BACKYARD BROADCASTING LOCAL NEWS OCTOBER 10, 2020

UPMC Lock Haven Re Opens

UPMC Lock haven, after being shut down for a time due to repairs being made for a fire that ignited, is resuming their health care operations. According to the sun gazette Tyler Wagner, the UPMC manager of communications said that the whole ordeal of repairing the damage done and the rigorous inspections from the department of health was a big challenge, but in an “organized way.” The hospital will have 200 employees back to work and ready to serve at 6pm on Monday, and the offices will be reaching out to patients and scheduling appointments.

Lawsuit Against Hover Board Company

Heather Villareal and Micheal Bingaman, a Clinton county couple, are suing Razor Co. of Cerritos California, for allegedly selling them a faulty product that ignited their house on fire. According to the sun gazette the said product was a hover board, which they had bought as a gift back in 2019. The fire had started in the sun room of their house where they claim the board was charging, causing over 400,000 dollars in damage. The couple is seeking reimbursement for the house, as well as the legal fee’s they will acquire as the case continues. As of now, the company has not responded in court.

Methamphetamine Found On Inmate

At the centre county correctional facility, officers were alerted to a situation involving a young man being transferred to the facility. Austin Lee Miller of Bellefonte, an inmate of the facility, was being transferred when during processing, a baggie of white powdery substance was found on his person. The correctional officer who found the substance asked miller what it was, to which he replied “crystal meth.’ The baggies were handed over to police where they were positively identified as methamphetamine, and weighed to be 2 grams before being stored away into evidence. Miller is now facing additional charges on top of the ones he is jailed for, all charges have been waived to a lower court.

Stalking and Harassment Charges Filed

A 37 year old man named Brett Hawkins has received charges of stalking and harassment after alledgedly attempting to break into a home in Clinton township. According to northcentralPA.com Hawkins is said to have gone the Montgomery street home around 4am where he attempted to force entry through the front door. When troopers arrived to investigate, they ended up obtaining a warrant for his arrest and apprehended him later in the day as he was driving down route 15, where they found a controlled substance on him. Bail for Hawkins was set at 50,000 dollars.

New Dollar General Construction

A proposal by Hutchinson Development LLC to construct a dollar general 305 Washington St was recently approved by city council. According to the sun gazette many people in the community were wary about the construction, saying that the increased traffic and potential litter could decrease quality of life. Hutchinson released a statement saying that they promised a clean and properly maintained store, with considerations for the neighborhood like a similar construction and feel of the Lycoming college buildings, early morning truck deliveries a single time per week and a smaller design than originally proposed.

Sports

NFL

After a morning COVID-19 scare after a false positive test on one of the players, the New York Jets announced Friday night that they received negative test results for every player, coach and personnel staffer. This means their home game Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals will start as scheduled. The Jets’ announcement came about an hour after the Cardinals’ team flight departed Phoenix en route to New Jersey.

NBA

In China, the first NBA game was recently broadcasted on the state ran CCTV after a whole year. The ban of the NBA came after the general manager of the Huston rockets tweeted his support for the demonstrators in Hong Kong protesting human rights violations and censorship of the Chinese government back in 2019.

 

High School Football
Friday Night Lights!
Week 5 Final Scores

Southern Columbia 56, Hughesville 7
South Williamsport 28, Bucktail 8
Selinsgrove 28, Shikellamy 0
Muncy 21, Northwest Area 13
Montoursville 45, Lewisburg 7
Wellsboro 43, Towanda 0
Loyalsock 26, Bloomsburg 20
Danville 16, Central Columbia 10
Williamsport 48, Wyoming Valley West 13
Central Mountain 41, Shamokin 27
Mifflinburg 35, Midd-West 33
Milton at Jersey Shore, postponed

BACKYARD BROADCASTING LOCAL NEWS OCTOBER 9, 2020

PUBLIC REMINDED ABOUT VIRUS PROTOCOLS
Local medical experts are sending the message to the public that with local numbers of the coronavirus increasing – and yesterday the state reporting the largest one-day increase of positive COVID-19 tests since April – that basic precautions should still be used, handwashing, limiting gatherings and wearing masks.  According to the PA Department of Health,  Lycoming County reported 24 new cases yesterday with 15 reported in long term care facilities.  In a statement released by Western PA Regional Chief Medical Officer Consortium the focus should be on continuing to use best practices such as getting a flu shot this year, social distancing and staying home when you are ill because the virus is real so avoid the damage that can be done by underestimating it.

