Regional category, Page 285
Health Department reports 13 more covid-19 deaths in Pennsylvania
Thirteen more people in Pennsylvania have died from covid-19, bringing the statewide death toll to 507, state health department officials said. The total coronavirus case count is 22,833, according to data provided by the health department on Sunday. “Now more than ever, as we continue to see covid-19 cases and...
Trib launches ‘Thank You to the Heroes’ campaign
The coronavirus crisis has produced many heroes in our region, some well known and some unsung. In an effort to tell the stories of as many of these heroes as possible, Trib Total Media is launching a Thank You to the Heroes campaign. It’s an opportunity for readers to introduce...
Western Pa. companies scramble to make protective equipment in coronavirus fightVideo
On a long table inside a giant complex near New Stanton, where Volkswagen assembled cars and Sony made televisions decades ago, a small crew of workers for a high-tech company is assembling face shields to meet the immediate demand for critical medical supplies. “I heard about the need for shields...
State reports 8% increase in covid-19 cases in one day, 78 more deaths
Seventy-eight new coronavirus-related deaths were reported to the Pennsylvania Department of Health throughout the day Friday, bringing the state’s death toll to 494, according to state health officials. The total coronavirus case count is 21,655, the data show. It was the second consecutive day in which 78 new deaths were...
1 dead from covid-19 at Concordia’s Butler senior community; 2 employees infected in Monroeville, Baden
Concordia Lutheran Ministries confirmed Friday that a Butler assisted living community resident has died of covid-19, marking the first death linked to the coronavirus outbreak at the network’s senior care facilities in Western Pennsylvania, Ohio and Florida. The person who died Thursday night at Concordia at the Orchard in Butler...
Jumonville’s towering cross a ‘beacon of hope’ for 7 decades atop Fayette ridgeVideo
Heather Withrow was drawn to the Cross of Christ in the 1990s. Towering 60 feet atop Dunbar’s Knob, at the highest point above the affiliated Jumonville Camp and Conference Center, the shining white cross can be seen from miles away, including from Route 40. Withrow discovered her favorite view of...
Week in Review: Tornadoes strike, covid-19 death toll risesVideo
State agencies continued to change their policies in response to the rising coronavirus death toll, and two tornadoes ripped through the Alle-Kiski valley as high winds pummeled the region. Here’s a look at the week’s top stories. Trout season starts early Trout season opened in Pennsylvania at 8 a.m. Tuesday...
Fearing hospital bankruptcy, Gov. Wolf offers $450M in loans to financially strapped providers
Gov. Tom Wolf on Friday announced more than $450 million in low-interest loans meant to keep hospitals afloat as they continue to lose revenue amid the coronavirus pandemic. Hospitals statewide have canceled elective surgeries and nonurgent procedures to free up bed space and limit the spread of covid-19. At the...
Cornerstone Network spreads message of hope amid pandemic from ‘spiritual front lines’Video
A broadcast tower stretches up from atop a hill in Wall, streaming what producers at Cornerstone Network hope is a guiding message to those navigating the unfamiliar reality created by the coronavirus. The network, which has broadcast several programs from its location tucked between Pitcairn and North Versailles since 1979,...
‘Drive-thru’ funeral visitation to be held in Scottdale for local pastor
Despite being stricken by cancer, the Rev. Kimberly M. King stood in the parking lot of Owensdale United Methodist Church last Sunday passing out palms to members of two congregations in Fayette and Westmoreland counties where she preached for more than a decade. “Kim felt so strong about the Christian...
Gov. Wolf approves release of up to 1,800 inmates amid coronavirus concerns
Up to 1,800 Pennsylvania prison inmates scheduled for release in the next year could be temporarily released as part of a plan to reduce the spread of coronavirus, Gov. Tom Wolf said Friday. Eligible inmates could start being released to home confinement or community facilities as early as Tuesday, according...
U.S. Customs in Pittsburgh seizes counterfeit items potentially worth $200K
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers recently seized multiple “Express Delivery” parcels headed for Western Pennsylvania destinations, including Allegheny and Westmoreland counties, containing counterfeit brand name merchandise that would have fetched more than $200,000 on the market if authentic. The largest seizure was March 25 when officers confiscated a...
