18 YEAR OLD CHARGED WITH CAR THEFT, ATTEMPTED ROBBERY

A man from Williamsport already facing felony charges in Montoursville, was arraigned in district court Tuesday for allegedly stealing a car and attempting to break into a Muncy Creek Township gun shop on September 26^th.  According to the Sun Gazette, 18 year old Khanif Carter is accused of stealing a 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander in Muncy and with an unidentified suspect, was seen on surveillance video attempting the break-in at R&J Welch Firearms on John Brady Drive with a baseball bat.  Police recovered the Outlander September 27^th on Sherman street and arrested Carter who was remanded to Lycoming Count Prison on 100 thousand dollars bail.  No word if this crime is related to the recent theft at the Blued Barrel gun Shop in Hughesville September 21^st.

JERSEY SHORE MAN SENTENCED IN SEXUAL ASSAULT CASE

A Williamsport judge sentenced a Jersey Shore man this week after he plead guilty to sexual assault against a minor in 2021, to 42 to 84 months in prison.  According to the Sun Gazette, police say 38 year old Brian Allen Smith was charged with having a non-consensual relationship with the underage girl in Porter Township.  According to court records, impact statements from the victim and her family led to Smith being required to register as a sex offender for life and he will remain under a period of supervised probation for three years after release.

COAL TOWNSHIP TO REPAY NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY

Money owed to Northumberland County is coming their way after Coal Township commissioners last month voted to pay back $290,000 that Commissioner Sam Schiccatano said was illegally taken money, after third party inspection fees were paid around 2017 for the new county jail in Coal Township. According to court records, a lawsuit was filed by the county to recoup the fees they claimed were unreasonable, not enforceable by law, unconstitutional and invalid.   In 2022, a commonwealth court judge upheld the Lycoming County Senior Judge’s order to pay back the fees to Northumberland County with statutory interests and costs. The commissioners there recently accepted the 290 thousand dollar payback offer from Coal Township.

LYCOMING COLLEGE OFFERING ENROLLMENT TO AREA SENIORS

Qualified seniors from any Lycoming County high school can benefit from a direct admissions initiative being extended by Lycoming College for the Fall of 2025.  According to college administrators, students with a 3.0 GPA or higher will be accepted for the class of 2029, and will then be eligible for academic scholarships and merit scholarships based on test score, class ranking and GPA. Each high school around Lycoming County will be invited to the college for several upcoming Instant Decision Days.  For more information, email [email protected].

DANVILLE COUPLE IN JAIL OVER CORRUPTION OF MINOR

A Danville woman and her boyfriend are in jail after the woman set up a sexual encounter with an underage girl for her boyfriend.  According to the Press Enterprise, 38-year-old Bethany Landis has new felony charges added to her case including sexual exploitation of children and corruption of minors.  Court records say the victim who is now 14 reported being assaulted by 43-year-old Dennis Aikey of Danville who faces 4 felony offenses involving illegal contact with the minor.  Both Aikey and Landis are in the Montour County jail in lieu of bail.

SENTENCE HANDED OUT FOR PENN STATE HAZING CASE

The last two Penn State fraternity brothers involved in the 2017 hazing death of Timothy Piazza were sentenced in Centre County Court Tuesday morning.  According to North Central PA dot com, Brendan Young and Daniel Casey were each given two to four months in Centre County Prison with work release, along with court costs and fines, 3 years’ probation, community service and restitution to the family after they had plead guilty in July to the charges.  The victim, 19 year old Timothy Piazza, was a sophomore who died from injuries sustained at a fraternity ritual after being given 18 alcoholic drinks in under an hour and half.  Officials say his BAC was.36

CURVE WARNING SYSTEM INSTALLATION THIS WEEK ON ROUTE 15

Work will continue through the rest of this week as a contractor for PennDOT will keep working to place the sequential light up chevrons along the Route15 southbound ramp to 180 eastbound in Williamsport.  Watch for single lane conditions approaching the spur and to maintain a lower speed when heading through the work zone.  The advanced curve warning system project should be complete within the week.  Got to 511PA dot com for traffic and travel information.

