Pandemic creates electoral uncertainty for Trump, Democrats
By STEVE PEOPLES and THOMAS BEAUMONT Associated Press
President Donald Trump’s reelection is facing growing headwinds less than six months before Election Day. The coronavirus has breached the White House walls. The U.S. unemployment rate is at a 90-year high. And the death toll in the U.S. is surging past 80,000, far more than the Republican president’s projections. Meanwhile, medical experts are warning of a major second wave of infections as states begin to reopen portions of their economies with Trump’s blessing. Democrat Joe Biden has political challenges of his own, but no incumbent president has faced anything like this in almost a century.
The Pennsylvania Licensed Beverage & Tavern Association is calling on Gov. Tom Wolf to increase services in yellow areas as they wait for the final move to the green phase of reopening.
The group is also asking for limited indoor and outdoor seating, in the yellow phase of reopening, with strict social distancing.
In a letter to the Wolf, the executive director of the group, Chuck Moran said “They were the first Pennsylvania businesses ordered to cease operations and have been deprived of most sources of income for almost eight weeks now. All are under enormous economic pressure, and we are concerned that this will cause permanent closures for many.”
Ohio bars and restaurants are already moving toward limited outdoor seating this Friday, officials said. They want similar practices here in Pennsylvania. They are reporting that bars and restaurants in Pa have lost over $1.8 billion in the month of April.
Story by Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano
(Brighton Twp., pa.) The Beaver County Commissioners and local State Representatives spoke out about the PA DOH’s failure to take action in regards to the highest number of cases and deaths due to COVID-19 at Brighton Rehab and Wellness Center in Brighton Twp..
Since mid-March the highest number of deaths in the county have occurred at the facility which is privately owned.
Lt. Col. Keith Hicox , Public Affairs Sirector of the PA Army National Guard said they did an initial assessment on Saturday at the site. Captian David Boyles said 12-15 soldiers , one of them a geriatric doctor under the PA Department of Health with guidance from PEMA said the guardsmen will aid and assist at the site.” He said,”They will provide support in any way they need, we will be there to help.”.
An update on the situation at the site is expected this morning.
Click the Play button below to hear Sandy’s Report:
Tune into 1230 WBVP, 1460 WMBA, 99.3 FM, and beavercountyradio.com Monday May 11, 2020 at 9:35 a.m. during Teleforum with Frank Sparks. Frank’s guest will be Pa. State Rep Aaron Bersnstine.
Aaron will be discussing his thoughts on Gov. Tom Wolf’s decision last Friday to keep Beaver County in the Red Phase while the rest of the Southwest region will move to the yellow phase starting Friday May 15, 2020.
Tune into 1230 WBVP, 1460 WMBA, 99.3 FM, and beavercountyradio.com Monday May 11, 2020 at 9:10 a.m. during Teleforum with Frank Sparks. Frank’s guest will be Pa. State Rep. Josh Kail. Josh was part of the County Commissioners Press Conference on Friday to discuss the disappointment with Gov Tom Wolfs decision to move all of the Southwest Region of Pennsylvania to the yellow phase except for Beaver County.
Josh will discuss his statement calling the decision and the way that things were handled at Brighton Rehab and Wellness as incompetence.
(Beaver, PA) Concise and clear. That was definitely the case for the talk that PA State representative Joshua Kail (R-15th district) gave during a noon time press conference held Friday in court room 1 at the Beaver County court house. The fact is, the state rep only used one word, and its meaning was very clear to describe how he felt PA Governor Wolf and the Wolf administration had handled and responded to issues concerning the COVID 19 crisis. That word was “incompetence.”
Kail’s word was used eight times in his four minute and nineteen second address. His dissertation was one of many segments during Friday’s presentation that also included speeches from Beaver County Commission Chairman Daniel Camp, County Commissioner Tony Amadio, County Commissioner Jack Manning, State Representative Jim Marshall, State Senator Elder Vogel and Beaver County District Attorney David Lozier. The reason for the mass eloquence from Beaver County’s chosen leaders was to gather in solidarity to voice their displeasure toward PA Governor Wolf’s decision to single out Beaver County and make it the only county in southwest PA not to have COVID 19 shut down restrictions eased.
Video from Josh Kail’s speech on Friday May 8, 2020.
