Coronavirus News for Wilkes-Barre

Coronavirus: Special Features

Governor Wolf Provides Update on State Response to Protests and Riots

Harrisburg, PA – Governor Tom Wolf today provided an update on the steps the commonwealth is taking in response to violence and looting following peaceful protests across Pennsylvania over the weekend to condemn racism, oppression and injustice. “Every Pennsylvanian should speak out against violence and oppression, and the recent murder of George Floyd in Minnesota has rightfully outraged many of us. Pennsylvanians are joining together to speak out against this injustice, and make their voices heard, peacefully,” Governor Wolf said. “But yesterday was a challenging day for many cities in our commonwealth as these peaceful protests were co-opted by violence and looting. This is unacceptable."On Saturday, the governor signed a disaster emergency declaration using his authority to provide all necessary assistance to municipalities as they respond to the escalation of protests in Harrisburg, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.The governor also announced the expanded activation of the Commonwealth Response Coordination Center at the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA). That activation, combined with the declaration, authorizes PEMA to direct emergency operations in Allegheny, Dauphin and Philadelphia counties, allocating all resources and personnel as deemed necessary to cope with the situation.“I will continue to work with Mayors Kenney, Peduto, Papenfuse, and others to make sure that everyone is able to make their voices heard, while keeping each other safe, and I want to thank of all our first responders,” Governor Wolf said. “I urge everyone to be peaceful. I urge everyone to have respect for our communities and our neighbors. I urge all of us to continue to call out injustice. I don't want to lose sight of why we are here. "I want to again send my condolences to the family and friends of George Floyd, and everyone impacted by oppression, racism, and violence,” Wolf said. “Every day, in every corner of our society, we need to work at eliminating racism. That means we need to do our part to address racism – from the smallest thought to the biggest action – here in Pennsylvania, too.”

Scam Warning from the PA Department of Health

Department of Health Warns of Scam Targeting WIC Recipients Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Health today warned Pennsylvania’s Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) participants of potential scams and cautioned them not to disclose their personal information without verifying the identity of the caller.Although WIC clinics do perform eligibility determinations, they will never call participants to request their bank account information to deposit funds directly into their accounts. “The WIC program provides access to resources for mothers and children across Pennsylvania and we do not want our WIC participants worried about being taken advantage of – especially during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Sec. of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said. “We want participants to be alert, but know their information is protected and their benefits will continue to be distributed through secure means. Please be aware of potential scammers looking to steal personal information and report their number so more Pennsylvanians do not have this experience.” If a WIC participant is unsure if a request for information is legitimate they should contact their local WIC office. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, WIC services will be available over the phone or by virtual appointments until counties reopen into the green phase. Residents can find the address, hours of operation, and contact information for their local WIC clinic here. Pennsylvanians should report scams to their local law enforcement or file a consumer complaint to the Office of the Attorney General through an online form, by calling 800-441-2555, or by email at scams@attorneygeneral.gov.

Secrecy on legislator's COVID-19 illness roils Pa. statehouse

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A state lawmaker's decision to keep his COVID-19 diagnosis a secret is dividing the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Democrats say the Republican legislator needlessly put people's health at risk. The fight spilled onto the House floor on Thursday as Democrats denounced how it was handled by the lawmaker and the majority Republican leadership. Republicans defeated a Democratic effort to end the legislative session so there would be time to change policies on disclosing illnesses. And the state attorney general declined requests by fellow Democrats to criminally investigate how the diagnosis was handled. He urged lawmakers to “demonstrate common decency.”The Republican at the center of this story is Representative Andrew Lewis and he doesn't agree with the assessment from House Democrats. Lewis, who represents PA's 105th Legislative District, called into The Jason Barsky Show on WILK News Radio to discuss and dispute allegations that his COVID-19 diagnosis was covered up by his colleagues.Listen to the interview here

