VP Pence’s press secretary tests positive for coronavirus
By DARLENE SUPERVILLE and AAMER MADHANI Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Mike Pence’s press secretary has the coronavirus. That makes her the second person who works at the White House complex known to test positive for the virus this week, which is leading the Trump administration to step up safety protocols. Pence’s spokeswoman Katie Miller tested positive Friday. She had been in recent contact with Pence but not with President Donald Trump. She is married to Stephen Miller, a top adviser to Trump. The White House had no immediate comment on whether Stephen Miller has been tested or is still working out of the White House.

US unemployment surges to a Depression-era level of 14.7%
By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP Economics Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) — The coronavirus crisis has sent the U.S. unemployment rate surging to 14.7%, a level last seen when the country was in the throes of the Depression and President Franklin D. Roosevelt was assuring Americans that the only thing to fear was fear itself. The Labor Department said Friday that 20.5 million jobs vanished in April in the worst monthly loss on record, triggered by the coast-to-coast shutdowns of factories, stores, offices and other businesses. The breathtakingly swift losses are certain to intensify the push-pull across the U.S. over how and when to ease the stay-at-home restrictions and the social-distancing rules. And they rob President Donald Trump of the ability to point to a strong economy as he runs for reelection.

(Matt Drzik/Beaver County Radio)

Protective protocol or political punishment?

The latter seemed to be the majority pick at a Press Conference at the Beaver County Courthouse on Friday afternoon, where all three County Commissioners and other delegates vehemently chastised Governor Tom Wolf for not re-opening Beaver County, forcing it to stay in the “red zone” of strictest restrictions until at least May 15 and as long as June 4.

One by one the men up front took their shots, starting with Commissioner Chairman Dan Camp, who praised the workers at Brighton Health and Wellness for their efforts and reiterated that the PA Department of Health was failing:

Next was County Commissioner Jack Manning, who in his “data-driven” mindset, felt that what Governor Wolf’s plan has done is illogical and hurtful for business:

The last of the Commissioners, Tony Amadio, stood with his other board members in denouncing Governor Wolf’s action, saying that he can understand if Beaver County Citizens start to get upset:

State Representative Josh Kail was next, and he used the term “incompetence” bluntly and often to describe the execution of Governor Wolf’s plan:

Fellow Representative Jim Marshall followed, and he felt that the legislators were collectively unhappy and upset with the Governor’s decisions:

Lastly, Senator Elder Vogel spoke hastily displayed his agreement with his fellow County legislators, pointing out that having the surrounding counties open–along with past mistakes made by the Governor early in the pandemic–showcase the fallacy of the reopening plan.

Along with the outward frustrations, the point was made by Commissioner Dan Camp (and subsequently echoed by District Attorney David J. Lozier) that any business that does re-open, while following proper CDC guidelines for health and safety, would not face charges for restarting their business by the County.

Governor Wolf announced that Butler, Allegheny, and Washington counties would reopen on May 15.

Eastbound I-376 Beaver Valley Expressway Bridge Inspection Next Week in Brighton Township

Pittsburgh, PA – PennDOT District 11 is announcing work to inspect the eastbound I-376 (Beaver Valley Expressway) bridge over Bradys Run Park in Brighton Township, Beaver County, will occur Monday through Thursday, May 11-14 weather permitting.

A single-lane restriction on the westbound I-376 bridge located over Bradys Run Park between the Chippewa (Exit 31) and Brighton (Exit 36) interchanges will occur from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day.  Crews from CDM Smith will conduct the inspection activities.

Motorists can check conditions on more than 40,000 roadway miles, including color-coded winter conditions on 2,900 miles, by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information, and access to more than 950 traffic cameras.

511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional twitter alerts accessible on the 511PA website.

(Aliquippa, Pa.)  Story by Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano

Aliquippa City Council met Wednesday  night on ZOOM and  approved a $53,000  contract with HRG  for the Zoning and Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance updates . Council discussed the county’s Community Development Block Grant re qualification process  for the fiscal years 2021-2023.  The county is required to obtain a cooperation agreement from  third-class cities that choose to be included. The resolution is due June 7, 2020. . The funding, when received, is for demolition of blighted structures, playgrounds and other projects.

Train kills 15 migrant workers walking home in India
NEW DELHI (AP) — India’s Railways Ministry says a train has plowed through a group of migrant workers who fell asleep on the tracks after walking back home from a coronavirus lockdown. It says the driver of the cargo train tried but failed to stop in time in Maharashtra state. The Press Trust of India news agency says the workers were walking to their home state in central India after they lost jobs when the country went into a strict lockdown on March 25. Early this week the government started running trains to carry stranded workers to their home states. But a lack of trains led many to walk back. Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted that he was anguished by the loss of lives.

Jetliner hits, kills man on Austin, Texas, airport runway
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A man was struck and killed by a commercial jet landing on a runway at an Austin, Texas, airport. Authorities say it happened Thursday night at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. A statement from the Federal Aviation Administration says the pilot of a Southwest Airlines flight arriving from Dallas reported seeing a person on Runway 17-Right shortly after touching down at 8:12 p.m. The driver of an airport operations vehicle later found the body on the runway. Airport spokesman Bryce Dubee says officials don’t believe the man was supposed to be on Runway 17-R at the time, but they’re working to confirm that and determine the events leading up to his death.