Western PA News

ELLWOOD CITY — Business has declined at Alborn Tires, as it has for many businesses during the coronavirus crisis. So owner Justin Neupauer decided to put the slow time to good use this week.

On Tuesday, Neupauer, three of his employees and a group of about 20 volunteers worked to disinfect and clean up Lawrence Avenue and surrounding areas where there are businesses.

“I just wanted to do something positive for our town because it just such an amazing place,” he said.

The volunteers, keeping all the social distancing rules, spread out over Lawrence Avenue, picking up trash, spraying weeds, disinfecting parking meters, crosswalk buttons, benches and anything the public would touch. Using gloves and protective gear the volunteers disinfected the community plaza tables and the Seventh Street Park.

Source: Group disinfects Lawrence Avenue in Ellwood City – News – Ellwood City Ledger – Ellwood City, PA

DUQUESNE, Pa. —

The warehouse at the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank is normally filled with volunteers from the community, but on Thursday it was filled with members of the Pennsylvania National Guard.

“When we got the call…we literally showed up the very next morning,” said Raymond Pritchard, National Guard. “They called us yesterday and we’re here today to be supportive and help out wherever they need help at.”

17 members of the 128 Brigade Support Battalion to Task Force West are packing emergency food boxes at the facility.

“With the nature of this crisis we’ve really had to cut back on the amount of volunteers that we can welcome into our building so we’ve been really strapped in order to pack emergency food boxes,” said Charla Irwin-Buncher, Chief Development Officer of the Great Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. “(They’ll be) doing some of our direct distribution here at the building and also doing some mass distributions as well, so we plan to have the guard plug into all three of those areas.”

On Thursday, guard members were packing 3,000 boxes with food supplies.

“I work at a high school so my job runs with the high school and the high school’s closed and I’m out of a job,” said Kristina Lewis, National Guard. “To be able to come out here and to help with my free time, come out here and help the community with food. I know a lot of people are without food right now because they’re also out of work so it means so much to me to be able to help out my community since I’m from Pittsburgh.”

Source: Pennsylvania National Guard helping local food bank

Source: Pittsburgh scientists develop possible coronavirus vaccine, hope FDA can fast-track it | TribLIVE.com

The Democratic National Convention has been pushed back to the week of August 17 in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, the committee tasked with planning the event announced on Thursday.

Source: Democratic National Convention pushed back to August – CNNPolitics

More than a million cases of coronavirus have been registered globally, according to the latest figures from Johns Hopkins University – another grim milestone as the world grapples with the spreading pandemic.

More than 51,000 people have died and more than 208,000 have recovered, according to the university’s figures.

The US accounts for the most cases; Italy the highest death toll.

The disease, Covid-19, first emerged in central China three months ago.

Though the tally kept by Johns Hopkins records one million confirmed cases, the actual number is thought to be much higher.

It took a month and a half for the first 100,000 cases to be registered. A million was reached after a doubling in cases over the past week.

Nearly a quarter of cases have been registered in the United States, while Europe accounts for around half.

Source: Coronavirus: Confirmed global cases pass one million – BBC News

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., is pushing for a new stimulus bill that would roll back the state and local tax deduction (SALT) cap, a proposal that would predominantly help wealthy individuals — including most residents in Pelosi’s district and perhaps even Pelosi herself.

A 2019 report from the Joint Committee on Taxation projected that of those who would face lower tax liability from the elimination of the SALT cap – which only affects those who itemize tax deductions – 94 percent earn at least $100,000. The government would lose out on $77.4 billion in tax dollars, with more than half of that amount being saved by taxpayers earning $1 million or more. Those earning more than $200,000 would reap most of the balance.

California’s 12th congressional district, which Pelosi represents, is among the wealthiest in the U.S., with a median income of $113,919, according to census data. The average household income is $168,456 — meaning most residents would benefit from any significant cut to SALT.

Pelosi and her husband have a property tax liability of approximately $198,337.62 considering their two homes, a winery and two commercial properties, public records show, indicating that the couple could reap substantial benefits in the event of a full SALT repeal.

