Traffic at Walmart, Costco and Target falls for the first time in weeks as coronavirus stockpiling behavior shifts – MarketWatch

Traffic at Walmart Inc., Costco Wholesale Corp. and Target Corp. dropped for the first time in the weeks since the coronavirus pandemic ramped up in the U.S., according to Placer.ai.

Walmart WMT, -1.36% traffic was down 6.7% year-over-year for the third week of March. The previous week, traffic was up 18.4%.

At Costco COST, -2.05% , traffic fell 8.7% year-over-year for the third week of March. The second week of March, traffic jumped 34.7%.

And at Target TGT, -3.16% , traffic slumped 20.5% in the third week of March after climbing 19.2% year-over-year the previous week.

Source: Traffic at Walmart, Costco and Target falls for the first time in weeks as coronavirus stockpiling behavior shifts – MarketWatch

Should you wear mask in public if not sick with coronavirus? | PBS NewsHour

Worldwide, the top priority for masks goes to health workers, who are in close contact with patients. Masks are also recommended for the sick.

For months as the COVID-19 crisis grew and masks disappeared from store shelves, U.S. health officials have agreed. The virus is believed to spread mostly through droplets from coughs or sneezes, and thus the main advice has been to keep your distance — staying 6 feet away — in addition to frequent hand-washing and not touching your face. Health workers who may be doing procedures that generate tinier particles are supposed to get high priority for tight-fitting filtering masks.

“Seriously people – STOP BUYING MASKS!” Surgeon General Jerome Adams wrote in a February 29 tweet. “They are not effective in preventing general public from catching #Coronavirus but if healthcare providers can’t get them to care for sick patients, it puts them and our communities at risk.”

But mask-wearing has long been common in some countries during respiratory outbreaks, especially in parts of Asia.

Source: Should you wear mask in public if not sick with coronavirus? | PBS NewsHour

Stock Markets in Asia Dip on Dire U.S. Warning: Live Updates – The New York Times

Markets fell in early Wednesday trading in Asia as investors digested a steady drip of worrying news about the economic ramifications of the global coronavirus outbreak.

Major indexes in Japan, Hong Kong and South Korea were modestly lower midday, as financial markets settled into a slow grind of bad news. While the panic of recent weeks appeared to have subsided, numerous signs pointed to glum prospects for a quick recovery.

After Wall Street’s Tuesday close, President Trump said at a news conference that the United States would face “a very painful, very very painful two weeks.” U.S. government scientists projected that the outbreak could kill up to 240,000 Americans.

Futures markets predicted Europe and the United States would open lower later on Wednesday. Prices for long-term U.S. Treasury bonds, a traditional investment safe haven, rose, as did gold futures. Oil prices were mixed.

Source: Stock Markets in Asia Dip on Dire U.S. Warning: Live Updates – The New York Times

11 Veterans Die At Soldiers’ Home in Massachusetts Amid COVID-19 Outbreak : Coronavirus Live Updates : NPR

Eleven veterans have died at a soldiers’ home in Holyoke, Mass., where a COVID-19 outbreak is now threatening even more residents and staff. At least five of the people who died have tested positive for COVID-19; other tests are still pending in the case, which Gov. Charlie Baker calls “a shuddering loss for us all.”

An additional 11 veterans and five staff members have also tested positive, raising the facility’s overall total to more than 20 confirmed cases. More tests are under way to determine the scope of exposure to the coronavirus.

The Soldiers’ Home in Holyoke’s superintendent, Bennett Walsh, was placed on administrative leave Monday, according to member station WBUR.

The station also reports that Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse says the veterans’ facility did not initially tell city and state officials that residents had died last week. On Tuesday, Morse said it wasn’t until over the weekend, when he began to get anonymous tips, that the gravity of the situation became clear.

