GOLF TALK
As it stands right now, it looks like Lycoming County will continue to be in the golf business at least for 2019. During their meeting yesterday, a long time employee of the golf course inquired to Lycoming County Commissioners as to the status of his job at the White Deer Golf Course. Commissioners have said they are happy with the job that the management company, Billy Casper Golf has done there in 2018 despite the tough weather and the number of rounds played being down. Two of three commissioners seem committed to giving the company another year there.
EX-WIFE TESTIFIES
The jury could begin deliberations later today in the Clinton County murder trial of Loyd Groves. Groves is accused of killing Kathy Heckel back in 1991. Heckel left her job in Lock Haven and was never seen again. Final prosecution testimony took place yesterday including testimony from Grove’s wife at the time, Kathy who told the court that she did not come forward when Groves was first tabbed as being a suspect on advice of counsel. Kathy Groves said the first time she talked to police since them is when she was subpoenaed to testify in his trail this past June. Closing arguments could take place as early as this morning in the Clinton County Courthouse.
SEAT BELT AND DESIGNATED DRIVER EVENT
An event in the city of Lock Haven today will stress the importance of seat belt use and designated driving as part of the National Operation Safe Holiday enforcement initiative. The event will take place at the Parsons Union Building at 401 North Fairview Street between the hours of 6 and 8pm with PennDOT and Lock Haven City police on hand to conduct mock sobriety checks with participants wearing alcohol impairment simulation goggles. Participants will also be able to operate the impaired/distracted driving simulator sponsored by State Farm Insurance and UPMC in Erie.
MAN BUSTED FOR SELLING DRUGS
The Lycoming County Narcotics Enforcement Unit has announced the arrest of a city resident on drug and theft charges. 24 year old Bruce Jackson is accused of selling heroin to an undercover officer on two separate occasions in September in the city and then following a third sale, he is accused of theft in taking $200 from an undercover officer. He is charged with possession with intent to deliver, theft and other related counts. He was arraigned and jailed in lieu of $150,000 dollars bail.
POSSIBLE DONATION FOR RECREATION
Though they made no type of decision, the Williamsport City Council Economic Revitalization Committee yesterday heard from a Lock Haven businessman and philanthropist who wants to make a donation for recreation in the city. Steven Poorman whose family is active in Lock Haven and Clinton County in a number of civic organizations told the committee he would like to make a $240,000 dollars donation as part of a legacy fund, hoping that would spur on other donors. The money would be used towards making improvements at Shaw Place Park as well as upkeep at the city owned Splash Cove. In return, a recreation facility would be named for the Poorman family.
MONTGOMERY MAN INJURED IN CRASH
A crash on Sunday in Clinton Township sent a Montgomery man to Geisinger Medical Center with unspecified injuries. The crash occurred around 9:30 in the evening on Sunday as 28 year old Jeremy Winder lost control of his vehicle on State Route 54 near Chevy Lane. The truck went across the roadway, into a field and overturned, at one point striking a tree. Winder had to be extricated and was taken onto Geisinger where his condition was not released. No one else as involved in that Clinton Township crash.
FORMER AG HEADED TO JAIL BY TOMORROW
It’s onto jail for a former state attorney general who was found guilty on several charges including perjury back in 2016. Appeals by Kathleen Kane have been turned down by several courts and on the State Supreme Court made the final determination that Kane will have to serve her 10 to 23 month sentence in prison. Yesterday afternoon, a Montgomery County judge revoked Kane’s bail and ordered her to report to jail by 9am tomorrow.
FEDERAL FUNDING ON THE WAY
Hoped for federal funds will be coming to some areas counties to help with repairs which either have been made or need to be made following flooding and damage from severe August storms. Governor Wolf announced yesterday that he has had his request for FEMA funding approved by the federal government. The money which will be distributed amongst several counties including Lycoming, Montour, Sullivan, Tioga, Bradford and Columbia Counties will be used to either facilitate or reimburse repairs by state agencies, county and municipal governments and other eligible private non-profits affected by the storms.
STORE ORDERED SOLD
The future of the Kmart Store in the Loyal Plaza in Williamsport is up in the air. U.S. Bankruptcy Court has approved Sears Holdings Inc. proposal to sell more than 500 Sears and Kmart stores. Amongst the list of 504 stores to be sold is the Williamsport area store at 1915 East Third Street. Sears is considering offers from liquidation firms that sell company assets in pieces an then shuts them down. The company has a Mid-December Deadline. Kmart is a subsidiary of Sears which had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy earlier this year and closed the Sears Store at the Lycoming Mall as well as the Kmart Store in Shamokin Dam.
