50 more cases at Bloomsburg University

BLOOMSBURG — Bloomsburg University has another 50 cases of COVID-19 among its students and staff, bringing the school's total to 218 cases, according to numbers the school released Wednesday.

BU has switched nearly all of its classes to remote learning, but has allowed students to stay on campus.

The school says of the 216 students with coronavirus, 38 are quarantining on campus, 165 off campus and 13 at their homes.

We'll have more on the BU cases and Columbia County's reaction to them in Thursday's Press Enterprise. 

 

BU moves to online-only classes

BLOOMSBURG — Beginning Monday, Bloomsburg University will shift students almost entirely to online courses in response to an outbreak of coronavirus cases among students.

The university on Wednesday reported that 40 new coronavirus cases had been confirmed since Monday. Overall, at least 90 people tied to the university have tested positive for the highly contagious illness during the nine days since students returned to classes Aug. 17. 

The university will decide no later than Sept. 21 how it will proceed with classes scheduled to begin Oct. 7.

BU records 40 more COVID-19 cases, school now at 90

BLOOMSBURG — In two days, Bloomsburg University has recorded 40 more COVID-19 cases, pushing the total of BU-related cases to 90 less than two weeks since classes started, according to university numbers.

Of those, 67 students live off campus, with 14 on campus, and eight others isolated in their homes, the school says. 

The school's most recent report, released this afternoon, revealed the sharp climb seen in previous reports from the school continued. Just three days after classes began, 10 students and one staff member had tested positive for the virus.

Cops seize more than $5 million worth of meth

MIFFLIN TWP. — A possible drug overdose death in a trailer court here over the weekend led to the seizure of 217 pounds of suspected crystal methamphetamine — believed to be the largest drug seizure ever in Columbia County, authorities said. 

The drug cache, which police said had a street value of $6 million, was found in plastic bags in duffel bags both inside the residence at 55 Zajac Lane and in the rear of a 2006 Land Rover parked in a driveway outside on Saturday morning, South Centre Township police said.

Bloomsburg University says 10 students tested positive for COVID-19

Nine more cases of students with COVID-19 have been found at Bloomsburg University, school officials announced Wednesday.

That brings the total count to 10, just three days after classes began.

Meanwhile, the school bookstore has been closed until Monday — staff will set up a temporary location outside, and is arranging for off-site pickup of books, according to an announcement on the university novel coronavirus page.

The university did not answer whether the closure was related to the virus.

One employee tested positive for COVID-19 last week.

Gov.: Pennsylvania shouldn't have sports until 2021

HARRISBURG — Gov. Tom Wolf dropped a bombshell on the state’s high-school athletic programs this morning.

It’s his office’s recommendation that “we don’t do any sports until Jan. 1.”

As a press release clarified later in the day, his office is recommending that both pre-K to 12 and youth sports be suspended until the beginning of 2021. The recommendation doesn't apply to collegiate or professional sports.

“Anything that brings people together is going to help that virus get us,” said Wolf at a press conference on Thursday morning.

Two charged in October beating death of Berwick woman

Eight months after a judge said there wasn’t enough evidence to hold Michael Allen Porth on charges of beating a woman to death, Porth is back in prison, along with another man accused of assisting in the attack.

U.S. Marshals arrested Porth, 31, on Friday, just hours after Berwick Police arraigned Raymond Anthony McDowell, 42, of Scranton, for his alleged role in killing Geraldine Carson at her home.

2020 Bloomsburg Fair canceled

BLOOMSBURG — After months of uncertainty, The Bloomsburg Fair announced it has canceled this year’s event, saying the “concern for the health and safety of our community outweighs our desire to host this year’s fair.”

The fair was the last holdout among the state’s big three fairs; the York Fair canceled in May, followed by the Allentown Fair earlier this month.

Even as late as last week, Bloomsburg Fair officials said plans to hold the annual event, scheduled for Sept. 25-Oct. 3, were still moving forward.

Man, 83, killed in Cooper Township homicide

An 83-year-old man was killed in his Cooper Township home late Tuesday, and state police have ruled the death a homicide.

W. John Ditzler died "during the late evening hours" in the home at 1621 Bloom Road, state police at Milton said in a news release.

Police gave no other information.

Montour County Coroner Scott Lynn said in a news release that state police have "questioned a person of interest" and that "there is no apparent danger to the public at this time."

Lynn said an autopsy is scheduled for Thursday at Lehigh Valley Hosptial near Allentown.

Bloomsburg Fair photo mocking health secretary sparks outrage

BLOOMSBURG — A Facebook post by Bloomsburg Fair mocking state Health Secretary Rachel Levine sparked outrage Monday as it spread widely on social media.

The post featured photos of a man in drag in a dunk tank at last weekend’s Fireman’s Relief Carnival at Bloomsburg Fairgrounds.
Levine, who has had a high profile in the state’s fight against coronavirus, is transgender.

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