Gmail, YouTube down briefly as Google suffers brief outage
LONDON (AP) — Google users in the U.S., Europe, India and other parts of the world were briefly unable to access their Gmail accounts, watch YouTube videos or get to their online documents during an outage Monday. Thousands of complaints popped up around 7 a.m. Eastern along the East Coast of the U.S. The company said it’s aware of the problem on its dashboard page. That was followed by another message that said service has been restored for some users. and a a resolution for all users was expected in the near future. There were similar updates for Google’s many other services, such as Docs, Hangouts and Chat. The company did not reply immediately to a request for comment.

(Monaca, Pa.) The Community College of Beaver County Foundation has  announced the appointment of two new Board of Trustees, Brian Hayden and Harry Kunselman. Mr. Hayden and Mr. Kunselman will join the governing body whose duty is to provide a public service aimed at the continual improvement of the College. They also announced the appointment Eli Shorak to the CCBC Foundation Board of Directors. Mr. Shorak will join the board comprising volunteer business and community leaders who support the strategic plan and advancement of the College.

Congress averts shutdown, buys time for more COVID-19 talks
By LISA MASCARO and ANDREW TAYLOR Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress has shipped a temporary government-wide funding bill to President Donald Trump, averting a government shutdown at midnight. The funding extension gives negotiators time to continue working toward agreement on new COVID-19 relief aid. The extension sets a new shutdown deadline of midnight next Friday. It passed the Senate by a unanimous voice vote Friday. The House passed the bill on Wednesday and Trump is expected to sign it before midnight. COVID-19 relief talks remain stalled but there is universal agreement that Congress won’t adjourn for the year without passing a long-delayed round of pandemic relief.

Pittsburgh, PA – Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens invites fans to enjoy the beauty of Winter Flower Show: Home for the Holidays from the comfort of their own homes! The new Winter Flower Show Virtual Video Tour includes a 25-minute video walkthrough of every room in this year’s spectacular show accompanied by festive background music. Plus, an alternate version prefaces the show with remarks from Phipps President and CEO Richard Piacentini, and provides commentary from Associate Director of Exhibits and Designer of Home for the Holidays Jordyn Melino as she explains the inspiration for how each room came to life.

The video is available for an introductory two-week price of $4.99 for Phipps members and $9.99 for nonmembers, allowing guests access to stream and watch as many times as they’d like on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku and Chromecast. The video can also be rented for a 24-hour viewing window for $4.99. Visit vimeo.com/ondemand/PhippsVirtualTour to order.

The beauty of Home for the Holidays can also be shared when guests purchase a copy of the Virtual Video Tour for a loved one! To order the video as a gift, visit phipps.conservatory.org/GiftVideo. Purchasers will receive an email within one business day of placing the order containing a special one-time use code to share with the gift recipient.

Home for the Holidays brings the comfort of home to life in signature Phipps fashion, with beautiful, enchanting blooms greeting guests as they wander through room after room of seasonal splendor. Guests will delight at Phipps’ magical carousel floating on a glassy pond, a cozy cabin sitting snugly amidst a snowy forest of blue, purple, white and silver plants, a topiary animal display that explores winter hibernation habits, and a living room scene featuring furniture — such as armchairs, a grandfather clock, chandeliers and tree skirts — brought to life with plant materials.

Winter Flower Show: Home for the Holidays runs from Nov. 20 – Jan. 3. Hours are 9:30 a.m. – 11 p.m. daily. Phipps will be closed all day Thurs., Nov. 26 and Fri., Dec. 25 and will close at 5 p.m. on Thurs., Dec. 24. Tickets must be reserved in advance. For more information and to reserve tickets, visit phipps.conservatory.org/Tickets. Winter Flower Show: Home for the Holidays was designed by Associate Director of Exhibits Jordyn Melino.

Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced today that it has issued its one millionth REAL ID product, a major milestone in its work to issue REAL ID-compliant products to customers.

“I am so proud that we have reached this milestone,” said PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian. “From the beginning, customer service was at the center of PennDOT’s REAL ID program, and that continues to be our focus as the federal deadline approaches.”

