May 2020 to June 2020

Public Health & Safety May 2020 to June 2020

June 20, 2020

  • Weekly Video Update from Mayor Ronald L. Filippelli
  • Earlier this week the Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) reported that five positive COVID-19 cases have been removed from Centre County's total cases. According to a DOH spokesperson, it could be tied to populations living at temporary residences, such as college students or nursing home residents. The State College Borough Health Officer requested additional information from the Centre County Government and received the following response: 

    Centers for Disease Control rules are that cases should be counted in the county where they currently reside and where they intend to reside for most of the year. So a student who is planning on living on campus for most of the year and gets sick and tested while on campus should be counted in the school's county.

06/08/2020

  • Weekly Video Update from Mayor Ronald L. Filippelli
  • Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) confirms 7 COVID-19 related deaths, 155 diagnosed cases in Centre County. There are 35 positive cases in the 16801 zip code, 0 positive cases in the 16802 zip code, and 28 positive cases in the 16803 zip code.

Please note that the Borough of State College will only report on the Pennsylvania Department of Health confirmed case

  • Centre Region Parks and Recreation posted the following announcement today on social media.


06/04/2020

  • Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) confirms 7 COVID-19 related deaths, 154 diagnosed cases in Centre County. There are 35 positive cases in the 16801 zip code, 0 positive cases in the 16802 zip code, and 26 positive cases in the 16803 zip code.

Placeease note that the Borough of State College will only report on the Pennsylvania Department of Health confirmed case

VIEW ALL REOPENING RESOURCES (Local Resources and Information GIS Dashboard)

  • Covid-19 Construction Site Requirements Q&A Session - Recording

Centre Region Code Office: The Code Office will hold a follow-up webinar with local contractors to discuss the Governor's guidance on construction on Friday, June 5. More information can be found here: https://www.crcog.net/index.asp?Type=B_PR&SEC={2C7ABBA9-9AB0-4749-A539-6315F6071246}&DE={3C47D29B-D19B-48A4-9629-CB6B91EC5E14}. A recording of the previous meeting is located on this page.

06/02/2020

  • Watch Mayor Filippelli's Weekly Video Update
  • Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) confirms 7 COVID-19 related deaths, 154 diagnosed cases in Centre County. There are 35 positive cases in the 16801 zip code, 0 positive cases in the 16802 zip code, and 26 positive cases in the 16803 zip code.

Placeease note that the Borough of State College will only report on the Pennsylvania Department of Health confirmed cases

  • The Borough of State Collge and the Downtown State College Improvement District are seeking feedback from local business owners and managers on possible outdoor commerce and pedestrian improvements. Learn more about the survey in this release.
  • Update to CATA Services:

Effective Monday, June 8, the Centre Area Transportation Authority (CATA) will reinstate additional service on its CATABUS, CATAGO! and CATARIDE services to accommodate those traveling within its service area.

Riders are reminded that no fares are being collected on any of CATA's services at this time and that a face covering over their nose and mouth is required while riding. If able, passengers on fixed-route service are encouraged to board the bus from the rear door. Any passenger using a mobility device or in need of the ramp or kneeler may still board the bus through the front door.

Effective Monday, June 8, CATA will operate its HM (Nittany Mall/Toftrees), K (Cato Park), N (Martin St./Aaron Dr.), P (Tussey Mountain), R (Waupelani Drive), V (Vairo Boulevard), W (Valley Vista), XB (Bellefonte), and XG (Pleasant Gap) Community Routes, and the Blue Loop and Red Link, with service beginning at 6 am daily and extended to include Saturdays. The NV (Havershire/Martin/Vairo/Toftrees) and RP (Waupelani/Downtown) Routes will be discontinued in lieu of the added services.

Complete route and schedule information for each of the routes operating are available on the CATA website at catabus.com/reduced-service. Real-time route and schedule information will also be available on the MyStop mobile app and at realtime.catabus.com.

CATAGO!
Effective Monday, June 8, CATAGO! service in Bellefonte will operate Monday through Friday, 6 am until 8 pm, and Saturday, 6 am until 7 pm Service will no longer operate in Pleasant Gap.

CATARIDE
Effective Monday, June 8, CATARIDE service will operate Monday through Saturday, from 6 am until 12:30 am. Service outside these hours is limited to life-sustaining treatment such as dialysis, chemotherapy, and radiation. There will continue to be no service on Sundays. Call-in hours for reservations for next day trips are Monday through Friday from 8 am to 5 pm and from 8 am to 2 pm on Saturday and Sunday

May 26, 2020

  • Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) confirms 6 COVID-19 related deaths, 148 diagnosed cases in Centre County. There are 33 positive cases in the 16801 zip code, 0 positive cases in the 16802 zip code, and 24 positive cases in the 16803 zip code.

