BACKYARD BROADCASTING LOCAL NEWS AUGUST 3, 2022

MAN PLEADS GUILTY IN THREE CASES AGAINST HIM

A Williamsport man pleaded guilty in three active case against him this week, including possession with intent to deliver, identity theft and attempting to fake a drug test with drug-free urine.  According to North Central PA dot com, Carl Caum could receive up to a 23 month sentence, a fine and probation for the identity theft, running concurrent with the 5 years probation for the drug charges.  Caum will face a judge for sentencing in October.  Caum also will owe over 14 hundred dollars restitution. 

BEAR STRUCK ON ROUTE 120

A Renovo woman struck a bear crossing Route 120 early Sunday morning.  According to State police, Anna M. Young was traveling southbound and while rounding a curve around daybreak on July 31st, and struck the bear crossing Renovo Road.  Police say Young’s car sustained disabling damage, but the woman only suffered minor injuries.  No word on the condition of the bear. 

TURNPIKE TOLLS WILL GO UP IN 2023

There has been a toll increase approved by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission that will raise prices on the highway by five percent.  According to Penn Live, the increase will affect EZ Pass and Toll by Plate customers.  The toll hike is the 15th one in so many years, after the highway commission has been forced to raise tolls to help pay for Pennsylvania’s unmet transportation funding projects – due to Act 44 of 2007.  The new prices take affect on January 8th of 2023.

THEFT AT WALMART IN LEWISBURG

A man from Dalmatia, who police accuse of stealing more than two thousand dollars worth of merchandise from the Walmart in Lewisburg, was charged with a felony.  According to North Central PA dot com, state police at Milton say 25 year old Logan Shaffer stole computer items, a drone, men’s cologne and more July 11th.  Shaffer was arraigned in Lewisburg Courtroom last Thursday.

THIRD-PARTY CANDIDATES FILE FOR NOVEMBER BALLOT

Candidates for Pennsylvania Governor, and US Senate from the Keystone ,  Libertarian  and the Green Parties have filed paperwork prior to the deadline Monday to have their names appear on the November 8th general election ballot.  Each of the groups’ candidates qualified for the ballot by obtaining five thousand signatures from registered voters in Pennsylvania.  Typically, in a close general election, the third party ballots can tip control of the legislation between the major party candidates.

GRANTS MADE AVAILABLE FOR CHICKEN FARMERS

In coordination with the US Department of Agriculture, the Pennsylvania legislature has created a grant program to assist chicken farmers in the commonwealth whose flocks were destroyed due to the highly pathogenic avian influenza or HPAI.  According to the Record Online, the Pennsylvania Legislature created the HPAI Recovery Reimbursement Grant Program to provide $25 million to poultry farmers  and agriculture secretary Russell Redding said the funds  will help poultry farmers regain a foothold after not having any income for months.  Twenty percent of the nation’s avian influenza testing was completed in Pennsylvania laboratories.

HERSHEY SAYS THEY ARE READY FOR HALLOWEEN

Hersheyfoods has issued a statement that there aren’t any anticipated shortages of Halloween candy for 2022.  According to a statement released by Hershey Co., they do struggle with supply issues over cocoa products and supplies from foreign countries effected by the war in Ukraine, but they have planned for it in Hershey and project high single-digit growth for their Halloween and holiday seasons.  Corporate communications from Hershey Co. say Halloween revenue accounts for around 10% of Hershey’s annual sales.

SPORTS

MLB
Reds 2                           Marlins 1
Pirates 5                        Brewers 3
Nationals 5                   Mets 1
Mariners 8                    Yankees 6
Diamondbacks 6          Guardians 3
Braves 13                      Phillies 1
Orioles 8                       Rangers 2
Red Sox 2                     Astros 1

MLB Draft League
Williamsport Crosscutters 7  State College, at Muncy Bank ballpark, Game 2 of the series with State College tonight at 6:35 first pitch

Little League
Montoursville’s Elijah Eck will be one of eight players nationwide who will play in the 2022 Little League Home Run Derby, taking place August 25th at Volunteer Stadium during the Little League World Series. 

Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully, the longest tenured broadcaster with a single team in pro sports history, died last night. Scully announced for Dodgers fans in Brooklyn and Los Angeles for 67 years. Scully was 94.

BACKYARD BROADCASTING LOCAL NEWS AUGUST 2, 2022

VICTIM PULLED FROM SUSQUEHANNA IDENTIFIED

There are still questions surrounding the alleged drowning death of a Danville man who was pulled from the West Branch of the Susquehanna River Saturday night.  According to the Sun Gazette, Lycoming County’s chief deputy coroner identified 39 year old, Tuffy Beachel as the victim who was found about 2 miles south of Muncy Borough. Authorities are asking anyone who spoke with Beachel or knew information about him from Saturday, should call the Coroner’s office (570-327-2305) or Pennsylvania State Police (570-368-5700).

LOYALSOCK TOWNSHIP TEEN MOTHER AND CHILD MISSING

A sixteen year old from Loyalsock Township and her 8 month old baby are missing and State police are asking the public for information on their whereabouts.  State police in Montoursville say Aaliyah Diaz and her child, Nathaniel Ortega Jr reportedly ran away and were reported missing from her home around 10pm Sunday from Randall Circle in Williamsport and could be headed to Allentown. She was last seen wearing a grey hooded sweatshirt and blue sweatpants, and the baby was wearing a green onsie and grey sweatpants.  If you have information call Montoursville State Police.

CONVICTED KILLER RE-SENTENCED

As a result of the Post-Conviction Relief Act , a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that gives inmates who committed murders as teenagers the opportunity to seek parole or a new sentence, a now-36 year old convicted killer was resentenced yesterday. According to North Central PA dot com, Brandon Brown was 15 years old when he kidnapped, raped and killed a 6-year-old neighbor, Jasmine Stoud, in Coal Township in 2001.  He was sentenced to life in prison at age 17.  Yesterday President Judge Charles Saylor convicted and resentenced Brown, as an adult, to a life sentence for first-degree homicide and a consecutive term of 17 to 70 years for rape and kidnapping.  He remains an inmate at SCI-Forest in Marienville, Forest County.

WILLIAMSPORT POOL OPENS AFTER A WEEKEND WAIT

Memorial Pool did reopen yesterday to the public after Mayor Derek Slaughter announced on a Facebook Live post, that tests of the water at the facility came back showing the water was safe for the public to swim.  According to the Sun Gazette, the Memorial pool and Splash Cove pool will be open daily through the rest of the season; noon til one for adult swimmers, then 1 to 7 for public use.

MULTIPLE INJURIES AFTER TWO-VEHICLE CRASH

Six people were sent to the hospital with one transported by life flight after a two vehicle crash near Mifflinburg  in Limestone Township Saturday night.  According to Milton State Police, more than half a dozen crews responded to the area of Mensch Road and Route 104 at about 9:40pm, where victims from both vehicles were trapped.  According to emergency communications in Union County, PennDOT closed Routes 405 and 104 until about 1am Sunday morning.  No word on the conditions of the crash victims today.

