Sunday’s high, 61; Overnight low, 19
SUNNY TODAY WITH A HIGH OF 60.
CLEAR TONIGHT A LOW 34
SUNNY TOMORROW A HIGH OF 58.
MOSTLY CLOUDY TOMORROW NIGHT AND LOW 43
WEDNESDAY, OVERCAST WITH A CHANCE OF A SHOWER, A HIGH OF 55. IT IS MARCH 22.
Burglary at Westfield business probed by state police…Teenage drug overdose investigated by Mansfield State Police….Reported child abuse and pornographic post under investigation by troopers at Coudersport…..Numerous structures were involved in a wildfire Sunday near Austin just as Wolf Administration announces applications are being accepted for wildfire suppression equipment….and more than 4 million vaccines have been given in Pennsylvania…
Tioga County
State Police at Mansfield are investigating a burglary that took place sometime last Saturday or Sunday, March 13, and 14 on East Main Street in Westfield. Thieves entered the Burrous Garage and Carwash and stole a battery charger and various area tools estimated to be about $1100. in value. Anyone with information is asked to call Mansfield base State Police at 570-662-2151
Troopers at Mansfield also investigated an overdose by a teenager occurring on March 7 at around 6:40am in Elkland. Police found that a 15 year old Wellsboro girl while visiting a residence on Coolridge and overdosed and that investigation continues.
Potter County
Coudersport based state police report they are investigating and alleged child abuse occurring between November 1 and 30th of last year In Homer Township Potter County. A 13 year old Eldred boy reportedly was assaulted. But no further details were released.
A possible pornographic post by a juvenile in Eulalia Township is being investigated by state police at the Coudersport barracks. A known juvenile allegedly exhibited explicit images through a video chatting website last Tuesday night from a location on the West Branch of Dingman Run Road.
Region
it is wildfire season and several area departments at the Dallas wildfires over the past few days. Numerous structures were involved in a wildfire yesterday near Austin. The Wolf administration last week announced that funding is now available to help Pennsylvania’s rural communities increase protection from wildfires.
Fire Commissioner Bruce Trego praised volunteer fire companies’ service to communities close to home, as well as those members who often join DCNR’s Bureau of Forestry crews battling wildfires far beyond Pennsylvania’s borders.
Local firefighting forces in rural areas or communities with fewer than 10,000 residents qualify for the aid, which is used for training and equipment purchases directly related to fighting brush and forest fires.
Grant applications must be electronically submitted through DCNR’s grant website by 4:00 P.M., Thursday, May 13, 2021. To expedite applications and decision-making processes, DCNR is accepting only online applications.
The key objective is to better equip and train volunteers to save lives and protect property in unprotected or inadequately protected rural areas. Grant recipients are selected based on vulnerability and adequacy of existing fire protection.
In application reviews, priority will be placed on projects that include the purchase of wildfire suppression equipment and protective clothing. Grants also may be used for purchasing mobile or portable radios, installing dry hydrants, wildfire prevention and mitigation work, training wildfire fighters, or converting and maintaining federal excess vehicles. These vehicles are presented to the local departments exhibiting the greatest needs and those that commit to outfitting them for fire suppression.
Aid is granted on a cost-share basis. Grants for any project during a fiscal year cannot exceed 50 percent of the actual expenditures of local, public, and private nonprofit organizations in the agreement. The maximum grant that will be considered from any fire company in 2021 is $10,000.
In 2020, almost $592,000 was awarded to 109 volunteer fire companies serving rural areas and communities where forest and brush fires are common. The grant program, offered through DCNR and paid through federal grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, has awarded more than $13 million since it began in 1982.
Statewide
The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., March 19, that there were 3,455 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 980,302.
Here in the Black Forest Broadcasting service area, it still appears that the number of cases is slowing down McKean County has 2351 confirmed cases; Tioga County has 2208 ; Elk 1281; Potter 837 and Cameron 179. Over in New York State Cattaraugus County has 4649 confirmed cases and Allegany County 2981.
There are 1,486 individuals hospitalized in Pennsylvania with COVID-19. Of that number, 287 patients are in the intensive care unit with COVID-19. Most of the patients hospitalized are ages 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 4,600 lower than it was at the peak on December 25, 2020. 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 March 5 – March 11 stood at 5.7%.
As of 11:59 p.m., Thursday, March 18, there were 35 new deaths identified by the Pennsylvania death registry, reported for a total of 24,741 deaths attributed to COVID-19. County-specific information and a statewide map are available on the COVID-19 Data Dashboard.
Vaccine highlights
Vaccine providers have administered 4,043,398 total vaccine doses as of Friday, March 19 – 2,699,008 first/single doses and 1,344,373 second doses.
1,428,867 people are fully vaccinated, an increase of 309,869 over last week’s total; with a seven-day moving average of more than 83,000 people per day receiving vaccinations.
1,270,141 people are partially vaccinated, meaning they have received one dose of a two-dose vaccine.
Combining those fully vaccinated and those who have received one dose only to date means 2,699,008 have received at least one dose of vaccination.
24.1% of Pennsylvanians have received at least one dose of vaccine.
More than 1.4 million people aged 65 and older having received at least one vaccine.
This week, a total of 4,699,560 doses will have been allocated through March 20:
278,670 first/single doses will have been allocated this week.
242,270 second doses will have been allocated this week.
To date, of the 4,699,560 doses allocated through March 20, we have administered 4,043,398 doses total through March 18:
First doses/Single doses, 100 percent (2,699,008 of 2,705,155)
Second doses (as applicable*): 67 percent (1,344,373 of 1,994,405)
Mask-wearing is required in all Pennsylvania businesses, whenever leaving homeandn while outdoors when social distancing is not possible. Officials continue to say consistent mask-wearing is critical to preventing the spread of COVID-19.
There are 119,761 individuals who have a positive viral antigen test and are considered probable cases and 639 individuals who have a positive serology test and either COVID-19 symptoms or a high-risk exposure.
There are 4,036,426 individuals who have tested negative to date.
In licensed nursing and personal care homes, there are 68,798 resident cases of COVID-19, and 13,994 cases among employees, for a total of 82,792 at 1,562 distinct facilities in all 67 counties. Out of total deaths reported to PA-NEDSS, 12,827 have occurred in residents from nursing or personal care facilities. Note that the number of deaths reported to NEDSS is not exactly the same as the COVID-19 related deaths reported by the death registry. The number of deaths among nursing and personal care home residents and employees is taken from the PA-NEDSS death data, as this information is not available in the death registry data.
Approximately 25,976 of the total cases are among health care workers.