Source: 11 Veterans Die At Soldiers’ Home in Massachusetts Amid COVID-19 Outbreak : Coronavirus Live Updates : NPR

Louisiana pastor who defied coronavirus order arrested on misdemeanor charges | Fox News

The pastor of Lousiana megachurch was arrested on misdemeanor charges for holding Sunday services for hundreds of followers in the face of a state-wide coronavirus large gathering ban.

The criminal action against Pastor Tony Spell comes a day after Rev. Rodney Howard-Browne, the pastor of another megachurch, River at Tampa Bay Church in Florida, was arrested and charged with violating a local coronavirus stay-at-home order when he held services over the weekend that drew large crowds.

Spell’s service Sunday drew an estimated 500 people of all ages to Life Tabernacle Church in Central.

On Tuesday Central police charged Spell with six counts of violating the Louisiana governor’s ban on large gatherings that was enacted to contain the sometimes-deadly coronavirus.

Source: Louisiana pastor who defied coronavirus order arrested on misdemeanor charges | Fox News

An officer was shot to death outside a police station in Mississippi, just months before he was set to retire – CNN

Robert McKeithen was an “unbelievably fine” police officer who planned to retire at the end of this year, the chief of police in Biloxi, Mississippi said.

Source: An officer was shot to death outside a police station in Mississippi, just months before he was set to retire – CNN

Royal baby: Meghan gives birth to boy, Harry announces – BBC News

The Duchess of Sussex has given birth to a boy, the Duke of Sussex has announced.

Prince Harry said they were both “absolutely thrilled” and thanked the public for their support during the pregnancy.

The duke added they were still thinking about names.

Source: Royal baby: Meghan gives birth to boy, Harry announces – BBC News

‘Avengers: Endgame’ Races Toward ‘Avatar’s’ All-Time Box Office Record – Variety

Can “Avengers: Endgame” beat “Avatar’s” box office record?

With a late April release date, “Avengers: Endgame” won’t enjoy that same kind of staying power. It’s worth noting that “Avengers: Endgame” and “Avengers: Infinity War” are the only two films to cross $2 billion that weren’t released in December. Marvel’s latest juggernaut will certainly have a long life in theaters, but over the next few months, it will also have to compete with a number of blockbuster-hopefuls including “Detective Pikachu,” “Godzilla: King of Monsters,” “Aladdin,” “The Lion King,” and “Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw.”

Source: ‘Avengers: Endgame’ Races Toward ‘Avatar’s’ All-Time Box Office Record – Variety

2019 Dick’s Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon results

Gold medal winners announced

The gold medal winner of the Dick’s Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon men’s division was Boniface Kongin of Kenya, with a time of 2:10:34.

“I feel so happy and to make it more happier I did it in Pittsburgh,” Kongin said. “I felt the crowd kept me moving on such a difficult course. I am just super happy and this gave me the moral boost I needed.”

The gold medal winner of the Dick’s Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon women’s division was Bizuwork Getahun Kasaye of Ethiopia, with a time of 2:36:29.

Source: 2019 Dick’s Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon results

Portion of Babcock Boulevard in McCandless shut down for multi-vehicle crash, vehicle rammed into utility pole

Injuries have been reported

A portion of Babcock Boulevard in McCandless was shut down due to a multi-vehicle crash and a vehicle that rammed into a utility police.

The crash happened near North Park Lounge in McCandless. Babcock Boulevard was closed at Duncan Avenue.

Source: Portion of Babcock Boulevard in McCandless shut down for multi-vehicle crash, vehicle rammed into utility pole

Florida man tortured 2-year-old with torch, airsoft gun while wearing werewolf mask, sheriff says | WPXI

Andrew Ross-Celaius, who is accused of beating and burning the girl, was acquitted in the 2006 killing of a 2-year-old boy.

 

PENSACOLA, Fla. – A Florida man previously acquitted in the killing of a child was arrested last month and charged with torturing his girlfriend’s 2-year-old daughter, sometimes while wearing a werewolf mask, authorities said.