MARYLAND MAN WITH A WARRANT DETAINED IN UNION COUNTY

A man with an active warrant against him in Maryland was taken into custody July 21st by Stonington State Police for a domestic disturbance allegedly involving a knife.  According to Shamokin Police, David Raymond Trump gave a false name and resisted arrest when they first responded to a call from a witness who said Trump came after her with a knife before she and two young children hid from the man at a home on South Market street in Shamokin.  Police report Trump, who told them that he didn’t threaten the woman with a knife while standing in front of a wall of knives, was taken to state police barracks where he was positively identified  and held on 10 thousand dollars bail.

POLICE SEEK MAN ATTEMPTING TO LURE CHILDREN

Police are seeking a man who has tried to lure children into his vehicle in New Berlin.  According to State Police in Milton, a white man, driving a gray Volvo sedan, parked his car along the 500 block of Vine Street Friday, July 29th about 5:30pm and tried to make contact with children in the area and tried unsuccessfully to get them to get into the car.  Call PSP Milton at 570-524-2662 if you have any information about the suspect or Friday night’s incident.

LOCAL GROUP PLANNING TO HELP KENTUCKY FLOOD VICTIMS

In the wake of historic flooding in Eastern Kentucky last week, a group of residents from Clinton County have organized a trip to Hazard, KY, to leave on Sunday, August 7th and are gathering supplies and donations to share with the people affected by the flooding.  According to a Clinton County Firewire post on Facebook, they are accepting donations of travel funds, non-perishable food, household and cleaning supplies, and water today through Sunday the 7th at 3pm.  The Dunnstown Fire Company and the Clinton County Department of Emergency Services in Lock Haven are the locations to drop off supplies.  There are reports of up to 35 deaths from the historical flooding that brought up to 2 inches of rain per hour at the peak of the storms around Lexington.

SPORTS

MLB
Reds 3                 Marlins 1
Mets 7                 Nationals 3
Yankees 7           Mariners 2
Guardians 6        Diamondbacks 5
Red Sox 3           Astros 2
Oriole 7               Rangers 2
MLB Draft League Tonight
State College Spikes come to Williamsport at Muncy Bank ballpark for 6:35pm  1st pitch
2022 Pennsylvania Little League Major Championship Final
Holidaysburg 10 Greencastle 0
Holidaysburg now faces Northwest Washington, DC in the Mid-Atlantic Region Tournament, Sunday, August 7 in Bristol, CT at the Little League Leadership Training Center.MLB News
The  Yankees have acquired right-handed starter Frankie Montas and closer Lou Trivino in a deal with the A’s. Oakland is receiving left-handers Ken Waldichuk and J.P. Sears, right-hander Luis Medina and second baseman Cooper Bowman from New York. Waldichuk, 24, was the fifth-highest-ranked prospect in the Yankees’ farm system.
NFL News
The Dallas Cowboys will be without wide receiver, James Washington for 6-10 weeks because of a fractured right foot.  He is scheduled to undergo surgery today. Washington suffered the injury Monday in the first padded practice of training camp during seven-on-seven drills, when his foot got caught underneath Trevon Diggs, according to ESPN.

BACKYARD BROADCASTING LOCAL NEWS AUGUST 1, 2022

CORONER REPORTS BODY FOUND IN SUSQUEHANNA

Lycoming County volunteer firefighters and first responders were called to a water rescue in Muncy Creek Township Saturday night just after 8pm, but the call turned to a suspected drowning.  According to the Sun Gazette, State Police in coordination with the Lycoming County Coroner’s office confirmed they were investigating a body that was pulled from the Susquehanna River along River Road near Muncy.  There are reports that they may have searched for a second victim.  There is no word on the identity of the victim at this time.

WAITING ON SPLASH COVE WATER TEST

We wait to see if Splash Cove at Memorial Pool will open, as Mayor Derek Slaughter also waits for an update on the bacteria levels in the water there.  According to the Sun Gazette, the facility didn’t open this weekend after water samples were tested and determined unsafe for guests.  Mayor Slaughter said the update about when the pool and Splash Cove can safely open to the public will come today.

PENNDOT WORKS ON ROUTE 405

There will be a road closure that begins today in West Chillisquaque and Point Townships that will remain in place through September.  According to PennDOT Route 405, part of what was formerly Route 147, will be closed between Housels Run Road in West Chillisquaque Township, and Ridge Road, north of Northumberland in Point Township.  Old Route 405 from the old intersection with Route 147 northward to Milton will remain open.  A detour using Ridge Road, Route 147, Route 45, and Route 405 will be in place for approximately two months.  Local traffic will be able to access businesses and homes.

NATIONAL NIGHT OUT IS TUESDAY AUGUST 2ND

Families in our area can celebrate with local law enforcement this week  for the 39th annual National Night Out, an evening to promote community –police partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie.  Tomorrow night, law enforcement agencies across North Central PA will have free events.  There are 16 thousand communities participating across the US, and locally Montoursville will have an event at the fire station on Broad St 5-7, Muncy and Pennsdale at the Pennsdale Fire Station 6-8, Old Lycoming Township Police at Fairlawn Community church from 6-8 and first time participant South Williamsport in conjunction with Duboistown, Nisbet and Loyalsock fire departments at the Duboistown municipal building on Euclid Avenue will host the community 5-7 for food, kids activities and music; provided by local musician Matt Colgrove.

FATAL MEDICAL EPISODE CAUSES CAR CRASH

A Muncy woman suffered a heart attack while she was driving her vehicle Sunday morning, causing a one car accident, but officials say she had no crash related trauma.  According to the Sun Gazette, 69 year old Sharon Lowe was traveling on Legion Road and her car was discovered off the road and into a tree around 10 am.  Lowe was pronounced dead at the scene of natural causes by Charles Keissling, Jr. the Lycoming County Coroner. Muncy Area and  Susquehanna Regional EMS assisted at the scene.

TROOPER SHOT, SUSPECT RELEASED RECENTLY FROM JAIL

The suspect who shot a Pennsylvania State Trooper in the leg at the Franklin Mini-Mart in Aliquippa on Friday was found by police to have been previously incarcerated for his role in a 2005 murder-for-hire plot in Ohio.  According to KDKA TV in Pittsburgh, 41 year old Damian Bradford was involved in a disturbance outside the Franklin convenience store and troopers on the scene confronted him. During a struggle inside the store an officer was shot in the leg.  During the investigation it was revealed that Bradford had been released from prison last year after serving over 17 years for pleading guilty to being hired to shoot a 69 year old Ohio urologist whose wife was having an affair with Bradford.  The wife is serving a life-sentence in the plot.

TRAFFIC DELAYS IN SELINSGROVE WEDNESDAY

There will be traffic delays starting  this Wednesday in Snyder county that could cause delays in Selinsgrove.  According to PennDOT there will be a section of Route 522 between Broad and Eighteenth Streets closed to through traffic as crews does utilitiy work at this location.  The work will take place between 9am and 3pm Wednesday and a detour using University Drive and West Pine Street, Market Street and Route 522.  In case of a weather delay, the work will happen Thursday instead.

