Northwestern Albion Area News

Live Replay: Your Weather Authority Weather Academy 5/29 : Visit the post for more.

Harbor Creek High School hosts first mini-graduation ceremony for graduating seniors : High school seniors continue to celebrate their graduation in a semi-traditional way. Harbor Creek High School holding the first of 24 mini ceremonies for the class of 2020. Each student had the op…

Harbor Creek High School hosts first mini-graduation ceremony for graduating seniors : High school seniors continue to celebrate their graduation in a semi-traditional way. Harbor Creek High School holding the first of 24 mini ceremonies for the class of 2020. Each student had the op…

Battle over state & local government aid continues as budget deadlines loom : Many states now have just one month to pass their upcoming budgets.

Vital Role of Erie County Health Department Contract Tracers : Erie County contact tracers play an important role in limiting the spread of the virus.

Erie County Executive: State Said Recent Case Counts Too High for County to Go Green; 11 New Cases Reported Friday : Erie County will remain in the yellow phase come Friday, June 5.

Fairview Company Busy Making Shields During Pandemic : Shield Sales Soar for Fairview Firm

Vital Role of Erie County Health Department Contract Tracers : Erie County contact tracers play an important role in limiting the spread of the virus.

President Trump says U.S. will terminate relationship with World Health Organization : WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Friday that the U.S. will be terminating its relationship with the World Health Organization, saying it had failed to adequately respond to the coronav…

Volunteer Fire Departments Hit Hard by Coronavirus : What lack of funds for volunteer fire departments could mean for your safety.

NFL coaches could return to team facilities next week : NFL coaches could return to team facilities next week.

Over $34 Million in County Block Grant Funding Awarded to Erie, Crawford, Warren Counties : The county block grant funding is part of the federal CARES Act to help ease the financial impact of the pandemic.

Legislature sends bills on virus aid, $25B budget to Wolf : Wolf, a Democrat, was expected to sign both.

Dominick’s Diner struggles from loss of sales due to pandemic : Dominick’s Diner could soon become a victim to COVID-19. The diner posting on social media that the crisis has made operations extremely difficult. Since the pandemic, Tony Ferraro, the owner…

LIST: Erie Area Event Cancellations, Postponements Due to COVID-19 : A complete list of events in the Erie region that have been canceled or postponed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

LIST: Businesses Open for Carryout, Delivery : Restaurants and businesses in the Erie area offering carryout or delivery.

Pennsylvania lawmakers plow ahead on budget, emergency aid : Wolf, a Democrat, has not said whether he will sign it.

Flood of mail-in ballots spurs fight to change deadlines : Boyle plans to sponsor legislation to give counties more time to process the ballots, starting the Saturday before the election.

SpaceX launch scrubbed; rescheduled for Saturday : Americans will have to wait to usher in a new era for the country’s space program. With just under 17 minutes until the historic launch was scheduled to blast off, officials scrubbed the firs…

US economy shrank at faster-than-expected 5% rate in first quarter : WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. economy shrank at an even faster pace than initially estimated in the first three months of this year with economists continuing to expect a far worse outcome in the curr…

30th Annual Lucille Ball Comedy Festival rescheduled for August 2021 : The National Comedy Center has announced that it is rescheduling the 30th Annual Lucille Ball Comedy Festival in Jamestown, NY. The festival, originally scheduled for August 5-9, 2020, is reschedul…

Patrons under plastic: Restaurants get creative in virus era : PARIS (AP) — Dining at a table where each person is enclosed by a clear plastic shield might look and sound futuristic, but it could be one way for some restaurants to reopen. It also might help ou…

Allegheny College announces plans to reopen for on-campus living and instruction in the fall : Allegheny College President Hilary Link announced today that the college is planning to open for on-campus living and instruction in the fall. Members of the campus community were notified of the d…

Salvation Army donations decline due to pandemic : The Salvation Army is another victim of the COVID-19 pandemic that is facing financial problems. Leaders with the Erie Salvation Army say they are not getting the donations of money that they usual…

United Way’s Free Taxes Program to resume : United Way’s “Free Taxes Program” is set to resume tax preparation once again. The popular program has been on pause since the COVID-19 pandemic started back in March. As the econ…

Green Phase Cuts Business for Salons : Stylists face mix of excitement and worry as green phase looms.