Pelosi’s 2020 property taxes in Washington, D.C. totaled $13,997.20 on her Georgetown condo and garage, valued at $1,646,730. Her San Francisco property taxes totaled $51,480.02 — plus $47,631.98 from her Napa winery, $64,874.66 from a San Francisco commercial property, and $20,353.76 for another building. Property taxes for businesses and other commercial ventures generally have not been affected by SALT provisions.

Source: Pelosi pushes ‘SALT shakeup’ stimulus that could reduce her tax bill and enrich her wealthy district | Fox News

President Trump — flanked by Attorney General Bill Barr, Secretary of Defense Mark Esper and top military officials at the White House coronavirus briefing — announced on Wednesday a massive new “counternarcotics operation” in the Eastern Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea to “combat the flow of illicit drugs into the United States.”

“We must not let the drug cartels exploit the pandemic to threaten American lives,” Trump said. “In cooperation with the 22 partner nations, U.S. Southern Command will increase surveillance, disruption and seizures of drug shipments and provide additional support for eradication efforts, which are going on right now at a record pace.”

MEXICAN DRUG CARTELS STRUGGLE DURING HEALTH CRISIS

Included in the force package are Navy destroyers, other combat ships, Air Force surveillance planes and helicopters, and ten Coast Guard cutter ships, Trump said, noting that the new forces would double U.S. interdiction capacity in the region — and help slow the spread of the coronavirus by reducing illicit travel.

Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the United States had obtained intelligence that cartels were seeking to “take advantage” of the coronavirus to smuggle drugs. Asked about the intelligence later in the briefing, Trump called it strong but wouldn’t elaborate.

“We came upon some intelligence some time ago that the drug cartels as a result of COVID-19 were gonna try to take advantage of the situation and try to infiltrate additional drugs into our country,” Milley remarked. “As we know, 70,000 Americans die on an average annual basis to drugs. That’s unacceptable. We’re at war with COVID-19, we’re at war with terrorists, and we are at war with the drug cartels, as well.”

Source: Trump announces enhanced narcotic operations amid coronavirus, deploys destroyers and Air Force assets | Fox News

(CNN)Dr. Anthony Fauci, the country’s top medical expert on the coronavirus pandemic and a member of President Donald Trump’s coronavirus task force, is facing threats to his personal safety and now requires personal security from law enforcement at all times, including at his home, a source confirms to CNN.

A law enforcement official told CNN that the Department of Health and Human Services Inspector General, the agency’s law enforcement arm, asked the US Marshals Service for assistance following threats to Fauci. The Marshals then deputized HHS officers to act as personal security for the doctor.

The Washington Post first reported the threats to Fauci and the increased security.

Source: Nation’s top coronavirus expert Dr. Anthony Fauci forced to beef up security as death threats increase – CNNPolitics

The number of infections nationwide tops 216,000 as confirmed cases around the globe near one million.

The death toll from the coronavirus pandemic in the US has gone above 5,000, while confirmed cases worldwide are close to reaching one million.

There were 884 deaths in the US in 24 hours, a new record, according to Johns Hopkins University, which has tracked virus figures globally.

The latest victims include a six-week-old baby. More than 216,000 are now infected, the world’s highest figure.

Reserves of protective equipment and medical supplies are almost exhausted.

This has left the federal government and individual US states competing for safety gear, while the unprecedented demand has led to profiteering, officials in the Department for Homeland Security were quoted by the Washington Post as saying.

• Follow our latest updates

Source: Coronavirus: US death toll exceeds 5,000 – BBC News

A man was found shot in Pittsburgh’s Oakland neighborhood early Wednesday morning.

Police were called to the 300 block of Meyran Avenue around 12:35 a.m. for reports of a shooting. When officers arrived, they found a man with a gunshot wound to the head.

The victim was taken to UPMC Presbyterian and was pronounced dead shortly after 1 a.m. The medical examiner identified him as Esam Tanzim Hossain, 23, of San Jose.

One vehicle was struck by gunfire during the incident, police said.

At last check, no description of a suspect was available.

Pittsburgh police detectives are investigating.