WILLIAMSPORT’S “BASES LOADED” STATUE RESTORED

The installation of a new batter with the bat intact in the Bases Loaded statue in Downtown Williamsport took place last week to replace the previous batter that had been vandalized.  According to North Central PA dot com, the hitter’s bat is now set firmly on the ground which will deter the damage that happened over the years since the statue was installed there.  A South Williamsport woman who found the bat along Market Street was arrested for taking it home.  This, shortly after video surveillance shows an unknown man jumping on the batter and breaking the bat and throwing it to the ground last March.  The series of sculptures commemorate Williamsport’s rich history of Little league Baseball.

SPORTS

MLB
Braves 1              Diamondbacks 0
Royals 8              Yankees 6
Red Sox 7           Brewers 2
Phillies 8             Pirates 2
Cardinals 5         Nationals 0
Reds 3                 Orioles 2
Guardians 5        Rays 3
Mets 9                 Marlins 3MLB Draft League
Trenton Thunder 6 Williamsport Crosscutters 2
Thunder edged the cutters in the series this week 2-1
MLB Draft this Week
State College Spikes are in Williamsport to play the Crosscutters at Muncy Bank Ballpark  tomorrow night with a 6:35 first pitch.

Little League
Keystone fell to Hollidaysburg yesterday 11 -1 in the Elimination Bracket Final.
Little League Today – Greencastle vs Hollidaysburg @ 4pm at Bradford for the 2022 Pennsylvania state Little League Major Championship Title.

NASCAR
Tyler Reddick kissed the bricks Sunday at Indianapolis in an overtime win and his 2nd cup career victory in the past 5 cup races. Reddick is the first Richard Childress driver since Kevin Harvick in 2013 to win multiple races in a season and the team’s 4th win at Indy. Austin Cindric, Harrison Burton, Todd Gilliland, and Bubba Wallace rounded out the top 5.
GOLF
Former Ryder Cup Captain, Henrik Stenson, who lost that job after joining the  LIV Golf Invitational Series, took home the title in his debut at the LIV Invitational Bedminster at Trump National Golf Club Sunday.  Stenson won by 2 at 11 under, netting him a 4 million dollar purse.  The controversial LIV circuit is led by Greg Norman and backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.

BACKYARD BROADCASTING LOCAL NEWS 29, 2022

FAMILY IN WATSONTOWN BEATING DEATH CASE HELD FOR COURT

Homicide charges were held for court against the couple from Watsontown and their nephew who witnesses say beat a man living in their home to death in March of 2020 and buried his remains in their yard. According to the Sun Gazette, 54 year old Thomas Huffman, his 46 year old wife Dorothy and their nephew Kayden Koser are all incarcerated without bail.  During the hearing in Northumberland County Court, witnesses who were living with the Huffmans at the time and afraid to tell police then, testified that the Huffmans and Koser beat Richard Leroy Jameson II to death and buried his body after the assault in court earlier this week.   

FATAL ACCIDENT NEAR HERNDON

Route 147 was closed yesterday morning for several hours after a fatal crash occurred after 7am just south of Herndon between the Sunoco and Toad Valley Road.  According to witnesses, a crew of first responders were heading to a vehicle accident scene in Lower Mahanoy Township and struck a person who was walking along the side of the road.  Originally a helicopter was called to the scene, but the call was cancelled.  No word on the condition of the victims in the car accident or the name of the person who was struck along the road. 

THREE ON MIFFLIN TOWNSHIP BOARD NOW

A third supervisor was appointed to the Mifflin Township Board last Tuesday, since according to township code, a replacement can be appointed without a public advertisement.  According to North Central PA dot com, Nicholas Seese was called to fill the vacancy from Doug Cohick’s resignation.  Seese now joins Supervisor Ty Sheddy, who is the chairman, and Supervisor Kevin Griffith, who is the vice-chairman.  Seese’s position will be on the November ballot.

WASD OPEN HOUSE TIMES ANNOUNCED

The times have been announced for the annual round of Williamsport area High School open houses in August so that parents can learn more about the schools’ various programs and meet their child’s teachers.  In the Williamsport Area Middle School, 7th and 8th graders will begin at 6 and 6:30 pm respectively for their event on August 23rd.  The Intermediate schools will have their open house on August 24th at 5:30 and the Primary schools will open their doors at 5:30 on August 25th.  The High School open house is at 7pm on August 25th, too.  Find more information at the school’s website under upcoming events at wasd.org.

MAN JAILED FOR NOT REGISTERING FOR MEGAN’S LAW

A man in Union County failed to fulfill his reporting requirements under Megan’s law and is now in the Union County Prison. According to North Central PA dot com, 52 year old Roger Lee Williams, has been on the Megan’s Law registry since 2002 when he was convicted of indecent assault.  Williams did not check in with state police who requested his housing verification last October.  Police say they searched in several communities and attempted to serve Williams the warrant from 2020.  Williams was located and taken into custody July 22nd in Union County for the felony charges is incarcerated under 10 thousand dollar monetary bail.

 CHANGES TO WILLIAMSPORT WATER AND SEWER BILLS

 The Williamsport Municipal Water Authority has notified customers that two billing system changes are coming starting August 1st.  According to a letter sent from the Authority, they will be transitioning from a quarterly billing cycle to a monthly billing cycle and customers may still see a final three month bill depending on the date of their last bill.   The second change is that all sanitary accounts will now be sent to a property owners according to the PA Municipal Authorities Act, that requires a property owner to be responsible for the account to expedite emergency situations more efficiently.  Details can be found at the Authority’s website www.wmwa-wsa.org.

GROUNDBREAKING FOR OLD CITY MIXED-USE BUILDING PROJECT

Williamsport officials along with the Pine Ridge Construction Management and River’s Edge Capital attended a groundbreaking earlier this week in the city to kick off the Old City Williamsport Development Project, a 20 million dollar renovation project that start with a mixed-use building near Basin and East Third Streets. According to the Sun Gazette, the Lycoming County Commissioners yesterday approved request for just over a million dollars in grant funds to support a new parking structure for the building at 255 East Third Street, which will include residential, retail, dining and commercial spaces. 

TROY FAIR ENDS SATURDAY

You can still enjoy the Troy Fair today and tomorrow with today being DAIRY DAY at the fair.  Tomorrow it’s Kid’s day with a Bicycle Giveaway and free Helmets for kids, starting at 10:30am!! The Sylvania Lions invite you to the Demolition Derby both nights in the Grandstands. And Saturday at noon the Troy Fair will hold their Junior Prince and Princess Contest – Near the Agsploration Station Gate 1 area for  all 7–12 boys and girls. Get details on entering at Troy fair dot com.

SPORTS

MLB
Orioles   3           Rays    0
Yankees 1           Royals  0
Phillies   8           Pirates  7
Blue Jays 5         Tigers  3
Red Sox  4          Guardians 2
Marlins  7           Reds    6

MLB Draft League
Williamsport Crosscutters and Trenton Thunder were rained out last night.

