Pennsylvania Acting Health Secretary Alison Beam says today is a key day in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. "All Pennsylvanians 16 and older will be eligible to schedule a vaccine appointment," Beam says. That's almost a week sooner than the previously scheduled date of Monday, April 19th. The state hopes moving the eligibility date ahead will help it get to its goal of getting 80-percent of eligible adults vaccinated faster.
Pennsylvania is sending mobile COVID-19 vaccine clinics to minority communities. The state is partnering with the Latino Connection and Highmark Blue Shield. Officials say in order to solve health care inequality and reach our vulnerable and underserved communities, we need to meet people where they are. Over the next few months, about 120 mobile vaccination events will take place across the state with educational materials given out to battle vaccine hesitancy. Pennsylvanians can start registering for an upcoming mobile vaccine clinic next week online at www.catemobileunit.com.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health Monday confirmed 6450 new cases of coronavirus over a two-day time period. That pushes Pennsylvania's overall total to 1,075,424. Over that same two-day reporting period, three new COVID-related deaths happened, leaving Pennsylvania's overall total at 25,406. There are currently 2460 people hospitalized with COVID-19, 516 of whom are in the intensive care unit. The statewide percent positivity rate for the seven days ending April 8 stood at 9.5-percent.
Pennsylvania's Speaker of the House Bryan Cutler is in quarantine after a COVID-19 exposure. Cutler says he's following CDC guidelines and timelines before returning to work in-person. He's also emphasizing that quarantining, social distancing, mask-wearing and the vaccine are all important to stopping the spread of the virus. Cutler's offices will remain open, but he'll be working and participating in meetings remotely.
An in-person Mayfair returns next month. Organizers says the Mayfair Festival of the Arts will return May 28th-30th at Cedar Crest College. As always, the festival will feature artists, food, crafters and live music performances. To enjoy the festival, people will be required to wear masks and remain six feet apart of others not in their party. Admission to the festival will be free. Last year's Mayfair was canceled because of the pandemic.
An Allentown man is wanted after gunfire was heard over the weekend. Police were called to the 500 block of Ridge Avenue just before 3:30 Sunday morning for reports of gunfire. Their investigation determined 26-year-old Raul Arteaga, of North Fourth Street, was involved. Police have an arrest warrant out for Arteaga.
An old factory building in Allentown partially collapsed Monday morning. Bricks tumbled onto the sidewalk and into the street in the 600 block of N. New Street around 7:30 a.m. No one was injured.
A member of Northampton County Council is seeking reelection. Councilman Ron Heckman says he is seeking a fourth term. During his time on County Council, Heckman has served as president.
One man is dead after being stabbed several times during a Monday afternoon road rage incident. Police say two men exited their vehicles on Route 61 in Schuylkill County and got into a fight before one of them pulled out a knife and stabbed the other man multiple time, leaving him dead at the scene. The dead man is being identified as 38-year-old George Marcincin, from Orwigsburg. The suspect was taken into custody and told reporters as he was being led away he acted in self-defense. The investigation is ongoing.
The search for a missing Lackawanna County man in the Poconos continues. ATVs, drones and dogs were sent out Monday to try to find 72-year-old Ron Nicholas near Bradys Lake in Coolbaugh Township. Nicholas has been missing since he was last seen by a friend on April 5th.
The Pennsylvania Treasury and Department of Labor & Industry is reporting they have recaptured nearly $800-million in unemployment fraud. Between April 2020 and the end of last month, almost $740-million in improper unemployment payments and prevented over $55-million in fraudulent payments. Most of these cases involved stolen personal information from data breaches.
Republican Congressman Dan Meuser is a member of the U.S. House of Representatives' Problem Solvers Caucus, which traveled to the McAllen Border Patrol Station in Texas on Monday. Meuser, who represents part of Berks County, says there must be compassion for the situation. But Meuser says, "On the same note, we hear from the CBP and law enforcement that if we create incentives, simply more will come." Meuser says there needs to be a commitment to draw up a plan and then Congress must see it through and act.
A two-year-old boy is back safe with his family after going missing last Friday. An AMBER Alert was issued Monday for Byron McDonald when they found out his father had abducted him. Both the toddler's mother and grandmother were found dead since the abduction. Police located the father and young boy near the Aloft Philadelphia Airport Hotel on Monday afternoon. The father is under arrest for the abduction and is also being considered a suspect in connection to the murders of the two women.
The 2021 Global RepTrak 100, considered the gold-standard report on company reputations, has ranked the Hershey Company with the world's 76th best reputation. The LEGO Group, based in Denmark, tops the list. The highest ranked U.S.-based company is Harley Davidson at No. 5. The rankings are based on products and services, innovation, workplace, governance, citizenship, leadership and financial performance.
The Biden administration is giving the Garden State a near-failing grade when it comes to infrastructure. The idea is to get Congress to pass a more than $2 trillion American Jobs Plan, with New Jersey getting a D+ grade. The measure allots $111 billion for clean drinking water, with New Jersey needing more than $8.5 billion over the next two decades in order to reach this goal.