BACKYARD BROADCASTING LOCAL NEWS JANUARY 23, 2023

WOMAN SENTENCED FOR STARVING TWO YOUNG SISTERS

Twenty seven year old Echo Butler, who plead guilty to two counts of criminal conspiracy to commit murder was sentenced  to two consecutive life terms in state prison without the possibility of parole.  According to the Sun Gazette, the courtroom was full of family and friends of the victims, 6 year old Nicole Elisabeth and 4 year old Jasmin Jean Snyder, who died of starvation under the care of Butler and their mother, Marie Snyder.  During an investigation police discovered the girls bodies in a shallow grave behind a mobile home belonging to a family member in Hepburn Township in November 2021.

NEW POOL FILTER FOR CITY FACILITY

Williamsport City Council has approved the use of American Rescue Plan funds to purchase a pool filter in order to get the facility ready for a summer opening.  According to the Sun Gazette, the cost of the system is just about 270 thousand dollars, and should be installed in about a month.  Other American Rescue Plan funds were awarded to GPI Engineering to design a levee pump station, with a remaining 1.7 million dollars left in the ARP funds for future construction management.

COMMISSIONERS WANT TO ID DANGEROUS INTERSECTIONS

The Lycoming County Commissioners are looking for the public’s help in finding dangerous intersections within the county.  According to the Sun Gazette, the Lycoming County transportation department is revising and updating the transportation plan for the county, and are looking for information about the most dangerous intersections with red lights in Lycoming County.  Commissioner Tony Mussare is urging the public to report the areas they’re most concerned about, by calling the transportation department at 570-320-2138.  The Commissioners next meeting is January 26th at 10am at 330 Pine Street.

DIGITAL DRIVER’S LICENSE COULD BE COMING TO PA

Pennsylvania Lawmakers are working to accelerate the digital driver’s license plan for the state. The new legislation would not eliminate the need for a physical copy of the license, but would provide an additional way for people to present identification.  According to Patch dot com, the bill calls for PennDOT  to develop an app for downloading and renewing licenses for a reasonable fee. The concept is already in use in 10 states, including Ohio, Connecticut, Kentucky, and others.

WALMART CASHIER CHARGED WITH THEFT

A man working as a cashier at the Montoursville Walmart has been charged with felony retail theft for scanning items for customers without ringing them up last November and December.  According to North Central PA dot com, 18 year old Jaheem Brown passed items without actually scanning them seven times before loss-prevention officers who saw video of the incidents called Montoursville police January 7th.  Brown was arrested and posted 75hundred dollars bail  and will have a preliminary hearing January 30th.

PLAYERS ACCUSED OF HAZING, WAIVE PRELIMINARY HEARING

The four Mount Carmel area football players accused of a hazing incident in 2020 have waived their preliminary hearings to Northumberland County Court last week.  According to the News Item, the cases for Tyler Owens, Michael Balichik, Reed Witkoski and Damon Dowkus will head directly to court. The alleged incidents happened at watch parties the team held in 2020. When reports of the incident were brought to the attention of school officials, they cancelled the remainder of the 2020 football season. Magisterial District Judge William Cole, was originally to hear the case but recused himself.

DAN MEUSER SUPPORTS LEVEE IMPROVEMENTS

A federal lawmaker U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Dallas, representing the new 9th Congressional District recently met to lend his support on several important local projects in and around the City of Williamsport. As reported by Sun Gazette, Meuser voiced his support on levee recertification including talk of possible federal money to be earmarked toward the continuing improvements needed on the levee, which must be improved otherwise those protected by it must pay untenable flood insurance.

HOSPITAL TO CONVERT TO OUTPATIENT EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT

UPMC Lock Haven is about to work with the Pennsylvania Department of Health to convert services at UPMC Lock Haven to an outpatient emergency department -the first of its kind in the commonwealth.  The facility will be staffed 24/7 by a comprehensive team of physicians and nurses with UPMC specialists continuing to offer outpatient services in Lock Haven. UPMC in North Central Pa. intends to retain and incorporate 100% of the Lock Haven employees by placing them in comparable positions at UPMC facilities in the region.

