LOCAL MAN ARRESTED FOR THREATENING STUDENTS ON THE PHONE

A local man is in custody after he made threats to a group of students from Loyalsock High School on a conference phone call on January 4^th.  According to North Central PA dot com, 18 year old Dejuan Angel Rivera of Williamsport allegedly told the Loyalsock students participating in the call that he would blow up their school and neighborhoods.  State police at Montoursville heard a recording of the phone call and began the investigation into Rivera.  He was charged with 3 counts of misdemeanor terroristic threats.  He is in Lycoming County Prison in lieu of 15 thousand dollars bail with a preliminary hearing January 23^rd.

SHAMOKIN COUPLE ARRESTED FOR CHILD ENDANGERMENT

A couple in Shamokin are now facing felony child endangerment charges after a police investigation from last July, revealed a 90 day old baby in their care had fractured ribs in various stages of healing.  According to the Daily Item, 37 year old Randy Taby and 36 year old Mandy Cree were charged with felony endangering the welfare of a child. Taby was charged with two counts of aggravated assault.  Taby told police he may have squeezed the child too tightly out of frustration from the baby crying.

CVR DOCUMENTS WILL REMAIN SEALED UNTIL FINAL APPEAL

After the Department of State decided to appeal a judge’s ruling over the decision by the Office of Open Records  to keep CVR’s or cast vote records confidential, the stay of the information will continue now until the appeal is resolved.  According to the Sun Gazette,  court records say the Office of Open Records said disclosure of the information in the CVR’s could violate the constitutional guarantee of voting secrecy and according to Penn Live, a state appellate court has never ruled on whether CVR’s are public.  The appeal is now in Commonwealth Court.

DEMOLITION OF LOCAL HOTEL

Watch for demolition to begin in Valley Township today when crews will take down the Days Inn starting at about 8:30am. According to the Daily Item, the hotel was built in the 1960s and operated as a Sheraton, until it changed affiliation to Days Inn starting a long road of deterioration from lack of upkeep starting in 2000. Most recently a sale was approved by a Montour County Judge to the Liberty Group of Montoursville, who have made plans to demo the property this week, then add a 100-unit Holiday Inn, two free-standing restaurants, which were not named, and a four-store mini-mall on the site.

NURSING HOME EMPLOYEE SOLD COCAINE AT THE FACILITY

A former employee at the former nursing care facility Embassy of Loyalsock has been charged with felony possession with intent to deliver and more when he allegedly sold cocaine to a confidential informant in the parking lot of the business.  According to North Central PA dot com, Douglas Christopher Curtis, Jr. made the drug exchange for 200 dollars in marked bills with undercover troopers January 3^rd.  Police say the substance was confirmed to be cocaine and Curtis was incarcerated with bail set at 25 thousand dollars.  His preliminary hearing is January 23^rd.

TWO APPOINTMENTS FOR WATER AND SEWER AUTHORITY

Williamsport’s Economic Revitalization Committee reviewed two appointments for the Williamsport Municipal Water and Sanitary Authority presented by Mayor Derek Slaughter this week.  According to the Sun Gazette, the committee will consider a reappointment of a five-year term for Kent Trachte, and a new appointment ending in December 2028 for Katie deSilva who is a retired Clinton County Planner with a history of water and sewer authority experience.  Mayor Slaughter noted that one position is still open on the authority that he will consider presenting a new candidate to the committee soon.

APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE FOR DCNR CONSERVATION GRANTS

Applications for Department of Conservation and Natural Resources conservation, recreation, trail and buffer grants are being accepted from eligible parties until April 5^th according to a press release from Senator Gene Yaw.  Yaw says over the past 20 years, the Community Conservation Partnerships Program (C2P2) has funded over 4,000 projects that have helped, plan and develop parks, recreation facilities, trails, and conserved critical conservation areas and watersheds. Links to online tutorials about the application process are available at dcnr.pa.gov.  Part of the source of the federal funding comes from Pennsylvania’s natural gas impact fee.

