Category: News

Brush fires shut down portion of I-75 in southwest Florida

Brush fires shut down portion of I-75 in southwest Florida
Associated Press undefined
NAPLES, Fla. (Naples (Fla.) Daily News) — Authorities say smoky conditions have caused the Florida Highway Patrol to shut down a section of Interstate 75 known as Alligator Alley as four brush fires have merged together in southwest Florida. The  state Department of Agriculture & Consumer Affairs says the fire has grown to about 4,000 acres and is about 10% contained. On Wednesday fire threatened about 30 homes in Collier County. The Collier County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission were coordinating voluntary evacuations in the areas near the fires. The efforts to fight the fires were led by the Greater Naples Fire Rescue District.

Mother charged with manslaughter in death of 3-year-old son

Mother charged with manslaughter in death of 3-year-old son
NEW KENSINGTON, Pa. (AP) — The mother of a 3-year-old western Pennsylvania boy who died last month of suspected abuse has been charged with involuntary manslaughter. Authorities say 23-year-old Teresa Fetterman, of New Kensington, was also charged Wednesday with reckless endangerment, two counts of aggravated assault on a child and other counts stemming from the death of Mikel Fetterman. The counts come a few weeks after 31-year-old Keith Lilly Jr., of New Kensington, was charged with homicide and sexual assault in connection with the child’s death. Authorities have said Lilly injured the boy and caused bruises and fractures, including a fractured skull with a brain bleed.

Burr steps aside as Senate intelligence chair amid FBI probe

Burr steps aside as Senate intelligence chair amid FBI probe
By ERIC TUCKER, MICHAEL BALSAMO and MARY CLARE JALONICK Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Sen. Richard Burr stepped aside as chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee after the FBI served a search warrant for his phone as part of an ongoing insider-trading investigation tied to the coronavirus pandemic. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced the move, saying he and Burr had agreed it was in the Senate’s best interests. FBI officials showed up at Burr’s home with the warrant on Wednesday. That marks a significant escalation into the Justice Department’s investigation into whether Burr broke the law with a well-timed sale of stocks before the coronavirus caused markets to plummet, The Justice Department declined to comment. His attorney did not respond to phone and email messages.

Department of Health Provides Update on COVID-19, 5/14/20: Beaver County up 3 Positive Cases and 4 New Deaths.

Department of Health Provides Update on COVID-19, 938 Positives Bring Statewide Total to 59,636

Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., May 14, that there are 938 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 59,636. All 67 counties in Pennsylvania have cases of COVID-19.

Today, the state is reporting 4,218 total deaths, an increase from the 3,943 total deaths reported yesterday. There were 44 new deaths reported overnight; the remaining 231 were reported as a result of a reconciliation of data over the past several weeks. This means the department added 275 total deaths to the data. County-specific information and a statewide map are available here.

Locally in Beaver County we are  at 512 positive cases there is an increase of 3 from yesterday. 2581 people have tested negative in the county there has been 4 additional deaths reported as the County at to 82.

In the 3 nursing homes that are reporting positive cases in the county are at 339 positive cases no increase from yesterday. Employee cases are at 25 and the death toll is up 4 at 75.

“As counties move from red to yellow, we need all Pennsylvanians to continue to follow the social distancing and mitigation efforts in place,” Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said. “We must continue to protect our most vulnerable Pennsylvanians, which includes our seniors, those with underlying health issues, our healthcare workers and our first responders. I am proud of the work that Pennsylvanians have done so far, but we cannot stop now, we must continue to take the necessary steps to protect ourselves from COVID-19.”

There are 251,559 patients who have tested negative to date. Of the patients who have tested positive to date the age breakdown is as follows:

  • Nearly 1% are aged 0-4;
  • Nearly 1% are aged 5-12;
  • Nearly 2% are aged 13-18;
  • Nearly 6% are aged 19-24;
  • Nearly 37% are aged 25-49;
  • Nearly 26% are aged 50-64; and
  • 28% are aged 65 or older.

Most of the patients hospitalized are aged 65 or older, and most of the deaths have occurred in patients 65 or older. More data is available here.

