>>Three-Day COVID Totals Include 55,093 New Cases, 94 New Deaths
(Harrisburg, PA) -- Over the past three days in Pennsylvania, more than 55,000 people have contracted COVID-19. Data from the Pennsylvania Department of Health shows that through January 2nd, the statewide cumulative of confirmed cases was just over 1,727,000. Since the last daily report, there have been 94 new deaths attributed to COVID-19 in Pennsylvania. The statewide positivity rate for the week ending December 30th was 24-and-a-half-percent.
>>Central Dauphin High Schools, Middle Schools Getting Out 45 Minutes Early
(Harrisburg, PA) -- Beginning yesterday, all high school and middle school students in the Central Dauphin School District this week are being dismissed at 1:45 p.m. A message posted on the district's website cites the effect of COVID on the transportation force and that the action is being taken "to preserve transportation for the entire district." Elementary schools will continue following their regular schedules.
>> Musician From Local Group 'Never Forget Loyalty' Sentenced For Drugs, Weapons
(Harrisburg, PA) -- A 26-year-old Harrisburg musician is the latest in a series of defendants sentenced for their role in a drug trafficking ring who were originally charged two years ago. Kaleaf Brown, was sentenced Monday to 140 months or over 11 years in prison for both drug trafficking and weapons offenses. Brown and eight members of the local group "Never Forget Loyalty" or NFL were indicted on drug and gun charges for the actions in videos the group made and posted on YouTube. The videos were filmed in locations across Harrisburg, where they flashed large amounts of cash and showed off various types of weapons and drugs.
>>Harrisburg Homicide Suspect Arrested in Texas
(Harrisburg, PA) -- U.S. Marshals have arrested a man in Texas for a November homicide in Harrisburg. The U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force arrested Jerome Kasey, a 41-year-old man from Baltimore, Maryland who was wanted in connection to a homicide that occurred November 16th on Swatara and Evergreen Streets in Harrisburg. The Marshals Service says Kasey was traveling with James Williams, who was wanted for absconding from Dauphin County Probation. On Tuesday, the Marshals Service arrested Kasey and Williams in Lubbock, Texas without incident.
>>PA State Rep. Daryl Metcalfe to Retire at the End of Legislative Year
(Harrisburg, PA) -- The lawmaker who introduced legislation to impeach Governor Wolf two years ago has announced his retirement at the end of November of this year. Pennsylvania State Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, a Republican representing part of Butler County, has announced that he does not plan to seek re-election in 2022. Metcalfe is currently serving in his 12th term as a state representative. Metcalfe serves as the Republican majority chairman of the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee and as a chairman of the House State Government Committee.
>Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA Market Named Fourth Most Affordable Market to Buy a Home
(Harrisburg, PA) - Though a new report shows that housing affordability is at its lowest level in nearly a decade, it also names the Harrisburg-Carlisle area as one of the best places to buy a new home. The Harrisburg area was fourth on the list from the list from the National Association of Home Builders after Lansing-East Lansing, Michigan, Pittsburgh, Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, Indiana and Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, PA. Market watchers say the median listing home price in Harrisburg was just under 190-thousand dollars.
>>A.G., Gubernatorial Candidate Shapiro Picks Pittsburgh-Area State Lawmaker As Running Mate
(Harrisburg, PA) -- Attorney General Josh Shapiro, a Democratic candidate for governor this year, is endorsing a Pittsburgh-area state lawmaker to be his running mate. On Tuesday, Shapiro picked 32-year-old Austin Davis, who is in his third term in the state House of Representatives. If elected, Davis would be the state's first black lieutenant governor. In a news release, AG Shapiro says Davis bring important geographic and racial diversity to the ticket.
>>Woman Sheriff Now in Office in Cumberland County
(Cumberland Co., PA) -- A woman who is believed to be the first-ever female Sheriff of Cumberland County has taken the reins in that office as of Tuesday. Jody Smith started in the department in 1990 as a deputy sheriff, with a first promotion in 2010 to chief deputy. Smith, a Republican, is elected for a four-year term. She says her first priorities include getting the Cumberland County sheriff's office state accredited.
>>Minority Partner Files Suit Against Lemieux Group Over Sale Of Penguins
(Pittsburgh, PA) -- A Hollidaysburg-based group named Wildfire Productions LP that's a minority owner in the Pittsburgh Penguins has filed suit concerning the sale of the team. Wildfire Productions alleges that Lemieux Group principals Mario Lemieux and Ron Burkle excluded them from the decision-making process in selling the NHL team to Fenway Sports Group. The Pittsburgh Business Times reports the suit was filed almost a week after the National Hockey League and the city-county Sports & Exhibition Authority approved the sale. The Penguins also said in a statement that the Wildfire Group's claims are "without merit."
