March 7, 2020 3:44 am
DOYLESTOWN, Pa. (AP) – Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf says the state’s first two cases of coronavirus have been identified, one in Delaware County and one in Wayne County. The two people are quarantined in their homes, Wolf said. No other information on the people affected has been released. Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine says the cases are not related to a case that closed schools in Bucks County. Classes were cancelled Friday at five schools because some members of its school community were exposed to a separate confirmed case of COVID-19.
March 6, 2020 3:38 pm
(AP) – A congressional committee says a “culture of concealment” at Boeing and poor oversight by federal regulators contributed to two deadly crashes involving the 737 Max jetliner. The House Transportation Committee issued a summary Friday of its investigation so far into Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration. In all, 346 people died in the crashes. The lawmakers say several factors led to the crashes, but they are honing in on a new flight-control system that pushed the nose of each plane down based on faulty sensor readings. They say Boeing downplayed how critical the system was to the plane’s safety.
March 6, 2020 3:32 pm
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – For weeks the NRA has been publicizing plans to auction off firearms at a fundraising dinner at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville. But a spokesperson for the museum told The Associated Press that the April event will not take place there after the AP asked questions about the museum’s no firearms policy. The NRA says in a statement Friday that the organization declined to change its firearms policy at the auction and decided to move the event. The NRA’s relationship with country music artists and country music organizations has fractured in recent years after several mass shootings, including one at a country music festival in 2017. Prominent country artists have called for gun control legislation.
March 6, 2020 12:20 pm
Pennsylvania State Fire Commissioner Bruce Trego is reminding Pennsylvanians to change the batteries in their smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors while changing their clocks for this weekend’s “spring forward” time change. “Our message to people is simple; a functional smoke alarm is the best way to ensure your family’s safety in the event of a home fire,” said Trego. “All too often, these critical life-saving devices are overlooked or ignored until it’s too late. Test your smoke alarms monthly and replace the batteries regularly. Trego said discharged or missing batteries are the most common cause of a smoke alarm or carbon monoxide detector malfunction. When functioning, smoke alarms can decrease the risk of dying in a home fire by as much as half. Often called “the silent killer,” carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless, tasteless gas that can incapacitate victims before they are aware they have been exposed. Sources include wood-burning fireplaces and stoves, gas-fired fireplaces, appliances, grills and generators, and motor vehicles. Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are often mistaken for the flu and include nausea, headaches, dizziness, disorientation and fatigue. Newer models of smoke alarms marketed as having long-lasting batteries may not need to have their batteries replaced, but thousands of homeowners still use models that use standard batteries that must be replaced regularly. No matter what type of smoke alarms are used in a home, they should be tested monthly – including hard-wired units connected to the home’s electrical system. Homeowners unsure of how to maintain or install smoke and carbon monoxide alarms can call their local fire service for advice.
March 6, 2020 9:57 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – Hiring jumped in February as employers added 273,000 jobs, evidence that the economy was in strong shape before the coronavirus began to sweep through the U.S. The Labor Department said Friday that the unemployment rate fell to 3.5%, matching a 50-year low, down from 3.6% in the previous month. The job gain comes from a survey of payrolls in the second week of February, so the healthy gains pre-date the viral outbreak.
March 6, 2020 7:38 am
WASHINGTON COUNTY, Pa. — (WPXI) – A woman was resentenced to prison Thursday in connection with the murder of an elderly neighbor in Washington County. Diane McClelland will spend at least 24 years behind bars for her role in the death of 92-year-old Evelyn Stepko. “She’s going to be back where she was, but she might appeal. But if she appeals, we’ll be here again,” Dolores Stepko-Sprowls, Stepko’s niece, said. McClelland was previously sentenced to 29 years in prison for conspiracy in the killing. “Obviously, we’re disappointed in the result,” Stephen Paul, McClelland’s attorney, said after Thursday’s resentencing. “I’ll be speaking with Miss McClelland, and we will be reviewing all our post-sentence options.” Stepko was stabbed to death in 2011 at her home in Coal Center. McClelland’s husband pleaded guilty to the murder and died in prison. Her stepson was also found guilty and is serving a life sentence.
March 6, 2020 6:37 am
A 42 year old woman and a 7 year old boy escaped serious injury following a crash in Interstate 70 westbound early Friday morning. Washington County 9-1-1 dispatchers say a tractor trailer sideswiped the car near the Jessop Place exit around 5 a.m. The car was reportedly forced off the highway. The truck did not stop. No other information has been released.
March 6, 2020 4:27 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump has signed an $8.3 billion measure to help tackle the coronavirus outbreak in the U.S. Trump had planned to sign the bill during a visit to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, according to Vice President Mike Pence. But the White House said Friday that Trump would no longer visit the agency because he “does not want to interfere with the CDC’s mission to protect the health and welfare of their people and the agency.” The legislation Trump signed provides federal public health agencies money for vaccines, tests and potential treatments. A dozen people have died in the U.S. and over 200 are infected across 18 states.
March 6, 2020 4:26 am
Facebook has started taking down ads for the reelection campaign of President Donald Trump directing people to a survey. The decision came Thursday, hours after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi criticized Facebook for the ads, saying people would confuse the survey with the once-a-decade head count. Similar mailings have been distributed around the U.S. Democratic House leaders on Thursday sent a letter to the Republican National Committee, demanding a stop to any mailings or online ads that resemble Census Bureau documents. Census Bureau officials have been on alert for online misinformation aimed at confusing people about the once-a-decade head count.
March 6, 2020 4:25 am
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – Results were expected Friday after passengers and crew were tested for coronavirus aboard a cruise ship held off the California coast. A passenger on an earlier voyage of the ship died of the disease, and at least four others became infected. While more than 3,500 aboard the Grand Princess were ordered to stay at sea, only 45 people were tested. A military helicopter delivered test kits to the Grand Princess, which is anchored off San Francisco. Meanwhile, the U.S. death toll from the coronavirus has reached 12 and infections swell to more than 200 cases, scattered across 18 states.