REAL ID is a federal law that affects how states issue driver’s licenses and ID cards if they are going to be acceptable for federal purposes, such as boarding a domestic flight or entering a federal building that requires ID upon entry. A federally acceptable form of identification (whether it’s a Pennsylvania REAL ID driver’s license or ID card, a valid U.S. Passport/Passport Card, a military ID, etc.) must be used for these purposes on and after October 1, 2021. There is no requirement that any resident obtain a REAL ID; PennDOT continues to offer standard-issue driver’s licenses and photo IDs.

Based on data from other states with optional REAL ID programs, PennDOT anticipates that 2.5 million Pennsylvanians will choose to get a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or ID card, with 1.3 million obtaining them by October 1, 2021. Now that the million-product threshold has been crossed, PennDOT is positioned well to reach this target by the federal enforcement deadline.

PennDOT paused REAL ID issuance in March 2020 due to COVID-19, out of an abundance of caution and in the interest of public health. Additionally, the federal Department of Homeland Security postponed the enforcement date for REAL ID from October 1, 2020, to October 1, 2021, in response to COVID-19 and the national emergency declaration. PennDOT resumed issuing REAL IDs in September 2020.

“We want to do everything we can to encourage residents interested in applying for a REAL ID to start the process now and be aware of all the proper documentation needed,” said Gramian. “This will help ensure our customers have their REAL ID well in advance of the October 1, 2021 deadline.”

Customers can obtain a REAL ID by presenting documents for verification and processing at any driver license center. Federal regulations require that to be issued a REAL ID-compliant product, PennDOT must verify the below documents:

• Proof of Identity: Examples include original or certified copy of a birth certificate filed with the State Office of Vital Records/Statistics with a raised seal/embossed or valid, unexpired, U.S. Passport;
• Proof of Social Security Number:  Social security card, in current legal name;
• Two Proofs of Current, Physical PA Address: Examples include a current, unexpired PA driver’s license or identification card, vehicle registration or a utility bill with the same name and address; and
• Proof of all Legal Name Changes (if current legal name is different than what is reflected on proof of identity document): Examples include a certified marriage certificate(s) issued by the County Court for each marriage, court order(s) approving a change in legal name or amended birth certificate issued by the State Office of Vital Records/Statistics. If current name is the same as what is reflected on proof of identity document (usually birth certificate or passport), a customer does not need to show proof of legal name changes.

Customers have three options for obtaining a REAL ID product: Customers may order their REAL ID online if they have been pre-verified and their REAL ID product will be mailed to them within 15 business days; they can visit any PennDOT driver license center that is open for driver license services, have their documents verified and imaged, and their REAL ID product will be mailed to them within 15 business days; or they can visit one of 12 REAL ID Centers and receive their REAL ID product over the counter at the time of service.

For a full list of driver license centers and their services, please visit the PennDOT Driver and Vehicle Services website.

When a customer gets their first REAL ID product, they will pay a one-time fee of $30, plus a renewal fee (current renewal fee is $30.50 for a four-year non-commercial driver’s license and $31.50 for a photo ID). The expiration date of their initial REAL ID product will include any time remaining on their existing non-REAL ID product, plus an additional four years, unless the customer is over 65 and has a two-year license. This expiration date structure means that the customer won’t “lose” time that they’ve already paid for. After the initial REAL ID product expires, the customer will pay no additional fee, beyond regular renewal fees, to renew a REAL ID product.

REAL ID-compliant products are marked with a gold star in the upper right corner, standard-issue (non-compliant) products include the phrase “NOT FOR REAL ID PURPOSES,” per federal regulations. Sample images can be viewed on PennDOT’s website.

More information about REAL ID in Pennsylvania, including frequently asked questions and information on documents required for REAL ID, can be found at www.penndot.gov/REALID.

FDA head expects vaccine emergency use soon

WASHINGTON — The head of the Food and Drug Administration says his agency has told Pfizer that it “will rapidly work” to grant emergency use of its COVID-19 vaccine following a positive recommendation by government advisers.
The FDA decision will kickstart an unprecedented vaccination campaign needed to eventually defeat the virus. The FDA’s greenlight of the vaccine, co-developed with BioNtech, was practically assured after the positive vote by agency advisers a day earlier.
The FDA’s brief statement came less than an hour after President Donald Trump tweeted directly at FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn, complaining that FDA “is still a big, old, slow turtle.”
FDA staff have repeatedly said they expect to issue a decision within days of Thursday’s meeting. Many FDA observers predict action by Saturday ahead of a Sunday meeting by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The panel of CDC advisers will vote on who should get priority for the initial shots. Federal officials plan to allocate the first 6.4 million doses of the vaccine to states based on their population.