SPORTS

NFL Saturday
Eagles 38            Giants 7
Chiefs 27            Jaguars 20
NFL Sunday
49ers 19              Cowboys 12
Bengals 27          Bills 10
Sunday, January 29
NFC Championship
49ers in the Eagles 3pm on FOX
AFC Championship
Bengals vs the Chiefs 6:30pm on CBS

NBA
Clippers 112       Mavericks 98
Heat 100             Pelicans 96
Raptors 125        Knicks 116
Thunder 101       Nuggets 99
Suns 112             Grizzlies 110
Nets 120              Warriors 116
Lakers  121         Trailblazers 112

NHL
Devils 2               Penguins 1
Jets 5                   Flyers 3
Bruins 4              Sharks 0
Kings 2                Blackhawks 1
Coyotes 4            Golden Knights 1

NCAA Men’s Basketball
Temple 56                    Houston 55
Purdue 58                     Maryland 55
UConn 86                     Butler 56

BACKYARD BROADCASTING LOCAL NEWS JANUARY 20, 2023

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 4th.  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 23rd.

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 3rd.  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 23rd.

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 5th 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

BACKYARD BROADCASTING LOCAL NEWS JANUARY 19, 2023

PENNDOT TREATING ROADS FOR ICE

PennDOT crews are out on the roads this morning and there is an advisory that motorists should be aware of changing weather conditions and that limiting travel is advised.  Weather predictions call for freezing rain in the morning hours which could cause potential icy conditions. Crews are spreading salt and anti-skid and will continue treating the roads in the region during the storm and until roads are clear.  

WILLIAMSPORT COUPLE DISPLACED BY FIRE

The Red Cross is assisting a couple from Williamsport who were displaced when a fire damaged their home.  According to the Sun gazette, city fire Chief Samuel Aungst told the Sun Gazette, that a lit candle was the cause of the fire at 1720 Malvin Place on January 13th and that Daniel and Nancy Morrett escaped any serious injury.  The home sustained over 5 thousand dollars-worth of damage.

NO TAX HIKE EXPECTED IN MUNCY

Approving a resolution to stay within the state’s measure for determining property tax increases justified by wage inflation of 5.2% for the next budget year, the Muncy School board has capped any millage rate increase at.869.  According to the Sun Gazette, Muncy School Board President Scott Johnson says the district has not raised taxes in three years and other administers say a tax hike is not something they foresee. A proposed budget may be approved by the board in April with a deadline for a final spending plan on June 30th.

HARLEM WIZARDS TO HELP RAISE FUNDS FOR WASD

The Williamsport Area School District Education Foundation will hold a fundraiser next month hosting the Harlem Wizards at the Magic Dome at Williamsport Area High School.  According to the Sun Gazette, the family friendly game presented by Geisinger, will feature basketball wizardry on the hardwood by the New Jersey based group.  This is the third time the Harlem Wizards have come to Williamsport and will play a team of teachers, principals, staff and students for the “Millionaire Magicians” Team, previously raising  almost 80 thousand dollars for the education foundation. Advance tickets are $10 for students and $15 for general admission  for the event February 9th at 6:30.

MOBILE HOME FIRE IN MONTOUR COUNTY

A Montour Township woman lost her mobile home Sunday after a fire destroyed the structure that started around 2am.  According to the Press Enterprise, Sheila Kressler woke to smoke filling her 80 foot Montour Boulevard trailer overnight.  Fire crews from Montour and Columbia County responded along with crews from Buckhorn, Bloomsburg, Catawissa Danville and Mahoning Township who worked with volunteers to protect an electrical panel and two large propane tanks on the property. The fire was contained to Kressler’s property with no injuries reported and no other homes were damaged.

MUNCY MAN CHARGED FOR SOLICITING 15 YEAR OLD

A Muncy man is due in court January 20th after he attempted to meet up with a 15 year old boy on a dating app, but who was instead a local person posing as a boy in order to catch predators.  According to North Central PA dot com, police were waiting for 50 year old Brian David Hess when he arrived at the predetermined meeting place in Muncy.  Hess was charged with felony criminal attempt of deviate sexual acts with a minor, corruption of minors and other charges.  Hess was incarcerated at Lycoming County Prison.

