Penn State postpones commencement ceremonies
Penn State University announced Wednesday that it is postponing all spring commencement ceremonies. The university said that it is taking the precaution in order to fight the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. The school is exploring other options for celebrating the achievements of their students, according to a statement. The...
William Barr creating task force on federal prison officers’ misconduct
WASHINGTON — The Justice Department is creating a special task force to address criminal misconduct by federal Bureau of Prison officers at several correctional facilities after a loaded gun was found at the same jail where wealthy financier Jeffrey Epstein killed himself, Attorney General William Barr told the Associated Press....
Treasury wants to send rounds of checks to Americans, starting April 6Video
WASHINGTON — 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 as the coronavirus epidemic threatens a body slam to taxpayers and businesses. In a memorandum issued Wednesday, Treasury is calling for...
WVU Medicine offers drive-up virus test sites, including Morgantown
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia University Medicine on Wednesday opened drive-up coronavirus testing sites for pre-screened patients. The sites will be in Morgantown, Parkersburg, Bridgeport, Wheeling and Martinsburg, according to a WVU Medicine news release. They will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. seven days a week. Patients...
Alabama delays March 31 GOP Senate runoff to July
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — The state of Alabama is postponing its scheduled March 31 primary runoff in the Senate race between Jeff Sessions and former Auburn University football coach Tommy Tuberville. Saying having people stand in line to vote is too risky right now, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey said the runoff...
5.7-magnitude quake shakes Utah, Salt Lake airport closed
SALT LAKE CITY — A 5.7-magnitude earthquake shook Salt Lake City and its suburbs early Wednesday, sending spooked residents fleeing their homes, knocking out power for tens of thousands and closing the city’s airport. The epicenter was just southwest of Salt Lake City and about 2.8 million in the state...
Bernie Sanders set to ‘assess’ campaign, top aide saysVideo
WASHINGTON — After getting crushed in another round of presidential primary voting Tuesday, Bernie Sanders keeps pushing on — but it is unclear to where and for how long. In a statement Wednesday morning, Sanders’ campaign manager said the senator was “assessing” what to do next, but suggested he might...
First of 4 AHN drive-up coronavirus test sites opens in PineVideo
The first of four Allegheny Health Network drive-up coronavirus test sites opened Wednesday in Pine, and three more should be operational by the end of the week, officials said. The first to be up and running is in the parking garage adjacent to AHN’s Wexford Health + Wellness Pavilion. The...
This year’s spring is earliest in over a century
Back in February (remember those carefree days?), Punxsutawney Phil predicted an early spring. What many didn’t realize: His prediction was foolproof — no matter what happened with the weather. This year’s vernal equinox will arrive at 11:50 p.m. March 19 — the earliest “first day of spring” any of us...
Life During Coronavirus: How Trib readers are coping
We want to hear from you — and so does everyone else. Share your stories about life in this coronavirus episode. Write to Director of Content John Allison at jallison@triblive.com. Please include your full name, neighborhood and phone number. Send photos, too, of what you are doing and seeing. Taking...
Coronavirus by the numbers: The number of cases locally, nationally and globally
The death toll in the United States as a result of the coronavirus reached at least 1,046 Thursday, according to the Johns Hopkins University & Medicine Coronavirus Resource Center. More than 69,000 people in the country have been infected by covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. More than 22,000...
Trump says U.S., Canada agree to close border to ‘non-essential traffic’
WASHINGTON — The U.S. and Canada have agreed to temporarily close their shared border to nonessential travel, President Donald Trump announced Wednesday as the two nations work to stem the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. Both countries are eager to choke off the spread of the virus but also maintain...
Trump asks lawmakers for $46B more to battle coronavirus
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has sent lawmakers a $46 billion emergency funding request to help the government fight the coronavirus and to reverse cuts proposed just last month to the Centers for Disease Control, the front-line agency in fighting the battle. The huge request, delivered overnight, would deliver more...