NEW LICENSE PLATE TO HELP OUTDOORS PROGRAMS FOR PA YOUTH

A new license plate design will allow Pennsylvania drivers to support youth hunting and fishing in the Commonwealth.  According to the Center Square, the plate was created by Act 51 and approved in July and will cost will cost $40 plus fees with 14 dollars from each plate going toward youth activities.  The design features a woodland scene with a buck in the foreground and a ruffed grouse flying away in the background as two anglers in life jackets fish in a kayak.  Pennsylvania Fish and Boat officials say the plate helps fund the protection and conservation of the PA Wilds, playing an active role in helping youth become aware of conserving fish and wildlife, and their habitats.

SPORTS

PIAA HS Sports
Boys Soccer
Lewisburg  4        Danville  0
Warrior  Run 1     Hughesville  0
Selinsgrove  2       Jersey Shore  1
NP Liberty  3       Troy  1
Wellsboro  7         Galeton  1
Girls Soccer
Muncy  5              Montgomery  1
Hughesville  9      Mount Carmel  0
Athens  4              Wellsboro  1
Girls Tennis 
Montoursville 5    Shikellamy  0

MLB Wild Card Series
AL
Tigers 5      Astros  2  Detroit wins series 2-0
Royals  2    Orioles  1  Kansas City wins series 2-0
NL
Brewers  5  Mets  3  tied 1-1
Padres  5     Braves  4  San Diego wins series 2-0
MLB Wild Card NL Game 3
Mets vs Brewers 7pm ESPN

NFL Thursday night 10/3
Buccaneers  vs   Falcons 8:15 PrimeVid

WNBA Semi-finals Game 3 Friday
Lynx vs Sun 7:30pm ESPN2
Liberty  vs Aces  9:30pm  ESPN2

NCAA Football Saturday
UCLA vs Penn State Noon FOX

MAN STRANGLES WIFE, TELLS POLICE IT WAS ATTEMPTED SUICIDE

A man from Williamsport was arrested this week on charges that he attempted to kill his wife earlier this year by strangulation but tried to make it look like a suicide.  According to the Sun Gazette, police say during an argument in January, an enraged Dane Christopher Kay strangled his wife to unconsciousness as she was attempting to leave, and then staged a hanging in an upstairs bathroom at their duplex on Trenton Avenue, before he called 911 and lied about the circumstances.  Kay’s wife was hospitalized and after regaining consciousness a few days later, told police her account of what happened.  Following the investigation, Kay was taken into custody and charged with homicide, aggravated assault and strangulation plus other misdemeanors.  He has been denied bail and is in the Lycoming County Prison

SHIKELLAMY IN SESSION, STRIKE AVERTED

The strike was averted and school is in session at Shikellamy this week after the Shikellamy Education Association announced a tentative agreement between them and the Shikellamy school Board Monday afternoon.  According to the Daily Item, negotiations were held Monday but no word on the contents of the new 6-year deal for the teachers has been disclosed.  School board members say the new agreement will be reviewed and they will release details to the public before the October 10^th meeting where the new contract is expected to be ratified.

NO DECISION YET ON THE CITY & PAJAMA FACTORY SAGA

The hearing over an Order to Vacate based on a fire inspection report, between the City and the owner of the Pajama Factory, was held yesterday to a room at capacity.  City officials along with representatives for a third party fire inspection company were in attendance and testified on the issues of fire safety at the building and the process to be taken to bring the building up to code.  No ruling was made at the hearing which will now require more discussion during an executive session about the fate of the 300 thousand square foot building.

GOOD ATTENDANCE AT THE 169^TH BLOOMSBURG FAIR

The Bloomsburg fair has announced that the attendance of the 169^th Bloomsburg Fair was the highest it’s been since before the pandemic shuttered the annual event in 2020. According to the Bloomsburg Fair Association the total number for the fair attendance was 398,214 – the closest number of guests to the 411 thousand who attended in 2019.  The largest agricultural fair in the state hosted close to 1000 vendors and donated 7 thousand dollars to the Ronald McDonald House in Danville.  The 170^th edition of the Bloomsburg Fair is on tap for next September 2025.