Governor Wolf Announces Pro Sports Can Resume in Pennsylvania : PA Governor announces professional sports teams in the state can resume practice and games

Crawford County in need of emergency service volunteers : Leaders in Crawford County say they need emergency service volunteers now more than ever. Commissioner Eric Henry says there has been a decline in volunteers over the past 10 to 15 years all throug…

Crawford County enters green phase, business owners are anxious to open their doors : Crawford County is one of 17 state wide counties heading into the green phase this week. We talked with some business owners who are anxious about opening their doors. Even in the green phase, busi…

Crawford County enters green phase, business owners are anxious to open their doors : Crawford County is one of 17 state wide counties heading into the green phase this week. We talked with some business owners who are anxious about opening their doors. Even in the green phase, busi…

UPMC Hamot getting closer to completing largest construction project : UPMC Hamot’s largest construction project is one step closer to completion. It’s the one construction project that’s been continued during this COVID-19 pandemic. We took a tour i…

Outdoor dining re-opens for Pennsylvania restaurants in the yellow and green phase : Restaurants across Erie County will soon welcome it’s guests back to dine-in, at least outside. This comes after Governor Tom Wolf announced counties in the yellow phase can re-open restauran…

Erie County Public Library to Start Phased Reopening June 1 : The library is installing protective equipment at all service desks, adding hand sanitizing stations, and moving furniture in the facilities to encourage social distancing.

Edinboro University ROTC Commissions 10 Cadets for Active Duty as U.S. Army Officers : The cadets were commissioned during a virtual ceremony.

Tropical Storm Bertha forms off the South Carolina coast : MIAMI, Fla. (WGHP) — A tropical storm formed off the coast of South Carolina Wednesday, according to an 8:30 a.m. update from the National Hurricane Center. A Tropical Storm Warning is in effe…

SpaceX set to launch NASA astronauts to orbit in historic private spaceflight : SpaceX founder Elon Musk (2nd L) addresses the media alongside NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine (L), and astronauts Doug Hurley (2nd R) and Bob Behnken (R), during a press conference announcing n…

Walt Disney World to reopen its Florida theme parks starting July 11 : ORLANDO — Walt Disney World announced on Wednesday it will begin opening its theme parks on July 11. Disney presented its plans for reopening after being shuttered along with Florida’s …

Chance to Ask Unemployment Questions Straight to State : This Thursday at 1:00 pm, the Department of Labor and Industry will be hosting a virtual town hall. You can get access to watch and ask your questions.

North East Winefest Canceled Due to Pandemic : The event was scheduled for September 25-27, 2020.

JK Rowling publishes first chapters of new story online : LONDON (AP) — J.K. Rowling is publishing a new story called “The Ickabog,” which will be free to read online to help entertain children and families stuck at home during the coronavirus p…

25 new positive cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Erie County since Friday; 85 active cases : Erie County Executive Kathy Dahlkemper announced in her news conference Tuesday, May 26th that there are 25 new positive cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Erie County since Friday, May 22nd. This brin…

What you need to know today about the virus outbreak : One of the best ways to prevent spread of the virus is washing your hands with soap and water

Department of Health: 68,637 positive cases of COVID-19 confirmed in PA; 5,152 deaths : The Pennsylvania Department of Health reported as of May 26th that there are 451 new positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 68,637. The department also reported 13 new deaths, …

Construction continues for multi-year project on I-90 near Ohio state line : Construction work will continue for the multi-year project to improve nearly 11 miles of Interstate 90 near the Ohio state line. Yoselin Person was live this morning from I-90 to tell us more about…

25 new positive cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Erie County since Friday; 85 active cases : Erie County Executive Kathy Dahlkemper announced in her news conference Tuesday, May 26th that there are 25 new positive cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Erie County since Friday, May 22nd. This brin…

Mason Farms open to shoppers : With the weather getting warmer, some people are ready to get their gardening up to speed. Folks were out and about at Mason Farms to take stock in their yard and garden work over Memorial Day week…

Charitable runs, walks learn to adapt to crowd limits : When the Arthritis Foundation's Pittsburgh chapter scrubbed its annual 'Walk to Cure Arthritis Event' scheduled for May 16, it gave the 242 registrants a certain freedom.

