PSP DISCOVER SUSPECTS OF ID THEFT RING DURING TRAFFIC STOP

State troopers stopped two men from Florida on the Route 15 off-ramp of I-80 in White Deer Township on March 7^th who were allegedly part of an identity theft ring and later took the two into custody.  According to North Central PA dot com, the driver, 28 year old Lontre Antonie Smith and passenger, 30 year old Robert Ellis Norris Jr. fled a traffic stop at speeds up to 120 mph, including going the wrong way on I-80 west after police discovered the passenger had a full extradition probation violation warrant out of Florida.  The pair attempted to turn again in the median, became disabled and fled on foot before police tased and arrested the two.  A search warrant turned up some drugs and over100 state ID cards, debit and credit cards and several checkbooks, evidence in an alleged ID theft case. Norris and Smith are in Union County Prison in lieu of $100,000 bail with a preliminary hearing March 21.

ONE INJURED, ONE KILLED IN BRADFORD COUNTY ACCIDENT

A Bradford County woman died in a vehicle accident Thursday night and her passenger suffered critical injuries.  According to North Central PA dot com, State Police at Towanda report 50-year-old Letitia Lynn Frye-Irish died in the one-vehicle crash.  Thirty-two year old Desiree Lynn Bump who is 14 weeks pregnant was flown to Robert Packer hospital and was last reported in critical condition.  Emergecny crews responded to the accident that occurred at the 200 block of Beaman Road near Columbia Crossroads.

ZONING CHANGE REQUEST CHANGE DENIED FOR RECYCLING FACILITY

The Point Township zoning board has denied a request last week by Encina Fort Union LLC, the company planning to build a $1.1 billion plastics recycling facility there, for relief of a zoning ordinance limiting the height of buildings in an industrial district to 50 feet.  According to the Daily Item, the company proposed reducing the footprint of the facility with a taller building plan at 80 feet.  Representatives from the company say they will now have to go back to the drawing board in development of the building.  The facility is planned to be built at 3288 Point Township Drive, along Route 11, by 2025.

WOMAN OF EXCELLENCE AWARD TO TIOGA COUNTY RESIDENT

A Tioga County resident is one of eight women chosen in the United States who have been awarded a 2023 Woman of Excellence Award, an award given by the non-profit to women who  make a lasting impact in their communities.  According to First News Now, Tasha Pratt of Wellsboro, is the Wellness Director at the Tioga County YMCA  and was celebrated March 8^th in Mansfield.  Mayor Kathy  Barrett declared the day as Tasha Pratt Day because of the achievement.

DUSHORE MAN ARRESTED FOR STALKING

A man from Dushore was jailed in the Bradford County Prison for stalking an employee of a local Dollar General store there.  According to North Central Pa dot com, State police at Laporte say 72 year old James Richard Rouse repeatedly sought out an employee, attempting to make advances, giving gifts and asking for dates in a series of incidents that had increased in severity since last fall.  Police say the store’s General Manager had banned Rouse from the property.  An employee at another local business reported Rouse leaving gifts there as recently as the end of February.  Rouse faces harassment and stalking charges in both cases and posted a total of 40 thousand dollars bail with a preliminary hearing March 15^th.

IGNORING SEX REGISTRY REQUIREMENT LEADS TO MORE JAIL

A Snyder County man who had recently been paroled on his felony unlawful contact with a minor sentence, has been sentenced to six more years in state prison for failing to comply with Megan’s Law requirements.  According to media outlets, the Snyder County District Attorney says Nicholas Barnhart of Port Trevorton obtained social media accounts and cellular devices but didn’t register them with State police.  Police say Barnhart used the devices to access pornography.

WILLIAMSPORT MAN JAILED ON DRUG CHARGES

A Williamsport man is facing drug and resisting arrest charges after Lycoming County Narcotics Enforcement officers found methamphetamine with a search warrant at his High Street Apartment February 2^nd and took him into custody.  According to the Sun Gazette, court records say 50 year old Mark T Robinson allegedly sold the drug to an undercover officer in Loyalsock Township February 1^st.  Robinson is incarcerated for the drug charges in lieu of 85 thousand dollars bail.