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HARRISBURG, Pa. — Pennsylvania is halting school sports and other extracurricular activities, ordering gyms, theaters and casinos to close and banning indoor dining at restaurants in response to the worsening pandemic.
A day after telling Pennsylvanians of his own COVID-19 diagnosis, Gov. Tom Wolf announced the widely expected clampdown Thursday. He said it aims to slow the accelerating spread of the coronavirus and prevent hospitals from becoming overrun.
“We all hoped it would not come to this,” Wolf said at a virtual news conference, but “we need to slow the spread to save lives.”
The restrictions include a 10-person cap on indoor gatherings, a 50-person limit for outdoor gatherings and capacity restrictions at retail stores. They take effect Saturday and run through until Jan. 4.

Stocks extend losses as virus aid languishes in Congress
NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks are opening lower on Wall Street, extending their losses for the week, as efforts to provide badly needed aid to people and businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic remain stalled in Congress. The S&P 500 fell 0.5% in the first few minutes of trading Friday. Energy companies and banks had some of the biggest losses, while safe-play stocks like utilities and real estate companies held up better. Disney jumped 7% after the entertainment giant announced a massive slate of new streaming offerings for its fast-growing Disney Plus service. European markets were lower and Asian markets ended mixed. Treasury yields held steady.

Inflation still a no-show, US wholesale prices up just 0.1%
By MARTIN CRUTSINGER AP Economics Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. wholesale prices edged up a slight 0.1% in November as weak demand caused by the pandemic has kept inflation at extremely low levels. The increase in the producer price index, which measures inflation pressures before they reach the consumer, followed bigger gains of 0.3% in October and 0.4% in September, the Labor Department reported Friday. But even with those gains, wholesale prices are up just 0.8% from a year ago, far below the Federal Reserve’s target for annual price increases of 2%.

Retailers urge shoppers to buy early amid shipping crunch
By ANNE D’INNOCENZIO and JOSEPH PISANI AP Retail Writers
NEW YORK (AP) — A number of retailers, including J.C. Penney, Lowe’s and Kohl’s, are telling shoppers they need to place their online orders soon or else pay expedited shipping fees if they want to get their packages delivered in time for the holidays. The earlier-than-usual deadlines come as more people turn to online shopping during the pandemic, creating a logjam for shipping companies as well as delivery delays. For some retailers like H&M and Lego, the deadlines have already passed.  One expert estimates that a majority of retailers have pushed up deadlines by at least a day or two, with about a quarter moving them up at least a week or more. Meanwhile, behemoths like Walmart, Target and Amazon haven’t had to make any major changes.

Trump administration plans 2nd execution in as many days
By MICHAEL TARM AP Legal Affairs Writer
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (AP) — The Trump administration plans to continue its unprecedented series of post-election federal executions by putting to death a Louisiana truck driver who abused his 2-year-old daughter for weeks, then killed her by slamming her head against a truck’s windows and dashboard. Lawyers for 56-year-old Alfred Bourgeois argue he is in the intellectually disabled category and that federal law should bar his execution on Friday. Bourgeois would be the 10th federal death-row inmate put to death since federal executions resumed under President Donald Trump in July after a 17-year hiatus. He would be the second person executed this week at a federal prison in Terre Haute, Indiana. Three more executions are planned in January.

Story by Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano

(Beaver, Pa.) Raphel Johnson, 36 of Aliquippa is in the Beaver County Jail after bond was denied in connection with Tuesday’s  standoff at his home at 111 Major Street  on Tuesday. The stand-off ended peacefully with Johnson surrendering to Police.

Obama reunion? Biden fills Cabinet with former WH leaders
By AAMER MADHANI Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Joe Biden is getting a lot of the old gang back together. Now well into the process of selecting Cabinet nominees and senior appointees, the Biden administration has a distinctly Obama-esque feel. The Biden transition team on Thursday says the president-elect is nominating former White House chief of staff Denis McDonough to serve as veterans affairs secretary and former Obama U.N. ambassador and national security adviser Susan Rice as director of the White House Domestic Policy Council. Those selections follow Biden’s tapping of Obama’s agriculture secretary, Tom Vilsack, to head the department once again. Obama’s Secretary of State John Kerry as well as Kerry’s deputy, Antony Blinken, are coming back, too.