April 8, 2020 5:29 am
Singer-songwriter John Prine has died at 73. His family announced his death on Tuesday night. Revered for his wise and witty lyrics, he sang with a proud twang in “Angel from Montgomery,” “Sam Stone,” “Hello in There” and scores of other quirky original tunes. Prine’s voice was rough around the edges, particularly after throat cancer disfigured his jaw, but he kept performing for decades. He won admiration and respect from the likes of Bob Dylan and Kris Kristofferson, and mentored generations of singers in Nashville. His characters were common people, facing the simple indignities, absurdities or pleasures of life.
April 8, 2020 4:50 am
Washington County is calling for voluntary furloughs as they deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. Commissioners and SEIU Local 668, which represents workers in Washington County’s courts, as well as its Human Services and County Services departments, released a joint statement Tuesday. While the exact number of workers to be affected is unknown at this time, it is estimated that this action could impact approximately 50 workers. Chairman Diana Irey-Vaughn says “there is no real concensus on when this pandemic will end and how long we’ll have to provide reduced county services so in an effort to retain the county’s strong fiscal position we worked collaboratively with the SEIU on voluntary furloughs so that when we do emerge from this crisis, the County will be able to effectively help small businesses and residents get back to work.” SEIU Local 668 President Steve Cantanese says “while this action is unfortunate, we understand that it’s a good faith effort to protect worker safety and jobs, while ensuring the County can continue to serve the public through the duration of this crisis. We’ll continue to work with the Commission to ensure that this action causes the least possible harm to the County’s employees”.
April 8, 2020 4:02 am
LOS ANGELES (AP) – Los Angeles has embarked on an unprecedented effort to bring thousands of homeless people off the streets and into hotels to protect the most vulnerable as the coronavirus continues to spread. California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced last week that money from the federal government would help pay for at least 15,000 hotel rooms statewide during the pandemic. But Los Angeles County – with the state’s largest concentration of homeless people – has set its own goal of 15,000 rooms. The rooms are set aside for the most vulnerable people – those over 65 or those with underlying health conditions.
April 8, 2020 4:01 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump’s removal of a watchdog tasked with overseeing how his administration spends the $2.2 trillion coronavirus rescue package is his latest challenge of an inspector general community asked to be impartial, above politics and independent of the White House. Trump has fired one inspector general tied to his impeachment, castigated another he felt was overly critical of the coronavirus response and sidelined a third meant to safeguard against wasteful spending of funds for businesses and people in economic distress. The actions have sent shock waves across the close-knit network of watchdog officials in the government.
April 8, 2020 4:00 am
NEW YORK (AP) – New York state recorded 731 new coronavirus deaths, marking its biggest one-day jump in the outbreak. Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Tuesday the state’s death toll since the beginning of the outbreak is now 5,489. More people have now died from the coronavirus in New York City than perished in the Sept. 11 attack on the World Trade Center. At least 4,009 people have been killed in the city by the virus, according to state officials. The deadliest terror attack on U.S. soil killed 2,753 people in the city. The alarming death number comes even as new hospital admissions have dropped compared to last week. Cuomo said the latest death tally reflects critically ill people hospitalized before this week.
April 8, 2020 3:59 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is considering changing its guidelines for self-isolation to make it easier for those who have been exposed to someone with the coronavirus to return to work if they are asymptomatic. The public health agency and the White House are considering an announcement as soon as Wednesday. Under the proposed guidance, people who are exposed to someone infected would be allowed back on the job if they are asymptomatic, test their temperature twice a day and wear a face mask. That’s according to person familiar with the proposal who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the draft had not been finalized.
April 8, 2020 3:48 am
The Service Employees International Union Local 668 hosted a press conference to alert members that in this Covid-19 pandemic, much more needs to be done to protect workers in all industries that the union represents. Steve Catanese, President of SEIU Local 668 led off stating that protections of all sorts are still falling short. Zack Perkins a County Assistance Case Worker in Delaware and Montgomery Counties is currently in self quarantine and described how in person interviews were being conducted without personal protective equipment and social distancing. Lesa Ramper, a Child Welfare Worker from Blair County is still looking for her superiors to provide PPE so that she can feel safe in her duties. Shawn Domenico, an Allegheny County Unemployment Counselor appreciates the guidelines supplied from the state and county, but looks for follow up to make sure that guidelines provided are being practiced and suggestions for improvements can be made. In all, Catanese summed up the union’s feelings that no employer should spare any expense in providing adequate physical protection with PPE and all employers should do better in implementing practices of social distancing. Catanese states that if the union and its limited budget can host a teleconference for its members, the state and other employers should be able to figure out a way to limit person to person contact and still perform the daily tasks needed.
April 8, 2020 2:48 am
(WPXI) – The roof of a church in New Kensington was torn off as powerful storms with intense winds ripped through the area early Wednesday morning. Debris was tossed onto the ground outside St. Mary of Czestochowa church on Kenneth Avenue as its roof was ripped apart. All five of New Kensington’s fire companies responded to the church about 2:30 a.m., according to a Facebook post from New Kensington Fire Department Company 2. Firefighters put down salvage covers inside the church’s sanctuary and checked utilities while a collapse zone was established in the event of further damage, officials said. St. Mary’s was one of many buildings that were assessed for wind damage, officials said. A couple blocks away from the church, a three-car garage on the roof of Baron Industries collapsed. New Kensington Fire Department Company 2’s Facebook post said its crew was also called for a tree that fell and damaged multiple vehicles, a sidewalk and a utility pole.
April 7, 2020 5:53 pm
WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump has removed the inspector general who was to chair a special oversight board of the $2.2 trillion rescue package for businesses and individuals affected by the coronavirus. That’s according to officials and a Defense Department email reviewed by The Associated Press on Tuesday. Glenn Fine is the acting Defense Department inspector general. He was selected last month for the oversight position. But Trump has instead nominated a replacement inspector general at the Pentagon. He’s also appointed an acting one to serve in Fine’s place. That means that Fine will no longer serve on the oversight board.
April 7, 2020 4:11 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump is disputing the veracity of a federal survey that found hospitals face severe shortages of coronavirus test supplies, the president questioning whether its conclusions are skewed by politics. With coronavirus cases rocketing toward their expected peak, the nonpartisan Health and Human Services inspector general’s office reported Monday that a shortage of tests and long waits for results are at the root of mounting problems for hospitals. It found that 3 out of 4 U.S. hospitals surveyed are already treating patients with confirmed or suspected COVID-19. Investigators say problems such as lagging testing are feeding off each other in a vicious cycle.