The Cutters will give it another try on the road tonight in Trenton. 7pm first pitch

Little League
2022 Pennsylvania State Little League Major Championships.
Thursday night winners bracket semifinal:

Keystone 5          Hollidaysburg 4

Keystone’s next game in Bradford is Saturday at 4pm vs Greencastle (near Chambersburg)

MLB NEWS – The Mets acquired outfielder Tyler Naquin and lefty relief pitcher Phillip Diehl from the Cincinnati Reds for multiple prospects. The Mets are sending pitcher Jose Acuna and infielder Hector Rodriguez in the deal, according to statements from both teams.  The Mets sit atop the National League East with a 61-37 record, three games ahead of the Atlanta Braves.

NFL
Seattle head coach Pete Carroll said star wide receiver DK Metcalf have agreed to a three-year, $72 million extension with $58.2 million guaranteed, according to USATOday. The deal includes a $30 million signing bonus, the highest ever for a receiver. 

BACKYARD BROADCASTING LOCAL NEWS JULY 28, 2022

HOMEOWNER FACES CHARGES FOR ALLEGED SECRET RECORDING

In addition to several unrelated felony shoplifting charges, the owner of the Loyalsock Township home that burned on July 5th, is also facing new charges after she surreptitiously recorded a conversation with State police while at the barracks in Montoursville on July 20th.  According to the Sun Gazette, Alexandrea Sheffield was being interviewed about the two-alarm fire on Inverness Road that was recently determined to be arson by the Pennsylvania State Police Fire Marshal, and she was found by an officer to have secretly recorded the conversation which is illegal in the state.   Sheffield was arraigned and released on 15 thousand dollars bail.

FOURTEEN LYCO VOTERS REMOVED FROM ROLLS

Fourteen people have been removed from the Lycoming County voter rolls after challenges to their address information were considered at the county’s Board of Election’s meeting this week.  According to the Sun Gazette, the ballots in question did not have a valid address – most using a post office box or the address of the UPS store.  When asked if he thought any of the 14 ballots from the spring Primary could indicate voter fraud, the county director of voter Services, Forrest Lehman said most of the residents had a history of voting in the county.  Lehman also noted that only two of the voters in the 14 that were challenged voted in the 2020 election.

FORMER SHAMOKIN COUNCILMAN SENTENCED TO JAIL

A senior Northumberland County Judge has sentenced former Shamokin City Councilman, Joseph Leschinskie, Jr. to 6 to 23 months in jail with three years probation, after he was found guilty in May of threatening the husband of a former city councilwoman. According to the Daily Item, Senior Judge Harold Woelfel Jr told 38 year old Leschinskie he could remain free on 5,000 dollars bail if he appealed the ruling, but was ordered to report to the prison August 29th .  During the proceeding,  Northumberland County Assistant District Attorney Robyn Zenzinger also asked for Leschinskie to be held in contempt of court for a previous incident.

WILLIAMSPORT POOL OPENS SATURDAY

The repairs are complete for Splash Cove at Memorial Pool in Williamsport and the facility will open on Saturday.  According to social media, Mayor Derek Slaughter says the final steps are going on now such as filling the pool and adjusting the chemicals.  The pool’s electric system was upgraded with new LED lights and over 50 leaks were repaired.  The pool is open for adults noon til 1pm and the open to everyone from 1 until 7pm.

FORMER TRAIN CONDUCTOR SETTLES FEDERAL LAWSUIT WITH EMPLOYER

The man who lost his leg and right arm while working as a conductor for the Lycoming Valley Railroad in 2020, has settled a federal lawsuit with his former employer.  According to the Sun Gazette, the suite took place this week  in US Middle District Court involving 23 year old Wayne Brewer of Lock Haven, who suffered serious internal injuries from the accident.  Brewer was injured in Williamsport’s West End at the Newberry Yards on February 13th 2020 when a rail car ran him over. Lycoming Valley Rail is a shortline that is part of Northumberland’s North Shore Railroad Company.

PA CONVENIENCE STORE WILL PAY DAMAGES FOR BREACH

The Pennsylvania convenience store, Wawa, has been ordered to pay a settlement of 8 million dollars to 6 states and Washington, DC who did not have adequate security in place before a data breach allowed hackers to steal customer data, including credit card numbers.  According to the Daily item, the Wawa team discovered malware in December 2019 that collected data from those charging at Wawa fuel dispensers and for in store purchases.  Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro said Wawa has agreed to new policies to combat data breaches.

WASD ART TEACHER AWARDED STATE EXCELLENCE AWARD

A Williamsport Area School District art teacher has been chosen as the Art Education Association Outstanding Secondary Art Educator for 2022 in Pennsylvania.  According to North Central PA dot com, Dr Andrea McDonough, who earned degrees at Lycoming College, Mansfield University and Drexel University, has worked in the Williamsport School District for 16 years. The ceremony to recognize Dr. McDonough formally, will be at the PAEA Conference October 30th in Lancaster, PA.

TROY FAIR THIS WEEK

The Troy Fair continues through this weekend.  The rides begin at 1pm each day and it’s Veteran Appreciation day today with free admission with an active or retired Military ID card! Enjoy free music with Thompson Square in concert at the Pavilion in the Lower meadow and  Bullride Mania in the Grandstands at 7:30. Try your hand at Troy Fair trivia by locating the ten stations scattered around the fair for their scavenger hunt.  Details at Troy fair dot com.

SPORTS

Little League
2022 Pennsylvania State Little League Major Championships.
Keystone 8          DuBois 6 in 7 innings
Keystone moves on to play Hollidaysburg in the winners bracket semi-finals tonight at 7:30 PM in Bradford. Hollidaysburg opened the tournament with a 6-2 win against Hermitage.

MLB
Phillies 7             Braves 2
Dodgers 7           Nationals 1
Reds 5                  Marlins 3
Mets 3                  Yankees 2
Rays 6                  Orioles 4
Guardians 7        Red Sox 6

MLB Draft League
Williamsport Crosscutters 7 State College Spikes 3 – Wmspt sweeps the series and remain undefeated in the second half of the season the series.
MLB Draft League Tonight
The Cutters play the Thunder in Trenton and begin a 4-game series – 7 PM first pitch

NBA
The Philadelphia 76ers officially announced on Wednesday their new deal with veteran James Harden. The club didn’t reveal terms in a release, but Harden’s contract is for two years and $68.6 million, and it includes a player option for the 2023-24 season


US Secretary of State Antony Blinken yesterday said that the United States made a “substantial” proposal to Russia to bring home wrongfully detained WNBA star Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan, who is also serving a prison sentence in Russia.

