BACKYARD BROADCASTING LOCAL NEWS MARCH 9, 2023

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 20th 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 1st 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

BACKYARD BROADCASTING LOCAL NEWS MARCH 8, 2023

RAPE CASE AGAINST MUNCY MAN HELD FOR TRIAL

Accusers took the stand in the preliminary hearing of the rape trial of Timothy Darren Stroud Sr. yesterday in Lycoming County Court, presenting testimony that resulted in over a thousand counts against him held for trial.  According to court records the 54 year old Muncy man heard victims describing to the court the encounters with the man, which has him facing 1,019 sexual crimes.  Stroud was arrested February 22nd after investigators were alerted to his behavior last December and opened an investigation into the sexual assault case.

PENNDOT REOPENS SOME ROADS AFTER HEAVY SNOW

PennDOT has reopened several roadways that had downed trees and utilities after  heavy snow hit the region early Tuesday morning.  Jack Hollo Road between Bennardi Development Road and Mosquito Valley Road is cleared of trees in Armstrong Township, and Route 554 between Route 15 in South Williamsport and Elimsport Road has reopened today.  In Northumberland County, Musser Lane is reopened between Dugan Road and the Lycoming County Line in Delaware Township. Penn DOT announced this morning that Beauty’s Run Road, Pine Run Road, Spook Hollow Road in Piatt Township, Little Pine Creek Road in Pine Township are now reopened.  However, Route 864 between Railroad street and Laurel Run Road in Picture Rocks Borough is still closed for downed utilities.

GOVERNOR SHAPIRO DELIVERS PA BUDGET

Governor Josh Shapiro delivered his first budget yesterday to a joint session of the House and Senate in Harrisburg, boosting spending for public schools but proposing no increases in income or sales tax.  According to the Sun Gazette, Shapiro’s administration wants to increase spending by 6 percent and also invest in building the economy by pulling in about 2 billion dollars from reserves.  The budget will require approval from the Legislature.  Shapiro also asked lawmakers to increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour next year from the federal minimum of $7.25.

LOCAL SOCCER LEAGUE HOLDING TRYOUTS

Men and women who want to play in the United Premiere Soccer league with the Williamsport Lions for their second season are invited to tryout this Saturday.  According to the Lions website, women’s tryouts are at 9am at Liberty Arena in downtown Williamsport and men’s team tryouts will start after at 10:30 til noon.  The Williamsport Lions men’s team won the 2022 UPSL D1 South Championship and finished their first season undefeated. A $25 dollar fee is required with registration online; citylionssc.com.

SECOND SUSPECT ARRESTED IN 2020 WILLIAMSPORT MURDER

Another man from Williamsport has been arrested for his connection in the murder of 18 year old Semaj Mozee that occurred in October of 2020 in Williamsport as a result of alleged gang activity.  According to the Sun Gazette, 22 year old Rocellus Carter was taken into custody Monday at his Randall Circle home for being seen running from the murder scene with the alleged gunman who shot Mozee who later died at the hospital.  Seneca Martin Mitchell Jr. was taken into custody last Wednesday and automatically jailed on his charges.  Carter was also charged with second degree murder, conspiracy and related offenses.  He was also automatically jailed at Lycoming County Prison.

LYCOMING COUNTY WOMAN IN FEDERAL COURT FOR DRUG CASE

A Muncy woman is one of 57 defendants charged in a federal narcotics case that could put each of them behind bars for at least ten years.  According to the Sun Gazette, after multiple investigations by agents from the FBI and Homeland Security into gang violence in Pennsylvania, Ashley Weston was included allegedly selling to undercover agents and participating in drug trafficking activity recorded through court ordered wire-taps.  The investigation broadened to reveal a scheme that stretched across the US and into Mexico that involved over 2 million fentanyl pills and more than 400 pounds of methamphetamine.  Weston is the only defendant listed in the suit from Lycoming County.

FUNERAL SERVICE FOR MIDDLEBURG BOY FRIDAY

Funeral services are scheduled for one of the two teen brothers from Middleburg who died in a car accident on Route 104 in Perry Township Monday morning.  According to media outlets, 17 year old  Josiah M. Wenger and his 14 year old brother Gabriel Wenger were killed in the accident after losing control on the hill near Kelsey Lane.  According to the Daily Item, Josiah will be laid to rest this Friday morning  after visitation services tomorrow from 2-4pm and from 6-8pm  at Morningstar Church of God in Christ, in Mifflinburg.  No word on funeral arrangements for Gabriel.