PENNDOT PERFORMING ROAD CLEAN UP THIS MONTH

PennDOT is gearing up to begin their effort to improve the environment and clean up local roadways.  According to a press release, maintenance crews in Lycoming County are scheduled to begin picking up litter along Interstate 180 and Routes 220 and 15, from today through Friday, March 31, weather permitting, during daylight hours. There will be no impacts to traffic during litter cleanup activities. But do use caution if you see PennDOT crews working along the roadway. Check conditions 24/7 at 511pa dot com.

SPORTS

PIAA District IV State Basketball Playoff
Boys Basketball
Class 1A
Northumberland Christian 73  Forest City 61
Linville Hill Christian 74          N P-Liberty 39
LaAcademia  69                       Sullivan County 26
Class 2A
Muncy 73                                 Mount Union 58
Lancaster Mennonite 62          St. John Neu. 61
Mahanoy Area 63                    Northwest  52
Line Mountain 56                    Northern Lehigh 50
Class 3A
North Penn-Mansfield 68         Delone Catholic 65
Loyalsock 59                                            Bishop Guilfoyle 57
Mid Valley 62                                          Troy 42
Class 4A
Valley View 53                        Shamokin 39
Littlestown 64                                          Lewisburg 23
Eastern York 56                      Danville 52
Class 6A
Lower Merion 65                      Williamsport 58

Girls Basketball
Class 1A
Meadowbrook Christ. 41         Hrsbrg Acad. 18
Lourdes Regional 38                                Nativity BVM 22
St. John Neumann 57                               Weatherly 24
Class 2A
So. Williamsport 64                  Lanc. Mennonite 22
Montrose 46                                            Northwest Area 28
Class 3A
Mount Carmel 46                     Holy Redeemer 36
Dunmore 64                                            Bloomsburg 33
Columbia 55                                            Loyalsock 33
Class 4A
Jersey Shore 52                        Wyoming Area 39
Scranton Prep 68                     Lewisburg 35
Trinity 46                 Central Columbia 45 (OT)

PIAA State Championship Wrestling tournament in Hershey this weekend…
Double A – Montgomery’s Conner Harer won his second straight state title… Muncy’s Austin Johnson won his first and was a perfect thirty nine and oh on the year. 
Silver medals
Warrior Run’s Reagan Millheim and Cameron Millheim … Meadowbrook Christian’s Cade Wirnsberger, Connor Heckman of Midd-West, plus Montgomery’s Brandt Harer. 
In Triple A…for the first time since 1990, Williamsport has a state champion as Cael Nasdeo posted a 4-and oh shutout.  Central Mountain’s Luke Simcox also won gold. 
Warrior Run’s Jeremy Betz won Coach of the year award and Central Mountain’s Dylan Caprio named the state’s Assistant Coach of the year. 


NBA
76ers 112                                Wizards 93
Nets 122                  Nuggets 120
Cavaliers 114            Hornets 108
Pelicans 127                            Trailblazers 110
Thunder 102                            Spurs 90
Knicks 112                              Lakers  108
NCAA Men’s Basketball
Purdue 67                                Penn State 65
Memphis 75                            Houston 65
Alabama 82                             Texas A&M 63
Tuesday night – South & Midwest Regions – 1^st 4
NHL
Penguins 3                               Rangers 2
Red Wings 5                            Bruins 3
Devils 3                    Hurricanes 0
Golden Knights 5     Blues 3
Jets 3                                       Lightning 2
Flames 5                   Senators 1
Predators 5                              Ducks 4
Coyotes 5                                Wild 4

JERSEY SHORE MAN VICTIM IN FATAL CRASH

A Jersey Shore man was the victim of a fatal vehicle accident Tuesday night in Bastress Township.  According to the Lycoming County Coroner, 61 year old Ronald Ohlsson was the driver who died in the SUV that went off of Route 654, continued through a field, and hitting a fence  at Mountain Spring Lane. According to the Sun Gazette, police say Ohlsson may have suffered a medical episode before the accident.   DuBoistown ambulance crews responded, attempting to resuscitate the victim enroute to UPMC Williamsport, where Ohlsson was pronounced dead.  State Police and the Coroner are investigating the incident.

