Today, Governor Tom Wolf will introduce a new program to help small businesses recover from the economic impacts of the COVID-19 public health crisis.

As the commonwealth continues the phased reopening of counties and regions, it is imperative that we support economic recovery, especially for small businesses.

The event will be held at the PEMA building on Monday, June 8, 2020 at 1:30 PM.

News Talk WMPT will be in attendance and carry the event live on its social media platforms and talkwilliamsport.com.

BY: TODD BARTLEY, NEWS TALK WMPT, NEWS@TALKWILLIAMSPORT.COM

On Friday, News Talk WMPT was able to ask Governor Wolf about his participation in a protest march on Wednesday in conflict of orders he and Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine issued regarding Yellow Phase large gatherings.

Governor Wolf answered in part, “That wasn’t consistent. I acknowledge that. But I was trying to support a cause, the eradication of racism that is very, very important and I was trying to show support for that effort.” 

As a follow-up, Wolf was asked by News Talk WMPT if he would be submitting to a COVID-19 test and taking self quarantine measures, Wolf responded, “I haven’t decided at this point,” Wolf replied. “I’m being extra cautious as a result. I recognize I took a real gamble there, but I thought the risk was worth it for that cause.”

The story of Governor Wolf participating in a protest march on Wednesday broke as a briefing was set to get underway at the PEMA building with Secretary Levine.

As reporters were preparing to enter the PEMA building social media posts showing the Governor in the march while wearing a mask and not social distancing began to appear.

Here is the real-time exchange provided by Dr. Levine on Wednesday to News Talk WMPT;

QUESTION: Secretary, Dauphin County just moved to yellow on May 29th which means no large gatherings and apparently there is a march going on that has more than 200 people in it today in Dauphin County. Can you clarify the administration’s position on May 11th business owners were called cowards for wanting to reopen their businesses and today the Governor is actually marching in that, (HM) is that not in violation of your order and his order for large gatherings?

Secretary Levine responded; “Well, so we have and the Governor has always said that people have the right to protest and to demonstrate and the the right of free speech.

And so overall, we want, large gatherings such as, such as maybe a party or some type of concert or something to be under 250 people.

But we are not restricting people’s right to protest there are obviously significant social issues that are present that people feel that they need to have a voice and the Governor is always supportive of that and is participating in.”

Much is being made of the attribution of Governor Wolf using the word “cowards” in relation to the ReOpen PA protesters who amassed in front of the Capitol steps in May to express this displeasure with having to remain closed due to the business closure and stay-at-home orders.

In early May, Governor Wolf issued a strong warning to elected officials and those businesses who chose to open ahead of his changing of Red, Yellow and Green phase orders.

News Talk WMPT covered the event on May 11, 2020 when Wolf made his speech; BREAKING NEWS: Gov. Wolf speechless in response to News Talk 104.1 question on USSC case, (video link).

Remarks delivered by Governor Wolf on May 11 are included in part below.

“These heroic acts deserve to be met not by surrendering, but by staying the course. And that’s what I intend to do.

To those politicians who decide to cave in to this coronavirus, they need to understand the consequences of their cowardly act.

The funding we have put aside to help with fighting this crisis will go to the folks who are doing their part. That includes our CARES Act funding, which will be used to support counties that are following the orders to prevent the spread, and the medical communities who are treating patients. However, other discretionary funding won’t go to counties that put us all at risk by operating illegally.

To the politicians urging businesses to risk the lives of their customers or their employees by opening prematurely: they need to understand that they are engaging in behavior that is both selfish and unsafe.

As News Talk WMPT reported that same day, Congressman Keller blasts Gov. Wolf’s threat to withhold funding and protections from PA counties and businesses. Keller led his response with “Trying to feed your family is not ‘cowardly.”

