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.

BACKYARD BROADCASTING LOCAL NEWS JULY 20, 2022

MOUNT PLEASANT MAN TO BE SENTENCED FOR SEX CRIMES

A Mount Pleasant man has been found guilty of sexual assault in Snyder County Court.  According to the Daily Item, 37 year old Chad Dickenson was accused of committing felony statutory sexual assault and aggravated assault of a 12 year old girl from June 2019 through November 2020.  Dickenson remains in Snyder County Prison and should be sentenced for his crimes later this year.

FIREARMS, DRUGS FOUND IN CAR OF VIRGINIA MAN

A 26 year old man from Virginia who was traveling on Route 15 in South Williamsport on June 30th was stopped for speeding but has been arrested for numerous other charges after a search of his car.  According to the Sun Gazette,  when police stopped Deaaron Christian in his 2022 Toyota Camry, they detected the smell of marijuana, and through a search found other indicators of criminal activity including having more drugs in the console of the car and an unregistered, loaded handgun under the driver’s seat.  Christian was charged with felony carrying a firearm without a license and possession of drugs.  He was released from jail on 50 thousand dollars bail.

DANVILLE SPCA EMPTIES THE SHELTER THIS WEEKEND

There will be an empty the shelter event this weekend at the Danville SPCA.  According to the Daily Item the Danville SPCA will be holding the event for families to come to the facility on 1467 Bloom Road in Daville and adopt kittens, cats and dogs for 25 dollars. All available pets are spayed and neutered, have all their shots, treated for fleas and ticks, dewormed and microchipped.  Each of the animals will go home with food toys and treats and cat carriers are available for $5.  The shelter will take walk-ins this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 11am till 6pm each day.  Dog owners looking to add to their family can bring their pet to the shelter to see if they are compatible.

SENIOR DAY AT THE LYCO FAIR

Senior Citizens 65 and older with valid ID enter the 151st Lycoming County Fair for free today excluding rides when the fair opens at 4pm today.  The 9th Annual Draft Horse Pull is tonight and there’s music on the Red Dog Mobile Storage Stage.  Tomorrow is Military Appreciation day and Throwback Thursday Figure 8 racing in the Grandstand at 7pm.  Backyard Broadcasting will be live on the midway from 5-8 tonight and each night through Saturday.

MAN ARRESTED FOR FAILURE TO REGISTER AS SEX OFFENDER

A man who police took into custody for public drunkenness was found to be a convicted sex offender who had not registered his Williamsport address with the state police.  According to the Sun Gazette, city police say 33 year old Joshua Serrano of High Street was found drunk with his pants down on Cherry Street and then found to have bags of marijuana on his person before he was taken to jail.  He was arraigned recently in district court and remains incarcerated on 95 thousand dollars bail.

ANIMALS SEIZED FROM HOME OF HOMICIDE SUSPECTS

Two dozen animals were seized from the home of the Northumberland County residents who were arrested for homicide last week in a 2020 beating death of Richard Leroy Jameson, III.  According to North Central dot com, animal welfare officers from the PSPCA removed rabbits, cats, dogs and horses from the home at 415 Groover Road and after their health is checked, will be adopted out to new homes.  Dorothy and Thomas Huffman, along with Kayden Koser were arrested for their alleged knowledge of and responsibility for the death of Jameson, who lived with the Huffman’s prior to his beating death and burial on their property. A witness to the crime told police about the crime July 12 and the Huffman’s and Koser were arrested shortly after.

PENNSYLVANIA GAMBLING REVENUES PROJECTED TO GO UP

In new report from the Allegheny Institute for Public Policy, total revenues for the Pennsylvania gaming industry hit $3.2 billion in 2018 and are projected to crack $5 billion in 2022.  The commonwealth is looking at an estimated $2 billion in tax revenues which grew much more when sports gambling became legal in 2019.  At that time, revenues were about $4 million per month, but by April 2022, that had jumped to $30 million. Slot machines and internet gaming comprise about 70% of gaming revenue, followed by table games.

DEMOCRATS IN CLINTON COUNTY HAVE A NEW HEADQUARTERS

There was a ribbon cutting at the new offices Clinton County Democratic headquarters last week and there was a crowd in attendance that included local politicians as well as representatives from Pennsylvania government. The new facility is at 507 East Main Street in Lock Haven and will be open to the public Monday through Friday noon til 6pm and Saturdays 11am until 2pm. The next meeting of the Clinton County Democratic Committee will be July 28th at 7pm.  contact the new committee chair , William Mincer, via email; Clinton county democrats @ gmail.com.

SPORTS

MLB
The American League won 3-2 for its ninth straight All-Star victory and 21st in the past 25 Midsummer Classics for the first All-Star Game at Dodger Stadium in 42 years.
NO MLB games today but the Yankees play in Houston Thursday afternoon at 1:10pm

MLB Draft
Along with Wesley Scott and Tayden Hall who were picked on Day 2 of the MLB Draft, four more Williamsport Crosscutters were selected yesterday on Day 3.  Right hander Troy Taylor was selected by the Seattle Mariners in the 12th round, Catcher Sabin Ceballos was taken by the LA Angels in the 14th, shortstop Michael Turconi heads to the Toronto Blue Jays, taken in the 15th round and right handed pitcher Easton Sikorksi was claimed

 in the 17th round by the Cincinnati Reds.