TWO SEXUAL ASSAULT VICTIMS ACCUSE LOYALSOCK MAN

A Loyalsock Township man was arrested Tuesday for charges lodged against him for a series of sexual assaults that allegedly took place in 1994.  According to the Sun Gazette, 70 year old Robert Lee Garison was accused of inappropriate contact and aggravated indecent assault by two victims and was arraigned on four counts each, as well as other charges including unlawful contact with a minor.  Garison is free on 50 thousand dollars bail.

SOUTHSIDE ELEMENTARY RENOVATIONS COMING

The South Williamsport Area School Board is planning renovations this year at Central Elementary that might take students from eight classrooms and relocate them to other elementary school buildings in the district.  According to the Sun Gazette, four fourth grade classes along with two third grades and autism and learning support classrooms would be affected for the 2023-2024 school year.  Rommelt has been tapped as the location for the fourth grade classes so far, but no word on the plans for the other students involved in the relocation. In addition, the school board is planning to approve a contractor’s quote to tear down the house close to the school at the March 20^th meeting because that project is expected to take place before the school renovations that are slated to begin in August.

RAISE THE REGION IS TODAY

According to the First Community Foundation Partnership, there are 334 non-profit organizations from seven counties to choose from and even a dollar makes a difference.  Stretch funds provided by Blaise Alexander Family Dealerships boost the totals for everyone – plus, your donations can trigger additional support through thousands of dollars in monetary prizes.  Raise the Region has raised over 14 million dollars for area non-profits since 2013.

WILLIAMSPORT WOMAN CHARGED IN INFANT DEATH

A Williamsport woman is in Lycoming County prison after police found she gave birth to a 23 week old infant and did not seek immediate care, allegedly causing death of the baby.  According to the Sun Gazette, a police investigation found that 21 year old Chemari May Truax unsuccessfully attempted to terminate her pregnancy last November but she learned from doctors in February it was unsuccessful.  Police say Truax tested positive for using cocaine at that time and when she arrived at the hospital with the baby this week was questioned about drug use.  The baby died just after 4pm Tueday. Truax was charged with felony third degree murder and endangering the welfare of a child Wednesday in Lycoming County District Court.

PENNSYLVANIA MAN KILLED IN FLORIDA PLANE CRASH

One of the people who died in a mid-air collision over Winter Haven Florida Tuesday is from Pennsylvania.  According to Penn Live, 67 year old Randall Elbert Crawford from Carlisle in Dauphin County was in one of the planes involved in the crash.  The other person in the plane with Crawford has not yet been identified.  A 24 year old pilot/instructor from Sunrise Aviation and a 19 year old student were the other two people identified in the crash.   The NTSB and FAA are investigating.

PA DEMOCRAT TO RESIGN AMID HARASSMENT ACCUSATIONS

A House democrat in Harrisburg has announced his resignation after being accused of sexual harassment by two Republicans.  According to Spotlight PA, in a letter to Pennsylvania House Speaker Joanna McClinton, State Reresentative Mike Zabel said he will resign March 16.  Accusations come from union lobbyist Andi Perez who publicly accused Zabel the same day state Rep. Abby Major of Armstrong County made a similar statement.  Zabel’s former campaign manager, Colleen Kennedy has also made statements about his harassment. Dozens of rank-and-file Democrats had previously called on Zabel to resign.