Virus cases hit 200,000 worldwide; borders jam up in EuropeVideo
BERLIN — Desperate travelers choked European border crossings Wednesday after countries implemented strict controls to try to slow the spread of the coronavirus, which has now infected more than 201,000 people worldwide and killed more than 8,000. In releasing the new figures, Johns Hopkins University also said more than 82,000...
Amid virus, Congress’ leaders resist call for remote voting
WASHINGTON — Congressional leaders are resisting calls to let lawmakers vote remotely, a dispute pitting the scourge of the coronavirus against two centuries of tradition that underscores Washington’s struggle to adapt to recommendations that evolve daily about how to handle the pandemic. Advocates of the voting change cite the health...
Pennsylvania primary could be postponed due to coronavirus, though law remains murky
With presidential primaries on hold because of public health concerns in Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland and Ohio, Pennsylvania’s primary scheduled for April 28 could well be the next postponed because of the coronavirus. As voters undeterred by the threat of exposure cast ballots Tuesday in special elections in three Pennsylvania...
With 3 more victories, Biden pulls further away from Sanders
WASHINGTON — Joe Biden swept to victory in Florida, Illinois and Arizona on Tuesday, increasingly pulling away with a Democratic presidential primary upended by the coronavirus and building pressure on Bernie Sanders to abandon his campaign. The former vice president’s third big night in as many weeks came amid tremendous...
Amazon to stop accepting nonessential products for shipment during coronavirus crisis
In attempt to slow the spreading of the novel coronavirus across the U.S., Amazon will block shipments of nonessential products. The move is in response to a significant increase in orders for necessities, according to Business Insider. Amazon on Tuesday told sellers and vendors that it would accept only shipments...
Urban coyotes eat lots of cats — and human garbage, study of their poop reveals
A study that “dissected” 3,100 pieces of coyote poop discovered domestic cats are a big part of what urban coyotes eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner, according to the National Park Service. Human garbage was their chief source of food, however, the study found. The multi-year study focused on coyotes...
Ohio Democratic Party sues over delay of primary election
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Politicians of all stripes expressed frustration Tuesday after Ohio’s primary was postponed until June by the state’s elected officials amid concerns attendance at polling places would contribute to the coronavirus pandemic. The Ohio Democratic Party sued Tuesday afternoon over Secretary of State Frank LaRose’s decision to set...
In New York, making a life out of bottles and cans
NEW YORK — When the Brooklyn clothing factory where she worked closed its doors, Josefa Marín started picking up cans and bottles from trash cans to make ends meet. A decade later, the 50-year-old Mexican immigrant is handed hundreds of recyclables by bars and clubs and by concierges of private...
Millions in San Francisco area cope with virus restrictions
SAN FRANCISCO — Millions in the San Francisco Bay Area found empty highways, shuttered stores and vacant streets Tuesday as officials began enforcing an order for residents to stay at home and only leave for “essential” reasons in a desperate attempt to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Miguel Aguirre,...
When Irish eyes are absent: Virus subdues St. Patrick’s Day
BOSTON — St. Patrick’s Day revelers across the world tried to salvage the holiday with makeshift celebrations after parades and parties were scrapped and residents were urged to hunker down at home to slow the spread of the new coronavirus. It was the first St. Patrick’s Day in more than...
Sen. Pat Toomey: Red tape hampers federal coronavirus response efforts, paid sick leave
The devil is in the details where coronavirus is concerned, U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Lehigh Valley, said Tuesday. Red tape at the National Institutes of Health threatened to slow the certification of hospital-developed tests in Pennsylvania, the Lehigh Valley Republican said, until he asked Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the...
Blood donations at critical shortage because of coronavirus pandemic
Blood banks are asking healthy donors to turn out “in full force” as donations drop in the face of the spreading coronavirus. “If we don’t have enough blood to meet the sick patients’ needs, we’ll have another public health crisis on top of the pandemic,” said Kristen Lane, spokeswoman for...
