Coronavirus updates: Here’s what to know in Centre County on May 19

We’re keeping track of the most up-to-date coronavirus news as Centre County continues to reopen. Check back for updates.

Penn State buys 500K masks, but final decision on fall reopening will not come until next month

Penn State has purchased 500,000 masks and plans to install 2,500 sanitizer stations — which will be placed at the entrance of every building and classroom — but university officials reiterated Tuesday they will not make a final decision on reopening in the fall until next month.

Speaking in a virtual town hall, university President Eric Barron said Penn State is still operating as if it will reopen in the fall. But, he added, that decision is not firm and will not be finalized until June 15.

“There’s a lot to do between now and then,” Barron said Tuesday. “The idea is that we gather this information, we get an understanding of where we sit — what our capability is — how we can do it safely, and then we will come up to June 15 ... as a look to see whether or not something may stop us from” reopening in the fall.

- by Josh Moyer

Pa. releases more details on COVID-19 in nursing homes. Here’s the breakdown in Centre County

The state Health Department identified nursing or personal care homes with a case of the new coronavirus for the first time Tuesday.

Wynwood House at State College reported the most cases of COVID-19 among both residents (15) and employees (10) in Centre County. No other long-term care facility has more than four cases in either category.

The DOH redacted statistics from facilities reporting fewer than five infections or deaths. About 68% of the state’s 4,624 COVID-19 deaths have been reported in senior living communities.

- by Bret Pallotto

Real estate business activity to resume across Pennsylvania

Real estate sales and related activity can resume across Pennsylvania if guidelines designed to limit infection are followed, Gov. Tom Wolf announced Tuesday.

The governor’s new guidance says people in the real estate industry can get back to work as long as they all wear masks or other facial coverings, and use separate vehicles to drive to visit properties.

Business that is conducted in person must be scheduled ahead of time and limited to no more than the real estate worker and two people inside a property at a time.

- Associated Press

How to show support for State High, St. Joe’s seniors as part of ‘Light Up the Night’

The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has taken away the normalcy of graduation for high school seniors in 2020, as their final year of class came to an abrupt halt and in-person ceremonies across the country have been canceled.

Despite the pandemic, the State College community still has plans to honor the Class of 2020 from State High and St. Joseph’s Catholic Academy.

The town will take part in State College Light Up The Night, a community-wide effort to recognize this year’s graduating class and support the nurses, doctors, medical providers and first responders on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic.

- by Jon Sauber

How to participate in Penn State’s virtual ‘family dinner’ as part of Helping Happy Valley week

Penn State Athletics and football coach James Franklin are encouraging Nittany Lions fans to participate in the Penn State Family Dinner at 6 p.m. Thursday, as part of Helping Happy Valley Week to raise awareness about different ways people can support the State College-area community during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a video posted on Penn State football’s Twitter, Franklin encouraged Nittany Lions fans to have a family dinner where participants wear blue and white, decorate their homes and order takeout from local restaurants.

Franklin also encouraged shopping at local stores.

“Just find ways to support our local community in a time of need,” Franklin said in the video.

- by Acacia Aster Broder

Centre County adds no new cases of COVID-19; Pennsylvania overall total at 63,666 cases

No new cases of COVID-19 were reported Tuesday in Centre County, and one case was removed from the county’s overall total, bringing it to 132.

The county added no deaths from the disease resulting from the novel coronavirus, keeping the total at five. That’s a death rate of 3.1 per 100,000 residents for the county.

The first death in Centre County happened April 16, according to the coroner’s office, and all five have been reported among residents ranging in age from 74 to 96 years old.

- by Jon Sauber

Centre County thrift stores reopen to flurry of donations, changes for customers

For many, stay-at-home orders due to the coronavirus led to a spring cleaning frenzy, and now many of the gently used items from those efforts have landed in local donation centers.

Donation centers and thrift stores in Centre County began reopening on May 8th, when the county moved from the “red phase” to the “yellow phase.” But precautions now in place for customers, staff and donated goods make the shopping and donating experience much different than the pre-pandemic world.

Store changes include limiting the number of customers, enforcing social distancing and frequent sanitizing, while behind the scenes, donated items are subject to a quarantine period before they’re handled and cleaned.

- by Megan Swift

Education

Jobs

Municipal updates

Recreation

Health care

Pennsylvania news

• Gov. Tom Wolf and Treasurer Joe Torsella announced Tuesday that eligible older homeowners and renters and people with disabilities will begin receiving property tax and rent rebates on Wednesday, more than six weeks ahead of schedule. “This commonsense solution gives thousands of our older and vulnerable residents their rebates early when they need it,” Wolf said in a release. “I thank members of the General Assembly and Treasurer Torsella for working quickly on this issue so that we can provide this needed financial support.” The deadline to submit applications has also been extended to Dec. 31.

• Gov. Tom Wolf on Tuesday vetoed three bills related to the state’s response to COVID-19. Senate Bill 327 would have authorized counties to develop and implement their own mitigation plans and decide for themselves when business could reopen. House Bill 2388 and House Bill 2412 would allow various industries to open in red-phase counties. “Since the beginning of this month, my administration has been gradually transitioning counties from the restrictive red phase to an intermediate yellow phase,” Wolf wrote. “The decisions to move counties from the red phase to the yellow phase are based on the advice of expert epidemiologists. These decisions are not based just on the number of cases of COVID-19, but are also based on other critical factors, such as how community members interact, the county’s number of potential transmission points, a county’s geographic location, the capacity to undertake contact tracing, and testing availability.”

• Gov. Wolf announced Tuesday that Pennsylvania food distributors will receive more than $50 million of $1.2 billion in funding for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farmers to Families Food Box program. The money will fund the purchase of surplus milk and other dairy products, as well as chicken, pork and fresh produce from Pennsylvania farmers who lost markets for their products due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The distributors will then work with food banks and other nonprofits across the state to get boxes to families facing food insecurity.

Community outreach/appreciation

Things to do

• With Boalsburg’s annual Memorial Day celebration canceled, Harris Township will post a new Memorial Day moment on its Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/harristownship, each day leading up to May 25. At 6 p.m. on Memorial Day, the 156th Walk to the Cemetery will be held virtually.

• The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Penn State moved its program online during the pandemic. The group offers courses, trips and activities for those 50 and older. OLLI’s summer course catalog is available online and registration begins June 1. The summer semester begins June 15.

• Penn State released a list of virtual things to do from May 14-21, including online lectures, exhibits and more.
• Penn State President Eric Barron will host a virtual town hall at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday to answer questions regarding how the university continue to manage the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, including the work being done to return students and staff to campus. The hourlong event will be livestreamed at liveevents.psu.edu, and also feature Executive Vice President and Provost Nick Jones and other key faculty and administrative leaders.
• Penn State University Police and Public Safety is holding four public safety Zoom sessions each week through May 27. Two sessions each week will cover Penn State’s Active Attacker Response Program, and the other two will be open question and answer sessions with Penn State police officers. Participants should register with a Penn State email in advance; space is limited. Register here for the Active Attacker Response Program. Register here for the open public safety Q&A session.

Free meal options

This story was originally published May 19, 2020 at 9:57 AM.