NY & PA updates

Possible COVID-19 exposure, calling for student broadband and more

What's new in the Upper Delaware August 13 to August 19

Posted 8/12/20

Possible COVID-19 exposure at Roscoe Firemen’s Field picnic

ROSCOE, NY — Sullivan County Public Health Services is alerting anyone who attended a private family picnic at the Roscoe …

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NY & PA updates

Possible COVID-19 exposure, calling for student broadband and more

What's new in the Upper Delaware August 13 to August 19

Posted

Possible COVID-19 exposure at Roscoe Firemen’s Field picnic

ROSCOE, NY — Sullivan County Public Health Services is alerting anyone who attended a private family picnic at the Roscoe Firemen’s Field on Saturday, July 25, that they may have been exposed to COVID-19.

“The individual was contagious starting around July 24,” said public health director Nancy McGraw. “They are currently under quarantine.”

The Roscoe Firemen’s Field is located at 318 Gulf Road (County Route 123) just south of Roscoe. Although the picnic was held in an outdoor area with a covered pavilion, making it a lower risk, many individuals may not have been wearing masks or maintaining social distancing of six feet or more from others. 

Cuomo: NYS schools may open this fall

ALBANY, NY — Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Friday of last week that, based on each region’s infection rate, schools across the state are permitted to open this fall. Every region’s infection rate is below the necessary state threshold. The NYS Department of Health will review submitted reopening plans from school districts and notify districts of their status.

The determination of how individual districts reopen—in-person versus a hybrid model—will be made by local school districts under strict NYS Department of Health guidelines.

The governor also announced that school districts must post their remote learning plan online as well as their plan for testing and tracing students and teachers. Schools must also have three to five public meetings prior to Friday, August 21 with parents—who will be allowed to participate remotely—as well as one meeting with teachers to go through their reopening plan. 

House majority leader calls for student broadband

HARRISBURG, PA — PA House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff is calling on the Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration to deploy unspent CARES Act funding to help provide rural broadband access to students who are attending school remotely or through online platforms this year.

“With the first day of school just weeks away, it is well past time for the governor to deploy this remaining funding to do things like improve rural broadband access for the benefit of students across Pennsylvania,” Benninghoff said in a statement.

Metzger: Don’t open unsolicited seeds

ALBANY, NY — NYS Senate Agriculture Committee chair Jen Metzger (NY-42) has released a statement on what residents should do if they receive unsolicited packages of seeds in the mail.

“New Yorkers are receiving unsolicited packages of seeds in the mail, and the USDA and the NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets are asking residents who receive seeds that they did not order to please mail the sealed seed packages with the original packaging directly to the USDA,” Metzger said. “Recipients are asked to include their contact information and any relevant details. Handling or planting seeds from questionable sources is strongly discouraged.”

Indoor water park closed for season

MONTICELLO, NY — Citing the COVID-19 pandemic, the Kartrite Resort & Indoor Waterpark has announced that it will be closed for the season and that it cannot set a date for reopening.

“As we entered our first winter season, we were overwhelmed with community support and equally enthusiastic about the summer ahead. Unfortunately, that anticipation quickly turned to public health and safety concerns due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” according to the resort’s statement. “As of today, New York State regulations require attractions/recreation businesses, such as the Kartrite, to remain closed until further guidance is issued.”

All reservations through the remainder of 2020 have been canceled and refunded.

High bacteria levels measured in Delaware River

BUSHKILL, PA — According to online bulletins from the National Park Service and the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, bacteria levels in the Delaware River were “very high” following the recent tropical storm. As a result, the Delaware Water Gap beaches were closed to swimming last Sunday, August 9 and boaters were advised to avoid contact with water.

“A good rule of thumb is to avoid swimming in any body of water for at least 72 hours after a large storm and 48 hours after a significant rain event, due to the potential for high levels of bacteria and pollutants from runoff,” the recreation area announced via Facebook. “If a storm moves upstream, it can take even longer for bacteria and hazardous debris to clear out of a river, as debris and pollutants will continue to enter the river upstream and travel downstream after the storm has passed through your location.”

Farmers urged to apply for grants

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Agriculture is urging farmers impacted by COVID-19 to apply for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP). The deadline to apply is Friday, August 28.

Payments so far have totaled just $6.2 billion of the $16 billion earmarked for the farmers. Most of the payouts—$2.7 billion—have gone to cattle producers and $1.3 billion for dairy losses. Producers have several options for applying to the CFAP program online at www.farmers.gov/cfap. From that link, farmers can also download and print a form to be manually completed and submitted to the local USDA Service Center by mail, electronically or by hand delivery to an office drop-box. 

New customers seeking one-on-one support with the CFAP application process can call 877/508-8364 for general assistance.

Cuomo closes hazardous waste loophole

ALBANY, NY — Gov. Cuomo recently signed a bill making New York the first state to apply hazardous waste laws to oil and gas products.

Before signing this law, the oil and gas industry was explicitly exempt from hazardous waste transportation and disposal laws. Although New York banned high volume fracking earlier this year, the state still accepts fracking waste for disposal from states like Pennsylvania and continues to permit low volume fracking operations whose wastes may also qualify as hazardous.

Relief for small PA businesses

HARRISBURG, PA — Ninety-six million in state grants had been awarded to 4,933 Pennsylvania small businesses that were impacted by the COVID-19 public health crisis and subsequent business closure order. Grants are availe for the Main Street Business Revitalization Program, the Historically Disadvantaged Business Revitalization Program, and for the Loan Payment Deferment and Loss Reserve Program.

The final round of funding is open through Friday, August 28. Eligible applicants not awarded in the first round need not reapply and will be rolled into the next round. For more information, visit www.dced.pa.gov.

Roscoe, Firemen’s, Field picnic, Sullivan County, Public, Health Services, Andrew Cuomo, student broadband, Indoor water park,

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