BACKYARD BROADCASTING LOCAL NEWS SEPTEMBER 9, 2020

The Superintendent of Loyalsock released an official message yesterday concerning a probable case of COVID-19 that has affected the school.  According to a social media post from Jerry McLaughlin addressed to friends and families in the district, all football student athletes and football coaches are to quarantine today until September 18th.  According to McLaughlin, the PA Department of Health is investigating the case and no contacts of the students need to quarantine unless they are notified.  No word on whether the case is a Lancer student or another student athlete who came in contact with the team.  As a result of the outbreak, the football game between Warrior Run and Loyalsock scheduled for Friday will not be played.

Governor Wolf has announced that restrictions on indoor dining at restaurants will change and occupancy will be allowed to be at 50% starting September 21st.  According to the Governor, establishments that want to increase capacity must certify to the state that they are complying with all public health guidelines to be able to appear in a searchable database called Open & Certified Pennsylvania.  Other restrictions on the hospitality industry will still apply. Restaurants must stop selling alcohol at 10 p.m., and bars that don’t offer meal service will remain shut down

The Lycoming County Commissioners voted on a prisoner and case management program at their meeting yesterday, approving GEO Reentry Services 2 to 1 for an annual cost of $69 thousand.  According to the Sun Gazette, the discussion that preceded the vote had Commissioner Rick Mirabito arguing to choose STEP Inc,, a non-profit in Lycoming County who has handled reentry for over 50 years.   Commissioners Scott Metzger and Tony Mussare noted that GEO was more intune with the criminal justice system.

There will be drive thru flu clinics available in Lycoming and surrounding counties this fall.  According to a press release from Geisinger Medical Center, their primary care offices are hosting drive-thru clinics for patients and Geisinger Health Plan members ages 3 and older.  Flu season generally begins in late October and runs through May.  The first event is September 23rd at the Susquehanna Valley Mall, but the events in our area will take place at the mall in Pennsdale October 31st and November 1st from 9am til 2pm

Governor Wolf spoke in Lancaster County yesterday and asked lawmakers to pass the eviction moratorium and makes changes to a statewide rent and mortgage relief program for a second time in a two week period, and that the federal government is making an effort to give some relief.  <<< WOLF ALL RENTERS>>>  He says the program doesn’t go far enough.  The Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency, which administers the program, said only 1,756 tenants were approved for $3.3 million in rent relief in August.  Wolf said Landlords have been reluctant to participate in the state program and want lawmakers to raise the $750 per month cap and change the program’s cumbersome application process to encourage participation.

A kindergarten class in Danville Area School District was sent home after a positive COVID-19 case was reported. According to media outlets, Superintendent Dr. Ricki Boyle says sending students in that classroom home was done as a precaution while they wait for more specific guidance from the state Department of Health. Dr. Boyle says the students in that kindergarten classroom will be quarantined for 14 days and will now learn through the district’s ‘bridge model hybrid’ with the teacher doing online instruction from the classroom and no students present.

Lycoming County has reported 3 new covid-19 cases as of yesterday at midnight with five hospitalized COVID-19 patients, none are on a ventilator.  According to the PA Department of Health there are 496 additional positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 140,359.  There are 7,791 total deaths attributed to COVID-19, an increase of 11 new fatalities.

PennDOT is accepting applications  to fund new transportation improvement projects under the Multimodal Transportation Fund (MTF) through November 6, 2020. According to a press release, officials from PennDOT say the Fund enhances connectivity in the state and allows local projects to benefit all regions and selected based on safety benefits, regional economic conditions, technical and financial feasibility.  Eligible applicants include municipalities, council of governments, business/non-profit organizations, economic development organizations, public transportation agencies, public airports, airport authorities, and ports and rail entities. For information, visit www.penndot.gov and choose  Multimodal Program under  “Projects & Programs”

SPORTS
HS Sports
GOLF
Peyton Mussina shot a 37 to leave Montoursville against Williamsport in high school golf, Montoursville winning 163 to 208. Central Mountain’s Peyton Newley lead with a 41 and tied with Lewisburg.
Girls Tennis
Central Mountain blanked Milton five-oh Olivia Anastos and Katie KWIATEK both won – 6-0,6-0.  The Wildcats have a match with Jersey Shore today.

HS FOOTBALL
Bloomsburg’s season opener at Hughesville has been moved to this Saturday (9/12) at 7pm.The game was originally scheduled for Friday, but was pushed back at Bloomsburg’s request.

In the NBA East Semi-finals Game 5 – The Heat over the Bucks 103- 94 Miami winning the series 4-1. Lakers beat the Rockets 112-102 in the West Semi-finals Game 3 LA leads the series 2-1

MLB
In the Twins and Cardinals doubleheader first game, Twins beat the Cardinals 7-3 Cardinals beat the Twins 6-4 in Game 2,  doubleheader for the Phillies and Red Sox, Phillies winning Game 1 6-5, Red Sox over the Phillies 5-2 in Game 2, Nationals beat the Rays 5-3, Royals over the Indians 8-6, A’s beat the Astros 4-2 in their doubleheader Astros beating the A’s in game 2, 5-4, Blue Jays over the Yankees 2-1, Pirates beat the White Sox 5-4, Marlins blanked the Braves 8-nothing, Tigers over  the Brewers 8-3, Orioles thumped the Mets 11-2, Rangers bumped the Angels 7-1, Cubs blanked the Reds 3-nothing, Padres routed the Rockies 14-5, Dodgers edged the Diamondbacks 10-9, Giants over the Mariners 6-5

NHL
West Finals Game 2 – Golden Knights beat the Stars 3-nothing,  series tied up one and one.  Islanders and Lightning play tonight Game two of the East finals at 8pm Tampa Bay leading 1-nothing.

