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PITTSBURGH, Sept. 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- "I wanted to create an improved article of PPE that would prevent droplet or aerosol virus contamination from entering a face mask," said an inventor, from Sandy Springs, Ga., "so I invented THE VIRUS DEFENDER MASK. My design would enhance safety while also allowing users to resume normal activities without risk of infection."

The patent-pending invention provides an improved face mask to protect against COVID-19. In doing so, it prevents the user from inhaling contaminated air. As a result, it enhances safety and it provides added protection and peace of mind. The invention features a protective design that is easy to wear and use so it is ideal for medical workers, members of the labor force, high risk individuals and the general population. Additionally, it is producible in design variations.

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PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Police Department got 72 new officers Friday when its largest class of recruits in three years graduated from the academy, an infusion of personnel that comes amid a shortage of hundreds of officers.

Police say a staffer for Republican U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski was trying to pass a flat-bed truck on a northern Indiana highway last when the SUV they were in crashed into an oncoming car, killing Walorski and three other people. The Elkhart County Sheriff’s Office said Friday a witness saw the SUV speed up and cross the centerline of the two-lane highway into the path of the other car. Data showed the SUV driven by Zachery Potts, who was Walorski’s district director, was going 77 mph at the time of the crash. Also killed were Walorski's communications director Emma Thomson and Edith Schmucker, 56, of Nappanee, Indiana, who was driving the other vehicle.

New Jersey’s casinos, horse tracks that offer sports betting and the online partners of both types of gambling outlets won $470.6 million from gamblers in August, up more than 10% from a year earlier. The amount of money won from in-person gamblers at casinos was nearly $274 million, up 4.4% from a year earlier. But that total still lagged behind the level of August 2019, before the coronavirus pandemic hit. Returning to pre-pandemic levels for in-person gamblers has been the main goal of Atlantic City’s nine casinos, regardless of the fact that money from internet and sports betting continues to grow.

Alex Jones' criticism of his trial in Connecticut over calling the Sandy Hook school shooting a hoax has become a topic of the proceedings. During the fourth day of the trial Friday, a lawyer for the Sandy Hook families questioned a corporate representative for Jones' Infowars about how seriously the company was taking the trial. The attorney showed a photo he said was of an Infowars webpage depicting the judge with lasers shooting out of her eyes. Jones has called the trial a “kangaroo court." The Infowars representative said she was taking the trial very seriously. Jones is expected to begin attending the trial next week. A jury will decide how much in damages he will have to pay the families for saying the shooting never happened.

MIAMI — Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration last week paid an aviation company $615,000 as part of a new Florida program to relocate undocumented immigrants out of the state, according to state records.

A former star of a reality TV show based in St. Louis has been convicted of arranging the killing of his nephew. A federal jury on Friday found  James “Tim” Norman guilty in the March 2016 death of 21-year-old Andre Montgomery. The jury deliberated for about 17 hours before reaching the verdict. Norman and his nephew starred in “Welcome to Sweetie Pie's,” a reality show on the OWN Network, based in a soul-food business founded by Norman’s mother who was also Andre’s grandmother. Prosecutors said Norman arranged Montgomery's murder to collect on a $450,000 life insurance policy. Norman's attorneys argued the murder-for-hire plot was a “made up theory.”

A New Hampshire lawmaker proposes extending the March deadline to close the state’s troubled youth detention center amid concerns that the current timeline would endanger public safety. Deputy Health Commissioner Lori Weaver says she can't predict what the population at the Sununu Youth Services Center will look like in six months, but if it closed today, there definitely would be an impact. Debate over the center's future began years ago, but has come to a boil amid horrific sexual abuse allegations. Rep. Jess Edwards said he plans to file legislation to extend the closure deadline by three months.

Prince William and Prince Harry will stand vigil beside their grandmother Queen Elizabeth’s coffin at Westminster Hall in London on Saturday evening, a Kensington Palace spokesman said Friday.

A Michigan man has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for his role in the U.S. Capitol attack by a mob that disrupted Congress from certifying President Joe Biden’s 2020 electoral victory. A Justice Department news release says Chief Judge Beryl A. Howell also sentenced Anthony Robert Williams, 47, of Southgate, Michigan, to three years of supervised release after his prison term and ordered him to pay $2,000 in restitution and a $5,000 fine. In June, a jury in Washington, D.C., convicted Williams of obstructing the Jan. 6, 2021, joint session of Congress for certifying the Electoral College vote. Only five other Capitol riot defendants have been sentenced to a longer prison term than Williams.

DALLAS — Eva Schloss is no stranger to Dallas. As a Holocaust survivor willing to share her harrowing life story, she appeared in Richardson as recently as three years ago. In 2002, she flew in from London to see a play about her life, "And Then They Came for Me," which was showcased at Dall…

Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó has offered a broad accounting of millions of dollars under his control and took credit for social programs benefiting people across the troubled South American country. Guaidó said the parallel government he established three years ago has spent at least $130 million, with about $70 million going to social programs including assistance for oncology and other health treatments. While he presented a balance, his address appeared to double as a campaign speech from a candidate seeking another chance from disappointed constituents and attacking an opponent.

