Biden reaches deal to let Sanders keep hundreds of delegates
By STEPHEN OHLEMACHER and BILL BARROW Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden has agreed to let former primary rival Bernie Sanders keep hundreds of delegates that Sanders would otherwise forfeit by dropping out of the presidential race. The move was detailed to The Associated Press on Thursday. It’s s a major step as the two campaigns work to avoid the acrimony between the party establishment and progressive insurgents that marked Democrats’ 2016 battle between Sanders and nominee Hillary Clinton. In that campaign, Clinton and Sanders battled for delegates until the end of the primary calendar and then jousted over the party platform and rules well into the summer.

Pennsylvania’s business shutdown waiver program gets audited
By MICHAEL RUBINKAM, MARC LEVY and MARK SCOLFORO Associated Press
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf’s business shutdown waiver program is being audited amid complaints it was managed unfairly. Pennsylvania’s chief fiscal watchdog announced the audit on Thursday. Auditor General Eugene DePasquale says he’s investigating how the Department of Community and Economic Development ran the waiver program, under which tens of thousands of businesses applied to remain open during the pandemic. Many businesses have complained about a process they contend has been slow and arbitrary. The Democratic governor is defending his administration’s handling of the waiver program.

Wall Street pulls back as dismal economic data piles higher
By STAN CHOE AP Business Writer
Stocks are pulling back on Wall Street as more grim news piles up about the economic damage caused the coronavirus outbreak. The S&P 500 index was down 1.2% in afternoon trading Thursday. Treasury yields were also lower, while European stocks fell more sharply as a global rally slammed on the brakes. The U.S. government reported more than 3.8 million laid-off workers applied for unemployment benefits last week, and data showed the European economy contracted by a record 3.8% in the first three months of the year. Even with its loss, the S&P 500 is still on track for its best monthly performance in decades.

Trump predicts ‘spectacular’ rebound as economy plunges
By KEVIN FREKING and JILL COLVIN Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said he’s anticipating a major economic rebound in the coming months and a “spectacular” 2021. While economists are warning of serious long-term damage as the country plunges into recession because of the coronavirus, Trump is predicting a strong fourth quarter thanks to pent-up demand. He says, “I think we can actually surpass where we were,” while allowing he was relying on his gut. Trump’s comments Thursday are the latest sign that he is trying to turn the page on the virus, even as the nation’s death toll continues to climb and jobless claims rise.

Department of Health Provides Update on COVID-19, 1,397 Positives Bring Statewide Total to 45,763

Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., April 30, that there are 1,397 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 45,763. All 67 counties in Pennsylvania have cases of COVID-19.

Locally in Beaver County we are up 13 cases since yesterday to 405 cases. 2055 people have tested negative and the county has no new deaths and stands at 65.

In the 3 Nursing homes in the county that are reporting positive cases there is 256 positive cases. There is an increase of 5 positive cases since yesterday 22 employees have tested positive, an increase of 2 and there have been no additional deaths as the death toll stands at 58

Today, the department is reporting a total of 2,292 deaths in Pennsylvania. County-specific information and a statewide map are available here.

“As we see the number of new COVID-19 cases continuously change across the state that does not mean we can stop practicing social distancing,” Sec. of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said. “We must continue to stay home to protect ourselves, our families and our community. If you must go out, please make as few trips as possible and wear a mask to protect not only yourself, but others. We need all Pennsylvanians to continue to heed these efforts to protect our vulnerable Pennsylvanians, our health care workers and frontline responders.”

There are 175,602 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;
• 1% are aged 13-18;
• Nearly 6% are aged 19-24;
• Nearly 38% are aged 25-49;
• 27% are aged 50-64; and
• 26% 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. There have been no pediatric deaths to date. More data is available here.

In nursing and personal care homes, there are 8,112 resident cases of COVID-19, and 1,032 cases among employees, for a total of 9,144 at 468 distinct facilities in 44 counties. Out of our total deaths, 1,505 have occurred in residents from nursing or personal care facilities. A county breakdown can be found here.

All non-life-sustaining businesses are ordered to be closed and schools are closed statewide through the remainder of the academic year. Currently the entire state is under a stay-at-home order.

US intel: Coronavirus not manmade, still studying lab theory
By ZEKE MILLER Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. intelligence agencies are debunking a conspiracy theory, saying they have concluded that the new coronavirus was “not manmade or genetically modified.” But they say they are still examining a notion put forward by the president and aides that the pandemic may have resulted from an accident at a Chinese lab. The statement came Thursday from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the clearinghouse for the web of U.S. spy agencies. It comes as President Donald Trump and his allies have touted the unproven theory that an infectious disease lab in Wuhan, the epicenter of the Chinese outbreak, was the source of the global pandemic.

