Teghan Simonton stories, Page 10
‘Dangerous trajectory’ for Pittsburgh area hospitals as covid cases surgeVideo
A region known for its expansive hospital networks is beginning to see alarming trends in covid-19 hospitalizations and facility capacity. “We’re on a very, very, very dangerous trajectory right now,” said Dr. Tom Walsh, an infectious disease specialist at Allegheny Health Network. “We’re seeing rapid, exponential increases and if we...
New UPMC campus to open near Century III Mall
A new UPMC campus in West Mifflin will open Dec. 1, specializing in outpatient surgery and specialty care, officials said Friday. The 46,000-square-foot clinic will offer more than 20 outpatient services. Specialists from UPMC Magee, the Hillman Cancer Center and the Heart and Vascular Institute, as well as orthopedic and...
State officials highlight food assistance programs ahead of holidays
State officials on Thursday encouraged Pennsylvania residents to take advantage of food assistance programs, if needed, over the holidays. “Pennsylvania’s food assistance programs were built for times like these and no one should be too shy to take advantage of what they have to offer,” said Russell Redding, secretary of...
Report outlines struggles of Pittsburgh Public Schools’ tech distribution during pandemic
A report shared Wednesday by City Controller Michael Lamb lends more detail into how devices and internet are being provided in Pittsburgh Public Schools amid online learning. The controller’s audit report reflects the results of an investigation requested by the school board following an August meeting. According to the report,...
Pennsylvania gives update on antigen tests, contact tracing efforts
Pennsylvania health officials are echoing pleas to follow covid-19 health guidelines and cooperate with contact tracing efforts as infections continue to reach new heights. At a news briefing Wednesday afternoon, Michael Huff, director of testing and contact tracing, once again asked Pennsylvanians to answer the calls of case investigators and...
Community partners to broadcast free Wi-Fi for schoolchildren from top of Cathedral of Learning
Students in New Kensington, Coraopolis and Pittsburgh’s Homewood neighborhood will soon have access to free, at-home internet. Four community partners — Meta Mesh Wireless Communities, Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Pittsburgh and the Keystone Initiative for Network-based Research (KINBER) — have formed Every1online, a program to provide high-speed internet...
Kiski Area now allowing 4 days of in-person learning
Schools across the region are shutting their doors, but Kiski Area School District is increasing face-to-face instruction time. The district began offering a hybrid option this week that allows for four days of in-person instruction with one day of remote learning. This option is available in addition to the district’s...
Nov. 13: Here is covid-19 data from selected Western Pa. colleges
Western Pennsylvania is home community to several colleges and universities, attracting students from around the state and country. During the coronavirus pandemic, many are tracking the number of positive covid-19 cases as they emerge on campus. University of Pittsburgh Enrollment: About 30,000 students New cases: There were 118 student cases...
Washington Township nursing home reports at least 112 cases of covid-19 among residents and staff
The number of covid-19 cases among residents of a Washington Township nursing home has more than doubled since Monday, climbing from 30 cases to at least 75, facility officials said. There are also at least 37 cases among the staff at Quality Life Services, for a total of 112 cases....
Kiski Area High School to close next week over covid concerns
Kiski Area High School will move to fully remote learning next week, following reports of seven cases of covid-19 among students and staff. The district said the school would follow a remote learning schedule from Monday through next Friday. Career Center Students will still report on days they’re scheduled to...
Pittsburgh Public Schools returning to all remote instruction next week
Pittsburgh Public Schools will close all school buildings and return to fully remote instruction next week, district officials confirmed. The district had reopened for in-person instruction — for a small number of students — on Nov. 9. Those students included those with special needs and English learners. The majority of...
Pennsylvania health officials discourage all gatherings as cases surge
State health officials urged Pennsylvania residents to avoid gatherings both large and small, as the state continues to report more covid-19 cases than it has all through the pandemic. The state again broke its record for its highest daily case total on Thursday, adding 5,488 cases for a total of...