Pennsylvania reports 78 more coronavirus deaths as total case count nears 20,000Video
Seventy-eight new coronavirus-related deaths were reported to the Pennsylvania Department of Health throughout the day Thursday to bring the state’s death toll to 416, according to state health officials. The total coronavirus case count is approaching 20,000, the data show. The state saw three days this week where new deaths...
April snow showers dust Pittsburgh region
Western Pennsylvanians woke up to April snow showers Friday morning. The National Weather Service station at the Pittsburgh International Airport measured one-tenth of an inch of snow. Some areas, like Saxonburg and Butler County, reported more than an inch, NWS meteorologist Lee Hendricks said. Though it might be spring on...
Pa. Department of Health to provide county EMS agencies more details on covid-19 cases
The Pennsylvania Department of Health will release additional information about the location of covid-19 patients to county emergency management agencies beginning Friday. Citing the privacy provisions of the 1955 Disease Prevention and Control Act, the Pennsylvania Department of Health, which holds daily briefings on the statewide case count, previously refused...
Pennsylvania issues update on licensing waivers granted during coronavirus response
State officials have issued 30 licensing waivers since the Department of State last month said it would clear hurdles to allow more professionals to respond to the coronavirus disaster declaration. “During this unprecedented emergency, the Department of State is committed to reducing as many burdens as possible for licensees to...
Western Pa. grocers try to keep customers, workers safe as government discourages shopping tripsVideo
Grocery stores around the Pittsburgh region continue to do all they can to keep customers and employees safe and healthy during an escalating coronavirus pandemic that prompted federal officials to warn people to avoid supermarkets. Along with social distancing, at the top of the list for most area grocers is...
Pennsylvania officials: Enjoy the outdoors, but stay close to home
Try your luck catching a trout, but do it close to home. That was the message Thursday from state officials, who reminded residents that, no matter what outdoor recreation or exercise you choose, keep your distance from others. “People should recreate close to home. There’s a high interest right now...
Pennsylvania sees nearly 2,000 new coronavirus cases, but ‘curve has changed’
Nearly 2,000 new coronavirus cases were reported in Pennsylvania, state health officials said Thursday, and 29 more people have died. With 1,989 new cases, the running total of covid-19 cases statewide reached 18,228 since the virus was first identified here on March 6. The latest numbers represent about a 12%...
2nd covid-19 case confirmed at Presbyterian SeniorCare facility in Washington County
A resident at a Presbyterian SeniorCare Network community in Washington has tested positive for covid-19, the second confirmed case at the Washington County facility. SeniorCare officials made the announcement in a news release Wednesday night. “Although we did not have any residents who had exhibited any covid-19 related symptoms, we...
Map shows how many hospital beds, ventilators Pennsylvania has available in each county
Real-time data on number of hospital beds and ventilators available in every Pennsylvania county are now available on a website launched Wednesday by the state Department of Health. The Hospital Preparedness Dashboard shows, county by county, the number of coronavirus cases, deaths, intensive care beds, medical beds, isolation rooms and...
Gov. Wolf signs order allowing medical supplies to be redistributed to Pa. areas hit hardest by coronavirus
In light of the continued spread of the coronavirus across Pennsylvania, Gov. Tom Wolf on Wednesday signed an order that will allow the state’s emergency management agency to take protective equipment and supplies from one medical facility and give them to others with greater needs. “I’m trying to make sure...
What foods to keep and what to toss out after losing power
Government agencies advise residents to throw out meat, poultry, fish, eggs and leftovers in their refrigerators if they have been without power for more than four hours. Thousands of residents lost power Wednesday when a tornado struck the Tarentum and New Kensington areas. Residents should carefully go through their refrigerators...
Pa. reports 70 new coronavirus deaths; officials say ‘curve is getting flatter’
The coronavirus has killed 70 more people across Pennsylvania, state health officials said Wednesday, bringing the statewide total to 309. Another 1,680 cases of covid-19 were reported across the state, bringing the running total to 16,239, according to the Department of Health. It marked the biggest single-day increase in reported...
2 tornadoes confirmed in Alle-Kiski Valley as heavy storms ravage regionVideo
The National Weather Service confirmed that two tornadoes struck the Alle-Kiski Valley early Wednesday, and heavy winds caused damage and power outages across the region. The storm ripped roofs off a church and a brewery in New Kensington, destroyed hangars at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport in Unity and brought down...