ONE INJURED IN MUNCY SHED FIRE
There was a fire in Muncy that injured one man and brought out emergency crews to New Street just before midnight on Wednesday.  According to the Sun Gazette, firefighters from Muncy area and Pennsdale were dispatched to fight a 20 foot storage building that was engulfed in flames.  Fire officials say that the fire may have been caused by sparks that ignited it from a nearby controlled burn earlier in the day and that a man had been injured after falling into fire.  The unidentified individual was taken to the burn unit at Lehigh Valley Hospital.  The fire was put out in a few minutes and kept from spreading to nearby homes

PENN COLLEGE TO HOLD VIRTUAL CAREER FAIR
Penn College will hold a Virtual Fall Career fair on October 20th and 21st . According to college officials last year’s in-person fair had 458 companies and a record 1,942 students participate, and this year they say the online career fair management tool is a suitable substitute for face-to-face interaction between employers and future employees. Both students and employers create online profiles and participate in video chats with multiple opportunities and interactions available through the online system. A link where employers can register for the Career Fair until October 16th is available at WILQ WBZD at https://pct-csm.symplicity.com/events.

LOYALSOCK FALL SPORTS GUIDANCE
Loyalsock Township Schools approved a plan for fall sports at the school board meeting last night as well as a recommendation for the number of spectators who can attend.  After Governor Wolf this week announced new directives on public gatherings on a sliding scale, Loyalsock with a stadium that can hold 3,570, will be able to have 714 people at the stadium for home football games.  The number includes members of both teams, the band and cheerleaders and  essential personnel, first. Then two tickets per person will be given out so that participant’s family members can attend the games while wearing masks and maintaining a social distance.

LANDLORD CHARGED WITH BURNING TENANTS ITEMS
Charges have been filed against a landlord in White Deer for burning the possessions of a tenant with whom he had a dispute.  According to the State Police in Milton, 72 year old Ronald Barraclough had a disagreement with a female tenant on Gray Hill Road in White Deer Township, after which he removed items from the property and burned them.  Barraclough was charged with arson and cited for dangerous burning  in Union County court.

SPECIAL NEEDS COMMISSION TO BE FORMED TO ASSIST WITH EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Community Members with special needs will be able to take advantage of a newly formed commission after it was announced yesterday by Lycoming County Commissioners in their Tuesday meeting this week. Officially recognizing October as National Disability Employment Awareness Month, the commissioners hope the discussion and the variety of help that can be given to those who are differently abled will bring positive changes for people in Lycoming County. .

 

There is an update of the travel advisory list announced by the Pennsylvania Department of Health that shows  states with high COVID-19 prevalence and the ones in which a traveler must quarantine for 14 days upon their return to the commonwealth.  No neighboring states to Pennsylvania are on the list, the closest to us being Kentucky and Tennesee among the states with higher spikes and risks involving the coronavirus.  The full statement by the Pennsylvania Department of health is available here.

The owner of the Crosscutters has been retained by Major League Baseball to help transition the league into a smaller group of affiliates.  According to Major league baseball Peter B. Freund and Trinity Sports Consultants has been retained to work on the project that will shrink the number of affiliated teams from 160 to 120, however the league announce it will retain baseball in the minor league cities losing affiliations with an Appalachian League starting next year as a college summer circuit for rising freshmen and sophomores.

 

SPORTS

NFL
Thursday night football
Bears beat the Buccaneers 20-19

The NFL announced schedule changes for Week 5:
Denver at New England will be this Monday at 5 pm on ESPN….And Buffalo is at Tennessee on Tuesday night at 7 on CBS.
These decisions were made to ensure the health and safety of players, coaches and game day personnel and in consultation with medical experts.

MLB
National League Division Series Game 3
Braves blanked the Marlins seven nothing winning the series 3-nothing, Dodgers stomped the Padres 12-3, winning their series 3 nothing.  The American League Division Series Game 4 – Astros beat the A’s 11-6, winning the series 3-1, and Yankees beat the Rays 5-1, tying up their series in Game 4 – 2 and 2

HS Football
The Backyard Broadcasting High School football game of the week tonight Bucktail at South Williamsport – Coverage begins at 6:30, Kick off at 7pm on our sister station WWPA or WILQ’s HD3

HS Girls Soccer
Lewisburg beat Williamsport 2-nothing, Mount Carmel beat Loyalsock 6-3, Montoursville and Shikellamy tied 2-2 in double OT, Mifflinburg over Jersey Shore 2-1, and Sullivan County beat Millville 4-nothing,
HS Boys Soccer
South Williamsport beat Montgomery 11-2

BACKYARD BROADCASTING LOCAL NEWS OCTOBER 8, 2020

American Airlines began suspension in service from Williamsport Regional Airport yesterday.  This summer the airline began 2-a-day service to Charlotte North Carolina and then changed course stating low demand and the expiration of CARES Act funding.  The service was only to be paused temporarily until November 7th but since funding for the airlines is in jeopardy due to the mixed climate about passing an economic stimulus for the airlines, Richard Howell, Executive Director at the Airport remains hopeful a decision will go in the region’s favor.

