Tioga County barn burglarized…..Medical marijuana stolen from Weedville home…Emporium women accused of assault… Two McKean County bridges open today…Owlett pens judicial reform bill…..68.6% of state residents vaccinated…..n
Wednesday’s high, 69; Overnight low, 41
THU-MOSTLY SUNNY, HIGH 59
THU NIGHT-CLEAR, LOW 46
FRI-PARTLY CLOUDY, HIGH 61
FRI NIGHT-CLEAR, LOW 43
SAT-SUNNY, HIGH 68
SAT NIGHT-CLOUDS INCREASE LOW 45
Tioga County
A burglary occurring August 20 or 21 at 44 Walker Road in Covington Township, Tioga County remains under investigation by state police at Mansfield. Someone entered a barn owned by 86 year old Charles Cooper but apparently left empty handed.
Elk County
Troopers at Ridgway investigated a burglary taking place Wednesday afternoon in Weedville. Someone kicked in the front door of a 30 year old woman and Peach Street and stole medical marijuana.
Cameron County
Two Emporium women have been cited for assault following a fight Tuesday afternoon State police allege the 58 year old and 56 year old suspects became involved in a verbal argument which turned physical so they are both now facing charges in district court.
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) is alerting area drivers to traffic pattern changes on two Route 46 bridges in Norwich Township, McKean County. The bridges are about 2 ½ miles apart. Replacing these bridges will improve their rating from poor to good.
One bridge spans Lost Run near the village of Betula. The second bridge spans a branch of Potato Creek about one mile south of Colegrove.
Starting today, September 30, traffic will be moved from the temporary roadways at each location and placed back on Route 46. Traffic at each site will still be in a one-lane, alternating pattern, controlled by temporary traffic signals. Although work on the structures is complete, this pattern will remain in place as project finish work takes place. That work includes paving, guide rail updates, and pavement markings. PennDOT expects full completion at both sites by the end of October.
The contractor on this $1.3 million job has been Dean Construction, Inc. of Smethport, PA. PennDOT reminds drivers to use caution in work zones, obey posted speed limits, and always buckle up.
Motorists are encouraged to “Know Before They Go” by checking conditions on more than 40,000 roadway miles by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information and access to more than 1,000 traffic cameras.
511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional Twitter alerts accessible on the 511PA website.
Subscribe to PennDOT news in Cameron, Centre, Clearfield, Clinton, Elk, Juniata, McKean, Mifflin, and Potter counties at www.penndot.gov/District2.
For regional updates on Twitter, follow www.twitter.com/511PAStateCOLL
Rep. Clint Owlett (R-Tioga/Bradford/Potter) has introduced legislation aimed at empowering voters and ensuring greater accountability among the state’s jurists.
House Bill 1898 proposes to amend the state Constitution to provide consistency in the terms of office for Pennsylvania judges by establishing a uniform six-year term for all levels of jurists. Currently, magisterial district judges and other minor court judges are elected to six-year terms, while judges in the courts of common pleas, Commonwealth and Superior courts and the Pennsylvania Supreme Court serve terms of 10 years.
Because Owlett’s measure requires an amendment to the Constitution, the measure will have to be approved in two consecutive legislative sessions and then be put before the voters in a referendum. Only if it earns approval of the voters could the amendment take effect.
Owlett noted that among the 20 most populous states where judges and justices are elected to office, only six (California, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, South Carolina and Louisiana) provide for judicial tenure of 10 or more years. The overwhelming majority of these states provide for judicial tenures between six and eight years. This includes the neighboring state of Ohio, which elects jurists to a six-year term.
Owlett’s bill is one of several judicial reform measures being proposed in the state House. Other bills in the package seek to develop a rational policy for judicial salaries and compensation; limit the rule making authority of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court; expand the Judicial Conduct Board and Court of Judicial Discipline; and eliminate retention elections, instead requiring judges to stand for reelection. Each of these measures also would require amendment of the state Constitution.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed that as of 12:00 a.m., Wednesday, Sept. 29, there were 4,570 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 1,425,048.
CAMERON 287
ELK 1953
McKEAN 3380
POTTER 1341
TIOGA 3079
ALLEGANY (NY) 4130
CATTARAUGUS 6931
There are 2,843 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19. Of that number, 681 patients are in the intensive care unit with COVID-19.
The trend in the 14-day moving average number of hospitalized patients continues to increase again.
Statewide percent positivity for the week of Sept. 17 – Sept. 23 stood at 8.9%.
As of 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 28, there were 97 new deaths identified by the Pennsylvania death registry, reported for a total of 29,323 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 Tuesday, Sept. 28, 68.6% of Pennsylvanians age 18 and older are fully vaccinated.
Vaccine providers have administered 12,724,133 total vaccine doses, including 109,431 additional doses authorized for people who are immunocompromised, as of Wednesday, Sept. 29.
6,193,047 people are fully vaccinated; with 10,499 vaccinations administered since yesterday and a
In licensed nursing and personal care homes, there have been a total of 76,290 resident cases of COVID-19 to date, and 16,292 cases among employees, for a total of 92,582 at 1,625 distinct facilities in all 67 counties. Out of total deaths reported to PA-NEDSS, 14,110 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 31,077 of total cases have been among health care workers.
The Department of Health is working to ensure the vaccine is provided in a way that is ethical, equitable and efficient to all Pennsylvanians:
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.