July 29, 2020 4:07 am
PITTSBURGH — (WPXI) – People who rely on mass transit are concerned because their means to get around – as well as their jobs – could be in danger if critical funding isn’t provided quickly. Workers and riders are calling on Pa. Sen. Bob Casey to help push for adequate public transportation funding. “COVID-19 has pushed public transit to the brink of extinction,” said Bill McDowell, of Pittsburghers for Public Transit. Downtown Pittsburgh is desolate, buses are seemingly empty and so is the T. As the pandemic lingers, downtown offices are empty. Every day, millions in fare and tax revenue is lost in Pennsylvania. And Yasha Zarrinkelk, of Transit for Philadelphia, said that fair hikes, layoffs and shutdowns are “on the horizon if Congress doesn’t pass the $32 billion necessary for transit.” If this public service isn’t fully funded, community leaders and advocates argue the outcomes disproportionately affect essential workers, those with disabilities and people of color. Lish Danielle, a representative for One Pennsylvania, said 60% of public transit riders are African-Americans.
July 29, 2020 2:44 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Eight people face federal charges over alleged actions amid racial justice protests in Pittsburgh two months ago. Jurors indicted people on charges that include throwing objects at officers or into a police vehicle, vandalizing a police vehicle, burning a police vehicle and hitting police horses. The incidents occurred on May 30, as large protests were going on after the death of George Floyd while in police custody in Minneapolis. Public safety officials said multiple officers were hurt and three journalists attacked or injured, although the injuries were not deemed to be serious. Damage in downtown Pittsburgh was described as extensive.
July 28, 2020 4:50 pm
FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) – Agriculture officials in multiple states have issued warnings about unsolicited shipments of foreign seeds and advised people not to plant them. In Kentucky, the agriculture department says it was notified that several Kentucky residents received unsolicited seed packets sent by mail that appeared to have originated in China. Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles said Monday the types of seeds are unknown and could be harmful. He stressed that the seeds should not be planted. In North Carolina, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services says it was contacted by numerous people who received seed shipments they did not order.
July 28, 2020 4:37 pm
WASHINGTON (AP) – U.S. health officials are warning Americans again to avoid a growing list of imported hand sanitizers that may be contaminated with the toxic chemical methanol. The Food and Drug Administration said Monday there have been increasing reports of injury due to people using– sometimes ingesting-the unauthorized sanitizers, which can lead to blindness, heart problems and death. The active ingredient that kills germs in legitimate sanitizers is ethyl alcohol, which is consumable. But some Mexican companies have been replacing it with poisonous methanol, or wood alcohol, which is used in antifreeze.
July 28, 2020 4:23 pm
SAN RAMON, Calif. (AP) – Google has decided that most of its 200,000 employees and contractors should work from home until July 2021. It’s a sobering assessment of the pandemic’s potential staying power from the company that provides the answers for the world’s most trusted internet search engine. The remote-work order issued Monday by Google CEO Sundar Pichai also affects other companies owned by Google’s corporate parent, Alphabet Inc. It marks a six-month extension of Google’s previous plan to keep most of its offices closed through the rest of this year. The prolonged lockdown of Google’s offices could influence other major employers to take similar precautions.
July 28, 2020 3:44 pm
(AP) – New study results are boosting hopes that there soon may be a simple, reliable way to help family doctors diagnose the most common form of dementia. Researchers say an experimental blood test was able to distinguish people with Alzheimer’s disease from those without it in several studies. The accuracy ranged from 89% to 98%, though the test still needs more validation. Several companies are developing these tests, which measure a protein that damages the brains of people with the disease. The results were discussed at an Alzheimer’s conference Tuesday and some were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
July 28, 2020 12:50 pm
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) – Authorities in Maine say the woman killed in a rare shark attack off the state’s coast was a 63-year-old resident of New York City. The Maine Department of Marine Resources says the shark bite killed Julie Dimperio Holowach. The shark fatally bit Holowach off Bailey Island on Monday while she was swimming. The marine patrol said a witness saw Holowach swimming off the shore of Bailey Island when she was injured. Two kayakers then helped her get to shore, and an ambulance provided further assistance, but she was pronounced dead at the scene.
July 28, 2020 9:28 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump is back to pushing unproven claims that an anti-malaria drug is an effective treatment for the coronavirus. He’s also lobbing new attacks on the credibility of Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading infectious disease expert. A week ago, Trump appeared to project a more serious tone about the coronavirus. But overnight, Trump retweeted a series of tweets advocating for hydroxychloroquine, along with a post that said Fauci has been misleading the public about the drug. Studies have shown the drug isn’t an effective treatment for COVID-19 and the U.S. government is no longer allowing it to be used for that purpose. Fauci said he won’t let the attacks stop him from doing his job.
July 28, 2020 5:41 am
Canonsburg’s annual Oktoberfest is the latest victim of the coronavirus pandemic. Officials announced Monday that they were forced to cancel the event, typically held the third week of September, because of the state Department of Health’s restriction of outdoor gatherings to 250 people. The event generally draws tens of thousands over three days. Organizers say they held out as long as possible in hopes of being able to hold the festival. Like many other events that have cancelled this year, officials say they are already looking forward to next year.
July 28, 2020 4:14 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – Deep-pocketed and often anonymous donors are pouring over $100 million into an intensifying dispute about whether it should be easier to vote by mail. In Wisconsin, cities have received $6.3 million from an organization with ties to left-leaning philanthropy to help expand vote by mail. Meanwhile, a well-funded conservative group best known for its focus on judicial appointments is spending heavily to fight cases related to mail-in balloting procedures in court. The massive effort is remarkable considering the practice has long been noncontroversial. But the coronavirus is forcing changes to the way states conduct elections and prompting activists across the political spectrum to seek an advantage.