Farmers Market Season is Here, Markets Prepared to Safely Serve Pennsylvanians Amid COVID-19 

Harrisburg, PA – Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding today reminded Pennsylvanians that with spring and warm weather comes farmers market season in the commonwealth. Farmers markets, like grocery stores, offer life-sustaining food and essentials and have been provided guidance from the department for how to continue operations safely and with minimal risk amid the COVID-19 public health crisis.

“While farmers work hard year-round to push food to grocery stores, many are also working hard to stock their own market shelves and feed their local community,” said Secretary Redding. “Farmers markets are a fundamental piece of Pennsylvania’s supply chain; something many Pennsylvanians have become acutely aware of in recent weeks.”

When Governor Tom Wolf first designated agriculture and the supply chain as life sustaining, tthe Department of Agriculture issued guidance for Farmers Markets and On-Farm Markets with recommendations on how to continue operations safely and minimize contact for shoppers and employees. The guidance includes:

• Offer delivery or pick up options and online or phone ordering if possible.
• Pre-package bags of fruit, vegetables, and other items to limit shoppers’ handling food and keep customers moving quickly.
• Offer designated times for high-risk and elderly persons to shop at least once a week.
• Communicate with consumers via website or social media to explain changes, delivery options, or other extra precautions to mitigate against COVID-19.
• Separate stands to limit crowds and consider limiting the number of customers in the market at one time.
• If possible, have a different person handle products and handle money, or wash hands and sanitize between tasks.
• Remove tablecloths and eliminate samples and eating areas.

The guidance also offers farms the opportunity to open an on-farm stand to sell raw produce, eggs, or shelf stable packaged foods such as jams, jellies, or baked goods without additional food safety licenses.

In addition to the above recommendations, markets are advised to adhere to Department of Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine’s worker safety order and the Department of Agriculture’s guidance for Sanitization and Diagnosed Employees. Market operators are also encouraged to take advantage of free resources and webinars provided by Penn State Extension for farmers market managers to maintain safe operations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Because the Department of Agriculture worked so quickly to create guidelines for farmers markets and on-farm markets, Penn State Extension and our partners were able to develop factsheets, articles, webinars and open forums around these guidelines to help the more than 1,000 essential farmers markets in the commonwealth to operate in a safe manner and continue to feed their communities,” said PA Farm Markets Director and Penn State Extension Education Program Associate Brian Moyer.

Pennsylvanians interested in supporting local can find a market by visiting pafarm.com or by looking for the PA Preferred^® logo when shopping in a grocery store for a guarantee that you’re supporting a Pennsylvania farmer.

“This pandemic does not limit our need for food. In fact, it’s quite the opposite,” added Redding. “So let’s remember where that food comes from, and make intentional choices to directly support local farmers. Pennsylvania’s farmers markets and farm stands offer the essentials you need and they’re working harder than ever to provide a safe, reliable service.”

For a complete list of guidance documents and information as it relates to agriculture during COVID-19 mitigation in Pennsylvania visit agriculture.pa.gov/COVID. For the most accurate, timely information related to Health in Pennsylvania, visit on.pa.gov/coronavirus.

PennDOT Construction Projects to Resume Beginning May 1

 

Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced today that in accordance with Governor Tom Wolf’s plan for a phased-in reopening of public and private construction, PennDOT highway and bridge construction projects will resume beginning May 1.

 “Our decision to pause construction was not made lightly, and we understand the importance of these projects to communities across Pennsylvania and to our industry partners,” said Acting PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian. “Thanks to the swift, decisive actions of the administration and the cooperation of Pennsylvanians, the curve is starting to flatten and we’re now in a position to restart these important improvements to the transportation network.”

 On March 17, in response to Governor Wolf’s COVID-19 mitigation guidance, PennDOT paused construction projects statewide, except for emergency needs. Since then, PennDOT has progressively continued critical projects addressing landslide repairs, or critical bridge, tunnel and drainage repairs, and work needed to eliminate roadway restrictions that could impede the ability for the movement of life-sustaining goods and services. 

 PennDOT road and bridge construction projects will restart with limited exceptions based on project-specific factors, including location and feasibility for social distancing and COVID-19 safety protocols at the jobsite. Work on all  projects will be conducted in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Pennsylvania Department of Health guidance as well as a project-specific COVID-19 safety plan, which will include protocols for social distancing, use of face coverings, personal and job-site cleaning protocols, management of entries to the jobsite, and relevant training.