K9 OFFICER IN WATSONTOWN RETIRES

Canine Mariska,  a member of the Watsontown Police Department and 6 year old Belgian Malinois retired  last week after serving as part of the canine unit there since 2019.  According to North Central PA dot com, the canine program was started in 2017 in response to a growing drug epidemic in Northumberland County.  Mariska’s handler, Sergeant Timothy A. Kiefaber, said after over 77 duty deployments as a single-purpose narcotics dog, and over 28 public demonstrations for schools, civic groups, and churches, Mariska can retire with a forever spot as a member of his family now.  Her care and feeding will be provided by monetary donations to the Police K9 Project.

SPORTS

PIAA District 4
Boys Basketball
South Williamsport 67 Northumberland Christian 53 
Athens  63                   Sayre 53
Girls Basketball
Jersey Shore 43           Mifflinburg 24
Montoursville 53         Northumberland Christian 40
Mount Carmel 35        Lewisburg 31
Bloomsburg 62            Southern Columbia 50

NBA
76ers 105            Trailblazers 95
Bulls 126            Pistons 108
Celtics 121          Warriors 118
Timberwolves 128  Raptors 126
Suns 117             Nets 112

NHL
Blackhawks 4               Flyers 1
Hurricanes 5                 Wild 2
Ducks 5                        Blue Jackets 3
Panthers 6                     Canadiens 2
Bruins 3                        Rangers 1
Maple Leafs 4              Jets 1
Sabers 3                       Islanders 2
Blues 5                          Predators 2
Capitals 4                     Coyotes 0
Oilers 5                         Lightning 3
Kraken 4                       Devils 3
Red Wings 3       Golden Knights 2  
Stars 4                           Kings 0

NCAA Men’s Basketball
Purdue 61                     Minnesota 39  
UCLA 74                      Arizona State 62
Loyola Marymount 68  Gonzaga 67 – Stopping  Gonzaga’s 76 game home-winning streak 
Arizona 81                    USC 66
Charleston 69               Monmouth 55
Michigan State 70       Rutgers 57
Florida Atlantic 83      UTSA 64

WILLIAMSPORT MAN FACES ASSAULT CHARGES

A Williamsport man who police say punched another man in the face last July on Maynard Street is facing simple assault and harassment charges, but failed to appear for a preliminary hearing.  According to the Sun Gazette, 30 year old Deandre Bently and William Overbay got into an argument after a traffic incident during which Bently allegedly punched Overbay and fled before police arrived at the scene.  A warrant for Bently’s arrest is expected to be issued in District Court. 

NORTHUMBERLAND MAN PUSHED WOMAN OUT OF MOVING CAR

A man who pushed a woman out of a moving car is being charged in Northumberland County court.  According to Northumberland Police, 25 year old Issac Tylor of Northumberland was taken into custody Friday after he allegedly picked up the victim while intoxicated and drove at a high rate of speed through the borough January 2^nd.  Police say Tyler wouldn’t let the woman out of the car at first but then pushed her out.  He faces charges of unlawful restraint, making terroristic threats, recklessly endangering another person, and false imprisonment.

SOUTHSIDE WILL ENFORCE PROPERTY CODE VIOLATIONS

South Williamsport borough Council authorized a way to enforce property maintenance codes last week and will utilize the manpower of the  Susquehanna Mutual Aid Regional Team or SMART, to identify code violations across the three wards and give notice to responsible parties to correct the violations; which could include high grass, accumulated trash, broken windows or structural issues of homes.  SMART was created in 2022 to coordinate costs for fire and emergency medical response with the South Williamsport Fire Department.  No additional compensation will be given to the five SMART members for the anticipated daily patrols in the borough.

