(Hopewell, Pa.) Hopewell Area School District students will be learning virtual beginning today, according to a district spokesperson. The classes are to continue until December 4, but that could change, she said. The school board meets in regular session tonight on ZOOM. Interested persons may register on the district’s website.
Story by Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano
(Ambridge, Pa.) A long standing tradition is for the fifth graders from State Street Elementary School in the Ambridge School District to enter the popular DOWNTOWN PITTSBURGH GINGERBREAD competition. This year, according to a press release, the houses went virtual. The kids in 5-Brock, and 5-Buresh decorated the house and submitted their pictures for the competition. The public votes this year. Residents are asked to cast their ballots at the Baden Library where they will b eon display for the holiday season. Stop by and see the talent of the fifth graders, the release stated.
AAA: Gas Prices Drop in Pennsylvania Ahead of Thanksgiving
The average price of gasoline across Western Pennsylvania is four cents lower this week at $2.466 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report.
This week’s average prices: Western Pennsylvania Average $2.466
Average price during the week of November 16, 2020 $2.504
Average price during the week of November 25, 2019 $2.873
The average price of unleaded self-serve gasoline in various areas:
$2.579 Altoona
$2.523 Beaver
$2.579 Bradford
$2.503 Brookville
$2.351 Butler
$2.484 Clarion
$2.344 DuBois
$2.546 Erie
$2.333 Greensburg
$2.582 Indiana
$2.312 Jeannette
$2.574 Kittanning
$2.383 Latrobe
$2.580 Meadville
$2.561 Mercer
$2.156 New Castle
$2.547 New Kensington
$2.593 Oil City
$2.452 Pittsburgh
$2.446 Sharon
$2.506 Uniontown
$2.592 Warren
$2.195 Washington
Trend Analysis:
At $2.10, this Thanksgiving’s national gas price average is shaping up to be the lowest since 2015. The holiday weekend average that year was a nickel cheaper at $2.05. While in any other year, this would have been incentive for people to travel during the holiday, AAA forecasts a decrease in Thanksgiving travel this year due to the ongoing effects of the pandemic.
Today, nearly half of all states have gas price averages that are 50 to 75 cents cheaper than a year ago. West coast states are seeing the biggest year-over-year savings, while the majority of southern states’ averages are $1.99/gallon or less.
In its latest report, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) measured demand, for the week ending November 13, at 8.2 million b/d. That is not only a weekly decrease, but the lowest demand reading since mid-June. As demand dipped, U.S. gasoline stocks increased to nearly 228 million barrels. Americans can expect gas prices to continue to push less expensive heading into December.
At the close of Thursday’s formal trading session, West Texas Intermediate increased by 41 cents to settle at $42.15. Domestic crude prices increased last week amid growing market optimism that a vaccine for the coronavirus will be available by the end of 2020. However, crude prices may decline this week due to falling demand. Additionally, the EIA’s weekly report revealed that total domestic crude inventories grew by 800,000 barrels to 489.5 million barrels last week, signaling that production may be outpacing demand.
Motorists can find current gas prices nationwide, statewide, and countywide at GasPrices.AAA.com.
AAA East Central is a not-for-profit association with 76 local offices in Kentucky, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia serving 2.7 million members. News releases are available at news.eastcentral.aaa.com. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
Police dog dies in fall down shaft during burglary search
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. (AP) — Authorities say a police K-9 officer in Pennsylvania died in a fall down an elevator shaft while assisting police in a search for burglary suspects. Just after 4 a.m. Sunday, officers in Johnstown were dispatched to a burglary at the old Goodwill warehouse and quickly apprehended two of five suspects. K-9 Titan was helping to search the five-story building but fell through an unsecured open elevator shaft on the fourth floor. All five suspects were eventually taken into custody. Police said K-9 Titan had “served honorably” with the Johnstown Police Department since 2014 and died “in the line of duty.”
CLEVELAND (AP) — A customer left a $3,000 tip for a single beer as a Cleveland restaurant voluntarily closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nighttown owner Brendan Ring says the man walked in on Sunday, ordered the beer and asked for the check, which came to $7.02. Ring says the man wished him well and told him to share the tip with the four employees who were working brunch service. Ring says as the man walked out, he looked down at the tip and “realized he left a whopping $3,000.” Ring wrote on Facebook that he ran after the man, who said it was not a mistake. The man told Ring he would see them when they reopened.
Biden builds out national security picks with Blinken, Kerry
By MATTHEW LEE Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Joe Biden is building out his administration with several key picks for national security and foreign policy roles. John Kerry, a former secretary of state, will lead the incoming administration’s effort to combat climate change. Alejandro Mayorkas will be nominated as the secretary for the Department of Homeland Security. Biden also plans to nominate Antony Blinken as his secretary of state, according to multiple people familiar with the Biden team’s planning.
3rd major COVID-19 vaccine shown to be effective and cheaper
By DANICA KIRKA and JILL LAWLESS Associated Press
LONDON (AP) — Drugmaker AstraZeneca says that late-stage trials show its COVID-19 vaccine is highly effective, buoying the prospects of a relatively cheap, easy-to-store product that may become the vaccine of choice for the developing world. The results announced Monday are based on interim analysis of trials in the U.K. and Brazil of a vaccine developed by Oxford University and manufactured by AstraZeneca. No hospitalizations or severe cases of COVID-19 were reported in those receiving the vaccine. AstraZeneca is the third major drug company to report late-stage data for a potential COVID-19 vaccine. But unlike the others, the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine doesn’t have to be stored at ultra-cold temperatures, making it easier to distribute, especially in developing countries.
GM to recall 7M vehicles globally to replace Takata air bags
By TOM KRISHER AP Auto Writer
DETROIT (AP) — General Motors will recall about 7 million big pickup trucks and SUVs worldwide to replace potentially dangerous Takata air bag inflators. The move came Monday after the U.S. government told the automaker it had to recall 6 million of the vehicles in the U.S. The recall will cost the automaker an estimated $1.2 billion. GM says it will not fight the recall. The company had petitioned the agency four times starting in 2016 to avoid a recall, contending the inflators are safe. Takata used ammonium nitrate to create a small explosion to fill air bags in a crash. But the chemical can deteriorate and explode with too much force, blowing apart a metal canister and spewing shrapnel. Twenty-seven people have been killed worldwide by the exploding inflators.
(New Brighton, Pa.) The New Brighton School District announced via the school district website that both an elementary school student and a middle school student have tested positive for COVID-19. The school district is currently working at contact tracing for both students. The middle school student was last in school on November 16, 2020 and the elementary student was last in school on November 20, 2020. The district also issued a letter warning parents of the possibility of the school district transitioning to an all virtual learning model after the increase in cases locally. Superintendent Joseph Guarino said via a letter posted on the district website that the PA Department of Health and the PDE currently recommend that following a second week of similar data within the substantial level of Covid-19 cases that school districts move to a full virtual educational platform. Guarino went on to say while Beaver County hasn’t reached that rate for two weeks, yet they are expecting it to happen this week.
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(Monaca, Pa.) Monaca Borough officials are advising residents residing on Monaca Heights to voluntarily conserve water. The pump that feeds water to the tower is failing . Residents may view the borough’s website at www.monacapa.net. for simple water conservation measures. The borough stated in a release that they appreciate your cooperation at this time.
