Seemingly making a case against the social distancing advice of health experts, Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., says, if you are healthy, skip the local grocery lines and go have a beer at your local pub. Nunes says his advice does not mean those who are potentially contagious should put others at risk, especially our vulnerable senior citizens. Doctors have advised President Donald Trump to promote social distancing, which will keep masses of people at a safer distance from others in order to slow the spread of the coronavirus and keep the infection rate at something that is more manageable by the U.S. healthcare system.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Police say it’s been a violent few days in Philadelphia with six homicides recorded between early Friday and Sunday night. Police say the victims were all men in their 20s and most were shot in north Philadelphia. In one case, a 22-year-old woman was also critically injured. No arrests have been announced in any of the cases.

The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission has ordered all public utilities not to shut off customers’ service during the coronavirus outbreak. Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano reports on this new state order affects residents in Aliquippa…

State Rep. Jim Marshall has canceled the concealed carry seminar scheduled for Saturday, March 21st at the Midland Sportsman Club because of coronavirus health concerns. He has also canceled the veterans outreach hours planned for April 2nd and May 7th. Marshall is also closing his office to visitors for two weeks, beginning today. He will reassess the need for a continued closure at the end of the month.

Rising sea levels brought on by climate change are bringing flooding to the Delaware River Basin and threatening to shut down Philadelphia’s drinking water. Andrea Sears reports…

The Board of Commissioners have made the decision to close the Beaver County Brady’s Run Ice Arena. Along with that closure, all after hours work meetings by outside organizations have also been cancelled.

WEATHER FORECAST FOR MONDAY, MARCH 16TH, 2020

TODAY – MOSTLY CLOUDY. HIGH – 51.

TONIGHT – SHOWERS OVERNIGHT. LOW – 44.

TUESDAY – CLOUDY. SLIGHT CHANCE OF A RAIN SHOWER.
HIGH NEAR 50.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — In a new front to slow the spread of the new coronavirus in Pennsylvania, Gov. Tom Wolf ordered all restaurants and bars to close their dine-in facilities in five heavily populated counties starting Monday. The counties include Allegheny County, home to Pittsburgh, and the four counties ringing Philadelphia. The bans begin Monday morning. Wolf’s order to bars and restaurants ramps up a posture toward private businesses in Philadelphia’s suburbs in which Wolf had urged business to “what’s right.” Officials in Allegheny County asked nonessential businesses to close for 14 days. The state Department of Health shows the state’s official total of positive tests at 63.

All K-12 schools in Pennsylvania are being closed due to concerns about the potential spread of coronavirus, Gov. Tom Wolf’s office said Friday. Schools will remain closed for 10 business days, starting today. At the end of the 10 days, state officials will reevaluate and decide whether continued closure is needed. Wolf’s order — affecting more than 1.7 million children, in public and private schools — came as confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state leaped from 22 to 33, including the first patient under age 18. He said schools won’t be penalized if they are unable to reach the 180 days of instruction required under state law.