WATCH INAUGURATION OF GOVERNOR SHAPIRO

A live stream of the inauguration of Governor Elect Josh Shapiro will be available today beginning at 10am on the Pennsylvania Cable Network.  According to the Daily Item the celebration for the 48^th Governor of Pennsylvania will include Lincoln University Choir, the African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas Choir, the Pittsburgh Youth Chorus, and the Hazleton Area High School Marching Cougars.  The transition of power from the Wolf Administration marks the first time Democrats held the office for three consecutive terms in the party’s modern history.  https://pacast.com/live/gov.

INMATE ASSAULTS OFFICER, FACES NEW CHARGES

A Sunbury woman who is incarcerated at SCI-Muncy faces new charges after police allege she threw coffee in the face of an officer and punched him last October.  According to the Sun Gazette, during the incident, another officer attempted to get control of 37 year old Sheila Lee Ramos, when she bit him.  In addition to her original charges, she also faces two counts of felony aggravated assault and will remain in jail in lieu of 50 thousand more dollars bail. 

NEW YORK MAN SENTERNCED IN BRADFORD COUNTY COURT

A man from Owego New York who was arrested with large quantities of drugs at a Sayre, Pennsylvania hotel in January of 2022 was sentenced in Bradford County Court last Thursday after pleading guilty to the crimes in November.  According to North Central PA dot com,  police say 36 year old Tuan Vo and a female companion were found with fentanyl and methamphetamine at the Best Western last year and taken into custody by the Sayre Borough Police Department and the Bradford County Drug Task Force.  Vo was given a 17 to 36 year sentence and is not eligible for the Recidivism Risk Reduction Incentive program.

CENTURY FARM NAMED IN MONTOUR COUNTY

Eight Pennsylvania Farms, including one in Montour County, were named as Century Farms by the State Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding last Friday at the Pennsylvania Farm Show.  According to the Daily Item, the Danville farm of Curtis and Stephanie Bower that had been established in 1861 qualifies for the recognition and embodies the theme of this year’s Farm Show, “Rooted in Progress”.  A Century Farm is owned by the same family for at least 100 years, with a family member living there, with at least 10 acres of the original holding maintained , or gross more than $1,000 annually from products cultivated there.  The Century Farm program, started in 1977 and recognizes more than 23 hundred farms across PA.

FREE ADMISSION TO DREAM WEEK BASKETBALL GAME AT LHU

It’s free admission at the Bald Eagles basketball game at Lock Haven University tomorrow night for a Community Night Event in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day this week. Both the men’s and women’s LHU basketball teams and others will participate in a Day of Service including visiting local schools to interact with area school-aged children.  Albert Jones, chief officer of diversity, equity and inclusion at Lock Haven University said the engagement between student-athletes and community members enriches relationships and networks in a positive way.

SPORTS

PIAA District 4
Boys Basketball
North Penn-Mansfield 60   Sayre 30
Loyalsock 72                                    Montoursville 49
North Penn-Liberty 53        Cowanesque Val. 27
Warrior Run 59                    Jersey Shore 57
Shamokin 52                         Troy 41
Montgomery 60                    CMVT 36
Marian Catholic 60              S. Columbia 52

Girls Basketball
Williamsport 48                   Towanda 34
Canton 17                              Montgomery 11
Northwest 59                                    Wyalusing 23
Northern Potter 44               Galeton 16
Marian Catholic 59              Lourdes Regional 38

NFL Monday Night Football
Cowboys 31 Buccaneers 14
Saturday, January 21

AFC:    4:30 PM Jacksonville Jaguars at Kansas City Chiefs NBC

NFC:    8:15 PM New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles FOX

Sunday, January 22

AFC:    3:00 PM Cincinnati Bengals at Buffalo Bills CBS

NFC:    6:30 PM Dallas at San Francisco 49ers FOX

NBA
Celtics 130          Hornets 118
Pacers 119          Bucks 132
Cavaliers 113     Pelicans 103
Raptors 123        Knicks 121
Warriors 127      Wizards 118 
Hawks 121          Heat 113
Jazz 126              Timberwolves 125
Grizzlies 136      Suns 106
Lakers 140          Rockets 132


