FIRE STRIKES IN CITY
A two alarm fire damaged an apartment house in the city of Williamsport yesterday afternoon. Fire broke out around 5:45pm at the three story house at 672 Sixth Avenue. Firefighters found flames and smoke coming from the third floor when they arrived, and called in a second alarm bringing in extra manpower. They were able to bring it under control by 6:10pm. No one was reported injured, it’s not known at this time, how many people have been displaced. A damage estimate was not released and the cause is under investigation.
TWO TORNADOES IN OUR AREA
The wild weather in our area Sunday night into Monday morning spawned two confirmed tornadoes. An EF-1 tornado with wind speeds of 86-110 miles per hour was confirmed for Columbia County in the Benton area which damaged several homes and businesses there, twisting up trees, but resulting in no injuries. Another EF-1 tornado touched down in the Buffalo Valley of Union County. That one also damaged, homes barns and outbuildings and also damaged the Buffalo Valley United Methodist Church. Power was knocked out in both areas as well and the clean up continues.
BRIDGE MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES TODAY
Bridge maintenance today in Northumberland County. PennDOT reports that crews will be on the Route 61 Veterans Memorial Bridge between Sunbury and Shamokin Dam this morning between 8am and 1pm with a lane of the bridge shut down during that time. Then a lane restriction will be in place on the Route 147 Packer Island and Thomas A Edison bridges between Sunbury and Northumberland this afternoon from noon to 3pm.
MAN ARRESTED FOR ASSAULT
State police have arrested a Montgomery man following an assault in Fairfield Township. Police were called out on April 1t0h to a residence along Reuben Kehrer Road for a disturbance and found that Jeremy Winder had struck his wife with steel toed boots, hit her in the face multiple times and dragged her by her hair. He was charged with strangulation, simple assault, recklessly endangering and harassment and was jailed in lieu of $35,000 bail.
NEW LIFE FOR ELM PARK?
According to this morning’s Williamsport Sun Gazette, the City of Williamsport has a draft sales agreement with the Williamsport-Lycoming Chamber of Commerce to sell the long time city owned Elm Park Complex. Chamber officials say plans are to create a $6 million dollar sports complex consisting of five artificial fields for college, high school and tournament softball and baseball games. It’s hoped that the complex can be opened by next year. The sale still has to be finalized.
STORM DAMAGE IN OUR REGION
Storm damage in Lycoming County yesterday morning was not as widespread as in other counties but there were still trees knocked down, properties damaged and power knocked out by the high winds. Old Lycoming Township was hard hit, especially in the Bottle Run area where one farm house and barn were damaged with outbuildings blown down and destroyed. There was also damage reported to at least one home in Loyalsock Township. Damage in Sullivan County was more extensive, especially in Dushore where homes and businesses were damaged and at least one church also suffered damage there.
INVESTIGATION CONTINUES INTO BEATING
The mystery continues in Selinsgrove into how and why a woman from New Jersey was severely beaten, suffering serious injuries after getting a flat tire near the Susquehanna University campus. Investigators say the 46 year old woman is physically and mentally unable to help in the investigation. She was found along Industrial Park Road around 7am on April 8th this severe injuries to her face and torso. It’s still not known she was there. She remains at Geisinger recovering from her injuries.
DRUG CHARGES FILED
Drug charges have been filed against a Williamsport man after he was arrested for attempting to sell crack cocaine earlier this month. City police say 25 year old Rasheed Brown attempted to sell 11.2 grams of the drug in the 500 block of West Edwin Street on April 5th. He was charged with possession with intent to deliver and related counts, originally jailed on a probation violation and then recommitted in lieu of $75,000 bail.
MAN LOOKING TO BE RESENTENCED AFTER 24 YEARS
A 42 year old man who was sentenced to life in prison without parole for killing his friend in Milton in 1993 when he was 15 is set to undergo resentencing. Norman Gundrum Jr. is taking advantage of the Post-Conviction relief act law and is seeking parole. He was found guilty and sentenced as an adult in 1995 and has been incarcerated ever since. He appeared in Northumberland County Court for a status conference on Monday and is scheduled for a two day resentencing hearing in October.
