WOMAN CHARGED FOLLOWING CITY INCIDENT
Following a disturbance in the city of Williamsport last month, a city woman was originally jailed and and has since been released on bail. City police say that 35 year old Maleeka Smith went the the Grier Street home of Pierce Nowlin on February 20th, caused a disturbance, kicking in his door and grabbing the man’s handgun then waving it around outside the residence. She allegedly also bit the man. She was charged with carrying a firearm without a license, theft, receiving stolen property and criminal trespassing, with bail set at $100,000 dollars.
FINDING WAYS TO ATTRACT CITY WORKERS TO LIVE IN THE CITY
During a meeting of an ad-hoc committee looking into residence requirements for city workers, various city and other officials discussed ways be better marketing the city in order for workers to want to live within city limits. Ideas were discussed such as improved housing, demolition where appropriate and conducting an inventory of commercial and residential properties to attract new developers. Currently the city does not require it’s workers to live within city limits, only elected officials.
UNPAID SUSPENSION
A prison guard in Northumberland County who is facing obstruction of justice charges is now placed on unpaid leave. On February 4th, a drug sniffing dog found evidence of illegal drugs in guard Holly Olvaney’s locker at the Prison Coal Township, and Olvaney then took off in her vehicle, almost running over an officer. She was later found and placed on paid administrative leave, but on Friday she was ordered to be placed on unpaid suspension while the investigation continues and she faces those charges.
FIVE YEAR PLAN IN LOCK HAVEN
Lock Haven City Council last night got a look at the city’s five year improvement plan. It’s hoped that some $43 million dollars can be spent over the next five years with the money coming from a variety of funding sources including the city’s general fund, liquid fuels money, Community Development Block Grants and borrowed money. City officials are hoping the projects can include street paving, lighting, rehabilitation of buildings, downtown improvements, as well as work at the fire department, parks and property, water and sewer and at the airport. City officials expect to spend $6 million dollars on improvements this year alone.
MAN PLEADS GUILTY IN HIT AND RUN
A Sunbury man was in court to plead guilty in the hit and run death of a Northumberland man which occurred last August. 82 year old Wayne Wetzel entered guilty pleas to homicide by vehicle, failing to stop at a stop sign and hit and run for striking Ron Clark with his vehicle at Orange and Second Streets in Northumberland on August 17th. Clark later died at Geisinger Medical Center. Wetzel’s vehicle was found a few days later at his Sunbury residence. Sentencing is set for May 20th and he faces a combined 17 years in prison and combined fines of up to $40,000 dollars.
TEEN ARRESTED FOLLOWING PURSUIT
Following a brief police pursuit on Sunday morning in the city of Williamsport, a Williamsport teen was jailed. Police tried to pull over a vehicle driven by 18 year old Izek Brooks at West Fourth and Grier Streets on Sunday morning, but the he took off, leading them on a brief pursuit which ended at his home on Baldwin Street. Brooks was charged with fleeing and eluding, DUI, possession of marijuana and parapherneilia, as well as recklessly endangering and reckless driving and was jailed in lieu of $35,000 bail.
MAN ARRESTED ON WEAPONS CHARGES
A Mt. Carmel man was jailed over the weekend on weapons charges following an incident in Shamokin Dam. Police there spotted a vehicle without it’s headlights around 7pm on Saturday night in the area of Route 11 and Stetler Avenue and upon pulling it over, found a fifteen year old unlicensed driver in the driver’s seat. The passenger was 25 year old Alex Gomez Jr. of Mt. Carmel, who was the registered owner. Behind his seat they found two handguns, of which Gomez was not in possession of a valid concealed carry permit. He was charged wih firearms no to be carried without a license as well as traffic violations and jailed in lieu of $25,000 bail.
FIRE IN NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY
Firefighters from several companies in Northumberland and Montour Counties were called out early yesterday morning to an Eastern Northumberland County fire which extensively damaged a home. Fire broke out at 12:30 yesterday morning at the home along Gravel Lan in Rush Township and when firefighters arrived, they found the home fully involved. No one was reported injured, and the homeowner was not identified. A damage estimate was not released and the cause of that fire is under investigation.