NHL
Bruins 6              Flyers 0
Penguins 4          Ducks 3
Panthers 4           Sabres 1
Avalanche 6        Red Wings 3
Devils 4               Sharks 3
Lightning 4         Kraken 1
Stars 4                 Golden Knights 0
Rangers 3            Blue Jackets 1
Capitals 4            Islanders 3
Predators 2          Flames 1 
Blues 2                Senators 1
NCAA  Men’s Basketball
Purdue 64           Michigan State 63
Miami 82            Syracuse 78
Charleston 82     William & Mary 54
Florida Atlantic 76 Western Kentucky 62

MONTOUR TOWNSHIP HOME BURNS TO THE GROUND

A home in Montour Township burned to the ground yesterday morning before volunteer firefighters could get water up a steep hill to extinguish it. According to the Press Enterprise, crews from Buckhorn, Catawissa and Bloomsburg were first called at about 4am to the home at 86 Harp Lane along a winding Road off Hollow Road in Rupert. Firefighters from other companies were forced to ferry water to a portable pond from the Catawissa boat club until they finally charged the lines to get to the top of the hill, by that time the home was down to ashes. Police say Route 42 from Train Street to Grovenia Avenue was closed yesterday morning from 5 to 7am. Mahoning Township, Espy, Lightstreet, Riverside and Danville also assisted with the blaze.  The home had been on the real estate market for about 3 months, there were no reports of injuries.

FATAL ACCIDENT IN LOCK HAVEN FOR BLANCHARD MAN

A 28 year old Blanchard man suffered fatal injuries last weekend in an accident along Railroad Street in Liberty Township.  According to the Lock Haven Express, Levi Confer hit two trees after going off the roadway at a high rate of speed in his Saturn Ion at about 2am.  State police at Lamar say Confer was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash and his vehicle sustained total damage.  Confer was a member of #824 Laborer’s Union in Bellefonte and had attended Central Mountain High School.

WILLIAMSPORT WOMAN TO APPEAR ON JEOPARDY TONIGHT

A local woman who has been taking the “Jeopardy!” online test for years to become a contestant, will have a chance to win on the show tonight.  According to the Sun Gazette, Brenda Crowell from Williamsport, who can’t talk yet about the results of the show that was taped back in November, says it was a once in a lifetime experience.  Crowell said she had been taking the online test since it had been made available and just last year got picked for an audition and chosen for the show.    Crowell competes on Jeopardy tonight at 7:30 on WBRE.

DREAM WEEK 2023 INCLUDES NATIONAL DAY OF SERVICE

Martin Luther King, Jr., National Day of Service is coming up Monday January 16^th and Dream Week 2023 will officially start tomorrow night with a meal and service provided by United Churches of Lycoming County at Sojourner Truth Ministries, 501 High Street, Williamsport.  There will be opportunities on the Penn College and Lycoming College campuses to perform acts of Service and The STEP AmeriCorps will be coordinating their Peace Walk, starting at noon at the Jackie Robinson statue at the corner of Third and Market Streets in Williamsport with a few words from Dr. Nate Woods of Penn College.  More information at pct.edu or Lycoming .edu

NORTHUMBERLAND MAN JAILED FOR THREATS

A man from Northumberland who police say threatened a woman by saying he would shoot her like the woman who had been shot by her ex-boyfriend in Danville on January 3^rd  is in custody.  According to North Central PA dot com, court records show 28 year old Christopher Ward faces charges of terroristic threats and harassment when he called his victim over 60 times and threatened to kill her, sending her pictures of handguns.  Ward is in the Northumberland County jail in lieu of 45 thousand dollars bail with a preliminary  hearing January 17^th.

UPMC TO BOOST MINIMUM WAGE FOR NEW EMPLOYEES

As the largest employer in Lycoming County, UPMC has announced they are planning to increase minimum wage for entry-level positions to $18 dollars an hour by January 2025.  According to the Sun Gazette, officials at a press briefing at UPMC Pittsburgh said the wage increase will help with nurse to patient ratios and they say along with their benefits package, UPMC employees receive an equivalent of $27 per hour.  The wage increases affect UPMC Williamsport, Lock Haven, Coudersport Cole Memorial, Muncy and Wellsboro. Ninety-five thousand employees work at UPMC across all their  facilities. 