A positive recommendation was given from the City Council this week for the Williamsport  Water Authority to start a water main replacement project along Grampian Boulvard.  According to the Sun Gazette, the authority’s executive director said older and weakened pipes will be replaced with more efficient and powerful lines.  The work will be located around Grmapian, Upland Avenue, Franklin Street, Selkirk Road and Lundy Drive.  The recommendation is scheduled to be finalized at tonight’s meeting.

After the new guidelines in the state announced yesterday changed the number of people previously allowed to attend High School sports, Williamsport Area Schools reported the changes spectators can expect.  According to the Sun Gazette, Williamsport’s stadium has a capacity of 6500 so at 20 percent, about 1300 people can attend while still maintaining social distancing and wearing masks. district superintendent Dr. Timothy S. Bowers, said the details are being worked out with the Athletic department for future events.

The Jersey Shore Education Foundation has secured a grant in the amount of 15 thousand dollars from the Bayer Fund’s America’s Farmers Grow Rural Education program.  According to the Sun Gazette, District Superintendent Dr. Brian Ulmer said the grant will enhance STEM education in the district as well as the CTE Engineering program, and provides computers that will help students develop those engineering skills.

Another search warrant of the Campbell Street scene of a shooting that ultimately resulted in the death an 18 year old Williamsport man was issued this week.  According to North Central PA dot com, police records say a search of the property turned up a gun in an oven compartment, several cell phones and ballistics evidence from two gunshots.  One shot struck Semaj Mozee early Monday morning through the door of the apartment and he was transported to UPMC Williamsport where he later died.  Police continue the investigation and request the public call Williamsport Police with any information.

There are 18 new cases of the coronavirus in Lycoming County  bringing the total here to 771 positive cases to date, 4 patients are hospitalized.  In Pennsylvania, according to the Department of Health, there are 1,039 additional positive cases of the virus reported, and the total is now 166,552.  28 people in the state have died as of yesterday for a statewide total of 8,244.

Lock Haven has made an announcement concerning the spring semester which will mostly continue the current instruction model.  According to a press release by the school the spring 2021 semester will start a week later, January 25, and there will be no spring break. 85% of spring courses will continue to be remote learning as well having limited on-campus residency.  Asymptomatic testing will take place on-campus prior to the start of the semester.  More details at lockhaven dot edu.

The Williamsport Crosscutters will sponsor  Boomer’s Drive Thru Trick or treating event on Halloween night from 6 til 8 in the parking lot of BB&T Ballpark.  Children 14 and under who come to the Ballpark will be able enjoy an event with the cutter’s mascot, Boomer as well as other friends and exhibitors.  According to a Gabe Sincropi, Cutters VP of Marketing and public relations, the participants can enter at the 4th street entrance only and will stay in their cars following CDC guideline., Cars will exit on Beeber street.

SPORTS

MLB
Natioal League Division Series Game 2 – Braves beat the Marlins 2-nothing, Atlanta is up 2, Dodgers edged the Padres 6-5, LA leads their series 2-nothing, American League Division Series Game 3 – A’s beat the Astros 9-7, Houston leads 2-1, and the Rays beat the Yankees 8-4 in their Game 3, Tampa Bay leads 2-1.

NFL Tonight
Tampa Bay Buccaneers play the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field with an 8:20 kickoff

NBA Finals Game 5 Miami Heat play the LA Lakers Friday at 9pm LA leads 3-1

HS Boys Soccer
North Penn-Liberty over Northeast Bradford 7-4,

HS Girls Soccer
Muncy beat Montgomery 5-1,

HS Tennis
Williamsport over Jersey Shore 3-2

BACKYARD BROADCASTING LOCAL NEWS OCTOBER 7, 2020

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT WILL GO BACK TO CLASSROOM
Southside students will return to the classroom full time after the school board made the decision to return to classes next week with a 5-4 vote.  South Williamsport superintendent Dr. Mark Stamm recommended the move after noting the challenges students and staff  face using the hybrid model and being in school just 2 days a week.  Dr. Stamm said a recent survey of 1000 people favored in person school full-time by 77%.  The return of elementary students on October 13th  and secondary students on October 14th to the school is not a set plan for the remainder of the year and school officials said that the infections rates of COVID-19 could increase which might change the model of instruction again.