NEW AG IN PENNSYLVANIA

Pennsylvania’s new Attorney General has been named after the former Attorney General Josh Shapiro resigned ahead of his inauguration as Governor Tuesday. According to Pennsylvania Attorney General social media accounts, career prosecutor Michelle Henry is set to serve as Attorney General.  Henry will be the fourth woman to serve as attorney general, a list that includes Kathleen Kane who was previously found guilty of perjury in a 2016 trial in which Henry served as the prosecutor.

SCHOOL AGE SINGERS SOUGHT IN SELINSGROVE

The Susquehanna Valley Youth Chorale is holding auditions this weekend for student singers from 2nd to 12th grade to rehearse and perform in Selinsgrove.  According to North Central PA dot com, Youth music director Coleen Renshaw is scheduling auditions as well as holding auditions Saturday from 10 til noon and Monday 6 to 8pm at Sharon Lutheran Church on South Market Street in Selinsgrove.  SVYC’s youth program complements school music programs,  giving talented youth singers the opportunity to sing and perform at an advanced level with other highly motivated singers.  Successful candidates will rehearse Mondays starting January 30th through the April 23rd performance at the church.

SPORTS

PIAA District IV

Boys Basketball
Southern Columbia 72  Loyalsock 66
Hughesville 53               Mount Carmel 47
Shikellamy 80                Jersey Shore 55
Central Columbia 69     Midd-West 42
Bloomsburg 53              Warrior Run 47
Danville 70                    Mifflinburg 63
Lewisburg 50                 Montoursville 39
Shamokin 69                  Milton 50
Central Mountain 51     Selinsgrove 42

Girls Basketball
NE Bradford 47   Athens 45 (OT)
Montgomery 42   CMVT 8
Towanda 44                   North Penn-Liberty 29
Benton 40            Bucktail 39
Northwest  52      St. John Neumann 46
NP-Mansfield 41  Wyalusing 38
South Wmspt 58  Sullivan County 21
Wellsboro 42        Canton 33
Muncy 55             Millville 36

NBA
Wizards 116         Knicks 105
Hawks 130                     Mavericks 122
Hornets 122         Rockets 117
Grizzlies 115        Cavaliers 114
Heat 124              Pelicans 98
Thunder 126        Pacers 106
Jazz 126               Clippers 103
Nuggets 122         Timberwolves 118
Kings 116             Lakers 111
NHL
Senators 5            Penguins 4
Bruins 4               Islanders 1
Avalanche 4         Flames 1
Sharks 5               Stars 3
Lightning 5                     Canucks 2



NCAA Men’s Basketball
DePaul 73                     Xavier  72
Virginia 78         Virginia Tech 68
West Virginia 74         TCU 65
Seton Hall  67              Yukon 66
Marquette 83                Providence 75
Missouri 79                  Arkansas 76
Auburn 67                    LSU 49

BACKYARD BROADCASTING LOCAL NEWS JANUARY 17, 2023

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 2nd.  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 48th 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

BACKYARD BROADCASTING LOCAL NEWS JANUARY 16, 2023

PERCEIVED THREAT CAUSES SCHOOL LOCKDOWN

A group of State Troopers heading through 220 to 118 last week were rushing to the scene of suspicious activity at the East Lycoming School District’s Renn Elementary Friday morning at about 10:30 am. According to Northcentralpa.com, witnesses say a vehicle entered the school parking lot, traveling the wrong direction, and abruptly left but then returned. Staff called 911 and the school was locked down. Police say the driver of the vehicle had been dealing with a medical emergency and no weapons were recovered. The school remained on lockdown for about an hour before resuming normal operations.

WOMAN CHARGED FOR UNDER-RINGING ITEMS AT GROCERY STORE

A woman from Muncy has ultimately been charged with felony retail theft after Weis employees recently caught her under-wringing items at the check out November 16thwhich, at the time, resulted in a misdemeanor.  According to North Central PA dot com, after investigators checked surveillance camera footage, it turns out 30 year old Shelby Hoffman had under-rang items 27 times at the Muncy Weis Markets before – between Sept. 1 to Nov. 14, 2022. It was discovered she had stolen over 26-hundred dollars-worth of items.  Hoffman was arraigned this week in District Court.