PEAK TIMES FOR SNOW GEESE HAPPENED EARLY

The Pennsylvania Game Commission reports that expected peak numbers of snow geese have occurred a month early according to the officials who estimate their numbers at the Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area.  According to Penn Live, the peak happened around the end of January with 79 thousand snow geese and almost 2 thousand tundra swans.  The peak number of Canadian Geese stopping at the Lebanon and Lancaster County facilities peaked in February 17th at about 2 thousand 250 birds.

SPORTS

PIAA State Basketball Championships 1st 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
76ers 117             Timberwolves 94
Bucks 134           Magic 123
Wizards 119         Pistons 117
Hornets 112         Knicks 105
Nets 118               Rockets 96
Thunder 137        Warriors 128
Mavericks 120     Jazz 116  
Lakers 112           Grizzlies 103

NHL
Penguins 5           Blue Jackets 4
Lightning 5           Flyers 2
Panthers 2            Golden Knights 1
Hurricanes 4         Canadiens 3
Maple Leafs 4      Devils 3
Islanders 3           Sabers 2
Flames 1               Wild 0
Coyote 6              Blues 2
Avalanche 6         Sharks 0
Kraken 5              Ducks 2



NCAA Men’s Basketball
Gonzaga 77                  St Mary’s 51
Gonzaga secures the West Coast Conference.

NCAA Men’s Today
The 2nd Round in the New York Life ACC tournament
 Pitt vs Georgia Tech in Greensboro, NC at 2:30pm on ESPN

BACKYARD BROADCASTING LOCAL NEWS MARCH 7, 2023

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 8th, 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 11th 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 1st 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  

BACKYARD BROADCASTING LOCAL NEWS MARCH 6, 2023

FATAL CRASH IN LOYALSOCK TOWNSHIP

Police have not yet released the name of the person involved in the fatal crash that happened early Sunday in Loyalsock Township.  According to the Pennsylvania State police at Montoursville, troopers had initiated a traffic stop at about 12:54am along I-180 in Williamsport and the driver then fled the away from police and was involved in an accident.  The driver was pronounced dead at the scene according to the Lycoming County Coroner.  An investigation is ongoing.

MAN FLOWN TO ALLENTOWN WITH BURN INJURIES

A Lycoming Township man is being treated for injuries he suffered after his mobile home caught fire Saturday at 1970 Beech Street.  According to the Sun Gazette, Lycoming Regional Police say 38year old Dustin Hargenrader escaped his burning home by breaking a front door window and crawling out of the home that was filled with black smoke according to witnesses who called 911 about 2:45 pm.  Volunteer fire companies from Hepburn Township, Old Lycoming Township, Trout Run and DuBoistown responded to the fire that took about 30  minutes to get under control.  Hagenrader was flown to Lehigh Valley Hospital in Allentown.

INDIANA FUGITIVE CAPTURED IN JERSEY SHORE

A 46 year old man wanted in Indiana was taken into custody during an unrelated traffic stop in Jersey Shore on Saturday.  According to Lycoming Regional Police, they initiated a stop for a traffic violation along the 800 block of Allegheny Street and while interviewing the driver, could not get a positive identity of his passenger who said he had no ID. Police then requested a search of the vehicle, which turned up a bag of suspected methamphetamine and an Indiana driver’s license for Stephen Dale McMullen, of Plainfield, Indiana, the passenger, who was discovered to be a fugitive from justice.  He was charged with giving false identification to police and drug offenses, and was committed to Lycoming County Prison on 100 thousand dollars bail.

BUCKNELL UNIVERSITY LOOKING FOR NEW BASKETBALL COACH

Bucknell director of athletics and recreation Jermaine Truax announced last week that Nathan Davis will be leaving the program to pursue other opportunities following eight seasons as head coach of the men’s basketball program. Davis compiled a 129-115 record during his eight seasons as head coach and guided the Bison to NCAA tournament appearances in 2017 and 2018. He also served a five-year stint as an assistant coach at Bucknell from 2003-08. Bucknell will immediately launch a national search to identify the next head coach of the men’s basketball program.

MAN THREATENS LIQUOR STORE EMPLOYEE, STABS BYSTANDER

A Middleburg man faces criminal attempted murder of the first degree and other felonies after he threated a state store employee and attacked a bystander Saturday morning.  According to Mifflinburg Police report that around 10:30 am, Barry Eugene Kline entered the Mifflinburg Fine Wine and Good Spirits Store in the Chestnut Street Plaza and took a bottle of rum, while displaying a knife to the store attendant.  Police say Kline and stabbed a victim in the back before fleeing and was later taken into custody without incident. The unnamed victim was transported and remains in stable condition at the Geisinger Medical Center. Kline is incarcerated at the Union County Jail with his bail set at $250,000.

