July 16, 2020 3:56 am
The results of a state grant funded study on Charleroi Borough’s financial and management situation have been released. At Wednesday’s recessed meeting, state officials presented the results of the Strategic Management Planning Program (STMP) financial review to council via ZOOM. The process began in late 2018 when council had concerns over the financial situation. At present, the findings report that the borough is in good financial shape but needs to keep a close eye on the budget moving forward. In addition, the study calls for the hiring of a borough manager, which will be partially funded by a state grant. Other areas of concern include: management of personnel, Charleroi Regional Police Force policies and expenses, an abundance of vacant and blighted buildings, the need for economic and community development, and the lack of borough marketing. Council President, Mark Alterici, said he was “pleased” with the results of the study and thinks it would be “foolish” if the borough fails to follow through with the implementation of the plan.
July 16, 2020 3:53 am
The Avella Area school board has approved its reopening plan with classes scheduled to begin Aug. 26. The board addressed several procedures needed for effectively reopening the schools under COVID-19. Superintendent Cyril Walther expressed comfort in how the board has dealt with the situation. “I think it’s fluid now as information continues to change, and I think that’s going to happen throughout the school year”, Walther said. Although there will be an increase in spending for safety measures, Walther nonetheless felt that these precautions were justified. Such precautions include students mandatorily wearing masks, with the exception of being six feet apart in a classroom, and temperature checks for both students and staff members. Under a yellow phase, students will take online classes on certain days, but attend school on other days, according to their specific schedules. In a red phase, the school will resort to only online classes. However, students are welcome to attend online classes during the current green phase. As of now, the board is awaiting a final approval from the federal government in regards to funding. According to Business Manager Laura Schola, the schools could potentially receive a sum of $147,000. A safety committee meeting will occur on Aug. 13 to discuss any further updates or changes in regards to the reopening.
July 16, 2020 2:42 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) – Gov. Tom Wolf on Wednesday, announced broad new statewide restrictions on bars and restaurants and larger indoor gatherings. The state reported about 1,000 new infections Wednesday. As of 12:01 a.m. Thursday, July 16th, nightclubs will be shut down, bars will also be closed unless they also offer dine-in meals, and bars and restaurants will be limited to 25% capacity. Indoor events and gatherings of more than 25 people will be prohibited, as well as outdoor gatherings of more than 250, and businesses will be required to have their employees work remotely to the extent possible. Gyms and fitness facilities will be permitted to remain open but are being directed to prioritize outdoor physical fitness activities. The recently elevated statewide virus numbers have been driven in large part by increased spread in the Pittsburgh area, where officials attribute the spike to younger people and others congregating in bars and restaurants.
July 15, 2020 4:21 am
FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida (AP) – Florida surpassed its one day record for coronavirus deaths, amid rising fears of a resurgent pandemic. The 132 new deaths pushed the state’s seven-day average to more than double what it was two weeks ago. Britain and France announced Tuesday they will require people to wear face masks in public indoor spaces and an Australian state threatened to jail anyone caught violating quarantines, amid rising global fears about a resurgence of the pandemic. British officials announced the requirement after weeks of dismissing the value of masks, and said it will take effect July 24. In France, President Emmanuel Macron said masks will be required by Aug. 1, after recent rave parties and widespread backsliding on social distancing raised concerns about a rebound.
July 15, 2020 4:19 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – The Supreme Court says Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has been admitted to a hospital for treatment of a possible infection and will remain there for a few days. The court says in a statement that the 87-year-old Ginsburg went to a hospital in Washington on Monday evening after experiencing fever and chills. She then underwent a procedure at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore on Tuesday afternoon to clean out a bile duct stent that was placed last August. The statement says the justice is resting comfortably and will receive intravenous antibiotic treatment.
July 15, 2020 4:17 am
PASADENA, Calif. – Organizers have canceled the Rose Parade because of the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on long-range planning for the New Year’s tradition. The Tournament of Roses Association say the decision was put off until organizers were certain safety restrictions would prevent staging the 132nd parade. The watched parade is held every Jan. 1 except when New Year’s Day falls on a Sunday. Since its inception in 1891, the parade has been canceled only three times — in the World War II years of 1942, 1943 and 1945.
July 15, 2020 4:15 am
SAN DIEGO (AP) – The Navy says a fire raging aboard a docked U.S. warship has moved away from fuel tanks, easing the threat of an explosion or a million-gallon oil spill in the San Diego harbor, but it’s too early to say whether the vessel can be saved. Rear Adm. Philip Sobeck says the fire aboard the USS Bonhomme Richard could be declared out Wednesday. It begun Sunday as the docked ship was undergoing maintenance. Hundreds of sailors and other firefighters have been battling it.
July 15, 2020 4:15 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump is expected to announce a new federal rule to speed up the environmental review process for proposed highways, gas pipelines and other major infrastructure. Critics are describing the move as a dismantling of a 50-year-old environmental protection law. Trump will travel to Atlanta on Wednesday to announce the federal rule as he seeks to make it easier to meet some of the country’s infrastructure needs. The government affairs director at the Center for Biological Diversity, Brett Hartl, says such a change may be the single biggest giveaway to polluters in the past 40 years.
July 15, 2020 4:12 am
NEW YORK (AP) – Walmart has become the latest major retailer to require customers to wear face coverings at all of its namesake and Sam’s Club stores. The nation’s largest retailer said the policy will go into effect on Monday to give the company time to inform stores and customers. The Bentonville, Arkansas-based company said that currently about 65% of its more than 5,000 stores and clubs are located in areas where there is already some form of government mandate on face coverings. The retailer also said it will create the role of health ambassador at its Walmart stores and will station them near the entrance to remind customers without masks of its new requirement.
July 15, 2020 4:11 am
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) – Thousands of census takers are about to begin the most labor-intensive part of America’s once-a-decade headcount. They will be visiting the 56 million households that have not yet responded to the 2020 questionnaire. The visits that start Thursday kick off a phase of the census that was supposed to begin in May before it was delayed by the coronavirus pandemic. The virus forced the Census Bureau to suspend field operations for a month and a half. Census takers will ask questions about who lives in a household and the residents’ race, sex and relations to each other.