AUDIT SAYS WOLF’S SHUTDOWN WAIVER PROCEDURE  IS TO BLAME
An audit of Governor Wolf’s business shutdown waiver program that let PA businesses operate during the pandemic this year has revealed that the waivers were granted inconsistently and with little transparency.  According to the office of Auditor General Eugene DePasquale, after the Wolf administration ordered buinsesses to close, the decision to grant or deny a waiver often depended on which staffer was making the decision and that some decisions were changed after the fact and the audit is seeking and explanation for those circumstances.   DePasquale said that improvements to the program will have to be made if it is needed again.

There’s another battle brewing over accepting signatures during Pennsylvania’s upcoming election with the commonwealth’s top election official filing a suit just after midnight asking the state’s highest court to support her recently stated guidance over the election laws. Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar, who is a Democrat recently told state election officials that a mail-in ballot counts event if a signature doesn’t necessarily match the one on the registration.  In federal court, President Trump’s campaign asked a judge to declare that Boockvar’s plan unconstitutional and block counties from following guidance.

PennDOT announced yesterday that all driver license and photo centers will be closed Saturday, October 10, through Monday, October 12, in observance of Columbus Day.  There are still a variety of driver and vehicle products and services available online including forms, publications and driver training manual at www.dmv.pa.gov.   There are no additional fees for using online services.

Governor Wolf continues to lift coronavirus-related restrictions yesterday, by introducing a sliding scale to determine the limits on crowd restrictions for both indoor and outdoor events in Pennsylvania.  Wolf said the shift is a gradual adjustment as we learn to do things safely.  The temporary changes say that an indoor  venue that holds up to 2,000 people, will be 20% of the maximum capacity,  for capacities up to 10,000 — that percentage is lowered to 15%,  and for sites that can hold over 10 thousand, the limit is 10%, with no event having more than 3,750 people attend.  The percentage of capacity for venues of the same size for outdoor events -the breakdown is 25% for sites with 2,000 person limit, 20% for the facilities that  hold up to 10 thousand and for over 10 thousand – 15% with a cap at 7,500.  The administration said the changes may not be permanent and events will be monitored for future virus outbreaks which could ramp the restrictions up again.

As South Williamsport Area School Board decides to go back to the classroom five days a week, the Williamsport Area School Board is mulling over a similar change.  According to the Sun Gazette, at their meeting last night, the WASD school board said they will conduct a survey to get feedback from district families about formulating the plan between now and their next meeting on October 20th .  They will take a look at the data and make a decision which could bring students back to the classroom full-time.

Lycoming County reports 7 new cases of the coronavirus as of October 5th for a total of 751 cases to date, and 5 Lycoming County residents hospitalized, but non on a ventilator.  In Pennsylvania  there are 672 additional cases reported for a statewide total now of 164,207.  According to the PA Department of Health, there were 11 new fatalities in the state, bringing the total fatalities to 8,227 – out of that total in PA,  5,485 were residents from nursing or personal care facilities.

There was a 2.9 magnitude earthquake recorded in Westmoreland County yesterday morning just after midnight.  According to PennLive, the U.S. Geological Survey  said the measurements of the quake were taken in Bolivar, about an hour east of Pittsburgh. NO damage was reported. The last earthquake in Pennsylvania was last April when a 2.1 magnitude tremor was reported in Wyomissing, Berks County.

 

SPORTS
NBA

NBA Finals Game 4 – Lakers defeated Heat 102 to 96.  LA leading the series now 3-1, Game 5 between Miami and LA is Friday night at 9 PM.

MLB
In the National League Division Series Game 1 – Braves beat the Marlins 9-5 and the Dodgers beat the Padres 5-1, American League Division Series Game 2, Astros over the A’s 5-2 in Game 2 with Houston leading, and the Rays beat the Yankees 7-5, their series tied up one and one.

HS Boys Soccer

Sullivan County defeated Montgomery 7-1

HS Girls Soccer
Mifflinburg over Williamsport 3-nothing

HS Girls Tennis
Montgomery over Muncy 5-0h, Bucktail beat Saint John Neumann in two matches, 5-0h and 5-0h.

