Category: News

Look to the sky at the Christmas “star” Tonight

When Jupiter and Saturn appear close together in the night sky on December 21, their combined light might be what the Bible’s nativity story in the Gospel of Matthew called the Star of Bethlehem, according to faculty and staff at Ball State University.

“People have long wondered if the Star of Bethlehem could be explained by natural celestial events. Some astronomers believe the ‘star’ may have been a series of celestial events,” said Dayna Thompson, director of the Charles W. Brown Planetarium.

The planetarium’s “Christmas Star” program explores potential natural explanations for the Star of Bethlehem and common modern-day misconceptions about the event, researched and written by Dr. Ron Kaitchuck, the previous director of the Brown Planetarium and professor emeritus.

As the planetarium is closed this holiday season due to COVID-19, its “Christmas Star” planetarium program is on YouTube 360 at https://youtu.be/Wq_1CwKbkaY

In coming days, Jupiter and Saturn will appear closer in the sky then they have in 400 years. This event has been labeled “The Great Conjunction,” Thompson said.

 Such events have been recorded for thousands of years, she noted.

“For ancient people, the word ‘star’ didn’t have the same meaning that it does for us today,” she said. “Sometimes comets were referred to as stars. Also, ‘star’ didn’t have to refer to a single celestial object or event.”

Jupiter and Saturn appeared close together in the sky in the years 7, 6, and 5 BCE in a constellation astrologically significant to the Jewish people. This was followed by the appearance of an exploding star in the pre-dawn sky of 5 BCE. These events are all candidates for natural occurrences of the Star of Bethlehem, Thompson said.

 

“This is one reason why people are referring to the upcoming close grouping of Jupiter and Saturn on December 21 as a ‘Christmas Star’ event,” she said. “The other reason, of course being the date of the event, as it’s so close to Christmas. December 21 also happens to be the date of the Winter Solstice – the shortest day of the year.”

US clears Moderna vaccine for COVID-19, 2nd shot in arsenal

US clears Moderna vaccine for COVID-19, 2nd shot in arsenal
By LAURAN NEERGAARD and MATTHEW PERRONE Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. is adding a second COVID-19 vaccine to its arsenal. The Food and Drug Administration authorized emergency use Friday of the vaccine developed by Moderna and the National Institutes of Health. The decision comes days after health workers and nursing home residents began getting a similar coronavirus shot from Pfizer and BioNTech. Extra doses from a second vaccine are urgently needed, as U.S. deaths hit all-time highs and some hospitals are running out of beds. But even with additional candidates in the pipeline, there won’t be enough for the general population until spring, and shots will be rationed in the meantime.

Indians manager Francona says team’s name change “correct”

Indians manager Francona says team’s name change “correct”
By TOM WITHERS AP Sports Writer
CLEVELAND (AP) — Manager Terry Francona praised the Cleveland Indians for trying to “do the right thing” by changing their name. Francona complimented the team’s decision to drop its name after 105 years, a switch that came after months of internal discussions and  meetings with numerous groups. Francona said he’s proud of the team’s decision to “do something that is correct,” The team announced its decision on Monday, ending a process that began even before owner Paul Dolan’s announcement in July that the club would do a thorough review of its name. The team will be called Indians for at least one more season until a new name is chosen.

Wine and Spirits Store to Re-Open in Chippewa Today. But Why Was it Closed?

(Story by Beaver County Radio’s Frank Sparks with contributions by Sandy Giordano and Jimi Miller. Photos Courtesy of Jimi Miller)

(Chippewa Twp.,Pa.) On Friday morning during Teleforum show host Eddy Crow and Program Director/News Director Frank Sparks were talking about spirits and the tradition of Holiday drinking of alcohol. A caller then asked Crow why the Chippewa Twp. Wine and Spirits Store has been closed. The caller told Crow that there has been a sign on the door for at least a week saying that the store had to close due to an emergency.

The sign on the door has been at the Chippewa Wine and Spirits Store for numerous days according to a caller to Teleforum (Photo courtesy of Jimi Miller)

Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano reached out to the PA LCB and received a release back from the LCB. Giordano reported that  LCB Press Secretary  Sean Kelly Responded to her request for info by saying that the store reopened Friday December 18, 2020 at noon, and he can’t confirm if there were any cases of COVID-19 that caused the closure.

