Category: News

Climate Summit Holds Promise of Jobs

Keystone State News Connection

April 26, 2021

Andrea Sears

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Last week’s Climate Leaders Summit emphasized fighting climate change as an economic opportunity, and state leaders say that means investments and jobs in Pennsylvania.

At the conclusion of the virtual summit of more than three dozen world leaders, President Joe Biden stressed the massive investments necessary to fight climate change will help restore an economy ravaged by COVID-19 and create thousands of new, good-paying jobs.

U.S. Rep. Susan Wild, D-Pa., pointed out in an online news conference Biden’s American Jobs Plan (AJP) calls for investments and tax credits that could create many of those jobs in Pennsylvania.

“By manufacturing electric cars, electrifying public transit vehicles, and paving the way for a clean energy economy, that creates jobs while fighting climate change,” Wild contended.

Biden’s plan faces stiff opposition from congressional Republicans who object to paying for much of the needed investments by raising taxes on corporations.

Pennsylvania Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, D-Philadelphia, noted the fight against climate change is critical to preventing the kind of damage that is becoming more common around the country every year.

“We’re talking about $56 billion dollars in repairs that are necessary as we respond to the floods and the hurricanes and these intensified weather events that are connected to climate change,” Kenyatta outlined.

Pennsylvania has experienced 37 extreme weather events in the past ten years.

The AJP calls for improving the resilience of infrastructure and supporting communities as they recover from disasters.

Wild believes the investments called for by the AJP have the potential to create a more just and cleaner future for generations to come.

Outbound Fort Pitt Tunnel Overnight Lane Restriction Sunday, Monday Nights in Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh, PA – PennDOT District 11 is announcing a lane restriction in the outbound Fort Pitt Tunnel in the City of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, will occur Sunday and Monday nights, April 25-26.

A single-lane restriction will occur in the outbound (westbound) Fort Pitt Tunnel from 9:30 p.m. through 5:30 a.m. each night as crews conduct stand pipe work.

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 1,000 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.

Walk-ins welcome at AHN Vaccination Clinic in Monroeville on Monday

Walk-ins welcome at AHN Vaccination Clinic in Monroeville on Monday

North of Pittsburgh, AHN will host a clinic next Thursday, April 29 at the RLA Learning and Conference Center in Cranberry Township. Appointments are still available.  

 

PITTSBURGH (Apr. 24, 2021) – Allegheny Health Network (AHN) will host a first-dose COVID-19 vaccination clinic on Monday at Next Tier Connect @ Pittsburgh East in Monroeville. The network intends to administer approximately 6,000 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to individuals age 16 or older. Those with or without an appointment are welcome to attend the clinic.

 

Earlier this week, AHN announced that it had joined a coalition of 60 top hospitals and health care systems, including Cleveland Clinic and the Mayo Clinic, in a nationwide campaign to encourage adults to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

 

“Vaccination against COVID-19 represents the clearest pathway to restoring good health and wellbeing in our communities. While AHN has played a central role in vaccinating thousands of Western Pennsylvanians, our efforts will succeed only if more people embrace being vaccinated,” said Donald Whiting, MD, AHN Chief Medical Officer. “We urge everyone who has not yet been vaccinated to receive the vaccine as soon as possible.”

 

AHN has supplied more than 300,000 vaccine doses to Western Pennsylvanians via daily hospital-based clinics, community-based clinics and through dozens of mass vaccination clinics held at sites across the region. The network’s mass vaccination sites have included PNC Park, CCAC South Campus, Monroeville Convention Center, DICK’S Sporting Goods’ corporate office in Coraopolis, Next Tier Connect @ Pittsburgh East in Monroeville, The Galleria at Pittsburgh Mills in Tarentum, Erie Insurance Arena in Erie, Pa. and Buhl Recreation Center in Sharon, Pa.

 

North of Pittsburgh, AHN will host a mass vaccination clinic next Thursday, April 29 at the RLA Learning and Conference Center in Cranberry Township from 11 AM – 7 PM. Appointments are still available.

 

To view all of AHN’s upcoming vaccination clinics and to schedule an appointment, visit www.ahn.org/coronavirus or call (412) DOCTORS. AHN MyChart users can log in to their account to schedule.

 

Prototype of 1st US dollar coins auctioned for $840,000

Prototype of 1st US dollar coins auctioned for $840,000
The Associated Press undefined
Officials say a piece of copper that was struck by the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia in 1794 and was a prototype for the fledgling nation’s money was auctioned off for $840,000, considerably more than expected. Heritage auctions spokesman Eric Bradley said the “No Stars Flowing Hair Dollar” opened at $312,000 when it was put up Friday evening but “in less than a minute, intense bidding quickly pushed the coin to its final auction price of $840,000.” The coin, formerly owned by businessman and Texas Rangers co-chairman Bob Simpson, had been expected to sell for $350,000 to $500,000.

Coroner says buried Amish teen had been strangled, stabbed

Coroner says buried Amish teen had been strangled, stabbed
LANCASTER, Pa. (AP) — A Pennsylvania coroner says a young Amish woman whose remains were found this week had been strangled and stabbed in the neck. The Lancaster County coroner used dental records to positively identify the body of 18-year-old Linda Stoltzfoos. The coroner said following an autopsy Friday that the cause of death was asphyxia from strangulation, along with suffocation. He says the stab wound was a contributing factor in her death. Stoltzfoos was last seen walking home from church in the Bird-in-Hand area on June 21, 2020. Her remains were found in a grave along railroad tracks behind a business where the man charged in her death had worked.

