PA senator criticized for treatment of women loses primary
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A Pennsylvania state senator who lost the support of Democratic officials after he was criticized for his treatment of women in his office and on his campaign has lost his suburban Philadelphia primary contest. The Associated Press projected Saturday that Amanda Cappelletti had prevailed in 17th district in Montgomery County. Leach, a longtime standard-bearer for liberal causes in the state Legislature, had rebuffed calls from Democrats to resign going back to 2017. Leach denied any predatory actions and said he never deliberately made anyone uncomfortable, though he acknowledged that he has used poor judgment in his choice of humor.

Line Painting Operations Next Week in District 11

Pittsburgh, PA – PennDOT District 11 is advising motorists that line painting operations on various roadways in Lawrence, Beaver and Allegheny counties will occur Monday through Friday, June 8-12, weather permitting.

Work to repaint lines will occur from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day in the following locations:

Lawrence County

• Various I-376 ramps between the Pennsylvania Turnpike exit (Exit 26) and the Route 208/New Wilmington exit (Exit 5)

Beaver County

• Route 65 in various municipalities
• I-376 in both directions between the Hopewell (Exit 48) and Center (Exit 42) interchanges
• Route 989 in various municipalities

Allegheny County

• I-279 Parkway North between the I-79 split in Franklin Park Borough to Camp Horne Road exit (Exit 8) in Ohio Township
• Various I-376 Parkway West ramps between the I-79 (Exit 59) interchange in Collier Township to the Campbells Run Road (Exit 62) in Robinson Township
• I-579 Veterans Bridge to I-579 Cap project in the City of Pittsburgh
• Route 837 in various municipalities
• Route 910 in various municipalities

PennDOT advises motorists to exercise caution and patience, and suggests allowing at least 250 feet (13 car lengths) behind line painting equipment to avoid damage.  Motorists should avoid passing the paint vehicles unless directed by a paint crew member or flag person to do so.  Passing too quickly can cause damage to fresh paint lines and may result in paint on the motorist’s vehicle.  Line painting vehicles normally pull over every two and one-half miles or when safety permits.  Recent technological advancements on the mix of formulas have produced fast dry paints that are dry to the touch within 2 to 3 minutes.  It is crucial to stay off these lines during the curing period.

Motorists who accidentally get paint on their vehicles should immediately wash the paint off with a high-pressure water stream and detergent.  Dried paint can be removed with de-natured alcohol and a soft cloth.  Generally, PennDOT is not responsible for paint on vehicles.

Roadway line painting is an important part of PennDOT’s highway safety initiatives. Paint lines provide direction, delineation, and guidance to motorists.

Glass beads applied on top of wet paint during the painting process provide retro reflectivity.  These small, spherical beads reflect light during dark hours and periods of low visibility.  As the glass beads become worn or wet, the reflectivity becomes greatly diminished resulting in reduced visibility during dark and wet hours.

Lines need repainting each year because of normal wear, tear, and weather. Winter maintenance activities such as plowing, spreading anti-skid materials, and studded tires are very abrasive to paint lines and can cause fading.  Normal weathering caused by snow, rain, and ice also contribute to line reflectivity reduction.

PennDOT establishes painting schedules to minimize delays to motorist.  On days before holidays and on Fridays, crews will focus on secondary routes to minimize inconvenience for motorists.

Motorists should use caution and be aware of changing traffic patterns when driving through the area.

Visit 511pa.com or call 511 from any phone to check traffic conditions on major roadways before traveling.

Pittsburgh, PA – PennDOT District 11 is advising motorists that line painting operations on various roadways in Lawrence, Beaver and Allegheny counties will occur Monday through Friday, June 8-12, weather permitting.

Work to repaint lines will occur from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day in the following locations:

Lawrence County

• Various I-376 ramps between the Pennsylvania Turnpike exit (Exit 26) and the Route 208/New Wilmington exit (Exit 5)

Beaver County

• Route 65 in various municipalities
• I-376 in both directions between the Hopewell (Exit 48) and Center (Exit 42) interchanges
• Route 989 in various municipalities

Allegheny County

• I-279 Parkway North between the I-79 split in Franklin Park Borough to Camp Horne Road exit (Exit 8) in Ohio Township
• Various I-376 Parkway West ramps between the I-79 (Exit 59) interchange in Collier Township to the Campbells Run Road (Exit 62) in Robinson Township
• I-579 Veterans Bridge to I-579 Cap project in the City of Pittsburgh
• Route 837 in various municipalities
• Route 910 in various municipalities

PennDOT advises motorists to exercise caution and patience, and suggests allowing at least 250 feet (13 car lengths) behind line painting equipment to avoid damage.  Motorists should avoid passing the paint vehicles unless directed by a paint crew member or flag person to do so.  Passing too quickly can cause damage to fresh paint lines and may result in paint on the motorist’s vehicle.  Line painting vehicles normally pull over every two and one-half miles or when safety permits.  Recent technological advancements on the mix of formulas have produced fast dry paints that are dry to the touch within 2 to 3 minutes.  It is crucial to stay off these lines during the curing period.

Motorists who accidentally get paint on their vehicles should immediately wash the paint off with a high-pressure water stream and detergent.  Dried paint can be removed with de-natured alcohol and a soft cloth.  Generally, PennDOT is not responsible for paint on vehicles.

Roadway line painting is an important part of PennDOT’s highway safety initiatives. Paint lines provide direction, delineation, and guidance to motorists.

Glass beads applied on top of wet paint during the painting process provide retro reflectivity.  These small, spherical beads reflect light during dark hours and periods of low visibility.  As the glass beads become worn or wet, the reflectivity becomes greatly diminished resulting in reduced visibility during dark and wet hours.

