Category: News

The “emergency summit” comes as coronavirus infections spike across the region

Source: Wolf, Murphy meet with fellow Northeast governors to discuss regional COVID-19 restrictions | PhillyVoice

David Paytas has been safely located.

REPEATING UPDATE: David Paytas has been safely located.

Pittsburgh police are asking the public’s help in finding an endangered missing man.

72-year-old Daniel Paytas is 5 feet 8 inches tall, 140 pounds with white hair, blue eyes and glasses.

He was last seen in Morningside on Nov. 12. Paytas is from the Morningside area and is known to frequent Bloomfield.

Police ask anyone who has seen Paytas to call (412) 323- 7141.

Source: Pittsburgh police find missing endangered man

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — President Donald Trump started the weekend by pushing lawmakers in Congress to approve a coronavirus relief bill. What’s unclear about his request: Does the president still back the idea of stimulus checks?

“Congress must now do a Covid Relief Bill,” Trump tweeted. “Needs Democrats support. Make it big and focused. Get it done!”

The tweet tosses out two terms that have largely been contradictory during the negotiation process.

By saying he wants a “big” bill, one might presume that would include a second round of $1,200 direct payments. Prior to the election, the White House and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi agreed any approved package would include stimulus checks.

However, “targeted” is a term largely used by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to talk about much smaller stimulus bills. In the past, McConnell’s targeted bills have not included direct payments.

Source: Second stimulus checks: Trump pushes Congress to approve relief | myfox8.com

The Republican Party of Somerset County will hold a Freedom Rally at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Somerset County Courthouse.

Source: Election protest planned in Somerset | Active | dailyamerican.com

The office of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., announced that its in-person dinner hosting with new Democratic members of Congress has been canceled after a viral tweet showing the tables being set up for the event sparked backlash amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Pelosi deputy chief of staff Drew Hammill initially doubled down on how “safe” the event was supposed to be, tweeting, “Our office strictly follows the guidance of the Office of Attending Physician, including for this dinner. To be a further model for the nation, this event has been modified to allow Members-elect to pick up their meals to go in a socially-distanced manner.”

However, Hammill later followed, “Members-elect are now picking up their boxed meals and departing the Capitol. There is no group dinner. Members-elect are in DC already for orientation.”

Source: Pelosi scraps in-person dinner with new Democrat members of Congress after photo sparks backlash during COVID

Stevie Wonder, Celine Dion, and Gloria Estefan are just three of the entertainers that will be participating in a star-studded Thanksgiving Day concert to honor nurses.

Source: Stevie Wonder, Celine Dion, Gloria Estefan, & More Set for Thanksgiving Day ‘Nurse Heroes’ Benefit Concert

Department spokeswoman Erin James said the South Maple Avenue center was cited for violating child care regulations related to physical discipline, harsh language and ridicule or threat of harm.

Three child care workers who were involved with the Oct. 2 complaints were immediately suspended, said Greensburg YMCA Interim CEO Suzanne Printz. Each has since been terminated and their supervisor was placed on leave.

The department’s Office of Childhood Development and Early Learning is working with center officials to create a corrective action plan to address the violations, she said. After that plan is approved, state officials “will follow up to ensure the plan has been successfully implemented,” James said.

Source: Greensburg YMCA cited for child care violations, three workers fired | TribLIVE.com

 

A Pennsylvania judge ruled in favor of the Trump campaign Thursday, ordering that the state may not count ballots where the voters needed to provide proof of identification and failed to do so by Nov. 9.

State law said that voters have until six days after the election — this year that was Nov. 9 — to cure problems regarding a lack of proof of identification. After the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that mail-in ballots could be accepted three days after Election Day, Pennsylvania Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar submitted guidance that said proof of identification could be provided up until Nov. 12, which is six days from the ballot acceptance deadline. That guidance was issued two days before Election Day.

“[T]he Court concludes that Respondent Kathy Boockvar, in her official capacity as Secretary of the Commonwealth, lacked statutory authority to issue the November 1, 2020, guidance to Respondents County Boards of Elections insofar as that guidance purported to change the deadline … for certain electors to verify proof of identification,” Judge Mary Hannah Leavitt said in a court order.

READ THE COURT ORDER HERE

This was in line with the Trump campaign’s argument, which was that there was no basis in the state’s law to extend the identification deadline, and that Boockvar did not have the power to unilaterally change it.

Pennsylvania Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar speaks during a news conference offering updates regarding the counting of ballots in the general election, Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2020, in Harrisburg, Pa. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

The court had previously ordered that all ballots where voters provided proof of identification between Nov. 10 and 12 should be segregated until a ruling was issued determining what should be done with them.

Source: Pennsylvania court: Secretary of state lacked authority to change deadline 2 days before Election Day | Fox News

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — One week after Election Day and election-related lawsuits are piling up in Pennsylvania.

