Category: Breaking News

Mar 28

First Covid-19 Death Reported in Bucks County

Update 3/29- Two more Bucks County residents died today of COVID-19. Both were elderly adults with longstanding health issues.

Bucks County Government has just released the following press release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

A man in his 60s with a history of underlying health conditions died from COVID-19 today in a Bucks County intensive care unit – the county’s first death of the coronavirus pandemic. “We regret having to announce this sad news to our community, and we extend our sincere condolences to this man’s family and friends,” County Commissioners Chair Diane M. Ellis-Marseglia said. The victim died less than a day after being admitted to the ICU on Friday. Testing confirmed that he had COVID-19, said Dr. David Damsker, director of the Bucks County Health Department. “We’ve known, from the experiences elsewhere in the commonwealth, the country and in other countries that once you have community spread of coronavirus, some of our most vulnerable people may die from this disease,” Damsker said. “This is what we are seeking to limit through our social distancing measures.” Damsker expressed his condolences to the victim’s loved ones while stressing that the vast majority of Bucks County cases so far have resulted in more moderate symptoms. “As tragic as this death is, it is not typical of what we have been experiencing in most of the people who have tested positive,” he said. Map Twenty Bucks County residents are currently hospitalized with COVID-19, 13 in stable condition and seven on ventilators in critical condition. Most of those in intensive care are older adults with underlying medical conditions. The deceased man was among 36 new cases reported today to the county health department, almost all of them the result of known contacts with infected persons or out-of-state travel, Damsker said. Bucks County now has had 216 confirmed cases of COVID-19. (One negative lab result was incorrectly reported to the health department Friday as positive.) In a briefing early this afternoon, Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said the commonwealth has 2,751 total cases, including 533 new positive results over the previous 24 hours. The statewide death toll stood at 34, she said. Gov. Tom Wolf announced that he is extending his stay-at-home order to Beaver, Centre and Washington Counties. “We’re starting to see the virus rear its ugly head in every corner of the commonwealth,” Wolf said, urging residents to continue to stay at home except for life-sustaining purposes. Residents of 22 counties, including Bucks and all of its surrounding Pennsylvania counties, are now under Wolf’s stay-at-home directive. Residents of 36 Bucks County municipalities have tested positive for the virus, with first-time cases reported today in Bristol Borough and West Rockhill Township. A map showing those municipalities on the county’s data portal https://covid19-bucksgis.hub.arcgis.com/ will continue to be updated as new cases arise.

Mar 27

Breaking: The House has passed the CARESAct….

BREAKING: The House of Representatives has just voted to APPROVE the Stimulus Package to help during the corona virus. The Senate approved the bill on Wednesday in a 92-0 vote. With the bill passed in the House, The bill moves to President Trump to sign into law which is expected happen shortly, as the HOUSE was rushing the bill to President Trump for his signature.

Direct payments to individuals

Under the plan as it was being negotiated, single Americans would receive $1,200, married couples would get $2,400 and parents would see $500 for each child under age 17. However, the payments would start to phase out for individuals with adjusted gross incomes of more than $75,000, and those making more than $99,000 would not qualify at all. The thresholds are doubled for couples.

Student loan payments suspended

The Department of Education would suspend payments on student loan borrowers without penalty through September 30, according to the bill. CNN reported last week that the Department of Education was planning to allow student loan borrowers to suspend payments without penalty and accruing interest for at least 60 days.

REAL ID deadline delayed

The deadline to obtain a REAL ID, federally mandated identification that will be needed for passengers to board aircraft, will be extended until at least September 2021 — a year past the current deadline.

• Loan forgiveness for certain small business loans. Employers may be eligible for a portion of their federal small business loans to be forgiven (tax-free) for amounts spent for certain payroll, sick leave, family leave and other overhead expenses between Feb. 15 and June 6, as well as certain other debt obligations incurred prior to Feb. 15.

