BOY STRUCK AND KILLED AT BUS STOP

A five year old boy was struck and killed by a vehicle in Columbia County yesterday morning while crossing the roadway to his school bus.  The child, identified by the Columbia County Coroner’s office as Silas Hunsinger was crossing Rohrsburg Road in Greenwood Township just outside of Millville to get to his bus stop when he was struck by a pick up truck driven by 71 year old Gary Derrick of Orangeville.  .  The boy died at the scene. There was an adult with him.  The bus was not at the stop yet.  State Police in Bloomsburg say they are investigating and are not saying if any charges will be filed against Derrick.

BEAR ATTACK?

Emergency responders were dispatched out in Muncy Creek Township last evening for a reported Bear attack.  That incident happened in the 1000 block of Peach Orchard Road around 7pm and one person was said to have been taken to the hospital, their name and condition not released.  WNEP-TV 16 reports that the Pennsylvania Game Commission was called in and is investigating.  A bear trap was reportedly set up along Peach Orchard Road and not other details are currently available regarding that incident.

YAW HOSTS FLOOD TOUR

State Senator Gene Yaw took local, municipal and state official on a tour yesterday of flood affected areas in the Wallis Run area in Gamble Township in Lycoming County as well as along Route 87. During the tour, areas that have been struck by flood waters, ripping up roads and causing property damage were pointed out.  Yaw is calling for more regular maintenance and stream cleaning of waterways saying that trees and other debris are damming up the streams contributing to them spilling over the banks and onto roadways causing damage.  As the tour went on, Yaw did say he is not sure where to start with the stream cleaning and as to who should be in charge of it.

BUDGET APPROVAL EXPECTED

Williamsport City Council will meet tonight and is expected to pass a proposed $27.2 million dollar budget for 2019, but not before the possibility of readjusting the tax millage and making some more cuts.  Council members are concerned about a city reserve reported at only $12,000 dollars with officials saying that reserve should be around a have million dollars.  City taxpayers already face a .75 mills tax increase for next year, and 7 city jobs will be cut through attrition and retirements.  They are four on the police force, 2 in codes and an assistant general manager of streets and parks position.  Council is looking at a couple of places where they may cut into the budget.

PIPELINE MEETING

Residents along the Loyalsock Creek and in the Plunketts Creek Township vicinity turned out at the Plunketts Creek Township Fire Hall last night to hear from officials with Pennsylvania General Energy Company regarding a pipeline project in that area.  The pipeline would be a water pipeline which would provide water for gas well pads there and would include a pump station and natural gas gathering line.  Officials say the pipeline would reduce the traffic from trucks which now deliver the water to the gas pads there.  They say that plans are just in the initial stages and more meeting will be held in the future.

NO CELEBRATION IN SUNBURY

For the second year in a row, the city of Sunbury will not have a New Year’s Eve Celebration.  The annual Countdown in the Downtown put on by Sunbury Revitalization Incorporated began at Fourth and Market Streets in Sunbury and 2012 and ran up until last year when it was cancelled due to the lack of support and volunteers.  IN the past the event had music, a VIP tent and the lighting of a large light bulb at midnight, drawing hundreds of people to the downtown area.  Officials with Sunbury Revitalization say they would like to bring back the celebration in the future but need volunteers and business participation to make that happen.

PARKING RATES REMAIN THE SAME

Parking in Downtown Williamsport will not cost any more next year.  The Williamsport Parking Authority confirmed during their meeting yesterday that there will be no rate hike.  They do say that there will be new meters installed in the downtown area following an agreement with the company providing those meters which will take care of the software and hardware maintenance.  The agreement allows the authority to have direct contact with the seller in case of a failure of the system, which would not require payment until things are fixed.

DELAYS ON VETERANS MEMORIAL BRIDGE

Delays are expected today on the Veterans Memorial Bridge, Route 61 into and out of Sunbury.  Crews are removing flood debris from several piers on the bridge today and will close the right driving lane of Route 61 northbound from approximately 9am to 2pm.  There will also be periodic stoppages in both lanes northbound during that work.  Motorists are asked to plan additional time for their travels, be alert and drive with caution through that workzone there today.

