Ms. Bell questioned whether shutting down the economy was worth it “for less than 1% of our population?”
KDKA Radio host Wendy Bell is facing backlash on social media Wednesday over comments she made addressing the decision to shut down businesses during the coronavirus pandemic.
Ms. Bell’s name was trending on Twitter after a clip surfaced of the former WTAE-TV anchor questioning the government’s decision to risk a potential economic shutdown in order to save a small percentage of lives from the virus. The comments were made on-air in the KDKA Radio studio Sunday while Ms. Bell streamed a 10-minute segment on Facebook Live.
A very talented, promising young musician just earned his first No. 1 on the Billboard charts, and he goes by the name of [checks notes] Bob Dylan? Yes, Nobel Prize in Literature holder, Oscar winner, and ten-time Grammy award-winning folk legend Bob Dylan has climbed to the top of the charts for the first time in his career at the tender age of 78. Pitchforkreports that Dylan’s 17-minute song “Murder Most Foul” about the assassination of JFK, which he surprise released last month, now sits atop the Rock Digital Song Sales chart after selling 10,000 downloads within its first week of release.
In response to the coronavirus crisis, many U.S. workers, including freelancers and independent contractors, are eligible to receive a check from the government. Learn what steps you must take to get this stimulus payment quickly.
Direct deposit information
The direct deposit information is as follows:
The name of your bank
Your bank account number, which can be up to 17 characters (see image below). On the sample check below, the account number is 2020202086.
The “routing number” for your bank, which must contain 9 digits (see image below). On the sample check below, the routing number is 250250025.
Don’t include the check number (1234 on the image below).
If you have filed your 2018 or 2019 tax return with the correct deposit information
If you have already filed your 2018 or 2019 tax return with the IRS with your correct direct deposit information, you don’t need to do anything more.
If you haven’t filed your 2018 or 2019 tax return
If you haven’t filed your 2018 or 2019 tax return with the IRS, you need to file either one electronically with the IRS (unless you are exempted as a social security benefits recipient as discussed below). There are some free websites that allow you to file your return electronically. See the sites recommended by the IRS at www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free. Make sure to include your direct deposit information in this filing (where it asks if you want any refund sent by direct deposit).
What to do if the IRS doesn’t have your current direct deposit information
The Treasury is expected to shortly announce an online portal where direct deposit information can be supplied to the IRS. Here is what you should do:
Double-check that you have entered the correct numbers. Entering an incorrect number could result in a 4-6 week delay of payment.
Social Security recipients
On April 1, 2020, the Treasury announced that Social Security recipients who are not typically required to file a tax return will automatically receive their payment directly to their bank account, without having to file a tax return, so long as the IRS has your direct deposit information.
Will you have to pay any income tax on the stimulus payment received?
You will not have to pay income tax on the amount of payment received.
Stocks rallied Wednesday as COVID-19 showed signs of plateauing in some of the hardest hit areas.
U.S. equity markets rallied to session highs Wednesday after Sen. Bernie Sanders announced he was suspending his presidential campaign.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained nearly 700 points, or 3.1 percent, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite rose 3.1 percent and 2.43 percent, respectively. The gains have lifted the S&P 500 out of its bear market, which would officially end with the index closing above 2,684.88.
A truck driver from Durham was shot and killed after law enforcement said he stabbed four women, killing three of them, before officers killed him Tuesday morning.
KNOXVILLE, TENN. — A truck driver from Durham was shot and killed after law enforcement said he stabbed four women, killing three of them, before officers killed him Tuesday morning in Tennessee.
Idris Abdus-Salaam of Durham was identified as the man who stabbed and killed Joyce Whaley, Patricia Denise Nibble and Nettie R. Spencer. A fourth victim, a customer who has not been identified, remains hospitalized.
Investigators say just before 7 a.m. Tuesday, the Knox County Sheriff’s Office received a report of an incident at the Pilot Travel Center along Strawberry Plains Pike. Officers found one person with stab wounds outside the store.
A man, armed with a knife and identified by witnesses as the suspect, was also observed in the parking lot. Officers confronted the individual, who refused to drop the weapon. At some point during the encounter, one of the officers fired shots, striking the man. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Three of the four who were stabbed were pronounced dead at the scene with the fourth victim rushed to a local hospital.
If a convalescent plasma program proves to be a successful treatment, more people recovering could potentially lead to even more people recovering.
Dr. Michael Joyner, a lead researcher of the Mayo Clinic’s convalescent plasma program, said they’d administer the product to a range of patients, including those already in the intensive care unit, to understand how it impacts the course of their virus. But, the number of people who can potentially be helped is dependent on survivors donating.
“I think it’s very important for the general public to understand this is not like a drug where we can increase the number of shifts and ramp up the production line at a drug company,” Joyner said. “This is a biological product that has to be obtained from a specific set of patients.”
Potential donors must be at least 17 years old and weigh a minimum of 110 pounds, be in good health and feeling well and be symptom-free for at least 14 days prior to donation, according to the Red Cross.