CARJACKING LEADS TO JAIL TIME FOR ACQUANTENCE OF VICTIM

A Williamsport man  who was accused of carjacking and kidnapping a woman he knew in the Newberry neighborhood September 17^th has been denied bail in Lycoming County Court.  According to the Sun Gazette, police say Tyree Moy flagged down the victim in her car as she was driving at West Fourth Street and Funston Avenue about 1pm, showing a gun.  Moy refused to leave the car when repeatedly asked to, and forced the woman to pick up another man who then assaulted her and took the keys to the car, driving to Wildwood Cemetery.  Moy and the other suspect left the injured woman there and fled the scene before paramedics were called and treated the woman at the scene.  Moy was apprehended and charged with felony kidnapping, robbery and other misdemeanors.  He is Lycoming County Prison with a preliminary hearing next week.

POLICE INVESTIGATE SHOOTING ON SECOND AVENUE

Police have not made any arrests after witnesses say a person in a car and a pedestrian exchanged gunfire on Second Avenue in Williamsport Saturday around noon.  According to the Sun Gazette, a family having a yard sale ran for cover when shots rang out, but no one was injured.  Police say the video evidence collected from cameras near the scene suggests there was only one shooter, contradicting witness accounts. But that there were 4 to 6 gunshots heard by neighbors who also reported the gunman may have hid in the bushes nearby.  Police searched but found no suspects at the scene. 

MILK TRUCKS OK TO DRIVE, DELIVER DURING DECLARED DISASTERS

Senator Gene Yaw and Senator Judy Ward of Blair County announced that legislation exempting milk haulers from travel bans imposed during a declaration of disaster emergency has been passed in the PA Senate. According to a press release, the proposal allows milk haulers to be the exception to travel bans due to the perishable nature of the product they carry. The senator said that Senate Bill 153 is commonsense legislation that makes it easier for our dairy farmers to continue farming in spite of weather-related commercial vehicle travel bans. The bill heads to the House for approval.

LYCO ALZHEIMER’S WALK RAISED OVER 25 THOUSAND DOLLARS

The Lycoming County Walk to End Alzheimer’s was successful this past weekend in Montoursville’s Indian Park raising over 25 thousand dollars to support the care, support, and research programs of the Alzheimer’s Association.  According to a press release, over 100 people participated in this year’s walk and the top fundraising team was from Home Instead of Lewisburg, raising over 10 thousand dollars. The fundraising campaign for the Walk to End Alzheimer’s 2024 continues through December 31^st of this year.  

The Lycoming County Walk to End Alzheimer’s was successful this past weekend in Montoursville’s Indian Park raising over 25 thousand dollars to support the care, support, and research programs of the Alzheimer’s Association.  According to a press release, over 100 people participated in this year’s walk and the top fundraising team was from Home Instead of Lewisburg, raising over 10 thousand dollars. The fundraising campaign for the Walk to End Alzheimer’s 2024 continues through December 31^st of this year.  

PIAA HS Sports

Boys Soccer 
Montgomery  1    South Wmsprt  0
Muncy 0               Sullivan County 0 2OT
Lewisburg 4         Milton  3
Girls Soccer
Warrior  Run  2    Milton  2  2OT
Loyalsock 2          Lewisburg 2  2OT
Williamson  2       NP Mansfield 0
Bloomsburg  1     Hughesville  0
Williamsport  6    Shamokin  0

Girls Tennis 
Hughesville  4      Lewisburg  1
South Wmsprt 5  Wellsboro  0
Danville 4             Milton  1
Volleyball
Central Mntn  3    Williamsport  0
Troy  3                 NP Liberty  1

MLB
Wild Card Game 1
American League
Tigers 3      Astros 1
Royals  1    Orioles  0
National League
Mets  8       Brewers  4
Padres  4     Braves  0
MLB Today  Game 2
AL
Tigers vs Astros 2:30pm ABC
Royals vs Orioles 4:30pm ESPN
NL
Mets vs Brewers  7:30pm  ESPN
Braves vs Padres 8:30pm  ESPN2

WNBA Semi-finals
Liberty 88  Aces  84 NY up 2
Lynx 77      Sun  70  tied 1-1
Game 3 Friday 10/4
Lynx vs Sun 7:30pm ESPN2
Liberty  vs Aces  9:30pm  ESPN2

POSSIBLE VANDALISM IN EMPTY LOYALSOCK RESIDENCE

Authorities were called to a home in Loyalsock Township yesterday to investigate a potential fire, but instead found a destroyed home allegedly an intentional act of vandalism.  According to the Sun Gazette, Tenants at the home at 1544 Randall Circle were evicted by the Lycoming County Housing Authority about two weeks ago, but recently a hot water valve was left on.   When Loyalsock Township firefighters arrived they discovered that steam had likely tripped the alarm system to the home that was now flooded and covered in mold and mildew.  State Police are investigating the incident that caused extensive damage to the unit.

