NEW LEAGUE FOR CROSSCUTTERS
There will be a Major League Baseball Draft League created for 2021 in Williamsport and the Crosscutters will be a part of it. After a reorganization of Minor League Baseball this year, the Williamsport Crosscutters parted ways as an affiliate with the Philadelphia Phillies, but will now join the State College Spikes, Mahoning Scrappers, West Virginia Black Bears,Trenton Thunder and a sixth team to be named in a league that will provide exposure to draft eligible college players. According to Crosscutters owner Peter Freund in a virtual press conference yesterday, the pipeline of players could be better than before. Fans won’t likely notice a difference in play on the field – the difference is only how players are assigned to each team.
DRIVE-THRU FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS THIS YEAR
Mayor Derek Slaughter has canceled the public gathering celebration of the annual Festival of Lights in Brandon Park in Williamsport this year due to COVID-19 concerns. But, city crews will install the holiday lights this week and the lights in the park will be lit at dusk this Friday night for pedestrians and those who want to drive by and see them. According to the Sun Gazette, Mayor Slaughter made the decision based on CDC guidelines and the fact that coronavirus case numbers are surging in the region.
ELSD GOES BACK TO IN-PERSON INSTURCTION
East Lycoming School District is back in school today after a special virtual school board meeting and a vote of 6-3 to return to in-person instruction yesterday afternoon. According to the Sun Gazette, the board met to discuss the in person option after new guidance from the state came down for school districts. It requires mask-wearing mandates that Superintendent Michael Pawlik said they have been mostly following since school began anyway, which can be achieved by implementing a few new mask-rules. Pawlik said that if there is a shortage of teachers or there is a need to go remote they have the option to do that.
CAREER OFFICES CLOSED DUE TO COVID
COVID-19 has closed down the PA CareerLink offices in our area until further notice. According to media outlets, the career offices located in Williamsport, Sunbury, Lock Haven, Bloomsburg , Bellefonte and Lewistown are closed to in-person appointments but job seekers can still use the online portal at www.pacareerlink.pa.gov. PA Career Link employees are working remotely and assist job seekers and employers with their needs virtually.
LOCAL COVID UPDATE
There are 40 new cases of the coronavirus reported in Pennsylvania today and 89 reported in Northumberland County. Union County has 36 new cases, Snyder has 26 new cases, Montour has 18. Lycoming County has 61 COVID-19 patients hospitalized, 16 in the ICU, with 8 on ventilators and 6 available Adult ICU beds Tioga County reports 5 new cases, but according to the PA Department of Health, 18 COVID-19 patients are hospitalized there, 6 in the adult ICU and 6 on ventilators – with no beds available. As of y esterday at midnight, there were 4,268 total statewide cases reported and 75 new fatalities.
ROLL-OVER ACCIDENT CLOSED I-80 RAMP
Lanes of the interstate opened up several hours after a tractor trailer turned on its side Monday near Milton and closed the on-ramp from I-180 east to I-80 west in Northumberland County. According to PennDOT the accident caused the right lane of I-80 west to be closed at mile-marker 212, but the left lane remained open as crews worked to clear the crash. There were no injuries reported and delays remained for several hours yesterday before the ramp reopened at 12:10 pm.
COVDI APP AVAILABLE FOR TEENS WITH CONSENT
Anyone over the age of 13 can now use the PA COVID Alert App on their phone, with parental consent. According to a press conference yesterday by the Secretary of the PA Department of Health, Dr. Rachel Levine, the app’s age range has been expanded to middle and high school students to include them in the process if a positive case is identified within their peer groups. The contact tracing app has been updated with more county-level data and adds where to find testing locations near you. The original App was launched September 22nd of this year and 622 thousand people have downloaded it.
PA BEAR HARVEST TOTALS
Lycoming County has tied in second place with Tioga County in as a top bear harvest county– at 169 – as the season ends, according to the Pennsylvania Game Commission. Potter County claimed the first place with a total of 177 bear. Pennsylvania Bear Harvest totals in 2020 came to 3,155. The largest bear taken was from Fulton County at an estimated 719 pounds, the largest bears closest to Lycoming County were taken from Potter County at 630 and 607 pounds respectively. Antlered Deer season is open now in WMU 4D which includes part of Lycoming County and will remain open through December 12th.
SPORTS
NFL
Monday Night Football
Seahawks beat the Eagles 23-17
Wednesday Night Football?
Ravens and Steelers are scheduled @ Heinz Field at 340 pm