But so are the ballots.

More than 2,000 of those ballots were ballots that appear to be eligible in every way, except they didn’t have a date on the outer envelope.

On Tuesday inside the election warehouse on the North Side, staffers began processing ballots at 9:00 a.m. and continued working until 9 p.m. At around 3:00 p.m., there were roughly 27,000 outstanding ballots in Allegheny County.

The process happened in front of 18 observers who represented both Republicans and Democrats, according to county leaders. Outstanding ballots included military and overseas ballots, which could be received until 5 p.m. Tuesday.

Of the 29,000 ballots originally mailed to the wrong voters, 7,000 of those are still under review.

“Right now, we are doing a comparison of any spoiled or surrendered ballots at the polling locations to make sure they didn’t surrender their correct ballot and vote at the polls. So we want to make sure we do that prior to counting the 7,000,” said David Voye, the Allegheny County Elections Division manager.

RELATED STORIES:

• Courts Allow Pennsylvania’s Vote Count To Continue
• Rep. Mike Kelly And Others File Lawsuit Against Secretary Of State Kathy Boockvar
• Election Litigation: Can The Lawsuits Surrounding The 2020 Election Slow Down The Outcome?
• Court Order Keeps Allegheny County From Processing About 29K Ballots Until Friday, County Executive Fitzgerald Says
• Allegheny County Election Staff Finishes Counting Most Mail-In Ballots
• Allegheny County Solicitor Asks For Patience As Process To Scan Thousands Of Ballots Continues
• Allegheny Co. Election Officials Still Playing Catch Up After Nearly 30K Voters Receive Incorrect Ballot
• Allegheny County To Reissue Corrected Ballots To County Voters After Nearly 30,000 Received Wrong Ballots
• Distribution Company Blamed For Ballot Issues In Two Counties

Source: Allegheny County Board Of Elections Votes To Count More Than 2,000 Ballots Without Declaration Dates – CBS Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – Work has begun on a new version of the Black Lives Matter mural along the Allegheny River downtown.

The original artist painted over the mural over the weekend with black paint in order to repair and redevelop the mural with other artists.

Cameron Nesbit says he wants to get the community involved with the project.

The new mural has a black background with gold lettering.

“We’re doing the base coat now and it’s going to be a gold bevel type of feel, to give it that hip-hop culture looks, and for the inside of the letters, we’re leaving them hollow so, in the spring, we’re going to give opportunity for multiple artists to come and fill in and be a part of the mural for a bigger festival,” said Nesbit.

Details are still being worked out on the bigger festival.

Nesbit says he hopes to have the first part of the project completed by the middle of next week.

Source: Work Begins On Black Lives Matter Mural Along Allegheny River – CBS Pittsburgh

Way back in the first 2020 presidential debate in September, former Vice President Joe Biden pledged that he would not declare victory in the election before the results were “independently certified.”

Source: FLASHBACK: Biden said two months ago he would not declare victory until election was independently certified | Fox News

One of President-elect Joe Biden’s coronavirus advisers floated the idea of a nationwide coronavirus lockdown in an effort to rein in the illness and rejuvenate the economy as new cases climb once again.

Michael Osterholm, a University of Minnesota expert on infectious diseases, said in an interview with Yahoo! Finance that a four- to six-week lockdown could both control the virus’ spread and benefit the economy.

“We could pay for a package right now to cover all of the wages, lost wages, for individual workers,” he told the outlet, noting low interest rates. He added that federal borrowing could bail out small- and medium-sized companies, cities, states and county governments.

PFIZER CEO UNLOADS $5.6M OF STOCK AS CORONAVIRUS VACCINE HOPES SEND SHARES SOARING

Source: Biden COVID-19 adviser suggests potential lockdown lasting over a month | Fox Business

The Republican lieutenant governor’s crusade for proof of election problems in Texas comes as members of his own party dominated up and down the ballot.

Source: Despite no evidence of vast voter fraud, Dan Patrick offers cash award | The Texas Tribune

It’s probably a good idea to wear pants on an airplane.

A spokesperson for the CommutAir confirmed to Fox News that the incident occurred on one of the airline’s flights (which was operating as a United Express flight at the time) from Jacksonville to Houston. After handing the situation in Mobile, the flight continued to Houston.

WOMAN CHARGED FOR ILLEGALLY BOARDING PLANE AT CHICAGO’S O’HARE AIRPORT

Sierra Nicole McClinton is facing charges of disorderly conduct and public intoxication, Fox 10 TV reports.