Vandergrift’s 2021 budget does not include tax hike, but garbage fees could go up
Vandergrift residents will not see a property tax increase in 2021 but may be asked to pay an extra $1 for garbage fees each month. Council will vote on the garbage fee increase next month. Balancing no tax increase with some added expenses next year, Borough Secretary Steve DelleDonne said...
Western Pa. hospitals on alert as covid cases surgeVideo
Hospitalizations are on the rise in Western Pennsylvania, but the region’s health systems are projecting confidence in their ability to maintain capacity as covid-19 cases surge again. “We’ve been planning and preparing for a variety of surge situations over the past many months,” Dr. Rachel Sackrowitz, chief medical officer of...
Pitt adds 74 covid-19 cases in 3 days
The University of Pittsburgh reported 73 new infections of covid-19 among students, and one employee case, between Friday and Monday, the school’s Covid-19 Medical Response Office (CMRO) said. In an update, the office attributed the staggering increase in cases to “large-scale exposures at social engagements over Halloween weekend.” “This is...
Pitt students react to shifting guidelines, shelter-in-place
As the University of Pittsburgh tightens covid-19 restrictions amid rising infection levels, some students say they aren’t all that surprised. “All of this is unfortunate but not completely unexpected,” said Eric Macadangdang, a senior Pitt student and president of the student government. “But it’s completely necessary.” The university moved its...
Washington Township nursing home sees outbreak of covid-19
A surge in covid-19 cases at a Washington Township nursing home prompted the state’s Regional Response Health Collaborative program to visit the facility over the weekend. Quality Life Services, formerly known as West Haven Manor, recorded about 30 infections involving residents and 10 involving staffers in the past three days,...
Kiski Area High School reports another coronavirus case
A student at Kiski Area High School tested positive for coronavirus, the school district said Friday. The high school will remain open. According to a letter to district families, the Department of Health was contacted and is identifying close contacts of the student. Kiski Area reported at least seven infections...
Kiski Area veterans celebration goes virtual
Kiski Area School District’s annual Veterans Day celebration will go on despite covid-19 and public health restrictions. This year, though, it will take place online. “It’s too important not to do,” said Dan Smith, assistant principal at Kiski Area Upper Elementary School. Smith said the district knew about four or...
Allegheny County warns of surging covid cases coupled with flu season
On a day that Allegheny County reported 200 new covid-19 cases — and the state set a single-day record for new cases, with more than 2,800 confirmed and probable infections — health officials implored residents to cooperate with case investigations and contact tracing. “The behavior of the virus in our...
50 trees to be planted on Pittsburgh’s Eliza Furnace Trail
Mayor Bill Peduto will join employees of Pittsburgh’s City Forestry department and a local nonprofit Friday to plant 50 trees on the Eliza Furnace Trail. The planting will celebrate a partnership between Tree Pittsburgh, an environmental nonprofit that restores and protects urban forest, and Dynegy, a Texas-based energy company and...
Pa. Secretary of State: Election will not be called by Tuesday
The results of the election will not be called Tuesday night — and that’s no different from previous years, Pennsylvania Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar reiterated Monday morning. “It takes time for votes to be counted,” said Boockvar. “Elections are never called – they’re never finished on election night, and...
How covid-19 did and didn’t affect the election in Pennsylvania
Daniel Stern said he was never planning to vote for President Trump, even if the pandemic hadn’t disrupted nearly every facet of American life. Stern, 75, of Blawnox voted by mail for former Vice President Joe Biden weeks ago. The decision, he said, was made “months and months ago.” Barbara...
Oct. 30: Here is covid-19 data from selected Western Pa. colleges
Western Pennsylvania is home community to several colleges and universities, attracting students from around the state and country. During the coronavirus pandemic, many are tracking the number of positive covid-19 cases as they emerge on campus. University of Pittsburgh Enrollment: About 35,000 students New cases: There were 25 student cases...
Pittsburgh arcade Games N’ At to permanently close
A popular Pittsburgh arcade is set to close for good on Nov. 8. Games N’ At, a bring-your-own-beer-style arcade that’s been running at 2010 Josephine St. in the South Side for at least 17 years, posted an announcement on Facebook on Thursday. “We will be going out of business,” the...