Washington (CNN)There are as many as 10 million low-income, childless adults in the United States who are eligible for the federal government’s stimulus payment program, but are at risk of missing out on the money, according to tax experts.
That’s because they aren’t required to file tax returns, making it harder for the IRS to verify their income — or even to know who they are or where to find them.
“These folks are very disconnected from the tax system. It’s going to be very hard to get their payments out,” said Elaine Maag, a research associate in the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center.
People who have filed returns and others in government programs like Social Security will automatically receive the stimulus payments, which are worth up to $1,200 per person.
Maag estimates there about 10 million people who may not be in the IRS system because they don’t earn enough money and see little incentive to claim tax credits. By law, people don’t have to file if they earn less than $12,200. Those without children aren’t eligible for the child tax credit and are usually due relatively small amounts under the Earned Income Tax Credit.
But this group includes many needy Americans, including some disabled people. It also includes anyone in the prison system. Some of them will be students who rely on student loans to support themselves, Maag said.
A retired NYPD sergeant left an Upper East Side hospital after he was diagnosed with COVID-19 — and was found dead about an hour later on the street outside, police sources said Tuesday
Yon Chang, 56, was at Lenox Hill Hospital early Tuesday and told an NYPD cop there he had just been diagnosed with the potentially deadly coronavirus.
He left a short time later only to collapse nearby, on the traffic island at Park Ave. and E. 77th St., about 6:05 a.m. He died at the scene.
Democrat hopes to add funding for hospitals and states to a coronavirus relief bill for small businesses the Senate wants to pass this week.
Democrats Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer are calling for at least $500 billion in spending in an emergency stopgap coronavirus relief bill.
They back $250 billion more in small business loans, which Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell aims to pass Thursday, but also want to add funding for hospitals and state and local governments.
The legislation is separate from a bill they want to see to expand major parts of the CARES Act, the $2 trillion package Congress passed last month.
Approximately 60 of the 90 employees at the Arnold Palmer Regional Airport will be furloughed in the coming days, according to airport executive director Gabe Monzo.
Monzo said the layoffs were necessary after Spirit Airlines announced it would be stopping all commercial flights after April 7 due to the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak.
At least 29 residents and employees at a Kane Community Living Center have tested positive for coronavirus, according to data from Allegheny County.
The virus was first reported in Kane’s Glen Hazel location on March 25 when an employee tested positive. Two residents tested positive two days later.
Since then, 16 more residents have tested positive for a total of 18, and 16 tests are still pending.
Eleven employees in the facility have also tested positive, and seven tests are pending. Seven residents and 18 employees have tested negative for the virus.
No residents or employees at Kane’s three other locations have tested positive.
Multiple crews were called to the scene when a fire broke out inside of a building that houses a pizza shop and apartments in Pittsburgh’s Bloomfield neighborhood.
The fire broke out a little before 4:30 a.m. Tuesday on the 4500 block of Liberty Avenue.
Firefighters were able to quickly put out the fire.Investigators are now working to determine the cause.No injuries were reported.
Allstate and American Family Insurance have begun discounting car insurance premiums since many drivers aren’t using their cars as much due to stay-at-home policies aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus. Allstate said most customers can expect a 15 percent refund in April and May, along with holders of Esurance and Encompass policies, while American Family Insurance is returning $50 per vehicle.
The two insurers were the first major companies to institute a blanket refund program, while others, including GEICO and State Farm, are encouraging customers to contact them to discuss their policies based on their new driving patterns.Many insurers have also extended their grace periods for late payments before canceling coverage, and with company policies changing day-to-day in response to the crisis.
Police said a man attempting to sell THC wax was shot when he got into an argument with the people allegedly trying to buy it with fake money.
The incident happened Sunday afternoon along McFarland Road in Derry Township.
State police said the 20-year-old victim was at the location after arranging the sale when a vehicle pulled up with three people inside.
According to police, one of the people, a 17-year-old named Brandon Thomas, aka Lil Drizzy, allegedly attempted to buy the THC wax with fake money that police said was purchased online from Wish.com.
Police said an altercation ensued and one of the suspects shot the victim in the groin.
The victim was taken to a Pittsburgh-area hospital for treatment.
The suspects have been identified as Thomas, Michael Sawyer, 28, and Helen Painter, 22.
U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson was moved to intensive care as his coronavirus symptoms worsened, according to a statement from the government.
Johnson was conscious when he was transferred to the ICU around 7 p.m. GMT. Johnson’s medical team made the decision to move him to that unit as a precaution in case he needed ventilation.
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab will temporarily take over the prime minister’s duties while Johnson is hospitalized, the government said.
Giant Eagle is furthering their in-store precautions because of the Coronavirus pandemic.
