March 11, 2020 7:58 am
ROME (AP) – Expanding clusters of the new virus are being eyed warily on multiple continents as the outbreak reshapes everything from the U.S. presidential race to Pope Francis’ travel schedule. Italy’s 62 million people are under strict new rules, with police enforcing measures to keep people in public places a safe distance apart and making sure certain business close by nightfall. The death toll in Italy has risen to 631. In the U.S., more than 1,000 people have been infected and outbreaks on both sides of the country are stirring alarm.
March 11, 2020 4:40 am
WASHINGTON COUNTY, Pa. — (WPXI)- Roughly 200 animals, including cats, dogs and chickens, were rescued from two homes and a church building in Donora and Monessen last fall. Police said Christie Harr, 41, was arrested and faces over 1,000 charges in connection with the incident. Our news partners at Channel 11 say this is the most animal abuse charges ever filed against someone in Washington County. Humane officers said this is not a case of animal hoarding, they say it’s a case of animal abuse. According to the criminal complaint, the roof was caving in, there was no running water, and many of the animals were kept in a dungeon-type room in the basement. The church was filled with garbage, debris, urine and feces, fur stuck to cages, throw up and a massive amount of feces in every cage. Harr told WPXI she has taken care of unwanted animals for 20 years and that anyone who knows her realizes there is no basis for these charges. Approximately 200 rescue cats are now at an undisclosed location being cared for by the Humane Society of the United States. Workers said many of the cats are now showing their personalities and thriving, after they were held in cages for prolonged periods of time.
March 11, 2020 4:17 am
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) – After a series of delays, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has agreed to release 1,500 Taliban prisoners as a goodwill gesture to get intra-Afghan negotiations started. That’s despite the fact that a recent peace deal signed by the United States and the Taliban calls for freeing up to 5,000 prisoners ahead of the much sought-after negotiations. There was no immediate response from the Taliban. Wednesday’s decree came as the U.S. State Department issued a statement saying the level of violence is “unacceptable.” It said that while the Taliban have stopped attacks against the U.S.-led coalition forces and in Afghan cities, the violence in the countryside remains too high.
March 11, 2020 4:16 am
TOKYO (AP) – Asian stocks are falling despite gains on Wall Street on expectations the Trump administration will act to cushion the economic pain of the virus outbreak. Benchmarks in Japan, Australia and South Korea fell Wednesday, while Chinese shares erased morning gains to also lose ground. On Wall Street, stocks recouped most of their historic losses from Monday. Hopes rose, faded and then rose again that the U.S. government will take effective measures to help reduce disruptions to the economy. In Asia, governments have announced billions of dollars worth of subsidies, tax breaks and emergency loans as stopgap measures.
March 11, 2020 4:14 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – Joe Biden had another big night in the Democratic presidential primary, capturing four more states, including Michigan. The key battleground state helped propel Bernie Sanders’ insurgent candidacy four years ago, and the loss on Tuesday dealt a serious blow to his 2020 campaign. The former vice president also won Missouri, Mississippi and Idaho, showing strength with working-class voters and African American voters. Sanders’ narrow hopes for good news rested on North Dakota and Washington state, where votes were still being tabulated. Addressing supporters in Philadelphia, Biden noted that many had “declared that this candidacy was dead” only days ago, but “now we’re very much alive.”
March 11, 2020 4:08 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) – Cases of the new coronavirus crept into a new county in Pennsylvania as Penn State and at least a dozen other schools moved classes online while St. Patrick’s Day parades in Philadelphia, Scranton and Pittsburgh were canceled. Bucks County confirmed its first two cases of COVID-19. That boosted the statewide total to at least 16 confirmed cases amid growing reports of people getting sick while in Pennsylvania. The state isn’t recommending that large gatherings be canceled. But Philadelphia officials are urging people not to attend events of more than 5,000 attendees, and Penn State encouraged students to stay home the next three weeks.
March 11, 2020 4:03 am
It is half way through the month of March and Monessen City Council is still trying to get going in a straight line. Council went back and reaffirmed motions that took place in a January 6 reorganization meeting to vacate positions and hire new people to those positions. Also at issue during Tuesday night’s meeting was the February dismissal of City Controller Maria Scuteri. Scuteri claims that she was not provided the paperwork that council required for her position. Council requires that the controller be bonded. Scuteri is bonded for her regular job at a local bank. The city also needed an affidavit of residency. Council claims that Scuteri did not provide a bond or residency affidavit. Scuteri is now looking into a discrimination claim. City Treasurer Gerald Saksun also lacked that paperwork. He was allowed time to produce those items. Mayor Matthew Shorraw states that no discrimination existed on his end. Shorraw stood behind comments made by Coucilman Don Gregor in the February meeting. When asked to recall those comments, Shorraw could not do that.
March 10, 2020 9:53 am
NEW YORK (AP) – Stocks are closing sharply higher on Wall Street Tuesday, adding 4.9% to major indexes, as hopes build for a greater response from the Trump administration to the economic threat from the coronavirus outbreak. The gains recovered about half of the market’s historic losses from the day before and came after another wild day of whipsaw trading. The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped more than 1,100 points. Market watchers say more big swings are likely until the outbreak starts to slow down. The price of oil bounced back a day after cratering nearly 25% after Saudi Arabia started a price war with Russia. (Photo: CNN)
March 10, 2020 9:52 am
BEIJING (AP) – Europe’s airports say they expect 187 million fewer passengers this year due to the virus outbreak, which is “turning into a shock of unprecedented proportions for our industry.” The ACI Europe, which represents the sector, estimated Tuesday that the outbreak will mean a 13.5% drop in airport passengers in the first quarter alone. That translates to 1.32 billion euros ($1.5 billion) in lost revenue. Airports in Italy, where the government has imposed a travel lockdown on the whole country, are the most affected. Scores of nations have issued travel advisories urging their citizens to avoid Italy. Olivier Jankovec, the head of ACI Europe, called on the Italian government to provide emergency financial support.
March 10, 2020 4:16 am
Rolling Hills Drive in Peters Township took two steps closer to reality when Peters Township Council authorized a 2.4 million dollar bid to A. Liberoni, Inc to complete the road and intersect it with E. McMurray Road. Council budgeted 4 million dollars for the project. Township Manager Paul Lauer calls the savings “Good News” for residents. Council also granted a right of way for part of the land at Rolling Hills Park to PennDot to obtain a highway occupancy permit. PennDot approved realignment plans for E. McMurray Road and needed the right of way to allow construction to begin. Lauer states that traffic signals and poles will be ordered soon and he expects ground to be broken sometime in late May.
