TWO PENNSYLVANIA STATE POLICE TROOPERS KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY, GOV. WOLF ISSUES FLAG ORDER IN THEIR HONOR
Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) Commissioner Robert Evanchick confirmed today that Trooper Martin F. Mack III, 33, and Trooper Branden T. Sisca, 29, were struck and killed by a driver earlier this morning on I-95 south in the area of milepost 18 in Philadelphia City, Philadelphia County. A male pedestrian was also struck and killed at the same time. The troopers were dispatched after receiving reports of a man walking on I-95 south. As they were helping him into the back of their cruiser, the female suspect attempted to drive past the scene. She fatally struck all three and the cruiser just before 1:00 a.m. and remained at the scene. Both troopers spent their entire careers assigned to the Patrol Section of Troop K, Philadelphia.
Governor Tom Wolf ordered the commonwealth flag on all commonwealth facilities, public buildings, and grounds fly at half-staff to honor Trooper Mack and Trooper Sisca. The commonwealth flag shall be lowered to half-staff until sunset on Friday, March 25, 2022, as well as on the day(s) of their funerals which have not yet been announced. The United States flag is to remain at full-staff through this tribute.
VETERANS SERVICE OFFICER OUTREACH IN MONTOURSVILLE
William McGovern, a Veterans Service Officer from the American Legion, will be holding service hours at Representative Joe Hamm’s Montoursville district office Wednesday, April 13. Bill can help veterans and their families navigate the VA benefits system and review other services offered to veterans. Areas in which the representative can help include Compensation and pension claims, Education benefit, Enrollment in the VA health care system and Burial and survivor benefits. You may call Representative Joe Hamm’s office at 570-546-2084 to schedule an appointment.
VOTING MACHINE MAKER WINS APPEAL IN GOP ELECTION INQUIRY
Dominion Voting Systems won an appeal in Pennsylvania’s highest court on Monday in a bid to ensure that any inspection of its voting machines as part of Republican lawmakers’ inquiry into Pennsylvania’s 2020 election be done by a laboratory that has specific credentials. The Democratic-majority state Supreme Court ruled 5-2, along party lines, to overturn a January decision by a Republican judge on the lower Commonwealth Court.
GOV TOM WOLF’S PROPOSAL FOR CHARTER SCHOOL
A Pennsylvania regulatory board on Monday approved Gov. Tom Wolf’s proposal to subject charter schools to stronger ethics and accounting standards and to try to root out discriminatory admissions decisions, perhaps the biggest update to a quarter-century-old law stuck in the past because of political deadlock. The 3-2 party-line vote by the Independent Regulatory Review Commission was on a proposed regulation that, along with Wolf, was backed by Democratic lawmakers and public school boards and advocates, but opposed by Republican lawmakers and charter schools. Under it, charter school officials must adhere to state laws on ethics, by filing public financial disclosure statements and obeying conflict-of-interest laws, as well as following the same accounting standards as those followed by public schools.
APPEAL OF THE TAX-EXEMPT STATUS
An appeal will be filed, challenging the tax-exempt status of the building housing the state Assistance Office at 300 Bellefonte Avenue in Lock Haven. As reported by therecordonline.com, the appeal was approved by the Lock Haven City Council at their latest meeting. 300 Bellefonte Avenue, with a total of five parcels, is said to be owned by the Stephen Girard Trust of Philadelphia and it was noted to have been exempt from paying real estate taxes in the past. City council moved to file an appeal with the Clinton County Board of Assessments, challenging that status. A check by The Record with the Clinton County Assessment Office earlier Monday brought word that a similar local appeal had been filed a decade ago, but was ultimately unsuccessful in the courts.
RECENT DRUG OVERDOSES IN SNYDER COUN TY
Two drug overdose deaths, within the past two weeks, have Snyder County District Attorney Michael Pee kick have been confirmed to be drug-related and an autopsy is pending on a third person to determine if that death involved drugs. He went on to say that investigators are concerned that there may be a “bad batch” of either heroin or fentanyl in the region. As reported by the Daily Item, there are “safe harbor” laws that protect anyone who provides assistance and remains with a person suffering an overdose against the possibility of criminal charges tied to drugs. Pee kick said all three recent deaths remain under criminal investigation.
PLANS TO REVIEW AND REPAIR
Grafius Run solutions to the flooding, which has caused street flooding and water to creep into basements, is back in the limelight. According to Williamsport City Engineer Jon Sander, the recent plan involves the review from at least six design engineering firms. The conceptual design would be provided to the Williamsport City administration. One such concept involves the lessening of the flow of the stream by the collection of a majority of the water, storing it and releasing it to flow to the underground culvert entrance at the Highland Terrance and near Market Street. As reported by the sun gazette, This should help to prevent trash racks from toppleing due to high volume rain.
CASE CARRIED OVER TO COURT
A Williamsport man had his case carried over to the Lycoming County Court of Common Pleas. As reported by Northcentalpa.com, Mumin Cliett was accused of striking a woman with a claw hammer on March 6. He was charged with multiple felonies after the hammer attack sent a woman to the hospital, suffering from life-threatening injuries. According to reports, Cliett also swung the hammer at a young child who was reported to try to protect the woman. With no bail, he is set to appear for an arraignment on April 11 in the Lycoming County Courthouse.
