ASSAULT CHARGES

A woman, against her will, was assaulted and restricted to her bedroom for hours. City police allege that Toyrel James Pinkney, 26,of Williamsport  is accused by Williamsport Bureau of Police Officer Ericka M. Heath of strangling a woman in the 700 block of West Edwin St. around 6:40 a.m. on March 21. According to northcentralpa.com,  Pinkney is charged with one felony, multiple misdemeanors and he posted $50,000 bail on March 24^th.

LOCAL BUSINESS CLOSES ITS DOORS

Lycoming Bakery, a local staple for freshly baked good for restaurants, sub shops, colleges and more throughout central Pennsylvania since 1928, locked their doors and ceased all business operations. According to northcentralpa.com, the only reason came in the voicemail at the bakery.  A voice instructed callers that due to labor issues, advance closing notice was unavailable. Many businesses have been affected by the abrupt closing.

COVID-19 NUMBERS MARCH 31, 2021

According to the PA Dept. of Health,  today’s COVID-19  case totals are; Lycoming: 4, Tioga: 5, Bradford: 9, Sullivan: 2, Columbia: 13, Montour: 5, Northumberland: 19,  Snyder: 8, Union: 0, Center: 48,  and Clinton: 8,

TEDX IN WILLIAMSPORT

The 2021 TEDxWilliamsport is scheduled for Oct. 16, 2021 and the theme is “InterconnecTED.” According to northcentralpa.com, applications to be a speaker are now open and anyone interested should focus on finding an idea worth sharing  which incorporates “InterconnecTED.” Applications are open and will remain open until April 5th. Two rounds of virtual interviews will be conducted. TEDxWilliamsport is expected to be held on Saturday, October 16^th.

COVID-19 COUNTY SUBSTANTIAL STATUS

A report was released, listing two counties in central Pennsylvania have fallen back into the substantial category for community spread of COVID-19. According to a media source, Northumberland and Montour counties are back in the ‘substantial’ category for the week ending March 26. Union and Snyder counties remain in the ‘moderate’ category. In all, there are 35 counties in the ‘substantial’ category, and 26 in the ‘moderate’ category.

PARK ASSESSMENTS IN WILLIAMSPORT

Williamsport City Council Accessibility Advisory Commission has assesses city parks and their suitability for usage by the disabled community.According to the SUN Gazette, the parks include: Brandon Park, Memorial/Elm Park, Newberry Park, Shaw Place Park, Young’s Woods Park, Veterans Memorial Park and Lose Park. The survey is to look at accessibility needs and what parks have that. Memorial Park, for example, had an inclusive and accessible playground installed last year.Items might be restrooms, accessibility ramps and whether the mulch is safe. A mission statement, in its draft form as constructed by the commission, states the goal of the accessibility advisory commission is to create a more inclusive Williamsport by ensuring that all residents have access to programs and properties.

CHARGES WAVED TO COURT

He chased another man with a hammer in the 700 block of West Forth Street, striking him eight times in the head. Lycoming County Prison inmate Kareem Anthony Hutt, 40, of 1192 Park Ave., waived his preliminary hearing Tuesday on all city police charges stemming from the Feb. 6 incident. Hull remains jailed without bail and will face further court action on attempted homicide, aggravated assault and related offenses.

UPMC HEALTHCARE OPTIONS

UPMC Susquehanna now offers 25 different specialties via telehealth. According to the SUN Gazette, patients responded to UPMC, telling them telehealth was convenient in many ways, including; not traveling, parking or waiting in waiting rooms. Overnight telehealth is another way UPMC has found to care for patients. UPMC reports, flexibility is the key to patient comfort and convenience.

CDC RESTRICTIONS IN VALLEY SCHOOLS

The Pennsylvania departments of Health (DOH) and Education (PDE) yesterday announced updated recommendations for K-12 schools on handling COVID-19 restrictions in school buildings. According to therecord-online.com, Pennsylvania is aligning with new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations that reflect the latest research,  for example, Pennsylvania students may now be at least 3 feet apart in classrooms, as opposed to 6 feet. In addition, in an effort to return Pennsylvania students to the classroom, Governor Wolf also announced that Pennsylvania is expected to receive nearly $5 billion in federal COVID-19 relief funds.

