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Coronavirus

Ruling not expected to have immediate impact on mask policy

Recent actions at the state level will not have immediate impacts on the school mask mandate. On Wednesday, Commonwealth Court threw out the order from the Pennsylvania Department of Health that requires masks in schools. But, Gov. Tom Wolf instructed attorneys with the department to file an appeal to the state Supreme Court — effectively putting the court’s decision on hold and meaning the mask mandate is still in effect. However that shakes out in the long run, due to action earlier this week by the school board, masks now have a better chance at preventing quarantines for ...

County, city discussing Rescue Plan funding options

It’s been eight months since the American Rescue Plan was signed into law. Local officials are now trying to figure out what to do with the money. While the most notable element of the legislation was likely stimulus payments to most Americans, local governments — both municipal and the county — received funds too. Warren County received about $7.8 million while the City of Warren’s allocation was near $1 million. County officials have received informal requests for funds and the county commissioners are cementing the process by which those requests will be formally ...

Warren hospital operating at ‘full capacity’

COVID cases are up. Other hospitalizations are up. Transfers are delayed. Regional hospitals, including Warren General, are busy. “Warren General is currently operating at our full capacity,” Chief Nursing Officer Joe Akif said. “We are seeing a continued high census with COVID ...

Pa. court throws out governor’s school mask mandate

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — An order by Pennsylvania's acting health secretary that requires masks inside K-12 schools and child care facilities was thrown out Wednesday by a state court that said she lacked the authority. Commonwealth Court sided 4-1 with the ranking Republican in the state ...

State to let schools set mask rules in January

The state school-mask mandate is set to come to an end on Jan. 17. The Warren County School District started off the school year with control of the mask situation. By the second week of school, the state put a mandate in place. The issue has gone back and forth, with the school board taking steps to put its own policies regarding masks in place, even when those policies were at odds with the state and federal governments. According to Gov. Tom Wolf, the state will put power over the school mask issue back into local control after the start of the year. On Monday, Wolf ...

Wolf expects to let Pa. schools set masking rules in January

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania school districts will soon be allowed to modify or end the mask mandate for K-12 students in January, Gov. Tom Wolf announced Monday, saying it is "time to prepare for a transition back to a more normal setting." The Democratic governor said that, on Jan. 17, he expects to turn over decisions about masking to local school officials, although the acting health secretary's current mask mandate for students will remain in place for early learning programs and child care facilities. The Wolf administration imposed a statewide mandate in early ...