HOUSE MAJORITY POLICY COMMITTEE HEARING
It was a House Majority Policy Committee hearing in Williamsport yesterday, where business leaders gathered to consider the complications of not enough people willing to fill the available jobs in the workforce. Dave Lanzer, site director, West Pharmaceuticals, noted the struggle to recruit new workers and considered generous unemployment benefits for much of the problem, citing 42% of those collecting unemployment benefits are earning more not working than working.
LYCOMING COUNTY JUDGE DENIES INJUNCTION
A Lycoming County judge Tuesday afternoon issued an opinion denying two Little League baseball teams’ requests for a special and preliminary injunction to play in the Little League World Series after two coaches in the Southwest Regional tournament tested positive for COVID-19. A media outlet reported, Judge Eric R. Linhardt ruled yesterday to deny the request for the injunction made by Needville Little League and Tulsa National LL Inc., which sued Little League Baseball Inc. in county court. But he ruled the teams presented sufficient early evidence in a hearing Monday to move the case to a civil trial.
OFFICES BEGIN THE MOVE FROM CITY HALL
City employees are in the process of vacating City Hall after it was recently condemned because of mold and other airborne factors, a city official said. According to the SUN Gazette, the biggest moving involving the most logistics is for the first-floor and basement police department, which has more than 50 on its staff. “We are exploring options right now and have some ideas that we are looking at,” Justin Snyder, city police chief, said when asked about the department relocation, which must happen by Sept. 3 as part of the condemnation order.
ROAD RAGE LANDS WOMAN IN JAIL
A Williamsport woman fired three rounds at another motorist on Interstate 180 in Montoursville during a road-rage incident yesterday morning around 7 a.m. One of the rounds blew out the back window of a male’s Chevy Blazer. According to a media source, the Montoursville borough Police Chief Jeff Gyurina said there were no injuries. Alexa McDevitt, went on to her place of employment on Fairfield Road and was taken into custody with multiple charges. McDevitt, who was arraigned before District Judge Gary Whiteman and committed to the Lycoming County Prison in lieu of $25,000 bail.
HOUSE MAJORITY POLICY COMMITTEE MET IN LYCOMING CO
Working toward the goal of economic recovery and growth for Pennsylvania, Reps. Joe Hamm (R-Lycoming/Union) and Jeff Wheeland (R-Lycoming) co-hosted a panel of educational, pharmaceutical, manufacturing and business leaders before the House Majority Policy Committee in Lycoming County on Tuesday to address the issues facing Pennsylvania businesses today. “Pennsylvania businesses are hurting and today we heard, directly from them, three common points,” said Hamm. “Regulations and red tape from Harrisburg are strangling our business owners, making it much harder for them to operate in Pennsylvania. Second, the continued government handouts paying 42% of Pennsylvanians more to stay home than to go to work continue to hinder our Pennsylvania businesses. Those first two can be solved by government getting out of the way of the free market. Lastly, the need for a workforce that is trained and ready to meet industry needs has never been more important.”
MONTGOMERY WATER AUTHORITY AND THE 2021 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT
The Montgomery Water Authority is set to receive $244,731 of the 2021 Community Development Block Grant allocation and will utilize it to replace the water main on Brook Street. A media source reported the county commissioners approved the distribution of the funding yesterday, which totals $607,455.Other communities receiving the grant funds include Jersey Shore Borough, $80,710 for curb cuts; Montoursville, $83,059 for homes in need; and South Williamsport, $99,656 for the Habitat for Humanity acquisition.
PASS-THROUGH FUNDING
The County Commissioners met and approved pass-through funding from the federal emergency management public assistance program for $100,000. The funding was slated for River Valley Health and Dental for advertising and promotion for the vaccination program conducted by the health center. In addition, they approved $10,000 for a recruiting and retention package for the 911 Call Center, with $5,000 going to each part of the package. According to a media outlet, it was noted that this does not come out of the general fund and the cost is expected to be reimbursed through the state’s 911 for emergency services.
MASKING GUIDELINES IN MUNCY SCHOOL BOARD
The Muncy School Board voted this week to allow students to not wear masks while riding buses or taking other transportation. Under the district’s health and safety plan, students and staff are not being required to wear masks in buildings and on school grounds in the coming school year. SUN Gazette reported the board also voted to allow some exceptions for the quarantining of a student, including if the student has been vaccinated. The next school board meeting is set for 7 p.m., Sept. 20.
COVID-19 UPDATED FROM PA DEPT OF HEALTH
Pennsylvania Health officials announced 81 more patients were hospitalized statewide for COVID yesterday, while also registering 2,027 new cases. According to therecordonline.com, Clinton, is among 24 counties considered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to have a “high” level of community transmission. 39 counties, including Lycoming, Centre and Union, are considered to be in the ‘substantial’ range; and only Sullivan County is considered by the CDC as having a ‘low’ level of community transmission.
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