US OPEN Tennis
Two-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka played beat 93rd-ranked Shelby Rogers 6-3, 6-4 in the US Open quarterfinals and set up a semifinal against 28th-seeded Jennifer Brady, a 25-year-old from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania who has never been this far at a major tournament.

BACKYARD BROADCASTING LOCAL NEWS SEPTEMBER 8, 2020

A patient at UPMC in Williamsport was causing a disturbance with hospital security. Williamsport Police were then called and encountered the patient. 67 year old Dennis Chambers had broken his window and was hanging out of it when Police arrived. When Police and hospital security got into his room he started swinging a broken piece of glass at them. Chambers was then taken into custody and released on $75,000 bail.

Bradley Andrews, 43, of Pennsdale was charged for allegedly punching a woman inside of his vehicle and then abandoning her 2 children in Loyalsock Township. Andrews now faces felony charges of endangering the welfare of children, driving under the influence and other charges. According to PA. State Police Andrews was driving along East third street before 9pm when the assault occurred.  Andrews then stopped and left the woman and her children along side the road, and drove off. Police later found Andrews on Route 864 in Mill Creek Township. Andrews was arraigned by Judge Aaron Biichle and bail was set at $5,000. His preliminary hearing is set for Sept. 14th before District Justice Gary Whitman.

Shikellamy State Park has a new manger Andrew Leidich 25. He takes over at the Shikellamy State Park Complex after Nicholas Sherlock left in July. Leidich says he really loves the area and can’t wait to get to know more people.  He will be responsible for the 82 acre Milton State Park and the 20 acre Susquahnna State park in Lycoming county.

The coronavirus cases in Lycoming County continues to rise for a total in the county of 560 According to the PA Department of Health.  Lycoming County has eight hospitalized COVID-19 patients, one is on a ventilator. There are an additional 1,160 positive cases of the virus, bringing the statewide total to 139,863. 30 new deaths were reported with a total 7,780 fatalities from COVID-19. The percentage of recovered cases today is 82 percent

Wayne Murray 58 of Hughesville has been charged by the Tiadaghton Valley Regional Police Department with illegal transfer of a firearm as well as falsification to authorities for allegedly putting down false information on a form when he attempted to purchase the firearm. He is free on $15,000 bail.

A city woman has been charged of assaulting her neighbor in Williamsport. Kyle Frank assaulted Venice Carter by punching her and pushing her over a coffee table. The incident occurred on Sept 1st. Both women live in the same building but different apartments. Frank had fled the scene before police arrived but has been captured. She was brought before Judge Jon Kemp and committed to Lycoming County Prison in lieu of $50,000 bail.

On Sunday in Mifflinburg the Dandelion run was held in which 175 runners circled a trail route at Camp Mount Luther. The 5K/10K event began in 2002. The event raised $3,000 for the 400-acre Christian based outdoor ministry and education grounds in Union County. The funds are used towards student scholarships and facility maintance.

On Sunday Bradley Andrews 43 of Pennsdale was charged for allegedly punching a woman inside of his vechile and then abandoning her 2 children in Loyalsock Township. According to PA State Police Andrews was driving along 3rd street when the assault occurred. Police found Andrews on Route 864 in Mill Creek Township. Andrews was arraigned and bail was set at $5,000. His preliminary hearing is set for Sept. 14th

Sports

NBA Playoffs

East Semifinal’s game 5 it was the Celtics over the Raptors 111-89. Boston leads the series 3-2

West Semifinal’s game 3 it was the Clippers over the Nuggets 113-107. The Clippers now lead that series 2-1.

MLB

Marlins 5-4 over the Braves, the Phillies beat the Mets 9-8, The Yankees losing to the Blue Jays 12-7, The Twins over the Tigers 6-2, The Cubs beat the Cardinals 5-1, Mariners 8-4 over the Rangers, Nationals 6-1 over the Rays, Indians 5-2 over the Royals, The Giants beat the Diamonbacks 4-2, The A’s all over the Astros 6-0, and the Padres 1-0 over the Rockies

NHL

East Finals Game 1 The Tampa Bay Lighting beat the New York Islanders 3-1. Tampa Bay leads that series 1-0

NASCAR

Kevin Harvick won Sunday night’s 1st round playoff from Darlington now this Saturday the 2nd round playoff will happen from Richmond Motor Speedway.

NFL

The 1st game of the season kicks off this Thursday night with the defending Super Bowl champs The Kansas City Chiefs taking on the Houston Texans.

BACKYARD BROADCASTING LOCAL NEWS SEPTEMBER 6, 2020

Attempted Abduction on Bucknell Campus

Bucknell University sent out a safety alert text message after an attempted abduction took place. A female student was walking along a parking lot near Saint George Street when a dark colored SUV pulled up and tried to forcibly put her in the vehicle before she escaped. After the failed abduction the SUV left the area. According to media outlets the victim described on of the individuals to be a balding middle aged male. The driver could not be seen. The investigation into the matter has not been closed, meaning Lewisburg residents and college students should continue to stay alert for suspicious activity, and avoid walking alone at night.

