GOVERNOR WOLF LOOKING TO FEDS FOR MORE VACCINE SOONER THAN LATER
Governor Tom Wolf made a statement yesterday concerning his frustration over the low vaccine supply in Pennsylvania after relying on the federal government to provide the two doses for over 4 million people who are now in the recently eligible 1A Phase in the state. According to his statement at a press conference yesterday Wolf said the state has only received 1.5 million doses from the federal government, which covers about 750,000 people in a double dose cycle. Acting Secretary of Health, Alison Beam said yesterday that there is no centralized pre-registration system in the state because they want to keep a vaccination schedule local. PEMA officials said vaccine Community centers are also on the way.
ZONING APPEAL IN SUNBURY TODAY
There is a zoning hearing today between a Sunbury Church and the city of Sunbury over whether the former Bimbo bakery can be used for the church’s new headquarters. Over 30 thousand dollars in combined tax revenue is at stake between the city, Northumberland County and the Shikellamy School district. According to media outlets, Sunbury Zoning Officer Mike Rhoades said H2 Church applied to use the approximately five-acre property for a school, daycare, and counseling center on December 22, which was denied by the city zoning office for not meeting usage rulesfor the industrial area. The church wants to use the property for a school, daycare, and counseling center. The hearing is at 4pm in Sunbury City Hall.
INMATE DIES OF COVID AT SCI MUNCY
There has been an inmate death announced at SCI Muncy due to COVID-19. According to the state Department of Corrections a 62 year old woman who had underlying medical conditions was serving a 10-40 year sentence for burglary since 2013. She had been hospitalized last Wednesday and passed away Monday. According to the Sun Gazette, SCI Muncy is currently reporting 15 active inmate cases and 14 active staff cases. The inmates there who have coronavirus, are being isolated.
CANTON WRESTLING PROGRAM PAUSED DUE TO COVID
Canton wrestling recently had two confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 within its program and superintendent Dr. Eric Briggs made the decision yesterday to shut down the program for 10 days. The Warriors can return to practice Friday the 5th of February with three days of practice before a competition accorind to PIAA protocols. They will is then wrestle dual meets with Selinsgrove on February 8th and Montoursville on February 9th before the North Sectional tournament on February 13th. Canton wrestled a dual-meet Tuesday against Hughesville but the wrestlers who were affected did not compete.
STRUCTURE FIRE IN MILTON
An early morning fire in Milton brought out volunteers from over 9 companies this week according to Central Susquehanna Regional 9-1-1. According to media outlets the call came through around 1:15 am Tuesday with reports of a storage barn engulfed in flames at the intersection of Front and Mahoning Streets. The structure was destroyed and there were no injuries reported according to fire officials
COVID UPDATE
Lycoming County confirms 47 new cases of the coronavirus today, Northumberland has 48, Clinton has 11 new cases according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Statewide, there are 3,976 additional positive cases of COVID-19 statewide, and 219 new deaths have been confirmed. Lycoming County vaccine providers have reported to the Department of Health that they have successfully administered 1,354 vaccines as of Tuesday to people waiting the two weeks between doses so, at least 6,000 people completely vaccinated by the first weekend in February.
PENNSYLVANIA INMATES ARRESTED FOR FRAUD
Pennsylvania’s Attorney General Josh Shapiro announced the arrest of two inmates and an outside accomplice for their roles in conspiring to provide false information on Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) applications.According to NorthCentralPA dot com, John Jones, an inmate at SCI Rockview in Centre County, and Robert Palmer, an inmate at SCI Huntingdon in Huntingdon County, allegedly illegally applied for PUA benefits for themselves and on behalf of inmates from across the Commonwealth. Payments were issued in the form of US Bank debit cards issued by the Department of Labor & Industry totaling $226,082. All three defendants were charged in Dauphin County.
UPMC OFFICIALS SAY CONTINUE TO TAKE CORONAVIRUS PRECAUTIONS
Hospital officials from UPMC are reporting that they are seeing a decrease in hospitalizations and testing rates for COVID-19 in their Susquehanna region. According to chief medical officer, Dr. David Lopatofsky, the inpatient numbers have declined over the last couple of weeks and there are les total patients in the ICU. He says that we are still not to let our guard down and that the staff at UPMC is also working to get the correct allotment of vaccine as it becomes available. According to the Sun Gazette, 75 percent of the UPMC Staff in the Susquehanna Region have received their first dose of the vaccine and many are on to their second dose.
SPORTS
NBA
Hawks beat the clippers 108 to 99, Rockets beat Wizards 107 to 88, Jazz beat the Knicks 108 to 94
NBA Tonight
Nets play the Hawks, and Lakers come to Philly to play the 76ers both games with a tip-off at 7:30. Celtics play the Spurs in San Antonio at 8:30
NHL
Bruins beat the Penguins 3-2, Sabres beat the Rangers 3-2, Flyers over the Devils 5-3, Capitals beat the Islanders 3-2, Panthers beat the Blue Jackets 4-3, Predators beat the Blackhawks 3-2, Jets over the Oilers 6-4, Kings beat Wild 2-1, Stars over Red Wings 2-1, Maple Leafs beat Flames 4-3, Avalanche beat Sharks 7-3 Ducks blanked the Coyotes 1-nothing, Blues over Golden Knights 5-4
Super Bowl LV (55)
Sunday, February 7 at 6:30 PM on CBS at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay Florida, Kansas City Chiefs vs. the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
HS Boys Basketball last night between Muncy & Northwest, and Troy and Sayre postponed
COLLEGE SPORTS
Lycoming College Men’s and women’s basketball will start up Thursday, Feb. 11, opting in for a five-week regular season with a championship week to conclude play.
Lycoming wrestling will be back on Feb. 13, with a 1 p.m. dual meet with Wilkes and a pair of duals on Feb. 14 and Feb. 20 at the Colonels.
The Mansfield University softball team will open their season in conference competition in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, to take on the Rams of Shepherd University on Friday March, 5.