SCRAP METAL FIRE IN WILLIAMSPORT

Officials have not names a cause of the fire, but Williamsport firefighters were on the scene at Penn Recycling Sunday morning when fire and smoke was coming from  a large pile of shredded scrap metal.  According to the Sun Gazette, Old Lycoming Township firefighters also responded to the Trenton Avenue facility just after 10am and worked for two hours to extinguish the blaze under the fifteen foot high and fifty foot wide scrap pile.

APPRECIATION DINNER FOR PA VETERANS

Geisinger’s annual Veteran’s tribute and appreciation dinner is coming on November 7th and Veterans are encouraged to sign up for free.  According to the hospital, the dinners are available to U.S. military veterans and one guest at no cost in a contactless drive-thru setting from 3-5. Go online to register by Friday November 1^st – go.geisinger.org/vets dinner 2024  or call 570-293-7200. Participating locations for free veteran appreciation dinners include; Jersey Shore, Muncy, Shamokin, Danville, Bloomsburg Lewistown and Wilkes-Barre as well as more locations around the state. 

UPCOMING WALK IN PENN’S WOODS

There will be a Walk in Penn’s Woods this Sunday as part of a statewide initiative by the PA Forestry Association.  According to Rider park officials, their walk is just one of many in Pennsylvania , starting at 9am Sunday October 6^th in an area where Rider Park was given a grant from the Pennsylvania Society of Ornithology enhancing the American Woodcock habitat.  The 2.5 mile loop goes along the new green trail to a vista put in by Rider park with Penn College and Larson Design. There are other events happening at the park this week including a Star party October 4^th and a family nature adventure October 5^th with the James V Brown Library.  Register for the walk in Penn’s Woods by emailing [email protected] or by calling 570-321-1500.

ACCIDENT IN CONSTRUCTION ZONE SNARLS TRAFFIC

Traffic was backed up several miles on Route 220 South before noon yesterday after driver had an accident at the entrance way to the one-lane construction zone area in Woodward Township around 10:15am.  According to the Sun Gazette, the driver of a Toyota RAV4 suffered minor injuries after he hit the temporary barrier and overturned, landing upright.  The car was unable to be moved until a tow-truck arrived on the scene after 11am.  The injured driver was transported to UPMC Williamsport.

DRIVER ABANDONS TRUCK FLEES SOUTHSIDE POLICE ON FOOT

A 21 year old man from Williamsport, who ran a red light on the south side, was charged with fleeing from the law after he was spotted  by South Williamsport police at West Central and Hastings Street before he took off on foot.  According to the Sun Gazette, police say they saw Enzo Kerwood abandon his pickup truck and run through several yards while they began a pursuit that lasted over 2 hours, starting at around 2:45am September 22^nd.  Kerwood told police he was scared of capture since he had drank alcohol and smoked marijuana earlier in the night.  Kerwood was also charged with DUI and possession of drugs, but posted 15 thousand dollars bail and was released. 

PAJAMA FACTORY TENANT FILES INJUNCTION FOR FALSE NARRATIVE

A tenant at the Pajama Factory asked for an injunction order against the owners of the facility in county court Friday alleging Mark and Suzanne Winkleman created a false narrative that tenants were facing eviction after failing a codes inspection in July, when in fact, there is no imminent threat as they are paying for safety measures as required.  According to the Sun Gazette, court records state that attorneys for Susquehanna Legal Aid for Adults and Youth took the civil action last week, prior to the hearing with the Uniform Construction Code Board of Appeals, over the city’s inspection results.  The is scheduled for today at 1pm at the Community Theater League. Other points of the injunction include the Winklemans not yet obtaining a cost estimate for the work needed to bring the building up to code as well as the plaintiff seeking proof in bank statements that the security deposits of the tenants are accounted for.