Keller went onto say: “The vast majority of Pennsylvanians rely on their jobs to put food on the table and pay their bills. Because of Gov. Wolf’s prolonged shutdown order, nearly 2 million Pennsylvanians, or 26 percent of our state’s workforce, are unemployed, and overdose and suicide deaths are rising. Pennsylvanians have shown they can safely shop and work in mega-retailers while the Governor unilaterally keeps small businesses closed and is now threatening them if they re-open. Despite what Gov. Wolf believes, Pennsylvania’s small business owners and workers are smart enough to operate safely and feed their families.”

Governor Wolf in his prepared remarks did not call business owners “cowards”. 

Instead, he stated the following:

“To business owners: These politicians put you at risk of losing your health department certificate. They put you business owners at risk of losing your liquor license. They put you business owners at risk of losing your certificate of occupancy. All of these depend upon your doing everything you can to keep your patrons safe. And by opening before the evidence suggests you should, you are taking undue risks with the safety of your customers.

That is not only morally wrong. It’s also very bad business.

Businesses that do follow the whims of local politicians and ignore the law and the welfare of their customers will probably find themselves uninsured. Because, insurance does not cover things that happen to businesses breaking the law.”

Both the Wednesday response by Dr. Levine and the Friday response by Governor Wolf have drawn statewide and national media coverage as numerous counties in Pennsylvania remain in Yellow Phase and nearly half the state has moved into the Green Phase of reopening.

WNEP

PENNLIVE

CBS21

WJAC-TV

BREITBART.COM

BEN SHAPIRO SHOW

News Talk WMPT will be participating in the press conference on Monday with Secretary Levine and it is anticipated Governor Wolf will again be in attendance.

Department of Health Provides Update on COVID-19,

506 Positives Bring Statewide Total to 75,592

Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Health today confirmed as of 12:00 a.m., June 7, that there are 506 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 75,592. All 67 counties in Pennsylvania have cases of COVID-19.

There are 5,943 total deaths attributed to COVID-19, an increase of 12 new deaths. County-specific information and a statewide map are available here.

“As Pennsylvania continues to move forward in the process to reopen, we need to remember that the threat from COVID-19 has not gone away,” Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said. “As counties move into the yellow and green phases, we must take personal responsibility to protect others. Wearing a mask, continuing to maintain social distancing, and washing your hands frequently are all steps we can take to help protect others, including our most vulnerable Pennsylvanians, our essential workers and our healthcare system.”

There are 620 patients who have a positive serology test and either COVID-19 symptoms or a high-risk exposure, which are considered probable cases and not confirmed cases. There are 444,173 patients who have tested negative to date. Of the patients who have tested positive to date the age breakdown is as follows:

• Nearly 1% are ages 0-4;
• Nearly 1% are ages 5-12;
• Nearly 2% are ages 13-18;
• 6% are ages 19-24;
• Nearly 37% are ages 25-49;
• 25% are ages 50-64; and
• 28% are ages 65 or older.

Most of the patients hospitalized are ages 65 or older, and most of the deaths have occurred in patients 65 or older. More data is available here.

In nursing and personal care homes, there are 16,131 resident cases of COVID-19, and 2,804 cases among employees, for a total of 18,935 at 615 distinct facilities in 45 counties. Out of our total deaths, 4,094 have occurred in residents from nursing or personal care facilities. A county breakdown can be found here.

Approximately 5,729 of our total cases are in health care workers.

For the latest information for individuals, families, businesses and schools, visit “Responding to COVID-19” on pa.gov.

Currently, all 67 counties are in the yellow or green phase of reopening.

The Wolf Administration stresses the role Pennsylvanians play in helping to reduce the spread of COVID-19:

• Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
• Cover any coughs or sneezes with your elbow, not your hands.
• Clean surfaces frequently.
• Stay home to avoid spreading COVID-19, especially if you are unwell.
• If you must go out for a life-sustaining reason, please wear a mask.