Andrew Bennett Ross-Celaius, 37, of Pensacola, was arrested April 9 and charged with six counts of aggravated child abuse, four counts of child abuse, a variety of drug charges, possession of a weapon, tampering with evidence and a probation violation, according to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. Another man, Eric Everett Furnans, 36, of Pensacola, was arrested Tuesday and charged with destroying evidence in the case after Ross-Celaius was taken into custody. He has since been booked on drug charges

Source: Florida man tortured 2-year-old with torch, airsoft gun while wearing werewolf mask, sheriff says | WPXI

SpaceX launches space station resupply mission, lands rocket on drone ship – Spaceflight Now

Less than nine minutes later, the rocket’s first stage booster fell from the sky and executed a pinpoint propulsive landing just offshore, setting the stage for another resupply mission for NASA using the same rocket this summer using the same vehicle.

The 213-foot-tall (65-meter) rocket lifted off with a flash from its nine Merlin 1D main engines at 2:48:58 a.m. EDT (0648:58 GMT), roughly the moment Cape Canaveral rotated under space station’s orbital plane.

The Falcon 9 tilted toward the northeast to align with the space station’s flight path, riding 1.7 million pounds of thrust as roared into a starry sky. Less than two-and-a-half minutes later, the rocket’s first stage booster shut down and separated to begin a descent back to Earth, targeting SpaceX’s drone ship “Of Course I Still Love You” parked around 14 miles (22 kilometers) east of Cape Canaveral in the Atlantic Ocean.

The first stage lit three of its engines to begin a boost-back burn to reverse course and head back toward Florida’s Space Coast, while the Falcon 9’s upper stage continued with the primary objective of Saturday’s mission — the delivery into orbit of a Dragon cargo craft packed with 5,472 pounds (2,482 kilograms) of supplies, provisions and experiments for the station and its six-person crew.

The interaction exhaust plumes from the Falcon 9’s first and second stage Merlin engines produced a spectacular lighting effect, giving the appearance of a cosmic nebula high above the Florida spaceport.

Source: SpaceX launches space station resupply mission, lands rocket on drone ship – Spaceflight Now

Kentucky Derby 2019 winner: Country House wins after Maximum Security is disqualified – Los Angeles Times

Country House won the 145th Kentucky Derby on Saturday after Maximum Security, which crossed the finish line first, was disqualified for a contact foul while making its way onto the final stretch.

Source: Kentucky Derby 2019 winner: Country House wins after Maximum Security is disqualified – Los Angeles Times

Rachel Held Evans, the hugely popular evangelical writer, is dead at 37.

Evans was a forceful and winsome public voice for progressive evangelicalism.

Rachel Held Evans, an influential progressive Christian writer and speaker who cheerfully challenged American evangelical culture, died on Saturday at a hospital in Nashville, Tennessee. Evans, 37, entered the hospital in mid-April with the flu, and then had a severe allergic reaction to antibiotics, as she wrote on Twitter several weeks ago. According to her husband, Dan Evans, she then developed sustained seizures. Doctors put her in a medically induced coma, but some seizures returned when her medical team attempted to wean her from the medications that were maintaining her coma. Her condition worsened on Thursday morning, and her medical team discovered severe swelling of her brain. She died early on Saturday morning.

Source: Rachel Held Evans, the hugely popular evangelical writer, is dead at 37.

Illinois marijuana legalization bill would allow possession up to 30 grams, 5 plants grown at home – Chicago Tribune

Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s proposal to legalize marijuana in Illinois would allow adults 21 and over to possess up to 30 grams, grow five plants at home and open a path to expungement of convictions, including some felonies.

Source: Illinois marijuana legalization bill would allow possession up to 30 grams, 5 plants grown at home – Chicago Tribune

Here’s where the jobs are — in one chart

CNBC studied the net changes by industry for April jobs based on the data from the Labor Department.

