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…Mt. Jewett woman arrested for physical harassment… Hazel Hurst man charged with driving under influence of drugs…..State House committee approves legislation to help non-profits during pandemic….Covid hospitalizations going up in PA….
Thursday’s high, 66; Overnight low, 47; .18” of rain
MORNING SHOWERS WILL TAPER OFF HIGH 59.
CLEAR TONIGHT LOW 45.
PARTLY CLOUDY TOMORROW HIGH 62
RAIN TOMORROW NIGHT LOW OF 50.
SUNDAY RAIN A HIGH 58 N OVERNIGHT LOW OF 35.
Potter County
Coudersport emergency services responded to a one vehicle crash yesterday on Dividing Ridge Road in Homer Township. A Passenger car went off the road and hit an embankment. Two, people were taken to UPMC Cole for treatment of unknown injuries. Details have not yet been released by State Police.
Mckean County
A 40 year old Mt. Jewett woman has been arrested for physical harassment for an incident allegedly taking place Wednesday afternoon at 10 Philips Street that town. April Yoder is accused of shoving 39 year old Crystal Bullers also of Mount Jewett during an argument which escalated. Charges have been filed in district court against Yoder
A56 year old Hazel Hurst man has been arrested for DUI after his 2008 Toyota Camry was stopped on the West Eldred Road at Beers Hollow Road in Eldred township Monday evening. Police allege when they pulled old his vehicle over . They determined he was driving under the influence of drugs. His name was not released.
State wide
With first responders and other valued nonprofit organizations continuing to struggle with fundraising due to COVID-19 restrictions, the House Gaming Oversight Committee has approved legislation authored by Rep. Ryan Warner (R-Fayette/Westmoreland) to help.
House Bill 290 would authorize organizations that hold Small Games of Chance (SGOC) licenses to conduct certain raffles and drawings online through the pandemic and its immediate aftermath.
“Our communities rely heavily on first response agencies to keep us safe, and on veterans and other social organizations to support things like scholarships, Scouting and youth sports,” Warner said. “We need these services now more than ever, but they cannot continue if our organizations don’t have the ability to fundraise.”
Warner noted that pre-COVID-19, events to raffle popular gifts such as golf equipment and other items had become important community fundraisers. COVID-19 restrictions have greatly inhibited the organizations that rely on revenue from these events. However, those same organizations have continued to operate and, in some cases, especially for first responder agencies, have seen their expenses increase.
“To their credit, these organizations have tried to be creative in their effort to continue fundraising using technology and social media,” Warner said. “My bill will ensure their operations fall within state law.”
Current regulations and procedures do not expressly allow for online sales of small games chance but do prohibit licensees from accepting credit card and online payments from participants, Warner noted.
House Bill 290 would specifically authorize licensees to conduct online raffles and drawings, and use a mobile payment service (not credit cards) for payment. Participants would have to be verified as residing within the Commonwealth and be at least 18 years of age.
The change would expire with the expiration of the COVID-19 disaster emergency or May 1, 2022, whichever is later.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., March 25, there were 3,623 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 1,000,240.
There are 1,652 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19. Of that number, 351 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 4,500 lower than it was at the peak on December 25, 2020. The current 14-day average is also below what it was at the height of the spring peak on May 3, 2020. However, the moving average of number of hospitalized patients has started to increase again.
Statewide percent positivity for the week of March 12 – March 18 stood at 6.5%.
The most accurate daily data is available on the website, with archived data also available.
As of 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, March 24, there were 41 new deaths identified by the Pennsylvania death registry, reported for a total of 24,917 deaths attributed to COVID-19. County-specific information and a statewide map are available on the COVID-19 Data Dashboard.
Pennsylvania hospitals began receiving shipments of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine the week of Dec. 14 and Moderna COVID-19 vaccine the week of Dec. 21. The Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) COVID-19 vaccine was first allocated to Pennsylvania the week of March 1, and the commonwealth is using it for a special initiative involving educators. Vaccination numbers for Pennsylvania do not include Philadelphia, which is its own jurisdiction, or federal facilities, which are working directly with the federal government.