The focal point of the press conference was to announce that Beaver County officials will move forward anyway and allow certain local businesses to re open, even though state wide restrictions remain in place. That was made possible by getting the affirmation from District Attorney David Lozier that he would not prosecute any business or business owner who had a complaint filed against them. The guidance suggested by Lozier and the other elected officials for re opening was in effect the same businesses that would have been allowed to open if Beaver County had been given the “Yellow Phase” designation. That phase mainly allows retail shops, child care centers and gatherings of up to 25 people to open or happen. Bars, restaurants, hair salons and other enterprises that are regulated by the state would not receive the same special “look the other way” privileges as promised by Lozier for the local establishments.
Officially, Beaver County continues to be listed as a “Red Phase” county with only life sustaining and essential businesses, along with a few added exceptions, allowed to operate until the next proposed deadline of June 4, 2020.
(Beaver County, PA) For two months now, reaction to the coronavirus pandemic continues to force the suspension or cancellation of large gatherings, including worship services across Pennsylvania. Along that line, WBVP, WMBA and 99.3 F.M. are pleased to provide a way for worship to still be a part of Sunday even though the sanctuaries are closed . Local listeners and parishioners can tune in to WBVP. WMBA, 99.3 F.M. and the Beaver County Radio live online audio stream to seven different local church and faith based programs this week.
The Line Up For Sunday May 10 – Wednesday May 13, 2020:
Sunday starts off with “Sounds of Faith”, a two hour inspirational segment of worship and praise music that airs from 7 until 9 A.M.
At 9 A.M. live Sunday Mass from St. Monica Catholic Parish in Chippewa will still take place even though the church is closed to the public.
Then at 10 A.M., A recorded broadcast from First Presbyterian Church in Rochester featuring Reverend Lee Bittner along with special music from Mike Neely.
As in previous weeks, The Soma Gathering in Beaver Falls is again sponsoring the Sunday morning 10:30 A.M. slot featuring Pastor Jan Davis from Central United Methodist church in Beaver Falls, who will engage with listeners via a recorded sermon.
Central United Methodist Church in Beaver Falls, PA
At noon, Senior Pastor Cliff Reynolds from Word Alive church in Ellwood City will be featured with a recorded message entitled “A Cheerleaders Report” The Word Alive broadcast is sponsored by Hamilton Tool and Supply in Beaver Falls.
Part pastor/part radio announcer – Pastor Andy Russell from the New Galilee Church Of The Nazarene performs a sound check prior to a live broadcast of his outdoor church service.
Then, from 1 to 2 P.M., a special live broadcast will be aired from The New Galilee Church of the Nazarene featuring Pastor Andy Russell speaking from the “drive in church” pulpit. Much like the old drive in movies of years past, Pastor Russell plans on preaching from the parking lot this Sunday and inviting people to pull up, park, and tune the car radio in to 1230 WBVP, 1460 WMBA or 99.3 F.M. to hear his special Sunday message.
On Wednesday at 7 P.M., Pastor Rod Smith from Mountain Ministries will present his recorded message: “Good News From The Mountain.”
(Beaver, PA) For people who like statistics and data, this story will win a Pulitzer Prize. On Friday, Political proletariat from Beaver County held a closed press conference in court room number 1 of the Beaver County Courthouse to unleash their disdain for a recent decision by Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf not to re open Beaver County after seven week shut down to slow down the spread of the COVID 19 virus.
After County Commission Chairman Daniel C. Camp set the tone with strong oratory in his opening statements, he turned the program over to the analytical thinker of the bunch, Commissioner Jack Manning. For the next three minutes and forty five seconds, the gathered media were going to hear just exactly why Beaver County should have been included in the the re opening process, along with every other county in southwest Pennsylvania. The basic gist of Manning’s diatribe was that only a fool could have come to the conclusion that Beaver County should remain closed after taking a closer look at the data. Data that he was more than willing to share. Here is a video of Jack’s segment:
The conclusion was a simple one. Open Beaver County up anyway, regardless of what the governor had decided. Jack Manning, along with fellow commissioners, Tony Amadio and Dan Camp, state representatives, Jim Marshall and Joshua Kail, state senator, Elder Vogel and district attorney, David Lozier, banded together in solidarity and announced that local Beaver County businesses were permitted to open up, in the same fashion as those in other counties, in spite of restrictions in place from Harrisburg. This was accomplished by getting assurances from Lozier, that no business or business owner, who had complaints filed against them by local law enforcement, would be prosecuted. However, businesses having state regulated licenses, such as hair salons, restaurants and bars would not be able to open up under the rogue moment announced by Manning and his cohorts on Friday.