PARKING ORDINANCE SET IN LOYALSOCK TOWNSHIP

An ordinance has been passed in Loyalsock Township that will allow enforcement of the parking ban on Warren Avenue and portions of Pennsylvania Avenue.  According to the Sun Gazette, the signs have been in place for years, but an official ordinance has never been in place.  Now, if there are issues about parking in these areas, there is a way for it to be legally enforced.  The proposed ordinance was reviewed by the township solicitor, Michael Wiley.

DAIRY CHARITY MAKES GOAL AFTER FARM SHOW DONATIONS

The joint venture between the PA Dairymen’s Association, American Dairy Association North East and Feeding Pennsylvania, known as Fill A Glass with Hope is celebrating at the PA Farm Show this week after a series of local and corporate donations totaling over 201 thousand dollars has helped them achieve a record goal.  According to North Central PA dot com, the Fill A Glass with Hope program raises funds that let food banks purchase fresh milk from local dairy processors at a reduced price.  You can help provide fresh dairy products to PA families in need by donating at the Feeding Pennsylvania website or making a donation this week at any PA Dairymen milkshake booth at the Expo Center at the Farm Show in Harrisburg.

SPORTS

NBA
Thunder 133                  76ers 114
Celtics 109                    Nets 98
Heat 108                        Bucks 102
Raptors 124                   Hornets 114
Mavericks 119              Lakers 115 2OT
Cavaliers 119                Trailblazers 113

NHL
Kraken 3                        Bruins 0
Jets 4                             Sabres 2
Hurricane 6                   Blue Jackets 2
Red Wings 4                 Maple Leafs 1
Canadiens 4                   Predators 3
Rangers 2                      Stars 1
Lightning 5                   Canucks 4
Wild 3                           Islanders 1
Flames 4                        Blues 1
Blackhawks 3                Avalanche 2
Senators 5                     Coyotes 3
Golden Knights 4          Panthers 2

NCAA Men’s Basketball
UCLA over Utah 68-49
Gonzaga beat BYU 75-74
Arizona over Oregon State 86-74

NFL
Saturday, January 14

 4:30 PM Seattle @ San Francisco FOX

 8:15 PM LA Chargers@ Jacksonville NBC

Sunday, January 15

1:00 PM Miami @ Buffalo CBS
4:30 PM NY Giants @  Minnesota FOX
8:15 PM  Baltimore @ Cincinnati NBC
Monday, January 16

8:15 PM Dallas @ Tampa Bay ABC

FORKSVILLE WOMAN FACES HIT AND RUN CHARGES

A Forksville woman is facing hit and run charges and more after police say she fled the scene of an accident in Eldred Township October 28^th.  According to the Sun Gazette, 44 year old Bonnniegene Boyles was driving an SUV on Warrensville Rd and was allegedly seen on video footage involved in a two-car accident around 2:40pm and fleeing.  After a Police investigation into the video that was posted online, court records say they named Boyles as the suspect.  In addition to the hit and run, she was charged with careless driving and other summary offenses, and is free today on five thousand dollars bail.

SELINSGROVE OFFICER SUSPENDED WITHOUT PAY

It’s a month suspension without pay for the veteran police officer in Selinsgrove who sent potentially threatening messages to his supervisor and other Selinsgrove borough officials.  According to North Central PA dot com, Officer Scott Grove faces the discipline after texts and messages were sent to newly hired Police Chief Shanee Mitchell and others, that some perceived as threatening.  Mitchell, who was hired this past August did not indicate whether she felt the messages were racially motivated.  Borough officials said the solicitor will implement return to work procedures for Grove.

