BACKYARD BROADCASTING LOCAL NEWS MARCH 27, 2020

VIRUS NUMBERS NOT LOOKING GOOD FOR YOUNGER ADULTS
The COVID 19 numbers are rising in Pennsylvania…PA Dept. of Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine says the percentage of adults 50 and over testing positive for the virus is at 46% , however younger adults are not escaping the threat, with positive cases in the state for 25-49 year olds at 39 percent.   Dr. Levine says that younger demographic needs to make sure they are also following Governor Tom Wolf’s order to use social distancing and stay home.  According to the Department of Health, there have been 16 Pennsylvanians die from complications from the Coronavirus.  Statewide there are 560 new cases – doubling from yesterday – and a total positive cases for COVID 19 at 1, 687 in PA – there are now 16 deaths

LEWISBURG HOSPITAL HAS TWO POSITIVE COVID-19 CASES
Two people have tested positive for the virus at Evangelical Community Hospital, Lewisburg but no additional information is being released about those patients, whose illness statistics will be listed in the counties they reside and not in Union County where they are being treated.  According to the Sun Gazette, the hospital said they have been prepared for the eventuality of a positive case there and the facility remains safe for community members.  The hospital reports that they  have tested 128 people with 24 negative results, 2 positive, and 102 pending.  Get details and updates of policies at evanhospital.com/virus.

LIVE UPMC VIDEO CONFERENCE TODAY AT 10AM
UPMC Officials will Discuss Ongoing Testing, Telemedicine, Hospital Preparations in a live video press conference online today at 10 am.  Involved in the event is Graham Snyder, M.D., M.S., director of UPMC’s  infection prevention and hospital epidemiology, Donald Yealy, M.D., chair, Department of Emergency Medicine at UPMC and University of Pittsburgh and  Rachel Sackrowitz, M.D., M.B.A., chief medical officer, at the UPMC ICU Service Center.  They will provide updates on telemedicine and system wide preparedness efforts plus, answer questions on testing. If you personally have any questions about your health connect with a physician virtually via MyUPMC or UPMC AnywhereCare. The public can view the press conference today at  https://bcove.video/3b1wrHf

WOMAN CLAIMING TO HAVE THE VIRUS JAILED AFTER COUGHING ON FOOD AT A STORE
The woman who coughed on perishable food items, saying she had the coronavirus at a Wilkes Barre grocery store has been charged and imprisoned on 50 thousand dollars bail.  Police say they charged 35-year-old Margaret Ann Cirko with criminal mischief, making terroristic threats and other offenses.  She allegedly vomited on the produce there.  According to the store officials 35 thousand dollars worth of foods was lost Wednesday afternoon. Cirko was taken for a mental health evaluation.

JOBS ARE AVAILABLE IN PENNSYLVANIA
The Pennsylvania Career link is providing information on new jobs and careers for over 25 local companies in a time when some industries are decreasing staff, others are increasing, according to Jason Fink, President and CEO of the Williamsport Lycoming Chamber of Commerce.For Pennsylvania residents who are seeking employment, go directly to the PA Career link website for information – pacareerlink.pa.gov/jponline/

WILLIAMSPORT WOMAN ALLEGEDLY ATTACKED EMT WORKERS THERE TO HELP
A woman allegedly attacked two emergency medical technicians this week outside her West Third Street apartment.  According to the Sun Gazette, emergency crews responded to 32 year old Jennifer Bismark’s residence for reports of a panic attack.  According ot police report, Bismark attacked one EMT and then the other when they attempted to assist their colleague Bismark was arraigned in Lycoming County court and committed to the Lycoming County Prison in lieu of $25,000 bail.

WILLIAMSPORT EVENTS IN APRIL MUST BE POSTPONED OR CANCELLED
Any group with a permit for a planned event in April will be postponed or cancelled as result of COVID-19, according to Williamsport Mayor Derek Slaughter.  That includes the neo-Nazi rally hosted by the National Socialist Movement rally in Brandon Park.  He told the Sun Gazette that he was not certain if the group would reapply for a permit beyond April.  The permit restriction for April also a cancels “Dare to be Different,” which was a counter-rally of peace and unity to be held at Bowman Field on the same day as the neo-Nazi rally.  At this time, no more than 50 individuals are permitted to gather for any public event, not apply to the Williamsport Area School District.

PENNSYLVANIA UNEMPLOYMENT CLAIMS BREAK RECORDS
About 650,000 unemployment compensation claims have been filed in Pennsylvania over the past 11 days as the governor ordered thousands of non-life-sustaining businesses to shut down to help stop the spread of the coronavirus. The state broke records in the nation for having most claims in week for these 2 weeks.  According to the Governor’s Department of Labor and industry, the increase in our state is because of the aggressive mitigation efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19, kicking off an increase in unemployment compensation filings.  Wolf says PA is the epicenter of the national jobless crisis.

Sports
Harlem Globetrotters Legend Fred “Curly Neal, has died at 77 years old.  He had a 22 year run with the team after a successful career at Johnson C Smith University

IndyCar
The Indianapolis 500 has been postponed from May 24th until August 23rd due to the corona virus pandemic.  Qualifying will be the week of August 15th.
NFL
Roger Goodell sent a league wide memo yesterday that the NFL draft will go on as scheduled April 23-25th.  According to ESPN, he told teams to prepare for the draft to be outside of team facilities and with a limited number of people. Prospects and their families will not be present on-site.  The draft, originally planned as another big event in Las Vegas, will not be open to the public.

MLB
MLB Players Association agreed to a deal with Major League Baseball on critical salary and service-time issues for the season due to the coronaviruslast night on what would have been Opening Day. There is no formal plan but that the owners and players both want to play as many games as possible, hoping to train in mid-May and play as early as June — even if they play in front of no fans.  Team owners should ratify the deal at noon today.

NBA
ESPN reports that Golden State Warriors star guard Stephen Curry interviewed Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, about the coronavirus pandemic and the possibility of being able to hold large gatherings, including sporting events, in the future. The question-and-answer session lasted almost 30 minutes and averaged close to 50,000 viewers, including other NBA players, music stars and even former President Barack Obama, on Instagram Live.

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