Updated Coronavirus Links: Press Releases, State Lab Photos, Graphics

• Daily COVID-19 Report
• Press releases regarding coronavirus
• Latest information on the coronavirus
• Photos of the state’s lab in Exton (for download and use)
• Coronavirus and preparedness graphics (located at the bottom of the page)
• Community preparedness and procedures materials
• Map with the number of COVID-19 cases

All Pennsylvania residents are encouraged to sign up for AlertPA, a text notification system for health, weather, and other important alerts like COVID-19 updates from commonwealth agencies. Residents can sign up online at www.ready.pa.gov/BeInformed/Signup-For-Alerts.

Harrisburg, PA – The Department of Health today launched an online dashboard to show county progress as Pennsylvania moves through the COVID-19 phased reopening plan. The dashboard breaks down four main categories that are used to determine if a county can move into the next phase of reopening.

“As the dashboard shows, there are several metrics used to determine if it is safe for a county to reopen to the next phase,” Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine said. “We too, want to get back to a normal life. However, we need the help of all Pennsylvanians to make that happen. By taking simple steps, like continuing to wear a mask, staying home when sick, and implementing social distancing, we can help eliminate the spread of COVID-19 and help Pennsylvania fully reopen in a safe and efficient manner.”

The dashboard shows metrics used to help identify if a county can reopen to the next phase, including:

• Stable, decreasing, or low confirmed case counts, past two weeks compared to previous two weeks;
• Contacts of case are being monitored;
• PCR positivity rate <10% in past 14 days; and,
• Hospital bed use is 90% or lower per district population.

Throughout the phased reopening, the administration’s criteria for moving to the green phase has been that after a county transitions to the yellow phase, the Department of Health will closely monitor for increased risk, such as significant outbreaks. If overall risk remains mitigated for fourteen days, the county will transition to the green phase. This dashboard is an effort to quantify mitigation for counties.

The state also continues to use risk-based metrics from Carnegie Mellon University.

Effective at 12:01 a.m. on June 5, 16 more counties moved into the green phase. Counties include Allegheny, Armstrong, Bedford, Blair, Butler, Cambria, Clinton, Fayette, Fulton, Greene, Indiana, Lycoming, Mercer, Somerset, Washington, and Westmoreland. They join 18 other counties that moved to green on May 29.

Symptoms of COVID-19 can include:

• Fever
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Diarrhea
• Chills
• Repeating shaking with chills
• Muscle pain
• Headache
• Sore throat
• New loss of taste or smell

Symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as long as 14 days after exposure. Reported illnesses have ranged from people with little to no symptoms to people being severely ill and dying.

As of 12:00 a.m., June 5, there were 74,385 positive cases of COVID-19 statewide in 67 counties and 5,886 confirmed deaths. Most of the patients hospitalized are 65 or older, and most of the deaths have occurred in patients 65 and older. There have been no pediatric deaths to date. More data is available here.

For the latest information for individuals, families, businesses and schools, visit “Responding to COVID-19” on pa.gov.

The Wolf Administration stresses the role Pennsylvanians play in helping to reduce the spread of COVID-19:

• Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
• Cover any coughs or sneezes with your elbow, not your hands.
• Clean surfaces frequently.
• Stay home to avoid spreading COVID-19, especially if you are unwell.
• If you must go out for a life-sustaining reason, please wear a mask.

Updated Coronavirus Links: Press Releases, State Lab Photos, Graphics

• Daily COVID-19 Report
• Press releases regarding coronavirus
• Latest information on the coronavirus
• Photos of the state’s lab in Exton (for download and use)
• Coronavirus and preparedness graphics (located at the bottom of the page)
• Community preparedness and procedures materials
• Map with the number of COVID-19 cases

All Pennsylvania residents are encouraged to sign up for AlertPA, a text notification system for health, weather, and other important alerts like COVID-19 updates from commonwealth agencies. Residents can sign up online at www.ready.pa.gov/BeInformed/Signup-For-Alerts.

Harrisburg, PA — Today, Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Secretary Dennis Davin shared the critical actions the Wolf Administration has taken to support businesses throughout the COVID-19 public health crisis, from ongoing outreach to stakeholders to financial support.

