Coronavirus updates: Here’s what to know in Centre County on May 20

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

Centre County’s Grange Fair canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic

The 146th iteration of the Centre County Grange Encampment and Fair was canceled, the festival’s president announced Wednesday.

An inability to comply with public health protocols brought upon by the COVID-19 pandemic was the reason for the cancellation, Grange Fair President Ben Haagen wrote.

“It is with great sadness that the Centre County Grange Fair Committee announces the cancellation of the 2020 Centre County Grange Encampment and Fair due to concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic,” Haagen wrote. “The health and safety of our tenting and RV families, fairgoers, staff, concessionaires, sponsors and entertainers is of utmost importance.”

- by Bret Pallotto

Centre County reports 1 new case of COVID-19, as Pennsylvania tops 64,000 overall cases

After technical difficulties delayed the state’s daily release of its coronavirus numbers, the Department of Health reported Wednesday that Centre County added 1 new case of COVID-19 — the disease caused by the coronavirus — to boost its overall total to 133.

-by Josh Moyer

Facing $30 million revenue shortfall, Mount Nittany Health announces reduction in positions

About 50 positions at Mount Nittany Health have been affected amid a restructuring necessitated by the “operational and financial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic,” the health care system announced Wednesday.

The restructuring and reductions of administrative and managerial positions are scheduled to occur in the next three weeks. The State College-based organization plans to offer support to affected employees.

“We are very grateful for those who have made such important contributions to our organization and to the community over the years and during this public health crisis,” Mount Nittany Health President and CEO Kathleen Rhine said in a statement. “This was a difficult decision, but we must respond to the significant impact COVID-19 has had — and will continue to have — on our organization.”

- by Bret Pallotto

Pennsylvania drafting guidelines to pave return of sports

Pennsylvania is working on guidelines to allow sporting events, exhibitions and leagues, both professional and amateur, to get back to “some semblance of normalcy” after practically everything shut down to help stem the spread of the coronavirus, Gov. Tom Wolf said Wednesday.

In a conference call with reporters, Wolf said he has been in touch with major professional organizations including NASCAR, the NFL, NHL, Major League Baseball and others to figure out how they can resume.

- The Associated Press

Centre County libraries resume operations with ‘limited services’ to accept returns

After being closed for more than two months, Centre County libraries are gearing up to reopen, but patrons still aren’t allowed inside.

Instead, library branches are preparing to process tens of thousands of returns.

The Office of Commonwealth Libraries granted Schlow Centre Region Library, located at 211 S. Allen St. in State College, permission to resume operations with “limited services.” Earlier this month, staff members worked to deep clean facilities in preparation for the partial reopening, which is scheduled to begin Wednesday.

-by Marley Parish

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

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.

- The 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

Education

Jobs

Municipal updates

• A new survey is asking State College businesses about their needs during the COVID-19 pandemic and recovery. The responses will guide the borough and Redevelopment Authority as they develop programs to help local businesses. The survey will close at 11:59 p.m. May 31 and can be found here.

Recreation

Health care

Pennsylvania news

• The state will distribute $51 million to child care providers through CARES Act funding, Gov. Tom Wolf announced Wednesday. Centre County is in line to receive $502,800. Pennsylvania received a total of $106 million to support child care providers through the coronavirus aid bill and will deliver the funding in two phases. The first wave of $51 million is meant to help providers preparing to reopen in counties that are in the yellow phase.

• 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

• The State College Area School District is holding a “Stuff the Bus” food collection drive from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday to benefit the State College Food Bank. Nonperishable food items, including those on the food bank’s “greatest needs” list, can be dropped off at Corl Street, Easterly Parkway, Ferguson Township, Gray’s Woods, Mount Nittany, Park Forest, Radio Park and Spring Creek elementary schools, and Mount Nittany Middle and Park Forest middle schools. The district’s school buses will then pick up the food and deliver the donations to the food bank the next day.
• Discovery Space’s makerspace, The Rivet, has manufactured and distributed more than 1,000 face shields free of charge to more than 30 local organizations, according to a news release. Beneficiaries include senior housing facilities, local government organizations and a variety of nonprofits. The biggest recipient was Centre County Board of Elections, which recently received 400 face shields to use for both the upcoming primary and the November elections. Other notable recipients include CATA, The Village at Penn State, Centre Crest and Lifelink. The Rivet is also acting as a collection and distribution point for donated PPE in the area. To make requests or donations, email The Rivet at TheRivet@DiscoverySpace.org.

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 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 20, 2020 at 8:46 AM.