May 15, 2020 12:45 pm
The Diocese of Pittsburgh has announced the gradual reopening of churches starting immediately. Bishop David Zubik said that Allegheny, Butler, Greene, and Washington counties join Lawrence county in moving to the state’s “yellow” level of reopening and Beaver county remains in “red” until further notice, with the strictest stay-at-home orders still in place. The Commonwealth will continually evaluate the reopening process and make necessary adjustments county-by-county, which means, our parishes throughout the diocese may be in different phases of reopening at any given time. Starting Friday, the first phase of the diocesan reopening plan for the counties in the state’s “yellow” level of reopening includes the following:
- Limited funeral Masses and weddings continue, with cleaning/sanitizing guidelines in place, expanding to groups of no more than 25 people.
- Churches will be permitted to open for private prayer with safety guidelines in place including seating in designated areas only, the use of masks, hand sanitizers, and social distancing.
- Churches will be permitted to open for Confessions – Confessionals do not meet public health safety requirements, and as such, Confessions will be heard at posted times and in a manner that preserves the sanctity of the Sacrament. Penitents must practice social distancing and all other safety guidelines.
- Baptisms can be scheduled but with the restriction of one family baptism per each ceremony and no more than 25 people present. Great care must be given to social distancing, wearing masks, and sanitization precautions.
- Livestream Masses and prayer services will continue.
Moving forward from this phase, the diocese will look to return to the public celebration of the Holy Mass, starting with daily Masses on Monday, June 1, 2020, and a goal of recommencing weekend Masses the weekend of June 6 and 7, 2020. More details will be released closer to those dates.
May 15, 2020 10:35 am
Pittsburgh’s Fourth of July fireworks and other events have been cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic, the city announced Friday. Officials said events that cannot comply safely with social distancing and will not be allowed include: July 4 fireworks, City-sponsored concerts, and the Great Race. Meanwhile, Allegheny County has announced all pools and spray parks will be closed for summer. The County Parks Department made the announcement. Officials said Boyce Park Wave Pool, Deer Lakes Spray Park, North Park Swimming Pool, Round Hill Spray Park, Settlers Cabin Park Wave Pool and South Park Wave Pool will all be closed.
May 15, 2020 8:18 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – The Democratic-controlled House is pressing ahead with votes on another massive rescue bill that would pump almost $1 trillion to states and local governments, renew $1,200 cash payments for individuals, and extend a $600 weekly supplemental federal unemployment benefit. Friday’s measure – with a $3 trillion-plus price tag – promises to pass largely along party lines. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has loaded the 1,815-page measure with a slew of Democratic priorities, and it has earned a White House veto threat and a scathing assessment from top Republicans like Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who called it “a totally unserious effort.”
May 15, 2020 7:28 am
A Virginia man is in the Washington County Jail facing numerous charges, including statutory sexual assault, aggravated assault and corruption of minors. Waynesburg State Police say 26 year old Apipat Vutipawat of Alexandria was questioned after police responded to his vehicle stuck in mud in Wednesday night in Greene County. They found him with a 14 year old girl from Vandergrift, Pa. The victim told police that the man was her boyfriend and they had met thru a dating app. Police say they stayed at the Hyatt Place Hotel in North Strabane and had sex.
May 15, 2020 4:09 am
NEW YORK (AP) – U.S. health officials have released part of some long-delayed specific guidance that schools, businesses, and other organizations can use as states reopen from coronavirus shutdowns. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday posted a set of six “decision tool” documents. The one-page documents use traffic signs and other graphics to tell organizations things to consider before reopening. The CDC has prepared more extensive, and more specific, guidance. That has not been posted. The CDC drafted the guidance more than a month ago and it was initially shelved by the Trump administration.
May 15, 2020 4:08 am
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning doctors about a rare but serious condition in children linked with the coronavirus. In an alert issued Thursday, the CDC called the condition multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children. Over 100 children in New York and several other states have been sickened. It was first reported several weeks ago in Europe. A few deaths have occurred. The CDC says symptoms include a fever, severe illness requiring hospitalization, and inflammatory markers in the blood. Most affected children have had current or recent coronavirus infections.
May 15, 2020 4:05 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – Federal health officials are warning about potential accuracy problems with a rapid test for COVID-19 made by Abbott Laboratories. The 15-minute test has been distributed to thousands of testing sites across the U.S. and is used daily at the White House. The Food and Drug Administration said Thursday it is investigating early data suggesting Abbott’s ID NOW test can miss COVID-19 cases caught by rival tests. The warning came one day after researchers at New York University reported “unacceptable” results for the test in a 100-patient study. President Donald Trump has repeatedly hailed the test as a “game changer.”
May 15, 2020 4:04 am
DENVER (AP) – Denver Mayor Michael Hancock says thousands of city employees, including himself, will be furloughed for eight days this year to help close what is expected to be a $226 million budget gap caused by the coronavirus. Denver has seen steep declines in sales, lodging and other taxes since the pandemic hit Colorado two months ago, and the state is still under a safer-at-home order that has placed restrictions on businesses. City leaders say the drop in tax revenue is affecting the fund that pays for police and fire services, as well as street maintenance. Several American cities, large and small, have already furloughed employees to save money in the face of dire economic forecasts.
May 15, 2020 4:02 am
ALLENTOWN, Pa. (AP) – President Donald Trump says he intends to prepare the country for future pandemics by restocking the national stockpile. He says that includes bringing critical manufacturing back to the U.S. from abroad. Trump announced his plans Thursday while visiting a Pennsylvania medical equipment distributor. His comments came the same day a whistleblower testified that the Trump administration had failed to properly prepare for the current pandemic. Trump is also trying to convince the public that it’s time for states to begin to reopen, even as the virus continues to spread. He is calling on Pennsylvania’s Democratic governor to open up the state.
May 15, 2020 4:00 am
China’s foreign minister says the country has brought the coronavirus outbreak under control and he lashed out at foreign politicians he accused of having “insisted on politicizing the epidemic, labeling the virus, and smearing the World Health Organization.” Wang Yi’s comments carried by the official Xinhua News Agency appeared directed at the United States, where President Donald Trump’s administration has repeatedly castigated China for allegedly covering up the initial outbreak and has suspended payments to the WHO over what it calls a pro-China bias and failure to effectively deal with the pandemic. Other countries, including Australia, have also urged an independent investigation into the origin of the pandemic, calls that China has furiously rejected.