BIDS BEING SOUGHT FOR BRANDON PARK BALLFIELDS

Sealed bids are being accepted by the City of Williamsport until January 31^st for the reconstruction of two ballfields in Brandon Park.  According to the Sun Gazette, the work is for a Little League Baseball and softball field.  The field is expected to undergo upgrading, including adding Kentucky Bluegrass sod, new scoreboards fencing and dugouts and more, as well as removing trees and grading the field.  Other current rehabilitation projects of recreation areas in the city include a new bandshell in the park and new tennis courts.

ANNOUNCEMENT AT FARM SHOW BY GOVERNOR ELECT SHAPIRO

Appropriately during the 107^th Pennsylvania Farm Show this week, Gov.-elect Josh Shapiro announced nominations for agriculture related cabinet positions in his Administration, calling each of the nominees dedicated and experienced public servants. According to WHTM, Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding was renamed for another term, and Cindy Dunn was tapped to continue as secretary of conservation and natural resources, and Rich Negrin, who most recently served as head of external affairs at Commonwealth Edison, would be Pennsylvania’s first secretary of environmental protection.  Shapiro will be sworn in as Pennsylvania’s 48th Governor on Jan. 17, 2023, at the State Capitol in Harrisburg.

THREATENING CALLS TO 911 LAND MAN IN JAIL

A man from McClure was arrested for calling 911 repeatedly and threatening State Police on January 4^th. According to North Central PA dot com, 49 year old William Allen called police to his home after a domestic incident and allegedly started making threats, calling back over ten more times and escalating to threatening the barracks with pipe bombs.  State police at Selinsgrove took Allen into custody at his home and charged him with felony aggravated assault, terroristic threats, harassment and more.  His bail is set at 50 thousand dollars with a preliminary hearing January 20^th.

OFFICIAL COMPLAINTS TO BE FILED AGAINST CABLE COMPANY

After receiving hundreds of complaints from local customers over unreliable cable service in the Northern tier, a formal complaint has been filed against Frontier Communications by Representatives in Tioga, Bradford and Wyoming Counties.  According to North Central PA dot com, officials from the Pennsylvania Office of Consumer Advocate, or OCA, say they will gather additional testimony and finalized dates and times for those sessions soon.  If you have a complaint, you can email the OCA at [email protected] or call their consumer hotline at 1-800-684-6560.

SUNBURY BOROUGH SAYS NO ATVS ON LEVEE

After city employees in Sunbury have had to repair damage several times to the levee there, Sunbury police say those who use off-road vehicles causing this damage will be prosecuted if they are caught.  According to the Daily Item, the levee that extends from behind Zimmerman Motors, off of the Walnut Street Extension, and to Veteran’s Memorial Bridge, has sustained ATV damage that could lead to conditions that could cause a failure of the system. Police say there have been two serious motorcycle accidents on the levee in the past 5 years.The Sunbury Flood Reduction Project is inspected thoroughly annually by the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers.

SHAPIROS AG PORTRAIT TO BE PAINTED BY NATIVE LINDEN MAN

A native Linden man who studied art in New York City and is now faculty at Susquehanna University, has been commissioned to paint the portrait of outgoing Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro.  According to the Standard Journal, Jeffery Martin has been painting portraits full time since 1987.  Gov Shapiro’s picture will hang in the lobby of the AG’s office in Strawberry Square, along with the other previous Attorneys General portraits Martin has painted, including the one of Ernie Preate.

