Regional News category, Page 293
State police: Convenience store, restaurant, bar customers can’t stick around to play video games
The state police don’t want bar patrons playing video gambling machines under normal conditions, let alone during the coronavirus pandemic. State police have received “an influx of public inquiries related to liquor licensees allowing patrons to remain in their establishments to operate video gambling devices, sometimes marketed as ‘games of...
State urges those laid off from pandemic closures to apply for unemployment, business aid
With 1 million jobless claims filed in the past two and a half weeks, employees at the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry have been scrambling to respond to a record-high number of requests for immediate financial aid during the pandemic-spurred shutdown. Most labor department employees are working from home....
‘Hail to Pitt’ trending as Twitter users praise potential vaccine development
Praise for the University of Pittsburgh has dominated social media after the institution announced it was close to developing a vaccine for the novel coronavirus. Scientists at Pitt’s School of Medicine announced Thursday that the vaccine, when tested in mice, produces antibodies that could fight off the virus. Testing the...
3rd resident of Beaver County nursing home with covid-19 dies
A third resident who tested positive for covid-19 at Brighton Rehabilitation and Wellness Center has died, officials announced Thursday. Two other residents with advanced dementia previously died after contracting the disease, according to Dr. David Thimons, the facility’s medical director. “There are currently 38 in-house residents that have tested positive,”...
High-speed disinfecting process proves invaluable to Western Pa. ambulance crewsVideo
As the coronavirus continues to spread and send many patients to the hospital, ambulance crews are balancing a thorough disinfection process with getting back on the road as quickly as possible. It’s a situation that has led to an uptick in business for cleaning and restoration companies that have a...
Pennsylvania reports 1,211 new coronavirus cases, 16 more deaths
Pennsylvania reported 1,200 new coronavirus cases Thursday, and deaths now stand at 90, according to state health officials. The 1,211 new cases confirmed from midnight Tuesday through midnight Wednesday bring the statewide case count to 7,016. That’s about a 21% increase over the day prior. Sixteen more people have died,...
West Virginia governor’s coal companies to pay $5M in fines
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Billionaire West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice’s coal companies have agreed to pay more than $5 million for thousands of mine safety violations, federal prosecutors said Wednesday. The civil case brought by prosecutors in Virginia last year on behalf of the U.S. Department of Labor and the Mine...
2 Laurel Highlands school employees test positive for covid-19
Two Laurel Highlands School District employees tested positive for covid-19, according to a letter posted on the district website by Superintendent Jesse Wallace. Neither employee has been inside a school district building in the last couple of weeks, he said. Both employees are assigned to Hutchinson Elementary School. The employees...
FirstEnergy’s $500,000 donation benefits food banks in Westmoreland, Cranberry, elsewhere
Those picking up food from organizations served by the Westmoreland County Food Bank will have their food placed in prepackaged boxes, thanks in part to a $30,000 donation from The FirstEnergy Foundation, linked to West Penn Power Co.’s parent corporation. The donation allowed the Delmont-based food bank to buy more...
Levin Furniture rescue complicated by Art Van bankruptcy; Pa. attorney general looks to protect customers
Robert Levin’s plans to revive the family furniture chain he sold in 2017 may be on hold until complex bankruptcy proceedings in Delaware unwind, he said. Also involved in those proceedings, with a scheduled hearing on Friday, is Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro’s office, which is representing Levin Furniture customers...
Proposal to let restaurants sell spirits to-go looks to have little chance of approval
Restaurant owners say they would be in favor of selling bottles of liquor to go, as a state lawmaker has suggested as a temporary lifeline. But they shouldn’t hold their breath for the chance. “They should be allowed to do it to keep themselves up and running and afloat,” said...
Beaver County nursing home’s covid-19 outbreak infects more than 34 residents
A covid-19 outbreak at a Beaver County nursing home has spread to more than three dozen residents since late last week, officials said. As of midday Wednesday, at least 34 residents who tested positive for covid-19 are being monitored in an isolated wing at Brighton Rehabilitation and Wellness Center in...