BACKYARD BROADCASTING LOCAL NEWS OCTOBER 6, 2020

SHOOTING VICTIM IDENTIFIED
A victim has been identified in the fatal shooting that happened early this week at an apartment building along Campbell Street in Williamsport.  Police say that 18 year old Semaj Mozee, who lived in the building, was shot about midnight early last Monday and was transported by ambulance to UPMC Williamsport.  According to the Lycoming County Coroner, Mozee died about an hour later during surgery.  Police have not released a motive for the shooting or if anyone is in custody at this time for the crime.  Three children who were in the building at the time were taken away from the scene by family members.  An investigation continues and police are asking the public to call with any information about the homicide.  570-327-7548.

SPIKE OF CORONAVIRUS AT THE LOCAL PRISON
There has been a spike of coronavirus infections the at Federal Corrections Institution at Allenwood with 47 inmates at the medium security facility and 6 staff now facing the virus.  According to officials at the prison, those inmates who are sick have been isolated and the infected staff  are under quarantine.  According to the Sun Gazette, the inmates were serving sentences at Allenwood and had not been transferred from any other facility. The prison started taking visitors again  Saturday and officials said they are following COVID-219 regulations with daily testing of staff and inmates.

Republican Sen. Pat Toomey formally announced Monday he will neither run for reelection nor run for governor in 2022, which could harm Republicans’ upcoming election and future plans. The two-term fiscal conservative said he recently decided  to bow out of politics and go to work in the private sector.  Toomey is the only statewide elected Republican politician in office in the commonwealth , and  it remains an important state for the GOP.   Toomey told POLITICO that he is “cautiously optimistic” his party would retain its majority and that he supports Donald Trump’s reelection.

Last Saturday Lock Haven University dedicated a new Bald Eagle Statue  as a focal point for the university’s Poorman’s Commons.  The 18 ton statue was funded by and given as a gift from the class of 1966.  According to a press release the class of ’66 started planning the class gift following their 50th reunion in 2016.  The carved bald eagle with a 6-foot wingspan is centrally located in the university’s commons right along North Fairview Street.

A Williamsport man has been arrested for felony theft and other charges after police say he broke into a home in Old Lycoming Township on September 23rd.  According to North Central PA dot com, 28 year old  Samuel Joseph Agor, admitted he illegally entered the home along Green Avenue about 4am.  Agor said he stole money from a wallet, a laptop computer, and soda from the refrigerator of the home.  After his arraignment, Agor went to Lycoming County Prison in lieu of $100,000 bail.

More state funding for coronavirus relief has been approved for small business according to a release this week by Governor Tom Wolf.  Area counties share in  $96 million in additional state grants, 52% of which are historically disadvantaged businesses. More than 10,000 businesses were approved for $192 million in grants through the COVID-19 Relief Statewide Small Business Assistance Program. The full list of  businesses helped by this round of funding listed HERE.

PennDOT says they will be performing patch work in Jersey Shore today.  If you’re headed through the intersection of Allegheny Street and Thomas street, watch for single lane conditions and flaggers in place.  The PennDOT crew will be working between the hours of 7am and 3pm. Motorists are reminded to drive with caution through work zones.

State police are warning state residents to be vigilant this election season and not to fall victim to phone scams or email fraud.  According to Trooper Brent Miller the things to remember are what a legitimate candidate or committee will never do; asking you to pay for voter registration, wire money or buy gift cards having to do with the election.  Registering to vote either in person or by mail is free. Police say if you wish to donate anything, don’t do it over the phone.  Research your choices and donate through a secure website, and never give out personal information or credit card numbers to strangers.

SPORTS
NFL

Monday night football Chiefs beat the Patriots 26 to 10, Packers at home over the Falcons 30-16

MLB American League division Series Game 1 – Astros over the A’s 10-5, Yankees over the Rays 9-3

NBA
Game 4 of the NBA finals tonight at 9 PM between the Lakers and Heat  – LA leads 2 to 1

HS Girls Tennis
Hughesville over Shikellamy 5-0h, South Williamsport over Muncy 5-oh, Loyalsock defeated Jersey Shore 3-2, North Penn Liberty over Wellsboro 4-1
In the District 6 Class AAA Semi-finals – Altoona beat Central Mountain 4-1

HS Girls Soccer

South Williamsport over Montgomery 8-1
HS Boys Soccer
Northumberland Christian tied Sullivan County 1-1,
Warrior Run defeated Hughesville 14-2, Milton blanked Shamokin 3-nothing

High School Football Game of the Week

Join us on our sister station, the Twin Valley’s Talk Radio Network every Friday night for the Backyard Broadcasting High School Football Game of the Week.  Hear all the action with Ian Catherine and Bob Woodley beginning at 6:30pm with pre-game and kickoff at 7:00pm on the Twin Valley’s Talk Radio Network with five ways to listen!