SPORTS

PIAA District 4
Girls Basketball
Shamokin 54                 Milton 29
Northwest Area 57                  Montgomery 8
Central Columbia 45     Montoursville 20
Shikellamy 41                Selinsgrove 22
Lewisburg 48                 Central Mountain 38
N. Penn-Liberty 40        N. Penn-Mansfield 15
South Wmspt  67          CMVT 3
Millville 42                    Bucktail 33
Loyalsock 47                 Hughesville 42
Jersey Shore 49             Danville 35
St. John Neumann 51    Benton 49
Muncy 36                      Sullivan County 14

NBA
76ers 147            Pistons 116
Heat 112             Thunder 111
Raptors 132        Hornets 120
Jazz 116              Cavaliers 114
Suns125              Warriors 113
Magic 109           Trailblazers 106
Clippers 113       Mavericks 101



NHL
Penguins 5          Canucks 4 
Kraken 4             Sabers 3
Devils 5               Hurricanes 3
Red Wings 7       Jets 5
Rangers 4            Wild 3
Lightning 6         Blue Jackets 3
Stars 2                 Islanders 1
Blues 4                Flames 3
Sharks 4              Coyotes 2
Panthers 5           Avalanche 4

NCAA Men’s Basketball
Kansas 79           Oklahoma 75
Tennessee 77      Vanderbilt 68
Kansas State 65 Oklahoma State 57 
Virginia 65         North Carolina 58 
Iowa State 84      Texas Tech 50
Michigan St. 69  Wisconsin 65

Collegiate Wrestling
The 34^th annual Budd Whitehill National Duals wrestling Tournament  hosted by Lycoming College starts this Friday.

Six rounds of the duals will take place January 13, with four matches taking place in each round in Lamade Gymnasium.

On Saturday, Jan. 14, the tournament will conclude with four rounds of wrestling. The championship round is set for 1:30 p.m. with the tournament awards following at 3 p.m. 

FUNERAL SERVICES PLANNED FOR TEEN CRASH VICTIM

A seventeen year old girl from Montoursville was the victim in Friday morning’s crash in Eldred township that closed Northway road until 12:30pm.  According to the Sun Gazette,  the Lycoming County Coroner, Charles Keisling Jr., said Hailey Bailbay died from her injuries following the one vehicle accident that occurred following a flash of severe winter weather.  A visitation will be held for Hailey this Wednesday evening at the Hepburn Township Volunteer Fire Company, 615 Route 973, Cogan Station from 5 until 8pm, with services Thursday at 10:30am in the same location.

HAND RECOUNT IN LYCOMING COUNTY STARTS TODAY

The hand recount of the November 2020 Ballots will begin today by Lycoming County Voter Services and should continue through January 31^st.  According to the Sun Gazette the ballots for president and auditor general total at 59, 481.  There are rules in place for the recount that were presented by the director of elections and approved by the Lycoming County Commissioners, which include a limited amount of people on the premises during the recount, no phones, cameras, recording devices, or outside writing devices, and two person canvassing teams to count the ballots and other guidelines.  A group of concerned citizens requested the recount in order to show the accuracy of the electronic voting system. 

STATE POLICE WANT PUBLIC INPUT ON ACCREDITATION SURVEY

The Pennsylvania State police are looking for help from the public to help them acquire their 4 year law enforcement accreditation known as CALEA.  According to a press release, the public is asked to fill out a survey online and share input available to be done through the end of January.  Got to psp.pa.gov for more information.   CALEA is a nonprofit, non-governmental organization that ensures public safety agencies are abiding by current best practices.

IT’S FARM SHOW WEEK

The farm show continues this week after a successful weekend that avoided the traditional snow and bad weather that can sometimes plague travel and parking at the Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg.  There are great events to look forward to for the week, including the FFA state convention today, and Pennsylvania’s Greatest Whoopie Pie contest tomorrow.  The popular sheep to shawl event is Wednesday at 3pm and the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association’s circuit finals rodeo is Thursday and Friday.  Thursday is Military Veteran’s and Families Day, active duty and military veterans can show ID to receive various discounts. The Farm show opens each day at 8am through this Saturday.  Get details at farmshow.pa.gov

MAN WITH ILLEGAL GUN ARRESTED

A New York Man will face more felony charges after a disturbance brought police to the 1700 block of Randall Circle in Williamsport Sunday and found him with an illegal handgun in his pocket.  According to the Sun Gazette, 44 year old Jermain Goodridge will be charged with a convicted felon not to possess a firearm and possessing a firearm with an altered or obliterated serial number.  Goodridge was arraigned and jailed in Lycoming County Prison in lieu of 15 thousand dollars bail. 

