State police at Coudersport make several DUI and Drug arrests and confiscate suspected pot plant from Austin home…Area lawmakers vote in favor of election reform…..some counties hold steady in virus cases…
WED-MOSTLY SUNNY 71
WED NIGHT-CLEAR 50
THU-SUNNY, HIGH 80
THU NIGHT- CLEAR, LOW55
FRI-MIX OF CLOUDS & SUN, HIGH 81
FRI NIGHT-LOW 61
Potter County
Coudersport based state police have made several DUI and drug arrests recently. Drug possession charges are being filed against 21 year old Benjamin Martin of Fleetwood, PA whose 2007 BMW was pulled over on East Second Street and Promise Lane in Sweden Township Monday evening. Troopers claim they found 23 year old Konnor Antle of Broadalbin, NY in possession of a controlled substance when they stopped his 2002 Chevrolet on Route 6 East Monday evening. State police did not release the name of a 45 year old Port Allegany man but allege they found him in possession of a controlled substance when they stopped him on Route 6 West in Roulette Township on the evening of May 22. And officers contend when they served a warrant for state police at Emporium Monday morning at 115 Thorn Street in Austin they found drug paraphernalia, suspected marijuana and a marijuana. The investigation is continuing.
Rep. Martin Causer (R-Turtlepoint) has joined a majority in the state House in supporting the Voting Rights Protection Act, a comprehensive reform measure that, among other things, would require voters to present identification when casting their ballots.
“When you talk about election integrity, having a voter ID law is absolutely imperative,” Causer said. “We show ID for most everything we do – except voting, which is one of the most important rights and responsibilities we have as citizens. It’s not asking too much for people to present ID to show they are who they say they are when they exercise their right to vote.”
Causer emphasized the proposal would require identification be provided to all voters to ensure they can meet the requirement. Already, Pennsylvania voters are issued a paper Certificate of Voter Registration (often called a voter registration card) with a unique identification number; the bill would require those cards be upgraded to durable, scannable Voter Registration Identification Cards. Any voter who forgets his or her ID could vote normally after signing an affidavit that both affirms his or her identity and warns of the penalties for perjury provided for in the act.
“We already require people to present ID when voting for the first time in a new polling place, so this is an expansion of that policy,” Causer explained. “There is broad, bipartisan support for enacting voter ID requirements in the Commonwealth. It’s a reasonable step to improve the integrity and security of our elections.”
House Bill 1300 would further tighten election security by requiring risk-limiting audits in all elections, as well as audits of the Department of State and the Statewide Uniform Registry of Electors every five years; enhancing certification processes for all machines used in elections; requiring signature verification using ballot scanning equipment for mail-in and absentee ballots; and more.
To address issues raised by local election officials, the bill would allow earlier counting of mail-in ballots, moving it from no earlier than 7 a.m. on Election Day to five days before Election Day. It would also move the last day to register to vote back to 30 days prior to an election, as it was before its recent shift to closer to elections.
The bill is the result of a series of hearings that reviewed all aspects of the state’s election process. It now goes to the Senate for its consideration. Learn more about House Bill 1300 here: www.pahousegop.com/votingrights.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed that as of 12:00 a.m., Tuesday, June 22, there were 177 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 1,210,646.
CAMERON-211
Elk-1581
McKean-2903
Potter-1060
Tioga-2595
Allegany-3561
Cattaraugus-3561
There are 406 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19. Of that number, 93 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 continues to drop, after peaking at 2,661 patients which is slightly below what it was at the height of the spring 2020 peak of 2,751 patients on May 3, 2020.
Statewide percent positivity for the week of June 11 – June 17 stood at 1.4%.
The most accurate daily data is available on the website, with archived data also available.
Between 11:59 p.m. Monday, June 21, there were 34 new deaths identified by the Pennsylvania death registry, reported for a total of 27,604 deaths attributed to COVID-19. County-specific information and a statewide map are available on the COVID-19 Data Dashboard.
According to the CDC, as of Monday, June 21, Pennsylvania has administered first doses of vaccine to 61.9% of its entire population, and the state ranks 8th among all 50 states for first doses administered by percentage of population.
According to the CDC, as of Monday, June 21, 59% of Pennsylvanians age 18 and older are fully vaccinated while 74.5% have received their first dose.
According to the CDC, as of Monday, June 21 Pennsylvania ranks 5th among all 50 states for total doses administered.
Statewide data representing the 66 counties within the Department of Health’s vaccine jurisdiction:
Vaccine providers have administered 11,456,968 total vaccine doses as of Tuesday, June 22.
5,260,302 people are fully vaccinated; with a seven-day moving average of more than 26,400 people per day receiving vaccinations.
1,368,622 people are partially vaccinated, meaning they have received one dose of a two-dose vaccine.
6,628,924 people have received at least their first dose.
This week, a total of 13,146,080 doses will have been allocated through June 26:
299,960 first/single doses will have been allocated this week.
299,960 second doses will have been allocated this week.
To date, we have administered 11,456,968 doses total through June 21:
First/single doses: 6,628,924 administered
Second doses: 4,828,044 administered
Fully vaccinated people may choose not to wear a mask indoors or outdoors unless the business or organization requires it, following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
In licensed nursing and personal care homes, there are 71,964 resident cases of COVID-19, and 15,529 cases among employees, for a total of 87,493 at 1,597 distinct facilities in all 67 counties.
Approximately 28,972 of the total cases are among health care workers.
All Pennsylvanians age 12 and older are eligible to schedule a COVID-19 vaccine. Use Vaccine Finder to find a COVID-19 vaccine provider near you.
A commonwealth COVID-19 vaccination guide explains the current process for getting one. Pennsylvanians with questions about the vaccination process can call the Department of Health hotline at 1-877-724-3258.