Placeease note that the Borough of State College will only report on the Pennsylvania Department of Health confirmed cases.

05/07/2020

  • Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) confirms 1 COVID-19 related deaths, 116 diagnosed cases in Centre County, and 1,141 negative tests of COVID-19. There are 27 positive cases and 276 negative cases in the 16801 zip code, 0 positive cases and 10 negative cases in the 16802 zip code, and 16 positive cases, and 175 negative cases in the 16803 zip code.

Placeease note that the Borough of State College will only report on the Pennsylvania Department of Health confirmed cases.

  • State College Borough Joins Nationwide Group for Advocacy Effort: The Borough is asking residents to sign-on letter to federal representatives.

Learn how you can help these efforts in this media release.

  • Gov. Wolf, Attorney General Shapiro Announces Protections from Foreclosures and Evictions Through July 10
  • Chamber of Business and Industry of Centre County Developed a Yellow Phase Guidelines for Businesses: https://bit.ly/CentreCoYellow 
  • Starting Monday, May 11, the State College Borough Public Works Department will resume normal bulk and brush collections. This service was previously changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. All staff will be wearing proper personal protection equipment during collections. If someone in your household is in COVID-19 related quarantined, please hold materials at least 1 week before placing it out for collection. All questions can be direct to the Public Works Department via phone at 814-234-7140.
  • Guidance Letters and Messages Sent to Tenants and Landlords on Safety Procedures for Moving-Out

The Borough of State College, Centre Region Council of Governments, and Penn State University sent joint letters to tenants (DOWNLOAD LETTER (PDF)) and landlords (DOWNLOAD LETTER (PDF)). Also, student leadership sent the following message to students that are beginning to move out.

Dear Students-

We share, as you must, the disappointment that comes with the continuing ramifications of the coronavirus pandemic. This school year and our time together have not progressed as we all hoped that they would. Friendship and activities, the Blue-White Game, the end the semester, and even the end of college for some us, have not been what we imagined or what we'd looked forward to. Unfortunately, though, we cannot escape the reality or the gravity of our current situation.

As we approach the dates originally planned for in-person Commencement ceremonies, we all feel the desire to return to State College for one last hurrah; the impulse to do so is certainly understandable. However, Penn State's fall semester and future lie in the wake of the decisions that we make today, and a return to State College could jeopardize that future. The health of our community is paramount, and we must acknowledge that now is not the time for our reunion in State College.

To the Class of 2020: We acknowledge that your time as a student at Penn State may well be over, but we must consider the importance of doing everything in our power to preserve the Penn State futures of younger generations. A piece of our legacy must be protecting our Alma Mater during this time. All of us wish that things could be different. We want the opportunity to see each other again, to remember the past several years together, and to recall why Penn State means so much to us. We can't do that now, but the time will come. We WILL have our last hurrah together when it is safe to do so.

Until the time to come together does return, please stay safe where you are, if you can; continue to socially distance; avoid unnecessary travel; and keep yourself and those you love safe and well. Your deep commitment to that fundamental human purpose is how the Penn State Class of 2020 will always be remembered. We will see each other again in the future, and at that time, we will celebrate.

For the future that we wait,

Nate Brodsky
Interfraternity Council President

Rachel Cook
Panhellenic Council President

Regina Duesler
Executive Director, THON 2020

Laura McKinney
University Park Undergraduate Association President, 2019-20

Alex Moon
Lion Ambassadors President, 2019-20

Fatima Odebisi,
Black Caucus President, 2019-20

Zack Sowa
Nittany Lion Mascot, 2017-20

Dan Stauffer
University Park Allocation Committee Chair, 2018-20

Julia Greco
Executive Director, Homecoming 2020

CJ Thorpe
Penn State Football

Nick Lee
Penn State Wrestling

Pierre Reedy
Penn State Men's Soccer

Kendall White
Penn State Women's Volleyball

Kate Rydland
Penn State Women's Ice Hockey

Damon Sims
Vice President for Student Affairs

  • Self-employed and Others Can Now File for Backdated Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Benefits

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 7, 2020

Approved claimants should get lump-sum payments within 1 week of filing
Weekly certifications MUST be filed every week to continue receiving payments 

Harrisburg, PA - Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry (L&I) Secretary Jerry Oleksiak today announced eligible self-employed, independent contractors, gig workers and others not normally eligible for regular unemployment compensation (UC) can begin filing backdated claims in the new Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) website.

