How do I know if I have a cold, the flu or COVID-19?
By VICTORIA MILKO AP Science Writer
Symptoms of common colds, the flu and COVID-19 can overlap, so experts say testing is the best way to determine what you have. The flu and COVID-19 can share symptoms including cough, fever and tiredness. Symptoms unique to COVID-19 include the loss of taste or smell. Colds tend to be milder with symptoms including a stuffy nose and sore throat. It is also possible to be infected with the flu and COVID-19 at the same time. With many similar symptoms caused by the three different viruses, testing remains the best option to determine which one you might have.

Stalemates, court battles could squeeze primary election
By MARC LEVY Associated Press
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — More extreme time pressures could push the bounds of how Pennsylvania’s elections are run in 2022, with races for U.S. Senate and governor driving voter interest and partisan stalemates in the statehouse sowing uncertainty. With barely a month Friday before candidates can start gathering signatures to qualify for primary ballots, Pennsylvania still has no new map of boundaries for congressional and state legislative districts. A court battle looks inevitable, potentially squeezing the timeline for counties to finalize and mail out ballots. Meanwhile, counties remain unable to persuade the Republican-controlled Legislature to let them process mailed-in ballots before Election Day. That hang-up in 2020’s presidential election dragged out counting for days.

Winter storm tracks east, hitting during morning commute
By MARK PRATT Associated Press
BOSTON (AP) — A winter storm that has already left areas of the South with more than 6 inches of snow moved into the Northeast during the morning commute and prompted many school districts to close for the day. Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker urged people to stay off the roads Friday and take public transportation if possible, as the storm was forecast to drop as much as a foot of snow in coastal areas of the state. Schools in Boston closed, and Providence, Rhode Island, public schools switched to distance learning, but New York City kept the nation’s largest public school system open.

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP Economics Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. employers added a modest 199,000 jobs last month while the unemployment rate fell sharply, at a time when businesses are struggling to fill jobs with many Americans remaining reluctant to return to the workforce. At the same time, Friday’s jobs report from the Labor Department showed that the nation’s unemployment rate fell from 4.2% to a healthy 3.9%, evidence that many more people found jobs last month. Indeed, despite the slight hiring gain, 651,000 more people reported that they were employed in December compared with November. Wages also rose sharply, a sign that companies are competing fiercely to fill their open jobs.

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Pittsburgh, PA – PennDOT has lifted the speed limit restrictions that were in place on several roadways in the region.

(Coraopolis, Pa.)  40-year-old William Goring of Coraopolis was arrested by Allegheny County Police and charged after he reportedly grabbed a 9-year-old girl at her school bus stop in Coraopolis.
Police officers were dispatched to the intersection of School Street and McCabe Street at about 8:15 a.m. yesterday and upon arriving learned the the 9-year-old girl was grabbed from behind by a man who covered her mouth, grabbed her by the hair and led her away from the bus stop. Police said the girl fought with the man and was able to get away from him as the bus arrived.
Goring was a stranger to the girl. He was quickly found and detained by police.
He was charged with attempted kidnapping, aggravated assault and other charges.

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​Pittsburgh, PA – PennDOT District 11 is announcing northbound lane restrictions at the I-79 Neville Island Bridge in Glenfield Borough and Robinson and Neville townships, Allegheny County, will occur Saturday, January 8 weather permitting.

Northbound Interstate 79 will be reduced to a single-lane of traffic from 6 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday between the Route 51 Coraopolis/McKees Rocks (Exit 64) and Route 65 Emsworth/Sewickley (Exit 66) interchanges. Crews will conduct paint containment removal work. No restrictions will occur in the southbound direction.

Motorists should expect delays during peak travel times.

The $43 million I-79 Neville Island Bridge Rehabilitation Project includes structural steel repairs, full structure painting, bearing and deck joint replacements, deck repairs and overlays, bridge barrier repair, substructure concrete work and drainage improvements. The project also includes concrete roadway reconstruction, guide rail replacement and preservation work on four sign structures. Additionally, preservation work will occur on the I-79 bridge over Deer Run Road, north of the Neville Island Bridge. Motorists will see ramp closures and single-lane and shoulder closures in each direction on I-79 during daylight off-peak and overnight hours. Other traffic impacts include four southbound weekend closures in 2022. The overall project is expected to be completed in the summer of 2023.

The Trumbull Corporation is the prime contractor.

To help keep motorists informed as work progresses, PennDOT has created an email distribution list for the I-79 Neville Island Bridge rehabilitation including traffic advisories and construction updates. Enroll by sending email addresses to stcowan@pa.gov. Please write “Subscribe – I-79” in the subject line.

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.

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Story published at 5:59 AM, Friday, january 7, 2022

On the Friday edition of A.M. Beaver County, Frank Sparks will be jumping in the captain’s chair at 7:30 while Matt Drzik heads off to the State of The County address at Geneva College. Frank will be celebrating the upcoming 87th birthday of Elvis Presley with songs and trivia–and your chance to win!

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Story by Sandy Giordano, Beaver County Radio News Correspondent
(Aliquippa, Pa.) Tec Electric, Inc’s. bid estimate to supply new pole lights on the 400 block of Franklin Avenue heading north was approved by council Wednesday night.
Mayor Dwan B. Walker told council it’s about moving the city forward. We need to hire more police officers, install new sidewalks, lighting and façade for the city’s streetscape. The Fifth Avenue Hill grant of $2.5 million is the first round for the city’s infrastructure, he said. The Third Avenue playground will be built. The city is to receive a T Mobile grant for $50,000 on Thursday, January 20, 2022 at 2 p.m. at their business in the Aliquippa Shopping Center