Source: Pittsburgh police searching for suspect after deadly shooting in Oakland

Country music icon Dolly Parton will read bedtime stories to children over the Internet as families across America hunker down at home during the coronavirus crisis.

Source: Dolly Parton to read bedtime stories over the Internet | Fox News

SiriusXM radio announced it will be free for all listeners in North America now through May 15, 2020.

To take advantage of this limited offer, new listeners can download the SiriusXM app or go to SiriusXM.com/streamfree to start enjoying all the ad-free channels, including music, sports talk, politics, live news radio, comedy, and religious content. Listen to popular Channels like Today Show Radio, Howard Stern, Trevor Noah on Comedy Central, and a new #StayHome Radio channel starting April 1 featuring feel-good music to stream while you’re spending more time indoors. Plus, tune into The Top 1000 Channel featuring a new genre countdown twice a month.

Source: Listen to SiriusXM Radio for Free Now Through May 15, 2020 – Cord Cutters News

Gov. Tom Wolf on Wednesday placed all of Pennsylvania under an order to stay at home, dramatically expanding the geographic footprint of the quarantine as state officials combat the coronavirus pandemic.

Source: All of Pennsylvania now under orders to stay home

Landlords are bracing for some tough times ahead.

Hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians have lost wages and jobs due to the COVID-19 state of emergency. Government officials at the state and federal level have taken quick action to prohibit landlords from evicting tenants for nonpayment of rent while the pandemic is in effect.

Source: Landlords brace for late and missed rent payments due to massive job losses | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

There are now 592 cases of coronavirus in 13 southwestern Pennsylvania counties.

Source: Coronavirus in Western Pa.: 592 cases in 13 counties, according to PA Dept. of Health

By John Luciew | jluciew@pennlive.com

More and more, coronavirus is finding still-busy convenience stores a convenient target — first Wawa and now Sheetz.

After reporting that as many as a dozen Wawa stores in Pa. and New Jersey had been closed for deep cleaning after employees tested positive for coronavirus, Sheetz had to shut down one of its store for similar reasons.

• BREAKING: Shots fired at Pa. Sheetz after man coughs, doesn’t cover mouth amid coronavirus epidemic: report
• READ MORE: 12 Wawa stores closed for cleaning after workers test positive for coronavirus

As WNEP and WOLF news stations report, it happened at the Sheetz location in Trucksville/Shavertown, Luzerne County, on Monday.

That Sheetz store was closed while undergoing a professional “deep cleaning and disinfecting” — including the gas pumps, WNEP reported.

Source: Pa. Sheetz closes as busy convenience stores see more employees hit with coronavirus – lehighvalleylive.com

HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) — Closed and not coming back. That’s the fear many bars and restaurants across the state have, whose very survival is in jeopardy because of COVID-19.

In a matter of weeks, anguished restaurant owners have had to lay off their employees, who have had to cope with the financial rug pulled out from under them.

Across the state, the folks who give us food and drink now hunger and thirst for a return to normal.

Fine dining to go?

Survival is very much on the menu at Harrisburg’s Mangia Qui. That means free delivery and curbside pick up.

“We call you when we are outside your home and we will leave it on the doorstep. Curbside pickup, same thing. You call when outside, we glove up and bring it out to your car,” owner Staci Basore said.

Bars, restaurants, and taverns have been served an awful dish called COVID-19 that is not only killing people, but also business.

“I’m hearing maybe a month they can survive like that. But with no revenue, after that it’s gonna be a true struggle and possible disaster for them,” says Chuck Moran, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Licensed Beverage and Tavern Association.

Moran is sending a letter of encouragement to his 500 members saying federal and state help will soon be on the way.

“That’s our message. ‘Hang in there, keep doing what you can and we’ll get through it together,’” Moran said.

Source: Pennsylvania restaurants and bars concerned of permanent closure | ABC27

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

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

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

Gutfeld on the media and the virus

When I first saw this tweet, I thought it must be an exaggeration of what the Congresswoman said. It’s not. https://t.co/ow8eSyV2Sr

— Brit Hume (@brithume) January 10, 2020

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