BACKYARD BROADCASTING LOCAL NEWS JULY 27, 2022

DELCAMP GETS ONE MONTH CONTINUANCE

A one month continuance has been given to the Trevorton mother of 3 year-old Arabella Parker in the sentencing phase of her trial after she was found guilty of third degree murder of her daughter in September. According to the Daily Item, 26 year old Samantha Delcamp’s public defender has requested the continuance in order to look at transcripts from previous court hearings.  Northumberland District Attorney has not offered Delcamp any deals and faces a possible 60 years in jail for her role as accomplice in case.  Her then boyfriend, 21 year old Jahred Burgess was found guilty in November of third-degree murder for his role in causing the fatal injuries to the toddler and was sentenced to 24 to 50 years in state prison.

POLICE NAB KNOWN DRUG DEALER IN WILLIAMSPORT

A Williamsport man who already was facing drug charges from 2018, has had new charges brought against him in Lycoming County District Court.  According to the Sun Gazette, police say 22 year old Jahmere Johnson, who goes by the name of “Tooly”, allegedly sold cocaine and other drugs on June 8th and 16th along  7th and Memorial Avenues,  and on West 4th Street to a confidential informant.  Johnson was arraigned in front of District Judge Christian Frey and is incarcerated under 150 thousand dollars bail.

BOARD VOTES A TUITION INCREASE FOR PENN STATE STUDENTS

The tuition at Penn State campuses for in and out of state students has gone up after the Board of Trustees voted to approve that increase as well as a recommendation for a 2.5 percent general salary increase for most Penn State employees to help offset the impacts of inflation. According to North Central PA dot com, he University did exempt out-of-state undergraduate students with household incomes of $75,000 or less and who have filed a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).  Lower enrollment after the pandemic, stagnant state funding, three prior years of tuition freezes, supported the decision for the increase.

PENNDOT OFFERS ONLINE REGISTRATION FOR PLACARD RENEWAL

PennDOT just announced this week that they will allow customers who need to renew their placards for Persons with Disabilities Parking have the option to do so online.  According to PennDOT’s Deputy Secretary for Driver and Vehicles Services Kurt Myers, the online initiative will cut down on wait times for customers and eliminate the mail-in process and subsequent processing of paperwork.  be able to update their address and request replacement identification credentials through this online service.  Myers says more than two million Pennsylvanian adults live with a disability.  If you want to apply for or renew a placard, go to www.dmv.pa.gov/VEHICLE-SERVICES.

MAN CONVICTED OF SEXUAL CRIMES SENTENCED

A Paxinos man who was convicted of sexual assault last October has been sentenced in Clinton County Court.  According to the Record Online, 34 year old  Nathan William Weaver, was found guilty by a jury of aggravated sexual and indecent assault and while awaiting sentencing, has been found by the PA Sexual Offenders Assessment Board to be a sexually violent predator.  District Attorney Dave Strouse asked the court for a 22 year state prison sentence, and the judge imposed that maximum.  Weaver is parole eligible after 9 and a half years.

WOMAN RAMS CAMPER WITH VEHICLE

A woman from Mifflinburg who rammed her vehicle into the side of a camper trailer is in the Northumberland County Jail.  Allegedly, according to State Police in Milton, 44 year old Angela Chappell intentionally drove her car into the home in West Buffalo Township last Monday.  Chappell also faces charges for resisting arrest, aggravated assault, harassment and recklessly endangering another person. She was arrested and sent to jail under 40 thousand dollars bail.

LOCAL CATALYTIC CONVERTER THEFTS

The trend of catalytic converters being stolen nationwide, is happening in Lycoming County, too.  According to North Central PA dot com, automotive shops in Muncy and Williamsport have confirmed that there have been recent thefts of the auto part this month.  They say the National Insurance Crime Bureau reports the theft of catalytic converters has increased ten times in the last three years and in 2020 14 thousand were stolen across America.  Police say the reason for the theft is the rising cost of the metals used in auto parts and disruption in the supply chain. 

SELINSGROVE POOL WORKING TO HOPEFULLY OPEN

There will be a delay for the opening of the splash pad at the Selinsgrove pool due to a shortage in materials. According to the Daily Item, the material deliveries for the installation – purchased with funds from the Degenstein Foundation – was not adequate to finish the project.  New materials have arrived and the installation continues moving forward.  The state will have to complete an inspection of the facility before it can open and Selinsgrove area board members say they aren’t sure it will be ready before the pool closes August 14th.

SPORTS

MLB
Cubs 4                  Pirates 2
Marlins 2              Reds 1
Braves 6               Phillies 3
Orioles 5              Rays 3
Blue Jays 10         Cardinals 3
Guardians 8         Red Sox 3
Mets 6                  Yankees 3
Nationals 8           Dodgers 3
MLB Draft League
Williamsport Crosscutters 5 State College Spikes 1 -Cutters are 2-0
MLB Draft Tonight
The Crosscutters and Spikes coming to Williamsport tonight for game three of their series in Muncy Bank Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field.

Druw Jones, the second overall pick in this month’s MLB draft, injured his shoulder Monday during his first batting practice with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Jones could miss the rest of the season if he requires surgery.  Jones agreed to terms with Arizona last week for a bonus of more than 8 million dollars.  Druw is the son of former Atlanta Braves great Andruw Jones and was the top player in the draft.

NFL
Veteran wide receiver Julio Jones has agreed to a one-year deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. According to ESPN, the seven-time Pro Bowler is hoping to rebound from a down season with the Tennessee Titans. The Titans released Jones in March. Tampa Bay also brought on veteran Kyle Rudolph last week, in the wake of Rob Gronkowski’s retirement.Little League
Clinton County’s Keystone faces DuBois tonight at 7:30pm in Game 4 of the Opening Round of the 2022 PA State Little League Major Championships.  District 10’s Bradford Regional hosts the Tournament this year at the Kessel Athletic Complex, University of Pittsburgh at Bradford Campus – 300 Campus Drive in Bradford.
Keystone Juniors – DuBois executed a 7-6 win over the Keystone Juniors in last night’s opening round of the state Little League tournament game.  Keystone will try and bounce back tonight in the double-elimination tournament.

BACKYARD BROADCASTING LOCAL NEWS JULY 26, 2022

JANUARY 6TH DEFENDANT COMMITS SUICIDE

The Lycoming County Coroner confirmed last week that 47 year old Mark Roderick Aungst of South Williamsport has died as a result of suicide.  According to Penn Live, Aungst was facing sentencing from his plea agreement after admitting that he and his co-defendant, Tammy Bronsberg of Williamsport entered the Capitol building twice on January 6th , 2021, but they were not facing any assault charges.  Aungst, a gas field well service technician was scheduled for sentencing September 27th.  Aungst’s death is the third suicide among January 6th defendants and the 13th death that day overall between police officers, defendants and Trump supporters in the crowd.

POLICE SEEK DRIVER WHO HIT KNOEBLES PARKING ATTENDANT

Police are asking for information from anyone who may have seen a driver hit a Knoebel’s employee who was directing traffic Saturday evening around 8:45pm.  According to the Daily Item, the Locust Township police say witnesses saw the driver of a red Dodge Ram pick-up truck, disregard instructions of the person directing them out of the park, hit the gas, and bump the employee with the truck. The suspect who may have been Hispanic, along with a white female as passenger, broke through a wooden barricade and drove out of the park onto Campground Road.  Police are asking residents with home surveillance to see if they have any video of the truck traveling around Pine Swamp, Bethel or Middle Roads.  The Knoebel’s employee was not seriously injured in the ordeal.

