>>Positive COVID-19 Cases on the Rise in Pennsylvania
(Harrisburg, PA) -- Positive COVID-19 cases are continuing to rise in Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Department of Health announced over 7,200 new cases yesterday. The total number of cases in the state has now reached 733,000 since the beginning of the pandemic. There are currently more than 5,200 people who are hospitalized in the state with the coronavirus. Over 18,000 people have died during the pandemic because of COVID-19.
>>City of Harrisburg Requires All City Employees to Receive COVID-19 Vaccine
(Harrisburg, PA) -- The City of Harrisburg is now requiring that all city employees receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Mayor Eric Papenfuse announced the mandate yesterday and the city is the first municipality in the state to require vaccinations for all employees. The decision comes after some new federal guidelines were released this week that allows employers to require employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine if they want to go into the workplace. Mayor Papenfuse is in favor of the mandate, saying that Harrisburg is leading the way for other cities by leading by example.
>>Teen Arrested for Drive-By Shooting in Front of Harrisburg Store
(Harrisburg, PA) -- A teenager is now behind bars for allegedly being connected to a drive-by shooting that killed a man in front of a Harrisburg grocery store. Harrisburg Police arrested 18-year-old Jhajuan Russaw of Susquehanna Township yesterday. He is being charged with criminal homicide and possessing a firearm while prohibited. Russaw is being accused of shooting and killing a 50-year-old man in front of Antonio's Grocery at North Sixth and Woodbine Streets on Monday. It is the first homicide in the city this year.
>>York College Will Not Participate in Several Winter Sports
(York, PA) -- Some York College student-athletes will not be participating in several school sports this winter season. The college announced yesterday that the men and women's basketball teams, the wrestling team and the men and women's indoor track teams will be opting out of the season this year. Officials say the decision was made to protect students and staff at the college during the COVID-19 pandemic, as new positive cases continue to rise in the state.
>>New Breakfast Restaurant to Open in Harrisburg
(Harrisburg, PA) -- Harrisburg residents are going to be able to enjoy a new grab-and-go breakfast restaurant next month. The owner of Deco Grab-and-Go announced yesterday that she is planning to open her new restaurant on February 1st. The restaurant is on the first floor of the Payne-Shoemaker Building located at 240 North Third Street and will be open on weekdays from seven-in-the-morning until three-in-the-afternoon. The owner says the breakfast spot will be serving sandwiches, salad and grain bowls, as well as smoothies, coffee and tea.
>>State Senate To Swear In Brewster Today
(Harrisburg., PA) -- The state Senate will swear in Senator Jim Brewster today. The Democratic incumbent’s swearing in was delayed after challenger Nicole Ziccarelli challenged the results of their very close general election. A judge upheld the validity of several undated mail-in ballots which gave Brewster the win by 69 votes.
>>PSU To Require COVID-19 Tests Before Returning To Campus
(State College, PA) -- Officials with Penn State say they will require all students to be tested for COVID-19 before returning to campus for the spring term. They are starting remotely with those who live off campus being encouraged to postpone coming back unless it’s completely necessary. PSU is providing the self-test kits at no cost and want to have every student’s test on file within 72 hours of their return.
>>Enola Man Accused Of Shooting Girlfriend Over Secret Recordings
(Enola, PA) -- A man from Enola is accused of shooting his girlfriend in the back following an argument over secret recordings. Franklin Kuhn initially told police his gun fell off a shelf and shot the woman in the back January 7th on the 100-block of East Shady Lane. Later, the 57-year-old admitted to police he’d shot her over the recordings she was making on a tablet earlier that day. Kuhn has a felony burglary conviction and isn’t supposed to own a firearm.
>>Large Daycare Being Built Near The Giant Company’s H-Q
(Middlesex Twp., PA) -- A 15,000-square foot daycare is being built near The Giant Company’s headquarters in Middlesex Township. Officials with Giant see it as a partnership with U-Gro Learning Centers toward its goal to connect families for a better future. They are expected to break ground in July and be open by spring 2022 with 30 employees.
