SENATE BILL 465
Legislation creating a new agricultural conservation assistance program was unanimously approved yesterday by the senate agriculture and rural affairs committee according to sen gene yaw, who sponsored the bill. If funded, senate bill 465 would provide additional tech support to expand on farm conservation practices throughout pa including high priority areas such as the Chesapeake bay watershed.
VOTE FOR ADDITIONAL EMS STAFF
The Montoursville Fire Department voted to move forward with additional ambulance staffing provided by UPMC North Central/Susquehanna Regional EMS. The additional coverage will be one EMT to assist with staffing the ambulance from 6 am to 4 pm on Saturday and Sunday. This move is proactive in nature and one of several steps until a full time paid service is feasible. According to their facebook page, their mix of home responders, live ins and day time paid staff have not allowed a single failure to respond for 2021.
CONSUMER-GRADE FIREWORKS ILLEGAL IN WILLIAMSPORT
According to Sun Gazette, State law in 2017 made it legal for consumer-grade fireworks to be purchased. With that in mind, the Williamsport Bureau of Police Assistant Chief Jason Bolt reminds residents the Use of consumer-grade fireworks in the city of Williamsport is illegal. It is important to remember, that punishment includes A fine of not more than $600, 90 days in jail or both can be imposed and is upon discretion of the district magistrate judge.
LYCOMING COUNTY HEALTH CARE CENTER
On Tuesday, the Lycoming County commissioners approved an agreement with Palumbo Group Architects for engineering and design services for the county health care center, with a proposed price tag of $89,400. The facility, in the county’s Third Street Plaza building, is set to serve as a preventative medicine site specifically for county employees. Commissioners believe the health center will help save money on health insurance costs as they keep employees more productive and healthy. According to a media outlet, the county now spends upwards of $14 million per year on health coverage.
DR GRACE SHU, LYCOMING COUNTY INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS DIRECTOR
At the latest meeting, Lycoming County Commissioners appointed Dr. Grace Shu to serve as the county’s international affairs director. Shu’s position is to help facilitate business connections and investments with overseas markets. It is thought, according to SUN Gazette, Shu will be able to bring more jobs to the area through her connections.
HILLMAN CANCER CENTER FOR UPMC
Yesterday, the ceremonial ribbon was cut on the newly renovated and expanded Hillman Cancer Center for UPMC, designed to improve the treatment and care process for patients in the battle against the disease. The $15 million project includes the creation of 22 physician examination room and 28 chemotherapy bays as well additional space for therapy programming and and a new linear accelerator located on the ground floor can target small cancer areas for more effective treatments. Each year, the Cancer Center has more than 32,000 outpatient encounters and performs 45,000 procedures.
TABLED ELEVATOR RECOMMENDATION
On Tuesday, the City Council’s finance committee tabled a recommendation to have the City Hall elevator replaced in a $312,828 contract to Otis Elevator Co. until the recommendation can be reviewed by the city legal counsel. The issues surround the need for accessible upgrades to the exterior doors, according to Sun Gazette. Although a larger price tag, $552, 268, the Lundy Construction bid is all-inclusive to include the accessible upgrades. The discussion continues at the next meeting.
SERVICE BUILDING AND ADDITIONAL PARKING FOR LYCOMING COLLEGE
A service building and additional parking spaces at its Shangraw Athletic Complex has been approved by city planning commission for Lycoming College. The building is expected to house locker rooms and training rooms with a replacement of bleachers and additional parking at the existing parking area.The additional parking plan was based on includes 41 more spaces on the existing area for parking. According to a media outlet, the land development plan is expected to be voted on by City Council next, said Gary Knarr, city zoning officer.
BRIDGE NUMBER 1 OF 17 BRIDGES IN THE BUNDLING PROGRAM
It’s the first of 17 bridges to be part of the inaugural bridge bundling program sponsored by the Lycoming County Commissioners began construction yesterday at the small bridge located along Mill Road over a tributary of Antes Creek in Limestone Township near the Village of Collomsville. According to a media outlet, the new bridge will consist of installation of an aluminum box style bridge, which replaces the deteriorated steel plate pipe culvert. Mill Road will be closed by the Township and a one mile detour will be in effect for about five weeks.
PHASE 2 OPENS IN EVANGELICAL COMMUNITY HOSPITAL’S PRIME PROJECT
Evangelical Community Hospital is set to open Phase 2 of its now-completed PRIME project with spaces they say are new, ultra modern, designed with patient comfort, privacy, adequate space, and healing in mind. Hospital President and CEO Kendra Aucker says newly completed PRIME just adds to the extraordinary healthcare offered in the area: “Between us and our tertiary partner Geisinger, you can get incredible healthcare in this region. The community has supported this hospital for 100 years. It’s the support and the management of this facility over the years that has allowed the hospital to continue to reinvest.”
GEISINGER WALK-IN COVID-19 VACCINES OPEN THIS WEEK
Geisinger continuing walk-in COVID-19 vaccines this week for anyone ages 12 and over. In fact, the Geisinger Jersey Shore Hospital Vaccine Center is open Thursday, June 10th from 9am to 330pm and Geisinger Hughes Center Vaccine Center in Danville on Friday June 11 from 9am to 1130am. Geisinger is offering the Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at all locations, which is a two-dose vaccine administered 21 days apart.