WILLIAMSPORT EXTENDS THE DECLARATION OF DISASTER 

The vote was to extend the Declaration of Disaster Emergency another 90 days, according to the Lycoming County commissioners. According to the SUN Gazette, the declaration allows the county to continue to remain eligible for government funding relating to COVID-19 issues. To this point, Lycoming County has received about $20 million in such funding, according to commissioners.

Sports:

High School Girls Softball:

Muncy 11  Sugar Valley 1

Boys Tennis:

Hughsville 22   Warrior Run  3

Muncy 5      Bloomsburg 0

Montoursville 3 Central Columbia 2

High School Baseball:

Hughesville 11  North Penn Mansfield 0 (6 innings)

College Softball:

Lock Haven 10  Millersville5

Lock Have 10  Millersville 2

Mansfield 5   Shepherd 2

Mansfield 1  Shepherd 0

Track and Field:

Jersey Shore swept Central Mountain in boys (107-43) and girls (78-71) track and field yesterday afternoon.

LANCERS WIN CHAMPIONSHIP

Loyalsock, the first public school to win the AAA crown in 10 years, with a young basketball program that started in 1963. Four players scored in double figures, Loyalsock lancers defeated Brookville, 75-53, and captured the lancers first state championship.

ATTEMPTED AGGRAVATED ASSAULT

An attempted murder charge was dismissed in Lycoming County Court when a Harrisburg man was sentenced for attempted aggravated assault instead. According to northcentralpa.com Ejuan J. Cosby, 23, was sentenced on March 18 by Lycoming County Judge Marc F. Lovecchio to a minimum of six years and a maximum of 12 years in state prison for his involvement in the 2019 Williamsport shooting occurred during the early morning hours of Feb. 9, at the Mini Mart, 1037 High Street.

CHILD ABUSE

An Avis man charged with strangling and assaulting a three-month-old child on Feb. 10 in Avis borough, recently posted $250,000 monetary bail. According to northcentralpa.com, Aaron George Jeffery Confer, 22, is charged with multiple felonies by Pine Creek Township Police. confer waived his preliminary hearing before Magisterial District Judge Keith G. Kibler on Tuesday, March 23 and He is scheduled for a formal arraignment in the Clinton County Court of Common Pleas on April 26.

FELONY DRUG ARREST

A Williamsport man sold heroin to an undercover detective and it bought him a minimum of nine months in county jail. Ralph  claude green, 27, was sentenced to a minimum of 9 months and a maximum of 24 month for one felony count of delivery of a controlled substance. The sentence, handed down by Lycoming County President Judge Nancy L Butts on March 12.

TERRORISTIC THREATS

Racial slurs, terroristic threats and disorderly conduct, all directed at a Hispanic clerk and another customer, were reported by Milton police at the Sunoco A-Plus in Milton. Omar A. Sellars, 42, of Milton, is now facing multiple misdemeanors. Charges filed by Milton patrolman Daniel Zettelmoyer II include three misdemeanor counts of terroristic threats which were filed in the Milton office of District Judge Michael Diehl.

Two Loyalsock Township adults were displaced after a fire damaged their residence.  According to the Sun Gazette, the two alarm fire was called in by a neighbor who saw the smoke coming from the home in the 100 block of Willow Brook Road.  According to state police, one firefighter sustained minor injuries responding to the blaze that was under control in about a half an hour thanks  several communities responding to the incident.

There are traffic concerns that are being discussed amidst the approval of the Loyalsock Township land development plan for  the future Popeye’s restaurant on the Golden Strip.  According to the Sun Gazette,  the township planning commission has requested that the state Department of Transportation create delineation marks on East Third Street to prevent traffic from turning left from the street onto Russell Avenue- where the vehicles will eventually enter the restaurant.  The stacking traffic has been a concern on East Third Street for several years after other stores create traffic backups from drive thru customers, A Popeye’s engineer said 12 vehicles are able to be lined up from the ordering board to East Third Street, and can serve 100 vehicles per hour.

There will be a telephone town hall meeting with US Representative Fred Keller of Kreamer next Tuesday at 5pm.  According to the Sun Gazette, Keller, who represents the 12^th Congressional district will discuss legislative issues and give an update on the pandemic recovery efforts, the economy and reopening of the schools.  Those who want to participate or  call in to ask questions of Representative Keller can get the details on  the number to call at keller.house.gov.

It will be 150 years for the fair this year!  The Lycoming County Fair association announced the dates for the 2021 event with details about the entertainment lineup to be provided in the coming weeks.  Lycoming County Fair Association President Rocky Reed says the opening day for the fair will be July 14^th and run through the 24^th.  This is the second reopening of the fair that has only closed during World War II and for the virus in 2020.

