Monday’s high, 43; Overnight low, 15; trace of snow (squall)
CLEAR SKIES TODAY, BREEZY. A HIGH OF 33.
CLEAR TONIGHT LOW 27
CLEAR TOMORROW WITH CLOUDS MOVING IN TOMORROW NIGHT DAYTIME HIGH OF 48
OVERNIGHT LOW OF 28.
THURSDAY, PARTLY TO MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A HIGH OF 35.
A suspected burglar was caught red handed yesterday in Ulysses area and was was committed to the Potter County Jail in lieu of $50,000 bail. After being arraigned before District Judge Kalacinski on charges of burglary, criminal trespass, theft and receiving stolen property. Andrew Jeffers was apprehended several after a police chase and a peaceful standoff with authorities. The incident began just before 11am when Jeffers was allegedly trying to burglarize a home in Ulysses. Several police agencies responded to the area. The homeowner told police that suspect had fled on foot and was believed to be the thief who took a nine millimeter gun from the house a few days ago. He was seen while leaving another home in Ulysses and police determined he’d gone to a nearby barn. They quickly set up a perimeter around the barn where they tried for three hours to get the Jeffers to surrender. Finally officers entered the barn and found Jeffers hiding under a mattress. Several stolen items including a small box, drugs, and drug paraphernalia were found in a backpack. Even though Jeffers was cuffed and belted in the police cruiser he was somehow able to get out of the car when the officer went to the driver’s side and fled a short distance on foot before being apprehended.
State Police at Ridgway are investigating a theft which occurred on the afternoon of February 11 in the Commons Lane in Ridgway Township between 12 noon and 1pm someone’s stolen hand carved lion from apartment 507 in the Commons Park apartments. No value was given but anyone with information is asked to contact Ridgway base State Police at 814-776-6136.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12amy esterday, there were 1628 additional positive cases of COVID-19 in addition to 1945 new cases reported Sunday for a two day total of 3573 additional positive cases of COVID-19 bringing a statewide total to 933,270. Here in the Black Forest Broadcasting service area McKean County has 2297 confirmed cases; Tioga 2166; Elk 1238; Potter 820 and Cameron County 176. Across the border in New York State Cattaraugus County has 4420 confirmed cases and Allegany County 2904. There are 1720 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19 here in Pennsylvania, of that number 374 patients are in the intensive care unit with COVID-19. Most of the patients hospitalized are aged 65 or older, and most of the deaths have occurred in patients 65 or older. The trend in the 14 day moving average number of hospitalized patients per day is about 4000 lower than it was at the peak on Christmas Day. However, the current 14 day average is now also below what it was at the height of the spring peak on May 3, 2020. Statewide percent positivity for the week of February 19 through 25th stood at 6.3% slightly lower than the previous week. As of 11:59pm Saturday, there were 21 new deaths. And as of 11:59pm Sunday, there were five new deaths identified by the Pennsylvania death registry reported for a total of 24,026 deaths attributed to COVID-19, and senior hospitals began receiving shipments of the vaccines in late December. By this coming Saturday, the total of 3,699,180 doses will have been allocated to date of the 3,699,180 doses allocated through March 6 2,426,963 doses have been administered. Mask wearing is required in all Pennsylvania businesses, whenever leaving home and while outdoors when social distancing is not possible, even if fully vaccinated. Health experts continue to say that consistent mask wearing is critical to preventing the spread of COVID-19. There are 110,921 individuals who have a positive viral antigen tests and are considered probable cases and 636 individuals who have a positive serology test, and either COVID-19 symptoms or a high risk exposure. There are 3,889,842 individuals who have tested negative to date and licensed nursing and personal care homes. There are 66,936 resident cases of COVID-19 and 13,073 cases, among employees for a total of 80,009 and 1500 67 distinct facilities in all 67 counties, approximately 24,799 of the total cases are among health care workers.
Governor Tom Wolf and Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam released a weekly status update yesterday detailing the state’s mitigation efforts based on COVID-19 early warning monitoring system dashboard, highlighting a seven day cast case increase of 12,967 and a statewide percent positivity of 6.3% and 26 counties including Potter County with substantial transmission status, which is the highest. The update includes community transmission as a basis for the recommendations for pre K to 12. schools to determine instructional models data on cases among five to eight years old cases that reported visiting a business among potential locations where an exposure may have occurred. The dashboard is designed to provide early warning signs of factors that affect the state’s mitigation efforts. The data available and the early warning monitoring dashboard includes week over week case differences, incident rates, test percent positivity and rates of hospitalization, ventilations, and emergency room visits tied to COVID-19. There are three levels of transmission, low, moderate, and substantial were the week ending February 19th. There were four counties and the low level transmission 37 counties and a moderate level of transmission and 26 counties were in a substantial level of transmission. As we’ve said Potter is among those counties.