Trump declares disaster as Wolf shuts schools indefinitely
By MICHAEL RUBINKAM, MARK SCOLFORO and CLAUDIA LAUER undefined
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The president declared a major disaster in Pennsylvania on Monday night, capping off a day that saw nearly 700 new cases as Gov. Tom Wolf extended the closing of schools and nonessential businesses indefinitely. Wolf also added four more counties to a separate stay-at-home order and extended its duration by more than three weeks, through at least April 30. More than 10 million people, or 80% of the state’s population, have now been instructed to remain in their homes. The Democratic governor says he knows the extended shutdown of businesses, schools and big swaths of daily life “isn’t easy to hear,” but is necessary to save lives and keep hospitals from becoming overwhelmed.

(Beaver Pa.) Beaver County has seen its first two deaths from the COVID-19 Coronavirus after two residents from Brighton Rehabilitation and Wellness Center nursing home died after being diagnosed with the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, while 25 other residents are living in quarantine bringing the total to  31 residents that are either confirmed or suspected of having COVID-19. Thirteen residents have tested positive and are at the facility; an additional four who tested positive are receiving treatment at Heritage Valley Beaver. Eleven residents are quarantined while waiting for test results, and results for an additional patient were inconclusive.

Two patients who were diagnosed with COVID-19 died while receiving hospice care.

No staff have tested positive at this time.

Wolf closes schools, nonessential businesses indefinitely
By MICHAEL RUBINKAM, MARK SCOLFORO and CLAUDIA LAUER undefined
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Gov. Tom Wolf says all schools and nonessential businesses will remain closed indefinitely as Pennsylvania reports nearly 700 new cases of the coronavirus. Wolf also added four more counties to a separate stay-at-home order and extended its duration by more than three weeks, through at least April 30.  More than 10 million people, or 80% of the state’s population, have now been instructed to remain in their homes. The Democratic governor says he knows the extended shutdown of businesses, schools and big swaths of daily life “isn’t easy to hear,” but is necessary to save lives and keep hospitals from becoming overwhelmed.

Pittsburgh – PennDOT District 11 is announcing guide rail repair work on westbound I-376 (Beaver Valley Expressway) in Potter Township, Beaver County will occur Tuesday, March 31 weather permitting.

 single-lane restriction will occur on westbound I-376 between the Monaca/Shippingport (Exit 39) and the Beaver/Midland (Exit 38) interchanges from 7:30 to 10:30 a.m. Tuesday.  Crews from Penn Line Services, Inc. will conduct guide rail repair work.

Motorists can check conditions on more than 40,000 roadway miles, including color-coded winter conditions on 2,900 miles, by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information, and access to more than 950 traffic cameras.

511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional twitter alerts accessible on the 511PA website.

Trump defends extending virus guidelines as spread continues
By ZEKE MILLER and JILL COLVIN Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has told the nation’s governors that modeling on the coronavirus projected substantially more deaths if the nation did not incorporate social distancing. Dr. Deborah Birx, the coronavirus task force coordinator, was also on the call Monday. She told governors it’s “several weeks away from the peak of the curve for the United States.” Earlier Monday, Trump defended his decision to reverse course and extend restrictive social distancing guidelines through the end of April. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the government’s top infectious disease expert, says the U.S. could see between 100,000 to 200,000 deaths from the pandemic.

Hay fever or virus? For allergy sufferers, a season of worry
By MICHAEL RUBINKAM Associated Press
HAMBURG, Pa. (AP) — For millions of seasonal allergy sufferers, the annual onset of watery eyes and scratchy throats is bumping up against the global spread of a new virus. Forecasters are predicting a brutal spring allergy season for vast swaths of the United States at the same time that COVID-19 cases are rising dramatically. That’s causing angst for people who suffer from hay fever and are now asking themselves whether their symptoms are related to their allergies or the new coronavirus.

Florida officials seek arrest for pastor that violated rules
By TAMARA LUSH and CHRIS O’MEARA Associated Press
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — A Florida sheriff is seeking an arrest warrant for the pastor of a megachurch after officials say he held two Sunday services with hundreds of people and violated a safer-at-home order in place to limit the spread of the coronavirus. Hillsborough Sheriff Chad Chronister said in a news conference Monday that he’s negotiating with the attorney of Pastor Rodney Howard-Browne to turn himself in to authorities. Chronister says he told church leaders of the danger they are putting themselves and their congregation in by not maintaining appropriate social distancing. The county and governor’s orders require gatherings be fewer than 10 people to limit the spread of COVID-19. A live stream of Sunday’s three-and-a-half-hour church service showed scores of congregants.

The Latest: Cardinal close to Pope tests positive for virus
By The Associated Press
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VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis’ vicar for Rome has tested positive for the coronavirus in the first case of a cardinal close to the pope known to be infected.
Cardinal Angelo De Donatis had been in touch with Francis in recent weeks — apparently not in person, however — over the cardinal’s initial decision to close all Rome churches in line with an Italian government shutdown decree.
De Donatis reversed himself after Francis intervened, and allowed diocesan churches to remain open for individuals to pray.
The pope is technically bishop of Rome, but he delegates the day-to-day running of the diocese to his vicar, De Donatis, 66. The Rome church said De Donatis was in good condition at Rome’s Gemelli hospital and was receiving antiviral treatment.
The Holy See has said six people have tested positive for the virus in the Vatican, none of them the pope or his closest advisers.

New York governor begs for help amid `staggering’ death toll
By JOCELYN NOVECK, LARRY NEUMEISTER and MARINA VILLENEUVE Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) — New York’s governor has put out an urgent plea for medical volunteers as coronavirus deaths in New York City mount and hospitals buckle in what authorities say could be a preview of what other cities across the U.S. could soon face. Gov. Andrew Cuomo says, “Please come help us in New York now. We need relief.” He made the plea Monday as the number of dead in New York State climbed past 1,200, with most of those victims dying in New York City.