>>Coronavirus Case Rate Down 93%
(Harriburg, PA) - State health officials say the COVID case rate is down 93 percent. However, the daily rate is still higher than last year, despite an 87 percent drop. The Pennsylvania Department of Health says the 23-thousand cases recorded over the past seven days equate to a daily average of nearly 33-hundred. To date, there have been two-point-73 million infections statewide since the pandemic began.
>>Applications Pour in for Nurses' Student Loan Debt Relief
(Harriburg, PA) -- State officials say nearly 15-thousand applications have been sent in to a debt-relief program for Pennsylvania-licensed nurses. Funding for the Student Loan Relief for Nurses program comes from the state's share of federal American Rescue Plan dollars and offers up to 75-hundred dollars in student loan debt relief per nurse. Governor Wolf has designated that five-million-dollars be made available for the program. He's also asked the legislature to increase that amount by 35-million as part of a larger initiative. The deadline for licensed nurses to apply is March 1st.
>>Demonstrators Want Capitol Riots-Associated Candidates to be Barred from Running
(Harriburg, PA) -- Demonstrators in Harriburg have been calling for the state to bar gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano from the Pennsylvania primary ballot. They also want a related investigation into whether U.S. Representative Scott Perry should also be barred as well. The demonstrators say those actions are called for based on what they say are the candidates' "insurrectionist" moves involving the January 6th, 2021 attacks on the U.S. Capitol. The demonstrators are part of a national group that wants to bar former President Trump and Trump-associated candidates from future elections because of their roles in efforts to stop the certification of the 2020 presidential election. The group justifies its argument on part of the 14th Amendment, which bars officials from holding federal or state office if they "have engaged in insurrection or rebellion."
>>Rep. Tom Mehaffie Seeks Fourth Term for Dauphin County House Seat
(Harriburg, PA) -- Republican State Representative Tom Mehaffie says he wants to continue to represent his Dauphin County House district for a fourth term. The redrawn 106th now includes Derry, East Hanover, South Hanover, Conewago, Londonderry, and part of Lower Swatara townships as well as Middletown, Royalton and Hummelstown boroughs. The 50-year-old lives in Lower Swatara Township. In his current term, he's been involved with improvements to the Keystone Stars child care providers rating system and sought to have the Hershey Kiss designated as the official state candy. The primary is set for May 17th.
>>Officials Say Deadly Shooting of 13-year-old Boy was Targeted
(Lebanon, PA) -- A 13-year-old boy who was killed Tuesday in a shooting in South Lebanon township has been described as a child who was respectful and stayed out of trouble. Lebanon County District Attorney Pier Hess Graf also said Jason Rivera as a 'good kid' at a Thursday morning news conference asking for the public's help to solve the case. She also says the shooting was not a random act of violence and that details about the manner of the boy's death are not being released at the request of the family. Rivera was a seventh grader at Lebanon Middle School.
>>Philly Flyers Giving $100,000 to Business as Economic Shot-in-the-Arm After COVID
(Philadelphia, PA) -- The Philadelphia Flyers are giving five local businesses advertising asset packages valued at 100-thousand dollars each. Promoters say the economic shot-in-the-arm is part of the team's Hometown Assist program and includes an extensive marketing campaign for each business. The Philadelphia Business Journal says the packages include radio commercials, digital and social media promotions and signage inside the Wells Fargo Center. The program was originally launched in 2020 to help small businesses that have been directly impacted the COVID pandemic. Flyers officials said they wanted the awards to go to a diverse range of recipients, both demographically and business-wise.
>>Access To Online Unemployment System To Be Limited This Weekend
(Harriburg, PA) -- If you use the state's online system to file your unemployment claim, you could have trouble doing so this weekend. Officials with the Department of Labor & Industry say to expect intermittent outages due to routine maintenance. L&I said the maintenance project will begin Saturday morning and end Monday evening. During that time, public access to both the online and phone systems administered by the department will be limited. L&I Secretary Jennifer Berrier says if claimants find they can't file for weekly benefits during the holiday weekend, they still have the rest of the week to submit their claims.
>>Dauphin County Man Charged With Aggravated Assault Of 5-Week-Old Son
(Middletown, PA) -- A Dauphin County man is being charged with the aggravated assault of his five-week-old son. Court documents allege 26-year-old Kurtis Lamka admitted to Middletown police that he shook the child on January 31st. The action caused severe head trauma to the infant. There has been no update on the child's condition.
>>Knoebels Amusement Resort Says It Will Open For the Season on April 30th
(Elysburg, PA) -- Knoebels Amusement Park in Northumberland County says they will open their 2022 season on Saturday, April 30th. Officials announced the opening on Wednesday, along with information on hundreds of new hire and re-hire positions available at the park. Knoebels is offering increased wages this season and a new bonus program. Details can be found online at Knoebels-dot-com. The amusement venue, which was founded in 1928, is the nation's largest free-admission park.
>>Capitals Win Over Flyers
(Philadelphia, PA) -- The Washington Capitals have gotten in a 5-3 win over the Flyers Thursday night. Despite some good playing, the Flyers continued their losing streak to four in a row. Gerry Mayhew scored twice, and Travis Sanheim added a goal at the end of the second. Flyers goalie Martin Jones also stopped 20 shots but let in four goals. Philadelphia dropped to 15-25-and-9 for the season so far.
>>Another 3-Game Weekend in Store for Hershey Bears
(Hershey, PA) -- It's another back-and-forth three-game weekend for the Hershey Bears. Beginning Friday, they'll be on the road to play the Bruins in Providence, then back home Saturday to play the Bridgeport Islanders. On Sunday, it's back to Providence one more time. In the Atlantic Division, the Bears are currently in third place having won 24 games and lost 15. The puck drops at 7:00 p.m. Saturday night for the home game at Webster Bank Arena in Hershey.