The revelation earlier this week that federal prosecutors are involved in investigations of suspected voting system breaches across the U.S. is fueling questions about the security of voting machines just two months before the midterm elections. Security breaches at election offices in Colorado, Georgia and Michigan have been sometimes aided by local officials who allowed unauthorized access to people who copied software and hard drive data, and in several cases shared it publicly. Security experts say the breaches by themselves have not necessarily increased threats to the November elections, but say they increase the possibility that rogue election workers could access election equipment to launch attacks.

U.S. long-term inflation expectations fell to the lowest in more than a year in early September, an encouraging sign for the Federal Reserve as it tries to keep views anchored.

This week’s new entertainment releases include albums from Kelsea Ballerini and 5 Seconds of Summer, a Oprah Winfrey-produced documentary about acting icon Sidney Poitier and a starry celebration of Norman Lear that includes George Clooney, Rita Moreno, Anthony Anderson and Jennifer Aniston. “Quantum Leap” is jumping back to TV with a sequel to the 1989-93 sci-fi series about a scientist trapped in the past by an experiment gone awry. And the film “On the Come Up” is about a 16-year-old girl with rap ambitions that is based on the best-selling 2019 young-adult novel by Angie Thomas.

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem is showing no sign of fighting an action taken against her by a state ethics board over her actions surrounding her daughter's application for a real estate appraiser's license. Friday was the deadline for Noem to say whether she would defend herself against evidence that she engaged in misconduct by taking a hands-on role in a state agency just after it had moved to deny her daughter the license. Three retired judges on the state’s Government Accountability Board voted unanimously last month that there was enough evidence for them to believe the Republican governor had committed malfeasance and engaged in a conflict of interest. The board took unspecified “action” against the governor.

State Treasurer Dale Folwell is strongly considering a run for North Carolina governor in 2024. That could put the veteran elected leader in a Republican primary with Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, whose political profile has grown widely since his 2020 victory. Folwell told WRAL-TV in a recent interview about a potential gubernatorial bid. He confirmed it Friday with The Associated Press and said he wouldn't make any decision until after the November elections. Folwell is a former local school board member and state legislator who was initially elected treasurer in 2016. Robinson has been a favorite of social conservatives and has said he is fairly certain that he will run for governor.

Idaho’s unemployment rate rose one-tenth of a percent to 2.7% in August but remained below 3% for the seventh consecutive month. The Idaho Department of Labor on Friday said that more than 930,000 Idaho workers have jobs while about 26,000 are seeking work. The agency says the state's labor force of 956,000 is up by 4%, or nearly 37,000 workers, compared to August 2021, as the state continues its rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic and fast population growth continues. Industries with the greatest job gains in August included transportation, warehousing and utilities, while job declines occurred in natural resources, health care and social services.

France sent a message on its way to grabbing a spot in the EuroBasket championship game. Guerschon Yabusele scored 22 points, and France rolled past Poland 95-54 in the semifinals of the European championships. Next up for France: either Spain or host Germany, who were meeting in the late semifinal. The gold- and bronze-medal games are Sunday.

NEW YORK — The troubled Brooklyn woman accused of drowning her three children in the ocean off Coney Island was arraigned on murder charges Friday.

LOS ANGELES — Hate crimes decreased in Orange County last year, while hate incidents — including hate speech and other nonviolent racial attacks — increased by 14%, according to a report released Thursday.

Republican Gov. Jim Justice has signed into law a ban on abortions at all stages of pregnancy. West Virginia is now the second state to enact a law prohibiting the procedure since the U.S. Supreme Court’s June ruling to end the constitutional protection of the procedure.  Justice described the legislation in a tweet as “a bill that protects life.” The ban has exemptions for medical emergencies and for rape and incest victims until eight weeks of pregnancy for adults and 14 weeks for children. Victims must report their assault to law enforcement 48 hours before the procedure. Minors can report to the police or a doctor, who then must tell police.

MOUNT VERNON, N.Y. - September 16, 2022 - ( Newswire.com )

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Supreme Court will take up an appeal in January from Gov. Henry McMaster and Corrections Director Bryan Stirling of a state judge’s ruling earlier this month that both the electric chair and the firing squad execution methods are unconstitutional.

After definitively playing male lead Don Draper in the landmark cable TV series “Mad Men” from 2007 to 2015, the charismatic Jon Hamm lost his way. He played himself in episodes of both “Barry” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” But his other work did not stick. For a time, he was best known as the…

When 11 Black quarterbacks started in Week 1, it was another indication that those racial stereotypes have finally been overcome. Four of the five largest contracts in the sport have been given to Black QBs, including Deshaun Watson’s fully guaranteed $230 million deal from the Cleveland Browns. Despite the increase in Black quarterbacks and Black officials, who represent about 40% of the league’s officiating crew, the growth in diversity isn’t reflected on the sideline.

