Talk of the Town
The Martinsville-Henry County Chamber of Commerce and C-PEG honored James “Nubby” Coleman, Dale Wagoner, Latala Hodges and the late Sheriff Steve Draper at Thursday’s annual meeting. Keynote speaker Linda Green said the region must build on its manufacturing legacy through long-term investment, housing, child care, workforce development and collaboration across local boundaries to compete for future growth.
(NEW YORK) — A coroner’s office in Pennsylvania reported a measles-related death of a 40-year-old unvaccinated woman on Sunday, which comes amid a growing outbreak in the state.
“A 40-year-old female resident of Jefferson County died on Saturday, September 12, 2026, from complications associated with measles. Out of respect for the privacy of the deceased and her family, no additional identifying information will be released,” the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office said in a post on Facebook.
“This is a heartbreaking loss for the family and an unfortunate reminder that measles can be a serious and potentially life-threatening disease,” Coroner Greg Furlong said.
The person was unvaccinated against measles, Furlong confirmed to ABC News.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health said they are investigating this death reported by the Jefferson County coroner in a statement provided to ABC News.
As of Friday, the Pennsylvania Department of Health has reported 676 measles cases in the state, with over 100 new cases reported over the last week. Of the cases, 124 have been hospitalized, and nearly all cases are among those unvaccinated against the virus, according to data from the health department.
The number of measles-associated deaths reported by Pennsylvania officials has been disputed by Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in recent weeks.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has not reported any measles deaths in 2026 on its website, last updated on Friday, while the PA Department of Health has previously reported two measles-associated deaths linked to this outbreak.
CDC Director Dr. Erica Schwartz said in a statement that the agency has not yet been notified of this most recent death reported in Jefferson County.
“CDC was not notified by Pennsylvania officials of this death,” Schwartz said. “Despite repeated offers of assistance, Pennsylvania has not requested a CDC Epi-Aid, which would deploy epidemiologists and provide on-the-ground measles outbreak support.”
In late August, Pennsylvania’s top health official, Dr Debra Bogen, had said her staff was having “regular meetings with professional staff at the CDC” in a post on X responding to health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. saying her department had “refused to share information” with the CDC after the first two measles-associated deaths in the state were announced.
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Two men were arrested after a drug investigation led Henry County deputies to a Carver Road home Thursday evening. Authorities…
(WASHINGTON) — The Food and Drug Administration approved on Wednesday a drug that could extend the survival of those with metastatic pancreatic cancer.
The drug, called daraxonrasib, will be sold under the brand name Rasonque. The daily pill targets multiple forms of a protein called RAS, which is a main driver of tumor growth.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
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