Davin said he has received critical feedback during outreach meetings the department held with several industries throughout the commonwealth. The department began holding the calls in April as another avenue to support communities and economy during mitigation efforts.

“It is imperative that we ensure an ongoing dialogue between our department and the industries across the state that have been affected by shutdown orders and restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Sec. Davin. “The outreach calls allowed me to hear from each industry directly to learn how they were impacted, truly understand their individual needs during this time, and hear their own ideas about how we can move our state forward in recovery. We value the input and time all participants provided us, as this information was critical as we reopen the commonwealth.”

Over the past several weeks, representatives from DCED, including Secretary Davin and deputy secretaries, have been meeting with industry representatives and other stakeholders to provide them with updates, ask for feedback, and answer questions surrounding their industries during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The industries and organizations included:

• AFL-CIO
• Building Trades
• Construction
• Direct to Consumer Businesses
• Economic Development
• Finance
• Food
• Hospitality, Travel, and Tourism
• Manufacturing
• Medical Technology and Innovation
• Minority and Diverse Businesses
• PREP Partners
• Team PA
• Warehouse, Distribution, and Logistics
• Workforce Development

Representatives were invited to share concerns about the state of their industry and share input about the support needed for the future recovery of their industry. Several calls touched on the administration’s exemption process, some looked for guidance regarding how and when to bring employees back to work safely, others voiced concern about funding for small businesses—including the Paycheck Protection Program, real estate and construction restrictions, and the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding. Every meeting was documented to track the concerns and ideas shared by industries to utilize in planning and implementation for the reopening of the state.

These stakeholder outreach calls were crucial in assessing the true needs and concerns of the industries that took part. This valued feedback will be used as the state prepares to reopen and help Pennsylvania businesses and communities transition from red to yellow and to green phases.

The Wolf Administration’s top priority remains protecting public health and safety during this global pandemic. However, it is equally critical that the business sector, which has been significantly impacted by efforts to mitigate the spread of this deadly virus, receives financial support.

DCED created the COVID-19 Working Capital Access Program (CWCA) to quickly get funding to small businesses, which provided $60 million to 745 businesses.

Additionally, DCED created manufacturing portals to help organize and connect businesses that could respond to personal protection equipment needs across the state and established the Hospital Emergency Loan Program (HELP), which provided nearly $324 million in critical working capital bridge financing to hospitals within the commonwealth that have been adversely impacted by the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

Also in support of businesses during this time, in March, DCED took the emergency executive step of halting April payments, late fees, and accruing interest for loans administered by the department and in April announced the forbearance of loans administered by the department.

For more information, visit the DCED website, and be sure to stay up-to-date with all of our agency news on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. 

UPDATE FROM THE WILLIAMSPORT CROSSCUTTERS

Due to the continuing situation related to COVID-19 and its effect on public gatherings and sports, the Williamsport Crosscutters do not anticipate the 2020 season starting on time. Further, we await word from Major League Baseball and it’s member clubs as to whether they will supply players to MiLB clubs in the current climate. As soon as we have a clear picture and an official announcement from MLB and MiLB, we will immediately communicate it to our fans and partners.

In the meantime, all Crosscutters ticket sales remain suspended and our offices at BB&T Ballpark are still closed to the general public. We encourage fans to follow us on our social media channels for the latest updates and information. The Sawmill Online remains open for merchandise purchases at www.crosscutters.com.

We appreciate everyone’s patience during this uncertain time and we wish you and your families safety and good health.

“We are fully in support of businesses of our county and other counties of our region safely opening and returning to something more in line with their normal operations,” said Kendra Aucker, President and CEO. “But as a Hospital, our driving force is caring for the medical needs of the community. The virus is still active in the areas we serve. As a community, we must continue to practice good infection prevention methods like wearing masks and washing hands.”

