FOUR STATES ADDED TO PA QUARANTINE-FOLLOWING-RETURN LIST
Pennsylvania Health Department officials have added to the list of states that require commonwealth residents to self-quarantine if they return from traveling there.  Delaware, Iowa, Kansas and Oklahoma have been added to the list of 15 other states involved in the travel quarantine and people who go there are being asked to self-quarantine for 14 days upon their return to Pennsylvania. Recently, more than 200 new reported cases in Allegheny County and more than 100 in Philadelphia were part of more than 800 additional positive cases announced over the weekend.  The statewide total today is 95,742 reported cases – in Lycoming County 247, 346 in Northumberland.

SMALL BARN FIRE IN WILLIASPORT
There was another 2 alarm fire in Williamsport Monday that brought down a small three-story barn in the 1400 block of Bloomingrove Road.  The fire was reported by the property owner after being discovered about 8:15.  City firefighters arrived and then called a second alarm which brought additional manpower and equipment from South Williamsport, Old Lycoming Township at Montoursville. There were no injuries and no homes were damaged.   Bloomingrove Road was closed north of Freedom Road for  a few hours and police are investigating the cause of the blaze.

OVERNIGHT ROAD WORK IN NORTHUMBERLAND
Overnight roadwork will continue this week on Interstate 80 eastbound in Turbot Township, Northumberland County between the hours of 8:00 PM and 6:00 AM each day.   Through this Thursday, July 16, a contractor will be paving approaches and applying epoxy overlays on the bridges at mile marker 215 over Route 254 and mile marker 213 over Muddy Run Road, weather permitting.  Expect the right (driving) lane to be restricted while work is being performed.

LOCK HAVEN UNIVERSITY HAS REOPENING PLAN
After gathering input from numerous individuals and groups on campus, Lock Haven University has announced the release of its Return to The Haven 2020 reopening plan for the fall semester.   Guidelines and requirements are in place for the campus community regarding social distancing and the use of facial coverings.  The university will limit the population density on campus including in classrooms and residence halls. The semester will begin on Aug. 24, but face-to-face instruction will end the week before Thanksgiving on Nov. 20.  Classes will be spread out more throughout the day and be a mix of face-to-face and remote learning  More details can be found at the Return to The Haven website, at www.lockhaven.edu/fallreturn.

MAN DIES AFTER SHOOTOUT WITH POLICE ATTEMPTING TO SERVE WARRANT
A man was killed in an “officer involved shooting” Friday as Pennsylvania State and Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office were attempting to serve a warrant.  According to a press release, state and local police arrived at 60  year old Michael Norton’s home at 521 Cotts Rd in Forksville around 10:30am . There is no word on whether Norton was armed, but after a shooting Norton taken away by ambulance, but according to the Sullivan County Coroner Norton passed away due to the injuries he sustained enroute to the hospital. An autopsy is being performed at Lehigh Valley Medical Center in Allentown.

Sunbury Mayor Kurt Karlovich made the announcement at Monday’s Sunbury City Council meeting that he will not seek reelection in 2021.  According to the Daily Item  Karlovich said that due to regulations of the Civil Service Act, if he sought seek reelection he would be terminated or forced to resign from his current employment.  He said will serve out his term for the next 18-months, but said made the announcement early because he wants people to get involved to run for the position.  In November 2017, Karlovich, a Democrat, defeated Republican Councilwoman Beth Kremer and independent Joseph Bartello to become the new mayor of Sunbury at the age of 31.

Motorists who travel Route 220 will have more lane restrictions this week in Woodward and Piatt Townships, Lycoming County.  There will be work during off-peak hours to minimize traffic impacts, inlcuding paving, shoulder widening, sewer relocation and overhead utility relocation. Miscellaneous construction activities will continue  with alternating lane closures .  The safety improvement project addressed conflicting traffic movements and provides more efficient and safer places for U-turns. The project will be completed in Fall of 2022.

A bill has passed in the state Senate that could help create thousands of family-sustaining jobs, and provide a boost to Pennsylvania’s energy economy.  According to a press release by Sen. Gene Yaw, the Chairman of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee,  the Local Resource Manufacturing Tax Credit Program adds an incentive for manufacturers to invest in Pennsylvania communities, available to facilities that use dry natural gas to produce fertilizer and other petrochemical products. The House of Representatives will now consider  Bill 732.

SPORTS
NFL
The Washington Redskins announced Monday that they will be retiring their nickname and logo after completing a thorough review that began on July 3.  The announcement of a new name has been delayed because trademark issues are pending. Ity is reported that the franchise will not use any Native American imagery. Washington’s logo of an American Indian chief was designed by a Native American in 1971.

The NFL is going to distribute The Oakley Mouth Shield to all 32 teams over the next week, which is a product designed in collaboration with doctors and engineers from the NFL to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus on the field of play.  They consist of Plastic sheets that extend down and attach to the face guard. There are airways and openings on the mouth shield but none that allow the direct transmission of droplets.  Currently, there is no mandate to wear a face shield,

NASCAR
It was announced last week that NASCAR will move its August road course race from Watkins Glen in upstate New York  and shift instead to the road course at Daytona International Speedway. The move means the Cup Series will make its debut on Daytona’s road course, incorporating part of the famed 2.5-mile oval. The race on Aug. 16 was necessary to move from Watkins Glen because NASCAR cannot meet New York’s quarantine requirements for out-of-state visitors.

NBA
As NBA players arrive at games during resumed play in Orlando, they will have the freedom to wear clothing from their own wardrobes while walking from the team bus to the venue’s locker rooms.  According to a league spokesperson. players can wear items from their own wardrobes upon arrival that are neat in appearance.  However, players not in uniform at games must be wearing pants while seated on the bench. The league removed the requirement that players seated on the bench wear a sport coat.

COLLEGE ATHLETICS

The Patriot League cancelled the fall sports season Monday due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  Bucknell Director of Athletics and Recreation, Jermaine Truax, said he supports the difficult decision. The Patriot League Council of Presidents has not made a decision on winter and spring sports.  The league said it recognizes that the cancellation is “deeply disappointing.”