since the beginning of the pandemic.
November 10, 2020 4:00 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) – President Donald Trump’s campaign is launching a lawsuit to stop the certification of the election results in Pennsylvania. It sued Monday as counties continued to sort through provisional ballots and mail-in ballots nearly a week after the election. The Associated Press on Saturday called the presidential contest for former Vice President Joe Biden, after determining that the remaining ballots left to be counted in Pennsylvania would not allow Trump to catch up. But Trump’s campaign filed litigation in federal court over Pennsylvania’s presidential election, saying registered Democratic voters were treated more favorably than Republicans. Pennsylvania’s attorney general, Democrat Josh Shapiro, called the lawsuit meritless.
November 10, 2020 3:57 am
Peters Township Council took on the next phase of the development of Rolling Hills Park. Council awarded a bid of nearly $7 million dollars to create as Township Manager Paul Lauer describes, “the spine of which everything in Rolling Hills Park will be developed.” A loop road will be developed to access three picnic pavilions, restrooms, a walking trail that will connect to Arrowhead Trail and a maintenance garage. The loop road will be the method to access these and any other future developments that will take place in the coming years. Council also updated their ordinance governing placement of wireless communication facilities. The amendments were to make sure that any restrictions placed on the deployment of 5G technology towers are in compliance with FCC regulations. The issue for the future will be how township developments that have underground utilities will access 5G technology. Fifty foot towers need to be placed several hundred feet apart to allow the technology to work. Neighborhoods that prohibit above ground utilities will find it difficult to obtain 5G technology because of the technology’s reliance on those towers. Council also adopted design standards for any towers that can be installed.
November 10, 2020 2:13 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – A man has pleaded guilty to an aggravated assault charge in connection with a fight and shots fired at a western Pennsylvania mall last year. Twenty-three-year-old Brandon Noel of McKeesport entered the plea Tuesday in Allegheny County Court as part of a plea deal in which prosecutors agreed to withdraw other charges including attempted murder. Prosecutors said the plea deal doesn’t include any agreement on sentencing, which is scheduled Jan. 28. Authorities said two groups began fighting at the Monroeville Mall in April 2019, and the brawl spilled outside, where they allege Noel pulled a gun and about 14 shots were fired. No injuries were reported.
November 9, 2020 1:23 pm
WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump says he has fired Defense Secretary Mark Esper. This is an unprecedented move at a time of national uncertainty about the outcome of Trump’s bid for a second term. It is the first time in the post-World War II era that a president seeking reelection has removed his secretary of defense after Election Day. The conventional wisdom is that stability atop the Pentagon and the military be maintained during a possible transition to a new administration. Esper was Trump’s second defense secretary, succeeding Jim Mattis, who resigned in 2018.
November 9, 2020 10:11 am
Philadelphia native and the lead singer of ‘The Dovells’, Len Barry has died. Born in West Philly as Leonard Borisoff, Barry broke into the music business as the lead singer of Philly’s Dovells in 1961. The group’s “The Bristol Stomp” hit No. 2 on the Billboard charts, earning a gold record. He quickly followed that with another hit record, “You Can’t Sit Down,” which peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard charts. Both hits were popular dance songs for teens, here and across the nation. The noted singer, songwriter, and record producer died Thursday, Nov. 5, of myelodysplasia, a cancer of the bone marrow, at Nazareth Hospital. He was 78 and lived in Northeast Philadelphia.
November 9, 2020 7:29 am
(AP) – Pfizer says an early peek at its vaccine data suggests the shots may be 90% effective at preventing COVID-19. Monday’s announcement doesn’t mean a vaccine is imminent. The interim analysis, from independent data monitors, looked at 94 infections recorded so far in a study that has enrolled nearly 44,000 people. Pfizer did not provide any more details about those cases, and cautioned the initial protection rate might change by the time the study ends. The shots are made by Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech. Pfizer has said it plans to seek U.S. review later this month.
November 9, 2020 5:50 am
The Trinity School District has closed the high school through Tuesday, November 17 after reporting additional students tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 14 days. Superintendent Dr. Michael Lucas tells WJPA that there are now six confirmed cases. High school students will continue with remote education for the next seven school days. All weekend activities have been cancelled. The closure is only for the high school. The high school has been operating under a four-day-a-week, in class schedule with remote learning on Friday’s. Peters Township High School is also closed until Thursday, November 19th because of additional virus cases.
November 9, 2020 4:08 am
WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) – Joe Biden is signaling that he plans to move quickly to build out his government. The first focus for the president-election is the coronavirus pandemic that will likely dominate the early days of his administration. Biden has named a former surgeon general, Dr. Vivek Murthy, and a former Food and Drug Administration commissioner, David Kessler, as co-chairs of the coronavirus working group. Other members are expected to be announced Monday. Transition team officials say Biden this week will also launch his agency review teams. They’re the transition staffers with access to key agencies in the current administration to help smooth the transfer of power.