 The safety plan, as well as a general framework for restarting construction projects, was developed by a PennDOT-led multidisciplinary team with representation from the construction industry and the consulting engineering community, as well as the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).

 “I could not be prouder of the collaboration between PennDOT, the Turnpike Commission, FHWA, and our partners in the industry,” Gramian said. “While we are all eager to return to work, it was critical to establish safety protocols to minimize COVID-19 exposure for PennDOT and private-sector employees, as well as the communities where they live and work.”

 Information on PennDOT construction projects can be found at projects.PennDOT.gov. PennDOT is currently evaluating schedule impacts due to COVID-19.

 More COVID-19 information is available at www.health.pa.gov. For more information on PennDOT’s COVID-19 response, visit www.PennDOT.gov or www.dmv.pa.gov. PennDOT is sharing stories of continued and innovative operations during COVID-19, accessible from its PennDOT Way blog at www.PennDOT.gov/blog.

Nursing homes stricken as Pennsylvania death toll tops 2,000
By MICHAEL RUBINKAM and MARC LEVY undefined
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Health officials say COVID-19 has killed hundreds more Pennsylvania nursing home residents than was previously known. The Pennsylvania Department of Health on Wednesday reported 479 new COVID-19 deaths, with 339 of them at nursing and personal care homes. That raises the state’s overall death toll to more than 2,100. Nursing homes now account for 65% of all deaths attributed to the virus in Pennsylvania. Nursing homes cite shortages of personal protective equipment and say they haven’t been able to do enough diagnostic testing to be able to quickly identify and isolate patients and staff who have the virus.

30 million have sought US unemployment aid since virus hit
By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP Economics Writer
AP) — More than 3.8 million laid-off workers applied for unemployment benefits last week as the U.S. economy slid further into a crisis that is becoming the most devastating since the 1930s.
Roughly 30.3 million people have now filed for jobless aid in the six weeks since the coronavirus outbreak began forcing millions of employers to close their doors and slash their workforces. That is more people than live in the New York and Chicago metropolitan areas combined, and it’s by far the worst string of layoffs on record. It adds up to more than one in six American workers.
With more employers cutting payrolls to save money, economists have forecast that the unemployment rate for April could go as high as 20%. That would be the highest rate since it reached 25% during the Great Depression.
This week, the government estimated that the economy shrank at a 4.8% annual rate in the first three months of this year, the sharpest quarterly drop since the 2008 financial crisis. Yet the picture is likely to grow far worse: The economy is expected to contract in the April-June quarter by as much as 40% at an annual rate. No previous quarter has been anywhere near as weak since the government began keeping such records after World War II.
As businesses across the country have shut down and laid off tens of millions of workers, the economy has sunk into a near-paralysis in just a few weeks. Factories, hotels, restaurants, department stores, movie theaters and many small businesses are shuttered. Home sales are falling. Households are slashing spending. Consumer confidence is sinking.
With some signs that the viral outbreak may have plateaued at least in certain areas of the country, a few governors have taken tentative steps to begin reopening their economies. But surveys show that a large majority of Americans remain wary of returning to shopping, traveling and other normal economic activity. That suggests that many industries will struggle with diminished revenue for weeks or months to come and might be unable to rehire laid-off workers.
The Economic Policy Institute has calculated that about 70% of people who have filed for unemployment benefits since the virus struck have been approved. Applications from the rest may still be pending, or they might have been turned down. Some applicants may not have earned enough money in their previous jobs to qualify for unemployment benefits.
Thursday’s figures also showed that states have approved the benefit applications of nearly 18 million people. This figure is much lower than the total number of people who have sought unemployment aid since the virus struck, in part because it lags behind by one week. And not everyone who applies for benefits manages to receive them.
Americans’ confidence in the economy and in their future incomes has plunged, a sentiment that could slow the rebound once more states and cities allow businesses to open. Many consumers, whose spending drives the bulk of the economy, may be slow to begin shopping, traveling and eating out. Some will likely remain too fearful of contracting the virus. And local and state officials are likely to maintain limits on the number of people who can congregate in certain places at any one time.
Consumer confidence, as measured by the Conference Board, has plummeted to a six-year low, and its measure of how Americans regard the current economy fell by a record amount.
Nearly a fifth of Americans expect their incomes to fall in the next six months, the Conference Board found, the worst such reading in more than seven years. That reinforced the belief that Americans will remain cautious in the spending for months to come.