Giant Eagle is asking its guests to join in its efforts by:
• Considering the use Giant Eagle’s curbside pickup and delivery service whenever possible
• Sending only one member of their household to shop for their family
• Considering wearing masks and gloves while shopping in store
• Respecting appropriate six-feet-or-more social distance from other guests in store, and following all in-store social distance directional signage
• Considering the use of self-checkout and Scan Pay & Go options
• Using credit or debit as payment method when possible to limit contact with cashier
• Refraining from visiting the store if they are feeling ill
Last week, Giant Eagle announced they would be closing on Easter Sunday in order to give employees at day off.
Stay with KDKA for the latest on this developing story.
Let’s look at the bright side for a moment: It’s a great time to do a really hard crossword puzzle.
And Incline reader Emma Oxford is here to help. Emma is a cruciverbalist (definition: A person who makes or solves crossword puzzles) who made a Pittsburgh-themed crossword puzzle just for you.
Sign up for our daily newsletter and get The Incline in your inbox every morning. Check out our latest newsletter.
Or if you don’t have a printer and are feeling tech savvy, download this file, and use AcrossLite for a free and easy way to solve it on your computer.
Dog groomers are not considered life-sustaining businesses and have been closed during the COVID-19 pandemic. That means many dogs that are regularly buffed and fluffed by a professional are missing their scheduled appointments.
Fear not. Sheltering at home does not mean your canine partner needs to be neglected. Now is the time to learn a few skills and pick up the slack for your groomer, who is sure to be booked once the virus abates. But where to learn? Look no further than YouTube.
Two workers at a Chicago-area Walmart store have died from the novel coronavirus, the company confirmed Sunday.
Workers at grocery stores and warehouses deemed “essential businesses” amid the Covid-19 outbreak have expressed concern that showing up to work puts them at risk of contracting the disease. In recent days, a number of retailers have said they will provide workers with masks, but sourcing such protective equipment has proved difficult as hospitals and health workers also struggle to get their hands on such gear.
Walmart, the largest private employer in the United States, has waited to secure protective gear to avoid limiting equipment that could go to strained health workers, Dan Bartlett, the company’s vice president of corporate affairs, told reporters. The company will need more than seven million masks each week for its employees, he said. The first shipment will arrive in one to two weeks.
The company is reducingt the number of customers that can enter stores at one time, using floor markers to enforce social distancing and establishing designated entrance and exit doors. Walmart previously announced measures including paid leave for workers amid the coronavirus outbreak, employee temperature checks and limited store hours to allow for cleaning and restocking.
Better late than never.
Stocks rallied Wednesday as COVID-19 showed signs of plateauing in some of the hardest hit areas.
A truck driver from Durham was shot and killed after law enforcement said he stabbed four women, killing three of them, before officers killed him Tuesday morning.
If a convalescent plasma program proves to be a successful treatment, more people recovering could potentially lead to even more people recovering.
Democrat hopes to add funding for hospitals and states to a coronavirus relief bill for small businesses the Senate wants to pass this week.
More than 40,000 households with out power overnight after storms.
Roof came down during overnight storms
LATROBE, Pa. —
Both victims taken to the hospital
PITTSBURGH —
Allegheny County homicide detectives were called to a wooded area of Shaler on Monday night.
Allstate and American Family Insurance have begun discounting car insurance premiums since many drivers aren’t using their cars as much due to stay-at-home policies aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus. Allstate said most customers can expect a 15 percent refund in April and May, along with holders of Esurance and Encompass policies, while American Family Insurance is returning $50 per vehicle.
DERRY TOWNSHIP, Pa. —
Giant Eagle is furthering their in-store precautions because of the Coronavirus pandemic.
Let’s look at the bright side for a moment: It’s a great time to do a really hard crossword puzzle.
With the exception of a few businesses open for pickup including Pennsylvania Macaroni Company, Strip District Meats, Cafe Raymond, Wholey’s, a florist, and a few others, it was a ghost town.
Source: Photos: Silent Saturday Strip District | Visual Art | Pittsburgh | Pittsburgh City Paper
Two workers at a Chicago-area Walmart store have died from the novel coronavirus, the company confirmed Sunday.
Workers at grocery stores and warehouses deemed “essential businesses” amid the Covid-19 outbreak have expressed concern that showing up to work puts them at risk of contracting the disease. In recent days, a number of retailers have said they will provide workers with masks, but sourcing such protective equipment has proved difficult as hospitals and health workers also struggle to get their hands on such gear.Walmart, the largest private employer in the United States, has waited to secure protective gear to avoid limiting equipment that could go to strained health workers, Dan Bartlett, the company’s vice president of corporate affairs, told reporters. The company will need more than seven million masks each week for its employees, he said. The first shipment will arrive in one to two weeks.Walmart on Friday announced several additional steps it is implementing in an effort to lower the risk of spread in its stores.The company is reducingt the number of customers that can enter stores at one time, using floor markers to enforce social distancing and establishing designated entrance and exit doors. Walmart previously announced measures including paid leave for workers amid the coronavirus outbreak, employee temperature checks and limited store hours to allow for cleaning and restocking.