NHL plans move to small-group training as Phase 2 of return : NHL sends memo to teams for Phase 2 of return to play plan.

US faces Memorial Day like no other under virus restrictions : Officials in California said most people were covering their faces and keeping their distance as they ventured out. Many Southern California beaches were open only for swimming, running and other a…

Saint Vincent Hospital to receive drug designed to treat COVID-19 patients : A drug designed to treat COVID-19 patients is making its way to one area hospital. Saint Vincent Hospital is among the 81 hospitals across Pennsylvania to receive Remdesivir. The drug is designed t…

A series of alleged underground basement parties leaves residents fearful of Covid-19 spike : Local residents are concerned about an alleged basement party taking place every Friday night in Erie.

Bikers Gather for Wheels on the Ground Memorial Ride : Many motorcyclists gathered to raise awareness for those who have gotten injured or killed due to motorcycle accidents.

Memorial Day Weekend Travel : The CDC is also recommending people avoid non-essential travel and stay at home during the holiday.

Crawford and Warren Counties two of 17 counties to enter green phase on May 29th : Governor Tom Wolf including Crawford and Warren County on the list of counties in the green phase, which is allowing businesses to reopen on May 29th. “We were waiting to get the order and so…

President Trump honors Class of 2020 at White House : WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — On Friday, President Donald Trump celebrated the nation’s graduating Class of 2020, inviting graduates from various schools and education levels to a special Whit…

Dog Rescued from Girard Abuse Case Continues to Recover : Luna was rescued by Girard Police Officer Spurgeon and was found to have an injured paw and shoulder.

Centre Wildlife releases Bald Eagle back into wild after recovering from lead poisoning : (WTAJ) — Humans aren’t the only ones wanting to spread their wings during quarantine. Centre Wildlife Care released an adult female Bald Eagle this afternoon. She had been suffering fro…

Local business owner gives back to the community during COVID-19 : When the pandemic hit, the owner of the Edinboro Hotel Bar saw the need many were facing during this unprecedented time. So, he took the action to use his restaurant to serve his community. Yoselin…

Waldameer Park will not be open for Memorial Day weekend for first time in park’s history : For the first time in history Waldameer Park will not open for Memorial Day weekend. The amusement and water park has served as an Erie favorite for people to gather at and enjoy picnics. Waldameer…

Fish-for-Free Day in Pennsylvania comes Memorial Day weekend : HARRISBURG, Pa. (WTAJ) — The Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission will be having the first of two fish-for-free days coming this Memorial Day weekend. The first free-for-all will be on Sun…

Highmark donates cloth masks to first responders across Pennsylvania, Delaware and West Virginia : Today, Highmark Inc. showed its gratitude to our first responders by making a generous donation. They gave out 40,000 cloth masks to first responders across Pennsylvania, Delaware and West Virginia…

Local police granted lawsuit; county health department must now release names of COVID-19 patients upon arrest : Judge Mead granted the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) and other local police their lawsuit against the Erie County Health Department asking for the names of COVID-19 patients instead of just addre…

Public masses can begin again June 1st with protocols in place : Bishop Lawrence Persico has given priests permission to hold public mass again. The head of the Erie Diocese made that announcement during a virtual town hall Thursday night. Brian Wilk was live th…

County executive releases statement regarding former county executive’s death : Erie County Executive Kathy Dahlkemper has released a statement about the death of former Erie County Executive Barry Grossman. Dahlkemper released the following statement today: “We mourn th…

PSP hold Chalk our Walk event : Pennsylvania State Police are hosting a Chalk our Walk event for community members to get out, get some fresh air and leave encouraging messages. Samiar Nefzi was live this afternoon from the Erie …

License to carry permits now extended through July : HARRISBURG, Pa. (WTAJ) — The Pennsylvania State Police announced today that Governor Tom Wolf has granted an additional extension to license to carry firearms permits. Permits that expired on…

Ohio State looks into plan that could have 20,000-25,000 fans at football games : The conversations are starting to escalate on what a college football season could look like in the fall of 2020. Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith spoke to media members Wednesday where he t…

Ohio State looks into plan that could have 20,000-25,000 fans at football games : The conversations are starting to escalate on what a college football season could look like in the fall of 2020. Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith spoke to media members Wednesday where he t…

Pa. Residents Asked to Report Northern Goshawk Sightings : With declining populations and a contracted range, northern goshawks have become rarer sights in Pennsylvania.