HAND RECOUNT IN LYCOMING COUNTY RESULTS RELEASED

In the hand re-count of the November 2020 Election in Lycoming County had small fluctuations in the total but nothing close that had been alleged by the concerned citizens seeking to find answers about alleged miscounted votes and ballot harvesting.  According to the Sun Gazette, Trump actually won by seven fewer votes than had originally been reported following the election — 41,462 to 41,455. Biden, according to the hand count lost in the county by 15 more votes –16,971 to 16,956. Jo Jorgenson, the Libertarian candidate gained four votes — 821 to 825. The board of elections will meet at 10 a.m. Jan. 24 at the commissioners’ Board Room, 330 Pine St., to discuss the results.

DREAM WEEK 2023 INCLUDES PEACE WALK TODAY

Martin Luther King, Jr., National Day of Service is today Monday January 16th and Dream Week 2023 continues in Williamsport this week There will be opportunities on the Penn College and Lycoming College campuses to perform acts of Service and through the week and the STEP AmeriCorps will have their Peace Walk, at noon starting at the Jackie Robinson statue at Third and Market Streets in Williamsport.  Activities at the James V Brown Library start at 10:30 for children.  More information at pct.edu or Lycoming .edu.

LOYALSOCK MAN CHARGED WITH PROWLING

The Loyalsock Township man who faced charges of assaulting a police officer after he refused to leave UPMC Williamsport on October 23rd has been arrested again on loitering charges after he was found prowling at the 500 block of Pine Street January 3rd.  According to the Sun Gazette, 44 year old Thomas Daniel Ertel was charged with the assault, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct last year, but now faces more along with loitering, Ertel was charged with public drunkenness.  He is jailed in lieu of 10 thousand dollars bail.

POINT DRIVE-IN WILL HAVE A 2023 SEASON

Plans for the Solar Farm that was to take over the land and close Point Drive-in between Northumberland and Danville have fallen through and the owners of the drive-in have announced there will be a 2023 season!  According to a Facebook post by David Renn, the owner of the drive-in said that there won’t be any season passes sold for now, but they will be hiring for the season soon and  are looking forward to seeing you under the stars!  The Point Drive-in is on Route 11 between Northumberland and Danville.

INAUGURATION DAY IN HARRISBURG TODAY

Gov.-elect Josh Shapiro named more members of his administration – this time in the arena of public safety at the end of last week, including the first woman to ever be named as the Secretary of Corrections, Dr. Laurel Harry who has 24 years of Commonwealth Experience in the Department of Corrections and was named 2019 Warden of the Year.  Also named were , Randy Padfield as Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency director, Christopher Paris as state police commissioner, Tom Cook as state fire commissioner, and Mark Schindler as adjutant general.  Rep. Mike Carroll, a Democrat from Luzerne County, was also tapped Friday for the top job at the Department of Transportation.  Shapiro will be sworn in Tuesday at the State Capitol Building in Harrisburg.

SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM FOR PA SENIORS

Graduating High School Seniors may be able to take advantage of a new scholarship program vreated by the PA House.  According to North Central PA dot com, the 2023 Pennsylvania House of Representatives Scholarship program is administered through The Foundation for Enhancing Communities and provides four-year scholarships to two high school seniors per year.  Those who qualify will be legal residents of PA, have a 3.0 or better GPA, exhibit leadership  and a commitment to their community, have financial need, and attend a PA College, university, or career school as a full-time student.  Details at www.tfec.org.

SPORTS

NFL Sunday
Bengals 24          Ravens 17
Bills 34               Dolphins 31
Giants 31            Vikings 24

NFL Monday Night Football
NFC wildcard Playoffs
Cowboys vs the Buccaneers Tampa at 8:15 on ABC
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/Tampa Bay at San Francisco 49ers FOX


The AFC and NFC Championship Games, presented by Intuit TurboTax, will take place on Sunday, January 29

NBA
76ers 113            Lakers 112
Knicks 117         Pistons 104  
Clippers 121       Rockets 100
Bulls 132            Warriors 118
Thunder 112       Nets 102
Kings 132           Spurs 119
Nuggets 119       Magic 116
Trailblazers 140 Mavericks 123

NHL
Canucks 4           Hurricanes 3
Canadiens 2        Rangers 1
Jets 2                   Coyotes 1


NCAA basketball
St. John’s 85       UConn 74
Xavier 80            Marquette 76

NASCAR Kevin Harvick announced that 2023 will be his final full-time season according to his social media accounts. The 2023 NASCAR season kicks off with the Clash at the Coliseum next month, February 5th , then the Daytona 500 is February 16th , in Daytona Beach, Florida.