Man Charged for Retail Theft

John Crawford, a 41 year old male from Harrisburg has been arrested for a misdemeanor count of retail theft after walking out of a Walmart with 193 dollars’ worth of merchandise. According to media outlets Crawford entered the store at 9:20am with a female accomplice before heading to the bathroom, leaving a shopping cart nearby. Security footage showed the woman filling the cart with various items before Crawford came out and tried exiting. When he got to the Walmart checkpoint where he was asked for his receipt, he told the employee that his wife had it. To everyone’s surprise, she did not in fact have a receipt. Police were called later in the day after security footage was reviewed, charges have been filed and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for September 17th.

School Bus Accident

Yesterday emergency responders were called in to assist with a Williamsport area school district bus that had veered off road around 8:20am. According to the sun gazette a witness was driving towards the bus before the driver tried maneuvering to the right to allow traffic to pass through. The road was to narrow, and the bus slid off the steep incline into the foliage. The driver sustained minor injuries while the children remained unharmed. The driver was taken by ambulance to UPMC in Williamsport, and the children were picked up by school van and transported to the nurse’s office for examination before class.

Christian School Break In

A 19 year old jersey shore man has been charged with 7 offenses stemming from a break in. According to media outlets Dartagnan Zuback and 2 juveniles broke into walnut street Christian school twice between august 15th and 16th. Pine Creek Township opened an investigation where eventually Zuback was brought in for questioning on august 17th where he was found responsible for the break in along with having a sexual relationship with one of the minors. He is currently facing multiple charges including corruption of a minor, burglary, criminal conspiracy, theft by unlawful taking and multiple counts of institutional vandalism.

Sport

MLB

Mike Trout of the Angels hit his 300th career home run in the first game of a doubleheader against the Houston Astros on Saturday, surpassing Tim Salmon for the franchise record at just 29 years old.

NFL

Free-agent defensive end Jadeveon Clowney has reunited with the titans head coach Mike Vrabel telling Tennessee Titan officials that he plans to sign with them and is expected to travel to Nashville soon.

BACKYARD BROADCASTING LOCAL NEWS SEPTEMBER 5, 2020

Williamsport Man Given Mitigated Sentence

Judge Marc F. Lovechio recently handed down a 1 to 3 year sentence to a Williamsport resident. Jamal Brown, 41, faced the court Friday for his involvement in a robbery homicide that occurred in in 2016. According to the sun gazette the case was likely unsolvable before Brown’s confession, and everyone including the prosecution believed that Brown was a changed man. Judge Lovechio told brown that he had made substantial strides, going as far to say he had been a role model and therefore deserved a mitigated sentence.

Possible New Casino License Auctioned Off

The Pennsylvania gaming control board recently auctioned off a mini casino license for 10 million dollars to Ira Lubert, a Philadelphia area private equity investor. Lubert does not have to name an exact location of where he plans to build until 6 months from now when the paperwork is due, but has announced a 15 mile radius in Centre County by the Unionville borough. Legally, if all goes well and the casino is constructed it can have up to 750 slot machines and 40 table games.

Felony Evasion Charges Filed

A Lancaster county resident is facing charges stemming from an incident during a traffic stop on high street. Koryna Costella was being detained and questioned about a felony offense she had on her record. According to the sun gazette it was the transfer of an illegal firearm. She then reportedly tried to flee, quickly accelerating forward before one of the 2 police officers on the scene stepped in front of the vehicle with his gun drawn, ordering her to get out. She was arrested shortly after, and is currently waiting to be arraigned in lieu of a 75,000 dollar bail.

Fentanyl Distributor Sentenced to 20 years

David Piaquadio, a 63 year old man from Galeton has been sentenced to 20 years in a federal prison after distributing narcotics that resulted in the death of one of his customers. Piaquadio was charged by Judge Christopher C. Conner after the victim who overdosed on fentanyl sold to him was found unconscious with a syringe hanging out of his right arm. According to the sun gazette, after his arrest Piaquadio confessed to authorities that he and his girlfriend sold around 120 oxycodone tablets and 10 fentanyl patches.

UPMC Death Threats

A nurse at UPMC Muncy overheard one of the patients admitted to the facility on the phone, saying that he was going to come back and shoot everyone. According to the sun gazette a second nurse also heard the threat, and was concerned because of the comments he had made earlier about owning 200 guns. An investigation was opened for Galzenlichter, the 68 year old potter county resident, and conducted by state trooper Logan webb. He eventually learned that similar threats were also made at UPMC Williamsport, where galzenlichter threatened to kill a physician. He is currently in the Lycoming county prison with a 90,000 dollar bail set.

 

Sports

MLB

Fridays games scores are in! Twins over tigers 2 to 0, Blue Jays over Red Sox 8 to 7, Yankees over Orioles 6 to 5, Reds over Pirates 4 to 2, Braves over Nationals 7 to 1 and Cubs over Cardinals 4 to 1.