EXPLOSIVE ITEM FOUND AT STATE COLLEGE AIRPORT

A suspicious item was found in the University Park Airport last Saturday evening causing an evacuation on the same day thousands of college students were leaving State College for Spring Break. According to the  Center Daily Times, the item, found in a piece of checked luggage on Friday evening around 6:30 pm shut down operations and grounded flights. Hours later, Penn State Police issued a statement just ahead of 11 pm and advised the hazardous device team was able to “render safe” the bag and its contents. Normal flight operations resumed Sunday  at 4 am.

NEW LYCOMING COUNTY DEPUTY CORONER

Lycoming County Commissioners have approved the addition of Kathryn Kiessling as the Lycoming County Chief Deputy Coroner. As reported by the SUN Gazette, the position of Chief Deputy Coroner was open due to the unexpected passing of Jerrold Ross in January. Kiessling leaves her position as administrative assistant in the coroner’s office and will assume her new role on March 5.  The Lycoming County Commissioners will meet again on March 9th at 10 am.

RUFFED GROUSE STUDY

The Pennsylvania Game Commission is seeking the public’s help in conducting a genetics study for the Pennsylvania state bird – the Ruffed Grouse – in cooperation with Pennsylvania State University. The Game Commission is encouraging Pennsylvanians to report the location of any “tame” grouse they see this spring by sending an email to the Game Commission with the date of the sighting, location of the encounter and a description of the grouse’s behavior – they should also include their name and phone number. For more details see the Pa Game Commission website.

SPORTS

P I-AA District 4 Basketball – Saturday
Boys – Class 3A Championship
Troy 50 North Penn Mansfield
Girls – Class 3A Championship
Mount Carmel 37  Loyalsock 32

NCAA Men’s Basketball
Senior Day at the Jordan Center yesterday, Penn State came back from 15 points down with only 12 minutes to go … Cam Wynter hit the game winning shot with under a second to go, for a dramatic 65-64 win over number 21 Maryland.  The Nittany Lions head to Chicago next for the Big Ten tournament on Thursday. 

Penn State 65     Maryland 64
Houston 67         Memphis 65
Purdue 76           Illinois 71
Indiana 75                    Michigan 73 OT

NFL
Mill Hall native Robbie Gould says he won’t return to kick for the San Francisco 49ers and plans to test free agency.  Gould is 10th all-time in points scored during his 18 year career, including 6 with the 49ers. 

NBA
Suns 130              Mavericks 126
Pacers 125           Bulls 122  
Lakers 113           Warriors 105
Nets 102               Hornets 86
Trailblazers 122   Magic 119
Rockets 142         Spurs 110
Thunder 129        Jazz 119
Knicks 131                     Celtics 129 2OT
Bucks 117           Wizards 111
Clippers 135        Grizzlies 129


NHL
Flyers 3                          Red Wings 1
Hurricanes 6                  Lightning 0
Golden Knights 4                     Canadians 3
Devils 5                         Coyotes 4
Kraken 3                        Avalanche 2


NASCAR
William Byron captured the checkered flag in overtime yesterday in Las Vegas at the Pennzoil 400, edging out Kyle Larson who was 2nd followed by Alex Bowman in a 1-2-3 for Hendrick Motorsports. Bubba Wallace was 4th and Christopher Bell 5th.

BACKYARD BROADCASTING LOCAL NEWS MARCH 3, 2023

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 18th 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 28th. 

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

BACKYARD BROADCASTING LOCAL NEWS MARCH 2, 2023

WILLIAMSPORT MAN ARRESTED FOR 2020 HOMICIDE IN CITY

A Williamsport man was taken into custody yesterday for the homicide of a one-time friend in October of 2020.  According to the Sun Gazette, police say following an investigation, 21 year old Seneca Martin Mitchell Jr. was the primary suspect in the shooting of 18 year old Semaj Mozee at a Campbell Street apartment in what police say was motivated by rival gang activity.  Mitchell was arraigned on criminal homicide, aggravated assault and other charges.  He was incarcerated in Lycoming County Prison on no bail.

FIBER OPTIC NETWORK COMING SOON TO WILLIAMSPORT

Within two months, the Greater Williamsport area will see the beginning stages of a fiber-optic network being constructed as part of a multi-year expansion to extend high speed internet to rural areas.  According to the Sun Gazette Mayor Derek Slaughter expressed enthusiasm about the choices of high –speed internet that FastBridge Fiber will bring to businesses and residents in Williamsport.  According to Eric Warren, the CEO of FiberBridge, unlike cable networks, the proposed fiber-optic network expected in Williamsport is considered “future proof”.

