We Rebuild

Reopening updates: Centre County adds 1 new COVID-19 case, and other updates for June 10

CDT staff reports

Updated June 10, 2020 2:28 PM

We’re keeping track of the most up-to-date coronavirus news now that Centre County is in the green phase of Gov. Tom Wolf’s plan to reopen Pennsylvania. Check back for updates.

Pennsylvania releases guidelines for all sports, including PIAA, NCAA, to resume play

Sports, including at the high school and college levels, are one step closer to returning in Pennsylvania.

Gov. Tom Wolf’s office released guidance on the next steps for PIAA, NCAA, professional and amateur and recreational athletics Wednesday afternoon, and it includes a return to summer practice.

“This is another step toward reopening our state and getting things back on track,” Gov. Wolf said in a press release. “As students and teammates get ready to train and compete, it’s important that they follow precautions to protect each other and their community from the risk of COVID-19.”

- by Jon Sauber

Wolf, lawmakers clash over emergency declaration

Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf and the GOP-led Legislature headed toward a legal clash Wednesday over the emergency declaration he issued at the beginning of the pandemic, with lawmakers voting to end it and Wolf insisting he holds veto power.

In largely party-line votes, the Legislature approved late Tuesday ending Wolf’s 3-month-old emergency proclamation and restarting businesses and other activities shut down as COVID-19 began tightening its grip on Pennsylvania. Retailers and many other kinds of businesses have since been permitted to reopen, but with restrictions.

Supporters of the resolution — which they asserted would do away with many, if not all, pandemic restrictions — maintained that state law authorizes the Legislature to end the emergency declaration unilaterally. Wolf believes that still requires his support and vowed Wednesday to fight the resolution in court.

House leadership also threatened legal action.

- The Associated Press

Centre County adds 1 new case of COVID-19

Centre County added one new case Wednesday of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, to increase the county total to 158 cases, according to the state Department of Health.

Statewide, the department estimates 72% of those infected have recovered so far. To date, there have been 76,846 total cases in Pennsylvania — with 410 new cases reported Wednesday.

Locally, every county surrounding Centre now has at least 48 confirmed cases of the coronavirus. Totals from nearby counties are as follows:

Blair County: 53 (1 death)
Cambria County: 60 (2 deaths)
Clearfield County: 48 (0 deaths)
Clinton County: 62 (3 deaths)
Huntingdon County: 237 (4 deaths)
Juniata County: 102 (5 deaths)
Mifflin County: 59 (1 death)
Union County: 75 (2 deaths)

In Centre County, here’s the breakdown by ZIP code (those without cases are not listed):

16823 (Bellefonte, Milesburg and Pleasant Gap): 40
16801 (State College): 35
16803 (State College): 29
16827 (Boalsburg): 9
16870 (Port Matilda): 9
16686 (Tyrone): 6
16666, 16841, 16866, 16844, 16828, 16852, 16822: 1-4 cases each (Specific numbers not available)

The statewide death toll from the virus also rose Wednesday, increasing by 48 to 6,062. So far, six total COVID-19 deaths have been confirmed in Centre County — an 89-year-old man on April 16, a 96-year-old man May 8, an 89-year-old woman May 9, a 74-year-old man May 12, an 88-year-old woman May 13 and an 88-year-old man May 27, according to the Centre County Coroner’s Office.

The DOH continues to report seven deaths for Centre County. It’s not known why a discrepancy exists, but it’s possible that a permanent Centre County resident died outside of the county.

- by Josh Moyer

Out of the Cold: Centre County is seeking more volunteers as it extends its overnight shelter

Still serving a steady number of guests, Out of the Cold: Centre County is working to ensure the homeless continue to have a safe place to stay by extending its overnight shelter season.

The shelter season for overnight stays was scheduled to end in May, but with guests in need and limited resources due to COVID-19 and the statewide shutdown, the nonprofit has extended the evening shelter through June. But volunteers are needed to keep the program running.

OOTC3 issued a call for help on Facebook, requesting overnight volunteers to operate the shelter, located at the Meetinghouse on South Atherton Street, from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. every day of the week. Due to the pandemic, OOTC3 Program Manager Sarah Potter said the nonprofit shifted from its rotation of churches to the daytime shelter for overnight stays.

- by Marley Parish

Pennsylvania orders hospitals to protect workers from virus

Pennsylvania hospitals will be required to replace soiled or damaged respirators on request, require universal masking and take other steps to protect health care workers from the new coronavirus under an order issued Tuesday by the state health secretary.

With unionized nurses raising the alarm about hazardous working conditions, Health Secretary Rachel Levine pledged to “deliver a safer environment” for health care workers on the front lines of the pandemic.

“I have heard from nurses and staff, and this orders responds directly to many of their safety concerns,” Levine said in a written statement.

- The Associated Press

Pennsylvania news

Pennsylvania’s Republican-controlled General Assembly on Tuesday passed legislation to revoke Gov. Tom Wolf’s coronavirus emergency order. The action is likely to set up a court fight over whether the governor can veto the move. The resolution passed 31-19 in the Senate and 121-81 in the House. All elected officials who represent parts of Centre County voted for the resolutions, including Democrat Scott Conklin. Details regarding how this action would affect the state’s phased reopening plan and what authority the governor has to overturn it are still being sorted out, according to multiple media reports. “Nothing in the statute requires the resolution to go to the Governor for signature/veto. A concurrent resolution ending a disaster declaration is not an exercise of the legislature’s lawmaking authority that the Gov can sign/veto,” said Jennifer Kocher, spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman, on Twitter. “The Governor will be statutorily required to issue an order terminating the declaration in compliance with section 7301 if the House passes the resolution as adopted by the Senate. He has no discretion in this matter.”

The Senate voted on a resolution to end Governor Wolf's statewide shut down, which has been hurting families and doing irreparable harm to employers. The bipartisan vote ends the executive order first issued on March 6 and renewed on June 3. #OpenPA https://t.co/RJoXYXrgmr
— Senator Jake Corman (@JakeCorman) June 10, 2020

Health care

As part of its new health and safety guidelines, Mount Nittany Health will now require all patients to undergo COVID-19 testing prior to surgery. This policy applies to any patient undergoing surgery or procedure in Mount Nittany Medical Center’s main surgical operating room, Mount Nittany Health Surgical Center and endoscopy procedures. Patients will be tested for the virus three days prior to surgery. More information on Mount Nittany’s reopening policies at mountnittany.org/open.

Penn State

Penn State announced Monday that all semester-long study abroad programs set for fall 2020 have been suspended. The decision was based on international travel advisories, potential health risk to self and others, national travel regulations and immigration support, academic and program modifications, and financial and planning issues, according to a release. Students who applied for education abroad programs will have their applications deactivated and the education abroad fee waived.
Penn State is making SAT/ACT score submissions optional for prospective students applying for admission for summer or fall 2021 semesters, the university announced Monday. “We are making this change to give Penn State applicants a choice that will ease the anxiety that many future students and families are experiencing as a result of test-taking disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Vince Timbers, interim executive director of admissions, in a release. Penn State’s application for summer/fall 2021 will be open for future undergraduate students starting Aug. 1.
Penn State’s board of trustees voted Tuesday to defer its election of officers — such as the chairman — until after the usual July meeting because of the group’s inability to meet in person due to concerns surrounding COVID-19. The officers will be determined in-person sometime before Nov. 13, on a date determined by the board’s secretary. The resolution was passed unanimously early Tuesday evening. Until the election, all incumbent officers will continue to hold office.

Municipal updates

Sports/recreation