Listen on:

— WWPA – AM 1340, FM 101.7 and on WILQ’s HD3

— WMLP – AM 1380 and FM 94.5

— Streaming live at “twinvalleystalk.com”

Week 11: Friday, November 5th: Cowanesque Valley Indians @ Loyalsock Time: 7:00pm Location: Kenneth M Robbins Stadium

 Pregame coverage will begin at 6:30pm with kickoff at 7pm.

Brought to you in part by:

BACKYARD BROADCASTING LOCAL NEWS OCTOBER 5, 2020

OVERNIGHT SHOOTING IN WILLIAMSPORT
An individual was reportedly shot after midnight last night in Williamsport at  a three-story apartment building in 600 block of Campbell Street.  According to the sun gazette’s Social media pages, shooting scene was a property on the west side of Campbell Street, between Park Avenue and High Street. After the incident, the victim was carried out of the building and loaded into an ambulance enroute to UPMC Williamsport. City police and firefighters, along with paramedics responded.  City Police Chief Damon Hagan arrived at police headquarters just after 1 a.m. to oversee the investigation.  Police have not reported  anyone in custody at this time.

FORMER DEPUTY SENTENCED TO JAIL, WILL PAY OVER 250K RESTITUTION
A former Sullivan county sheriff’s deputy has recently been sentenced to a year in prison for allegedly embezzling almost 200,000 dollars from the sheriff’s office bank account. According to Penn Live, Mary Handzus, 64, of the Laporte area plead guilty to embezzlement after the FBI and PA state police investigated last February.  Handzus was sentenced by district court judge Matthew W. Brann on Thursday, and ordered to pay over 250,000 dollars in restitution to pay back the funds stolen in addition to reparations to the forensic unit.

LYCOMING COUNTY COVID-19 UPDATE
Lycoming County added 20 coronavirus cases as of midnight Saturday, with 744 positive cases to date 6 patients are hospitalized in Lycoming County.  In Pennsylvania, there were 2,251 additional positive cases reported for a statewide total of 163,535.  Thirty-seven new deaths were also reported for a pandemic wide total of  8,216 fatalities.

TURBOTVILLE CONSIDERING POLICE REGIONALIZATION
Turbotville residents have recently expressed concerns about reckless drivers and speeding and are considering a contract for police coverage that is similar to the agreement between McEwensville and Watsontown police.  According to the Sun Gazette, the Turbotville Borough Council last week, heard from community members familiar with the motivations to consider police regionalization; among them, that local police can serve local communities faster and can spend more time at a scene than State Troopers who are redeployed more often, who serve a larger area. Watsontown police have been covering McEwensville since July.

BIG BERTHA VANDALIZED
A Large pro-president Trump billboard in Upper Fairfield Township, Lycoming County, that fans call Big Bertha has been vandalized.  According to North Central PA dot com, the sign and the trailer used to move it were vandalized late Friday or early Saturday.  The sign itself was damaged by someone spray painting a V symbol in red and the tires the trailers slashed while at the 2700 block of Route 87.  Organizers of the Susquehanna River Trump Rally and Boat Regatta, who maintain the sign provided by an anonymous donor, said there was 5 thousand dollars-worth of damage done.

NURSING HOMES REVEAL PLAN FOR REOPENING
Local nursing homes have the ability to start opening up once again, if certain parameters are met. According to the Sun Gazette, nursing homes will follow a 3 step process for reopening safely.  Zach Shamberg, the CEO and President of the Pennsylvania Health Care Association has explained the first step being limited, with no visitation permitted. The second level  allows for small visitation sessions outdoors with regular temperature checks and social distancing. The third step adds larger groups and longer visitation periods. If anyone tests positive, communities must revert back to step one.   Shamberg says these steps allow everyone within the community to remain safe during the pandemic.

BACKPACK FULL OF NARCOTICS CONFISCATED
Montoursville state police made a traffic stop last spring  and confiscated a backpack full of narcotics from a Jersey Shore man along Route 15 south before i-180east for a broken taillight.  Police say in an affidavit from September 25th that 32 year old Andrew S. Huntington had on his person a large amount of cash, and a varied amount of drugs including cocaine, meth and mushrooms. Huntington was charged with five felony counts of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, he was jailed last month in lieu of $45,000 monetary bail.