PENNDOT SEEKS INPUT FOR TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS

PennDOT is anticipating a busy 2023 with several new transportation projects as well as the continuance of projects from 2022.  According to a press release,  the department anticipates investing more than $275 million this year in PennDOT Engineering projects.  Work will include the southern section of the CSVT project, which is roughly 6-miles of new four-lane, limited-access highway connecting Route 11/15 north of Selinsgrove to Route 15 and the CSVT Northern Section south of Winfield.  Other projects in Lycoming County include resurfacing a 13 mile area of I-180 in Muncy Township, Route 220 bridge improvement in Williamsport and bridge replacement over Bennett’s Run.

BIG FENTANYL BUST IN PENNSYLVANIA

A drug bust in Pittsburgh last week by the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Narcotics Enforcement Team seized an estimated 48 thousand doses of fentanyl and took a massive amount of the dangerous drug off the streets.  According to North Central PA dot com, the street value of 962 bricks of the drug was estimated at over 288 thousand dollars.  Police say the traffickers who were using the bus system in the Commonwealth to move the contraband, were caught through a joint collaboration between police in Pittsburgh, New York City and Philadelphia.  Two men were taken into custody.

SAFETY ZONE AVAILABLE IN DUBOISTOWN

For over a year now, Duboistown has provided a Safe Exchange Zone for the public to use while exchanging kids between custodial parents, for internet shopping transactions with strangers or for any reason they might need a safe place to meet-up.  According to  North Central PA dot com,  the public can utilize the parking spot behind the  Duboistown Borough office at any time since the borough council last year voted unanimously to provide the safety area that has 24 hour police surveillance.  Duboistown is the only municipality in our area to provide a safety zone, but they encourage every community to consider one.

TRANSPORTATION SURVEY FOR THE PUBLIC

Penn DOT and the State Transportation Commission  is asking for your feedback to help update Pennsylvania’s 12 year program.  The public comment period for the update is going on now and  continues through Sunday, April 30. Those residents who want to participate can go to penndot.pa.gov to will help identify needs and prioritize transportation projects across the state.  PennDOT will also host an online public forum on Wednesday, April 12, from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM so Pennsylvanians can ask transportation-related questions to PennDOT leadership and members of the STC during the public forum. The Transportation Performance Report (TPR) is a is updated every two years.

WILLIAMSPORT SALVATION ARMY NEEDS FOOD DONATIONS

The Salvation Army in Williamsport is struggling to meet the food supply needs of the almost 200 families who rely on them for relief each month.  According to WNEP,   The Salvation Army gets food from the local food bank and donations, but with high demand across the region the shelves empty faster than they can fill them.  The Williamsport offices are accepting food donations of cereal, soups, pasta, including hamburger helper as well as dairy and meat donations.  The public can go to the Salvation Army on Market Street in Williamsport or drop off donations at the YMCA in Williamsport.

SPORTS

P I-AA District 4 Boys Basketball Playoffs
Class A Finals
Sullivan County 52      Northumberland Christian 41
Class AA Finals
Muncy 65                      St. John Neumann 54
Class AA Consolation  
Northwest 64                 South Williamsport 40
Girls Basketball
Class A Consolation
Lourdes Regional 48      N.P. Liberty 35
Class 3A semifinals
Mount Carmel 60                    Southern Columbia 56
Loyalsock 40                 Bloomsburg 36

GIRLS
Class A Finals Tonight 6pm
St. John Neumann vs Meadowbrook Christian @ Milton HS
Class AA Finals Tonight 7:30pm
South Williamsport vs Line Mountain @ Milton HS
Class AA Consolation Tonight 7pm
Northeast Bradford vs Northwest @ SullivanCo.
BOYS
Class A Consolation Tonight 7pm
Galeton vs N.P. Liberty  @ Wellsboro HS
Class 3A Final Saturday 7pm
Mansfield vs Troy @ Mansfield University
Class AAA Consolation Friday at 6pm
Loyalsock vs Warrior Run @ Montoursville HS