>>Susquehanna Township Postpones Athletic Event Over COVID-19
(Susquehanna Twp., PA) -- Susquehanna Township is the latest to have to postpone an athletic event due to COVID-19. Their Tuesday night girls’ basketball matchup against Trinity was postponed and their athletic director tells Pennlive the boys’ games were postponed as well. It’s reported that Northern and Big Spring have also had coronavirus related shutdowns this season.
>>Berks County Congresswoman Named Impeachment Manager
(Berks County, PA) -- A Pennsylvania Congresswoman who represents Berks and Montgomery counties is going to serve as one of nine impeachment managers. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced the names of the impeachment managers yesterday, and Democratic Congresswoman Madeleine Dean was on that list. Dean is an attorney who is on the judiciary committee. She will join the other managers appointed to the task of prosecuting President Donald Trump in a Senate Trial for his involvement in the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol last week.
>>Berks Heim Planning To Distribute Vaccine To Staff And Residents
(Bern Township, PA) -- A Berks County nursing home is preparing to distribute the COVID-19 vaccine to its staff and residents soon. County officials announced yesterday that the final dates for the COVID-19 vaccination at Berks Heim has been set. The first clinic will be held on the 28th and 29th of this month, while the other two clinics will be in February and March. The nursing home is still collecting consent forms from staff and residents, but is planning to give out about 350 vaccines each day. The vaccines are being distributed by Walgreens Pharmacy.
>>Reading Shooting Leaves One Man Dead
(Reading, PA) -- Reading Police are investigating a shooting that left one man dead. The shooting happened yesterday afternoon in the 200-block of Pearl Street between Chestnut and Spruce streets. Police say they found a victim on the scene who was shot three times. He was taken to the hospital but later died from his injuries. Anyone with any information on the shooting is being asked to contact the Reading Police Department.
>>Reading Man Sentenced To Life In Prison For Killing Boy
(Reading, PA) -- A Reading man is going to serve the rest of his life in prison for killing a 14-year-old boy. Reynold Henry was sentenced to life in prison for second-degree murder yesterday. He was found guilty by a jury back in November for shooting and killing a 14-year-old boy in an alley near the 900-block of Mulberry Street in 2017.
>>Lancaster Man Charged For Convenience Store Robbery
(Millersville Borough, PA) -- A Lancaster County man is facing charges for allegedly robbing a convenience store. The 23-year-old man was charged yesterday with robbery, resisting arrest and theft by unlawful taking for robbing the Turkey Hill on Manor Avenue in Millersville Borough last week. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for January 20th.
>>Governor Urges Everyone To Get COVID Vaccine, Stressing Efficacy
(Harrisburg, PA) -- Governor Tom Wolf is stressing the efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccines as many continue to be skeptical of it. Wolf says the vaccine is safe to use and very good to protect people as he emphasized the groundbreaking research and scientific discovery that made the quick development of the effective vaccines possible. The governor and health experts added that symptoms after receiving doses of the vaccine are expected and a sign that the vaccine is teaching the body how to fight COVID-19. There is a lot of information surrounding the vaccine and its safety, but Wolf urges those who have speculation to turn to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Health for information.
>>Police Arrest Suspect Connected To Convenience Store Clerk Killing
(Hazleton, PA) -- A suspect is in custody in connection to a Hazleton homicide from last month that left a convenience store clerk dead. Police say Jafet Rodriguez is suspected of being the gunman that entered Craig's Food Mart on December 12th, robbed and shot Ashokkumar Patel before he could call for help, then left him for dead. Investigators connected Rodriguez to the case by using video surveillance and data from his cellphone. Those who knew Patel say he was a good guy who comes from a small town in India, and his son is in his first year of college. Rodriguez is to be arraigned today on charges of criminal homicide, robbery, burglary and theft.