Massachusetts taxpayers can look forward to seeing a return of some of their tax dollars this year. The announcement by Gov. Charlie Baker came after the state auditor’s office certified that tax revenues exceeded allowable revenues under a little-noticed 1986 law that kicked in due to the state’s soaring tax collections. As a result, taxpayers are on tap to claim a share of more than $2.9 billion dollars. Those eligible will receive refunds automatically as a check sent through the mail or through direct deposit. Distribution of refunds is expected to begin in November.

Patriots quarterback Mac Jones returned to practice a day after sitting out with an illness. It puts the No. 15 pick overall in last year's draft on track to start New England’s matchup with Pittsburgh. He has never missed a start. Jones was a full participant for Wednesday’s practice after suffering a back injury last weekend in a season-opening loss at Miami. His absence on Thursday marked the first time he had missed a regular-season practice. If he can’t play, backup Brian Hoyer would be in line to make his first start since early in the 2020 season.

Two Chicago police officers face felony charges for allegedly shooting and seriously wounding an unarmed man during a July shootout on the city’s southwest side that also wounded a second man. Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx said Friday that Sgt. Christopher Liakopoulos and Officer Ruben Reynoso have been charged with one count each of aggravated battery with a firearm, aggravated discharge of a firearm and official misconduct. Foxx says the officers were relieved of their police powers Thursday before they turned themselves in to authorities. Both are slated to appear at a bond hearing later Friday. Foxx says both officers “are being charged with having fired their shots” that wounded an unarmed man on July 22. He has recovered.

Organizers of European LGBTQ events held in Belgrade this week have said they will hold a planned Pride march on the streets of the Serbian capital Saturday despite a police ban and threats from anti-gay groups. Serbia’s police have banned the Euro Pride parade, citing a risk of clashes with far-right activists who also said they will gather in protest. Several legal appeals against the ban have been rejected by Serbia’s authorities. One of the march's organizers, Goran Miletic, said “we have been put in a situation where we have no choice." He said Friday that “despite the ban, we will gather" in Belgrade.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The death last year of a Johnson County, Kansas, teenager poisoned by fentanyl has led to a congressional effort to make social media companies report illegal drug activity on their platforms.

PHILADELPHIA — The events that have transpired in the United States over the last two years, community members say, have proven what Xiaoxing Xi and his allies have been saying since 2015: that there is a systemic discrimination and targeting of Asian Americans.

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sep 16, 2022--

A Nebraska judge has rejected a lawsuit filed by two Omaha women who sought to have both their names listed as parents on their children’s birth certificates. A Lancaster County District judge said in his ruling last month that the request conflicts with Nebraska law that requires birth certificates to acknowledge paternity, as well as state policy that parents listed on birth certificates are the biological parents of the child. The Nebraska chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union sued the state last year on behalf of Erin Porterfield and Kristin Williams, who said state officials unconstitutionally treat unmarried, same-sex couples differently than unmarried, opposite-sex couples.

Evander Kane and the San Jose Sharks have reached a settlement on the grievance he filed over the termination of his contract last season. The Sharks announced the agreement that they said will not adversely affect them financially or competitively. San Jose terminated Kane's contract in January for violating virus protocol while in the minors. Kane and the NHL Players’ Association then filed a grievance contending the Sharks didn't have sufficient grounds to make that move. The contract termination cost Kane just under $23 million from the $49 million, seven-year contract he signed in May 2018.

A Maryland company says it will build a natural gas power plant designed to capture climate-changing carbon in northern West Virginia. Officials say it was made possible by a recently signed law embraced by Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin that gives tax breaks for alternative energy projects. Competitive Power Ventures of Silver Spring, Maryland, will construct the 1,800-megawatt plant in Doddridge County, a top producer of natural gas in the state. The company says more than 1,000 union jobs will be used in the construction of the combined-cycle plant. Manchin says he looks forwards to the benefits of the investment. The plant is expected to start operations later this decade.

Three Oklahoma high school students have been killed in a single vehicle crash. Police Capt. Jody Fogelman says 17-year-old Ethan Gibson, 16-year-old Cyra Saner and 16-year-old Kylee Weaver died in the crash in the Tulsa suburb of Sand Springs. Two other students were injured when the vehicle they were in went off the road Thursday and struck a tree as they were apparently going to lunch from Charles Page High School. The school said in a social media post it “suffered a devastating loss” and would offer counseling to students. In March, six Tishomingo High School students died in a crash while returning from lunch.

The Dude hasn’t just beaten cancer and COVID — but death.

A 71-year-old Colorado man has been convicted of first-degree murder and other charges in the cold case slayings of two women whose bodies were found near the mountain resort town of Breckenridge in 1982.  Alan Lee Phillips was arrested last year after local, state and federal authorities using DNA evidence identified him as a suspect in the killings of 21-year-old Annette Schnee and 29-year-old Barbara Oberholtzer.  A Park County jury deliberated for just over four hours before convicting Phillips of eight counts late Thursday. Phillips faces life in prison when he is sentenced at a hearing set for Nov. 7.

With two fourth-quarter sacks and a forced fumble, Bradley Chubb’s return to form Monday night in Seattle was a silver lining in an otherwise disappointing start to the Broncos’ season.