NBA
76ers 119             Heat 96
Suns 105              Hornets 91
Bulls 117              Pistons 115
Celtics 117           Cavaliers 113
Knicks 142           Nets 118
Grizzlies 113        Rockets 99
Bucks 139           Magic 117
Lakers 123           Thunder 117
Pelicans 121         Blazers 110
NHL
Rangers 3                    Flyers 2
Oilers 5                        Maple Leafs 2
Stars 4                         Coyotes 2
Devils 7                       Avalanche 5
Capitals 3                    Ducks 2
Golden Knights 3 Hurricanes 2
NCAA Men’s Basketball last night
Alabama 90                    Auburn 85
TCU 75                Texas 73
Gonzaga 104        Chicago State 65
Kansas State 85   Oklahoma 69  
UConn 88            Depaul 59
Xavier 94             Providence 89
Ohio State 73       Maryland 62
Vanderbilt 68       Kentucky 66
Notre Dame 88  Pittsburgh 81

BACKYARD BROADCASTING LOCAL NEWS MARCH 1, 2023

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 4th Street in Williamsport . According to the library’s website, “Girls Who Code” is a book club for all genders in 3rd through 5th 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 16th 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

BACKYARD BROADCASTING LOCAL NEWS FEBRUARY 28, 2023

WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY STILL IN PLACE

Another day of wintry weather with the Winter Weather Advisory in place til 11 am this morning with several schools on two and three hour delays this morning. The weather forecaster’s call tomorrow the first day of meteorological Spring – March 1st – and temperatures are on the rise according to Accuweather.  Even so, as we deal with the precipitation, PennDOT Crews will be treating roads in the region until roads are clear. 

ONE RESCUED FROM HOUSE FIRE MONDAY

One person was rescued from a fire Monday morning in Shamokin.  According to media outlets, Northumberland County communications said volunteers were called to a fire that broke out around 4am yesterday at a home on East Commerce Street where flames were coming through the roof at the time of first responders’ arrival. The victim in the fire was successfully pulled from the home and treated for minor injuries at the scene and will be helped by the American Red Cross.  The Sunbury ladder truck assisted along with crews from Shamokin, Coal Township, Kulpmont, Elysburg and Overlook.

TROUT RUN MAN ARRESTED FOR THEFT

A Trout Run man has been charged with felony burglary, theft and receiving stolen property after he allegedly stole over 22 thousand dollars-worth of cash and other items from his brother’s home in Cogan House Township and attempted to use the money for a down payment on a used truck at a dealership in Mansfield last August.  According to the Sun Gazette, PA State Police say Cody Short was recently arraigned for the cash theft as well for the alleged theft of power tools and four guns as well as a 2007 Jeep Wrangler which was later found abandoned.  Short was released on 50 thousand dollars bail.

LEGISLATION TO KEEP DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME

As we face spring forward soon, a Pennsylvania State Senator representing Berks and Lancaster County has re-introduced legislation to make Daylight Saving Time Permanent.  According to WHTM, Senator Scott Martin says the State Senate Government Committee previously passed a resolution and that the US Senate previously approved the Sunshine Protection Act or 2021, but it did not pass in the house.  At this time, 29 state have legislation on the books to end the annual Fall Back, Spring forward routine.  We spring ahead one hour in Pennsylvania March 12th .

JERSEY SHORE FAMILY IN TROUBLE AFTER DISPUTE

A Jersey Shore woman is now facing charges after she got involved in an altercation that one of two of her brothers had between himself and a neighbor in January.  According to the Sun Gazette, police say 46 year old Amanda Cooper drove onto the property at the 100 block of Whyne Road as her brother, 44 year old Adam Worden, III, was joined by another brother, 41 year old Kris Worden, who were both involved in an argument that escalated to an alleged assault on the State Troopers who initially arrived on the scene.  Cooper allegedly ignored trooper’s orders to stop her vehicle during the incident, putting police in danger of being hit by her vehicle.  Both Worden brothers were arrested Janaury 7th and face further court action.  Cooper was now also arraigned on assault charges, resisting arrest, and disorderly conduct.

ARIZONA MAN ARRESTED IN WILLIAMSPORT FOR PUBLIC DRUNKENESS

A 30 year old man from Tucson Arizona was arrested for public drunkenness in Williamsport February 11th .  According to the Sun Gazette, police say Dylan Helm was heavily intoxicated and threw a skateboard at a parked vehicle at the 300 block of Laurel Street.  When authorities arrived around 11:30pm they said Helm refused to be handcuffed and required assistance to stand up. Helm is now is free on 5 thousand dollars bail after waiving his preliminary hearing. 