PUBLIC HEARING ABOUT PA OPIOID CRISIS TODAY

The Center for Rural Pennsylvania Board of Directors, including Senator Gene Yaw, will livestream a public hearing this morning at 9am on new developments in the opioid and substance use disorder crisis in Pennsylvania. They will highlight new developments in the supply of narcotics, data resources that are available to track opioids/overdoses, funding for prevention and treatment services, and treatment workforce and staffing issues.  A host of presenters will be on hand from agencies like the Pennsylvania State Police, Penn State Abington, Commonwealth Prevention Alliance, Fayette County Drug & Alcohol Commission and others.  A link to the meeting is available at

https://www.pasen.gov/Video/8e.cfm?room=b

SPORTS

PIAA State Basketball Championships 1^st Round  Friday 3/10
Boys Class 1A
North Penn Liberty vs Linville Hill Christian @ Manheim Township HS 7pm
LaAcademia @ Sullivan County 7pm
Boys Class 4A
Eastern York @Danville 7pm
Shamokin Area @ Valley View 7pm
Littlestown @ Lewisburg 7:30pm
Girls Class 2A
Lancaster Mennonite @ South Williamsport 7pm
Northern Lehigh @ Line Mountain 7pm
Girls Class 3A
Bloomsburg @ Dunmore 7pm
Holy Redeemer @ Mount Carmel 7pm

NBA
Hawks 122                    Wizards 120
Celtics 115           Trailblazers 93
Cavaliers 104       Heat 100
Pelicans 113         Mavericks 106
Bulls 117              Nuggets 96
Suns 132              Thunder 101
Clippers 108        Raptors 100

NHL
Red Wings 4         Blackhawks 3
Wild 4                  Jets 2
Canucks 3            Ducks 2

NCAA Men’s Basketball
Pitt 89                  Georgia Tech 81
La Salle 81           Duquesne 70
Villanova 80        Georgetown 48
Wake Forest 77    Syracuse 74
Depaul 66            Seton Hall 65
Ohio State 65       Wisconsin 57
West Virginia 78 Texas Tech 62
North Carolina 85         Boston College 61

HEAVY SNOW BRINGS DOWN TREES, POWER LINES

The wet heavy snow has brought wires, trees and tree limbs down overnight.  There are numerous scanner reports of issues around the region, and PennDOT has reduced speeds on I-80 this morning to 45 miles per hour.  In Lycoming County there are downed trees along Route 554 between Route 15 known as Market Street  and Montgomery Pike in South Williamsport and Elimsport Road in Washington Township, and Little Pine Creek Road between Route 44 in Cummings Township and English Run Road in Pine Township.  In Northumberland County, watch for utilities impacted by branches and trees down along Musser Lane between Dugan Road and the Lycoming County line in Delaware Township.

MAN IN CRASH AFTER POLICE PURSUIT IDENTIFIED

The man involved in a police pursuit in Loyalsock Township that ended in a crash and the discovery of the driver dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound has been identified.  According to PennLive, 36 year old Timothy James Bird of Sunbury was stopped initially on I-180 east around 12:54 am on Sunday, then eluded police starting a chase toward the Northumberland County line. Bird went off the roadway and overturned in the roll-over crash.   Once they investigated the scene, state police found weapons in the car and according to the Lycoming County Coroner, the cause of death was the gunshot.

FUEL AVAILABILITY BILL HEADING TO PA SENATE

Legislation ensuring that state residents have options when it comes to fuel availability was approved this week by the Senate Local Government Committee.  According to prime sponsor Sen. Gene Yaw the “Energy Choice” legislation, limits municipal entities from banning a specific type of fuel source for appliances and heating homes or businesses.  The language is fuel-neutral. Yaw said some states are looking to ban certain fuel sources, but Pennsylvania residents have a lots of energy options. The bill now moves to the full Senate for consideration. 

PLANETARIUM SHOWS COMING BACK TO LYCOMING COLLEGE

Lycoming college is bringing back the First Friday Planetarium shows that have been paused since the pandemic.  According to WNEP, the state-of-the-art Lynn Science Center is offering a free show this Friday starting at 5pm which at the moment is sold out and has a wait list of over 250.  According to the planetarium manager, Melissa Kiehl, there will be two shows on each Friday after the opening weekend and the shows will feature monthly show themes.  March will feature strange objects in the sky and the stories behind them.