• Additional Small Business Administration loan payments. The Small Business Administration will pay the principal, interest and any associated fees that are currently owed on 7(a) loans, 504 loans and micro-loans. This would be for a six-month period starting on the next payment due date. Loans that are already on deferment would include an additional six months of payment by the Small Business Administration beginning with the next payment.

• Income tax break for some employees. Employee borrowers of student loans that receive assistance from their employers in paying off student loans will not have to pay income tax on any payment assistance, up to $5,250, they receive between enactment of this law and Jan. 1, 2021.

• Deferred Social Security tax. Employers and self-employed individuals would be allowed to defer payment of their employer share of the Social Security tax until Dec. 31.

#StoryDeveloping

Mar 23

Update: Stay At Home Order Issued To ALL Residents of PA

Update: Gov. Wolf added 34 counties to his stay-home edict, meaning that residents of all 67 of Pennsylvania’s counties must now stay home as much as possible to help slow the spread of COVID-19.

March 27, 2020- 9 additional counties added to the stay at home order issued by Gov. Tom Wolf.

📍Berks 📍Butler 📍Lackawanna 📍Lancaster 📍Luzerne 📍 Pike 📍Wayne 📍 Westmoreland 📍 York To be clear: ALL Pennsylvania residents should be staying home to stop the spread of COVID-19. People who live in counties under this order are required to do so, and can only leave their homes if it is for a necessary task.

Tom Wolf has just announced a stay at home order for 7 counties in PA. Including Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Monroe & Montgomery. ALL residents are ORDERED to stay home unless someone’s life depends on leaving your home.

Roads will stay open as will grocery stores and pharmacies.

Schools in the state will be closed another 2 weeks for mitigation efforts.

We will bring you the latest information as we get it in.

Mar 21

Breaking News: New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has just ordered a lockdown….

Gov. Murphy has announced he has signed an executive order that ALL RESIDENTS MUST STAY HOME until Further Notice. All gatherings are canceled until further notice. NO weddings, parties or in-person services. You can NOT cross states lines to shop or travel there. Urging people who have homes at the NJ Shore. STAY AT Primary Residence. ALL non Essential businesses must close effective 9pm tonight. Essential stores will remain open. All 9 million residents must stay home.

ALL gatherings are canceled.

ALL non-essential retail businesses must indefinitely close their physical stores to the public effective 9:00 p.m. tonight.

A Second Executive Order was signed that the order above supersedes any local or township orders.

Also ordering non NJ residents to NOT travel into NJ during this order.

After NJ Gov. Phil Murphy announced this morning that he is mandating the indefinite closure of ALL Municipal, county, and State public libraries and computer labs at public & private higher ed institutions.

Murphy has also just announced that after 400 new test results, bringing the total in the state of NJ to 1327. 16 people have died in the state of NJ from Covid-19.

Mar 19

Breaking: PA Gov. Orders All Non-life-sustaining’ businesses to close, will enforce order.

Gov. Wolf has announced that all but “life-sustaining” businesses in Pennsylvania must close by 8 p.m. Thursday as the novel coronavirus continues to spread.

The governor had previously asked nonessential businesses such as salons, gyms, theaters, and entertainment venues to close. Under the new order, life-sustaining businesses that may continue physical operations include gas stations, farms, health care facilities, and transit systems, according to the Wolf administration.

The order applies to the city of Philadelphia, which previously had been allowed to impose and enforce its own restrictions.

We have included a link which you can download that list what may still operate or what must close.

20200319 Life Sustaining Bu… by Governor Tom Wolf on Scribd

20200319 TWW COVID 19 Busin… by Governor Tom Wolf on Scribd

Mar 16

Breaking News: All NON Essential Stores in PA to close at midnight.

Breaking News Gov. Tom Wolf has just announced that at Midnight all Non essential stores MUST Closed for two weeks.