MAN TURNS HIMSELF IN FOR SHOOTING DOGS
State police in Mansfield were called to a residence after a man self-reported shooting 2 of his neighbor’s dogs. The man, whose name has not been reveled, was the owner of a domesticated white tail deer, that was fenced in on his property. The 2 German Shepherds are alleged to have run over to the deer, barking at it and causing it to be frightened. The deer began damaging the fencing and likely themselves while trying to escape. The owner then shot the dogs. According to northcentralPA.com the police filed the incident under animal cruelty. It is currently under investigation, the Tioga county district attorney has yet to make a disposition.

GOLD TOURNEY RAISED MONEY DESPITE CANCELLATION
The UPMC Susquehanna Invitational Golf tournament raised 50,000 dollars despite canceling the event due to covid-19. According to northcentral PA.com the contributions will go toward an expansion of the Hillman Cancer Center and the Kathryn Candor Lundy Breast Health Center. The expansion project will add 11,000 square feet with additional exam rooms and private chemotherapy treatment bays. For the full list of sponsors, and more information on the tournament, go to UPMCsusquehanna.org/giving.

 

SPORTS
NASCAR Denny Hamlin won the Yellawood 500 at Talladega Sunday with a photo finish and Matt DiBenedetto coming in a close and devastating second but later penalized to 21st by NASCAR officials, Ty Dylan finished third.
Horse Racing
Swiss Sky Diver ran for the win during the 145th Preakness Stakes race at Pimlico on Saturday in Baltimore.
NBA
Heat beat the Lakers in the NBA 115/104 in game three of the NBA finals with LA leading the series 21
HS Football rivalries from Friday night
Montoursville beat Danville 42-28, Muncy beat Montgomery 34-17
NFL
Browns beat the Cowboys 49-38, Rams beat the New York Giants 7-9, Bills beat the Raiders 30-23, Eagles beat the 49ers 25-20, Ravens over Washington 31-17,  Saints over the Lions 35-29, Seahawks beat the Dolphins 31-23, Buccaneers over the Chargers 38-31, Panthers beat Cardinals 31-21, Vikings over the Texans 31-23, Colts over the Bears 19-11
Monday Night Football
Chiefs and the Patriots play in Kansas City @7:05, Falcons and Packers meet at Lambeau field for an 8:50 kick off.
MLB
The American League Division Series starts today – A’s meet the Astros in LA at 4:07, and Yankees play the Rays at 8:07 tonight.

BACKYARD BROADCASTING LOCAL NEWS OCTOBER 4, 2020

Nursing Home’s Begin Arduous Opening Process

Local nursing homes have the ability to start opening up once again, if certain parameters are met. According to the sun gazette nursing homes are adhering to a 3 step process for reopening safely.  Zach Shamberg, the CEO and president of the Pennsylvania Health Care Association has explained to media outlets each step, with the first being the most stringent and very limited, with no visitation permitted. The second step allows for small visitation sessions outdoors with regular temperature checks and social distancing. The third step is like the 2nd, just with larger groups and longer visitation periods. If anyone tests positive, communities must revert back to step one. Even though its an unfortunate situation, Shamberg says these steps allow everyone within the community to remain safe during the pandemic.

2 DUI’s in One Night

Earlier in the week Joshua Craver was arrested for DUI. After that, just hours later, Craver came into officers sights once again after State trooper Nathan Birch saw Craver on the roads once again. When the sirens were turned on, Craver floored it, reaching a speed of 110 during the pursuit. After a 20 mile ordeal the pursuit ended at the entrance of a school off route 287, where he was apprehended yet again with a strong odor of alcohol coming from the vehicle. He has been sent to the Lycoming county prison under a 100,000 dollar bail.

Weapon of Mass Destruction Among Grow Operation

Justin Applegate has recently been accused of having a grow operation along with possession of weapons of mass destruction. When state troopers searched the residence they found 12 immature plants, a drying rack and a tent for his plants fit with lights and a ventilation system. Along with the grow op was a backpack with modified consumer grade explosives, with metals and bolts taped around it to act as makeshift shrapnel. Mr Applegate had his bail set at 50,000 dollars by district judge Gary A. Whitman. He is to be arraigned in the coming weeks.

2 Dogs Shot in Defense of White Tail Deer

State police in Mansfield were called to a residence after a man self-reported shooting 2 of his neighbor’s dogs. The man, who’s name has not been revealed, was the owner of a domesticated white tail deer, that was fenced in on his property. The 2 German shepherds are alleged to have run over to the deer, barking at it and causing it to be frightened. The deer began hurting itself, damaging the fencing while trying to escape. The owner then shot the dogs. According to northcentralPA.com the police filed the incident under animal cruelty. It is currently under investigation, the Tioga county district attorney has yet to make a disposition.