The new PUA system, which launched its first phase on April 18, was completed early this morning and is now fully operational. L&I opted to roll out the system in two phases to collect as many applications ahead of time as possible so that payments could be made quickly after the website's completion. To date, more than 174,000 new PUA claims have been filed.

Important information follows about the new PUA system and the process to file for previous weeks of unemployment and weekly certifications moving forward and more.

Backdated PUA Claims and Payments 

  • PUA claims can be backdated to January 27, 2020, or to the first week you were unemployed due to COVID-19, whichever of the two dates is later.
  • The system will backdate your claim to when you first became unemployed, as reported by you when you enter your last day of work.
  • You will NOT receive a confirmation email after submitting your initial PUA claim. Your determination information will be available on your dashboard on the PUA website.
  • Payments will be made in one lump sum either via direct deposit or to a UC-issued debit card through U.S. Bank, whichever method you chose when you applied.
  • If you're eligible, approved, and have no issues with your PUA claim, you should receive your first lump sum payment within one week or less after filing backdated claims.

Weekly Certifications and Payments 

  • Moving forward, claimants MUST file their PUA certifications WEEKLY to get paid. You will receive a one-week grace period if you miss filing your weekly certification.
  • An unemployment week is Sunday through Saturday, so the first day you can file your weekly certification is on a Sunday.
  • You don't have to file on Sunday through you can file your weekly certification any day Sunday through Friday.
  • You can't file for future weeks, only for the prior week(s).
  • Your very first payment - whether it's the backdated lump-sum payment or a regular weekly payment - will arrive within one week or less after you file your first certification.
  • Your regular weekly payments will arrive within three business days after you file your weekly certification.
  • The maximum weekly PUA benefit rate is $572. The minimum weekly amount is $195.  

Additional $600 Per Week Payments 

  • If you receive PUA payments, you will automatically receive an extra $600 per week through the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC)program.
  • You will receive your first FPUC payment the week after your first PUA payment. You will receive your PUA and FPUC payments separately.
  • FPUC benefits are for the week ending April 4, 2020, through the week ending July 25, 2020. These payments will also be backdated and paid in one lump sum.

Important Information About the Newly Completed PUA Website 

  • You can refer to the PUA System Guideor the following helpful screenshot guides to guide you through the process:
  • You do NOT need a Personal Identification Number (PIN) - you will have a username and password that you create.
  • Manage everything through your PUA dashboard on the website throughwww.uc.pa.gov/PUA - check on your claim and payment status, upload documents, etc.
  • Currently, questions about your claims should be emailed to UCPUA@pa.gov. You should expect to receive a response within 7 days. This email address is for PUA questions only. Any emails unrelated to PUA will not receive a response.
  • A new phone line will soon be available as well - please continue to checkwww.uc.pa.gov/PUA.

Applications Still Being Accepted for PUA Benefits 

PUA Benefits 

In general, PUA:

  • Provides up to 39 weeks of unemployment benefits;
  • May not be more than the state's maximum weekly benefit rate for regular UC of $572;
  • May not be less than half of the state's average weekly benefit amount of $195.
  • Payments will be backdated to January 27, 2020, or the first week you were unable to work due to COVID-19 (whichever of the two dates is later); and
  • Benefits will not be payable for weeks of unemployment after December 31, 2020.

Information Needed to Show Previous Income 

Acceptable documentation of wages earned or paid during the calendar year 2019 can include, but is not limited to:

  • 2019 tax returns;
  • 2019 1099s;
  • Paycheck stubs;
  • Bank receipts;
  • Ledgers;
  • Contracts;
  • Invoices; and/or
  • Billing statements. 

UC Payments 

Since March 15, the department has made over 11.7 million payments to claimants for a total of more than $5.4 billion in benefits - approximately $4 billion from regular UC and over $1.41 billion from the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) program (extra $600 per week).

UC Claim Statistics 

Since March 15, more than 1.7 million Pennsylvanians have filed for regular UC and more than 174,000 have filed for PUA. Regular UC claim statistics are available here and the breakdown of that data by industry and county is here. PUA claim statistics are available here.

PUA and FPUC are included in the new federal expansion to unemployment benefits provided by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

Visit the commonwealth's Responding to COVID-19 guide for the latest guidance and resources for Pennsylvanians or the Pennsylvania Department of Health's dedicated coronavirus webpage for the most up-to-date information regarding COVID-19.  

MEDIA CONTACT: Penny Ickes, dlipress@pa.gov

05/04/2020

  • Local Updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19): A Message from Mayor Filippelli (05/01/2020)

  • Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) confirms 1 COVID-19 related deaths, 105 diagnosed cases in Centre County, and 1051 negative tests of COVID-19. There are 27 positive cases and 251 negative cases in the 16801 zip code, 0 positive cases and 10 negative cases in the 16802 zip code, and 9 positive cases, and 165 negative cases in the 16803 zip code.