SNYDERTOWN MURDER TRIAL DELAYED

A man accused of killing three people in Snydertown will have his trial delayed after new information has come to light according to the man’s legal team.  According to the Daily Item, Northumberland County President Judge Paige Rosini granted a motion of continuance for 25 year old Matthew Reed, accused of killing Susan Williams, and James Dicken and John Paul Dicken in 2021. Rosini said since they are hearing a death penalty case, time will be granted for more preparation.  Jury selection was originally scheduled for May 8^th, but now a status conference will be held in April to see where the defense stands.  Reed is facing three counts of homicide, two felony counts of robbery and more and is being held without bail in the Northumberland County jail.

ELDERLY MAN WAS VICTIM IN HOUSE FIRE

A 78 year old man died in a house fire in Dewart Sunday.  According to the Sun Gazette, Warrior Run Area Fire Chief Douglas Funk said the fire destroyed the home on Spencer Street and 76 year old Dennis Hassenplug, perished in the fire.  According to the Daily item, state police fire marshals said Hassenplug died as a result of a fire-related elevation of carbon monoxide.  Firefighters from Milton, White Deer Township, Turbot Township, Lewisburg, Montgomery and Muncy worked for 30 minutes to bring the fire under control.  The blaze is reported to be accidental.

RAISE THE REGION STARTS TOMORROW

The 30 hour online giving event called Raise the Region begins tomorrow with a 6pm launch with First Community Foundation Partnership of Pennsylvania at the Blaise Alexander Family Dealerships.  According to a press release, 334 nonprofit organizations from Columbia, Lycoming, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder Tioga and Union Counties are all eligible to benefit from the fundraising efforts.  This is the 11^th year FCFP has held Raise the Region and since 2013, has raised over 14.4 million dollars for area nonprofits.  Find out more at raise the region dot org.

SPORTS

PIAA State Basketball Championships 1^st Round Friday 3/10
Boys Class 1A
North Penn Liberty vs Linville Hill Christian @ Manheim Twp HS 7pm
LaAcademia @ Sullivan County 7pm
Boys Class 4A
Eastern York @Danville 7pm
Shamokin Area @ Valley View 7pm
Littlestown @ Lewisburg 7:30pm
Girls Class 2A
Lancaster Mennonite @ South Williamsport 7pm
Northern Lehigh @ Line Mountain 7pm
Girls Class 3A
Bloomsburg @ Dunmore 7pm
Holy Redeemer @ Mount Carmel 7pm

NBA
76ers 147            Pacers 143
Cavaliers 118     Celtics 114
Trailblazers 110 Pistons 104
Heat 130             Hawks 128
Nuggets 118       Raptors 113
Kings  123          Pelicans 108

NHL
Oilers 3               Sabers 2
Sharks 3              Jets 2
Flames 5              Stars 4
Blackhawks 5     Senators 0
Kings 4                Capitals 2
Canucks 4           Predators 3

NCAA Men’s Basketball
West Coast Conference Tournament Semifinal
Gonzaga 84         San Francisco 73
St Mary’s 76       BYU 69  

MORE CHARGES FOR ALLEGED BLOW MOLD THIEF

As the scope of the thefts into blow mold Christmas decoration thefts in  our area becomes more clear through police investigation, one of two who were charged in November for receiving stolen property has been handed more charges for the thefts.  According to the Sun Gazette, police say Christopher Fraunfelter of South Williamsport is connected to thefts at six properties in South Williamsport and Duboistown and waived his preliminary hearing earlier this week.  Farunfelter is free on 15 thousand dollars bail.

ARMED ROBBERY SUSPECT IN CUSTODY

A suspect has been taken into custody for the armed robbery that occurred in Hughesville last November 18^th at the Citgo gas station on North Main Street.  According to State Police, a warrant was issued for the arrest of Connor J. Winter after a thorough investigation, and he was arrested yesterday.  Winter was arrainged in Lycoming County court and has been committed to Lycoming County Prison on 99 thousand dollars bail.