Beaver County Radio listener and friend of the station Jimi Miller was in the area on other business and stopped to take pictures for this story. Miller said ” A women came to the door as he was taking the pictures and said they would be opening at noon.” Miller asked her why the store was closed and all the women offered was that it was being disinfected.

Beaver County Radio will continue to work on this and provide any additional details when and if they are available.

 

Heritage Valley Frontline Workers Received Vaccine Friday Morning

(Photo of Heritage Valley Nurse Sana Borda giving the thumbs up as she receives the vaccine. Photo Courtesy of Heritage Valley)

(Moon Twp.,Pa.) –Heritage Valley Health System’s  Front-line workers were the focus Friday morning according to a press release the workers were administered doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at the Heritage Valley Beaver Hospital. Two of the Health System’s hospitals, Heritage Valley Beaver and Heritage Valley Sewickley, each received 975 doses of the vaccine Thursday December 17, 2020. Heritage Valley immediately initiated a plan to vaccinate the staff who provide direct patient care within the hospitals. In the press release Heritage Valley said they expect Heritage Valley Kennedy hospital to receive their allotment of the Moderna vaccine as soon as it is approved.

Norm Mitry, president; CEO, Heritage Valley Health System said via the release that  “Since March, our dedicated physicians, nurses and all staff have gone above and beyond to provide the best health care to all patients during the pandemic. We’re proud of their efforts and pleased that we are able to begin administering the vaccine to those who have given so much of themselves,”  He also added that  Heritage Valley Health System also developed an automated tool and process for individuals to
schedule both their 1st dose and follow-up dose, 21 days later, as well as post the appointments to their respective calendars. “This automated seamless process allows individuals to schedule their own appointments at their convenience and will also enable the Health System to perform all of the required reporting associated with the COVID-19 vaccine process.”

 

Heritage Valley Health System Receives COVID-19 Vaccine from Pfizer

(File Photo)

Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano

(Moon Twp., Pa.) Heritage Valley Health System Spokeswoman Susan Sakson reported   that Heritage Valley Beaver and Sewickley both received the COVID-19  vaccine   from Pfizer on Thursday morning. Each hospital received 975 doses of the vaccine according to Sakson. Both facilities  will begin to administer the vaccine to front-line staff who provide direct patient care within the hospitals on Friday.

Coca-Cola laying off 2,200 workers as it pares brands

Coca-Cola laying off 2,200 workers as it pares brands
By DEE-ANN DURBIN AP Business Writer
The Coca-Cola Co. says it’s laying off 2,200 workers, or 17% of its global workforce, as part of a larger restructuring aimed at paring down its brands. The Atlanta-based company said around half of the layoffs will occur in the U.S. Coke employed 86,200 people worldwide at the end of 2019. The coronavirus pandemic has hammered Coke’s business, forcing the company to accelerate a restructuring that was already underway. Coke is reducing its brands by half, to 200, so it can focus on bigger sellers like Minute Maid juices and energy drinks.

Minuteman Press Business Minute for Friday 12/18/20

Pennsylvania’s Unemployment Rate Declines to 6.6 Percent in November

Harrisburg, PA – Today, the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) released its employment situation report for November 2020.

Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate was down 0.8 percentage points over the month to 6.6 percent in November. Pennsylvania’s rate fell below the U.S. rate (6.7 percent in November) for the first time since May 2015. The commonwealth’s unemployment rate was 2.0 percentage points above its November 2019 level while the national rate was up 3.2 points over the year.

Pennsylvania’s civilian labor force – the estimated number of residents working or looking for work – decreased 40,000 over the month as unemployment declined 55,000 while resident employment was up 15,000.

Pennsylvania’s total nonfarm jobs were up 21,000 over the month to 5,637,600 in November, the seventh consecutive monthly gain. Jobs increased in 7 of the 11 industry supersectors. The largest volume gain was in trade, transportation, and utilities, up 10,000 jobs.

Over the past seven months, Pennsylvania has recovered 57.7 percent of the total nonfarm jobs lost in March and April.

Over the year, total nonfarm jobs in Pennsylvania were down 452,600 (-7.4 percent) with declines in each of the 11 supersectors. The largest 12-month change among supersectors was a decline of 139,000 jobs in leisure & hospitality.

