Shots fired in Berwick

BERWICK — Two teens — one only 16 years old — have been arrested in connection with early-morning gunfire here Sunday, police say.

No one was hurt in the gunplay, which took place just before 1 a.m. Sunday near East 13th and Pine streets, said Police Chief Kenneth Strish.

Brandon Michael Giulian, 19, of Bloomsburg, is now in Columbia County Prison, unable to post the $50,000 bail set by District Judge Richard Knecht.

The boy, who was also from Bloomsburg, was turned over to Columbia County Juvenile Probation.

Trump says he and first lady tested positive for coronavirus

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said early Friday that he and first lady Melania Trump have tested positive for the coronavirus, a stunning announcement that plunges the country deeper into uncertainty just a month before the presidential election.

Trump, who has spent much of the year downplaying the threat of a virus that has killed more than 205,000 Americans, said he and Mrs. Trump were quarantining. The White House physician said the president is expected to continue carrying out his duties “without disruption” while recovering.

Berwick schools shutter for rest of week

BERWICK — The Berwick Area School District has shut down in-person classes — and all extracurriculars — for at least the remainder of the week after a fifth COVID-19 case turned up in the school district, according to an announcement from the superintendent on Tuesday morning.

Over two weeks, the school has climbed from one to five cases.

All secondary students will attend online classes for the rest of this week, while elementary students will have work sent home, according to Superintendent Wendy Kupsky's announcement.

BU prez: PASSHE examining linking Bloomsburg, Lock Haven, Mansfield

BLOOMSBURG — The State System of Higher Education is looking at the possibility of combining certain aspects of Bloomsburg University with two other PASSHE schools, BU's president said in an email Wednesday.

The state system announced back in July that it was looking at "integrating" some of its universities. But at the time, it appeared BU would remain untouched — with PASSHE exploring ways California University could team up with Clarion, Edinboro could partner with Slippery Rock, and Lock Haven collaborate with Mansfield.

Columbia County may help BU in COVID-19 crackdown as infection growth slows

Columbia County’s sheriff’s department may help town and university police patrol Bloomsburg to break up large off-campus parties in an effort to prevent spread of coronavirus.

The county also is in talks with Bloomsburg University officials about buying a “rapid-testing” machine that could quickly diagnose the illness among BU students.

Those are two measures county officials discussed with BU leaders during a meeting Friday, according to county Commissioner Chris Young.

50 more cases at Bloomsburg University

BLOOMSBURG — Bloomsburg University has another 50 cases of COVID-19 among its students and staff, bringing the school's total to 218 cases, according to numbers the school released Wednesday.

BU has switched nearly all of its classes to remote learning, but has allowed students to stay on campus.

The school says of the 216 students with coronavirus, 38 are quarantining on campus, 165 off campus and 13 at their homes.

We'll have more on the BU cases and Columbia County's reaction to them in Thursday's Press Enterprise. 

 

BU moves to online-only classes

BLOOMSBURG — Beginning Monday, Bloomsburg University will shift students almost entirely to online courses in response to an outbreak of coronavirus cases among students.

The university on Wednesday reported that 40 new coronavirus cases had been confirmed since Monday. Overall, at least 90 people tied to the university have tested positive for the highly contagious illness during the nine days since students returned to classes Aug. 17. 

The university will decide no later than Sept. 21 how it will proceed with classes scheduled to begin Oct. 7.

BU records 40 more COVID-19 cases, school now at 90

BLOOMSBURG — In two days, Bloomsburg University has recorded 40 more COVID-19 cases, pushing the total of BU-related cases to 90 less than two weeks since classes started, according to university numbers.

Of those, 67 students live off campus, with 14 on campus, and eight others isolated in their homes, the school says. 

The school's most recent report, released this afternoon, revealed the sharp climb seen in previous reports from the school continued. Just three days after classes began, 10 students and one staff member had tested positive for the virus.

Cops seize more than $5 million worth of meth

MIFFLIN TWP. — A possible drug overdose death in a trailer court here over the weekend led to the seizure of 217 pounds of suspected crystal methamphetamine — believed to be the largest drug seizure ever in Columbia County, authorities said. 

The drug cache, which police said had a street value of $6 million, was found in plastic bags in duffel bags both inside the residence at 55 Zajac Lane and in the rear of a 2006 Land Rover parked in a driveway outside on Saturday morning, South Centre Township police said.

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