RENOVATIONS FOR CITY HOUSING

Eight units managed by the Lycoming Housing Authority in Williamsport will be upgraded after bids for the materials for countertops and cabinets were approved this month.  According to the Sun Gazette, Your Building Center had the successful bid of just over 39 thousand dollars.  The renovations are necessary after the housing units were not ADA compliant.  Units at the William Hepburn High Rise, the Peter Herdic High Rise and Robert Montgomery Homes will see the kitchen and bathroom renovations that will accommodate wheelchairs. The lowest bid for the building project without the materials was 647,571 dollars.

UNION COUNTY SEEKING LIVING WWII VETERANS

The volunteers who worked to gather names for the Union County World War II Honor Roll in the Mifflinburg Community Park are working now to locate any living veterans among the 2,260 who are listed on the permanent monument.  According to the Standard-Journal, Volunteer Doug Walter and his father-in-law, Al Hess along with World War II veteran Drew Machamer created the idea for the now 20 year old memorial that rests between the Little League fields and community swimming pool at the park. To provide the name of a World War II veteran from Union County who is still living, contact Walter at 570-713-8919 or e-mail at [email protected].

SPORTS

P I-AA District 4 Basketball Playoffs Tonight
Boys Class 3A
Warrior Run vs Troy @ Montoursville HS 6:30pm
Loyalsock vs Mansfield @Montoursville HS 8pm
Class 4A
Lewisburg vs Shamokin @Danville HS 6:30pm
Athens vs Danville @Montoursville HS at 5 PM

Girls Class 4A
Lewisburg vs Jersey shore @ Danville HS 5pm
Shamokin vs Central Columbia @ Danville HS 8pm


NBA
Heat 101             76ers 99
Hornets 117        Pistons 106  
Knicks 109         Celtics 94
Mgic 101            Pelicans 93

NHL
Senator 6             Redwings 2
Canucks 5           Stars 4
Bruins 3              Oilers 2
Avalanche 3        Golden Knights 0
Ducks 4               Blackhawks 2

NCAA Men’s Basketball
Baylor 74            Oklahoma State 68

BACKYARD BROADCASTING LOCAL NEWS FEBRUARY 23, 2023

MAN ACCUSED OF RECORD NUMBER OF SEX OFFENSES

A Muncy man was arraigned this week on more than a thousand sex offenses against children after an investigation that started because a phone tip to police uncovered hundreds of incidences of abuse against minors ranging in age from 4 to 17.  According to the Sun Gazette, Timothy Darren Stroud Sr. of Penn Street was accused of the record number of offenses following many interviews conducted by troopers investigating the crimes that allegedly occurred mostly in the Salladasburg area.  Stroud is in the Lycoming County Prison on no bail.

LOCK HAVEN MAN RAMS HOME WITH VEHICLE

A Lock Haven man has been charged with aggravated assault and more after police say he rammed his vehicle into a home in Liberty Township last Saturday.  According to the Record Online 24 year old Kaine Darby was allegedly under the influence of alcohol and marijuana when residents at the home on Liberty Street called police reporting a man had rammed the side of the house with a black Hummer around 4am on the 18th.  State police at Rockview reported there was damage to the structure, walkway and front door of the home .  They located Darby nearby at a truck stop and took him into custody. He is in Centre County prison in lieu of 140 thousand dollars bail.

BARN FIRE IN HERNDON

Northumberland County 911was called when a barn caught fire around 10:30pm Tuesday night near Herndon.  According to witnesses, a skid loader was on fire inside the barn at 1125 Herndon Bypass Road, where livestock were rescued and no injuries were reported.  Fire crews only reported minor damage to the barn.  The blaze was under control in about an hour after volunteers first arrived on the scene.

RENOVATIONS FOR BEAVER STADIUM

Penn State University’s Beaver Stadium is looking forward to multi-phase renovations with administration there saying the project is in the finalization stages and that no part of it will be funded by student tuition or the educational budget.  According to North Central PA dot com, the iconic stadium at the corner of Porter Road and Park Avenue in State College last underwent a renovation in 2001 and has doubled in size since its inception in 1960.  The economic impact in Centre County alone for football visitor spending is estimated at $87 million, while attendee spending for all Penn State athletic events generates $149 million in Centre County.

HEROIN DEALER ARRESTED ON ROUTE 15

A Snyder County man, who arranged a drug deal with a police informant in January, was arrested by state troopers at a traffic stop along Route 15 in Lewisburg.  According to North Central PA dot com, when police recognized and stopped 43 year old Scotch Bruce Hanning, a K-9 officer determined there were drugs in the vehicle.  With a search warrant police found bundles of heroin, plastic containers of cocaine, methamphetamine and other drugs in the car, and later, with another warrant found cash, more heroin and paraphernalia at Hanning’s home.  His preliminary hearing is March 23 in Union County; he is incarcerated in lieu of 50 thousand dollars bail.

