Ways to combat first wave resurgence discussed

July 7, 2020

After consistently moving toward flattening the curve, positive cases of COVID-19 have been climbing in the last two weeks across several states. Florida had the most dramatic increase of cases, jumping from 3,235 daily new cases per 100,000 people on June 22 to 9,019 daily new cases June 27, according to the Johns Hopkins University & Medicine Coronavirus Resource Center. During a live-streamed press conference in Pensacola on June 28, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said that part of the reason for the rising case number was an increase in testing. “We’ve done more testing than we ...

July 7: Events canceled/postponed due to coronavirus

July 7, 2020

¯ The 74th-annual Weirton Steel Corp. 25-Year Club picnic set for July 18 has been canceled. ¯ A Caring Place Child Advocacy Center has canceled what would have been its rescheduled casino night fundraiser on July 18 at the Steubenville Country Club. ¯ The 50th-annual Covered Bridge Festival that had been scheduled for Sept. 19-20 at eight locations across Washington and Greene counties in Pennsylvania, has been canceled. ¯ All military meetings for the Jefferson County Veterans Association have been canceled until the end of summer. The cancellations include the annual Memorial ...

W.Va. makes masks mandatory indoors

July 6, 2020

CHARLESTON - With coronavirus cases coming in higher the last five days than at any point during the worst of the outbreak last spring, Gov. Jim Justice ordered Monday that masks be worn indoors effective at midnight this evening. Justice, speaking during a coronavirus briefing Monday at the ...

Pittsburgh remains virus hotspot; reports 218 new infections

July 6, 2020

HARRISBURG, Pa. — An additional 450 people in Pennsylvania have tested positive for the new coronavirus, with nearly half the new cases coming from the Pittsburgh area, state health officials reported Monday. There were 218 new infections in Allegheny County, a virus hotspot that is home to Pittsburgh and 1.2 million people. Last week, county health officials announced a one-week ban on table service at bars and restaurants. Health officials have said that many of those testing positive lately are younger people who frequented bars and restaurants or who traveled out of state to beach ...

Congregations adjusting as in-person worship resumes

July 6, 2020

The inability to attend church each week has been one of the most widespread consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to social distancing guidelines, it’s been nearly impossible for congregations around the country to gather in ways they were accustomed to prior to the COVID-19 ...

Schools facing tough choices

July 6, 2020

PORTLAND, Maine — School districts across America are in the midst of making wrenching decisions over how to resume classes in settings radically altered by the coronavirus pandemic, with school buses running below capacity, virtual learning, outdoor classrooms and quarantine protocols for infected children the new norm. The plans for the upcoming school year are taking shape by the day, and vary district to district, state to state. The debates have been highly emotional, with tempers flaring among parents and administrators, and have been made all the more vexing by record numbers ...