LYCOMING COUNTY COVID UPDATE
Lycoming County has 15 new cases of COVID-19 with 8 hospitalized patients, for a county wide total of 888. Northumberland County has reported two new deaths and 19 new positive tests – three of those in long-term care facilities. The countywide total of 1,346. Montour County has five new cases at 276 overall and seen seven deaths. Union County reports 10 new cases – at 646 overall and Tioga County reports 10 new cases for a total of 150. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Health Statewide a two day total from Sunday and Monday reports a two day total of 2,372 cases and 34 fatalities from the same two-day period.
NEW CONTRACT FOR CITY FIREFIGHTERS
In an effort to reduce legacy costs in Williamsport City Firefighter pensions and post-retirement benefits fairly, a new contract was recently negotiated that will still ensure that those who work now for the city are also taken care of with a pay increase for four out of the next five years. According to the Sun Gazette, the department has been without a contract for the last 10 months, Fire Chief Mike Killian said the contract was a team effort that was brought together with help from Mayor Derek Slaughter, city finance administrators, and union representatives.
MAN FACES ARSON CHARGES AFTER BURNING CAMPAIGN FLAG
A 60 year old man who burned a Trump flag while delivering newspapers last summer was identified through a video on the Shamokin Crime watch Facebook page. According to North Central PA dot com, Harrison Bennett, of South Rock Street is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on November 10th . Police say he is facing a felony count of arson for allegedly using a cigarette lighter to burn a flag attached to a home on South Shamokin Street just after 3am on August 27th while he was helping on the newspaper route. Bennett was also charged with a count of summary criminal mischief and risking catastrophe.
SHERIFF’S OFFICE TO MOVE TEMPORARILY
As renovations at the courthouse get underway, the administrative offices of the Lycoming County Sheriff will be moved this week temporarily to 33 W. Third St.. According to the Sun Gazette, the relocation will close the offices for routine services like license to carry firearms processing Thursday and Friday of this week but deputy sheriff services will still be in operation. and then they will reopen at the temporary location Monday at 8:30 am. The work at the courthouse may take until the spring.
PENNSYLVANIA COUNTIES ON COVID WATCH
Two counties in our area are among the 21 counties being watched for spiking coronavirus numbers and rising positivity percentages. According to the PA Department of Health Montour and Union County are two of eleven counties that are now in the substantial level of community transmission with Montour County hitting five percent of those being tested are positive for the coronavirus. Districts with substantial transmission are recommended to consider remote learning. Northumberland and Snyder Counties are still at a moderate level of transmission.
UPDATE ABOUT BEE ACCIDENT ON I-81
Police have charged the man who was driving the truck hauling 500 thousand bees to Rome Pennsylvania with multiple charges after he tipped over on i-81, closing the interstate for hours Friday as they attempted to clear the bees from the roadway. According to PA homepage dot com, 44 year old Lamar Wenger of Bethlehem, PA, failed to negotiate a slight curve and with the load of bees not evenly distributed tipped the truck. A beekeeper called to the scene by emergency responders said 90 percent of the bees were recovered.
REPUBLICANS WANT TO OVER-RIDE GOVERNOR’S VETO
Pennsylvania House Republicans will attempt to over-ride Governor Wolf this week after he vetoed a bill that would allow restaurants to operate at full capacity. Last Friday, the governor vetoed the House-led bill, saying it would jeopardize public health and safety and that it could have taken authority away from the governor during the global health emergency. The Wolf administration now allows restaurants to run at 50 percent capacity if they have certified they meet certain state and federal standards.
MUNCY SCHOOL BOARD EXPECTING CARES ACT FUNDING
The Muncy School Board approved several distance learning days in the coming months, approved the district’s health and safety plan and announced CARES Act funding from the Lycoming County Commissioners. Accordiung to the Muncy School Superintendent, Dr. Craig Skaluba, based on the students in the district, almost 197 thousand dollars has been allotted to the school. New capacity guidelines for the outdoor stadium is at 25 percent or 500 people, and the first distance learning day will be October 26th for the students.
SPORTS
NFL Monday Night Football
Chiefs beat the Bills 26-17, Cardinals defeated the Cowboys 38-10
MLB
Game one of the World Series between the Tampa Bay Rays and LA Dodgers tonight from Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas – first pitch at 8:09
NCAA Football
Penn State running back Journey Brown could potentially miss the season due to an undisclosed medical condition discovered in the offseason, the school said in a statement released on Monday night. Brown is one of the top returning running backs in the Big Ten this season. Penn State opens the season at Indiana this Saturday at 330.
HS Girls Soccer
South Williamsport over Sullivan 4-nothing, Williamsport beat Milton 2-1 in double OT, and Southern over Lewisburg 5-1,
HS Boys Soccer
Sullivan beat North Penn liberty 5-3,
HS Girls Volleyball
Galeton over Austin 3- nothing
HS Girls Tennis
Montoursville’s Lydia Barbour and Rei Saar defeated Central Columbia‘s Emma Kelchner and Isabell McHugh in the District 4 Doubles Final.