NFL

Dallas Cowboys defensive end Randy Gregory was conditionally reinstated by the NFL on Friday, and he thanked the league on social media for giving him a second chance after suspension due to multiple violations of the league’s substance-abuse policy going back to 2015.

NBA

Denver Nuggets coach Micheal Malone recently aired some frustrations with the NBA in regards to quarantine. Malone stated that the policy of not allowing coaches to bring their families into the NBA bubble is criminal in nature.

BACKYARD BROADCASTING LOCAL NEWS SEPTEMBER 4, 2020

MOUNT CARMEL SCHOOLS GO ALL ONLINE
The Mount Carmel school district is going all online classes after more students tested positive for the coronavirus, starting today until September 17th. The school district plans on cleaning all facilities completely before the students are allowed to return.  There will be a reassessing of the protocols in two weeks.  This decision means school extracurriculars are postponed through September 11th, including the Mount Carmel – Southern Columbia football game.

REPRIEVE FOR WATER CUSTOMERS
Lycoming County Water and Sewer Authority will allow another month of reprieve for customers who are having trouble paying their water bill.  According to the Sun Gazette, administrators at the Authority say that they have been issuing the relief each month since the pandemic began, but may have to revisit the policy and reinstate the bills in October.  The office remains closed due to pandemic conditions, but customers can been seen by appointment.

WILLIAMSPORT POLICE SEEKING VANDALISM SUSPECT
The Williamsport police are seeking the public’s help in identifying those who spray painted graffiti on signs at Memorial Park as well as on the Memorial Bridge on West Fourth Street. The Williamsport Police chief said they are continuing their investigation. According to the Sun Gazette, members of the city’s Streets and Parks Department removed the graffiti from the bridge and city property.

LABOR DAY TRAVEL
Labor day travel is reportedly down this year according to AAA.  But experts say more people could be on Pennsylvania’s highways this weekend than we saw on Memorial Day. Americans were expected to take about 707 million trips between July 1 and September 30, compared to 857 million for the same period of time in 2019. It’s the first drop off since 2009.  Ninety seven percent of travelers are driving with many staying closer to home, which will have them on the road.

COVID-19 UPDATE:
There are seven new coronavirus cases in Lycoming County for a total in the county of 538 According to the PA Department of Health.  Lycoming County has eight hospitalized COVID-19 patients, one is on a ventilator. There are an additional 1,160 positive cases of the virus, bringing the statewide total to 136,711. 20 new deaths were reported with a total  7,732 fatalities from COVID-19. The percentage of recovered cases today is 82 percent

TRAFFIC STOP YIELDS DRUGS
The south Williamsport police department made a traffic stop August 13th  that resulted in the discovery of heroin, firearms other drugs.  According to North Central PA,  police stopped 25 year old Antonio L. Carpenter of Highspire in a black Audi with dark window tint, finding that he didn’t have a license.  The passenger, 22 year old Alshameer A. Patterson revealed to police he had marijuana on his person.  Police searched the car and found two guns, a suspected brick of heroin and large sums of cash.  Carpenter and Patterson were each charged with various counts of felony possession of firearms and drug charges.

ANOTHER PHONE SCAM
The Administrative Office of Pennsylvania courts is warning the public about a recent phone scam. A spoof caller, with a number that looks legitimate, will call posing as a relative needing funds for bail, fines or court expenses but according to the APOC they will never place calls asking for a transfer of funds. If you do receive that type of a call do not share any information and notify your state or local police department immediately or email the attorney general [email protected]

HALLOWEEN PARADE CANCELLED
The Northumberland Halloween parade that was scheduled for October 28 has been canceled. According to a news release from the Northumberland Borough Council, the decision was based on the fact that other municipalities have canceled their attendance, with concerns about social distancing during the event.  Trick-or-treating in Northumberland is still scheduled for October 31 from 6 to 8 PM

FUNDS NEEDED FOR COMMUNITY CENTER
The Danville community center could close their doors in less than a month without much needed funds.  Administrators there said they are looking for community support after the nonprofit center was closed for three months because of COVID-19, reopening in June with only half of its members coming back.  If you would like to help the Danville community center in Montour County contact DHCC.activityreg.com.

SPORTS
Raptors beat the Celtics 104-103 in the East Semi-finals Game 3 – Boston leading that series 2-1, Clippers beat the Nuggets 120-97 in the West Semi-finals game one

MLB
Pirates beat the Cubs 6-2, Astros beat the Rangers 8-4, Phillies beat the Nationals 65, Mets over the Yankees 9-7, Angels beat the Padres 2-nothing, Blue Jays beat the Red Sox 6-2, White Sox over the Royals 11-6, Dodgers beat the Diamondbacks 5-1, and A’s and Mariners is postponed.

NHL
Flyers beat the Islanders 5-4 in the East 2nd Round Game 6, Series tied 3-3, Canucks over the Golden Knights 4-nothing, in the West 2nd Round Game 6 their series tied 3-3.  Playoff today, game sevens  for Stars – Avalanche @ four today and Canucks – Golden Knights @ 9 PM in the West second round

BACKYARD BROADCASTING LOCAL NEWS SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

Two teenage suspects have been charged with assaulting a 76 year old man at a Williamsport basketball court where he was a security guard on August 25th.  According to WNEP, the 15 and 17 year olds will be in in juvenile court for the incident against Richard Parker at Flanigan playground at Little League Boulevard and Walnut Street.   The organization that oversees the court will meet today to decide if the basketball courts will be reopened again this summer.

