(Coraopolis, Pa.) The Right lane of Interstate 79 North in Coraopolis is closed after a truck lost its rear axle in the s-bends of the interstate around 3 a.m. Monday morning, August 3, 2020. The right lane will remain closed for crews work to remove the truck from the interstate. There were no injuries and the truck was hauling salad dressing.

Pittsburgh, PA – PennDOT District 11 is advising motorists that line painting operations on various roadways in Lawrence, Beaver and Allegheny counties will occur Monday through Thursday, August 3-6, weather permitting.

Work to repaint lines will occur each day in the following locations:

Lawrence County (5 a.m. to 4 p.m.)

• Route 19 in various municipalities
• Route 1011 (George Washington Road) in Scott and Washington townships
• Route 1018 (Georgetown Road) in Washington and Plain Grove townships

Beaver County (5 a.m. to 4 p.m.)

• Route 51 from Monaca borough to Allegheny County
• Route 168 from Route 30 to Route 18 in Hanover and Greene townships
• Route 30 from Allegheny County to Route 18 in Hanover and Independence townships
• Route 151 in various municipalities

Allegheny County

• Route 885 in various municipalities
• Route 2042 (Goldstrohm Road) in West Mifflin and Dravosburg boroughs
• Route 148 in various municipalities
• Route 48 in various municipalities
• Route 51 from the City of Pittsburgh to Westmoreland County

PennDOT advises motorists to exercise caution and patience, and suggests allowing at least 250 feet (13 car lengths) behind line painting equipment to avoid damage.  Motorists should avoid passing the paint vehicles unless directed by a paint crew member or flag person to do so.  Passing too quickly can cause damage to fresh paint lines and may result in paint on the motorist’s vehicle.  Line painting vehicles normally pull over every two and one-half miles or when safety permits.  Recent technological advancements on the mix of formulas have produced fast dry paints that are dry to the touch within 2 to 3 minutes.  It is crucial to stay off these lines during the curing period.

Motorists who accidentally get paint on their vehicles should immediately wash the paint off with a high-pressure water stream and detergent.  Dried paint can be removed with de-natured alcohol and a soft cloth.  Generally, PennDOT is not responsible for paint on vehicles.

Roadway line painting is an important part of PennDOT’s highway safety initiatives. Paint lines provide direction, delineation, and guidance to motorists.

Glass beads applied on top of wet paint during the painting process provide retro reflectivity.  These small, spherical beads reflect light during dark hours and periods of low visibility.  As the glass beads become worn or wet, the reflectivity becomes greatly diminished resulting in reduced visibility during dark and wet hours.

Lines need repainting each year because of normal wear, tear, and weather. Winter maintenance activities such as plowing, spreading anti-skid materials, and studded tires are very abrasive to paint lines and can cause fading.  Normal weathering caused by snow, rain, and ice also contribute to line reflectivity reduction.

PennDOT establishes painting schedules to minimize delays to motorist.  On days before holidays and on Fridays, crews will focus on secondary routes to minimize inconvenience for motorists.

Motorists should use caution and be aware of changing traffic patterns when driving through the area.

Visit 511pa.com or call 511 from any phone to check traffic conditions on major roadways before traveling.

Wilford Brimley, ‘Cocoon’ and ‘Natural’ actor, dies at 85
By LYNN ELBER AP Television Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Wilford Brimley, who worked his way up from movie stunt rider to indelible character actor in films including “Cocoon” and “The Natural,” has died. He was 85. Brimley’s manager says the actor died Saturday morning in a Utah hospital. She says he was on dialysis and had several medical ailments. The mustached Brimley was a familiar face for a number of roles, often playing gruff characters like his grizzled baseball manager in “The Natural.” Brimley’s best-known work was in “Cocoon,” in which he was part of a group of seniors who discover an alien pod that rejuvenates them. Brimley was also recognizable to many as a longtime pitchman for Quaker Oats and medical supplier Liberty Medical.