BACKYARD BROADCASTING LOCAL NEWS JANUARY 13, 2023

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 16th 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 3rd  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 17th.

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

BACKYARD BROADCASTING LOCAL NEWS JANUARY 12, 2023

FATHER OF ACCUSED MURDERER TO FACE TRIAL

Endangering the welfare of children and obstruction of justice charges will not be dismissed against Ronald Butler, the father of one of the women who are accused of killing a 4 and 6 year old girl in 2021 in Hepburn Township.  According to Penn Live, the case will proceed to trial after Judge Nancy L. Butts said there is evidence that 54 year old Butler knew the children were in danger yet didn’t stop the abuse, and that he knew his daughter Echo, and Marie Sue Snyder fled the county to avoid an investigation by Children and Youth before the girls’ remains were found buried behind Butler’s Livermore Road home.

ELECTION HAND RECOUNT IS COMPLETE IN LYCOMING COUNTY

The hand recount of the November 2020 election in Lycoming County was completed yesterday, much sooner than originally anticipated.  According to the Sun Gazette, actual results for the public to analyze are going to take a little longer since the information has to be compiled from hand written pages.  According to the director of Voter Services, Forrest Lehman, a final result comparing the recount result with the original official certified results will be announced next week. Results from the presidential and auditor general races in 2020 were the ballots involved in the recount.

PHILLY DA IMPEACHMENT TRIAL POSTPONED

After a Commonwealth Court judge has ruled that the articles of impeachment against Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner don’t meet the constitutional standard for misbehavior in office, the POA Senate voted to indefinitely postpone the trial that was set to begin January 18th.  According to the Daily Item, Republicans in the House and Senate now have to decide whether to appeal the ruling.  There is criticism of Krasner’s internal policies and approach to prosecuting crime in Philadelphia that some say further risks public safety. Krasner has repeatedly denied the accusations against him and say it’s an attempt to undercut Philadelphia voters who successfully voted for him twice.

NEW FOOD COURT ITEMS AT 2023 THE FARM SHOW

There are new food court items to try at the 2023 Pennsylvania Farm Show through this Saturday, the final day of the annual agriculture event in Harrisburg.  Pierogis in butter and sautéed onions are featured by the PA Cooperative Potato Growers as a new option, the Orange cream milkshake is a featured flavor this year from the PA Dairymen’s Association, too.  There’s Apple Cotton candy from the state Horticulture association and Portabella Jerky from the Mushroom Farmers of PA.  According to farmshow.pa.gov, the food court is open 8am til 9pm through Friday and 8am til 5pm on Saturday night. 

LOCK HAVEN MAN FACES MORE FELONIES FOR FLEEING CUSTODY

A formerly convicted felon from Lock Haven has been convicted of more felonies for attempting to flee Sherriff’s custody after sentencing for theft charges in July of 2021.  According to the Record Online, 36 year old Matthew Joseph Cole was convicted in a one-day jury trial last Friday where he represented himself in Clinton County Court.  Court records say Cole had just been sentenced to 15-48 months in state prison over a year ago, before running and escaping custody, requiring him to be tackled by deputies and eventually subdued by a taser.  The sentencing for this will be in March when Cole goes to trial on charges of a prior attempted escape from the Clinton County Correctional Facility on September 14, 2021.

EMPLOYEE ARRESTED FOR JEWELRY THEFT

A Lycoming County woman is free on bail after she allegedly stole jewelry from her employer.  According to the Sun Gazette, 42 year old Melissa Marie Badger faces felony theft charges after a search warrant turned up over 5 thousand dollars-worth of items police say she took from from Marc Williams Goldsmith, where she had been employed for three months beginning last April.  Badger’s bail was set at 25 thousand dollars during her arraignment in District Court.