Pa. Department of Health: Resume Use of Johnson & Johnson Vaccine Following FDA/CDC Recommendation

Department of Health: Resume Use of Johnson & Johnson Vaccine Following FDA/CDC Recommendation

Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Health today notified all COVID-19 vaccine providers that the pause in administering doses of the Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) vaccine has been lifted. The move follows updated guidance announced today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Last week, the department recommended the pause in administering Johnson & Johnson vaccine until further guidance from the CDC and FDA was available as the federal agencies continued to review the incidents of rare blood clots that occurred within two weeks of receiving Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices held an emergency meeting today, determining that these incidents are extremely rare, and that the vaccine is safe and effective for all individuals moving forward.

The cases of the combined rare blood clots with low platelet counts occurred in women primarily between the ages 18 and 48 who were among the 6.8 million Americans who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Out of the more than 7.6 million vaccine doses that have been administered in Pennsylvania, only 271,132 doses have been Johnson & Johnson.

This latest announcement shows that the federal oversight process of a vaccine’s safety and effectiveness is working, and all steps are being taken to protect Americans.

“After a thorough review, federal experts have determined that the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is safe for all individuals,” Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam said. “We continue to urge individuals to get vaccinated as soon as possible with any of the three vaccines available to them. Getting vaccinated is essential as we work to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and also of serious and fatal complications due to the virus.”

Individuals who receive the Johnson & Johnson vaccine who develop severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain or shortness of breath within three weeks of their vaccination should still contact their health care provider. For more information, find the CDC/FDA announcement online at: https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-and-cdc-lift-recommended-pause-johnson-johnson-janssen-covid-19-vaccine-use-following-thorough

The department has sent communications to vaccine providers, stakeholder groups and others announcing the resumption of the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in the effort to vaccinate Pennsylvanians.

It is important for all Pennsylvanians to remember they have a choice as to which of the three safe and effective vaccines they receive.

While COVID-19 vaccine supply from the federal government remains limited, the Department of Health is working to ensure the vaccine is provided in a way that is ethical, equitable and efficient. To keep Pennsylvanians informed about vaccination efforts:

  • All Pennsylvanians age 16 and older are eligible to schedule a COVID-19 vaccine. The provider map is available here.
  • A commonwealth COVID-19 vaccination guide explains the current process for getting one. Pennsylvanians with questions about the vaccination process can call the Department of Health hotline at 1-877-724-3258.
  • Vaccine provider map to find a COVID-19 vaccine provider near you.
  • All of the locations that received vaccine and how much they have received can be found on the COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution webpage.
  • Vaccine dashboard data can also be found on the website to find more information on the doses administered and showcase demographic information.
  • The Unite Against COVID Weekly Update is a round-up of news you can use and answers to your most pressing vaccine questions – delivered directly to your inbox every week.
  • Pennsylvanians can provide feedback on the Pennsylvania COVID-19 Interim Vaccination Plan by clicking on the Plan Feedback Form square under Popular Vaccine Topics here.
  • Frequently asked questions can be found here.

The Wolf Administration stresses the role Pennsylvanians play in helping to reduce the spread of COVID-19:

  • Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
  • Cover any coughs or sneezes with your elbow, not your hands.
  • Clean surfaces frequently.
  • Stay home to avoid spreading COVID-19, especially if you are unwell.
  • If you must go out, you are required to wear a mask when in a business or where it is difficult to maintain proper social distancing.
  • Download the COVID Alert PA app and make your phone part of the fight. The free app can be found in the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store by searching for “covid alert pa”.

Sen. John Heinz remembered 30 years after tragic death

Sen. John Heinz remembered 30 years after tragic death
By DEB ERDLEY, Tribune-Review undefined
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Henry John Heinz III was a man in his prime. The 52-year-old U.S. senator and heir to the H.J. Heinz food empire had everything going for him April 4, 1991, the morning he climbed aboard a small, twin-propeller plane in Williamsport. In his 20 years in Congress Heinz had an impressive portfolio as one of a dwindling handful of moderate Republicans. He was charismatic, telegenic and popular; many believed he was headed for a presidential bid. All of that ended in a tragic flash. Three decades later, friends and colleagues remember the legacy of a senator they say was ahead of his time

Can Chauvin get his convictions tossed on appeal?

Can Chauvin get his convictions tossed on appeal?
By MICHAEL TARM AP Legal Affairs Writer
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The unique circumstances surrounding Derek Chauvin’s trial in George Floyd’s death could offer the former Minneapolis police officer some shot at winning a retrial on appeal, though most legal experts agree it’s a long shot. Chauvin, who is white, kneeled on Floyd’s neck for nearly 9 1/2 minutes last May, killing the 46-year-old Black man and sparking some of the largest protests in U.S. history. His conviction was seen by many across the country as a civil-rights milestone.  The defense has said it was impossible for Chauvin to get a fair trial in the city because of pretrial publicity and community pressure on jurors to convict. That claim is sure to underpin any appeal.