MEN CHARGED FOR DAMAGING GAMING MACHINES AT LAUDROMAT

Two men have been arrested for damaging and stealing from gaming machines at a self-serve laundromat in Berwick January 5th.  According to North Central PA dot com, surveillance video shows 30-year-old Adrian Michael Bankes and 40-year-old Joseph Stephen Slusser Jr attempting to break into machines at the facility with a hammer and screwdrivers and later returning with a bigger sledgehammer and smashing the machines stealing the cash boxes taking over 190 dollars from the games.  They were charged with criminal mischief and theft.

MENTAL HEALTH DAY LEGISLATION INTRODUCED

A Pennsylvania State Representative from Montgomery County has introduced legislation that says students in the Commonwealth should be able to take absences without a Doctor’s note for mental health days.  According to WHTM a memo to House members from Rep. Napoleon Nelson states three excused mental health days would encourage students to take care of their mental health as they would their physical health.  Nelson says Oregon and Utah have implemented similar measures for students.

UPTOWN MUSIC COLLECTIVE GOES SOUTHERN ROCK

Students from Williamsport’s Uptown Music Collective will present “Free Bird:  A tribute to Southern Rock” at the Community Arts Center next month for two performances.  According to a press release from the Collective, music of southern rock bands including the Allman brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd and much more will be featured March 10th and 11th by students who have been working for months on the challenging guitar work, according to executive director Dave Brumbaugh.  The show is directed by senior UMC students and is sponsored by UPMC North Central Pa., Geisinger Janet Weis Children’s Hospital, and Hudock Capital Group.  Get tickets at caclive.com and info about the show at uptownmusic dot org.

SPORTS

P I-AA District 4 Basketball Playoffs
Districts 4 and 6

Class 5A Semifinals 

Central Mountain 49   Hollidaysburg 44

Bellefonte 49               Selinsgrove 38

Wildcats vs Red Raiders for District Championship this Saturday 3pm in Cresson 

HS Basketball Playoffs Tonight
Boys Class 2A
7pm – Sayre @Muncy,
7:30pm – East Juniata @South Williamsport
            Canton at Northwest
            Northeast Bradford at Saint John Neumann
Class 3A
7pm – Hughesville @  Mansfield
             Southern Columbia @ Loyalsock
            Warrior Run @ Wellsboro 
            Towanda @ Troy

Girls Class 1A
6pm – Benton@ St John Neumann
6:30pm – Cowanesque Valley @Lourdes Regional
7pm –  Millville @North Penn Liberty
            Bucktail @ Meadowbrook Christian

Class 2A
6pm – Northumberland Christian @ Northwest
Class 4A
7pm-  Danville @ Central Columbia
            Mifflinburg @ Shamokin
            Montoursville @ Jersey Shore
            Athens @ Lewisburg



NHL
Islanders 2           Jets 1
Flames 6               Coyotes 3
Blackhawks 4       Stars 3

NCAA Men’s Basketball
Houston 89           Tulane 59
Alabama 78                   South Carolina 76
Boston College 63         Virginia 48
Yukon 87             Providence 69

NBA
It’s the 76ers and the Grizzlies tonight at 7:30 on TNT

BACKYARD BROADCASTING LOCAL NEWS FEBRUARY 22, 2023

WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY

A winter weather advisory for the region will be in place this morning starting at about 10am until 3pm today.   Penn DOT Crews will be treating roads in the in north central PA during the storm and advise those who have to travel to be cautious where road surfaces, bridge decks and overpasses are icy and to use 511pa dot com to check road conditions. According to the National Weather service, Lycoming and surrounding counties could see up to an inch of snow and ice accumulations. 

SUSPECT IN CLEARFIELD COUNTY ROBBERY APPREHENDED

The Centre County man who police have sought since a robbery at the Fuel On convenience store in Chester Hill in Clearfield County has been captured.  According to State Police at Lamar, residents in the Green Township area were advised to shelter in place last Thursday after 32 year old Craig Steven Hauke-Miller of Lamont had fled on foot from a traffic accident and police released a be on the lookout for alert Friday.  Hauke-Miller was taken into custody after police located him at a home in Huston Township Clearfield County after 9pm Sunday.