Boston Marathon canceled for 1st time in 124-year history

BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Marathon has been canceled for the first time in its 124-year history. Organizers said Thursday that they instead will have a “virtual event” in which participants who verify that they ran 26.2 miles on their own will receive their finisher's medal. The race had originally been scheduled for April 20 before being postponed for five months because of the coronavirus pandemic. “While we cannot bring the world to Boston in September, we plan to bring Boston to the world for a historic 124th Boston Marathon," said Tom Grilk, the CEO of the Boston Athletic Association. Although the title of Boston Marathon champion is contested by a few dozen elite athletes, the field includes more than 30,000 recreational and charity runners, with as many as 1 million people lined up along the course trek from Hopkinton to Boston’s Back Bay. That presented organizers with a social distancing problem that won't be solved by the fall. The cancellation is the first ever for the race, which began in 1897 when 15 men drew a starting line in the dirt in Ashland and headed for the city to commemorate the first modern Olympic Games the previous year. In 1918, the format was modified to a relay due to World War I; the 2013 race was stopped when two bombs exploded at the finish line, several hours after the winners had finished but while many recreational runners were still on the course. For each of those years, the race was held in April on the state holiday to commemorate the battles in Lexington and Concord that marked the start of the Revolutionary War. Traditionally, the Red Sox have scheduled their first pitch for the morning so baseball fans could wander over to Kenmore Square after the game to see the runners pass by with one mile to go. In March, when the race was postponed to Sept. 14, Mayor Marty Walsh cited the desire to salvage the estimated $211 million pumped into the city’s economy each year. The Boston Athletic Association and marathon runners also raise about $40 million for charity. Walsh said at the time that there was no thought of excluding the tens of thousands of amateur runners who consider running Boston a bucket list achievement. The Tokyo Marathon went on as scheduled in March with just over 200 elite runners but not the 38,000 recreational runners who had signed up; spectators at the Los Angeles Marathon were advised to practice social distancing. “That’s not the Boston Marathon. We’re an inclusive marathon,” Walsh said. “The Boston Marathon is for everyone.” The 2021 Boston Marathon is scheduled for April 19 and the 125th anniversary edition is scheduled for April 18, 2022.

Disappointing, but not surprising. Wilkes-Barre 4th of July festivities, cancelled!

Wilkes Barre Mayor George Brown issued a press release detailing changes to the planned calendar of events during the Summer of 2020. While not surprising, the most notable cancellation was that of the city’s annual Old Fashioned Fourth of July Celebration at Kirby Park. There was hope that the event would be able to move forward, even in a limited capacity, but COVID-19 had other plans. This cancellation means no rides, no food and craft vendors, no entertainment, and sadly no fireworks. The Mayor also delivered some good news about two events which will go on despite the pandemic. Those two events are the City’s Farmer’s Market, and the NEPR AACA Car Cruise, both on Public Square. Here are the details about the Farmer’s Marker and Car Cruise: Farmers’ MarketThe City’s Farmers Market on Public Square will open on Thursday, June 25th at 10 AM and continue through 4 PM each Thursday. The weekly event will be subject to CDC and the Pennsylvania Department of Health COVID-19 regulations and recommendations. There will be no prepared food or non-food item vendors during the market, through at least July. This will be a produce market only. The Strawberry Festival, scheduled for June 18th, has been cancelled. The city encourages downtown Wilkes-Barre restaurants to make themselves available to the patrons of the Farmers’ Market. The city is hopeful that the Farmers’ Market will enable downtown restaurants to reestablish their businesses and connection with community. NEPR AACA Car Cruise on Public Square The NEPR AACA Car Cruise on Public Square will begin on Friday, July 31st. The event will have limitations pursuant to CDC and Pennsylvania Department of Health guidelines. There will be no food vendors or other vendors during the event.

Gov. Wolf: Luzerne County moving to yellow. Lackawanna County stuck in red until June 5th.

