‘Lean On Me,’ ‘Lovely Day’ singer Bill Withers dies at 81
By MARK KENNEDY AP Entertainment Writer
Singer Bill Withers has died. He wrote and sang a string of soulful songs in the 1970s that have stood the test of time, including “Lean On Me,” “Lovely Day” and “Ain’t No Sunshine.”  According to a statement released from his family to The Associated Press, the 81-year-old died in Los Angeles from heart complications. “Lean On Me,” was performed at the presidential inaugurations of both Barack Obama and Bill Clinton. Lately, people have posted videos of their versions of the song as inspiration during the coronavirus pandemic.

(Beaver Falls, Pa.) Beaver County Commissioners Chairman Dan Camp said that the Beaver County’s court ordered reassessment is not being affected by the current events of the current situation surrounding the COVID-19 Coronavirus. Camp updated the listeners of 1230 WBVP, 1460 WMBA, and 99.3 FM during his monthly appearance on “Ask the Commissioners” during Teleforum with Frank Sparks.

The question of if the reassessment will be affected by the Coronavirus was submitted via e-mail by a listener. You can hear Commissioner Camps comments below by pressing the play button:

White House moves toward promoting face masks to fight virus
By ZEKE MILLER and MIKE STOBBE Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Social distancing, closed businesses, now face coverings? The Trump administration is formalizing new guidance to recommend that many Americans wear face coverings in an effort to slow the spread of the new coronavirus. The recommendations are still being finalized and are expected to apply at least to those who live in areas hard-hit by community transmission of the virus. A person familiar with the discussion says officials would suggest that non-medical masks, T-shirts or bandannas be used to cover the nose and mouth when outside the home.

Dr. Fauci’s face will soon be on a bobblehead
By CARRIE ANTLFINGER Associated Press
MILWAUKEE (AP) — The United States’ top infectious disease specialist is getting his own bobblehead. The creation from the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum features Dr. Anthony Fauci wearing a suit as he discusses the coronavirus pandemic. Museum co-founder and CEO Phil Sklar says Fauci was picked because many people see the plain-speaking expert on the coronavirus as a hero right now. Sklar said the Milwaukee museum will donate $5 from every $25 Fauci bobblehead that’s sold to the American Hospital Association. The funds will go toward getting masks and other protective equipment for health care workers.

Deadline looms for Pennsylvania virus-shutdown waivers
By MICHAEL RUBINKAM and MARK SCOLFORO Associated Press
Pennsylvania businesses are running out of time if they want an exemption from Gov. Tom Wolf’s shutdown order. Wolf has ordered all “non-life-sustaining” businesses to shutter their physical locations to help slow the spread of the coronavirus but established a waiver process for companies that believe they should be exempt. The deadline to apply is Friday. The state has received more than 34,000 waiver requests through Wednesday, approving about 5,600 and denying more than 8,600. The Pennsylvania Department of Health reported Thursday that over 1,200 additional people tested positive for the virus, bringing the total to over 7,000. There were 16 new deaths for a statewide toll of 90.

Pennsylvania Waives Spay/Neuter Requirement for Adoptions, Conserves PPE for Human Healthcare Professionals

Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture announced today that in an effort to conserve personal protective equipment (PPE) for human healthcare workers, the Pennsylvania Dog Law that requires shelters and rescues to spay/neuter dogs and cats prior to adoption would be waived for pets adopted during active COVID-19 mitigation efforts in Pennsylvania.

“This waiver is not something we take lightly; but it’s a matter of weighing the costs,” said Agriculture Secretary Redding. “Waiving the requirement to spay or neuter prior to adoption allows us to conserve critical PPE supplies and also limit the risk of exposure for veterinarians.”

The waiver comes with a contingency: shelters must keep a list of adopters to follow up with post-pandemic and provide a copy of all contracts to the Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement. Once the pandemic is in the past, shelters would be required to follow up on all pets adopted during COVID-19 mitigation. Adoptive pet owners will have up to 120 days from the time of adoption – timeframe to be re-evaluated as necessary – to have the procedure completed and come into compliance.

With approval from the department, shelters and rescues can continue adopting pets out to Pennsylvanians even during Stay at Home orders. This is essential in order to ensure that shelters are not overly full of animals with short staff numbers. Shelters and rescues continuing to operate and adopt pets are advised to follow guidance for virtual, limited contact adoptions from the Humane Society of the United States. Rescues and shelters should also follow guidance issued from the department to protect their workforce and continue operations.