PENNDOT SAYS SEATBELTS SAVE LIVES

The seatbelt usage statistics for the last full year in Pennsylvania have come in from PennDOT who remind you that drivers and passengers 18 years and older are required to wear a seat belt when behind the wheel or in the front passenger seat.  PennDOT says there were 12,672 crashes in PA in 2021 where at least one person was not wearing a seat belt, resulting in 378 fatalities. In District 3, which includes our local counties, there were 505 crashes where at least one person was not wearing a seat belt, resulting in 27 fatalities with 68 suspected serious injuries in that same year.   Transportation experts continually say wearing a seat belt is the best defense against injury or death in the event of a crash.

PA LIQUOR CONTROL BOARD TO RAISE PRICES

The PA Liquor Control Board is raising prices in the Commonwealth on wine and liquor starting January 15th .  The 4 percent increase on about 35 hundred products statewide is the first time prices have gone up since 2019.  Officials from the PLCB say it’s necessary to maintain the service and products customers expect as well as off-set costs from the past 3 years.

SPORTS

PIAA District 4Boys Basketball
Northwest Area 44                 Montgomery 13
Sullivan County 47                 Muncy 38
Danville 46                              Lewisburg 44
Shamokin 69                           Central Mountain 51
Millville 57                              Bucktail 43
Milton 61                                            Jersey Shore 50
North Penn-Liberty 63            Williamson 22
Montoursville 61                     Midd-West 55
Mount Carmel 47                    Warrior Run 45
South Williamsport 62            CMVT 16
Selinsgrove 52                         Shikellamy 35
Central Columbia 46               Mifflinburg 44
Loyalsock 54                           Hughesville 51

Girls Basketball
Minersville 39                         South Williamsport 37

Wrestling
Canton 47 – Wyalusing 19
Line Mountain 41- Susquenita 34

Mid-Penn Championshipss
Benton 44 – Montgomery 29


NBA
Pistons 135                    Timberwolves 118
Wizards 100                  Bulls  97
Bucks 114            Hawks 105
Celtics 125           Pelicans 114
Knicks 119                    Pacers 113
Grizzlies 135                  Spurs 129  
Nuggets 126                   Suns 97
Kings 135                      Rockets 115

NHL
Flyers 5                Capitals 3
Maple Leafs 2      Predators 1
Oilers 6                Ducks 2
Kings 4                 Sharks 3




NCAA Men’s Basketball
Texas beat TCU 79-75
Duke over Pitt 77-69
Marquette beat UConn 82-76
Houston over South Florida 83-77
Alabama def. Arkansas 84-69

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

BACKYARD BROADCASTING LOCAL NEWS JANUARY 11, 2023

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 28th.  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 31st 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 107th 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 4th. 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 20th.

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 34th 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. 

BACKYARD BROADCASTING LOCAL NEWS JANUARY 10, 2023

LOYALSOCK MAN CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED HOMICIDE

A man from Loyalsock Township is facing attempted homicide and other assault charges after police say he fired a gun at a group outside his home while he was intoxicated.  According to the Sun Gazette, witnesses say 40 year old Coy Daniel Thornton arrived at his home on Walters Road driving erratically down the private drive, then when confronted by neighbors about his driving, Thornton went into his home and brought out a gun and allegedly shot several times at the people he had been arguing with.  State police arrived on the scene and took Thornton into custody without incident and charged him with 6 counts of attempted homicide and other charges, including DUI.  District Judge Denise Deiter denied him bail.

HAND RECOUNT MOVING QUICKLY

The director of voter services in Lycoming County, Forest Lehman, says the hand recount of the 2020 election results that began yesterday is on track to be complete by the end of the week.  According to the Sun Gazette, in the recount of the auditor general and presidential ballots, county employees working on the project, finished the first quarter of the votes from mail-in and provisional ballots and moved on to in-person ballots late Monday.  The recount was requested by concerned citizens and voted upon and approved by County commissioners. Lehman anticipates that the latest count will be very close to the official results.

PA TURNPIKE TOLLS GO UP

Traveling on the Pennsylvania Turnpike just got five percent more expensive.  According the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, the hike affects cash payers more than EZ pass customers since the most common toll for cars goes up to one dollar eighty for the EZ-Pass but 4 dollars and forty cents for toll-by plate customers.  The change took place at midnight Sunday and this increase marks the 15th year in a row that the tolls have gone up. 