Safety measures will remain in place throughout the Evangelical organization to ensure we are able to care for both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients. The Hospital and its primary and specialty practices continue to screen patients before entering, require mandatory masking when inside, control social distance in common areas, and restrict visitation.

The community and its members can collectively and responsibly assist in preventing a resurgence of the virus in the area by frequently and thoroughly washing hands, practicing social distancing, avoiding gatherings of large groups of people, wearing a mask in public, and regularly cleaning and disinfecting commonly used items and areas.

“We are hopeful that by encouraging continued proper infection control methods by individuals and those businesses that are reopening, we as a community can prevent a spike in future cases of the virus,” said Aucker.

Today, Governor Tom Wolf and Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine will provide an update on COVID-19 and efforts to mitigate the virus in Pennsylvania at 2 p.m.

They will announce additional counties moving to a different phase of the commonwealth’s reopening plan.

News Talk WMPT and talkwilliamsport.com will be in attendance to cover the event.

Calls on Gov. Tom Wolf to capitalize on momentum and reopen economy

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Fred Keller (R-PA) commented on Friday’s May jobs report which saw the largest monthly jobs gain in history with 2.5 million new jobs created, including 225,000 manufacturing jobs, and unemployment drop from nearly 15 percent to 13.3 percent.

Prior to the report, so-called experts predicted unemployment would rise to nearly 20 percent and the U.S. economy would lose nearly 9 million jobs.

On the jobs report, Congressman Fred Keller (R-PA) made the following statement:

“Today’s tremendous jobs report and unemployment numbers show what we’ve said along: When you trust the American worker to rebuild the greatest economy the world has ever seen, you will not be disappointed. The best form of stimulus is a job. This is proof positive that re-opening the economy works and we need to continue to do it swiftly and safely.

“Despite this good news, there are still countless Pennsylvania workers and small businesses hurting. As such, I have one thing to say to Gov. Wolf: When you choose to trust Main Street as much as you do mega-retailers, a strong economic recovery is possible. Let’s re-open our economy and take advantage of this momentum.”

Harrisburg, PA – Today, on behalf of the Pennsylvania Commission on LGBTQ Affairs, Executive Director Rafael Álvarez Febo issued the following statement:

“Since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States, Pennsylvanians have tremendously benefited from the steadfast leadership of Department of Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine.

“Dr. Levine has provided critical information to keep us safe from this dangerous virus, while also making important decisions managing the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Dr. Levine is a respected physician with decades of experience in healthcare. The leadership of Dr. Levine and her staff has helped save countless lives during this unprecedented time. In addition to a wealth of knowledge and experience, Dr. Levine has also proven to be a calming presence on our screens with her daily press conferences.

“This leadership has been met with some of the most vile and toxic transphobia our Commission has seen in our commonwealth in recent years. Week after week, members of the LGBTQ community and thousands of Pennsylvanians have tuned in to be informed by our Health Secretary only to be assaulted by streams of comments and slurs aimed directly at Dr. Levine and indirectly at all transgender Pennsylvanians. Whether a member of the media is misgendering her or social media comments are lobbed her way, we admire how Dr. Levine has shown poise and the highest degree of professionalism.

“In times of crisis and pain, LGBTQ individuals are united in pushing back against transphobia of any kind. Members of the commission believe that the health and safety of Pennsylvanians should not be undermined due to these toxic and personal attacks.

“We will continue to support the leadership of Dr. Rachel Levine and the Pennsylvania Department of Health to help get us through these uncertain times.”

The Pennsylvania Commission on LGBTQ Affairs was formed in 2018 through an Executive Order from Governor Tom Wolf. The commission is comprised of 40 commissioners representing all areas of the commonwealth and LGBTQ communities. The mission of the Pennsylvania Commission on LGBTQ Affairs is to advise the governor and state agencies regarding policies, programs, and legislation that impact LGBTQ communities and to serve as a resourceful intermediary between LGBTQ communities and state government.