“The Humane Society of the United States has been monitoring state laws that impact the ability for shelters and rescues to adjust to COVID-19 and provide services to pet and their families,” said Kristen Tullo, Pennsylvania State Director for The Humane Society of the United States. “We thank the Department of Agriculture for extending the timeframe to comply with spay/neuter laws to maximize social distancing and decrease the risks to animal shelter and veterinary staff, while reducing the use of PPE in non-essential procedures.”

Before adopting, Pennsylvanians should consider if they’re able to provide for all the pets’ needs during COVID-19 mitigation and follow the department’s Guidance to Pet Owners.

For 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.

Harrisburg, PA – Today, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn reminded Pennsylvanians that being outdoors is good health care and self care, but recommendations for social distancing to slow the spread of the coronavirus still apply.

“During this time of significant changes to our daily routines it’s clear that our need for and appreciation of nature is greater than ever,” Dunn said. “Outdoor activities are a great idea to relieve stress and as immunity boosters, but they should not include exposure to high-touch surfaces or other groups of people — we need to spread out.”

Dunn noted the best advice to slow the spread of COVID-19 is to stay at home. Engaging in outdoor activity, such as walking, hiking, or running is allowed if social distancing is maintained.

Some tips for avoiding groups of people outdoors include:

• If you have a yard, spend time there outdoors every day.
• If possible, take a walk around your neighborhood with the people in your family, as long as you can stay six feet away from neighbors.
• If you decide to leave your neighborhood, plan for several alternate locations, so if you arrive at your first one and there are crowds, you can move on.
• Choose a less busy time of day, such as early morning.
• Find a local park or trail that offers enough space for social distancing. Pennsylvania has more than 6,000 local parks that are identified on an interactive map.
• Some municipalities have closed local parks to protect visitors and employees, so check the status of the park before you go. If the park is open, bathrooms and water fountains likely will not be, so plan ahead.
• There also are more than 12,000 miles of trails in Pennsylvania, most of which remain accessible during this period. Find a nearby trail at trails.dcnr.pa.gov.

State and local parks, state forests, and trails are seeing record numbers of visitors, with more anticipated as the weather turns warmer and fishing season begins.

From March 17 to 25, Presque Isle State Park in Erie saw an average 165 percent increase in visitation from the same dates last year.

State park and forest facilities such as restrooms, playgrounds, and all overnight accomodations are closed, and staff is limited. The public can access lands and trails.

Be respectful of natural places by practicing Leave No Trace ethics:

• Avoid crowded parking lots and trailheads – find a different spot.
• Use the bathroom before you visit.
• Bring a bag and carry out your trash.
• Take your trash home with you, as there is limited staff emptying trash cans.
• Clean up after pets and carry out the bags.

Pennsylvania has 121 state parks, and 20 forest districts.

Shell’s construction company has applied to the Department of Community and Economic for a waiver to resume some work at the Potter Twp. site here in Beaver County, Shell is asking for an allowance of  limited construction with 400 to 800 workers returning if the waiver is approved.

A dozen local community organizations sent an open letter to Shell Chemicals on Thursday urging the company to protect plant workers and the Beaver County community during the COVID-19 pandemic by not re-opening the plant.

Some union officials and elected leaders feel the plant shouldn’t be approved for the waiver due to the risk of employees contracting the Covid-19 Noval Coraona virus. In recent weeks before the current shut down Shell has been accused of not protecting their employees by having them ride on crowded buses, attend a daily meeting in a large group, and lunchrooms that were crowded.  On March 18, Shell temporarily suspended construction activities at Beaver County’s ethane cracker plant to help control the spread of COVID-19 amid public pressure.

Memo: Some in US may not get stimulus checks until August
By MATTHEW DALY Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — The federal government expects to begin making payments to millions of Americans under the new stimulus law in mid-April, but some people without direct deposit information may not get checks until mid-August or later. That’s according to a memo obtained Thursday by The Associated Press. The document from the House Ways and Means Committee says the IRS will make about 60 million payments to Americans through direct deposit in mid-April, likely the week of April 13. The IRS has direct deposit information for these individuals from their 2018 or 2019 tax returns. Paper checks will be issued, starting May 4, but could take up to 20 weeks.