Pa. Governor Signs Cocktails-to-Go Bill into Law : Pennsylvania’s open container law applies.

Nursing Homes Monitors All Guests To Keep Residents Safe : With the positive case at Elmwood gardens nursing homes across Erie County are increasing safety measures.

2020 Grads Celebrated with Bows and Lights : Buying buying a bow from Allburn Florists or turning on your lights, you are showing support for the Class of 2020.

Presque Isle prepares for Memorial Day weekend : This Memorial Day weekend is shaping up differently than years past due to the ongoing pandemic. We take a look at how Presque Isle State Park has adjusted. Memorial Day Weekend on the peninsula tr…

Crawford County Commissioners discuss canceling the county fair : The Crawford County Fair might not happen this year for the first time since 1945. County Commissioners discussed their options this morning. While commissioners say that shutting the fair down wou…

YMCA of Greater Erie to Provide Free, Fresh Produce to Families : Produce boxes will be distributed to families at the Downtown Y on Fridays from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

SNAP Recipients Will Soon Be Able to Order Groceries Online : The system is expected to be in place by the beginning of June.

$51 Million in CARES Act Funding to be Distributed to Pa. Child Care Providers : $106 million in funding to support child care providers was allocated to Pennsylvania through the CARES Act and will be distributed in two waves.

Johnson & Johnson to stop selling iconic talc-based baby powder in US and Canada : FAIRLESS HILLS, Pa. (AP) — Johnson & Johnson is ending sales of its iconic talc-based Johnson’s Baby Powder in the U.S. and Canada, where demand has dwindled amid thousands of lawsuits claiming…

Erie Front Porch Festival to replace Erie Food Truck Festival this year : Also not happening this summer because of the COVID-19 pandemic is the Erie Food Truck Festival in Lawrence Park. The third annual event was scheduled for June, but now the event is morphing into a…

Crawford County Fair likely canceled for 2020 : The Crawford County Fair will likely be canceled for 2020. Crawford County Commissioners announced this morning that holding the fair during the COVID-19 pandemic is not in the best interest for Cr…

Live Replay: Your Weather Authority Weather Academy 5/20 : Visit the post for more.

Live Replay: Your Weather Authority Weather Academy 5/20 : Visit the post for more.

Edinboro University sends letter to employees and students regarding fall semester : Edinboro University (EU) is preparing to open its doors for classes in August. But, exactly what those classes will look like is still under consideration.   The following letter from EU President …

Protocols released for reopening casinos in Pennsylvania : The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) released protocols today for reopening casinos in Pennsylvania. You can download the 10-page document below: COVID-19 casino reopening protocolsDownload…

CDC issues guidelines for public pools, hot tubs, waterparks : (WETM) – As the summer months approach, the Center for Disease Control has issued guidance for public pools, hot tubs, and waterparks. Primarily, the CDC says that similar hygiene and etiquet…

CDC issues guidelines for public pools, hot tubs, waterparks : (WETM) – As the summer months approach, the Center for Disease Control has issued guidance for public pools, hot tubs, and waterparks. Primarily, the CDC says that similar hygiene and etiquet…

Aides scramble to defend Trump’s use of unproven drug : White House officials did not say whether any other administration officials were taking the drug.