IMPACT FEE GRANTS TO HELP VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANIES

Five hundred and sixty thousand dollars in impact fee grants from Act 13 have been approved so that the 28 volunteer fire companies will each receive a one-time grant of 20 thousand dollars.  According to the Sun Gazette, this is an effort to make up the fund raising deficit the companies had after being unable to have public event during the pandemic.

POLE INSTALLATION ON BRIDGE TODAY

The right northbound lane of the Veteran’s Memorial Bridge will be restricted today while crews work to install a new electric pole there.  According to PennDOT, they will work during daylight hours on the bridge between Route 147 in Sunbury and Route 11/15 in Shamokin Dam.  Work was postponed yesterday due to the morning rain, but motorists may encounter slow traffic today.  Officials say the installation should be complete after the work today.

LOYALSOCK FIRE DETERMINED TO BE ARSON

A fire July 5th at a Loyalsock Township home has been ruled arson.  According to the Sun Gazette, the vacant home on Inverness Road sustained 100 thousand dollars damage after a two alarm fire that witnesses said seemed to have begun in the attic of a home owned by Jimmie and Alexandrea Sheffield.  The Pennsylvania State Police Fire Marshall determined the blaze was intentionally set.  The home had been put up for sale a few months prior to the incident, if you have information about the fire, call state police.

CHARGES AGAINST TROUT RUN MAN DROPPED

A Trout Run man, who had charges of inappropriate contact with a minor filed against him, last January, will not be prosecuted after the victim was unable to testify about the abuse.  According to the Sun Gazette, 32 year old Anthony Foulkrod  has had all state police charges dropped from an alleged incident last October reported by a minor younger than 13.  The assault allegedly happened in Lewis Township.  The Lycoming County District Attorney’s office said the charges were dropped earlier in July.

BLACK BEAR ILLEGALLY SHOT IN ELK COUNTY

The PA Game Commission is investigating the illegal taking of a black bear found in Ridgeway Township on July 22nd .  According to a Game Commission social media post, the bear was shot in the chest with a small caliber firearm near the 1100 block of Montmorenci Road in Elk County.  Anyone with information is being asked to report it by calling 1-833-PGC-WILD.

PA STATE GRANT DEADLINE APPROACHING

Deadlines are approaching for students heading to college in the fall who want to apply for a PA State Grant Award.  According to the PA Department of Education, the deadline is August 1st and is for anyone enrolled or planning to enroll in a community college; a designated Pennsylvania open-admissions institution; a business, trade or technical school; a hospital school of nursing; or a two-year program that is not transferable to another institution. Students can find out details about completing their free Application for federal Student Aid or FAFSA by starting at the PA Higher Education Assistance Agency website – Pheaa.org.

SPORTS

MLB
Reds 11 Marlins 2
Phillies 6 Braves 4
Orioles 5 Rays 1
Red Sox 3 Guardians 1
Cubs 3 Pirates 2
Nationals 4 Dodgers 1

MLB Draft League
          Williamsport Crosscutters 8          State College Spikes 1 in Game 1 of the series this week.  Game 2 is tonight in State College with a 6:35 PM first pitch, but Williamsport is back at home hosting the Spikes tomorrow night in Muncy Bank Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field.

NFL
The Pittsburgh Steelers are back in Latrobe, Pennsylvania today for training camp. The first practice is tomorrow at 1:55pm at Saint Vincent College. Training camp will be open to the public, but ‘no practice’ days are July 31st, August 7th, and 14th. Practice will be closed to the public on August 12th prior to their preseason game on the 13th, and the final day to attend will be Thursday, August 18th.

Little League
Keystone 12 (Major) Little League All-Star team open play in the  Little league State Championship that start tomorrow in Bradford at 6:15 p.m. against DuBois. The eight-team tournament is to continue through Aug. 2. The winner advances to the Mid-Atlantic championships in Bristol, CT next month – the winner of that goes to the 75th anniversary Little league World Series.

BACKYARD BROADCASTING LOCAL NEWS JULY 25, 2022

WEEKEND STORMS BRING DOWN TREE IN CITY

Quick but strong storms on Sunday afternoon brought down trees and power lines across the city.  According to the Sun Gazette, dozens of calls were answered by the Lycoming County Department of Public Safety and specifically a hollow tree fell on a home along the 1400 block of Memorial Avenue, however the homeowner said the property was insured.  The tree damaged the roof and left a hole in the attic, but no one was injured.

SILO EXPLOSION NEAR AVIS

A silo explosion occurred at a farm on Nippenose Road Sunday which sent shards of the top of the 100 foot high structure sailing through the air, but no one was injured from the debris.  According to the Sun Gazette, almost a dozen fire companies responded to the explosion that occured around 1:15pm at the Brett Bowes farm and some first responders experienced minor heat episodes due to the elevated temperatures around the region.  The silo was only a third full of grain and crews worked for more than two hours to get the blaze – that was contained in the silo – under control. Firefighters from Avis, Jersey Shore, Nippenose Valley, Woodward Township, and Woolrich responded to the fire.

CAUSE OF SOUTHSIDE FIRE DETERMINED

The cause of the three alarm fire that destroyed a home on Bayard Street Extension Friday morning, has been determined.  According to the Sun Gazette, the fire started from stained rages that were on the front porch of the home.  Fire officials responded to the call around 7:15 am at the residence of Brad and Sue Martin, who were not home at the time.  Firefighters from South Williamsport, the city, Nisbet, Old Lycoming Township Clinton and other companies responded to the fire that was declared under control by about 8:30am. 

TWO LYCOMING COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENTS WILL MERGE

The rationalization of two Lycoming County fire departments is set to get underway on August 1st. This comes after Lycoming County Commissioners approved “startup” funding of $80,000, at their meeting this past week, according to NorthCentral PA dot com. South Williamsport and Loyalsock Township will combine their fire departments to create SMART or Susquehanna Mutual Aid Response Team. It will combine paid and volunteer staffs to handle the call volumes of both areas. Each department will also contribute $150,000 to the joint venture as well.

MIFFLINVILLE DRUG DEALER SENTENCED

A Union County man accused of having a substantial amount of methamphetamine delivered from California to his home in Mifflinburg, was found guilty of conspiracy to distribute in federal court this week. According to the Daily Item, James King faced a jury in the case and his alleged partner, Christopher Brown, took a plea deal. Brown could still receive a sentence of 40 years in jail and a fine up to $5 million and a term of supervised release for life.

POLICE SEEK WEGMAN’S WALLET THIEF

Three suspects are being sought for the theft of a wallet from another customer at the Wegman’s in Williamsport. According to North Central PA dot com, the incident happened on May 24th and the Williamsport Bureau of Police is asking for the public’s help in finding the individuals. Approximately, $8000 was used from the wallet stolen to purchase gift cards from Sam’s Club in Muncy. The individuals left in a dark colored Honda CRV. If you have any information, contact the police at (570) 327-7560.