Census Day brings renewed push for accurate count amid coronavirus fears
Members of Casa San Jose deliver up to 60 prepared lunches to neighborhoods across the Pittsburgh region as part of an effort to help families ordered to stay home during the coronavirus pandemic. Tucked inside the food bags is a piece of paper with a phone number that people can...
United Way, PA 211 helpline now offering text service to provide reliable covid-19 information
Phones are ringing day and night and staffing has been doubled to deal with the volume of covid-19 related calls at a United Way helpline established here nine years ago. Bobbi Watt Geer, president and CEO of the United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania said calls to the regional 2-1-1 helpline...
Pennsylvania adds 962 new coronavirus cases as deaths rise to 74
Pennsylvania saw a spike of nearly 1,000 new coronavirus cases Wednesday, and another 11 people have died, according to state officials. From midnight Tuesday to midnight Wednesday, 962 new covid-19 cases were reported statewide, bringing the total to 5,805, according to the Department of Health. Deaths now total 74, including...
Sheetz to offer free kids’ meals at stores
Sheetz will launch a free meal program Thursday for children and families in need due to the covid-19 pandemic. The “Kidz Meal Bagz” program will be available all day at nearly 300 stores across Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio, North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia, the Altoona-based convenience store chain announced Wednesday....
April National Prescription Drug Take Back Day event postponed
National Prescription Drug Take Back Day in April is postponed, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration. The April 25 date will be rescheduled after the coronavirus pandemic recedes and the national emergency is lifted, according to the agency. During the most recent Take Back Day held Oct. 26, nearly 442...
Coronavirus taking big bite out of Easter candy sales for region’s makers
Coronavirus-related business closures are taking a hefty bite out of area confectioners’ Easter candy sales. With chocolate bunnies, eggs and other seasonal sweets accounting for about half of annual revenue, it’s a situation that could put some companies out of business. “It’s devastating, actually,” said John Mandak, owner of Valos...
Allegheny Technologies to close Beaver County steel plant, citing Trump’s tariffs
Allegheny Technologies Inc. will shutter its Beaver County stainless steel plant in June, citing the Trump administration’s steel tariffs as the reason for the closure, the company announced Tuesday. The A&T Stainless Direct Roll Anneal and Pickle operation in Midland employs about 70 workers, most of whom are represented by...
Litter piles up at Pennsylvania state parks
Sanitary wipes and disposable gloves are among the increasing amount of litter sullying some Pennsylvania state parks. Although the facilities, including restrooms, are closed at 121 state parks, a growing number of residents continue to visit them with few options available for outings under covid-19 restrictions. “Sadly, litter has kept...
Washington County woman who coughed on trooper claimed she had covid-19
A Washington County woman who coughed on a state trooper Sunday, claiming she had covid-19 as she was being arrested, was charged Tuesday with making terroristic threats and related crimes. Jessica Lee Harvey, 37, of Houston, also is charged with harassment, disorderly conduct and public drunkenness by state police Trooper...
PennDOT to restart work on emergency highway, bridge projects
PennDOT said Tuesday it will get back to work on emergency and critical highway and bridge projects. On March 17, Gov. Wolf paused the normal highway and bridge construction program to minimize covid-19 exposure for PennDOT and private sector employees. Tuesday’s announcement means that some 61 emergency and critical road...
State police warnings to non-life-sustaining businesses surpass 100
More than 100 businesses received warnings in the first eights days since Gov. Tom Wolf ordered the closing of all non-life-sustaining operations to slow the spread of covid-19, Pennsylvania State Police reported Tuesday. On Monday, state police issued 11 warnings, bringing the total to 107 since enforcement of the order...
Police responding to fewer calls as more people shelter in place during coronavirus outbreak
Police departments across Southwestern Pennsylvania are receiving fewer calls as residents stay at home amid the coronavirus pandemic. In Greensburg, police calls decreased by 27% for the last two weeks of March compared to the same period in 2019, said Chief Chad Zucco. Police received 818 calls during that period...
Walmart to temperature test employees, provide masks and gloves
Walmart will now perform temperature checks on its employees in order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, company officials announced Tuesday. Employees will have their temperature tested when they arrive at work. Any employee with a temperature of 100 degrees or higher will be paid for coming to work...
