Africa seeks 'continental capacity' to produce vaccines

CVS Health Adds 10 COVID-19 Vaccine Sites in Pennsylvania

EDWARDSVILLE &mdash; A woman was jailed on multiple animal cruelty charges after a microchip identified her as the owner of a sick dog left abandoned in a wooded area near Hilltop Apartments in September.
				Humane officers filed the charges against Brittany Nicole Nelson, 28, of Hilltop Apartments, in November but she was arrested when she failed to appear for a preliminary hearing Wednesday.
				A microchip identified Nelson as the canine&rsquo;s owner, according to court records.
				The dog was found Sept. 6 by several people walking their own dog in a wooded area near the apartment complex on Roosevelt Street. The dog was covered with fleas and maggots and was not able to stand when found under a blanket, court records say.
				Those who found the dog say they removed a blanket that covered the sick canine after hearing sounds of grunting and whimpering.
				Court records say the dog&rsquo;s name is &ldquo;Romeo.&rdquo; 
				Todd Hevner, executive director at the SPCA, said Romeo is Terrier mix and is doing &ldquo;fabulous.&rdquo; 
				Humane officers in court records say the dog was taken to an emergency animal hospital where it was treated.
				A veterinarian told humane officers the dog&rsquo;s condition was severely emaciated and was unable to stand or walk. The canine was covered with fleas, had maggots on its anus and bloody diarrhea, court records say.
				Nelson was advised Sept. 9 her dog was at the SPCA in Plains Township. She could not provide an explanation how her dog was left abandoned in a wooded area wrapped in a blanket, court records say.
				The next day, Sept. 10, Nelson failed to meet with a humane officer to discuss how the dog ended up sick and abandoned.
				Nelson was arraigned by District Judge Donald Whittaker in Nanticoke on a felony count of aggravated cruelty to animals, two misdemeanor counts each of cruelty to animals and neglect of animals, two summary counts of neglect of animals and a summary count of cruelty to animals. Nelson was jailed at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility for lack of $50,000 bail.
				In an unrelated case, Nelson is facing multiple counts of possessing equipment used to manufacture fraudulent credit cards, drivers licenses and identifications photo cards.
				State police allegedly found the equipment in Nelson&rsquo;s apartment when they served a search warrant related to the homicide of John Evans, 29, on June 6. Evans was fatally shot while sitting inside a vehicle outside Nelsons apartment.
				No charges have been filed related to the fatal shooting.
				When searching Nelson&rsquo;s apartment, troopers located equipment and multiple driver licenses from multiple states that featured a photo of the same woman. Multiple fraudulent credit cards were also found in Nelson&rsquo;s apartment, according to court records.
				Troopers searched Nelson&rsquo;s apartment in her absence.
				When Nelson learned her apartment had been searched, she requested items taken from her residence be returned. She refused to to speak with troopers about what was found in her apartment, court records say.
				Nelson is facing nine counts of access device fraud and a single count of unlawful possession of device making equipment.

Edwardsville woman charged after sick dog found covered with fleas, maggots