According to reports, McClinton got into an altercation with another passenger on the flight. When a flight attendant could not calm her down, McClinton was detained until the plane could divert to Mobile, Ala.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Source: Woman in only underwear and T-shirt forces plane to divert from Texas to Alabama

Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham weighs in on the president’s allegations of election fraud during an interview with FNC’s Maria Bartiromo:

GRAHAM: Well, number one, this is a contested election.

The media doesn’t decide who becomes president. If they did, you would never have a Republican president forever. So, we’re discounting them.

So, what happened? The Trump team has canvassed all early voters and absentee mail-in ballots in Pennsylvania. And they have found over 100 people they think were dead, but 15 people that we verified that have been dead who voted.

But here is the one that gets me. Six people registered after they died and voted. In Pennsylvania, I guess you’re never out of it.

If Republicans don’t challenge and change the U.S. election system, there will never be another Republican president elected again. President Trump should not concede. We’re down to less — 10,000 votes in Georgia. He’s going to win North Carolina. We have gone from 93,000 votes to less than 20,000 votes in Arizona, where more — more votes to be counted.

There are allegations of system failure, fraud. John James, do not concede. These computers in Michigan do not pass the smell test. Keep fighting for every legal and live vote.

Source: Lindsey Graham: The Media Doesn’t Decide Contested Elections | Video | RealClearPolitics

It’s likely that another stimulus bill will pass, analysts say, but the unknowns include its size and timing. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has signaled he wants another stimulus package, noting in a November 4 press conference that he would like an aid deal passed before year-end.

Even so, any package passed during the so-called “lame duck” session — before the newly elected members of the Senate and the House take their seats in January — is likely to be far smaller than the more than $2 trillion sought by Democrats, according to Wall Street analysts.

Source: What’s the latest on a second $1,200 stimulus check? – CBS News

There would be enormous consequences were the court to throw out the ACA, which has survived twice in the high court. But the court’s makeup is very different now than on those past occasions.

Source: Supreme Court Once Again Considers Future Of Obamacare : NPR

A suspect is in custody following a lengthy standoff with police and SWAT officers in Westmoreland County Monday morning. KDKA’s Ross Guidotti has more.

Source: Suspect In Custody After Standoff In North Huntingdon – News, Sports, Weather, Traffic and the Best of Pittsburgh

Westmoreland County election officials said Monday that 375 mail-in ballots delivered to the courthouse nine minutes late on Election Day will not initially be added to the vote totals.

County commissioners, acting as the elections board, approved the start of the process to review and count all 816 ballots that were delivered to the courthouse after polls closed last Tuesday, which the state Supreme Court ruled last month were eligible and legally submitted if postmarked by Nov. 3 and received at county election offices by 5 p.m. Nov. 6.

Hundreds of ballots, however, were just minutes away from arriving on time to be included with the initial count — a situation that had county officials wondering why they were delivered late on Election Day.

Elections Bureau Director JoAnn Sebastiani said the U.S. Postal Service refused to allow county workers to retrieve ballots from the Greensburg Post Office before polls closed. Postal officials explained the ballots arrived late because of a logistical issue and claimed they could not park near the courthouse or find a way into the building, Sebastiani said.

Source: Westmoreland debates how to count mail-in ballots that arrived minutes late on Election Day | TribLIVE.com

Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto introduced a $564 million operating budget for 2021 on Monday that doesn’t include a tax increase. But he said cuts will be required if federal relief for cities impacted by the coronavirus pandemic isn’t approved soon.

“It never should have come to this — and it breaks my heart to say — but if we do not get aid from Washington it will require the city to make $25.6 million in personnel cuts starting July 1, which is approximately 634 city employees,” Peduto said.

The financial situation of the city is the worst it’s been since 2003, when Pittsburgh was on the brink of bankruptcy, Peduto said.

“The financial responsibility we showed together the last seven years by building up the $120 million fund balance we had at the start of the year has helped us avoid pain so far, but now the cupboard is bare,” Peduto said. “Our tax revenues cratered, and there is still no clear path forward to replace them.”

Source: Peduto: Without federal aid, Pittsburgh will cut over 630 jobs | TribLIVE.com

LANSING — A failure to properly update software was the reason for a computer glitch that caused massive errors in unofficial election results reported from Antrim county, the Michigan Department of State said late Friday.

And a U-M professor of computer science and engineering who specializes in voting systems and securities says it appears the snafu arose from an “unusual sequence of events very unlikely to affect any other jurisdictions.”

“The erroneous reporting of unofficial results from Antrim county was a result of accidental error on the part of the Antrim County clerk,” the state agency that oversees elections said in a news release.

There was no problem with the voting machines or vote totals, which were preserved on tapes printed from the tabulators, the state said. The problem occurred when the totals by precinct were combined into candidate county-wide totals for transfer to the state, using election management system software, the state agency said.

Source: Antrim vote glitch: Expert shares how county mistakenly flipped from red to blue