Coronavirus category, Page 185
NHL considers ‘8 or 9 different places’ to serve as sites to finish seasonVideo
The NHL continues to consider options to finish this season, with the selection of multiple “hub” cities appearing to offer the most likely path to accomplish that. Commissioner Gary Bettman said Monday the league is considering “probably eight or nine different places” that could accommodate “a dozen or so teams...
California gov.: Pro sports without fans possible in JuneVideo
LOS ANGELES — California Gov. Gavin Newsom thinks pro sports could be back playing in his state — without fans — in early June. The Democratic governor said during a news conference Monday that the state is making good progress against the coronavirus, posting a 7.5% decline in hospitalizations over...
4 employees at Giant Eagle distribution center in Freedom test positive for coronavirus
Four employees at a manufacturing and distribution facility in Freedom, Beaver County, have tested positive for coronavirus, Giant Eagle officials announced Monday. Company spokesman Richard Roberts said workers have had their temperatures taken when they arrive at the facility since the first case was confirmed on May 8. About 400...
Florida’s 2 biggest counties hesitantly start to reopenVideo
MIAMI — Florida’s two biggest counties joined the rest of the state on Monday in reopening nonessential businesses and restaurants after widespread coronavirus closures, but areas popular among visitors maintained restrictions as a precaution. Miami Beach and the city of Miami were delaying opening retail, hair salons and barbershops until...
Western Pa. task force intent on training dogs to sniff out covid-19Video
More than 100 dogs and handlers from throughout the region were put through their paces this month as they vied for the opportunity to join in the battle against the covid-19 pandemic. During sessions in Youngwood and Imperial, a panel of trainers evaluated the dogs’ ability to sniff out hidden...
California relaxes some county criteria for reopeningVideo
SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a dramatic relaxation Monday of health standards to reopen the state, a move that could allow nearly every county to proceed more quickly, and he offered the possibility of pro sports returning — without fans — by early June. The announcement marked a significant...
Texas continues swift reopening, including return of sportsVideo
AUSTIN — Republican Gov. Greg Abbott gave permission Monday to reopen practically every facet of daily life in Texas, including bars and child daycare centers, lifting most full lockdown orders as the state continues one of the nation’s swiftest reboots from coronavirus restrictions. Abbott’s sweeping new orders, which he described...
Ohio Gov. Mike Dewine: ‘Have fun, but keep that distance’ at bars
COLUMBUS — Ohio will begin cracking down on social distancing at bars after photos showed plenty of customers standing and drinking on crowded patios during the first weekend restaurants and taverns were allowed to reopen, Gov. Mike DeWine said Monday. Police officers and health investigators will be making safety checks...
Feds urge ‘extreme caution’ for reopening nursing homes
NEW YORK — Federal authorities are urging governors to use “extreme caution” in deciding when to resume visits at nursing homes, saying it shouldn’t come before all residents and staff have tested negative for the coronavirus for at least 28 days. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ criteria for...
Trump says he’s taking hydroxychloroquine in case he gets coronavirusVideo
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said he is taking a malaria drug to protect against the coronavirus, despite warnings from his own government that it should only be administered for covid-19 in a hospital or research setting due to potentially fatal side effects. Trump told reporters Monday he has been...
Greensburg diocese to begin in-person Mass on June 1
The seating and the passing of peace may look a little different but, beginning June 1, Catholic churches in the Diocese of Greensburg will celebrate Mass — in person. Diocesan officials announced Monday that parishes can once again begin public Mass. Parishioners will be required to wear masks and remain...
Over 180 people exposed to coronavirus at California church
SAN FRANCISCO — More than 180 people in a rural Northern California county were asked to self-quarantine when they were exposed to the coronavirus during a Mother’s Day church service attended by an infected person, health officials said. The infected person received their positive covid-19 diagnosis the day after they...
New CMU study shows inequity in internet access among children
A study led by a Carnegie Mellon University professor used national data to measure how many children have internet access at home and what factors contribute to the long-existing digital divide. The findings, said lead researcher Ananya Sen, are especially potent as most K-12 school districts have moved to online...