Harrisburg, PA – Furthering his plan for reopening Pennsylvania, Governor Tom Wolf today announced eight additional counties will move to yellow and 17 to green, effective at 12:01 a.m., May 29. All remaining counties in red are expected to move to yellow by June 5 at 12:01 a.m.The counties moving to yellow on May 29 include Dauphin, Franklin, Huntingdon, Lebanon, Luzerne, Monroe, Pike, and Schuylkill.The 17 counties moving to green, also on May 29, include Bradford, Cameron, Clarion, Clearfield, Crawford, Elk, Forest, Jefferson, Lawrence, McKean, Montour, Potter, Snyder, Sullivan, Tioga, Venango and Warren.Counties that remain in red on May 29 and are expected to move to yellow by June 5 include Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Lehigh, Northampton, Montgomery, and Philadelphia.“We know not only that we succeeded in slowing case growth, but that our actions, our collective decisions to stay at home and avoid social contact – we know that saved lives,” Gov. Wolf said. “My stay-at-home order did exactly what it was intended to do: It saved lives and it bought us valuable time.”Gov. Wolf referred to a study by Drexel University that indicates that in Philadelphia alone, 60 days of staying at home resulted in more than 7,000 lives saved and prevented more than 68,000 people from needing hospitalization.Yellow MetricsIn deciding which counties to move to yellow, the state used risk-based metrics from Carnegie Mellon University combined with contact tracing and testing capability and a sustained reduction in COVID-19 hospitalizations. While the 50 new cases per 100,000 population was considered, it did not weigh any more heavily than other factors.Over the past two weeks:The state has seen sustained reductions in hospitalizations. From May 8 when the first counties moved to yellow to yesterday, the number of COVID-19 patients hospitalized dropped by nearly one thousand – from 2,618 to 1,667. The number of COVID patients on ventilators shrank by about a third, from 505 to 347. New cases continue to decline: From May 8 to May 15, the state added 6,384 cases and from May 15 to 21, added 4,770. The current COVID-19 incidence rate in the state is 83.4 cases per 100,000 people. Two weeks ago, it was 113.6 per 100,000. Most other states are seeing their new case rate continue to increase or remain flat. Pennsylvania is one of just 19 states with new case-rate declines.Green MetricsCounties that have been in the yellow phase for the requisite 14 days have been closely monitored for the risk associated with transitioning to the green phase. In the green phase, we will continue to take precautions, including reducing building capacity, encouraging teleworking, limiting visitation in certain high-risk environments, and preventing large entertainment gatherings.The guidelines for moving to green are available here, and include specifics for employers, large events, and social gatherings.Moving Forward“We continue to increase testing every day and are continuing to build our contact tracing capacity, as well,” Gov. Wolf said. “We are able to do these things, to be successful, to reopen in this manner because of the Pennsylvanians who have made tremendous sacrifices since the virus emerged in our state,” Gov Wolf said. “Thank you.“I want to remember and honor all of those who we lost and give solace to their family and loved ones. The last two months have been trying and they have tested each of us, and I want to thank and acknowledge all the people of our commonwealth who have been called upon to upend their lives to keep their neighbors, friends and family safe.”

UPDATE: Read the Official Court Documents -- Judge says no injunction against Governor Wolf's orders

Update: Read the Official Court Documents. Click Here Attorney Marc Scaringi joined the Frank Andrews Show to discuss the latest setback in his attempts to get an injunction against Governor Wolf's pandemic orders.

Bill becomes Law: Cocktails-to-go are a go in Pennsylvania!