For now Beaver County will “officially” remain closed, according to the Governor’s list, anyway, until at least June 4, 2020.
(Beaver, PA) Beaver County District Attorney David Lozier was the final person to speak from the podium in court room 1 in the Beaver County Courthouse at a press conference on Friday May 8, 2020. Lozier backed up what other county leaders had proclaimed earlier to media personnel in attendance at the closed forum. Lozier clarified and summed up the press conference by closing his segment with “I will not prosecute a business or a business owner who has a complaint against them under these orders. ”
Beaver County Commission Chairman Dan Camp, along with fellow commissioners Tony Amadio and Jack Manning joined State Representatives Jim Marshall and Joshua Kail and State Senator Elder Vogel , set the stage prior to Lozier’s final confirmation. The collection of county and state officials all offered commentary at Friday’s press conference. The event was scheduled as a forum to voice the group’s displeasure with Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf’s recent decision to not ease COVID 19 closure restrictions on Beaver County, leaving it the only county in the south west region under full lock down. In a rather bold maneuver, the group stood in solidarity and announced Friday that Beaver County businesses will be encouraged to re open regardless of statewide closure mandates still in place, under the same conditions as the “yellow phase” of business reopening scheduled to begin on May 15th in neighboring areas. Assurance was given that businesses will not face potential legal problems from local law enforcement if they do open their doors.
Beaver County District Attorney, David Lozier, speaking at Friday’s press conference.
The strong reaction from Beaver County officials came on the heels of being surprised. Much of the rhetoric at Friday’s presser centered around a feeling of Beaver County seemingly being duped by, and then spurned by Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf. Local officials proclaimed that the dialogue between The Governor and the county had been positive and that the Governor’s office was even praised the efforts and progress made in fighting and containing the COVID 19 virus. According to County Commissioner, Tony Amadio, “We were told for the past six weeks that we were doing a good job. We were doing a great job, and that the southwest corner was going to be able to move forward into the yellow. And the we found out last night, that they put a wall around Beaver County. It was just, as I said, totally disheartening.”
Beaver County Commissioner, Tony Amadio, speaking at Friday’s press conference.
Officially, Beaver didn’t pass muster for having the COVID 19 closure restrictions lifted because the number of on going corona virus cases reported on a per capita basis weighted with total population wasn’t low enough. Though very few residents outside of long term care facilities have contracted the virus, a high concentration of COVID 19 cases and deaths have occurred in with a couple local facilities. A couple of isolated outbreaks in those facilities made it impossible for Beaver County to meet the Governor’s threshold for re opening.
(Beaver, PA) There were actually two prominent news stories on Friday concerning Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf potentially lifting stay at home restrictions in Western Pennsylvania. The obvious angle was the fact that Beaver County was the only county in the entire southwest region of the state to not be scheduled for re classification into the lesser restrictive “yellow phase” of the COVID-19 shut down orders that began back on March 16, 2020. The reason given from Governor Wolf and his team was that Beaver County’s per capita infection rate from the virus was still too high. Sad news for sure for many residents who were hoping to be able to go out and shop at local merchants again starting on May 15, when the other areas will begin easing restricting. Officially, at least, Beaver County will continue to be Full shut down mode for the time being until at least June 4, 2020. The other story, and perhaps the more interesting one that surfaced from the same issue on Friday, was the fact that Beaver County’s leaders stood in solidarity and thumbed their noses at Governor Wolf’s bad news for the area.
Beaver County political leaders Jim Marshall, Joshua Kail, Jack Manning and Dan Camp at Friday’s press conference in courtroom #1.
County Commission Chairman Dan Camp was the opening speaker at a noontime press conference held at the Beaver County Courthouse, and much like the kid who didn’t get picked to play on the school yard pick up team until last, vowed to make the ones doing the selecting pay for their oversight. Camp announced that businesses would be welcome and encouraged to open anyway, regardless of the fact that the restrictions would still still in place. He assured the gathering of media types in attendance that District Attorney, David Lozier, would not be pursuing any potential future cases brought against merchants by local law enforcement officials for opening their shops. Lozier later on in the meeting confirmed the fact.
Dan Camp’s Opening monologue segment of the press conference.
The 37 minute press conference featured words of the same ilk from the other Beaver County commissioners, state representatives and Lozier himself.
