September 24, 2020 1:59 pm
PHILADELPHIA (AP) – Officials from six states and the District of Columbia have asked a federal judge to halt what they say are slowdowns at the U.S. Postal Service that threaten the upcoming presidential election. They argued Thursday in U.S. District Court in Philadelphia that on-time delivery dropped sharply in July and has not fully rebounded as the nation battles a pandemic and prepares for an election that could hinge on mail-in ballots. Judges in Washington state and New York issued emergency orders this month in similar cases. The states involved in Thursday’s hearing are Pennsylvania, California, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts and North Carolina.
September 24, 2020 12:50 pm
BALDWIN, Pa. (AP) – The parents of a 1-year-old child who authorities say died of a drug overdose have been charged with homicide. Tracy Humphreys and Thomas Snelsire, both 45, also face numerous drug counts in the death of Thomas Humphreys. His body was found Sept. 13 in the family’s home. Investigators noted that the boy had likely been dead “for a long period of time” before authorities were alerted. It wasn’t clear Thursday if either parent was in custody or had retained an attorney. The infant’s body was found about a month after a county child welfare caseworker had inspected the home and didn’t see “illegal drugs or inappropriate conditions.” (Photo: WPXI)
September 24, 2020 9:11 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – The number of people seeking U.S. unemployment aid rose slightly last week to 870,000, a historically high figure that shows that the viral pandemic is still squeezing restaurants, airlines, hotels and many other businesses six months after it first erupted. The figure coincides with evidence that some newly laid-off Americans are facing delays in receiving unemployment benefits as state agencies intensify efforts to combat fraudulent applications and clear their pipelines of a backlog of jobless claims.
September 24, 2020 9:10 am
LONDON (AP) – Top officials of two firms developing COVID-19 vaccines say pharmaceutical companies are working together to see how much information they can release to the public about their testing regimes as drugmakers and public health officials try to boost confidence that any vaccine approved by regulators will be safe to use. AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot and Paul Stoffels, chief scientific officer of Johnson & Johnson, said Thursday during a panel discussion sponsored by the World Economic Forum that they recognize the coronavirus emergency demands increased transparency from vaccine developers to ensure the public has faith in the end product. But they stressed that there are limits to this transparency because they must protect patient confidentiality.
September 24, 2020 9:07 am
WASHINGTON, Pa. — A man was flown to a Pittsburgh hospital after being hit by a train in Washington Wednesday afternoon. Washington police said the man was struck behind the Chestnut Veterinary Clinic off of West Chestnut Street about 2:30 p.m. Authorities say the man had been identified, but his name was not released pending notification of the victim’s next of kin. Police say the man was conscious when crews arrived, but he was in serious condition and needed immediate attention. He was flown to UPMC Presbyterian Hospital. There is no update on the man’s current condition or identity at this time.
September 24, 2020 8:55 am
WASHINGTON, Pa. — A home raid earlier this week in Washington led to charges against known drug dealers from Chicago. According to Washington County detectives have arrested Terrell Jones, 35 Tommie Holmes, 37 after a search of a home on West Spruce Street Wednesday. The duo was also charged with dealing drugs back in July. Cocaine, marijuana and cash were found in the house after the search. Both men face charges of illegal possession of a firearm, drug possession with intent to deliver and possession. The suspects are in the Washington County Jail, and face a preliminary hearing with judge Michael Manfredi in October.
September 24, 2020 3:19 am
JOHANNESBURG (AP) – Many world leaders at this week’s virtual U.N. summit are pleading for a COVID-19 vaccine to be made available and affordable to all. But with the U.S., China and Russia opting out of a collaborative effort to develop and distribute a vaccine, the speeches are likely in vain. More than 150 countries have joined COVAX, in which richer countries buy into potential vaccines and help finance access for poorer ones. But the absence of Washington, Beijing and Moscow means the response is short of truly being global. Kazakhstan’s leader says, “We must take the politics out of the vaccine.”
September 24, 2020 3:17 am
TURNER, Ore. (AP) – Smoke from the West Coast wildfires has tainted grapes in some of the nation’s most celebrated wine regions. The resulting ashy flavor could spell disaster for the 2020 vintage. The smoke from this year’s blazes has been especially bad – thick enough to obscure vineyards drooping with clusters of grapes almost ready for harvest. Growers are trying to assess the extent of the smoke damage in California, Oregon and Washington. John Aguirre is president of the California Association of Winegrape Growers. He says the fires will be the single worst disaster the wine-grape growing community has ever faced.
September 24, 2020 3:15 am
NEW YORK (AP) – Remember how people pack themselves into Times Square to see the ball drop to mark the end of one year and the start of another? Forget it – at least for this year. Officials in New York City say they are making plans for the annual event – but they won’t include crowds, because of the coronavirus. Instead, officials are planning what they call a socially-distant virtual experience – with only a few people to be honored in person. The organization that puts together the annual event says it will honor essential workers and others who have made a difference this year.
September 24, 2020 3:14 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump is declining to commit to a peaceful transfer of power if he loses the Nov. 3 presidential election. Trump told reporters Wednesday he would “have to see what happens” when asked about the matter. Trump’s Democratic challenger, Joe Biden, responded by asking, “What country are we in?” It is highly unusual that a sitting president would express less than complete confidence in the American democracy’s electoral process. But he also declined four years ago to commit to honoring the election results if his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, won.