The following is a list of essential business that will be staying open per Gov. Tom Wolf

-Supermarkets and grocery stores -Trash service -Pharmacies -Discount stores, mini-markets, and non-specialized food stores -Hardware stores -Gas stations -Banks -Post Offices -Laundromats and dry cleaners -Veterinary clinics for domestic pets and pet stores

This is info from the State, We will update as needed.

Mar 16

Breaking News: Gov Wolfs orders Bars and Restaurants to close….

ALSO PLEASE REMEMBER TO SUPPORT THE SMALL BUSINESSES IN OUR COMMUNITY. TAKE OUT AND DELIVERY ARE STILL ALLOWED. SUPPORT THE “MOM AND POP” SHOPS AS WE NEED TO HELP OUR FELLOW NEIGHBORS.

Breaking: Gov. Tom Wolf orders AlL restaurants and bars in Allegheny, Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties to close their dine-in facilities at 12:01 AM Monday, 3/16.

Under the guidance of the Department of Health (DOH), using his authority under the state’s COVID-19 disaster declaration order, Governor Tom Wolf today ordered all restaurants and bars to close their dine-in facilities at 12:01 AM on Monday, March 16 in Allegheny, Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties for 14 days to help stop the spread of COVID-19. Businesses that offer carry-out, delivery, and drive-through food and beverage service may continue to do so, but eating and drinking inside restaurants and bars is temporarily prohibited.

The administration has been working with business owners as well as state and local officials to gather input on this decision. The Wolf Administration will continue to monitor COVID-19 in the commonwealth, and at the end of 14 days will reevaluate and decide whether continued mitigation is needed.

“Ensuring the health and safety of Pennsylvanians is the highest priority as the state grapples with a growing number of confirmed cases of COVID-19, and as the virus continues to spread, it is in the best interest of the public to encourage social distancing by closing restaurants and bars temporarily,” Gov. Wolf said. “I understand that this is disruptive to businesses as well as patrons who just want to enjoy themselves, but in the best interest of individuals and families in the mitigation counties, we must take this step.”

“Social distancing is essential as more Pennsylvanians are testing positive for COVID-19,” Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said. “By taking these steps now, we can protect public health and slow the spread of this virus.”

Businesses that do not adhere to this order could face enforcement actions.

The administration has strongly urged non-essential businesses in the four counties to close during their county-specific mitigation periods to protect employees, customers, and suppliers and limit the spread of the virus through personal contact and surfaces. Allegheny County has adopted similar mitigation efforts.

The Department of Community and Economic Development and DOH are reaching out to businesses through a letter to provide guidance on the types of businesses that are urged to close. The letter also indicates to businesses that financial assistance opportunities are available to mitigate the financial impact of closures.

Mar 14

Covid-19 Updates

Greater Philadelphia Severe Weather has created two pages for Covid-19 information from the CDC. These will be updated daily via a CDC update and we will post the latest information in those sections.

Covid-19 Updates

https://greaterphilaseverewx.com/covid-19-updates/covid-19-usa-updates/

https://greaterphilaseverewx.com/covid-19-updates/covid-19-worldwide-updates/

Mar 14

BREAKING NEWS: Gov Wolf announces plan for Bucks & Chester Counties to halt coronavirus starting Sunday

Updates as of 6:00 pm:

Bucks County Officials are reminding residents to remain “calm” and “use common sense.” Try to have a normal like with things closed. Do not travel if you do not have to.

The PA Liquor Control Board says all 88 wine and spirits stores in Montgomery, Delaware, Chester and Bucks counties will be closed in phases because of coronavirus. All will be open Sunday, only some will be open Monday, and from Tuesday forward all 88 will be closed until further notice.

Gov. Tom Wolf has just announced that Bucks and Chester Counties will join Mont Co and Delaware counties in an aggressive mitigation for at least 2 weeks. He is urging that all non essential businesses close to protect employees and public. Gas Stations, Food Stores and Pharmacies will remain open. This afternoon the State will issue ordinances and guidance for businesses. MORE COMING AS SOON AS WE HAVE IT.

The state expressed everyone should keep a social distance.