CAMERAS FOR THE STORM DRAIN SYSTEM IN LOYALSOCK

In relation to being in compliance with a municipal separate sewer storm system mandate from the DEP, Loyalsock Township Supervisors approved a purchase for a camera system to view the storm sewers from the inside. According to the Sun Gazette, Loyalsock Town manager Bill Burdette says the robotic camera purchase thanks to the MS4 mandate, will ultimately help reduce pollution in storm water runoff through the system of conveyances like the storm drains, pipes and ditches that collect it.  The cost of the camera system is 107 thousand dollars.

TEACHER’S UNION ASKS FOR BETTER SALARIES

The Pennsylvania State Education Association is asking lawmakers in PA to boost starting salaries for classroom professionals and support personnel in order to combat labor shortages and improve the candidate pool for the jobs for which they are trying to hire. According to the Daily Item, the PSEA seeks a statutory minimum salary of $60,000 for certified teachers and $20 hourly for support staff like bus drivers and cafeteria workers. The minimum salary for teachers allowed by state law is $18,500 and is unchanged since 1989, but on average in the Commonwealth  salaries for teachers are at about 46 thousand dollars. 

DUI FOR BEAVERTOWN MAN WHO CRASHED INTO HOUSE

A Beavertown man who crashed his car into a home in January and just missed the resident who was sitting inside in his living room by inches, is facing charges in Snyder County Court.  According to North Central PA dot com, 20 year old Kobe Douglas Strawser said slippery conditions caused him to crash into the home in West Beaver Township.  Police say Strawser was impaired when he lost control of his Buick Regal while going an estimated 100 miles per hour, striking the carport of Robert Smith’s home and a car parked at at 22276 Route 522.  Streawser was charged with DUI, reckless endangerment and other offenses.  His preliminary hearing is March 28^th. 

PA MAN ARRESTED FOR HAVING EXPLOSIVE DEVICE AT AIRPORT

A man from Pennsylvania is in custody after police stopped him trying to get on a flight at the Lehigh Valley Airport headed for Orlando Florida with a explosive device hidden in his suitcase Monday.  According to NPR, an alarm was triggered when Marc Muffley tried to check the bag with a device inside that an FBI safety bomb technician said contained parts that were consistent with an explosive item.  TSA agents attempted to detain Muffley at the airport, but were unsuccessful.  They later arrested him at his Lansford, PA home and was arraigned in court yesterday.

STARBUCKS REBUILD COMING NEXT YEAR

2024 should see a brand new Starbucks rebuilt in the River Valley Plaza after discussions about the plans for it happened this week with the Williamsport City Council Economic Revitalization Committee.  According to the Sun Gazette, the developer of the River Valley Plaza, Rick Mahonski has already secured some funding for the plaza through the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program and is working with Starbucks to coordinate their rebuild project of the new store that is expected to be a regional draw. The consulting Firm Penn Strategies says the Williamsport Starbucks is considered the second busiest in the state after the one in State College.

SPRING BREAK TRAFFIC TODAY IN BELLEFONTE

Penn DOT is reminding motorists of the extra traffic and messy weather that could complicate Friday afternoon in Bellefonte, as Penn State dismisses the students from campus for Spring Break.  According to North Central PA dot com, 99 Northbound sees heavy congestion as drivers head to I-80.  Changeable message signs will be activated in the area and drivers may see PA state and PennDOT on hand.  Motorists are encouraged to use 511PA dot com before you leave to check road conditions in Pennsylvania.