The Central Susquehanna Valley Transportation project will resume this spring and motorists could soon be using the roadway that will connect state Route 147 south of Montandon to Route 15 south of Winfield with four-lane limited access highway.  According to the Sun Gazette,  PennDOT says Southbound traffic on Route 15 will shift to single lane beginning March 29, which will enable crews to construct overhead signs. The one-lane traffic will last around two months.  Eventually the project, which includes a 4,500-foot-long bridge over the west branch of the Susquehanna River, will separate local traffic from highway congestion in Selinsgrove by the Susquehanna Mall.

Lycoming County has 36 new cases of the coronavirus as of yesterday,  Northumberland County has 19, Snyder County has 14 more cases.  The state Department of Health reported 4,967 additional positive cases of COVID-19, with 48 new deaths.  The concern for state officials is that the recent uptick in cases could indicate a spike in the virus, but vaccinations locally have risen with more availability of the one and two dose shots.  South Williamsport School district returns to the classroom today after a rise in COVID cases there last week.

The U.S. Small Business Administration is increasing the maximum amount small businesses and non-profit organizations can borrow through its COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan program. According to a press release from the SBA, Starting April 6, the SBA will raise  the loan limit from 6-months of economic injury with a maximum loan amount of $150,000 to up to 24-months of economic injury with a maximum loan amount of $500,000.  Recently the agency announced it would extend deferment periods for all disaster loans, including COVID-19 EIDLs, until 2022 to offer more time for businesses to recover.

State-owned historic sites and connected to the Pennsylvania’s Historical and Museum Commission announced yesterday that they  will reopen to the public on Friday, April 30. Some sites may have reduced hours or limited capacity inside their facilities.  Some areas that will reopen include the Joseph Priestly House in Northumberland, the Pennsylvania Military Museum in Boalsburg and Harrisburg sites like the PA State Archives and the State museum. Face masks and social distancing  will be required, and there will not be any rentals or events allowed at these sites at this time.

The Senate confirmed Dr. Rachel Levine in a 52-48 vote to be assistant secretary of health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Her confirmation makes her the first openly transgender individual to be approved by the Senate as well as the highest-ranking transgender federal official.  Levine was previously the secretary of health for Pennsylvania, where she led the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and worked on programs battling the opioid crisis, HIV and Hepatitis C as well as addressing LGBTQ health equity.

SPORTS
HS Boys Basketball

Loyalsock Lancers (24-1), take on Brookville, this Saturday afternoon, @ 2:30, at the Giant Center in Hershey  for the state championship. 

NBA
Pacers beat the Pistons 116 to 111, Bucks beat the Celtics 121 to 119, Raptors beat the Nuggets 135 to 111, Magic beat Suns 112 to 111, Cavaliers beat the Bulls 103 to 94, Hornets over the Rockets 122 to 97, Mavericks beat the Timberwolves 128 to 108, Grizzlies beat Thunder 116 to 107, Clippers beat the Spurs 134 to 101, Jazz stomped the Nets 118 to 88, Kings over the Hawks 110 to 108
NHL
Penguins beat the Sabres 5 to 2, Senators beat the Flames 3 to 1, Wild beat Ducks 3 to 2, Jets beat the Canucks 5 to 1, Sharks over the Kings 4-2, Oilers and Canadians were postponed due to Covid

NCAA March Madness coming up on Saturday
Midwest Region – (12) Oregon State meets (8) Loyola Chicago at 2:40 PM, and (11) Syracuse faces (2) Houston at 5:15pm,  In the South Region,  (5) Villanova faces (number 1) Baylor at 7:25p, (15) Oral Roberts faces (3)Arkansas at 9:55pm in the Second round of the Sweet 16.

MAN WHO COMMITTED MULTIPLE VEHICULAR CRIMES IN CUSTODY
A man from Virginia is in custody after breaking the law in several Pennsylvania counties earlier this month.  According to state police 31-year old Ryan Da Silva of Virginia  Beach allegedly  threatened  people at a Danville area hotel on March 7^th and  was also involved in a hit and run crash Selinsgrove where he then eluded police while continuing southbound on Route 11 to Adams county in south central PA.  State police in Gettysburg report that DeSilva was involved in another minor accident  in Adams county where police caught up with him and took him into custody.  Charges will be filed in multiple counties.

