Western PA News

County reminding voters to only fill out one application form

UNIONTOWN, Pa. —

Election officials in Fayette County are making an unusual request to folks in the county. Stop calling the office.

County officials said on Monday, the phones at the elections bureau are ringing constantly due to confusion over mail-in ballot applications.

“We’re getting duplicate applications, multiple phone calls,” Commissioner Scott Dunn said. “Our phone is literally ringing off the hook to the point where we can’t even answer.”

Dunn said the county is returning calls as fast as possible. The confusion stems from voters receiving multiple mail-in ballot applications from different organizations and political parties.

Source: Fayette County bracing for record amount of mail-in ballots

President Donald Trump, said to be making progress in his recovery from COVID-19, tweeted his eagerness to return to the campaign trail Tuesday.

• President Donald Trump, said to be making progress in his recovery from COVID-19, tweeted his eagerness to return to the campaign trail Tuesday.
• The president returned to the White House Monday evening after spending three days at Walter Reed Medical Center, where he was being treated for COVID-19 since Friday.
• In a video posted Monday evening, Trump told the nation not to let the virus dominate their lives, saying “you’re going to beat it.”
• Trump briefly left the hospital Sunday in his car to wave to supporters gathered outside.
• Navy Cmdr. Dr. Sean Conley offered new details Sunday about Trump’s condition before he was hospitalized, saying the president had a “high fever” and a blood oxygen level below 94% before being taken to Walter Reed Medical Center.
• Trump gave an update on his health in 1-minute video Sunday afternoon, talking about his COVID-recovery journey.

Source: President Trump says he has ‘no symptoms,’ returns to downplaying COVID-19

Fort Allen Elementary School is closed until Oct. 13 after two staff members tested positive for the coronavirus, according to Hempfield Area School District Superintendent Tammy Wolicki.

Source: Fort Allen Elementary School closes after 2 positive coronavirus cases | TribLIVE.com

Westmoreland County Commissioner Doug Chew tested positive for coronavirus, causing county leaders to shut down their courthouse offices and cancel three public meetings this week.

Chew, a first-term Republican from Hempfield, confirmed the diagnosis in text message Tuesday morning.

“I was last in the commissioners’ suite on Wednesday afternoon/evening. I was not in the courthouse Thursday onward. I started with symptoms late Sunday, early Monday. I tested yesterday and received results at midnight,” Chew said.

Source: Westmoreland Commissioner Doug Chew has coronavirus; some courthouse offices closed | TribLIVE.com

Joe Biden has been raising eyebrows again with remarks he made to a group of “beautiful young ladies” during a campaign stop in Miami.

Source: Biden raises eyebrows after telling ‘these beautiful young ladies’ he wants to ‘see them dancing when they’re four years older’ | Fox News

The

World Bank

has added its voice to calls for wealthy nations, including China, to cancel debts to poor countries to help them weather

the coronavirus storm

, saying efforts so far were important but inadequate.

Addressing an online event hosted by the Frankfurt School of Finance and Management on Monday, World Bank president David Malpass blamed China for debt distress in some countries and accused it of not taking part fully in the Group of 20

Debt Service Suspension Initiative

(DSSI).

Malpass said the wave of debt troubles in Africa and emerging economies elsewhere was the result of “the rapid growth of new official lenders, especially several of China’s well-capitalised creditors”.

“They have expanded their portfolios dramatically and are not fully participating in the debt rescheduling processes that were developed to soften previous waves of debt,” said Malpass, a former US Treasury official and staunch supporter of US President Donald Trump.

Source: World Bank calls on China to cancel debt to coronavirus-hit countries

As the coronavirus outbreak continues to rock Westmoreland Manor, the county-owned nursing home in Hempfield, leaders on Monday announced a change to the facility’s administration.

According to a news release, county commissioners said Assistant Administrator Abby Testa was named the Manor’s acting interim administrator, effective Oct. 2.

“At this time, all other Westmoreland Manor personnel and administrative functions remain unchanged,” commissioners said in the brief, two-paragraph statement.

The announcement did not give a reason for the change.

Source: Westmoreland Manor sees administrative changes as coronavirus cases creep higher | TribLIVE.com

Joe Biden has landed in hot water over a viral clip of him suggesting why people were able to quarantine during the coronavirus pandemic.

Source: Biden suggests people were able to quarantine because ‘some Black woman was able to stack the grocery shelf’ in viral clip

The US Citizenship and Immigration Services policy says that the ground for inadmissibility in or affiliation with the Communist Party is a part of the broader set of laws passed by US Congress.

Source: Don’t want communists: US Department of Homeland Security

Arizona U.S. Senate candidate Mark Kelly’s activities with the Chinese Communist dictatorship have become an issue in that state’s senatorial election. Hunter Biden’s acceptance of money from allies in China, Russia and Ukraine has become an issue in the presidential election.

Source: Newt Gingrich: China infiltrates US – Hunter Biden, other examples show extent of the problem

A normally routine debate between vice presidential candidates has taken on more importance in the wake of the president’s hospitalization.

Source: Pence and Harris prep for a debate with suddenly higher stakes

BUTLER, Pa. —

Two Pittsburgh-area movie theaters may close temporarily, as Cineworld says it is discussing closing all of its U.K. and U.S. locations.

Source: Two Pittsburgh-area movie theaters may close in the days ahead

Pittsburgh TV news was featured on the season premiere of “Saturday Night Live.”

A local TV news report on a potential super-spreading event at the legal change of name office in the Pittsburgh federal building was the setting for a skit on “SNL” with a lot of sexual innuendo.

The anchor for Action News 9 – Eye on Pittsburgh, played by Heidi Gardner, passes to the reporter on scene (Mikey Day), saying, “Dylan, it seems like this story is going really viral?” After the mild joke, the rest of the skit becomes a game of sexual wordplay.

The reporter chastises the anchor and then proceeds to speak to several people who were in the office waiting to change their unfortunate names which all had sexual overtones. (The names will not be mentioned here.)

Source: Pittsburgh featured in ‘Saturday Night Live’ skit | TribLIVE.com

The new term, which begins Monday, will see eight justices, not the usual nine. And because of COVID-19, once again the justices will gather by telephone hookup to hear the arguments.

Source: New Supreme Court Term: The Election, Fresh Obamacare Case : NPR

Communist party members will not be granted permanent residence or citizenship, US Citizen and Immigration Services says.

Source: United States closes immigration door to communists in clear swipe at China | South China Morning Post

Two fires in the same Pittsburgh neighborhood caused four people to lose their home, while fire crews spent a long time battling flames Saturday.

Source: Four people displaced as crews battle 2 house fires in same Pittsburgh neighborhood within hour

A man and a woman were shot during a road rage incident in Pittsburgh.

Source: PHOTOS: Two shot in road rage incident in Pittsburgh

President Donald Trump arrived Friday evening at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, where the White House says he will remain hospitalized for “the next few days.”

Trump himself was said to be spooked after he announced he tested positive early Friday, and has become increasingly alarmed by his diagnosis as he developed symptoms like a fever overnight, according to a person familiar with his reaction.

A Trump adviser said there is reason for concern about the President’s health.

“This is serious,” the adviser said. The adviser went on to describe Trump as very tired, very fatigued and having some trouble breathing.

Source: President Donald Trump to be hospitalized at Walter Reed medical center – CNNPolitics