Lycoming County has 5 new cases of Covid 19 reported as of yesterday at midnight and 531 positive cases to date according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Lycoming County has eight hospitalized patients, one is on a ventilator.  There are 816 additional positive cases of the virus, bringing the statewide total to 135,611. There are 21 new deaths reported which has added up to 7,712 total fatalities from COVID-19.

There are reports of complaints from Williamsport residents that an individual is going door-to-door saying they are an employee of Lycoming County Voter Services and asking for personal information.  According to a news release, the Office of Voter Services says they do not have anyone on their staff who conducts registration activities door to door,  and if someone claiming to be from voter services comes to your door requesting information, do not share it with them,  and call 570-327-2267 to report any suspicious encounters.

A decision has been made statewide regarding sports and the number of spectators.  Legislation was passed yesterday to put the decision of  how many fans on local school boards, and the same day  Governor Wolf updated his previous guidelines – not allowing spectators at all for all sports permitted to operate during the COVID-19 disaster – to 25 or fewer people for indoor activity, 250 or fewer people for outdoor activity with the facility as a whole not exceeding 50 percent of total occupancy.  Spectators must follow the Universal Face Covering Order and social distancing guidance.

The Northumberland County Jail has reported there are 33 total positive tests for the coronavirus in the facility.  According to the Daily Item, the county court administrator there said six inmates and two staff members tested positive earlier this week, but no additional staff members that have tested positive.  The prison is still processing inmates into the jail, but  inmates court hearings are being conducted via video conferences. In an effort to mitigate the spread of the virus, 30 inmates have been released, bringing the inmate population to below 200, and the jail has a capacity of 284 inmates.

Criminal charges have been dropped against an 18 year old Williamsport man who was accused of felony child pornography and misdemeanor corruption of minors on July 7.  According to North Central PA dot com, police say 18-year-old Cole L. Johnson did not record or upload a sexually explicit video involving Cole, another adult and two minors aged 16 and 17.  According to State police it was one of the minors who managed the video which got over 19,000 views before it was deleted.  Johnson’s case is now closed.
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board auctioned off a gaming license Wednesday for $10 million to a Philadelphia-area private equity investor and there are reports they might build it near the Penn State University campus in State College.  Formal paperwork naming an exact location of the required within six months by the winning bidder, Ira Lubert, but the Nittany mall is listed as one possible area .  In 2017 a PA state law expanded gambling, and authorized auctions of 10 mini-casino licenses that allow the holder to operate up to 750 slot machines and up to 40 table games, not within 40 miles of another casino.

Traffic fatalities, injuries, and crashes have decreased overall at various selected roundabouts around the state, according to PennDOT.  At intersections that were previously stop or signal controlled, the roundabouts in the study were selected based on having at least three years of crash data available before and after their construction. Police-submitted crash reports spanning the years 2000 through 2019 shows that fatalities at these locations were reduced by 100 percent and the total number of crashes decreased by 24 percent. In addition to the 22 roundabouts meeting the selection criteria, 34 other roundabouts have been built on state routes and over 40 more are in design.

SPORTS
NBA
Heat beat the Bucks 116 to 114 in the East semifinals Game 2 – Miami leading 2- nothing. Rockets won the series beating Thunder 104 to 102 in final Game 7 of the West 1st Round.

MLB
Rockies beat the Giants 9 to 6, Mets over the Orioles 9-4, Reds beat the Cardinals 4-3, Blue Jays beat the Marlins 2-1, Rays over the Yankees 5-2, Phillies over the Nationals 3-nothing, Cubs beat the Pirates 8-2, Braves over the Red Sox 7-5, Brewers beat the Tigers 8-5, Indians over the Royals 5-nothing, Astros edged the Rangers 2-1, Twins bumped the White Sox 8-1, Padres over the Angels 11-4, Dodgers beat the Diamondbacks 3-2, A’s and the Mariners are postponed

In the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs West Second round Game 6 last night Avalanche beat Stars 4-1, the series tied up 3

BACKYARD BROADCASTING LOCAL NEWS SEPTEMBER 2, 2020

Lock Haven University announced yesterday that they will transition to 100% remote instruction for approximately a two-week period due to an elevated number of positive COVID-19 cases.  Students will have the option to return home for this time or remain in their campus residence halls. After ramping up safety efforts last week when number of infections on campus started to rise, officials from the university said the no guest or visitor policy will now continue for the next two weeks.  Before face-to-face classes can resume on Monday, Sept. 21 there will be voluntary reentry testing available to all students living on or off campus.

A Williamsport woman will go to state prison after not registering as a sex offender with State police following a conviction from May of 2013.  According to North Central PA .com,  court records say 39 year old Christal A. Sheridan will now be incarcerated for up to 30 months.  Sheridan is required to register as a sex offender for 10 years and appear each year.

Vice President Mike Pence visited Pennsylvania yesterday at a “Workers for Trump” event in Exeter, PA.  Pence’s remarks included praising the presidents track record on the creation of jobs, as well as saying the administration is not responsible for the division on police brutality.  Pence comments supported both law enforcement and the African American Community.  U.S. Congressman Fred Keller of Kreamer was at the attendance at Kuharchik Construction in Luzerne County.

