March 18, 2020 4:09 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – Joe Biden’s sweeping victories in Florida, Illinois and Arizona are building his delegate lead over rival Bernie Sanders in the Democratic presidential race. And that is increasing the pressure on Sanders to admit defeat and leave the race. The former vice president’s third big night in as many weeks came amid tremendous uncertainty as the Democratic contest collides with efforts to slow the spread of a virus that has shut down large swaths of American life. Biden’s quest for his party’s nomination now seems well within reach. His trio of wins doubled his delegate haul over Sanders, giving the former vice president a nearly insurmountable lead.
March 18, 2020 4:08 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – The Treasury Department wants to start issuing direct payments to Americans by early next month as the centerpiece of a $1 trillion plan to stabilize the economy amid the coronavirus epidemic. In a memorandum issued Wednesday, Treasury is calling for two $250 billion cash infusions to individuals: A first set of checks issued starting April 6, with a second wave in mid-May. The amounts would depend on income and family size.áThe Treasury plan, which requires approval by Congress, also recommends $50 billion to stabilize the airlines, $150 billion to issue loan guarantees to other struggling sectors, and $300 billion to for small businesses.
March 18, 2020 4:07 am
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – President Donald Trump on Wednesday moved to invoke a federal law that allows the government to marshal the private sector to deal with the coronavirus epidemic, as the economic damage mounted with word that Detroit’s Big Three automakers agreed to shut down all their factories to protect workers. On a day of head-spinning developments, stocks tumbled again on Wall Street. More borders slammed shut across Europe and North America, with the U.S. and Canada agreeing to close their shared boundary to all but essential travel. And the Trump administration pressed Congress to swiftly pass a potentially $1 trillion rescue package to prop up the economy and speed relief checks to Americans in a matter of weeks.
March 18, 2020 2:34 am
Canonsburg has declared a state of emergency. Mayor Dave Rhome says that in light of current events created by the outbreak of the Coronavirus and the information being released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, officials felt it was necessary to declare a state of emergency in the community. Rhome says the emergency declaration will allow their emergency management coordinator to facilitate all the necessary activities needed to prepare for an emergency response should it be needed.
March 18, 2020 2:33 am
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) – Apollo 15 astronaut Al Worden, who circled the moon alone while his two crewmates drove around in the first lunar rover, has died at age 88. Worden’s family announced Wednesday that he died in his sleep in Houston. Worden flew to the moon in 1971 along with David Scott and Jim Irwin. As command module pilot, Worden remained in lunar orbit while Scott and Irwin descended to the surface with the Apollo program’s first moon buggy. That was his only spaceflight. He was in NASA’s fifth astronaut class, chosen in 1966. Scott is one of four moonwalkers still alive. Irwin died in 1991.
March 18, 2020 2:26 am
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) – A moderate earthquake near Salt Lake City shut down a major air traffic hub and frightened millions of people already on edge from the coronavirus pandemic. There were no reports of injuries. The 5.7-magnitude earthquake just after 7 a.m. Wednesday also cut electricity for tens of thousands of people. The U.S. Geological Survey says the epicenter was southwest of the city and likely felt by about 2.8 million people as far away as Wyoming and Nevada.. Officials say there is no airport runway damage. The quake damaged a spire and statue at the top of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ iconic Salt Lake Temple.
March 18, 2020 2:20 am
Monongahela Valley Hospital announced on Tuesday that they have temporarily adjusted the facility’s patient visitation policy. Effective immediately, visiting hours will be from nine a.m. until eight p.m., only one visitor will be allowed in a patient’s room and visitors must be eighteen or older. There will be no visitors allowed in the Emergency Department treatment area and large groups will be discouraged from visiting patients in any part of the hospital. While these temporary measures are in place, MVH encourages continued interaction with loved ones through digital means, such as, Skype, FaceTime, Messenger and other means of communication.
March 18, 2020 2:11 am
Washington County has declared a state of emergency amid Coronavirus fears. Commission Chairperson Diana Irey-Vaughan says the declaration was made after finding out that a second case of the virus was confirmed today in the county. Irey-Vaughan says the declaration will allow them freedom to purchase necessary items, among other items, should more cases be discovered.
March 17, 2020 12:28 pm
Local police and fire departments have announced strategic plans as the Coronavirus threat looms. The plans mainly involve the implementation of “social distancing” measures to limit the spread of the virus. In Washington, Canonsburg and Chartiers Township, police are now refraining from taking any in-person reports for non-emergency situations and the Washington Fire Department says it is no longer performing non-emergency functions. Officials say that includes station tours, fire prevention and fire inspections.” In the event of an emergency, residents are asked to call 911.
March 17, 2020 9:58 am
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) – Iran’s state television has issued its most drastic warning so far about the new coronavirus, saying the outbreak could kill “millions” in the Islamic Republic if the public keeps traveling and ignoring health guidance. The warning came in a bulletin broadcast on Tuesday afternoon. Roughly nine out of 10 of the over 18,000 cases of the new virus confirmed across the Middle East come from Iran, where authorities denied for days the risk the outbreak posed. Iran’s supreme leader also on Tuesday issued a religious order prohibiting “unnecessary” travel in the country.