Additional information is available on the L&I website at www.dli.pa.gov or by following us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

 

Shutdown deadline looms over COVID-19 relief talks
By ANDREW TAYLOR Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Top negotiators on a must-pass, almost $1 trillion COVID-19 economic relief package are committed to sealing an agreement in hopes of passing the legislation this weekend. The pressure is on. Government funding lapses at midnight Friday and a partial, low-impact shutdown would ensue if Congress fails to pass a stopgap spending bill before then. That’s not guaranteed, since some Republicans might block the stopgap measure to keep the pressure on if the talks haven’t borne fruit. But all sides appeared hopeful that last-minute wrangling wouldn’t derail the legislation.

US stocks slip from records as wait continues for Congress
By STAN CHOE AP Business Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stock indexes are slipping from their record levels Friday as the wait drags on to see if Congress can reach a deal to send more cash to struggling workers and businesses. The S&P 500 was 0.4% lower in morning trading, a day after it and other major indexes returned to record heights. Hope that Congress may be nearing a deal to offer more support for the economy has helped put the S&P 500 on track for a 1.2% gain this week. So has enthusiasm about vaccines for COVID-19, which investors hope will get the economy back on the road to normalcy next year.

States making bold new legal claims in 2 Google lawsuits
By MARCY GORDON and COLLEEN SLEVIN Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — As a wave of antitrust actions surges against Google and Facebook, states in two lawsuits are stretching beyond the cases made by federal competition enforcers to level bold new claims. States are taking new legal gambits as they clamor to join the widening siege against the two once seemingly untouchable behemoths. The latest case came as dozens of states filed an antitrust lawsuit against Google, alleging that the search giant exercises an illegal monopoly over the online search market, hurting consumers and advertisers. It was the third antitrust salvo to slam Google in the past two months.

Demand for deliveries pushes FedEx 2Q profit to $1.2 billion
By DAVID KOENIG AP Business Writer
FedEx is off to a fast start during the holiday-shipping season. The company said Thursday that its quarterly profit more than doubled to $1.23 billion. Revenue is up 19%, led by growth in its ground business that handles packages. The quarter ended Nov. 30, meaning that the figures reported Thursday captured only the start of the peak delivery period that runs from Thanksgiving through Christmas. FedEx and rival United Parcel Service have been running at Christmas-like levels for several months already, as the pandemic causes people to do more of their routine shopping online.

 

Highmark extends coverage of COVID-19 treatment and telemedicine  

Highmark extends coverage of COVID-19 treatment and telemedicine  

Extension will allow members to receive needed care without cost-sharing through March 31

PITTSBURGH, Pa. (Dec. 18, 2020) – With the number of COVID-19 cases growing throughout Pennsylvania, Delaware and West Virginia, Highmark has announced that members who require in-network, inpatient hospital care for COVID-19 will not have to worry about paying cost-sharing  such as deductibles, coinsurance and copays through March 31, 2021. The health insurer had previously made the decision to waive cost-sharing for in-network, inpatient COVID-19 related hospital care through Dec. 31, 2020.  Self-funded employer groups for which Highmark administers benefits may, however, opt-out of this waiver.

“As we near the end of 2020, we are seeing a surge in positive COVID-19 cases and an increase in hospitalizations,” said Deborah Rice-Johnson, President, Highmark Inc. “Since February 2020, our members have been able to receive treatment for COVID-19 without having to worry about copays or coinsurance, and we are committed to ensuring members can continue to receive that care through the first three months of 2021.”

With today’s announcement, Highmark is also extending the waiver of cost-sharing for in-network telehealth visits through March 31.  As with COVID-19 treatment, self-funded employer groups for which Highmark administers benefits may also opt-out of this waiver.

Highmark’s Medicare Advantage members will also have no cost-sharing for telehealth visits in or out-of-network through March 31, 2021. Additionally, Medicare Advantage members will see no copays for COVID related hospital admissions for the duration of the public health emergency.

Highmark will also cover COVID-19 vaccines free of charge to its members once approved by the federal government and made available by state agencies.

For more information, visit highmarkanswers.com.

Vice President Pence, wife Karen, surgeon general get COVID-19 vaccines

Pence, wife Karen, surgeon general get COVID-19 vaccines
By ZEKE MILLER and JILL COLVIN Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Mike Pence has received the coronavirus vaccine during a White House event aimed at convincing skeptical Americans that the vaccines are safe. Pence’s wife, Karen, and Surgeon General Jerome Adams also got the vaccine on Friday during the event that was televised. In remarks after his shot, Pence called the speed with which the vaccine was developed “a medical miracle.” The pandemic has killed more than 310,000 in the United States. President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris also are going to be vaccinated in public, but it’s unclear when President Donald Trump will be administered the shot.