Reopening updates: Centre County adds 4 cases of COVID-19, and other updates for Aug. 25
We’re keeping track of the most up-to-date coronavirus news as Penn State and local schools prepare to reopen. Check back for updates.
Probe: Pandemic jobless pay went to Pennsylvania inmates
About 10,000 state prison inmates in Pennsylvania fraudulently applied for unemployment benefits during the coronavirus pandemic, prosecutors said in announcing charges Tuesday against 33 people.
“These 33 defendants represent, truly, the tip of the iceberg, and we are seeing unemployment fraud on an unprecedented scale,” U.S. Attorney Scott Brady said at a news conference in Pittsburgh.
Investigators recently were able to cross-check a list of state inmates against those who applied for pandemic unemployment benefits and found about 10,000 matches, Brady’s office said.
- The Associated Press
No bipartisan fix to Pennsylvania’s mail-in voting in sight
A bipartisan fix to glitches in Pennsylvania’s new mail-in voting law remained just a glimmer Tuesday ahead of November’s presidential election, as Republican state Senate leaders introduced legislation that Democrats quickly opposed as restricting access to voting.
The proposal comes against a backdrop of President Donald Trump telling Republican National Convention delegates Monday that he’ll only lose if the election is “ rigged, ” criticizing mail-in voting as a “ scam ” and suing in federal court to undo certain vote-counting, collection and observation practices in Pennsylvania.
Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat, said the bill was not the product of negotiations with his office and that he had not read it.
- The Associated Press
Helping Happy Valley campaign aims to support Centre County businesses through a ‘hard storm’
Amy Farkas doesn’t think Centre County businesses are left for dead despite facing challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic. But “supporting the home team” requires a group effort, the Harris Township manager said.
Formed in response to the Big Ten’s decision to delay fall sports, Helping Happy Valley is a program geared toward helping businesses that are struggling amid the coronavirus outbreak. The initiative will include partnerships with the Chamber of Business and Industry of Centre County, Downtown State College Improvement District, Centre County government, the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau, Penn State and community volunteers.
- by Marley Parish
Centre County adds 4 cases of COVID-19
Four new cases of COVID-19 were reported Tuesday in Centre County. The county’s total is now 427, with 381 confirmed cases and 46 probable cases. There have been 11,940 negative tests.
Pennsylvania added 561 positive cases to bring the state total to 130,035. There have been 1.45 million negative tests statewide and an estimated 81% recovery rate.
The age breakdown of those who have tested positive is:
- 1% are 0-4
- Nearly 2% are 5-12
- Nearly 4% are 13-18
- Nearly 10% are 19-24
- Nearly 38% are 25-49
- Nearly 23% are 50-64
- Nearly 24% are 65 or older
Across the state, there have been 20,798 resident cases and 4,411 employee cases at 922 nursing and personal care homes in 61 counties. Centre County’s long-term care facility statistics did not change Tuesday — there have been cases in 34 residents and 22 employees at seven facilities.. Eight of the county’s 11 deaths have been in long-term care residents, according to the state Department of Health.
Statewide, there have been 7,605 deaths, including 26 new fatalities. Residents of long-term care facilities have accounted for 5,131 deaths.
The state database shows no patients are hospitalized in Centre County due to COVID-19.
The breakdown of confirmed Centre County cases by ZIP code is as follows, according to the DOH:
- 16801 (State College): 88
- 16823 (Bellefonte and Pleasant Gap): 68
- 16803 (State College): 56
- 16866 (Philipsburg): 24
- 16686 (Tyrone): 23
- 16875 (Spring Mills): 22
- 16870 (Port Matilda): 20
- 16841 (Howard): 20
- 16827 (Boalsburg): 16
- 16822 (Beech Creek): 12
- 16828 (Centre Hall): 12
- 16666 (Osceola Mills): 7
- 16853 (Milesburg): 6
- 16854 (Millheim): 6
- 16844 (Julian): 6
- 16865 (Pennsylvania Furnace): 5
- 16820 (Aaronsburg): 5
- 16851 (Lemont): 5
- 16802, 16804, 16829, 16832, 16845, 16852, 16860, 16868, 16872, 16874, 16877, 16882: 1-4 cases each
The state does not give specific numbers when there are fewer than five cases to protect patient privacy and does not identify exactly where a case occurred in a ZIP code that spans multiple counties.
- by Matt Hymowitz
Wolf asks lawmakers to legalize pot, spend virus funds
Gov. Tom Wolf on Tuesday asked lawmakers to send him a bill to legalize the recreational use of marijuana, and outlined how he thinks the state should spend more than $1.3 billion left in federal coronavirus relief funds during what’s left of lawmakers’ two-year session.
The Democratic governor urged the General Assembly to put $225 million toward hazard pay for more than 200,000 workers on the front lines of responding to the pandemic, effectively giving them all $3-an-hour wage increases.
- The Associated Press
A new school year has started in Centre County
Wolf: Pennsylvania eviction moratorium to lapse Aug. 31
Gov. Tom Wolf said Tuesday he does not have the legal authority to extend Pennsylvania’s moratorium on evictions and foreclosures beyond the end of the month, meaning that renters will no longer be shielded from losing their homes for failing to pay rent during the pandemic.
In a letter to both legislative chambers, Wolf said the state’s Emergency Services Code prevents him from taking action himself. The Democrat called on state lawmakers in the Republican-controlled General Assembly to pass legislation to extend the statewide moratorium, which has been in place for more than five months.
- The Associated Press
Feds approve $300 unemployment benefit for Pa.
Pennsylvania has been approved for nearly $1.5 billion in federal funding to boost unemployment benefits by $300 per week.
To qualify, out-of-work residents must receive at least $100 in weekly benefits through the regular unemployment compensation program, the pandemic assistance program for self-employed workers, or another worker benefits program.
- The Associated Press
Pa. Republicans propose election law changes as anxiety builds over mail voting
Republican leaders in the Pennsylvania Senate introduced legislation Monday that would effectively prohibit the use of mail-ballot drop boxes that President Donald Trump has criticized, make it more likely that a winner in the presidential race is known soon after polls close, and reduce the number of ballots rejected for arriving late.
But the proposal also would give voters less time to request mail ballots, prompting Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat, to quickly come out against it. That left it unclear Monday whether a fierce political and legal battle over mail voting in a key swing state would be resolved in the state legislature or in the courts.
- The Philadelphia Inquirer
Penn State checks in at No. 7 in AP Poll, serving as a reminder of what could’ve been
James Franklin surveyed the practice field in early August and liked what he saw. Penn State was only a couple days into its preseason camp, but the head coach’s group already passed the eyeball test.
Franklin said his team was big, long, lean and fast — the Nittany Lions certainly looked the part of a preseason top-10 team. On Monday, Penn State checked in at No. 7 in the preseason AP Poll, confirming what Franklin and others already knew.
But with the Big Ten’s decision to postpone the fall sports season, the Nittany Lions won’t have the chance to prove they can live up to their potential just yet.
- by Parth Upadhyaya
Football is back in Centre County as Mountain League teams are set to kick off their seasons
Football is officially back in Centre County.
The Mountain League on Sunday put together its plan for the 2020 football season, which means four of the county’s five schools now have a level of certainty for the fall.
The league — which includes Bald Eagle Area, Bellefonte, Penns Valley and Philipsburg-Osceola — will begin its season Sept. 11 with practices beginning Monday in order for teams to meet the minimum three weeks of practice required by the PIAA before the start of competition.
- by Jon Sauber
Business updates
Things to do
This story was originally published August 25, 2020 at 10:06 AM.