ACCESSIBILITY RAMP COMING TO CITY HALL
The city of Williamsport is moving forward with installing an accessible ramp at City Hall and they will take bids on the project until April 16^th.  According to the Sun Gazette, initial projected costs have come down after city officials used preexisting designs and other cost cutting measures to save, even with the cost of steel increasing.  The city will meet accessibility requirements with the construction of the ramp as well as a remodel of the first floor elevator by November 10^th, 2021, as part of the settlement agreement with advocate agencies for the disabled which was approved March 10^th.

LOCAL COVID UPDATE
There are ten new cases of the coronavirus in Lycoming County as of yesterday, Northumberland’s cases are lower today, too at 8.  The Pennsylvania Department of Health confirmed a two-day total from Sunday and Monday of 3,920 additional positive cases and 14 new deaths attributed to COVID-19.  Lycoming County has 26 COVID-19 patients hospitalized, and 2 on a ventilator.

SOLAR ENERGY ON THE WAY IN PA
Solar arrays could be built in Columbia, Montour, Northumberland, and Snyder Counties according to a new solar energy initiative announced by Governor Tom Wolf yesterday.  Our four local counties are in addition to three other counties in Pennsylvania that will provide about half of the electricity used by state government and create about 400 jobs.  The Project to Utilize Light and Solar Energy, or PULSE, is set to begin operation in January of 2023 and according to energy officials will significantly reduce the state’s carbon footprint.

RESIDENT ESCAPES FREEBURG HOUSE FIRE
A Freeburg home was heavily damaged by a fire that also  killed the family’s dog yesterday. According to the Daily item, witnesses gathered outside the home on 303 New Market St while crews fought the blaze. The home was owned by Tim Weikel.  One person who lived in the home was home and escaped the flames according to neighbors who also said propane tanks bursting outside the home contributed to the fire.  Firefighters from Freeburg, Fremont, Middleburg, Kreamer, Selinsgrove, Port Trevorton, Kratzerville, Mifflinburg and Point Township were at the scene, for about four hours.

INMATE FACES MORE CHARGES
New charges have been filed against a man who was an inmate at SCI-Coal Township and wrote threatening letters to a Columbia County Court of Common Pleas judge, two members of the Scott Township police department and a 17 year old juvenile between June 22 and Oct. 23, 2020.  According to North Central PA dot com, 28 year old Shane Michael Banks, who currently is incarcerated at SCI-Albion on separate charges, faces felony intimidation charges and other harassment misdemeanors. Banks  is currently awaiting a preliminary hearing in Columbia County.

AGGRESSIVE DRIVING INITIATIVE IN PLACE
Northumberland area police traffic services as well as other municipal police forces will participate in an aggressive driving enforcement initiative starting  this week through April 25. According to a press release from the highway safety network there will be a targeted aggressive driving enforcement wave that will focus on speeding, aggressive and distracted driving plus work zone awareness, and residents who are stopped for these violations will receive a ticket. The annual PennDOT education project is funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

CDC UPDATES MASK GUIDANCE
Mask mandates in Pennsylvania have been updated by the Acting Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Health.  According to Alison Beam, fully vaccinated people can visit with other vaccinated people without a mask, as well as visit unvaccinated people at low risk.  However, Beam says fully vaccinated people should continue masking and distancing in public, and continue to avoid large-sized in-person gatherings.  People are considered fully vaccinated for COVID more than two weeks after receiving the second of a two-dose series, or more than two weeks after receiving a single dose vaccine

SPORTS
HS Boys Basketball
P I-AA Class AAA Semifinals
Loyalsock vs. Math Civics and Sciences @ LaSalle college 7pm tonight.

DRUG ARREST ON INTERSTATE 80

Before 2pm, March 1, On Interstate 80 West in Union County, two New York men were stopped by PSP Milton and were allegedly in possession of several pounds of cocaine and marijuana. According northcentralpa.com, Vidal Ortiz Jr., 25, of Elmhurst, N.Y.  and Douglas A. Gilliam, 38, of Bronx, N.Y., were charged with multiple felonies and arraigned that evening in front of District Judge Mensch. Bail was set at $300,000 monetary. Ortiz and Gilliam were remanded to Union County Jail with preliminary hearings scheduled for both for March 23.