America is running out of thermometers : (CNN & WIAT) Thermometers are hard to come by these days, and it could get worse. Thermometer manufacturers and distributors say the devices were already in high demand earlier this year when h…

Property tax, rent rebates arriving early to help seniors, others during COVID-19 pandemic, Wolf announced : HARRISBURG, Pa. (WTAJ) — Governor Tom Wolf and Treasurer Joe Torsella today announced that many older homeowners, renters and people with disabilities will receive early rebates through the&n…

Drugs found in Albion Correctional Facility : Drugs were found at the Albion Correctional Facility. The drugs were found in the control center at Albion Correctional Facility. A man who identified himself as an employee at Albion said that the…

New state program launched to help people who exhaust unemployment benefits : A new state program is launched to help people who exhaust unemployment benefits. It’s called the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation or PEUC for short. It provides an additional 13 …

2020 Chautauqua County Fair Canceled : The fair, originally scheduled from July 20-26, would have been held in Dunkirk, N.Y.

2020 Chautauqua County Fair Canceled : The fair, originally scheduled from July 20-26, would have been held in Dunkirk, N.Y.

NEW: Treasury to send some remaining stimulus payments on debit cards : BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) — About 10 million qualifying Americans are still waiting on their stimulus payment, according to the latest numbers from the Internal Revenue Service. On Monday, t…

Issues with unemployment claims continue for Pennsylvanians : (WTAJ) — The Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry is working through its 44-day email backlog as Pennsylvanians continue to ask why they haven’t received their unemployment ben…

Cyclist struck and killed by train in Girard : Erie County Coroner Lyell Cook has not yet released the identity of the woman who was struck and killed by a train in Girard last night. Yoselin Person was live this afternoon from the newsroom wit…

League of Women Voters of Erie County Reminds Voters of Mail-In Option for June 2 Primary : The deadline to register for a mail-in ballot is May 26.

Ohio will crackdown on bars violating social distancing : The governor warned that bar owners could wind up in court or lose their liquor licenses if they don't take steps to control their customers.

Erie County Summer Jobs and More Program Will be Much Smaller : Summer Jam job opportunities will be reduced by 2/3 for 2020. Not as many potential employers are signing up.

Erie County Courthouse Preparing for June 1 Opening Date : Erie County Courthouse taking steps to make building safe for full reopening to the public on June 1.

Erie County Courthouse Preparing for June 1 Opening Date : Erie County Courthouse taking steps to make building safe for full reopening to the public on June 1.

Second Harvest Food Bank Keeping Families Fed During Pandemic : Staff are working hard to make sure anyone who needs food during this time has access to it.

Commonwealth launches new program to help unemployment compensation benefits : A new program is launched in the commonwealth to help people who exhaust their unemployment compensation benefits. The program is called the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) and …

Construction resumes with the First Presbyterian Church of Girard : A church in Girard is being rebuilt, however construction has been halted for almost two months now due to the pandemic. Construction on the new First Presbyterian Church of Girard was allowed to s…

Pa. Gaming Control Board Sees Significant Growth in Internet Gaming Segment Amid Pandemic : April 2020 revenue for online casino-type games which include slot machines, table games and poker jumped 73% over the previous month of March 2020.

Farm to Food Bank Funding to Address Food Insecurity : Funding for Farm to Food Bank program should cover the costs of harvesting, packing and distributing food that might otherwise be wasted.

Local Horse Racing Community Struggling with Track Closed

13 More Positive Cases of Coronavirus Reported in Erie County, Increasing Total Cases to 143 : All but three have connections to known positive cases, and many are associated with Mother's Day gatherings.

Trump says back to normal in golf means big crowds, no masks : President Donald Trump’s idea of golf getting back to normal is having thousands of fans who aren’t wearing masks in attendance and “practically standing on top of each other.” Trump joined the NBC…

Live Replay: Your Weather Authority Weather Academy 5/18 : Visit the post for more.

Live Replay: Your Weather Authority Weather Academy 5/18 : Visit the post for more.

Trump says back to normal in golf means big crowds, no masks : President Donald Trump’s idea of golf getting back to normal is having thousands of fans who aren’t wearing masks in attendance and “practically standing on top of each other.” Trump joined the NBC…

What you need to know today about the virus outbreak : Europe reopened more widely on Monday, allowing people into the Acropolis in Greece, shops in Italy, markets and museums in Belgium, golf courses in Ireland and beer gardens in Germany while its le…

13 new positive cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Erie County since Friday : Erie County Executive Kathy Dahlkemper announced in her daily news conference Monday, May 18th that there are 13 new positive cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Erie County since Friday, May 15th. This…