Pennsylvania College of Technology’s state-of-the-art Dental Hygiene Clinic is scheduling appointments for the fall semester.  The clinic provides low-cost preventive dental hygiene services to the community, including cleanings, exams, X-rays and sealants and collaborates with area dental offices to prevent duplication of services. The Dental Hygiene Clinic is open typically September through April and is staffed by licensed dentists and dental hygienists to provide an opportunity for Penn College dental hygiene students to put their skills to work.

Lycoming County has four new cases of the coronavirus reported as of yesterday at midnight, according to the PA Department of Health.  Statewide there are 770 additional positive cases for a total of 134,795 to date.  18 new deaths were reported since yesterday and that brings the statewide total fatalities to 7, 691 due to COVID-19.

Two Montoursville women have been charged with shoplifting after a June 9th incident where they were caught leaving a local store with items concealed in a bag.  According to the Sun Gazette, 31 year old Emily Best and 35 year old Meegan Eck were stopped by a store security officer after filling four backpacks with items while walking around the Loyalsock Avenue Weis Markets in Montoursville and attempting to leave the store.  Both been charged with misdemeanor shoplifting and conspiracy.  Best if free on $5,000 bail and  Eck’s hearing was re-scheduled.

In an effort to bring awareness to Overdose Awareness Day  Monday, Camille Schrier, the reigning  Miss America visited Shamokin and talked about prescription medication safety and abuse with a focus on opioids.  According to media outlets, Schrier is a Doctor of Pharmacy student and chose this cause to educate others after discussions with her mother, who is a nurse about her understanding of opiod addiction as a disease.

The Lycoming County United Way will take applications for those who seek funding through Emergency Food and Shelter program. According to a press release, federal funds totaling over 27 thousand dollars are available in State set-aside funds as part of the CARES phase of the program to help non-profit agency clients with food and shelter needs.  Those agencies who are interested in applying for the funding can visit lcuw.org/efsp.  The deadline is September 11 at 4pm.

 

SPORTS
NBA
Celtics beat the Raptors 102/99 in the east semi finals Boston leading the series 2 nothing Nuggets beat jazz 80 to 78 in the West first round game seven Denver winning the series 43
NBA the Celtics beat the Raptors 102/99 in the east semi finals Boston leading the series 2 nothing Nuggets beat jazz 80 to 78 in the West first round game seven Denver winning the series 43

MLB
Cardinals pounded the Reds 16-2, Marlins over the Blue Jays 3-2, Yankees beat the Rays 5-3, Phillies over the Nationals 6-nothing, Cubs beat the Pirates 8-7, Braves thumped the Red Sox 10-3, Orioles over the Mets 9-5, Tigers knocked the Brewers 12 -1, Indians over the Royals 10 -1, Rangers beat the Astros 6-5, Twins over the White Sox 3-2, Giants stomped the Rockies 23 to 5, Dodgers over the Diamondbacks 6-3, A’s and Mariners postponed

US OPEN
In tennis the first round of the U.S. Open Serena Williams won 7-5, 6-3 for her 102nd victory at the tournament breaking a tie she had with Chris Evert for the most wins by woman in the Open era.
Britain’s Andy Murray, after losing the first two sets of his first round singles match against Yoshihito Nishioka, mounted a comeback to win in 5 sets.

NHL
the Flyers beat the Islanders 4-3 in OT in the East 2nd round game 5, New York leads 3-2.  Canucks beat the Golden Knights 2-1 in the West second round Game 5, Vegas leading the series

BACKYARD BROADCASTING LOCAL NEWS AUGUST 31, 2020

Two people died as a result of a three car accident after a car traveled the wrong way and caused a crash on Route 15 near West Milton early Sunday.  According to Penn Live, 32 year old Matthew  Jodon  of Sunbury in a 2005 Chevy Cobalt was traveling north in the southbound lane of the interstate in Kelly Township after 2am Sunday , and struck a Subaru legacy head-on in which  Joseph Rodriguez – who graduated earlier this year from Midd-West – was a passenger, then continued to travel  north, striking the passenger side of another vehicle who’s owner has not been identified.  Route 15 between the West Milton and New Columbia interchanges was closed until nearly 11 a.m.  Coroner Dominick Adamo said the two young men died from blunt force trauma.

The Lawrenceville police department charged a local woman after calls about her dog being locked in a shed on a hot summer day. According to North Central PA.com 27 year old Victoria Foutz’s neighbors called the police department multiple times on July 2nd reporting that the dog had been in the shed since 6am and later on, Tioga County Housing Authority in Elkland came to free the dog while police officers were on the scene.  Police say Foutz was charged with animal cruelty and disorderly conduct as a result of her alleged actions. She is scheduled for an arraignment at the Tioga county courthouse today.

The moratorium on utility shut off will remain in place in Pennsylvania until September 17th according to the Public Utility Commission who is seeking options for customers for financial relief when the moratorium does lift.  Lawmakers sent letters to the commission asking to keep the moratorium in place for a few more weeks, warning that people are still being hit hard economically by the fallout from the virus. According to the Sun Gazette, the commission states that growing unpaid dollar amounts can lead to an increase in terminations, it said. Customers who are falling behind in paying their bills should be notified about utility and government assistance programs, it said, and it warned that a lack of payment may hurt the ability of utilities to provide safe and reliable service.

