COACH RETIRES WHILE SUCCESSFUL
Penn State women’s volleyball head coach Russ Rose announced his retirement today after 43 years leading the Nittany Lions. Rose retires from his post as the winningest coach in NCAA Division I women’s volleyball history with 1,330 victories in his illustrious career. Rose will remain in an advisory role within the athletics department. Katie Schumacher-Cawley will serve as interim head coach as Penn State opens a national search for its next head coach. Rose guided the Nittany Lions to seven NCAA titles, including four-straight championships, and 17 Big Ten crowns. He has been at the helm of all 41 of Penn State’s NCAA Tournament appearances, making the Nittany Lions the only team in NCAA history to appear in all 41 tournaments.
19TH ANNUAL FESTIVAL OF TREES A SUCCESS
The Salvation Army Williamsport Corps recently recognized two local businesses for their outstanding achievements as part of its 19th annual Festival of Trees. The Trail Inn of Cogan Station received the People’s Choice Award, and Professional Lawn and Landscape Co. of Trout Run was deemed “Best of the Festival.” The Salvation Army will present both businesses with plaques in January to thank them and recognize their accomplishments. The public determined the People’s Choice award winner by voting for their favorite tree with monetary donations at the Lycoming Mall and at sponsoring businesses. The ornately decorated Trail Inn tree (Tree #29 – photo attached) was the runaway winner for the People’s Choice Award, receiving twice as many votes as any other tree. The Best of the Festival award recognizes the tree that raises the most money overall to support The Salvation Army’s local programs and services. Professional Lawn and Landscape Co. (Tree #26 – photo attached) was the “Best of the Festival,” bringing in more than $1,000.
THE FIRST ANNUAL SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT POLICE DEPARTMENT CHRISTMAS PROGRAM
The South Williamsport Police Department’s first of its proposed annual Christmas Program. The program helped upwards of 14 families in the South Williamsport and DuBoistown Boroughs. The ambitious program gave to those who were unable to provide gifts to children. Headed by a retired Jersey Shore Police Officer, who was very familiar with the program – as he ran it for years there, who is now the South Williamsport Mayor Marlin Angelo and also South Williamsport Police Officer Seth Stropp. Members of the South Williamsport Borough Council with South Williamsport Police Officers delivered the wrapped gifts to families on Christmas eve morning. According to Mayor Angelo, monetary donations for the Christmas Program will be accepted year round, to help make each year more successful than the last.
LOCAL COVID-19 CASES FROM YESTERDAY
The state Health Department reported Saturday a sharp drop from the record number of cases reported on Friday. Clinton County recorded 22 new cases Saturday. Centre County reported 135. Lycoming County added 43 cases. There were 61 in Northumberland County, 20 in Union, 17 in Montour and 11 in Union. Tioga County had 17 new covid-19 cases added yesterday.
WHERE ARE THE VOLUNTEERS
The state of volunteer firefighting is in a crisis. That is the assessment of Acting Pennsylvania State Fire Commissioner Thomas Cook and multiple fire officials in the state, nation and Valley. The current model of volunteer firefighting in Pennsylvania is based on the long-standing tradition going back to the 1700s when Ben Franklin founded the first volunteer department in Philadelphia. That model has continued virtually unchanged since that time, said Cook. The issues are complex. Cook and other fire leaders said they range from aversion to change to societal transformations of the family unit where both spouses are now working to increasing extracurricular activities for children. It means fewer people are coming out to fight fires, which leads to second and third alarms being called not due to the severity of the incident but to the lack of manpower.
POLICE REMIND YOU NOT TO DRINK AND DRIVE
Operation Safe Holiday continues through New Year’s Day. Law enforcement will conduct impaired driving enforcement details, with zero tolerance toward drivers impaired by drugs or alcohol. According to PennDOT data, there were 1,175 crashes resulting in 31 deaths during the same period in 2019. Drivers are also reminded to obey Pennsylvania’s Move Over Law, which requires drivers to move over or slow down when they encounter an emergency scene, traffic stop, or disabled vehicle. The goal of the Move Over Law is to protect law enforcement, emergency medical providers, and other first responders when responding to crashes.
AROUND THE CORNER IS THE SHOW IN HARRISBURG
The 2022 Pennsylvania Farm Show, Saturday, January 8 through Saturday January 15, will feature a return of fan-favorites like the 1,000-pound butter sculpture, famous Farm Show Food Court, bunny hopping and sheep shearing competitions (among hundreds of other competitive agricultural events), cooking demonstrations at the PA Preferred® Culinary Connection, and more than one million square feet of hands-on agriculture education opportunities and chances to engage with the people who power Pennsylvania’s $132.5 billion agriculture industry.
