(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
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
Pope names monsignor new bishop of Greensburg
GREENSBURG, Pa. (AP) — More than 128,000 Roman Catholics in southwestern Pennsylvania are getting a new leader. Pope Francis on Friday appointed the Rev. Monsignor Larry Kulick as the sixth bishop of the Greensburg Diocese. The diocese says the 54-year-old has served as administrator since his predecessor, Bishop Edward Malesic, became the bishop of Cleveland in September. In a statement, Kulick says he’s honored to serve in a diocese where he was born, raised, educated and ordained. His ordination and installation is scheduled for Feb. 11. The diocese has 78 parishes in Armstrong, Fayette, Indiana, and Westmoreland counties.
Pittsburgh homicide suspect captured in Seattle
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Federal marshals in Seattle have captured a man wanted for killing a woman in Pittsburgh. The U.S. Marshals Western Pennsylvania Task Force says it developed information on Thursday that 36-year-old Terrence Washington may be in Seattle. He was arrested without incident on Stone Avenue. Washington is wanted in Pittsburgh on criminal homicide and firearms charges stemming from the Nov. 10 slaying of 32-year-old Makeida Thompson. Thompson was gunned down in her home days before a final hearing on a temporary protection of abuse order that she had taken out against Washington. Washington is held pending an extradition hearing.
Steelers motivated for Monday night matchup with Bengals
By MITCH STACY AP Sports Writer
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The Pittsburgh Steelers are on a two-game skid but see Monday night’s matchup with the struggling Cincinnati Bengals as a win they need to secure. Pittsburgh already has clinched its first playoff berth since 2017. A win over the Bengals would assure the Steelers of the AFC North title and at least one home playoff game at Heinz Field. The Steelers won their first 11 in a row but are suddenly struggling with an offensive line hit by multiple injuries and an ineffective running game. The Bengals have lost five straight.
(Photo courtesy of Beaver Falls Police Department)
Story by Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano
(Beaver Falls, Pa.) Beaver Falls Police, the PA Attorney General’s office, and New Brighton police were assisted by Beaver County’s ESU early Thursday morning in the execution of a search warrant at 611 14th Street as a result of a drug investigation. the raid took place shortly before 6:00 a.m. according to Beaver Falls Police Chief Dave Johnson. Chief Johnson said approximately 220 grams of cocaine, 38 grams of heroin, 2 handguns ,$21,600 in U.S. currency in addition to other contraband was located and seized in the residence.