Vaccine providers have administered 4,614,946 total vaccine doses as of Wednesday, March 24.
1,624,654 people are fully vaccinated; with a seven-day moving average of more than 85,000 people per day receiving vaccinations.
1,474,731 people are partially vaccinated, meaning they have received one dose of a two-dose vaccine.
3,099,385 people have received at least their first dose.
This week, a total of 5,235,140 doses will have been allocated through March 27:
281,010 first/single doses will have been allocated this week.
253,970 second doses will have been allocated this week.
To date, 4,614,946 doses total have been administered through March 24:
First/single doses: 3,099,385 administered
Second doses: 1,515,536 administered
Mask-wearing is required in all businesses and wheever leaving home, and while outdoors when social distancing is not possible, even if fully vaccinated. Health Experts continue to stress consistent mask-wearing is critical to preventing the spread of COVID-19.
There are 124,149 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 4,084,343 individuals who have tested negative to date.
In licensed nursing and personal care homes, there are 69,021 resident cases of COVID-19, and 14,160 cases among employees, for a total of 83,181 at 1,572 distinct facilities in all 67 counties. Out of total deaths reported to PA-NEDSS, 12,890 have occurred in residents from nursing or personal care facilities. A county breakdown can be found here. 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 26,251 of the total cases are among health care workers.
JAMESTOWN, N.Y.—Trisha A. “Trish” Amidon, 41, of Jamestown, formerly of Oswayo, Pa., passed away unexpectedly in her home on Tuesday, March 23, 2021. Born on Saturday, October 13, 1979, in Coudersport, she was a daughter of Bucky and Susan Shall Amidon.Trish was a graduate of Oswayo Valley High School, Class of 1998 and a 2002 graduate of St. Bonaventure University with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science.During and after college, Trish was employed at Auntie Anne’s pretzel shop in the Olean Center Mall and was a waitress in several area restaurants. She was later employed as a long term substitute teacher in New York’s Southern Tier. She loved political science and history.Trish was a member of St. Theresa Catholic Church in Shinglehouse where she was baptized in 1979. She was confirmed in St. Elizabeth of Hungary in Smethport.During her high school years, Trish played volleyball and was a statistician for the high school boy’s baseball team. She was also a member of the band and in her senior year was Oswayo Valley’s representative for the Flaming Foliage Festival in Renovo. Trish’s greatest love was her family, especially her children.Surviving in addition to her parents of Oswayo are three sons, Christian M. Amidon, Jonathon K. Amidon, and Jake A. Faison, all of Jamestown; a daughter, Erika Grace Amidon of Jamestown; two sisters, Stefanie M. Amidon of Port Royal, S.C. and Kara D. Amidon of Coudersport; a brother, Mark T. Amidon of Shinglehouse; her loving companion and the father of her children, Howard M. Wheeler, Jr. of Jamestown; and several aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins.Trish was predeceased by her maternal grandparents, Paul and Phyllis Shall; and her paternal grandfather, Leon Amidon.Family and friends are invited to attend a Mass of Christian Burial at 11am on Saturday, March 27, 2021, in St. Theresa Catholic Church, Puritan Street, Shinglehouse. The Rev. Thomas Brown, pastor, will be celebrant. Burial will be in Wells Cemetery, Oswayo.Flowers are gratefully declined. Memorials in Trish’s name may be made to A Way Out, PO Box 447, Coudersport, PA 16915.Trish’s family has entrusted her care to Kevin J. Dusenbury, funeral director/owner of the Virgil L. Howard Funeral Home, Shinglehouse.To express condolences or share a fond memory of Trish, please visit www.virgillhowardfuneralhome.com or to the Virgil L. Howard Funeral Home Facebook page.COVID-19 restrictions will be strictly adhered to, including properly worn facial coverings.To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Trisha A. Amidon, please visit our floral store.