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Citing “an alarming increase in covid-19 cases” and yet another surge expected to peak in January, Pennsylvania acting Secretary of Education Noe Ortega on Wednesday urged colleges and universities to delay the start of their spring semester.
Ortega also suggested colleges and universities use virtual instruction as much as possible.
“We are seeing an alarming increase in covid-19 cases and hospitalizations, and these trends are expected to worsen in January at the time when students normally return to campus,” Ortega said. “By delaying students’ return to campus, our institutions of higher learning can help slow the spread of the virus, help businesses to remain open, and protect regional health care systems.”
A fabled radio voice of Southwestern Pennsylvania is silent.
Jim Rhone â known by local listeners as Jim Jefferson, longtime news anchor at WJPA â died of cancer Friday morning. He was 68.
Recognized for his smooth, unwavering delivery, Jefferson was well regarded in Washington and Greene counties during his four decades in the news industry. He retired in June 2017 after 43 years at the station â most of them as an anchor â in his only professional job.
He was a tutor, as well, and a role model for Bob Gregg, operations director at WJPA. They knew each other for nearly 40 years.
âJim was here in the afternoons when I was in high school, walking around here trying to learn stuff,â Gregg said. âThe Jim Jefferson that people knew on the air was the one we at the station knew personally. He was real, he was fair and he was honest.