September 17, 2020 6:47 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) – Pennsylvania’s top lawyer is asking a federal judge to retain Gov. Tom Wolf’s limits on crowd size, at least for now. The attorney general’s office warned Wednesday that allowing large groups to congregate during a legal battle over Wolf’s public health orders “will result in people’s deaths” from the coronavirus. The office of Attorney General Josh Shapiro asked the judge, an appointee of President Donald Trump, to delay enforcement of his ruling that many of the Democratic governor’s pandemic shutdown orders were unconstitutional, including his limits on indoor and outdoor gatherings. A lawyer for the plaintiffs says they’ll “vigorously” oppose the state’s request for a stay.
September 17, 2020 4:17 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump is openly contradicting the government’s top health experts, predicting a safe and effective vaccine against the coronavirus could be ready as early as next month and in mass distribution soon after. That claim Wednesday undermined the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, whom Trump called “confused” in projecting a longer time frame. Trump is also disagreeing with Dr. Robert Redfield about the effectiveness of protective masks and says he has telephoned Redfield to tell him so. The CDC has sent all 50 states a “playbook” for distributing vaccine to all Americans free of charge, assuming one can be proven safe and effective.
September 17, 2020 4:15 am
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – In a surprise twist that fit an unexpected year of firsts, Carrie Underwood and Thomas Rhett tied for entertainer of the year at the Academy of Country Music Awards. Underwood, who has won the prize twice before, said she was more than happy to share the award, while Rhett is a first-time winner in the category. The show had been delayed and moved to Nashville due to the pandemic and was held in empty venues. Taylor Swift made a subdued return to the ACM stage with an acoustic performance, while Luke Combs walked away a winner, too, by picking up album of the year and male artist of the year. (Photo: CNN)
September 17, 2020 4:14 am
The smoke from dozens of wildfires in the western United States is stretching clear across the country – and even pushing into Mexico, Canada and Europe. While the dangerous plumes are forcing people inside along the West Coast, residents thousands of miles away in the East are seeing unusually hazy skies and remarkable sunsets. The sun was transformed into a perfect orange orb as it set over New York City on Tuesday. On Wednesday, New Jersey residents described a yellow tinge to the overcast skies. Experts say the smoke poses less of a health concern for those who are farther away.
September 17, 2020 4:13 am
UNDATED (AP) – Though Hurricane Sally has passed, officials in Alabama and Florida are warning that the disaster isn’t over yet. Alabama Emergency Management Agency Director Brian Hastings said Thursday morning that inland flooding remains a concern. He says flooding continues to be a problem in the state’s southern counties and they expect many rivers to be in moderate or major flood state at noon and continuing through the weekend. In Florida, Escambia County Emergency Management Manager Eric Gilmore warned that “we are not out of the woods yet,” noting the dangers from cresting rivers. Sally sloshed ashore Wednesday morning on the Gulf Coast as a Category 2 hurricane. It has since weakened to a tropical depression.
September 17, 2020 4:12 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – The Justice Department has charged five Chinese citizens with hacks targeting more than 100 companies and institutions in the United States and abroad, including social media and video game companies as well as universities and telecommunications providers. The five defendants remain fugitives, but prosecutors say two Malaysian businessmen accused of conspiring with the alleged hackers to profit off the attacks on video game companies were arrested in that country this week and face extradition proceedings. The indictments announced Wednesday are part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to call out cybercrimes by China.
September 17, 2020 4:10 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – A military whistleblower says federal officials sought some unusual crowd control devices – including one that’s been called a “heat ray” – to deal with protesters outside the White House on the June day that law enforcement forcibly cleared Lafayette Square. National Guard Maj. Adam DeMarco says the Defense Department’s lead military police officer for the National Capital Region sent an email asking if the D.C. National Guard possessed a long-range acoustic device – used to transmit loud noises – or an “Active Denial System,” the so-called heat ray. DeMarco said he responded that the Guard was not in possession of either device. National Public Radio and The Washington Post first reported DeMarco’s testimony.
September 17, 2020 4:08 am
County Commissioners Diana Irey-Vaughn and Nick Sherman conducted a tour of Courthouse Square. Commissioners are interested in purchasing the neighboring Crossroads Center Building as a replacement to what was revealed as a crumbling office building lacking in space. Director of Buildings and Grounds Justin Welsh started the tour with a presentation that showed crumbling concrete, cracked floors and heaved sections of flooring in the garage. A video showed water pouring through upper levels onto cars inside the garage. First floor flooding has occurred twice in the last 5 years. Commissioners are looking to purchase the building across from their current home because repairs just to fix the leaking in the garage are excessive. Irey-Vaughn states that a current appraisal for the value of Courthouse Square is $3.9 million. The lowest bid just to repair the 310 space garage is $10.9 million. An additional $2.6 million would be needed to address other improvements. Poor drainage in the courtyard area of the building is the cause of the problems. Space in the building is limited as services currently offered are more than what was designed into the nearly 40 year old building. Irey-Vaughn states that if the county would proceed to purchase the Crossroads Center, after all due diligence and agreement on price, a contract could be finalized in 60-90 days. The county would receive revenue from current tenants. The Courthouse Square building would be demolished and held for possible expansion in the future.
September 16, 2020 5:35 pm
WASHINGTON (AP) – The federal government is outlining a sweeping plan to make COVID-19 vaccines available for free to all Americans. But a top health official cautioned that widespread vaccination is unlikely until well into 2021. The director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told Senate lawmakers that any vaccine available this year will be reserved for the most critical populations. The Trump administration has continued to push its own timeline that a vaccine could be broadly available within weeks. Public skepticism of the vaccine effort continues after recent revelations that a Trump official tried to gain control over a key CDC publication.
September 16, 2020 1:51 pm
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation says it has resumed issuing REAL IDs. PennDOT paused REAL ID issuance throughout the state in March because of COVID-19, but it is now happening again at reopened Driver License Centers that offer driver license services. Enforcement of REAL ID will start Oct. 1, 2021 after being pushed back a year by the federal Department of Homeland Security in response to the pandemic. REAL ID is optional, but, starting Oct. 1, 2021, a Pennsylvania REAL ID driver’s license or ID card, a valid U.S. Passport/Passport Card or a military ID will be required to board a commercial flight or enter a federal building.
