Top Local and National News Stories category, Page 1511
Unprecedented drop in gas prices will continue, industry analyst says
The coronavirus pandemic has destroyed global demand for oil, leading to the lowest oil prices in 18 years, an industry analyst said. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a collapse in prices, even including the Great Recession,” said Patrick DeHaan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy. “What we’re witnessing...
Second eaglet hatches in Hays bald eagle nestVideo
Two days after Pittsburgh received its first eaglet of the season, another one hatched, according to the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania. The eaglet, which is the 11th for the Hays bald eagle couple, hatched around 6:40 a.m. Monday, officials confirmed. The first eaglet hatched at 7:40 a.m. Saturday. The...
Washington County woman run over by tractor, killed
A Washington County woman died Sunday after she was run over by a tractor, according to Coroner Tim Warco. Elizabeth McCord, 60, was run over at 3 p.m. in Buffalo Township at the intersection of Jolly School and Mounts roads near her home. She was pronounced dead in the emergency...
Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank hands out meals in Kennywood parking lot
Up to 1,200 area families impacted by the coronavirus could receive food during a share event in Kennywood’s parking lot. The event, hosted by the Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank, began at 9 a.m. Monday and ran until 11 a.m. After a break, it will resume from 4 to 6 p.m....
University of Pittsburgh student tests positive for covid-19
A University of Pittsburgh student living in a campus residence hall has tested positive for covid-19, university officials said Sunday. “Late last night, we learned of a confirmed case of coronavirus disease, covid-19, in one of our Pittsburgh campus residence halls,” the university said in a message sent to the...
Drivers honk to wish New Kensington boy, 5, a happy birthday
For Colton Belli, it was a birthday like no other. But it wasn’t the one his parents had envisioned. To celebrate Colton’s fifth birthday, Jennifer and Mike Belli of New Kensington had it all planned out: They would take their son to Disney World. Then the coronavirus outbreak happened and...
About 200 attend Hempfield’s Word of Life Church amid coronavirus shutdownVideo
About 200 people gathered to worship Sunday at Word of Life Church in Hempfield at a time when most other churches either canceled or livestreamed services and when government officials are urging gatherings of 10 or more people to be halted. Senior Pastor Tom Walters said he understands other churches’...
UPMC closing ambulatory care centers
UPMC announced Sunday it is closing all of its ambulatory surgery centers and consolidating surgeries and procedures into its hospitals. The decision reflects UPMC’s goal to only go forward with procedures that doctors have determined to be medically necessary, said UPMC spokesman Paul Wood. “These efforts will help us to...
Pennsylvania eyes later primary as coronavirus outbreak continues
HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania is confirming another big increase in coronavirus cases Sunday as lawmakers are drafting legislation to delay the state’s April 28 primary election and relax rules around how mail-in ballots can be processed in advance of polls closing. Pennsylvania House State Government Committee Chairman Garth Everett, R-Lycoming, said...
Sen. Rand Paul says he has tested positive for coronavirus
WASHINGTON— Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, becoming the first case of covid-19 in the Senate and raising fears about the further transmission of the virus among Republicans at the Capitol. Paul, an eye surgeon, went into quarantine Sunday after learning his results. He...
2nd participant in Valley High School NYC trip tests positive for coronavirus
A second person who went on a trip to New York City with the Valley High School marching band has tested positive for the coronavirus that causes covid-19, the New Kensington-Arnold School District said Sunday. The second person is a district employee, the district said. The first is an employee’s...
State, Pittsburgh police to start enforcing Pa. business closures
Pennsylvania State Police will begin enforcing the closure of “non-life-sustaining” businesses starting 8 a.m. Monday, said Col. Robert Evanchick, state police commissioner. Pittsburgh police also announced Sunday that officers will be responding to 911 calls and other complaints about nonexempt businesses that ignore orders to shut down. Officers will investigate...