LOCAL HOTEL SOLD

The Fairfield Inn and Suites on Maynard Street in Williamsport has been sold for 4.61million dollars.  According to the Sun Gazette, commercial real estate brokerage firm Marcus and Millichap closed on the 83-room property last week. Investment managers said in a press release the buyer saw the opportunity in an underperforming asset and took advantage of the rebounding COVID market.  The transaction was first announced in December of 2022.

RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS CHANGE IN WILLIAMSPORT

Williamsport City Council has changed residency requirements for non-union employees working for the city. According to sun gazette, the council revised the residency ordinance on first reading with the final vote on the revision in two weeks. A previous ordinance required all non-union job prospects to become residents of Williamsport within 240 days of employment or face termination. Mayor Derek Slaughter, says the move brings new leverage for the city with a deeper pool from which candidates can apply.

PGA SEEKING TO TRAP TURKEYS

The Game Commission is asking for the public’s help finding turkey flocks to trap for ongoing turkey projects. The agency is encouraging Pennsylvanians to report the location of any turkey flocks they see between now and March 15 with information being collected online  Game Commission crews will visit sites to assess them for the potential to trap turkeys, then will leg band and release the birds. In four Wildlife Management Units (WMUs),  some also will be outfitted with GPS transmitters, then released back on site to be monitored over time. The studies are being done in partnership with Penn State University and the University of Pennsylvania’s Wildlife Futures Program.

SPORTS

PIAA District 4
Boys Basketball
North Penn-Mansfield 48       Wellsboro 47
Athens 58                                Troy 51
Towanda 45                            Wyalusing 37
Lewisburg 57                          Mifflinburg 45
Sayre 52                                  North Penn-Liberty 51 (OT)
Muncy 73                                Montgomery 35
Millersburg 65                         Line Mountain 51

Girls Basketball
Shamokin 49                           Mifflinburg 19
Jersey Shore 54                       Selinsgrove 34
Danville 50                              Central Mountain 33
South Williamsport 52            Bucktail 19
Northeast Bradford 51                       Canton 26
Loyalsock 49                           Warrior Run 32
Central Columbia 57               Milton 24
St. John Neumann 53              Northumberland Christian 43
Southern Columbia 49            Hughesville 45
Montoursville 60                     Midd-West 20
Shikellamy 39                         Lewisburg 30
NCAA Men’s basketball
Purdue 76           Penn State 63
Maryland 80       Ohio State 73
Northwestern 84 Indiana 83
Houston 72         Cincinnati, 59

NBA
76ers 123            Pistons 111
Raptors 117        Trailblazers 105
Pacers 116          Hornets 111
Nets 102              Heat 101
Grizzlies 123      Jazz 118
Timberwolves 104 Rockets 96
Thunder 120       Mavericks 109
Cavaliers 112     Suns 98
Hawks 112          Clippers 108

NFL
Saturday –
Chiefs beat the Raiders 31-13 on Saturday, Jaguars over the Titans 20 -16
Sunday –
Steelers 28                   Browns 14
Commanders 26           Cowboys 6
Falcons 30                    Buccaneers 17
Bills 35                         Patriots 23
Vikings 29                    Bears 13

Bengals 27                    Ravens 16
Texans 32                     Colts 31
Dolphins 11                 Jets 6
Panthers 10                  Saints 7
Broncos 31                   Chargers 28
49’ers 38                      Cardinals 13
Seahawks 19                Rams 16
Lions 20                       Packers 16
Eagles 22                     Giants 16
NHL
Penguins 4           Coyotes1
Maple Leafs 6      Flyers 2
Jets 7                              Canucks 4
Stars 5                  Panthers 1
Capitals 1             Blue Jackets 0
Blackhawks 4       Flames 3
Blues 3                 Wild 0
Bruins 7               Ducks 1