New Pennsylvania program extends unemployment benefits
The state’s new Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation program will allow some Pennsylvanians to continue receiving benefits after traditional unemployment expires. The program is funded through the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Unemployment benefits usually expire after 13 weeks. Unemployed Pennsylvanians whose benefits have run out, who...
Bipartisan request to loosen restrictions in Westmoreland County sent to Gov. Wolf
Westmoreland County’s top elected officials are pleased with having been moved into the yellow phase of coronavirus reopening. They would just prefer a more robust shade. In a letter sent to Gov. Tom Wolf, a bipartisan group of state lawmakers and county commissioners asked for an enhanced designation that would...
Westmoreland jail benefits financially through pandemic slowdown
Although the coronavirus has not impacted the Westmoreland County Prison like some other jails, the pandemic has improved the facility’s bottom line, officials said. The virus considerably lowered the inmate count at the Hempfield lockup, which in turn has led to savings of more than $18,000 in medical expenses this...
Dennis Davin and Russell Redding: Staying in, carrying out in Pa.
Dennis Davin is the secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. Russell Redding is the secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. Since the beginning of time, food has been something that brings people together. Pennsylvania is home to more than 26,500 restaurants — from the classics...
Kecksburg’s UFO Festival shelved, but firefighters hope ‘Old-Fashioned Day’ is a hit
Summer celebration cancellations have now gone intergalactic, with the annual Kecksburg UFO Festival becoming the latest to shut down because of the coronavirus pandemic. “There was a lot of discussion about it, but there is too much uncertainty right now regarding what is going to be allowed come the end...
Pa. revamps coronavirus reporting system as some counties see wide swings; in all, 822 new cases reported
State health officials reported dozens of new coronavirus deaths on Monday as they announced an overhaul in how deaths are reported to the Department of Health and then to the public. The 87 new deaths reported bring the state’s death toll to 4,505. Additionally, 822 new covid-19 cases were reported...
Western Pa. Goodwill stores reopening with safety protocols in place
Goodwill stores in southwestern Pennsylvania are reopening beginning Monday. With Gov. Tom Wolf’s decision to move the area from red to yellow phase in the coronavirus reopening plan, the company will start with limited hours from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. According to a news release, these safety precautions will...
Pittsburgh food bank announces 1 million pounds of food distributed during pandemic
It’s a bittersweet milestone. The Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank has distributed its 1 millionth pound of food through drive-up events since the organization’s covid-19 response began on March 16. The mark was met on Saturday during a distribution event held with the South Hills Interfaith Movement. And while the...
Allegheny County records 38 new coronavirus cases, no new deaths
Allegheny County on Monday reported no new covid-19 deaths and 38 new cases. The latest figures bring the total number of covid-19 cases in the county to 1,641 since the first case was reported here March 14. Total deaths remained at 143, and total hospitalizations rose by two from Sunday’s...
Dr. Rachel Levine: Medical workers must care for themselves, too
Dr. Rachel Levine is Pennsylvania Secretary of Health. The 2019 novel coronavirus pandemic is taking an emotional toll on everyone. But one group of Pennsylvanians is facing unique challenges during this pandemic: our front-line workers in health care. As a physician, I understand how emotionally exhausting it is to care...
70 cases of covid-19 at French schools days after reopeningVideo
PARIS — Just one week after a third of French schoolchildren went back to school in an easing of the coronavirus lockdown, there’s been a worrying flareup of about 70 covid-19 cases linked to schools. Some schools were opened last week and a further 150,000 junior high students went back...
Italy opens churches as virus rules dictate how to eat, prayVideo
VATICAN CITY — Italy and the Vatican opened a new phase in the virus crisis Monday, with churches resuming public Masses after a sharp confrontation between the Italian church and state over limits on worshipping in the era of covid-19. Guards in hazmat suits took the temperature of the faithful...