Omni William Penn Hotel in Pittsburgh to close for 2 months in response to coronavirus
The Omni William Penn Hotel in Downtown Pittsburgh will close for a little more than two months in response to the coronavirus pandemic. An emailed statement from Peter Strebel, president of Omni Hotels & Resorts, said the hotel will suspend operations Monday and stay closed through at least June 1....
Rep. Conor Lamb wishes happy birthday to 100-year-old aunt from safe distanceVideo
U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb and a few family members wanted to wish their aunt a happy 100th birthday, but with the coronavirus outbreak they had to keep some distance. So according to a post on his social media, Lamb and members of his family, with the help of the staff...
Pa. reports another 108 confirmed cases of coronavirus; state total now 479
Another 108 new confirmed cases of coronavirus have been reported in Pennsylvania, the state Department of Health announced Sunday. In all, 479 cases have been confirmed in the state, with 5,443 people having been tested. That means 4,964 people have tested negative. Two people have died as a result of...
Senate fails to advance covid-19 rescue package
WASHINGTON — Top-level negotiations between Congress and the White House churned late into the night over a now nearly $2 trillion economic rescue package, as the coronavirus crisis deepened, the nation shut down and the first U.S. senator tested positive for the disease. As President Donald Trump took to the...
Covid-19 cases in Allegheny County rise to 40; 4 people hospitalized
Allegheny County now has 40 positives cases of covid-19, the Allegheny County Health Department said Sunday. Of those cases, four people are hospitalized, health department officials said. The number of confirmed cases is expected to continue to grow. “The most important thing you can do to help stop the spread...
MSA, Highmark, AHN bringing 65K protective masks to Pittsburgh
Thousands of protective masks are being shipped to Pittsburgh to help support the region’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, officials announced Sunday. MSA Safety Inc. has partnered with Highmark Health and Allegheny Health Network to secure a shipment of 65,000 N95 protective masks to the region. Such masks have become...
Virus outbreak means (mis)information overload: How to cope
The coronavirus pandemic is leading to information overload for many people, often making it difficult to separate fact from fiction and rumor from deliberate efforts to mislead. Already, text messages predicting a nationwide lockdown have circulated, along with social media posts telling people that one way to get tested for...
Are play dates OK during coronavirus outbreak? Health expert weighs in.
Dr. Amesh Adalja, a Pittsburgh-based infectious disease expert and a fellow of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, has been answering our questions throughout the coronavirus pandemic. We asked him six more on Sunday. Adalja, who has published papers on pandemic preparedness in the New England Journal of Medicine, stresses...
Coronavirus at a glance: Italy has 800 new deaths; medical supplies dwindle worldwide
The virus pandemic advanced Sunday after the U.S. and Europe reported soaring new cases, prompting a scramble in some regions to set up additional hospital beds and replenish much-needed medical supplies. Italy announced its biggest day-to-day increase of infections, which rose by 6,600 with nearly 800 new fatalities from the...
Senior care network launches greeting card program to brighten spirits of quarantined residents
The Presbyterian SeniorCare Network has launched an initiative to brighten the spirits of patients and their caregivers by sending them cards and notes of encouragement while they are under the state-mandated quarantine to help slow the spread of the coronavirus. “People are reaching out to us asking if they can...
Economists paint dire picture as coronavirus outbreak continues
Job layoffs, dark movie theaters and quarantined residents fearing the coronavirus and reluctant to venture beyond the front door could lead to one of the worst economic downturns in recent U.S. history, according to one area expert. “We’re headed for a recession, if we’re not in a recession already,” said...
Participant in Valley High School NYC trip tested positive for coronavirus
The spouse of a New Kensington-Arnold School District employee went on a bus trip to New York City with the Valley High School Marching Band and later tested positive for coronavirus, district officials confirmed Saturday. About 102 people — students, staff and chaperones — were in the group that was...
Giant Eagle will pay $10 million in bonus pay to workers during outbreak
Giant Eagle said Saturday it will be giving $10 million in bonus pay to employees during the coronavirus outbreak. In a press release, the company said the bonus pay will be offered to all those working at Giant Eagle, Market District, Giant Eagle Pharmacy and GetGo locations. In addition, those...