Car sought after construction worker struck, killed on I-81
HARLEIGH, Pa. (AP) — State police are searching for a vehicle that fled the scene after striking and killing a construction workers on Interstate 81 in northeastern Pennsylvania over the weekend. Police in Luzerne County say the sedan was heading north on the interstate in the right lane, which was closed due to active nighttime construction. Police said the vehicle struck 30-year-old Kevin Dendulk shortly before 1:30 a.m. Saturday in Hazle Township and didn’t stop, continuing to travel in the closed right lane of I-81 north. Police said a deputy county coroner pronounced the Royersford resident dead at the scene less than an hour later.

SpaceX capsule and NASA crew make 1st splashdown in 45 years
By MARCIA DUNN AP Aerospace Writer
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Two NASA astronauts have returned to Earth in a dramatic, retro-style splashdown carried out by Elon Musk’s SpaceX company. The capsule carrying Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken parachuted into the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Pensacola, Florida, Sunday afternoon. It is the first splashdown in 45 years for NASA astronauts and also the first time a private company has brought people back from orbit. Their return clears the way for another SpaceX crew flight as early as next month. The astronauts’ homecoming comes a day after they departed the International Space Station and two months after they blasted off on the historic mission.

House Education Committee to Host Two-Day Public Hearing on Reopening Schools in Fall

HARRISBURG – The House Education Committee, chaired by Rep. Curt Sonney (R-Erie), will host a two-day public hearing next week to discuss safely reopening schools this fall.

The hearings will take place on Tuesday, Aug. 4, and Wednesday, Aug. 5. Tuesday’s hearing will be a continuation of a previous hearing the committee held in June where teachers, administrators and directors from public and nonpublic schools discussed their plans and concerns for getting students back to the classroom in the fall. Wednesday’s hearing will focus on stakeholders recommended legislation to the committee designed to ensure better flexibility as school administrations navigate and adjust to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“As the American Academy of Pediatrics has said, our school policies must be guided by what is best for the children, their health and well-being. So, getting our students back in the classroom this fall is a top priority,” Sonney said. “Across the board there has been a lack of communication, direction and transparency from the Wolf administration on how our schools should reopen.

“These hearings will help the public, and us as legislators, gain better insight on the concerns and struggles our schools are currently facing and help create better policy to ensure our students’ educational needs are met,” continued Sonney. “We are running out of time; we need answers and solutions. We must prioritize our students – we cannot let them fall through the cracks.”

House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff (R-Centre/Mifflin) also noted the importance of getting students back in the classroom this fall and the lack of clear direction from the administration.

“As the first day of school approaches, it is important that we give both parents and students predictability and confidence that there is a plan to reopen schools safely,” said Benninghoff. “As we continue to learn to live with COVID-19, students should not be deprived of the choice of having important in-classroom instruction and parents should not be forced to make the difficult choice between earning a living and being full-time, in-home educators. Unfortunately, the administration has come up short on answers and school leaders are calling for firm direction and not loose guidelines. I hope these hearings will help show the problems facing those trying to reopen schools without a concrete plan and highlight areas where more direction is needed. From there, it is our hope that the Wolf administration will see this as an opportunity to work with the people’s representatives to develop a well-thought-out plan to open schools safely for the benefit of educators, parents and our children.”

The hearings will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 4, and Wednesday, Aug. 5, in the House Majority Caucus Room, Room 140, Main Capitol. 

Those invited to testify during Tuesday’s hearing include members of the Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools, Alliance of Approved Private Schools, PA Cyber Charter School, Agora Cyber Charter School, the ARC of PA and the Association of School Nurses and Practitioners.

Wednesday’s panel of testifiers will include representatives invited from the Pennsylvania School Boards Association (PSBA), PA Association of School Administrators (PASA), PA Association of School Business Officials (PASBO) and PA State Education Association (PSEA).

Barring any technical difficulties, the hearings will be streamed live at www.RepSonney.com and www.pahousegop.com.

Chicago removes its third and last Columbus statue
CHICAGO (AP) — Chicago has removed its last remaining statue of Christopher Columbus, which had stood on display in the city for nearly 130 years but drew criticism from those who say the explorer doesn’t deserve veneration because of how he treated Indigenous peoples. The removal of the statue Thursday from its spot overlooking an intersection on the city’s South Side followed the removal last week of Columbus statues in downtown Chicago’s Grant Park and in the city’s Little Italy neighborhood. The mayor’s office decided to temporarily remove the statues after demonstrators calling for their removal clashed with police.