2 Counts of Indecent Exposure for State College Man

A State College man is facing charges of indecent exposure. Danny Santos, 24, was at a community pool when he exposed himself to a couple by changing out in the open. He also alledgedly was reported masturbating on a separate day at the same pool, once again out in the open for everyone to see. Officers went to the pool and investigated Santos where he denied anything had happened, but a video surfaced from one of the witness’s where he was able to identify that santos had exposed himself. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on October 21st.

Sports

MLB

Catcher Francisco Cervelli announced his retirement in an Instagram post Saturday, ending his career with a .268 batting average, 41 home runs and 275 RBI’s.

NFL

A surge of the coronavirus has made its way through the Tennessee Tightens this week after another player and two staff members contracted it, totaling 10 people amongst staff and players.

Jarron Jones, an offensive lineman on the Pittsburgh Steelers‘ practice squad, was arrested early Saturday morning and charged with aggravated assault, strangulation and simple assault, according to a criminal complaint obtained by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The arrest stems from an alleged physical altercation between Jones, 26, and his girlfriend at a Pittsburgh residence in the early hours of Oct. 3, according to the criminal complaint.

BACKYARD BROADCASTING LOCAL NEWS OCTOBER 3, 2020

Montoursville Schools to Re-Open

The Montoursville area school board has recently approved as of Thursday during a special meeting that five day in person schedule beginning on the 19th for many middle and high schoolers, and according to the sun gazette, Elementary school students may return as soon as Monday. While the original  hybrid model of schooling at this time will be suspended, it doesn’t mean it wont go back to the way it was, or even 100 remotely. Daniel Taormina, Montour area high school principle says that moving back to a in person schedule was always the plan, as it serves the families and students much better. For people still wary of the  pandemic, online schooling for the district is available.

Home Invasion

Nicholas Heisley has charged and jailed after breaking into a home and threatening a family last Friday. Heisley kicked in the front door of Gary Lohmans homes, striking his 8 year old daughter to the floor and hitting Lohman in the chest with a metal rod. He then allegedly pulled out a handgun, pointing at several family members in the room. He then tried to flee but was confronted in the yard, where he and Lohman started fighting. He eventually left the scene and was later apprehended by police and taken in to custody where he is being held with a 250,000 dollar bail at the Lycoming county prison.

Sullivan Deputy Sentenced to 1 Year in Prison

A former Sullivan county deputy has recently been sentenced to a year in prison for allegedly embezzled almost 200,000 dollars from the sheriff’s office bank account. After the FBI and PA state police concluded their investigation, she was sentenced by district court judge Matthew W. Brann on Thursday, and ordered to pay 250,000 dollars in restitution to pay back the funds stolen in addition to the forensic unit that had to be funded due to here actions.

UPMC Golf Tournament Fundraising Despite Cancellations

The UPMC Susquehanna Invitational Golf tournament raised 50,000 dollars despite this years cancellation due to covid-19. According to northcentralPA.com  the contributions will go toward an expansion of the Hillman Cancer Center and the Kathryn Candor Lundy Breast Health Center. The expansion project will add 11,000 square feet with additional exam rooms and private chemotherapy treatment bays. For the full list of this years sponsors, as well as more information on the tournament, you can go to UPMCsesqhuahanna.org/giving.

Sports

NFL

Doc Rivers has reached agreement on a five-year deal to become the next coach of the Philadelphia 76ers, sources told ESPN on Thursday. Rivers’ deal with the Sixers comes only three days after he parted with the LA Clippers.

MLB

Baseball Hall of Famer Bob Gibson died Friday at age 84, the St. Louis Cardinals confirmed to ESPN. Gibson, who was born in Omaha, Nebraska, played all of his 17 MLB seasons with the Cardinals from 1959 through 1975.

High School Football

Week 4 Final Scores from Friday are:

Central Mountain 49, Milton 6

Central Columbia 17, Mifflinburg 0

South Williamsport 21, Northwest Area 14

Williamsport 26, Wilkes-Barre 0

Jersey Shore 33, Selinsgrove 0

Shamokin 41, Shikellamy 20

Muncy 34, Montgomery 17

Mount Carmel Area 54, Hughesville 7

Wyalusing 18, Sayre 15

Montoursville 42, Danville 28

Towanda at Athens, postponed

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