SPORTS

P IAA District 4 Basketball Playoffs
Girls Basketball
Class A Championship
Meadowbrook Christian 57    St John Neumann 47 OT
Class AA Championship
South Williamsport 49 Line Mountain 19
Class AA Consolation
Northwest Area 41                  Northeast Bradford 38 OT
Boys Basketball
Class A Consolation
North Penn Liberty 39   Galeton 21

GIRLS
Class AAAA Finals Tonight 6pm
Central Columbia vs Jersey Shore @ Milton HS
Class AAA Final Saturday 3pm
Mount Carmel vs Loyalsock  @ Milton HS,
Class AAAA Consolation  Saturday 1:30pm
Shamokin vs Lewisburg Milton HS

BOYS
Class 3A Consolation Tonight at 6pm
Loyalsock vs Warrior Run @ Montoursville HS
Class 3A Final Saturday 7pm
Mansfield vs Troy @ Mansfield University

NBA
Mavericks  133 76ers 126
Wizards 119       Raptors 108
Spurs 110           Pacers 99
Warriors 115      Clippers 91

NCAA Men’s Basketball
Houston 83         Wichita State 66
UCLA 79            Arizona State 61
Purdue 63           Wisconsin 61
Arizona 87          USC 81
NHL Penguins 5          Lightning 4
Bruins 7              Sabers 1
Kraken 5             Red Wings 4 (OT)
Predators 2          Panthers 1
Senators 5           Rangers 3
Stars 5                 Blackhawks 2
Maple Leafs 2     Flames 1
Wild 2                 Canucks 1
Kings 3                Canadiens 2
Blues 6                Sharks 3

PHILLY WOMAN FACES MURDER CHARGES IN WILLIAMSPORT

A Philadelphia woman was extradited to Williamsport this week to face charges in the April 2020 killing of a Williamsport man in the Bridge Street Commons.  According to the Sun Gazette, 21 year old Shakya El allegedly exchanged text messages with 27 year old Amir Nobles to lure him to the parking lot on Bridge Street where he was then shot by two gunmen.  Nobles was pronounced dead at the scene.  Williamsport police filed the arrest warrant for El Tuesday at the same time State police in Lancaster County happened to be processing her for an unrelated crime.  She has been committed to Lycoming County Prison on no bail.

HOSPITAL POWER OUTAGE REPORT

Officials at UPMC Williamsport have uncovered the source of the power outages last Thursday night that caused the hospital to go into emergency procedures when the back-up generators also malfunctioned.  According to the Sun Gazette, a hospital spokesperson said there is a long-term contingency plan to avoid this situation in the future.  Williamsport Bureau of Fire officials reported that first, wires in an underground vault shorted out cutting power to the hospital and the generator worked normally for 12 minutes when part of the generator control system failed which caused the total power failure. Second, an electrical relay that allowed electricity to feed the building also malfunctioned .  Generator power was restored to the hospital after 8:30pm and  the full system was restored last Friday morning.

LYCOMING MALL FINALLY CLOSED

The Lycoming Mall finally closed its doors last weekend putting signs up notifying mall walkers that there was no longer access available inside the building.  According to North Central PA dot com, the mall opened in in 1978 and featured over 80 stores including Hess’s, Woolworth, the Bon-Ton, KB Toys and others.  Most recently, the last tenants included Burlington Coat Factory and Books-A-Million who received notice a month ago about the changes and that they would not be evicted.  FAMVEST LLC is planning to purchase and repurpose the mall into a mixture of residential and commercial services. 

COMPUTER CODING BOOK CLUB FOR KIDS AT THE LIBRARY

A new program for elementary school students who want to learn to write computer code starts today at the James V. Brown Library on East 4^th Street in Williamsport . According to the library’s website, “Girls Who Code” is a book club for all genders in 3^rd through 5^th grade to learn about the foundational skills and understanding of computer science concepts.  There is a daytime program for homeschooled students at 1pm and an after school program at 4pm. Register now at jvbrown.edu.

WILLIAMSPORT COUPLE CHARGED WITH CRUELTY TO ANIMALS

A couple in Williamsport have been charged for neglecting a 14 month old pitbull who had to have emergency surgery to save its life.  According to North Central PA dot com, the owners of “Mocha” had hesitated to treat the dog, they said for a badly infected wound due to financial reasons, but when the dog was checked at the Loyalsock Animal Hospital, the doctors there determined the dog was underweight and malnourished.  Animal control officers said an investigation started in January after a concerned person reported the animal often alone in an apartment  on Bridge Street in Williamsport.  The owners of the dog, Jessica Lowmiller and Joshua Franklin Parker, were charged with two counts of felony aggravated cruelty to animals, neglect of animals and other charges.  They both posted $15,000 unsecured bail. Mocha has been adopted.

