May 10, 2024 3 min read

MISS: The most famous line from “The Godfather, Part III” has Al Pacino snarling, “Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!” That’s how many of us may feel about COVID-19 in the weeks ahead. Just as the virus has receded from the headlines, it turns out there are a couple of new variants of the coronavirus out there, both of which have been given the nickname “FLiRT.” USA Today reported that the new variants have been detected in wastewater, and one of them made up about 25% of recent COVID-19 cases, while the other made up about 7%. Since the weather is warmer and schools will soon be starting summer break, it seems likely that there will not be as many cases as we’ve seen in the fall or winter. Still, there are concerns that a new wave could be forming. The best way to protect yourself? Get the latest booster shot. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reporting that a meager 22% of American adults have gotten the 2023-24 vaccine. If you are part of the 78% still on the sidelines, there never could be a better moment than this one to get the shot.

MISS: It’s a sign of changing times, but when the National Road Festival happens next weekend, the wagon train that had traveled along Route 40 all the way from Grantsville, Md., through Somerset, Fayette and Washington counties will be taking a more abbreviated route. We reported this week that it will only be traveling through about 12 or 13 miles of Fayette County, going from Farmington to Uniontown. It’s simply a matter of finding enough participants. One of the remaining participants, Randy Breakiron, said the number of people willing or able to make a three-day wagon train journey has dwindled. He also said cost concerns, labor and safety figured into the decision to shorten the trip. The hope, however, is that the full wagon train, which would cover about 100 miles, will resume if more participants come forward. Breakiron said, “I love what I do, and I’m not complaining. I’ve been blessed to be able to do it. We’re going to keep going for as long as we can.”

HIT: If you were feeling a little sleep-deprived on Wednesday, you were not alone. Many of us were yanked out of our sleep about 1:30 a.m., thanks to a tornado warning that was issued for Allegheny, Westmoreland, Washington and Fayette counties, and other parts of the region. That there was a tornado warning in the middle of the night is not in and of itself good news. But most of our region escaped any serious damage from the storm and there were no reported fatalities. Another thing to be grateful for: the fact that we now have so many ways to be warned when threatening weather is bearing down on us. Weather bulletins were not common on radio and television until the 1950s, and it wasn’t until the 1970s that alerts would appear on television screens during regular programming. Now, anyone can glance at their phone to see a weather radar. We can be glad the technology exists that can alert us to it, no matter the time of day.