SOFT OPENING WITH DANVILLE AREA COMMUNITY CENTER

Thanks to money raised through their capital campaign, the Danville Area Community Center (DACC) opened their newly renovated locker rooms with a ceremonial ribbon-cutting yesterday.  According to North Central PA dot com, $400,000 from its $1.5 million capital campaign was invested in the locker room project that started June 17^th, which will now be utilized for swim lessons, recreational swimming, and birthday parties.  The DACC campaign raised 1.3 million so far which is also set to be used for future projects like a preschool program for children ages 3-5, a group exercise studio, outdoor sports courts and more.

SPORTS

PIAA HS Sports

Boys Soccer
Montoursville 3    Bloomsburg 0
Cntrl Columbia  6  Hughesville  2
NP Liberty         5  Northern Potter 3
Warrior Run  3     South Wmspt  0
Girls Soccer 
South Wmspt  9  Montgomery  0

Girls Tennis 
Jersey Shore  4     Central Columbia  1
Hughesville  5      Loyalsock  0
Bloomsburg  3     Montoursville  2
South Wmspt  5  Bucktail 0

NFL Monday Night Football
Titans  31  Dolphins  12
Lions  42    Seahawks  29
NFL Thursday night 10/3
Buccaneers  vs   Falcons 8:15 PrimeVid
NCAA Football Saturday
UCLA vs Penn State Noon FOX

MLB
Game 1 –     Mets  8       Braves 7
Game 2 –     Braves 3     Mets  0
MLB Wild Card Series Today
American League
Tigers vs Astros  2:30 pm ABC
Royals vs Orioles  4pm  ESPN2
National League
Mets vs Brewers  5:30pm ESPN
Braves vs Padres  8:30pm ESPN

MLB News
*Pete Rose, one of baseball’s greatest players who earned glory as the game’s hit king and shame as a gambler died yesterday. He was 83.
*His death was confirmed by the Cincinnati Reds, the team with which he spent most of his career. No cause was given.
*On Sept. 11, 1985, playing for Cincinnati, Rose became the career hits leader, eclipsing the total of the great Ty Cobb with No. 4,192, a looping single to left-center field off Eric Show of the San Diego Padres. 

WNBA Semi-finals Game 2 Tonight
Las Vegas Aces vs NY Liberty 7:30pm ESPN2
Connecticut Sun vs Minnesota Lynx 9:30pm

CITY CARJACKING SUSPECT ARRESTED IN CARBON COUNTY

The man seen on surveillance cameras carjacking a victim in Williamsport Sunday afternoon was arrested for another carjacking Monday September 23rd.  According to the Sun Gazette, 27 year old Tiler Martin Wood, a homeless man formerly of Muncy, was identified and charged with numerous felonies in Lycoming County Sunday, but was then taken into custody by state troopers in Carbon County Monday for another robbery of a motor vehicle.  Wood has been incarcerated there in lieu of 100 thousand dollars bail and was arraigned for the Williamsport carjacking via video.  An additional 150 thousand dollars bail was added.  Wood had been on parole since August for a simple assault charge from 2023.

SECOND ACCIDENT IN TWO WEEKS INVOLVING A CITY BUS

A second instance where a motorist ran a stop sign in downtown Williamsport and hit a River Valley Transit bus happened Thursday and police report an injury.  According to the Sun Gazette, one woman passenger was injured at about 1:50pm when a Jeep collided with the bus at Park Avenue and Rose Street.  She was transported to UPMC Williamsport.  The Jeep was heading south on Rose street when the accident occurred.  No word if any charges were filed in the incident.

TRUMP TO RALLY IN BUTLER, PA AGAIN

The Trump-Vance campaign will be in Butler, PA for a rally next week in the same place where a would-be assassin tried to strike the former president in July.  According to the Daily Item, the Republican presidential nominee will visit the Butler Farm Show grounds October 5^th which will include a tribute for the man who lost his life in the prior shooting, 50 year old Corey Comperatore, a former Butler Township fire chief.  Two others were injured that day, but have since recovered from their injuries.

ART AND ESSAY COMPETITION FOR SENIORS IN LYCOMING COUNTY

High school seniors from Lycoming County are invited to submit photographs, mixed media, digital art, essays, poetry or other entries for The League of Women Voters of Lycoming County art and writing competition titled “The Power of Every Vote”.  The League of women voters encourages informed and active participation through research and advocacy of government, taking positions on governmental, social, and environmental issues.  The deadline for submissions is October 29^th and the two top entries will win a $400 prize.  Get details online at palwv.org.