Placeease note that the Borough of State College will only report on the Pennsylvania Department of Health confirmed cases.

  • Centre Region Parks and Recreation Update: COVID-19 Yellow Status

Centre Region Parks and Recreation (CRPR) staff have been closely following Governor Wolf's COVID-19 Red/Yellow/Green plan regarding re-openings as the coronavirus continues to affect our local community. At this time, Centre County will reach yellow status on Friday, May 8, which changes some of the operations within the local and regional parks. The Agency has actively worked with the local municipalities and our parent organization, Centre Region Council of Governments (COG), to create a plan to best serve our customers, our employees, and the community as a whole.

Despite the yellow status, none of the Agency's programming, events, or leagues will be operating. Our programming, events, camps and other activities remain canceled through June 30. We are continually watching for additional information from the Governor, the PA Department of Health, and the CDC as we await information on how green status will be achieved. Until then, none of our programmings will re-start.

Below is an update on our local and regional facilities and what will be open or what will remain closed during the County's yellow status:

Parks with Restrooms

All restroom buildings will open Monday, May 11. Porta-johns have been delivered already to other local parks that do not have restroom facilities. Restrooms at the Millbrook Marsh Nature Center will re-open on this date as well. A porta-john is also on-site already at this facility.

Parks with Water Fountains

For the safety of our residents, water fountains in all parks will remain closed until we reach green status. Water fountains will not be active and will be bagged and signed as "closed." Families visiting the parks should bring their own water, and if using plastic water bottles, families should be sure to recycle those bottles!

Sport Courts and Fields

Sports fields and courts will open on Monday, May 11 for drop-in use; however, while in yellow status, groups of 25 or less are welcome for drop-in use. No organized youth or adult sports groups, large events, tournaments, or leagues will be allowed onto the sports fields or courts. Please be cognizant of field conditions when visiting the parks; after heavy rains, field use is not permitted until the fields are dry.

EXCEPTION: The basketball courts at all State College Borough parks will remain closed while in yellow status. Please contact Borough Police if residents see anyone using these courts. 

Parks with Pavilions

Starting Monday, May 11, park pavilions will be available for drop-in use only during yellow status. Families or small groups of 25 or less can drop-in to the pavilions for small, informal gatherings. Use of pavilions cannot be guaranteed because reservations are not available at this time, only drop-in use. While visiting a pavilion, masks are recommended and patrons should sit apart from each other, using the social distancing guidelines.

Playgrounds

During yellow status, ALL playgrounds in Centre Region parks and on State College Area School District facilities remain closed for the safety of our patrons. Playgrounds will not open until Centre County reaches green status.

Park Trails

Park trails remain open during yellow status. Trail users should continue to spread out using social distancing guidelines, and everyone should wear protective masks.

If you are visiting a park and see groups with more than 25 people using facilities, please notify your local Police Department via their non-emergency number to report the incident. Please be sure to report the time of day and the name of the park. Patton Township residents should contact Patton Township Police. Ferguson Township residents should contact Ferguson Township Police. College Township, Harris Township, and Borough residents should contact State College Borough Police. Centre Region Parks and Recreation does not handle enforcement; only your local police officers can address these issues.

Centre Region Parks and Recreation along with municipal officials remind everyone to keep practicing social distancing and good hygiene during this time. Besides bringing water with you to the parks, please bring hand sanitizer or non-toxic wipes for small children for before or after play, or plan to utilize the restrooms for hand-washing needs. All porta-johns in the parks without restroom facilities have hand-sanitizer units in them. Please dispose of any used masks, gloves, or wipes in proper containers.

The Active Adult Center at Nittany Mall will remain closed until the County reaches green status. The boardwalk and trails at the Millbrook Marsh Nature Center remain open between dawn and dusk. The Park Forest and Welch Community Pools will not open until Centre County reaches green status, and the pools will only open if they can be operated with all COVID-19 safety protocols in place while being financially solvent.

We will continue to work with staff, the COG, and the municipalities to assess the situation, evaluate facility needs, and consider the health and safety of our community members. If Centre County reverts to red status, we will notify the public of any facility closures as soon as possible.

For participants who have been affected by program cancellations, the Agency has instituted a Flexible Refund Policy which is currentlyResidents can read more about this information below.

If you have questions or concerns, please contact us at 814-231-3071 or crpr@crcog.net. Staff are checking email frequently and returning phone calls at least every other day.