In nursing and personal care homes, there are 12,677 resident cases of COVID-19, and 1,922 cases among employees, for a total of 14,599 at 549 distinct facilities in 44 counties. Out of our total deaths, 2,896 have occurred in residents from nursing or personal care facilities. A county breakdown can be found here.

Approximately 4,217 of our total cases are in health care workers.

For the latest information for individuals, families, businesses and schools, visit “Responding to COVID-19” on pa.gov.

Wisconsin high court tosses out governor’s stay-home order

Wisconsin high court tosses out governor’s stay-home order
By TODD RICHMOND Associated Press
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Wisconsin Supreme Court has struck down Gov. Tony Evers’ stay-at-home restrictions. The high court ruled for Republicans in a challenge to an extension issued by the governor’s health secretary, arguing she exceeded her authority. The 4-3 ruling means the state is essentially reopened ahead of the May 26 expiration date of Evers’ order. It lifts caps on the size of gatherings, allowing people to travel as they please and allowing shuttered businesses to reopen, including bars and restaurants. The ruling marks another defeat for Evers as Republicans continue to chip away at the Democratic governor’s authority.

Millions more people likely sought US jobless aid last week

Millions more people likely sought US jobless aid last week
By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP Economics Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) — The government is set to provide its latest update on the waves of layoffs that have caused tens of millions of workers to lose their jobs in a U.S. economy still paralyzed by business shutdowns. The Labor Department will likely announce that millions more people filed for unemployment benefits last week, after 33 million sought aid in the previous seven weeks as the coronavirus forced employers across the country to close. Though most nonessential businesses remain shut down, most states have begun to ease restrictions for some categories of retail establishments despite concerns that it may be too soon to do so without causing new infections.

Sergeant fired in school shooting response to get job back

Sergeant fired in school shooting response to get job back
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (Sun Sentinel) — An arbitrator determined a Broward Sheriff’s sergeant fired because he sat in a parked car during a 2018 mass shooting at a high school should get his job back. The arbitrator dismissed the case against Brian Miller, saying his due process rights were violated when he was fired. A state commission investigating the shooting said Miller was the first supervisor on the scene as the gunman was inside a Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School building. But he remained in his car, putting on a bulletproof vest. Miller earned more than $137,000 in 2018 and the arbitrator determined he should receive back pay.

Some counties undeterred by Wolf’s threat; others back down

Some counties undeterred by Wolf’s threat; others back down
By MARC LEVY and MICHAEL RUBINKAM Associated Press
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Several Pennsylvania counties say they are moving ahead with plans to defy the governor by lifting some pandemic restrictions. Others backed down Wednesday under Gov. Tom Wolf’s threat to withhold COVID-19 funding. Commissioners in many GOP-controlled counties where the Democratic governor has yet to ease any restrictions say they can manage the coronavirus threat and reopen safely. They say the prolonged shutdown threatens to destroy local economies, especially small businesses. Wolf says moving too fast risks jeopardizing the progress Pennsylvania has made against a virus that has sickened some 59,000 and killed nearly 4,000 statewide.

Pa. Governor Wolf aims to contain GOP revolt

‘A pressure cooker’: Pa. governor aims to contain GOP revolt
By MARC LEVY Associated Press
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf is struggling to fight against a Republican revolt over his stay-at-home orders and business shutdowns. Egged on by state GOP lawmakers, counties have threatened to defy his orders while at least a few business owners have reopened their doors despite his warnings. The Democratic governor has had to decide how far to go in enforcing the orders. The chief instigator behind the Republican strategy, President Donald Trump, is set to visit the state on Thursday. Behind the rhetoric is a political fight over who will be blamed for the state’s economic devastation if it is not repaired by Election Day.

As coronavirus rolls on, Republicans hit ‘pause’ on new aid

As coronavirus rolls on, Republicans hit ‘pause’ on new aid
By ANDREW TAYLOR Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Businesses are going belly up, tens of millions have been laid off and, by some measures, the U.S. seems headed for another Great Depression. But Republicans surveying the wreckage aren’t ready for another round of coronavirus aid, instead urging a “pause.” It’s a position based on a number of factors. Polls show GOP voters think the government is already doing enough, and Republicans on Capitol Hill are divided over the best approach. Billions approved by Congress have yet to be spent. And it’s also not clear what President Donald Trump wants to do next, if anything, to juice the economy.