February 13, 2020 4:09 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) – Pennsylvania Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati tells The Associated Press he will not seek re-election. Scarnati made the announcement Wednesday night. The 58-year-old is a fifth-term Republican senator from Jefferson County in northwestern Pennsylvania. He says he wrestled with the decision but thought it was the right time to step down after 14 years in a job steering a Republican majority through turbulent elections and fights in the Capitol. Scarnati rose quickly, becoming Senate president in 2007 with the endorsement of his predecessor after just six years in the chamber. He said he will remain in his role until the legislative term ends Nov. 30.
February 13, 2020 4:06 am
PITTSBURGH — (WPXI) – The University of Pittsburgh announced it will receive samples of the novel coronavirus to work on a potential vaccine. In a tweet Wednesday, Pitt officials said its Center for Vaccine Research will obtain samples of the virus from the CDC in an effort to prevent its spread in the U.S. and beyond. Pitt said its CVR is one of the few labs nationwide that is qualified to handle pathogens like the coronavirus. More than 45,000 people cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed globally, with more than 1,000 dead from it. CDC officials said some of the coronavirus test kits sent to states and at least 30 countries have proved to be flawed.
February 13, 2020 2:59 am
Officials say a great deal of progress has been made in stabilizing Clare Drive in South Strabane township and they believe at least one lane of the roadway will be reopened Thursday. PennDot Assistant Construction Engineer Scott Faieta says crews have been working to stabilize the roadway after a partial collapse late Monday night. Township officials closed the roadway and advised residents of nearly a dozen homes to evacuate. Some stayed at area hotels but others remained in their homes. Faieta say the goal is to get at least one lane open to allow those residents to return but admits there will still be plenty of work to do after that happens. The slide has also led PennDot to close the far right lane of Interstate 70 east in the area because of concerns with that hillside. Tune to WJPA 95.3FM/1450AM for the very latest developments. (Photo: WPXI)
February 12, 2020 2:48 pm
DETROIT (AP) – Honda is recalling 241,000 Odyssey minivans in the U.S. to fix a wiring problem that could cause a fire. The recall covers EX-L, Touring and Elite minivans from the 2018 through 2020 model years. The company says the wiring harness running to a third-row power outlet may have been pinched and damaged during manufacturing. That can cause a short circuit, which can ignite a plastic interior panel covering. The company has three reports of fires with no injuries. Honda says in a that owners will be notified of the recall by mail in mid-March. Dealers will reroute the wiring and cover it with insulating tape. If the wiring harness is damaged, it will be replaced.
February 12, 2020 1:49 pm
LOS ANGELES (AP) – Two-time Emmy Award nominee and dancer Paula Kelly has died at 77. Kelly earned a Emmy nod in 1984 for portraying public defender Liz Williams on the first season of NBC’s “Night Court” and received another in 1989 for playing a lesbian on the ABC miniseries “The Women of Brewster Place.” One of her most important roles was Helene in “Sweet Charity,” which she played onstage in London and then reprised in Bob Fosse’s feature film debut. Her other film credits include “The Andromeda Strain” and “Soylent Green.” Her vast TV credits also include “Santa Barbara,” “Mission: Impossible” and “The Golden Girls.”
February 12, 2020 9:50 am
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) – Fire crews have responded to a fire inside an ExxonMobil refinery in Louisiana. News outlets report the fire erupted late Tuesday night at the facility in Baton Rouge. The fire turned the night sky a shade of orange and sent a large plume of smoke into the air. No injuries were reported. It wasn’t immediately clear what caused the fire. ExxonMobil says it responded to the situation and is monitoring the air quality. A spokesman for the Baton Rouge Fire Department says there is no off-site impact. The refinery is the fifth largest in the United States.
February 12, 2020 4:50 am
BEIJING (AP) – China has reported another drop in the number of new cases of a viral infection and 97 more deaths, pushing the total dead past 1,100 as postal services worldwide say delivery was being affected by the cancellation of many flights to China. The National Health Commission said Wednesday that 2,015 new cases had been reported over the last 24 hours. The total number of cases is around 45,000 globally. The death toll on the mainland rose to 1,113. Both the U.S. and Singapore Post said in notes to their global counterparts that they are no longer accepting items destined for China, “until sufficient transport capacity becomes available.”
February 12, 2020 4:29 am
After a gas explosion last summer, North Franklin Township will be undergoing some major changes for the remainder of 2020. Starting next month, Columbia Gas will be starting a pipeline replacement program that runs through the end of the year and possibly into 2021 depending on weather. Residents in North Franklin can expect slowed and stopped traffic on 17 different roads, ranging from township roads to state. The work will take place Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on township roads then 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. followed by 4 p.m. to dark on state roads during the school year, and 8:30 a.m. to dark on state roads during the summer. A new ordinance was also put into place Tuesday night declaring certain trees, shrubbery and brush must be removed if they are considered nuisances that would result in penalties for failure to abate. The board is also looking for a new location in the near future that would also include an area for recreation use around the new location. No timetable has been set.
February 12, 2020 4:26 am
The circus atmosphere continued at the City of Monessen Council Meeting on Tuesday night. A 52 minute audience comment section brought out pointed comments directed to all members of council regarding their business practices and their behavior among themselves. One instance in particular had a resident call out Councilman Gilbert Coles on his inability to accurately detail what bills are being paid by the city and how much money is in the bank. Coles was also criticized for not attending council meetings for an extended time just like Mayor Matthew Shorraw. Frustrated by the criticism, Coles asked the resident if he would like to go outside and straighten things out. That brought audience reactions of that statement being a threat of violence. When asked for a comment about that action, Coles declined to make a statement. Council opened the positions of Treasurer and City Controller. Both positions were opened because of a lack of residency proof and bond. Gerald Saksun was voted to retain his position as Treasurer pending receipt of the documentation and City Controller Maria Scuteri was voted out of her position. That is the second firing of a city controller since Shorraw returned to run the city as mayor. Councilman Anthony Orzechowski was critical of council because of lack of communication over agenda items that caught him by surprise and over the lack of detail in many of the agenda items. In audience comment sections, residents expressed their frustration with all city council members and the mayor for what they described as childish behavior.
February 12, 2020 4:21 am
DEARBORN, Mich. (AP) – Ford is recalling over 240,000 SUVs and cars worldwide because a suspension part can fracture and increase the risk of a crash. The recall covers the Ford Flex, Taurus police car, Taurus SHO and Lincoln MKT from the 2013 through 2018 model years. Most of the recalled vehicles are in North America. Ford says if the suspension moves a lot on the vehicles, the rear toe links can fracture. Toe links help keep the rear suspension stable and the tires on the pavement. The company says it’s not aware of any crashes or injuries caused by the problem in this batch of recalled vehicles. Dealers will replace toe links on both sides with new ones that are stronger. Owners will be notified starting March 2nd.