CLINTON COUNTY COMPANY PURCHASES CANADIAN PULP MILL

First Quality Enterprises has announced they are expecting to close a deal for a pulp mill in Ontario, Canada which will secure work for Clinton County’s largest employer which provides tissue and paper towel products.  According to the Sun Gazette, the purchase price was not disclosed for the mill that was previously owned by Domtar Corporation, a subsidiary of Paper Excellence Group.  In a statement by First Quality about the acquisition, closing should take place in the third quarter of 2023. 

MANSFIELD FUNERAL HOME HAS NEW OWNER

A Pennsylvania funeral director has purchased the former Gary W Wilston Funeral Home and Cremation Service at 130 South Main Street in Mansfield and has rebranded the facility to reflect the new ownership.  According to a news release, the Wilston-Currie Funeral Home and Cremation Service is now owned by Tyler Currie of Gillet, who earned an undergraduate degree from Mansfield University and his funeral service degree from Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science.  Currie has served in the funeral industry for 15 years and as a funeral director for over seven years in Mansfield, Troy, Wellsboro and Coudersport.

LITTLE LEAGUE CHALLENGER GAME TEAMS SET FOR SUMMER

Two eastern teams have been chosen to compete in the Little League Challenger Division Exhibition Game during the 2023 Little League Baseball World Series this August.  Teams from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and Syracuse, New York  will compete and  this is the first time a team from Lancaster County will be represented in Williamsport.  Little LeagueInternational supports the participating leagues with a $15,000 grant to help offset the costs of participation in the Exhibition Game.  The 2023 Little League Baseball World Series will start August 16^th and run til August 27th.  Details at littleleague.org.

SPORTS

PIAA Boys Basketball Semifinals
Class 3A
Troy 67                          Warrior Run 42
N. Penn-Mansfield 66    Loyalsock 62

Class 4A
Lewisburg 54                 Shamokin 52 (OT)
Danville 52                              Athens 48

Girls Basketball Semifinals

Class 4A
Jersey Shore 50 Lewisburg 37
Central Columbia 52 Shamokin 14

PIAA District 4
Boys Basketball tonight
Class A Final
Sullivan County vs Northumberland Christian @ Montoursville HS 6pm
Class AA Final
Muncy vs St John Neumann @Montoursville HS 7:30pm
Class AA Consolation
Northwest vs Williamsport @ Montgomery 7:30 PM
Girls Basketball tonight
Class A Consolation
Lourdes Regional vs North Penn Liberty @ Montgomery 6 PM
Class AAA Semifinal
Southern Columbia vs Mount Carmel @ Shamokin 7:30pm

NBA
Wizards 119                Hawks 116
Bucks 118                   Nets 104
Raptors 104                 Bulls 98
Grizzlies 121               Lakers 109
Nuggets 133                Rockets 112
Kings 123                    Thunder 117
Pacers 124                   Mavericks 122
Spurs 102                    Jazz 94
Warriors 123               Trailblazers 105
Timberwolves 108       Clippers 101
NCAA Men’s Basketball
Kansas 67                    Texas Tech 63
Marquette 72               Butler 56
Tennessee 75               Arkansas 57
Virginia 64                  Clemson 57
Texas A&M 69           Ole Miss 61


NHL
Penguins 3            Predators 1
Senators 6            Redwings 1
Panthers 4            Lightning 1
Blue Jackets 5      Sabers 3
Wild 2                  Islanders 1
Kraken 5              Blues 3
Kings 6                 Jets 5
Coyotes 4             Blackhawks 1
Bruins 4               Flames 3
Canadiens 3         Sharks 1