Little League CEO and President Stephen D Keener announced yesterday that Little League International has made the difficult and disappointing decision to cancel the 2020 Little League World Series. He also said that the expected travel restrictions for international players and families will be complicated to manage and restricts many from coming to the U.S. to play . This year was to be the 75th Little League Baseball World Series, that celebration will now take place in 2022. The 2020 MLB Little League Classic originally scheduled for August 23 has also been canceled, but the Major League Baseball Players Association have committed to playing in 2021. Get details at LittleLeague.org.
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Health there are 1, 397 new cases of COVID-19 in the commonwealth as of yesterday at midnight, bringing to the statewide total to 45,763 in all 67 counties. 98 new deaths were reported as well totalling 2,292 fatalities in Pennsylvania. Lycoming County has 7 more positive cases reported getting up to 68 cases and no deaths. Northumberland adds one case getting to 93, Union has 33, Montour 47. Columbia County checks in with 283 postive cases and 13 deaths. Tioga County has 16 cases today with 1 death reported.
According to the National Weather Service, there is a flood watch in effect until 2pm today after up to 3 inches of rain fell yesterday through the Williamsport area According to the Sun Gazette, meteorologists say the West Branch Susquehanna River was at 7.73 feet at 7pm last night and that below 10 feet is normal with flooding at 20 feet. 14.9 feet is forecasted today. The rainfall total for April was 5.7 inches 2.33 inches more than average.
The public is invited to get up to 2 gallons of free milk – drive thru style – in Shamokin dam next Monday from 2-4pm. According to the Sun Gazette, Dairy Farmers of America and the Greater Susquehanna United Way will provide over 4,000 gallons of free milk at the “Pop Your Trunk” event at the former K-mart Parking lot in Shamokin Dam. The United Way will also be handing out fabric masks, anyone arriving before 1:45 will be asked to leave and return.
An audit into how Governor Tom Wolf and the state Department of Community and Economic Development managed the waiver process for businesses that appealed to the recent COVID-19 shutdown order was announced by Pennsylvania Auditor General Eugene DePasquale Thursday. He will launch an audit into how the state Department of Community and Economic Development has managed the waiver process for businesses that appealed Gov. Tom Wolf’s COVID-19 shutdown order. According to Penn Live, DePasquale said some business owners thought the waiver process was too slow and not transparent enough. Businesses that were not life sustaining were closed March 19th and more than 40,000 businesses sought a waiver during the application period that ended April 3.
Traffic was detoured for more than 7 hours along Route 45 in Union County yesterday around 11am according to Penn Dot after wires and a utility pole came down on the roadway. The lane closures of Route 45 in Hartley Township was west of Bear Run Road. Penn Dot announced the road reopened around 6:45pm.
The 2020 Laurel Festival in Wellsboro, PA has been cancelled. All Laurel Festival activities scheduled for the Tioga County tradition, including the 2020 Family Day and Children’s Health Fair scheduled for June 13th on the Green in Wellsboro has been cancelled due to concerns over the coronavirus. According to Julie VanNess of the Wellsboro Area Chamber of Commerce all Laurel Queen candidates and their schools have been notified of the decision to cancel all the Laurel Festival activities in 2020.
Sports
NFL
The NFL is looking into playing games on Saturday if college football season is delayed this year. According to NFL officials and their broadcast partners, most games would be played Sunday, but if there was no college football at all on a Saturday, it could be an option.
Wil Ferrell crashed the Seattle Seahawks virtual meeting held by head coach Pete Carroll Thursday pretending to be new teammate Greg Olsen the foremer Carolina Panther who signed a 1-year deal with the team February 18th. Will Ferrell Attended USC and is an acquaintance of the coach
MLB
The Tampa Bay Rays are the first MLB team to furlough employees. A number of full timers will be furloughed starting tomorrow – reported to be only half of the up to 500 employees on the payroll.
NBA
The NBA is in talks with Disney World about resuming play there – since they have enough room to house quarantined players there – Las Vegas is also a location option