>>Eagles' Hurts Want Action Taken After Collapsed Railing Incident
(Philadelphia, PA) -- Jalen Hurts is making his voice heard after Sunday's collapsed railing incident. The Eagles quarterback wrote a letter to the Washington Football Team and NFL to ask about what actions would be taken after a group of fans fell six feet when a railing on the side of the tunnel collapsed as Hurts was walking off the field. Hurts said "it could have been so much worse" after he and the group avoided any serious injuries. WFT president Jason Wright said he sent a private email in response to Hurts and that the team is working "to ensure this does not happen again".
>>Several Reading-Area School Districts Offering COVID Testing for Schools
(Reading, PA) -- Several school districts in Berks County are offering state-funded COVID-19 testing for schools. The Wilson School District is among those in Berks County taking advantage. Andrew Hoffert, Director of Student Support Services says his district started giving the onsite rapid antigen testing option for students around Thanksgiving. The Hamburg Area School District also has asymptomatic testing available for students. Additionally, the Fleetwood Area district is currently doing 15-minute rapid testing for staff. Officials there say they're also continuing talks about starting student testing with parent permission.
>>Former Clay Township Church Pastor Pleads Guilty To 2018 Child Porn Charges
(West Lampeter Township, PA) -- A former church pastor has plead guilty to possessing and distributing child pornography. West Lampeter Township police announced Tuesday that the charges against 61-year-old Jody Sambrick stemmed from allegations first raised in 2018. A news release states Sambrick was sentenced to up to two years in prison, plus eight years of probation upon his release. He is a former pastor at Hopeland United Methodist Church in Clay Township and also reportedly had been an assistant tennis coach at Millersville University. He will be required to register as a sex offender for 25 years, provide a DNA sample and will be evaluated by a Sex Offender Assessment Board, among other conditions.
>>County Coroner's Office Asks For Public's Help In Locating Reading Man's Family
(Reading, PA) -- The Berks County Coroner's Office is asking for help finding the family of a Reading-area man. Officials say 68-year-old Richard Kelly died on Tuesday. Anyone who might know how to get in touch with his family is asked to contact the Berks County Coroner's Office.
>>More than $40M Allotted to Help Struggling Residents Pay Water Bills
(Lancaster, PA) -- The state Department of Human Services says allotted grant monies could help people pay their past-due water bills. Pennsylvania is making more than $40-million in grant money available to eligible residents. The application process for the Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program was launched Tuesday and will let eligible customers receive one grant for their drinking water service and one grant for their wastewater service, up to 25-hundred dollars each. The grants, which are issued directly to the water service provider, do not have to be repaid. Applications are available online.
>>Restrictions Ease For Utilizing Substitute Teachers In Pennsylvania
(Harrisburg, PA) -- New authorizations for utilizing substitute teachers are now in effect in Pennsylvania. State lawmakers have seen the need for doing this with the rise in COVID cases as well as with teacher shortages in some areas. The hiring changes are now in place and include retired teachers being eligible to fill teacher vacancies on an emergency or short-term basis. A second change includes districts being able to use eligible college students and recent graduates of education programs to serve as substitute teachers. Also, teachers with inactive certificates may substitute for 180 days instead of ninety per school year. Another change is that educators with active Pennsylvania certificates and those with comparable out-of-state certificates can service as day-to-day substitutes for 20 days or longer under certain circumstances.
>>State Agricultural Officials Have Begun To Ban Invasive Japanese Barberry Plants
(Harrisburg, PA) -- State agriculture officials are beginning a plan to ban a popular ornamental bush that they say harbors ticks that spread Lyme Disease. The Japanese barberry was added to the commonwealth's list of noxious weeds, and officials have started a two-year plan to phase out its sale in the Keystone state. The bushes reportedly are popular with black-legged ticks and officials say they crowd out native vegetation in woodlands, pastures and fields. By the fall of 2023, merchants won't be allowed to sell it at all. Many people use the Japanese Barberry in front yards and as side bushes, too.
>>Eagles Helping to Put a Stop to Gun Violence
(Philadelphia, PA) -- Members of the playoff bound Philadelphia Eagles are coming together to urge folks to put down the guns. They launched a new campaign yesterday called 'End Philly Gun Violence' and it's said to contribute more than $300,000 to some local nonprofits that help fight the problem. Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie said he was grateful for the players who have come together for a great cause.