Lines need repainting each year because of normal wear, tear, and weather. Winter maintenance activities such as plowing, spreading anti-skid materials, and studded tires are very abrasive to paint lines and can cause fading.  Normal weathering caused by snow, rain, and ice also contribute to line reflectivity reduction.

PennDOT establishes painting schedules to minimize delays to motorist.  On days before holidays and on Fridays, crews will focus on secondary routes to minimize inconvenience for motorists.

Motorists should use caution and be aware of changing traffic patterns when driving through the area.

Visit 511pa.com or call 511 from any phone to check traffic conditions on major roadways before traveling.

Stocks surge on jobs report … Hiring up, unemployment down … Little progress in Brexit talks
NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks are rushing higher in early trading Friday after a stunningly good report on the U.S. job market gave Wall Street’s recent rally another shot of adrenaline. The S&P 500 was up 2.2% within the first 15 minutes of trading after the government said that U.S. employers added 2.5 million workers to their payrolls last month. Economists were expecting them instead to slash another 8 million jobs amid the ongoing fallout from the response to the coronavirus pandemic.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. unemployment rate fell unexpectedly in May to 13.3% — still on par with what the nation witnessed during the Great Depression — as states loosened their coronavirus lockdowns and businesses began recalling workers. The government says that the economy added 2.5 million jobs last month, driving unemployment down from 14.7% in April. The May job gain confounded economists’ expectations and suggests that thousands of stores, restaurants, gyms and other companies reopened and rehired more quickly than forecast.

OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Statistics Canada says the Canadian economy added 289,600 jobs in May, with businesses reopening amid easing public health restrictions.  The unemployment rate rose to a record high of 13.7%, topping the previous high of 13.1% set in December 1982 in more than four decades of comparable data. The increase in the unemployment rate came as more people started looking for work. Some economists had predicted a loss of 500,000 jobs in May and an unemployment rate of 15.0 %, according to financial markets data firm Refinitiv.
UNDATED (AP) — Companies around the world continue to announce substantial job cuts. Bombardier Aviation is reducing its workforce by about 2,500 employees due to challenges caused by COVID-19. Luxury British carmaker Bentley plans to cut up to 1,000 jobs and has warned of the possibility of more to come as it tries to limit the damage caused by the virus outbreak.
BRUSSELS (AP) — The fourth round of talks for a future trade deal between the European Union and the U.K. ended Friday with little progress. Following four days of video discussions between officials from the two teams of negotiators, the two sides remain at loggerheads on many topics, including regulations for businesses. Their positions on fisheries remain distant, with the U.K. opposed to EU demands for long-term access to British waters. The U.K. is in a so-called transition until the end of this year and if it wants to extend it, it must do so by the end of this month.

(Beaver Falls, Pa,) Tune into 1230 WBVP, 1460 WMBA, 99.3 FM, and beavercountyradio.com at 2:00 p.m. today for a virtual press conference with  Governor Tom Wolf and Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine. They will provide an update on the coronavirus known as COVID-19 and efforts to mitigate the virus in Pennsylvania. Governor Tom Wolf  is also expected to announce more counties moving from the yellow phase to green phase starting next Friday June 12, 2020.

We will have full coverage of the Governor’s Press Conference at 2:00 p.m. Courtesy of Common Wealth Media Services.

US unemployment drops unexpectedly to a still-high 13.3%
By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP Economics Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. unemployment rate fell unexpectedly in May to 13.3% — still on par with what the nation witnessed during the Great Depression — as states loosened their coronavirus lockdowns and businesses began recalling workers. The government said Friday that the economy added 2.5 million jobs last month, driving unemployment down from 14.7% in April.

AG Shapiro: Price Gouging Complaints Top 5,000 Tips

HARRISBURG― Attorney General Josh Shapiro today announced that the Office has received more than 5,000 complaints from Pennsylvanians reporting price hikes due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Attorney General’s office has followed up on every verifiable tip — issuing 466 cease and desist letters, issuing subpoenas to 200 targets for further investigation, and finding 27 businesses where the Attorney General’s Office believed actual price gouging occurred.

“We won’t tolerate illegal price gouging during this emergency, and we’re taking action every day to stop it. Nearly a third of Pennsylvanians are out of work and figuring out how to put food on the table. Gouging the prices of basic necessities to help keep us safe from the pandemic—face masks, hand sanitizer and rubbing alcohol—is outrageous and illegal,” said Attorney General Shapiro. “If you see suspicious price increases on goods, I encourage you to email pricegouging@attorneygeneral.gov and fill out a complaint form so we can put a stop to price gouging.”

Governor Wolf’s declaration triggered protections under state law against price gouging for consumers and businesses. Under rules governing a disaster emergency, companies and vendors are prohibited from charging a price for consumer goods or services that exceeds 20 percent of the average price at which those goods or services were sold for in the 7 days preceding March 6, 2020.

Any instance of price gouging should be reported to pricegouging@attorneygeneral.gov

9 firefighters hospitalized in Florida after ship explosion
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Authorities say nine firefighters responding to a fire aboard a ship in Florida have been hospitalized after the ship exploded. The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department official said the explosion Thursday injured eight and sent one to the hospital for heat exhaustion. The ship was a Norwegian vessel carrying old and used cars. The fire department said four were taken to a hospital for burns. Authorities say one firefighter was taken into surgery for injuries and another was in intensive care. Nearly 150 firefighters were continuing to battle the blaze. The shipping company thanked the fire department in a statement sent Friday.