LOCAL COVID NUMBERS

The Pa. Dept. of Health registered the first time in more than a month with at least 4,000 active COVID cases in a single day. Locally there were 36 new cases in Northumberland County, 13 in Snyder, 8 in Union and 7 in Montour. Clinton County, up 18; Centre County, up 85;  and Lycoming County up 47 COVID cases today.

LHU EMPLOYEES CONCERNED OVER FUTURE JOB STABILITY

Members of AFSCME Council 13 Local 2360 at Lock Haven University were in Triangle Park yesterday expressing their concerns about a proposed outsourcing of jobs. Shawn O’Dell, Local 2360 President, according to  therecord-online, the school’s proposed outsourcing could eliminate over 50 staff jobs.  In addition, the local university could be  facing a considerable faculty downsizing as part of the proposed integration between Lock Haven University, Bloomsburg and Mansfield universities.

POLICE OFFICER BACK TO WORK IN LYCOMING COUNTY

A police officer in Lycoming County initially accused of attempting to rape a disabled woman completed probation for disorderly conduct and according to northcentralpa.com now is patrolling Muncy Borough. Laurence C. Wilcox Jr., 71, pleaded guilty to one third-degree misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct on Jan. 14, 2020, and was sentenced to a six-month probation term with administrative release after three month. Montgomery Borough Police suspended Wilcox at the time of his 2019 arrest.

ATTEMPTED SEXUAL ASSAULT OF MINORS

Posing to be juvenile boys wanting to meet adult males, Lycoming Coungy Detectives set up an operation and arrested the men who allegedly showed up. In separate criminal complaints, George A. Richner, 52, of Muncy, and Todd A. Mertz, 38, of Williamsport, each face multiple felonies. According to northcentralpa.com,  Richner was confined to the Lycoming County Prison on March 5 before posting $125,000 monetary bail on March 8. He’s scheduled for an April 8 preliminary hearing before Magisterial District Judge Aaron S. Biichle. Mertz IS currently on the intensive supervised bail program with bail set at $99,000 unsecured. He’s scheduled for a March 29 formal arraignment before Lycoming County Judge Marc F. Lovecchio.

SUSQUEHANNA UNIVERSITY GRAUATION SCHEDULE

Susquehanna University has announced Commencement plans for both the Class of 2021 and the Class of 2020. According to a media outlet, Susquehanna will host graduation ceremonies for the Class of 2021 at three separate times in the Field House of the James W. Garrett Sports Complex on Saturday, May 15 at 10 a.m.; Saturday, May 15 at 2 p.m.; and Sunday, May 16 at 10 a.m. Commencement will be livestreamed as well as recorded. In addition, the in-person Commencement ceremony for the Class of 2020 is scheduled for Saturday, May 22 at 10 a.m.

HELP FOR PENNSYLVANIANS FROM THE EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

Rapid relief to millions of Pennsylvanians at risk of eviction or loss of utility service was announced yesterday by Governor Tom Wolf in the Emergency Rental Assistance Program.  And it will distribute about $569 million to Pennsylvania households with an additional $278 million in rental assistance to Pennsylvania’s largest counties by the federal government. According to northcentralpa.com households may be eligible for up to 12 months of assistance to cover past-due or future rental and/or utility payments.  Effective today, Pennsylvanians can submit applications for the Emergency Rental Assistance Program online at www.compass.state.pa.us

IN SPORTS

NCAA WRESTLING IN ST LOUIS

AT 165 POUNDS BUCKNELL’S ZACH HARTMAN FINISHED 6^TH AND BECAME AN ALL-AMERICAN.

STATE PLAYOFF BASKETBALL: TRIPLE A BOYS QUARTERFINAL:

LOYALSOCK 79

EXECUTIVE EDUCATION 75

LANCERS ADVANCE TO FINAL FOUR

NHL

PENGUINS OVER THE DEVILS 3-1, PANTHERS SHUT OUT THE PREDATORS 2-0, AVALANCHE SHUT OUT THE WILD 6-0, LIGHTNING OVER THE BLACKHAWKS 4-1, STARS SHUT OUT THE RED WINGS 3-0, CANADIENS OVER THE CANUCKS 5-4, MAPLE LEAFS SHUT OUT THE FLAMES 2-0, RANGERS OVER THE CAPITALS 3-1, COYOTES BEAT THE DUCKS 5-1, BLUES OVER THE SHARKS 5-2, OILERS BEAT THE JETS 4-2