The Lycoming County Republican Committee will welcome son of the president, Eric Trump to Cogan Station for a fundraiser next month for the local party.  According to the Sun Gazette, the younger Trump, who is the executive vice president of the Trump Organization, will greet some residents and local party candidates September 19th at Former Congressman, Tom Marino’s home in an outdoor setting.  Registration information is on the Facebook page of the Lycoming County Republican Committee

 

Williamsport Police are investigating reports of a 76-year-old man who was assaulted while he was locking up the basketball courts in Flanigan Park in Williamsport last Tuesday.  According to North Central PA dot com,  Tony Parker, the son of Richard Parker who is contracted with Firetree Place to lock the courts up each night at 8pm,  shared a video from social media that was circulated showing his father being attacked by a group of about 10 people ranging in age from 17 to 20.  Officials from Firetree said they were disappointed with the incident but did not release any details about who the suspects are or whether charges will be filed.  Firetree Place and the Alize Johnson Foundation, Inc. met Wednesday to discuss appropriate action about the basketball courts at Flanigan Park which will now be closed until information is brought forward with who was involved.  Please contact the Alize Johnson foundation with information 570-666-3211

There are 10 new cases of the coronavirus being reported in Lycoming County bringing the total here to 518 cases to date.  As of yesterday at midnight  there are 670 additional positive cases of COVID-19 in PA for a statewide total of 133,504. Two new deaths were reported in Pennsylvania , that’s 7,673 total deaths attributed to COVID-19. The department of health reports the statewide recovery rate today as 82 percent

Williamsport City Council and Loyalsock Township officials are working on a memorandum of understanding to the state Department of Environmental Protection in which they propose best practices to remove 10 percent of the sediment heading into the waterways leading to the Chesapeake Bay.  The five-year Chesapeake Bay Pollution Reduction Plan, could cost up to 5 million dollars.  According to the Sun Gazette, there are an estimated 25 primary and 16 secondary projects that will help to reduce sediment.

Little League International Board of Directors have made the decision to bring the 28th Little League International Congress to Williamsport, Pennsylvania in 2022.  According to the Sun Gazette, after the coronavirus caused the postponement of a milestone celebration, the International Congress will convene June 10-13, 2022, in the Williamsport community with the final session kicking off  National Little League Week, for  the Little League International Tournament Season, and the celebration of the 75th Little League Baseball World Series.

SPORTS
HS Football
Bloomsburg High School had one of its football players test positive for COVID-19 late last week, according to the Press Enterprise.  The entire football team is now quarantined for two weeks, meaning the Panthers will have to finish heat acclimatization upon its return. Superintendent Dr. Donald Wheeler said this weeks scrimmage against Mahanoy Area and the Week 1 game on Friday the 11th against Hughesville will likely be canceled.
In the NBA
Semifinals Game 1 – Celtics beat the Raptors 112-94.   Boston leads.  In the West 1st Round Game 6 – Clippers over Mavericks 111-97 with LA winning  4-2, Nuggets beat jazz 119 to 107 in the 1st round Game 6 – the series tied up 3-3

MLB from Sunday
Yankees beat the Mets 8- 7 in Game 1, and again in Game 2, 5-2 in a doubleheader yesterday, Reds routed the Cubs 10-1, Tigers edged the Twins 3-2, Rays bumped  the Marlins 12-7, Red Sox over the Nationals 9-5, White socks beat the Royals 5-2, Pirates beat the Brewers 5-1, Cardinals over the Indians 7-2, Dodgers over the Rangers 7-2, Blue Jays edged  the Orioles 6-5, Padres thumped the Rockies 13-2, Giants beat the Diamondbacks 4-1, Mariners over the Angels 2-1, Braves over the Phillies 12-10, A’s and Astros were postponed due to illness.

NASCAR
William Byron made it to the playoffs by earning his first career Cup series victory at Daytona on Saturday night.  Jimmy Johnson unable to get the points for the playoffs in his final full-time season, after being caught up in the pack of a late wreck, and restarting back too far to recover in overtime.  Chase Elliott finished second, followed by Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr. and Bubba Wallace.

NHL playoffs
Stars beat Avalanche 5-4 in the West 2nd round Game 4, Dallas leading the series 3-1, Golden Knights over the Canucks 5-3 in the West 2nd round Game 4 with Vegas leading 3-1.  Islanders beat the Flyers 3-2 in the East 2md Round Game 4 New York leading 3-1

BACKYARD BROADCASTING LOCAL NEWS AUGUST 30, 2020

Governor Tom Wolf Proposed Marijuana Legalization

Governor Tom Wolf has asked the state legislature to legalize Recreational Marijuana. This suggestion from wolf comes amid the pandemic with the goal to help with the struggling state economy with tax revenue to be used to help fund grants and loans for struggling small business owners. This is just one of the many avenues that could be taken to help combat the recession. Other things possible would be to eliminate tax on alcohol at bars to encourage more business in the hard hit industry, as well as a hazard pay increase for front line workers. As of now it is uncertain whether or not his plans will be received well by the republican run general assembly.