SHUNK RESIDENT ENTERS APPLE PIE AT FARM SHOW

A 90 year old woman from Shunk got a top five finish out of 72 entries for her apple pie at the Pennsylvania Farm show this week.  According to North Cetnral PA dot com, this was the first year Eloise Caseman entered at the Farm Show – the first person from Sullivan County to ever enter at this high level.  Caseman who has lived in Shunk for 30 years is an active community member, was awarded  a Lifetime achievement award by the Sullivan County Commissioners in 2022. Get Farm Show details at farmshow.pa.gov.

WILLIAMPSORT WOMAN CHARGED WITH ABUSE OF A CORPSE

A woman who stayed in a Williamsport apartment doing drugs after the man who lived there had died, was charged with abuse of a corpse and theft on Friday.  According to Penn Live, 33 year old Amber Nicole Burkhart told investigators that she had stayed at the Blanchard Street apartment of Ronald Ulmer doing drugs with him last week until he died and never called law enforcement, she also admitted taking money from Ulmer.  After a welfare check that led to discovering Ulmer’s body inside the home, police secured the apartment and left, but Burkhart allegedly returned and was found inside when a burglary was reported at the site.  The Lycoming County Coroner said he will have more information on Ulmer’s death after toxicology tests are returned.

POLICE CHASE THROUGH HUGHESVILLE ENDS IN ARREST

Charges are expected to be filed in the case of a Williamsport man who led state police on a vehicle chase on I-80 and through Hughesville last month.  According to the Sun Gazette, police say 32 year old Elijah Gamon was driving a 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee and failed to stop for a state trooper along I-80 westbound December 18th.  Gamon exited at Pennsdale, hitting PennDOT signs and flattening a tire.  Police continues to follow along Route 220 north, then to 405 and several turns after that until Gamon struck another sign and a tree before disabling his vehicle.  He was transported to UPMC Williamsport and police are continuing an investigation.

GAS DEVELOPMENT FORUM WEDNESDAY NIGHT

The public is invited to a forum on gas development issues at Lycoming College Wednesday .  According to the Sun Gazette, the Chief of the Oil, Gas Minerals Division of the Pennsylvania Game Commission, Michael DiMatteo will focus on on issues surrounding natural gas leasing and development as well as lead a discussion  on ways to reduce the negative impacts of natural resource extraction on the land, water and animals in the Loyalsock Creek watershed on State Game lands. The meeting is tomorrow at 6:30pm in the Heim Science building on the Lycomiong College campus , with parking at Washington and Mulberry.  Details at susquehannatu.com

“WALK-IN WEDNESDAYS” COMING TO UPMC

Those who might be seeking a new employment opportunities have another option in your job search in North Central PA.  According to a press release by UPMC, recruiters are inviting any community member to the UPMC Community Life Center, 641 Walnut St., Williamsport on January 18th and every following third Wednesday each month for “Walk-In Wednesdays”, where there is an opportunity to learn more about available careers at UPMC.  The one-on-one meetings do not require appointments and are offered each of these Wednesdays from 7:30 to 9:30am and 2:30 to 4:30 pm.  Find out more at Careers.UPMC.com.

SPORTS

PIAA District 4
Boys Basketball
Line Mountain 52                 Montgomery 38
Shamokin 60                         Montoursville 43
Wellsboro 48                         Jersey Shore 47
Hughesville 68                      St. John Neumann 53
Williamsport 59                    Selinsgrove 56
Southern Columbia 50         Central Columbia 42
Mount Carmel 59                  South Williamsport 51
North Penn-Liberty 60         Wyalusing 30

Girls Basketball
Meadowbrook Christian 34 Muncy 28
Troy 53                                  Montgomery 9

Wrestling
Canton 66           Sayre 0


NCAA Football
College Football Playoff  National Championship presented by AT&T
Georgia routed TCU 65 -7 giving them their 2nd straight title

NBA
Pelicans 132                 Wizards 112
Celtics 107                   Bulls 99
Bucks 111                    Knicks 107
Grizzlies 121                Spurs 113
Nuggets 122                 Lakers 109
Kings 136                     Magic 111

NHL
Flyers 4               Sabers 0
Kraken 4             Canadiens 0
Predators 3          Senators 0
Kings 6                Oilers 3

BACKYARD BROADCASTING LOCAL NEWS JANUARY 9, 2023

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 31st.  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

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