PENN COLLEGE STUDENT ARRESTED FOR CHECK SCAM

A 19 year old man from Penn College was taken into custody after an investigation showed him involved in a check cashing scam and forcibly involving a classmate.  According to North Central PA dot com, Kahsan Tahir Youk of Spring City advertised a fraudulent money making opportunity that a classmate responded to and eventually tried to back out of when he realized the scam.  The victim did relent bank information after receiving threats over the matter, but the transactions beginning September 16^th were flagged by M&T Bank.  Youk is being charged with robbery, kidnapping, terroristic threats, harassment and more. He is being held at the Lycoming County Prison on $50,000 monetary bail with an upcoming preliminary hearing.

MAN JAILED AFTER REFUSING TO TALK TO POLICE, JUDGE

A Williamsport man stopped by police for an expired license plate and window tint on September 12^th, is in custody after refusing to answer questions or cooperate with officers when they found his suspended license and car’s obliterated VIN number on his 2017 Cadillac XTS.  According to the Sun Gazette, 62 year old George Henry Whaley, Jr. refused to identify himself or allow himself to be fingerprinted at the state police barracks.  Whaley, facing misdemeanor obstruction, a felony altering a VIN, plus two summary violations, also refused to answer questions during his arraignment in front of Judge Denise Dieter.  He was sent to county lock-up on no bail.

PENNDOT WORK CONTINUES MONDAY

Work continues in two spots in Lycoming County next week.  According to PennDOT, embankment and shoulder repairs will continue again Monday at various locations on Route 287 in Pine and Cummings townships.  In addition, reconstruction and bridge replacement will continues again starting Monday on Lycoming Mall Drive and Fairfield Road in Fairfield Township working on the new structure over Bennett’s Run.  Watch for periodic flagging and single lane conditions as work is being performed.

ALZHEIMER’S WALK IN MONTOURSVILLE SATURDAY

Indian Park in Montoursville will be host of the Walk to End Alzheimer’s event this Saturday.  According to the Alzheimer’s Association, they invite all Lycoming County residents to join the fight against Alzheimer’s disease by participating in the walk.  Go online to act.alz.org to join a team or get information for tomorrow’s walk that starts at 10am with a ceremony to honor those lost to Alzheimer’s with the walk beginning at 10:30.   Nearly 7 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease, and it is a leading cause of death in the United States.

SPORTS

PIAA HS Sports
Girls Soccer
Williamsport 3     Mifflinburg 2  OT
Milton 3               Loyalsock 2
NE Bradford  3    NP Mansfield 2
Warrior  Run  5    Southern  1
Hughesville  6      Lewisburg  1


Boys  Soccer
Williamsport  2    Jersey Shore  0
Muncy  3              Mdwbrk Christian  1
Benton  4             South Wmspt  1
Milton  3              Hughesville  0
Volleyball 
Williamsport 3     Danville 0
Girls Tennis
Montoursville  4  Mifflinburg 1

HS Football – BYB Game of the Week – Mifflinburg vs Milton 6:30 pre-game/7pm kick-off

NFL Thursday night football
Cowboys  20        NY Giants  15
NFL Sunday
Eagles vs Buccaneers 1pm FOX
Steelers vs Colts  1pm CBS
Chiefs vs Chargers  4:25pm CBS
Bills vs Ravens  8:20pm NBC/Peacock

MLB
Brewers  5                      Pirates  2
Royals  7              Nationals 4
Yankees  10         Orioles  1
Mets vs Braves Make-up game Monday
MLB Tonight
Phillies vs Nationals  6:45pm
Pirates vs Yankees  7:05pm ESPN+
Orioles vs Twins  8:10pm
Mets vs Brewers  8:10pm


NCAA Football
Army 42     Temple  14
Tonight –       Virginia Tech vs Miami  7:30pm  ESPN
                        Washington vs Rutgers  8pm FOX
Saturday –     Ohio State @ Michigan State 7pm Peacock
                        Illinois @ Penn State  7:30pm NBC

NASCAR Sunday
Hollywood Casino 400 Presented by ESPN BET
Kansas Motor Speedway
2pm Pre-Race/3pm Green Flag Racing
Twin Valley’s Talk Radio Network WILQ’s HD3