PennDOT Cleans Wreckage / Schedules Project

Route 15 near the west Milton and new Columbia road exits in union county will be closed this morning due to a multi vehicle crash that took place there. No details have emerged on who was involved or if anyone has been hurt as of yet. The north and south bound lanes are expected to be closed for several hours, as a road crew cleans the wreckage. A detour will be in place. In other PennDOT news, a paving project will take place starting Monday of next week on Route 15 northbound in Liberty Township, Tioga County. According to PennDOT, Monday the 31st and Tuesday the 1st of September will have a crew on site, mill and pave a 200-foot stretch of the interstate about three quarters of a mile from the Lycoming County line.  Motorists should watch for alternating lane restrictions next week near Exit 162.

Animal Cruelty Charges Pending

The Lawrenceville police department responded to a call about a dog locked in a shed on a hot summer day. According to media outlets Foutz’s neighbor was the one who made a call to the police department on July 2ndreporting that the dog had been in the shed since 6am. At around noon Officer Christopher Brackman arrived on the scene. After the dog was freed court records stated that Victoria Foutz, 27, of  Lawrenceville was charged with animal cruelty and disorderly conduct as a result of her alleged actions. She is scheduled for a an arraignment at the Tioga county courthouse on Monday.

Virtual Homecoming to be Held

Mansfield University officials have opted to hold a virtual homecoming this fall and announced changes to their schedule.  According to the Office of Alumni Affairs, the normal September 18 & 19 Homecoming weekend event will transition to a week-long series of virtual opportunities beginning October 19th.

Sports

MLB

On Saturday The San Diego Padres have acquired reliever Trevor Rosenthal from the Kansas City Royals

NBA

Houston Rockets forward P.J. Tucker and Oklahoma City Thunder guard Dennis Schroder were ejected after an altercation in the third quarter

NASCAR

Chastain wrecked race leader and Kaulig teammate AJ Allmendinger on the final lap, allowing Haley to pick up an Xfinity Series victory

BACKYARD BROADCASTING LOCAL NEWS AUGUST 29, 2020

Eric Trump to Visit Cogan House

The Lycoming County Republican Committee will welcome son of the president, Eric Trump to Cogan Station for a fundraiser next month for the local party.  According to the Sun Gazette, the younger Trump, who is the executive vice president of the Trump Organization, will greet some residents and local party candidates September 19th at Former Congressman, Tom Marino’s home in an outdoor setting.  Registration information is on the Facebook page of the Lycoming County Republican Committee.

Elderly Man Assaulted at Flanigan  Park

Williamsport Police are investigating reports of a 76-year-old man who was assaulted while he was locking up the basketball courts in Flanigan Park in Williamsport last Tuesday.  According to North Central PA dot com,  Tony Parker, the son of Richard Parker who is contracted with Firetree Place to lock the courts up each night at 8pm,  shared a video from social media that was circulated showing his father being attacked by a group of about 10 people ranging in age from 17 to 20.  Officials from Firetree said they were disappointed with the incident but did not release any details about who the suspects are or whether charges will be filed.  Firetree Place and the Alize Johnson Foundation, Inc. met Wednesday to discuss appropriate action about the basketball courts at Flanigan Park which will now be closed until information is brought forward with who was involved.  Please contact the Alize Johnson foundation with information 570-666-3211

Sediment Reduction Plan Introduced

Williamsport City Council and Loyalsock Township officials are working on a memorandum of understanding to the state Department of Environmental Protection in which they propose best practices to remove 10 percent of the sediment heading into the waterways leading to the Chesapeake Bay.  The five-year Chesapeake Bay Pollution Reduction Plan, could cost up to 5 million dollars.  According to the Sun Gazette, there are an estimated 25 primary and 16 secondary projects that will help to reduce sediment, such as wood chip infiltration and swale construction.

Sports

MLB
The Houston Astros and Oakland Athletics jointly walked off the field following a moment of silence, draping a Black Lives Matter T-shirt across home plate as they chose not to play Friday night.  The decision came on Jackie Robinson Day across the majors, and in the wake of 29-year-old Jacob Blake, a Black man, being shot by police in Wisconsin on Sunday. There have been 11 big league games postponed this week as clubs joined teams in the NBA, WNBA, NHL and MLS in calling off games while protesting social injustice. Major League Baseball let teams decide whether to play or not

NBA
LeBron James and Chris Paul led a subcommittee of players following a contentious players’ meeting Wednesday who reached out to former President Barack Obama for advice. A call between players and owners ironed out three initiatives sought through the boycott: the formation of a social justice coalition; a commitment from every city where the league has a franchise to convert team facilities into mass-voting locations; and a creation of public service announcements, to be aired by the league’s network partners during every playoff game, aimed at promoting civic engagement in local and national elections and raising awareness about voter access and opportunity.

NASCAR
NASCAR drivers do not plan to skip Saturday night’s race at Daytona International Speedway to raise awareness of social and racial injustices in the wake of the most recent police shooting of a Black man, in Wisconsin. Bubba Wallace, the only full-time Black driver in the elite Cup Series, tweeted about how the  decision should not be interpreted as “turning away from the dark and evil acts that have taken over our nation.  The 26-year-old Wallace has been a leader in pushing NASCAR for more diversity and its recent ban on the Confederate flag at racetracks.

Upcoming

Oct 6

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