April 28, 2020 4:14 am
President Donald Trump says states should “seriously consider” reopening their public schools before the end of the academic year, even though dozens already have said it would be unsafe for students to return until the summer or fall. Only a few have publicly considered earlier openings, including Montana, which says school districts can resume classroom instruction on May 7. Trump’s suggestion in a call Monday with governors drew criticism from some education officials who say a quick return would bring major risk and little reward. None of the governors on the call responded to the suggestion.
April 28, 2020 4:13 am
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – The first major test of an almost completely vote-by-mail election during a pandemic is about to unfold in Ohio, offering lessons to other states about how to conduct one of the most basic acts of democracy amid a health crisis. The Tuesday primary also could provide a preview of a November election that might still be marred by the coronavirus outbreak. Joe Biden has all but locked up the Democratic presidential nomination since the state’s March 17 primary was delayed. Instead, the spotlight has shifted to the process. Ohio law guarantees that voters who don’t receive a ballot they requested by the legal deadline can vote in person.
April 28, 2020 4:12 am
DETROIT (AP) – Fiat Chrysler is backing off a planned May 4 restart at its North American factories because it could conflict with stay-home orders in some states. The move likely means that factories of all three Detroit automakers will be idled for at least another two weeks as they negotiate reopening terms with the United Auto Workers union. Ford, General Motors and FCA factories have been idled for over a month due to fears of spreading the coronavirus. Detroit auto companies employ about 150,000 factory workers mainly in the industrial Midwest, but there are factories from New York to Tennessee and Texas.
April 28, 2020 4:11 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump will sign an executive order Tuesday meant to stave off a shortage of chicken, pork and other meat on American supermarket shelves because of the coronavirus. The order will use the Defense Production Act to classify meat processing as a critical industry to ensure that production plants stay open. The order comes after industry leaders warned that consumers could see meat shortages in a matter of days after workers at major facilities tested positive for the virus. A senior White House official outlined the order on condition of anonymity to discuss it before its release.
April 28, 2020 4:10 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – Partisanship as well as uncertain scheduling may hamper if not halt work on a new coronavirus relief package. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says it might be time to consider a “guaranteed income” for Americans and insists that the next bill must provide aid to state and local governments to pay police, fire and other front-line “heroes.” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell counters that his priority is to shield business owners from onerous laws. Leaders announced Congress will return May 4, but some lawmakers are being warned that full operations may not be able to resume for a year.
April 28, 2020 4:08 am
Peters Township Council received an updated report from Fire Chief and Emergency Management Coordinator Michael McLaughlin. In McLaughlin’s report he provided council the PA Department of Health’s newest numbers on Covid-19 cases identified by zip code. The report indicated that the 15317 zip remained steady at 22 cases and the 15367 zip code remained at 6. It is important to note that the 15317 zip code also encompasses North Strabane Twp., Canonsburg and parts of Cecil Twp. Supply stock is good. The township received a shipment of supplies from the county and McLaughlin is comfortable with his supplies stock. When asked by councilwoman Monica Merrell about the future should a second wave of the corona virus emerge, McLaughlin described conservation methods being used by first responders and the continuation of supplies orders to keep ppe in stock. McLaughlin described his fire department as an organization of programs. He went on to describe virtual programs for the installation of child car seats and fire drills that school students can run at their homes should an emergency like that occur. McLaughlin also congratulated the “Neighbors Helping Neighbors” campaign that started last week. The program is a cooperation of the fire department, Peters Township Meals on Wheels and the Peters Township Rotary Club. It assists residents that are susceptible to Covid-19 with obtaining prescriptions or grocery shopping. If a resident is food insecure, the Meals on Wheels program can step in and supply non perishable food items. The program is managed by the Peters Township Emergency Management Team and volunteers from the Rotary Club do the legwork for the program. Information on the program is available on the Peters Township website.
April 28, 2020 4:06 am
PITTSBURGH — State leaders brought in 1,000 new workers, took employees from other departments and even asked retirees to come back to work. But the problems with the state’s unemployment system are still happening. “I’ll sit there for at least a half-hour while I’m watching the news and it continues to redial and nothing,” said James Hairston. Hairston is from Castle Shannon. He’s in the state’s unemployment system and even received a check before the pandemic happened. He said it’s been no money and no answer, though, since early March. “They instructed me to go to to the site and file one time to see if reactivates. I’ve been doing that for the last eight weeks,” he said. Hairston is just one of the 1.7 million Pennsylvanians filing unemployment claims. It’s led to an email backlog of nearly a month. “If someone hasn’t filed a claim yet because they can’t get a hold of them, we will still take them,” said Susan Dickinson, director of unemployment benefits. Dickinson said people who haven’t received an unemployment PIN number after three weeks to contact the office. A wrong address or other inaccurate information could be causing the delay. About $3.5 billion has already been paid out in unemployment compensation.
April 28, 2020 4:02 am
WASHINGTON — (WPXI) – Several people have been taken to the hospital after a ceiling collapsed at a senior living facility. The collapse was reported around 9:30 p.m. at the Grove at Washington, which was previously called Kade’s Nursing Home. It is along W. Wylie Avenue in Canton Township. According to reports, four people were in the room when the collapse happened. All were rescued by firefighters and taken to the hospital for evaluation. They were said to be conscious and alert but there is no word on their conditions.
April 28, 2020 2:51 am
SAINT PETERSBURG, Pa. (AP) – Authorities in western Pennsylvania say the shooting deaths of a young couple over the weekend are being investigated as an apparent murder-suicide. The Butler Eagle reports that police in western Clarion County believe that 19-year-old Lexis Walker and 22-year-old Jeremiah Heller died early Sunday evening. Family members reported finding the couple dead with gunshot wounds in their Saint Petersburg apartment. Police said they believe they know who the shooter was, but declined to elaborate. Walker was a senior at Allegheny-Clarion Valley High School. The district superintendent called it “is truly devastating news” and said grief counselors would be available.
April 27, 2020 2:58 pm
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Meat isn’t going to disappear from supermarkets because of outbreaks of the coronavirus among workers at U.S. slaughterhouses. But as the meat plants struggle to remain open, consumers could face less selection and slightly higher prices. Industry leaders acknowledge that the U.S. food chain has rarely been so stressed and that no one is sure about the future, even as they try to dispel concerns about shortages. On Sunday, the meat processing giant Tyson Foods ran a full-page advertisement in the New York Times and other newspapers outlining the difficulty of producing meat while keeping more than 100,000 workers safe and shutting some plants.