LYCO DA SEEKS INPUT FROM AMISH PASSENGERS IN VAN CRASH

The District Attorney in Lycoming County is interested in speaking with the Amish people involved in the tractor trailer crash that occurred last November on I-180 in Montoursville .  According to PennLive, the Amish people from Mifflin County were passengers in a van driven by Richard Spoonire of Hagerstown, Maryland, when he attempted to use the crossover on the interstate and allegedly pulled in front of a rig driven by a man from Lancaster County, causing an accident that caused fatal injuries to Spoonire’s wife and injured the other passengers.  Because the Amish don’t use personal phones, DA Ryan Gardner is reaching out by letter and considering sending a detective to get input on whether to press charges.

BELOVED WASD MUSIC TEACHER PASSES

A former music educator, Albert J Nacinovich of Lewisburg, who spent his entire career teaching all levels of music at Williamsport Area High School passed away peacefully Saturday surrounded by family.  He was 83.  According to the Sun Gazette, Mr. Nacinovich earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education at Mansfield State College in 1960, and completed a Masters in Music Education at Ithaca College in 1965; retiring in 1996.  Nacinovich was the conductor of the Repasz band from 1982 until 2019.  An 11am mass to honor Mr Nacinovich will be held February 23rd at St Boniface Catholic Church.

COUPLE ESCAPES DUBOISTOWN FIRE

A couple from Duboistown narrowly escaped a fire that destroyed their Cochran Avenue home early Tuesday morning.  According to the Sun Gazette, a neighbor who noticed the flames engulfing the back of the house around 2am, helped  44 year old David Fackler and 37 year old Carissa Oblock climb from their bedroom window. Firefighters from DuBoistown were assisted by multiple local fire companies to battle the blaze that took about an hour to control.  The couple who is being helped by the American Red Cross,  were treated at UPMC Williamsport for smoke inhalation.  The fire marshal said the blaze began in the area of an enclosed back porch, and there was about 200 thousand dollars damage.

HOMICIDE CHARGES DISMISSED IN INFANT DEATH

A Williamsport woman may only serve four years in state prison for felony assault and child endangerment after a judge dismissed homicide charges following the death of her 5 month old daughter in January of 2021.  According to North Central PA dot com, court records indicate 24 year old Corrie Shanikah Cowlay-Saunders may have been suffering from post-partum depression when she was first accused in the death of her child.  After an investigation, there was no physical evidence incriminating Cowlay-Saunders and the Lycoming County coroner determined the death to be of unknown causes.

GUN DISCOVERED ON STUDENT VISITING SHAMOKIN SCHOOL

Coal Township Police were called to Shamokin Area Middle and High School yesterday morning after a student was found to have a firearm in their backpack.  According to a statement by Shamokin Superintendent Chris Venna, school staff discovered the weapon and took appropriate protocols to notify administration, parents and police.  The student, who is an out-of-district student from the Mount Carmel Area schools attending a program at Shamokin, was removed from the school campus.  There were no injuries and the students and staff continued the regular school day after the incident.

STAR PARTY TO BE HELD AT RIDER PARK

There will be a star party hosted by the First Community Foundation Partnership of Pennsylvania March 25th at Rider Park in Lycoming County.  According to the Sun Gazette, the FCFP will bring in physics students from Lycoming College to interpret the night sky on the night of a new moon when they say it should be dark enough to see lots of stars.  This family friendly event is free but require pre-registration by emailing FCFP at FCFP partnership dot org.  Directions to the park are at riderpark.org.

SPORTS

PIAA District 4 Basketball Playoffs
Class 2A Girls
South Williamsport 69            Wyalusing 38
Northeast Bradford 55           Canton 31
Line Mountain 41                   Muncy 33
Class A Boys
Northumberland Christian 66 Meadowbrook Christian 17
Galeton 44                              Cowanesque Valley 42
Sullivan County 68                 Bucktail 36
North Penn Liberty 51            Lourdes Regional 50
NHL
Oilers 4               Flyers 2
Hurricanes 4       Blues 1
Canadians 5        Devils 2
Lightning 6         Ducks 1
Red Wings 3       Capitals 1
Maple leaf 6        Sabers 3
Wild 2                 Kings 1     
Predators 5          Canucks 4          
Blackhawks 3     Golden Knights 2

NCAA Men’s Basketball  
Texas 72                       Iowa State 54
Kansas State 75            Baylor 65
Marquette 73                Creighton 71
Texas A&M 68            Tennessee 63
Miami 76                      Virginia Tech 70
Villanova 64                Xavier 63
Michigan State 80       Indiana 65
San Diego State 77      Colorado State 58

No NBA until Thursday when the 76ers host the Grizzlies at 7:30 on TNT followed by the Warriors and Lakers at 10 PM

Upcoming

Nov 28

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