TEMPORARY CODES INSPECTOR HIRED

The City of Williamsport has hired a company to handle the role of the city’s building codes director on a temporary basis. According to Northcentral PA dot com., City Council approved the hiring of Barry Isett and Associates to handle those duties at a rate of $90 per hour. This became necessary after Joe Girardi, previous Williamsport Codes Director, retired.

LYCO COMMISSIONERS APPROVE JERSEY SHORE LAW COMPLEX

The Lycoming County Commissioners approved spending $2.5 million on a regional judicial complex in Jersey Shore. According to the Sun Gazette, the facility will house the Magisterial District Judge and also the Tiadaghton Valley Regional Police Department. The police department is anticipating future growth due to regionalization of services from Old Lycoming and Hepburn Townships, along with other municipalities in the area; that would join Jersey Shore, Porter Township and others from the Jersey Shore area.

SPORTS

MLB
Cubs 4                 Phillies 3
Angels 9              Braves 1
Marlins 6            Pirates 5
Yankees 6           Orioles 0
Blue Jays 8         Red Sox 4
Reds 6                 Cardinals 3
White Sox 6       Guardians 3
Nationals 4         Diamondbacks 3
Mets 8                 Padres 5

MLB Draft League
Saturday – Williamsport Crosscutters 2           Trenton Thunder 0 – in Game 2 of the series.
Game 3 on Sunday was canceled due to rain.
MLB Draft League tonight
Cutters in State College for a 6:35pm first pitch – Williamsport is back @Muncy Bank Ballpark Wednesday night vs. State College Spikes for Game 3 of the current series.

NASCAR
Denny Hamlin initially got the checkered flag at the M&M Fan Appreciation 400 at Pocono yesterday, but he his teammate Kyle Busch were DQ’d at Pocono after their Toyotas failed inspection – it would have been a record 7th victory at Pocono for Hamlin and his 3rd win of the season.  Chase Elliott was then awarded his fourth victory of the season since he was 3rd across the finish line – he never led a lap but his car passed inspection.

BACKYARD BROADCASTING LOCAL NEWS JULY 22, 2022

MAN ACCUSED OF STALKING FREE ON BAIL

A man who police say threatened a Williamsport woman and her family has been charged with terroristic threats, stalking and harassment.  According to the Sun Gazette, 43 year old Ryan Morgan obtained a phone number of the victim from his workplace, she was a coworker, and initially called and contacted her on social media using fake accounts up to 100 times per week.  The calls then allegedly progressed to threatening messages as well as to threatening a member of the woman’s family.  Morgan waived his preliminary hearing and is free on 10 thousand dollars bail.

GRANT AWARDED FOR NEW TRAFFIC SIGNALS IN OLD CITY

The City of Williamsport was awarded $326,796 for the upgrade of traffic signals at East Fourth and Mulberry Streets as part of Pennsylvania’s Green Light-Go project.  According to a press release from Derek Slaughter,  he has gratitude that the city is one of 70 municipalities in Pennsylvania that received a portion of the Green Light-Go grants  -part of more than $37.8 million. The grant will complete the funding needed to make East Fourth Street two-ways between Basin and Mulberry Street and new streetscape to match the improvements completed on East Third Street in 2019.  Slaughter said the revitalized area of Williamsport’s Old City will be a convenient, accessible place for walking, biking and regular traffic.

PENN COLLEGE TO AWARD MASTER’S DEGREES

Master’s degrees will be awarded for the first time in Pennsylvania College of Technology’s history at their upcoming commencement ceremonies at the Community Arts Center.  New Penn College President Michael J. Reed will preside over the event in which almost 170 students have petitioned to graduate. According to a press release from Penn College, Summer 2022 Commencement will begin Saturday August 6th at 11am, and will feature student speaker, Brian Bilbao of Old Forge, who is one of the first students to be awarded the Combined Bachelor/Master of Science degree in physician assistant studies.

LYCO FAIR TODAY

The 151st Lycoming County Fair continues tonight for the final Friday, featuring the Dale Wheeland Memorial Tractor Pull at 6pm. The fair opens at 4pm tonight but at 10am tomorrow with the Pony Pulling Contest kicking off the day in the Grandstand. Backyard Broadcasting will be live on the midway from 5-8 tonight and tomorrow for Saturday, the final night of the fair

TWO TEENS REMOVED FROM ALLEGED ABUSIVE HOME

Two adopted teenagers have been removed from the home of a Northumberland County couple accused of abuse along with other charges.  According to North Central PA dot com, Jennifer and Christopher Marks were reported by one child who reported the abuse at school after she got in trouble for stealing a pop tart because she said she was starving. The girl went on to tell authorities other forms of abuse she and her brother suffer at the hands of the couple and that they are told to lie about what happens at home.  Jennifer Marks denies the allegations.  The couple were arraigned in district court Wednesday and are free on 20 thousand dollars unsecured bail.

UNCLAIMED CORONAVIRUS FUNDS DISTRIBUTED IN PA

Unclaimed funds from the Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery program of the American Rescue Plan Act last year will be distributed to municipalities in the Commonwealth by the PA Treasury.  According to a press release from the office of Stacy Garrity, Pennsylvania Treasurer, 1.5 million dollars have already been allocated for municipalities across the Commonwealth in one round of payments.  The surplus is from the unused funds from 75 municipalities who didn’t apply for the recovery funds. Current payment information can be found on the Treasury’s Department’s website – PATREASURY.GOV

PA’S AG ANNOUNCES HERO-RETENTION BONUSES

Hero-pay retention bonuses have been announced by the office of Josh Shapiro, Pennsylvania’s Attorney General for police officers in the Commonwealth who have been working in short-staffed departments.  According to the Wolf administration the 1200 dollar bonuses are funded from the recently authorized Local Law Enforcement Support Grant Program administered by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency.  The statewide grant program awards $135 million to local police departments.  A recent survey also says Pennsylvania’s 9-1-1 call centers are short staffed and have at least 350 openings statewide.

NORTHUMBERLAND AND COLUMBIA COUNTY HAVE JOB FAIRS SOON

PennDOT of Northumberland and Columbia Counties will hold job fairs at the beginning of August for those with valid PA CDL licenses class A or B with no restrictions, wishing to join the Department of Transportation team.  According to a press release, Tuesday, August 2nd from 4 til 7pm, a job fair will be held at the Columbia County Maintenance Office in Bloomsburg . The next day, August 3rd from 4 til 7, a job fair for openings in Northumberland County will be held at the Norry maintenance office on Dewart Street in Sunbury.  Recruiters will be on hand to talk about current job openings.