WATER BOIL ADVISORY LIFTED

A Water Boil advisory which was put into effect for some customers of the Crawford Township Authority has been lifted.  The advisory was instituted due to a water main leak and subsequent repairs and affected customers who lived north of 2999 Rauchtown Road into the Limestone Township, Middle Road area.  Officials say they had to wait until the water was tested and the results returned deeming the water safe for drinking, and have received the all clear.

A TAX INCREASE IN MONTGOMERY

Montgomery Borough Council last night said yes to a 2019 budget which will contain a tax increase for borough property owners. The spending plan is for a little more than $677,000 dollars and contains increases of about $40,000 for the upcoming year due to what borough officials are calling increases in the cost of doing business. The tax increase will be for .25 mills which will mean that owners of properties worth $100,000 dollars will see their tax bills rise by $25 next year.  The increase will bring in a little more than $695,000 dollars allowing Montgomery to end up the year with a little more than $13,000 dollars surplus.

A WILLIAMSPORT MAN DIES IN A CITY CRASH

That crash in the city of Williamsport involving a car and bus has resulted in the death of a city man.  Just before 6am, police say that 49 year old Ronald Levine of Williamsport was heading southbound on Maynard Street when he went into the West Third Street intersection colliding with an eastbound city bus operated by 63 year old Robert Kock of Williamsport.  Levine’s car then went up on a curb, struck a pedestrian signal pole and then crashed into the front of the former Jackie’s Kitchen building.  He was pronounced dead at the scene. Koch was treated for minor injuries. There was no one else on the bus and the crash investigation continues.

TRAFFIC DELAYS POSSIBLE ON ROUTE 147

There could be some possible delays on a section of Route 147 in Northumberland County today.  Flood debris removal continues today from bridge piers on Route 147 northbound between Packer Island and the borough of Northumberland.  There will be daylight lane restrictions with possible delays and motorists are advised to keep an eye out for the work and drive carefully through the work zone there.

PUMP STATION SALE HELD UP

The Williamsport City Council finance Committee found out yesterday that there is a hold up regarding the proposed sales of two pump stations from the city to the Williamsport Municipal Water and Sanitary Authority. The pump stations, which were thought to be city owned and are operated by the authority at a cost of $80,000 dollars a year are actually owned by the Army Corps of engineers. The city was hoping to get a million dollars for the sale, and city officials say they need to iron out the ownership details before the sale can take place.

COMMISSOINERS HEAR IT OVER APPOINTMENT

Several Lycoming County residents, most of them from Eastern Lycoming County gave Lycoming County Commissioners an earful during their meeting yesterday following a change in who commissioners appointed to the County Planning Authority last month.  Linda Sosniak who lost her bid to unseat Garth Everett as a state representative in November had been recommended for appointment to the authority, but instead, commissioners appointed Joseph Reighard, a Gamble Township Supervisor.  Those present called the appointment arbitrary.  Following the public comment, Commissioner Rick Mirabito motioned that Reighard be removed and Sosniak appointed, but that motion died for lack of a second.

SCAM INVESTIGATION

State police in Selinsgrove are investigating an incident of fraud of which a Freeburg man is out $3,700 dollars.  Police were called on December 4^th by the unidentified 54 year old man who was called and told that a refund needed to be made involving Google Play cards.  The person then spent the money in Google Play Cards to pay that unknown person back.  He then called police and reported the fraud.  The investigation continues.

NO TAX INCREASE IN SUNBURY

Taxpayers in the city of Sunbury will see their property tax rates remain the same for 2019.  Sunbury Council has approved the second draft of a spending plan for next year for $4.6 million dollars and say they will not have to institute a tax increase though they say money is once again tight this year.   The budget will provide enough money to hire five city police officers as well as for payment of a $250,000 dollars tax anticipation note which the city had taken out earlier this year to pay some expenses.

DONATION FOR RECREATION

A Lock Haven businessman and Philanthropist is another step closer to seeing his vision for recreation in the city of Williamsport come to fruition.  The city council finance committee yesterday gave a positive recommendation for the city to accept a legacy fund of $238,675 dollars from Steven Poorman for the city recreation dcpartment.  Some of the funds would be used immediately to construct pavilions at Splash Cove and Brandon Park especially designed to help keep children who are participating in summer camps cool.  Poorman is hoping his donation spurs others on to do the same thing.