June 23, 2020 5:41 pm
NEW YORK (AP) – ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel has apologized for using blackface for his impersonation of NBA star Karl Malone and other Black celebrities. The late-night star’s Malone impersonation had been criticized by Fox News’ Sean Hannity and others, and Kimmel said that response had made him reluctant to address it. He said in a statement Tuesday that the delay was a mistake. In another example of the cultural reckoning triggered by the Black Lives Matter movement, ’30 Rock’ creator and star Tina Fey has asked that four episodes of the comedy be pulled from circulation because they featured performers in blackface.
June 23, 2020 4:09 am
SAN LUIS, Arizona (AP) – President Donald Trump visited the U.S.-Mexico border Tuesday and tried to credit his new wall with stopping both illegal immigration and the coronavirus. But his visit played out as top public health officials in Washington were testifying about the ongoing threat posed by COVID-19, singling out Arizona as one of the states now experiencing a surge in cases. In the blazing summer heat, Trump along with top administration, Border Patrol and Arizona officials briefly stopped to inspect a new section of the concrete and rebar structure. The president and other officials took a moment during the brief visit to scrawl their signatures on the wall.
June 23, 2020 4:08 am
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (AP) – People are flocking to South Carolina’s beaches for vacation after being cooped up by COVID-19 for months. But the coronavirus is taking no vacation. The state now has the fourth-highest new infection rate in the nation when adjusted for population, trailing just Arizona, Arkansas and Alabama. One hot spot is around Myrtle Beach, which has seen COVID-19 cases jump from less than 300 at the start of June to nearly 1,600. And that only counts residents of Horry County, not visitors who get the virus on vacation. Many entrepreneurs fear that more infections could result in bad publicity that hurts business.
June 23, 2020 4:06 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – The government’s top infectious disease expert says he is cautiously optimistic that there will be a COVID-19 vaccine by the end of the year or early 2021, but warns that the next few weeks will be critical to tamping down coronavirus hot spots around the country. Dr. Anthony Fauci and other top health officials also told lawmakers on Tuesday they have not been asked to slow down testing for coronavirus. This is an issue that became controversial after President Donald Trump said last weekend that he had asked them to do just that because it was uncovering too many infections. Trump said earlier in the day that he wasn’t kidding when he said that. (Photo: CNN)
June 23, 2020 4:05 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – Congress is hitting an impasse on policing legislation, despite public outcry for changes after the killings of Black people. Senate Democrats on Tuesday opposed a Republican proposal as inadequate. Now the standoff is forcing the parties to decide whether to negotiate a compromise or walk away from an issue that has sparked mass demonstrations over policing and racial injustice. The impasse threatens to turn the nationwide protests over the death of George Floyd and others into another moment that galvanizes the nation but leaves lawmakers unable to act. A new AP-NORC poll shows almost all Americans support some degree of criminal justice changes. A test vote is set for Wednesday.
June 23, 2020 4:04 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – Protesters tried to pull down a statue of President Andrew Jackson near the White House Monday night before being dispersed by police. WUSA-TV in Washington reports that police used pepper spray to move protesters out of Lafayette Square, where the Jackson statue is located. Videos posted on social media show that the protesters climbed on the statue and tied ropes around it, then tried to pull it off its pedestal. The 19th century president’s ruthless treatment of Native Americans has made his statue a target of demonstrators protesting the United States’ legacy of racial injustice. The Jackson statue remains on its pedestal.
June 23, 2020 4:03 am
ATLANTA (AP) – Rayshard Brooks was remembered at the Atlanta church where the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. once preached. The private funeral for the man who was shot by a police officer was held Tuesday at Ebenezer Baptist Church. The Rev. Raphael Warnock delivered the eulogy. Officer Garrett Rolfe shot Brooks in the back after Brooks fired a Taser in his direction while running away after a struggle with officers outside a Wendy’s restaurant on June 12. Rolfe is white. Brooks was Black. King’s daughter, the Rev. Bernice King, also delivered remarks at the funeral.
June 23, 2020 3:58 am
Peters Township Council was met with a busy agenda on Monday night. Council started the evening with a public hearing to address changes to two ordinances that deal with definitions of accessory structures and accessory buildings and also fees paid to the township for applications made through the planning department. The regular meeting kicked off with a proposal put forth by Alex E. Paris Contracting to conduct waterline replacement at night. The work is to be done at the intersection of Thompsonville, Bebout and E. McMurray Roads. Thompsonville Road resident Mark Sanders spoke against the proposal indicating that construction vehicles are already disturbing residents during the day. He did not want the additional disturbance of construction work at night. Council approved the measure 4-3 with council members Monica Merrell, Gary Stiegel and Frank Arcuri dissenting. Council approved a new labor contract with their public works employees. The contract runs 5 years and calls for hourly increases of 85 cents per hour the first year and 75 cents per hour years 2 through 4. Township Manager Paul Lauer called the agreement a good agreement and a fair contract for both sides. Council will soon listen to design proposals for the new aquatics center in Rolling Hills Park. During discussion, council is proceeding with more caution on the development of the pool. The Covid-19 pandemic has council concerned with just what the restrictions may be for a facility like this in the future, and can engineering designs be made to address the seemingly unknown.
June 23, 2020 3:56 am
The Beth-Center School District is moving forward with the completion of their preliminary plan to re-open in the fall. Their Pandemic Health and Safety Team’s nearly 30-page report details what school may look like during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Some of the details presented to the school board at Monday’s committee meeting include: temperature checks at the door, wearing masks in hallways, smaller class sizes, staggered schedules to reduce students in each building, social distancing measures, lunches in classrooms, and a flexible attendance policy. The team’s leader, Elementary Nurse, Tracy Skariot, stressed that the plan may very well change from now until the start of school and it all depends on federal, state, and local guidelines at the present time.
June 23, 2020 2:56 am
(WPXI) – According to Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, two players had tested positive for coronavirus in early spring. During a virtual news conference Tuesday, he said both players were fine and were back at work. It’s not clear exactly who the players were that tested positive. Tomlin also said at this point, he is unsure of what the season will look like, and whether or not there will be fans in the stands. He said the virtual things the team has been doing in the off-season have been very productive.
