May 8, 2020 8:45 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – The U.S. unemployment rate hit 14.7% in April, the highest rate since the Great Depression, as 20.5 million jobs vanished in the worst monthly loss on record. The figures are stark evidence of the damage the coronavirus has done to a now-shattered economy. The losses reflect what has become a severe recession caused by sudden business shutdowns in nearly every industry. Almost all the job growth achieved during the 11-year recovery from the Great Recession has now been lost in one month.
May 8, 2020 4:28 am
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) – North Korea has slammed South Korea for what it called “reckless” military drills near their disputed sea boundary. The South quickly denied any training in the area, the scene of several bloody inter-Korean naval skirmishes. The wrangling came five days after the rivals exchanged gunfire along their land border that Seoul says the North started. There was no known casualties on either side, but the incident was a reminder of persistent tensions on the peninsula. North Korea says the South Korean drills violated 2018 agreements that require both countries to halt firing exercises along their land and sea borders. South Korea says the drills didn’t break the agreements because they took place in its western waters, about 186 miles away from the sea boundary.
May 8, 2020 4:28 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – Vice President Mike Pence’s press secretary has the coronavirus. That makes her the second person who works at the White House complex known to test positive for the virus this week, which is leading the Trump administration to step up safety protocols. Pence’s spokeswoman Katie Miller tested positive Friday. She had been in recent contact with Pence but not with President Donald Trump. She is married to Stephen Miller, a top adviser to Trump. The White House had no immediate comment on whether Stephen Miller has been tested or is still working out of the White House.
May 8, 2020 4:27 am
BOSTON (AP) – The northeastern U.S. is about to get a cold spring farewell from winter’s bad boy, the polar vortex, which could bring rare May snowfall and record-low temperatures to some areas over the Mother’s Day weekend. The National Weather Service says a low pressure system off the coast of southern New England is pulling cold air down from the north. Current forecasts call for perhaps as much as 2 inches of snow in the Berkshire Mountains in western Massachusetts on Friday into Saturday, and rain with flakes possible in the Boston area. Massachusetts hasn’t had measurable snow in May since 2002.
May 8, 2020 2:47 am
(AP) – A member of the US Navy who serves as one of President Donald Trump’s personal valets has tested positive for coronavirus, raising concerns about the President’s possible exposure to the virus. The valets are members of an elite military unit dedicated to the White House and often work very close to the President and first family. Sources say Trump was upset when he was informed Wednesday that the valet had tested positive, and he was subsequently tested again by the White House physician. Trump, who is a self-described germaphobe, has chastised aides before who coughed or sneezed in his presence. He has claimed to rarely get sick himself. Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and the senior staffers who regularly interact with them are still being tested weekly for coronavirus.
May 8, 2020 2:28 am
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) – West Virginia University is furloughing around 875 staffers due to a possible $40 million loss from the coronavirus pandemic. The school issued a statement Friday saying the furloughs will start on May 24 and have staffers return to work either June 28 or July 26. WVU Vice President Rob Alsop has said college faculty, staffers scheduled to teach a class during the furlough period, student employees and federal work study or graduate student assistants are not being considered for the furlough. The college suspended in-person classes in March. Furloughed employees were notified Friday morning and will continue to receive their benefits.
May 8, 2020 2:25 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – The Justice Department says it’s dropping its criminal case against President Donald Trump’s first national security adviser Michael Flynn. That’s according to a court filing Thursday obtained by The Associated Press. Trump quickly celebrating the decision and said he hoped a “big price” would be paid by those who had brought it. The case was brought by special counsel Robert Mueller. Prosecutors said Flynn had lied to the FBI about his conversations with the Russian ambassador in a January 2017 interview. Flynn became a key cooperator for Mueller’s probe into ties between Russia and Trump’s campaign. (Photo: CNN)
May 7, 2020 8:42 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – Nearly 3.2 million laid-off workers applied for unemployment benefits last week as the business shutdowns caused by the viral outbreak deepened the worst U.S. economic catastrophe in decades. Roughly 33.5 million people have now filed for jobless aid in the seven weeks since the coronavirus began forcing millions of companies to close their doors and slash their workforces. That is the equivalent of one in five Americans who had been employed back in February, when the unemployment rate had reached a 50-year low of just 3.5%.
May 7, 2020 4:43 am
Charleroi Council says they are supporting the Washington County Commissioners’ efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic. Council President, Mark Alterici, said at Wednesday’s agenda meeting that council will be sending a letter to the commissioners in support of their displeasure over Governor Tom Wolf’s decision not to re-open the area. While the borough wants to stress safety, they realize the economic impact on local businesses and the loss of tax revenue that could strain the budget. In other business, council made the decision to cancel their popular movie nights but remain optimistic about their farmer’s market and Community Days celebration in August. Alterici suggested adding a fireworks display for residents in July for something “positive” to look forward to. Lastly, a large “Truck to Trunk” food drive will take place for Mon Valley residents on Friday, May 15th from 2-6 p.m. at the Mon Valley VO-Tech in Speers.
May 7, 2020 4:23 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – The Supreme Court says Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is glad to be home after being discharged Wednesday from a Baltimore hospital. Ginsburg, 87, spent one night at the Johns Hopkins Hospital to receive nonsurgical treatment for an infection caused by a gallstone. She participated in court arguments by telephone from her hospital room Wednesday. The court says she will return to the hospital for outpatient visits over the next few weeks and will eventually have the gallstone removed. The procedure does not involve surgery.