On Thursday, Governor Tom Wolf signed House Bill 327 into law. This new law allows the temporary sale of cocktails-to go from bars, restaurants or hotels with a liquor license. The new law takes effect immediately. The full press release from the Governor's office is below. This is the latest update in a long string of updates which started a few weeks ago when Tom Tell, owner of Thirst T's Bar and Grill, started a petition looking to make "cocktails-to go" legal in the Commonwealth. Prior to the signing of the bill, the most recent update was on Tuesday, when the bill passed unanimously in both the State House and Senate. Audio of that phone call can be found here Harrisburg, PA – Governor Tom Wolf today signed House Bill 327, now Act 21 of 2020, allowing the temporary sale of cocktails-to-go from bars, restaurants or hotels with a liquor license. The law takes effect immediately.“This new temporary rule creates more business for bars and restaurants when they need it, helps to meet customer demand and supports social distancing,” said Governor Wolf. “As we approach the holiday weekend, I encourage all Pennsylvanians to remember to drink responsibly.”The law applies to bars, restaurants and hotels that have lost 25 percent of average monthly total sales during the COVID-19 emergency. The beverages must be sold in containers with a secure lid in quantities from 4 oz. to 64 oz. before 11 p.m. An additional seal is required on the straw opening of a lid. Within 60 days, bars and restaurants must use a transaction scan device to verify a consumer’s age if the person appears to be younger than 35 years of age."Our local restaurants are working hard to feed our communities during this difficult time,” said Rep. Perry Warren. “Act 21 both streamlines the process for residents to decide whether to permit alcohol sales in a ‘dry’ municipality and allows restaurants to add another product for their customers for curbside pickup and takeout during this crisis. I thank Governor Wolf and my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for supporting this bill."The temporary rule expires after the COVID-19 disaster emergency ends and a business reaches 60 percent capacity.Pennsylvania’s open container law applies.

Governor Wolf gives the go ahead for the Real Estate industry to conduct limited business

Harrisburg, PA — Governor Tom Wolf today announced yesterday the Pennsylvania real estate industry may conduct limited business-related activities statewide .“We continue to review our policies and the scientific data to determine the safest approach for all activities in the commonwealth,” Governor Wolf said. “While at this point more than two-thirds of the state will be in the yellow phase of the state’s reopening plan by Friday, May 22, we are still evaluating how industries may be able to conduct business appropriately in red phase counties, including the real estate industry.“This industry impacts numerous types of businesses and Pennsylvania homebuyers who are in the process of, or considering, purchasing a home. It’s critical that these businesses, regardless of whether they are in red phase or yellow phase counties, strictly adhere to all appropriate guidelines and guidance,” Governor Wolf said.Previously, businesses and employees in the real estate industry were permitted to conduct limited in-person activities in counties in the yellow phase of the commonwealth’s phased reopening plan. The real estate guidance requires businesses and employees to follow all applicable provisions of the Guidance for Businesses Permitted to Operate During the COVID-19 Disaster Emergency to Ensure the Safety and Health of Employees and the Public, which includes provisions requiring that every person present at a work site, business location, or property offered for sale, wear masks/face coverings, and provisions requiring the establishment of protocols for execution upon discovery that the business has been exposed to a person who is a probable or confirmed case of COVID-19.All in-person activities should be scheduled and limited to no more than the real estate professional and two people inside a property at any time, exercising appropriate social distancing.When conducting settlements/closings utilize remote notary, powers of attorney or the exchange of contract documents electronically or by mail wherever possible. Where it is not possible to conduct settlement/ closing via remote notary or POA, attendance in-person must be limited to required signatories and their legal counsel or real estate professional only, and steps to preserve social distancing must be followed to the maximum extent possible.Businesses and employees are also encouraged to provide sellers with relevant safety information and protocols for cleaning and sanitizing properties; utilize electronic marketing as much as possible; provide all individuals at an in-person activity with a verbal health screening; stagger scheduling of property showings; avoid physical contact with the property by staging in advance to prevent the need for interaction with items like lights, interior doors, drapes and blinds; and minimize time spent in the property by having discussions away from the property via remote means.The governor today vetoed House Bill 2412, which does not provide enough safety protocols for the COVID-19 public health crisis. Further, the legislation would have placed restrictions on municipalities related to property transfers; specifically, it would have eliminated a municipality’s ability to issue use and occupancy permits and conduct safety inspections, which are conditions of a property transfer.