SPORTS

MLB
   Astros 3 Yankees 2 in Game 1
   Astros 7 Yankees 5 in Game 2
Tiger 7       A’s 2 Game 1
A’s 5          Tigers 0 Game 2
 Dodgers 9 Giants 6 
 Rangers 8 Marlins 0

MLB Draft League
The Williamsport Crosscutters are back at home tonight to kick off a three gane series against the Trenton Thunder @ Muncy Bank Ballpark with a 6:35 first pitch.

NASCAR has planned a street race through downtown Chicago during its 75th season next year. The Cup Series will race against the backdrop of Lake Michigan and Grant Park next July 2 as part of a three-year deal with the city of Chicago. It will be a festival atmosphere weekend leading up to the 12-turn, 2.2-mile street course race.

M&M Fan Appreciation 400 at Pocono Raceway is this Sunday with race coverage beginning at 3pm Sunday on our sister station the Twin Valley’s Talk Radio Network or WILQ’s HD3

NFL Arizona Cardinals star Kyler Murray has agreed to a five-year extension worth $230.5 million, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter, a deal that makes him one of the NFL’s highest-paid quarterbacks.  The deal, which runs through the 2028 season, includes $160 million guaranteed for injury, the source told Schefter. Murray will make $105 million fully guaranteed upon signing the deal, 

Smithsonian Magazine reports that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced that Pennsylvania’s  Jim Thorpe will be reinstated as the sole winner of two events, the pentathlon and decathlon, in which he competed during the 1912 Games in Stockholm.  Thorpe originally won both events, becoming the first Native American to secure an Olympic gold medal for the United States. But officials stripped him of his medals in 1913 because of their strict amateurism rules – for a short time, Thorpe played minor-league baseball for 25 dollars a week.

BACKYARD BROADCASTING LOCAL NEWS JULY 21, 2022

WASD SCHOOL BOARD ADDRESSES PARENT CONCERNS

The president of the Williamsport Area School Board, Dr. Timothy S. Bowers addressed the concerns parent have about the two district employees recently accused of having sexual relationships with students at the public meeting last night.  According to the Sun Gazette, Bowers told the parents in attendance that the district will cooperate with law enforcement about the recent allegations against a former teacher and principal, so that due process proceeds correctly.  He said that background and clearance checks are done for employees every five years as dictated by the state.

PA STILL HAS COUNTIES WHO NEED TO CERTIFY THE ELECTION

Certification of the primary elections for three remaining counties in the commonwealth is on hold while a dispute over whether to count the mail-in ballots that didn’t contain a handwritten date.  According to Penn Live, once the the litigation is resolved, certification will take place in Berks, Fayette, and Lancaster Counties.  Governor Wolf has sued these counties recently to include the ballots without the date in the results to be certified.  A 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel and a state Commonwealth Court judge have agreed that throwing out the ballot violates a voters’ rights.  A decision is now in front of the  Supreme Court.

EMERGENCY RESPONSE DRILLS TODAY IN WILLIAMSPORT

A local business will be performing evacuation drills today, tomorrow and Saturday and the community will hear a siren as part of the daylight drills in the event of an actual chemical release at the Arxada facility.  According to a press release, Arxada LLC, formerly Lonza Specialty Ingredients on Trenton Avenue in Williamsport, will work in coordination with the Lycoming County Department of Public Safety and the Williamsport Police and Fire Departments.  No response is required of local citizens, but you will hear the siren coming from the Arxada property at 5:30pm today, 10am tomorrow and 9am on Saturday.  

DUNKIN’ DONUTS TO CLOSE FOR REMODELING

The Dunkin’ on East Third Street is planning a remodeling project that will temporarily close that location for a month starting tomorrow night.  According to North Central PA dot com, the Loyalsock Township shop will shut down Friday night at 9pm in order to begin construction to install a second drive-thru.  Employees will relocate to other stores while they remodel.

SUNBURY POLICE ARREST TWO FOR HEROIN, FENTANYL DEALING

Charges were filed against two Sunbury residents who were caught selling heroin and fentanyl in a North 4th Street apartment to a confidential informant earlier this month. According to North Central PA dot com, 40 year old Randy Baylor and 27 year old Bridget Miller were found with over 150 bags of the narcotics and were charged with possession with intent to deliver.  Baylor, who had been charged in 2021 for possession or drugs and firearms, and Miller were arraigned yesterday and both are being held on 20 thousand dollars bond.

MORE CONTENTION BETWEEN CONTROLLER, COMMISSIONERS

A new lawsuit has been filed which brings more contention to light between the Williamsport Controller’s office and the Lycoming County Commissioners that has been going on since April of 2021.  According to the Sun Gazette, Controller Krista Rogers has filed for the recovery of attorney’s fees in the amount of almost 46 thousand dollars from previous lawsuits.  The same day Rogers filed her suit, the Lycoming County Commissioners asked a Potter County Judge to vacate his ruling  that previously came down in favor of the Controller’s office having control of the payroll, accounts receivable and the general ledger.

LANDFILL GETTING READY TO COMPLETE A CLOSURE

The Lycoming County Landfill is beginning their Phase I closure process as well as add six new wells into the landfill on the eastern slope along Route 15.  According to the Sun Gazette, closure, involves of a liner going over the full field,  with massive amounts of soil placed over until grass can be planted. A system to collect gas generated by decomposition is in place as well.  The Lycoming County Commissioners approved more than an 8.7 million dollar bid by R&L Development Company to do the work – the money has been earmarked for the 16 month project.

LYCO FAIR TODAY

It’s Military appreciation day today at the 151st Lycoming County Fair .  Tonight, Lycoming County Fair Motorsports presents Throwback Thursday in the Grandstand at 7 with Tommy Hedrick’s Memorial Figure 8 Racing….. and tomorrow it’s the Dale Wheeland  Memorial Tractor Pull at 6pm.  Backyard Broadcasting will be live on the midway from 5-8 tonight and each night through Saturday.

SPORTS

The 2022 ESPYS presented by Capital One celebrated the best players, teams and moments in the world of sports last night at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. Some winners included, Best NFL Player: Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers Best NBA Player: Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors, Best NASCAR Driver: Kyle Larson.

NBA
James Harden  has reached agreement on a two-year, $68.6 million contract to return to the Philadelphia 76ers, According to ESPN, The deal includes a player option for the 2023-24 season, The contract represents a significant reduction in salary for Harden. On the eve of free agency, he declined to exercise his $47.3 million player option for 2022-23


NFL

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have  replaced Rob Gronkowski, with a new veteran tight end.  Kyle Rudolph is signing a one-year deal with the Bucs. 32 year old Rudolph, spent the majority of his productive NFL career with the Minnesota Vikings before leaving last offseason to sign with the New York Giants. 

 

Charles Johnson, a star wide receiver at Colorado and first-round draft pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers, has died at 50. Raleigh TV stations report that police found his body in a hotel room Sunday and don’t suspect foul play. He had been working as a High School assistant athletic director in Wake Forest, North Carolina. Johnson was selected by the Steelers with the 17th overall pick in the 1994 NFL draft and played five seasons for Pittsburgh.  In 1996 he had 60 catches for a career-high 1,008 yards and three touchdowns.

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