The business and professional services sector alone added 76,000 jobs, with strong hiring in computer systems design, temporary help services, and building and dwelling services like pest extermination, landscaping and housekeeping. The sector also includes lawyers, accountants and consultants.

Source: Here’s where the jobs are — in one chart

Tyson recall chicken: Nearly 12 million pounds of chicken strips recalled over possible metal contamination – CBS News

Tyson Foods Inc. is recalling about 11.8 million pounds of frozen, ready-to-eat chicken strips over fears that the products may be contaminated with metal, food safety officials said Saturday. The company is expanding upon a prior recall of more than 69,000 pounds of chicken strips in March, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service said in a statement.

The recalled products were produced in one location between October 1, 2018 and March 8, 2019. They have the number “P-7221” on the back of the product package and a “use by” date of October 1, 2019 to March 7, 2020.

Source: Tyson recall chicken: Nearly 12 million pounds of chicken strips recalled over possible metal contamination – CBS News

Wisconsin restaurant bans kids from dining without their parents | Daily Mail Online

Tom’s Drive In in Appleton, Wisconsin, made the decision after groups of youngsters repeatedly treated staff poorly and disrespected the restaurant by vandalizing booths and leaving mess.

Tom’s Drive In in Appleton, Wisconsin, made the decision after groups of youngsters repeatedly treated staff poorly and disrespected the restaurant by vandalizing booths and leaving large messes.

While many say the reaction was justified, others have complained that they are punishing the masses for the bad actions of a few.

The restaurant has a sign on its front door which reads: ‘Due to mistreatment of Tom’s Drive In’s property, guests and staff, you are no longer allowed inside of the building without parental supervision.

Source: Wisconsin restaurant bans kids from dining without their parents | Daily Mail Online

Taliban rejects calls for Ramadan truce in Afghanistan – BBC News

A traditional council, or loya jirga, made the proposal as it meets to discuss peace in Kabul.

The grand assembly is meeting in Kabul this week to discuss peace and called for an immediate ceasefire between the government and militants.

President Ashraf Ghani agreed to a truce provided it was not “one-sided”.

But the Taliban rejected the call and accused members of being government allies.

In 2018 the Taliban agreed a three-day ceasefire coinciding with Eid at the end of the holy month of Ramadan – their first since the 2001 US-led invasion.

Speaking at the meeting of the loya jirga – a grand tribal council attended by 3,200 religious leaders, politicians and representatives from across the country – Mr Ghani said: “Let us prove that only Western countries cannot solve this conflict. There is also human civilisation here.”

Source: Taliban rejects calls for Ramadan truce in Afghanistan – BBC News

John Wilkes Booth ‘got away with killing Abraham Lincoln by evading capture, living under aliases’ | Daily Mail Online

An investigator with the Discovery Channel series Mummies Unwrapped says that modern-day face recognition technology shows that John Wilkes Booth’s face matched with that of two other men.

Source: John Wilkes Booth ‘got away with killing Abraham Lincoln by evading capture, living under aliases’ | Daily Mail Online

The man killed in the Virginia barn was passed off as Booth so that the soldiers who tracked him down could claim the sizable cash reward, it is now claimed

CVS closing 46 stores: See the list of CVS Pharmacy locations closing

CVS Health is closing 46 of its stores, saying the locations were “underperforming” as the drugstore chain continues to shift more of its retail presence toward health care services.

The move cost CVS about $135 million as a “store rationalization charge” in its first-quarter earnings report.

The cuts represent fewer than 1% of the about 9,600 CVS Pharmacy stores nationwide.

The closures, which happened over the last two months, include a 64,000-square-foot location in Springfield, Missouri, once described as the largest CVS in the world.

They also included four stores in Chicago, two in San Francisco and two in Minneapolis. (Scroll down to see the list.)

More: Payless, CVS and Victoria’s Secret are just some of the brands closing stores in 2019

Source: CVS closing 46 stores: See the list of CVS Pharmacy locations closing

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