COLD  STORAGE INFRASTRUCTURE

First Lady Frances Wolf joined members of the General Assembly and representatives from the charitable food network today at Mary’s Shelter in Reading to announce an $11.4 million investment in cold storage infrastructure for food banks serving every county of Pennsylvania.  The COVID-19 Food Bank Cold Storage Infrastructure Program, funded by the American Rescue Plan, is a grant program that will allow Pennsylvania’s food banks to purchase, expand, or upgrade cold storage facilities to ensure that they can deliver fresh food to struggling families. Eligible purchases include refrigerators, coolers, freezers, refrigerator trailers and cargo vans, building expansions, and more. This program will touch all 67 counties and is essential to addressing food insecurity and food waste.

The program will fund the following food banks across the commonwealth, through an award of $11,392,345 to Feeding Pennsylvania:

• Central PA Food Bank – $2,585,000, serving Adams, Bedford, Blair, Bradford, Centre, Clearfield, Clinton, Columbia, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Fulton, Huntingdon, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lycoming, Mifflin, Montour, Northumberland, Perry, Potter, Snyder, Sullivan, Tioga, and Union counties

SHE CALLED 911 FOR A RIDE

She needed a ride, so she called 911.  29 year old Sherilee McCaslin, dialed 911 three times on Nov. 30, according to SUN Gazette. Even though she called three times within 3 hours, reports say her first call she allegedly did not want to harm herself, but she just needed a ride. Call number one was allegedly at 5:15 pm on William Street, the second call and third calls, she explained to the 911 operator she needed to go somewhere, but really did not want to hurt herself, according to police.  Following their investigation, charges were filed with District Judge Aaron Biichle.

HE STOLE A TRUCK TO PULL ANOTHER STOLEN TRUCK OUT OF THE MUD

In an attempt to get a stolen truck pulled from the mud of a field, a man from Liberty stole another truck.  According to the SUN Gazette, Michael Campbell  was seen driving a stolen Glenn O. Hawbaker truck, by an employee of Glenn O Hawbaker.  The employee got Campbell to stop, and when he did, he told the employee he need this truck to pull another truck from a field on Pleasant Stream Road. Campbell threw the keys at the employee and walked away. State police reported a stolen truck from Towanda with a stolen Hawbaker skid steer in a field. According to state police Campbell’s wallet, fishing and hunting licenses were inside the stolen truck. He was arraigned by District Judge William Solomon for theft and other charges with a $150,000 bail, he was incarcerated in the Lycoming County prison awaiting his Dec. 22 preliminary hearing.

MULTIPLE SEXUAL OFFENSES SENDS ROARING BRANCH MAN TO JAIL

A Roaring Branch man allegedly committed multiple sexual offenses with a female minor in Lycoming County over the past few years, according to SUN Gazette. 19 year-old Frank A. Stout III was arraigned in front of District Judge William Solomon faces multiple charges including  rape, aggravated indecent assault and related offenses, Stout was jailed in lieu of $15,000 bail.

A CHEMICAL HELPS RESIDENTS DISCOVER A NATURAL GAS LEAK

Mercaptain, a harmless but pungent-smelling gas can be described as smelling like rotting cabbages or smelly socks was smelled in the area of Reach Road both Wednesday and Thursday. Mercaptain is often added to natural gas, to make it easier to detect. Residents called 911 and the Williamsport Bureau of Fire responded to investigate.  The Williamsport Bureau of fire encourages businesses working on or with natural gas to advise the department with a 24-hour notice, according to SUN Gazette.  According to Mark Calderini, the deputy fire chief and deputy emergency management coordinator, it was determined a business near Reach Road was working on a storage tank that contained mercaptain.

LOCAL UPDATED COVID-19 CASES

The Pennsylvania Department of Health on Thursday reported new COVID-19 cases. Clinton County reported 19 new cases. In Centre County 75 new cases were recorded. Tioga County had 22. Lycoming County added 91 new cases. State Health officials recorded 56 new cases in Northumberland County, 37 in Union, 20 in Snyder and 11 in Montour.

CHARGED BUT NOT SENTENCED FOR INVOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER

A man stood trial for murdering a motel employee in Montour County has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter, according to WNEP.com. David Downing allegedly informed  police he shot Derrick Potts at the Super 8 Motel near Danville in 2019. It was reported that the woman Downing was with told  him she was raped at that motel and Downing confronted and then shot the motel employee. At this point, Downing has not yet been sentenced.