Jackie Robinson’s widow, Rachel Isum Robinson celebrated her 100th birthday Tuesday of this week.  The former professor, nurse, civil rights leader and founder of the Jackie Robinson Foundation was married to the baseball trailblazer from 1946 until his death in 1972.

SOCCER
US Women’s Soccer earned their spot at the Paris Games in 2024 by defeating Canada this week for the championship, 1 – nothing.  The reigning Olympic champs will now play number 3 Jamaica in September for the last Olympic spot that remains.

BACKYARD BROADCASTING LOCAL NEWS JULY 19, 2022

FOUR ALARM FIRE IN LYCOMING TOWNSHIP

Firefighters from four communities responded to the four alarm fire that destroyed a home and property Friday just before 6pm along Pleasant Hill Road in Lycoming Township.  According to the Sun Gazette, a fire began underneath a vehicle in the attached garage of the home where Bill and Julie Bota lived, and quickly spread to a second car and then to their home causing a total loss of both structures.  A state police fire marshal will investigate the incident this week at the home across from Fairlawn Community Church.

JERSEY SHORE MAN WHO BEAT PREGNANT GIRLFRIEND IN JAIL

A man accused of beating his pregnant girlfriend over several days and keeping her phone from her to avoid calling police, has been incarcerated on charges of terroristic threats, assault harassment and more.  According to the Sun Gazette, Tiadaghton Regional police say 27 year old Zach Taylor Parker of Jersey Shore abused his girlfriend between July 3rd and July 8th and threatened her life if the baby ended up being harmed.  A relative approached the woman at her workplace before she reported the abuse.  Parker is now in the Lycoming County Prison in lieu of 25 thousand dollars bail.

PENNDOT CONTINUES WORK ON ROUTE 220 THIS WEEK

PennDOT says they will continue work in Lycoming County this week. According to a press release, the work on the Route 220 safety improvement project in Woodward and Piatt Townships continues and the contractor will open the Loon Jug Handle and Pine Run Road Interchange this week.  The Young’s Road West Jug handle will remain closed for now.  Watch for alternating lane closures and flaggers managing traffic when crews will be pouring concrete on the bridge deck of Route 220 over Quenshukeny Run.  Work is expected to be performed from 7am til noon each day

TODAY IS FOR THE YOUTH AT THE LYCO FAIR

Tonight is Youth Night at the 151st Lycoming County Fair at the fairgrounds in Hughesville.  Enjoy 2 rounds of trivia tonight on the Red Dog Mobile Storage Stage and at 7pm in the Grandstand enjoy the Best School Talent Challenge.  Tomorrow Wednesday is Senior Citizens day and Backyard Broadcasting will be live on the midway from 5-8 tonight and each night through Saturday.

AMMONIA LEAK AT HUMMELS WHARF MEAT PLANT

HAZMAT crews were called to a meat plant in Hummels Wharf where 46 people had injuries from an anhydrous ammonia leak last Friday around 8pm. According to media outlets, the serious incident sent 46 people home after they were exposed and evaluated on scene, and one person went to the hospital with minor injuries.  According to the Hummels’ Wharf fire chief, Chris Eppley, about 3000 pounds of ammonia leaked after a valve broke when it was being offloaded onto trailers.  Residents are safe and can open windows and run air conditioners like normal.

NEW SEXUAL ASSAULT CHARGES AGAINST WASD TEACHER

New charges were filed last Tuesday against a former Williamsport Area School District teacher, who already had 11 counts against him for illegal contact with minors at school.  According to North Central PA dot com, the Lycoming County DA says the new accusations against 42 year old Christopher Yoder help expand their knowledge of the investigation, which has revealed evidence of Yoder’s questionable behavior with minors.  The former teacher solicited pictures with victims through Snapchat, and groomed a girl in an inappropriate sexual relationship when she was between 13 and 14, later arranging for the girl to meet him off of the school grounds. Some of the additional charges filed Tuesday include first-degree felony statutory sexual assault, and other assault charges, endangering the welfare of children, and harassment. Unsecured bail was set at $150,000 and $75,000, respectively. 

OVERNIGHT LINE PAINTING THIS WEEK

Crosswalks, stop bars and turning lane arrows will be painted for a signals project that will go on overnights from 9pm til 6am in Lock Haven.  According to the Record Online, crews will be working at several intersections.  Watch for work along Bellefonte Avenue, Main Street and Water Street. Penn DOT says the work could continue for a few weeks.

BOOKLET TO FEATURE SUSQUEHANNA WATERWAY

New and experienced paddlers will benefit from a new booklet recently released by the Susquehanna Greenway Partnership and Lumber Heritage Region.  According to the Sun Gazette, the publication will help users explore the history of the logging industry along the West Branch of the Susquehanna River that crosses between Clinton and Lycoming Counties.  The booklet features four paddling itineraries along the Susquehanna River Water Trail with points of interest,  put-in and take-out locations, difficulty rating and more.  Plans are for the booklets to be distributed for free at the Clinton County Visitors Bureau.

SPORTS

MLB
Washington Nationals slugger Juan Soto won the 2022 Home Run Derby yesterday, topping 21-year-old Seattle Mariners Julio Rodriguez in the final. 

Soto made 19 home runs in the final, walking it off in his minute of bonus time. At 23 years and 266 days, Soto is the second-youngest player to win the derby – only one day older than Juan Gonzalez was when he won in 1993.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Jackson State football coach Deion Sanders will donate half of his salary to make sure the program’s renovations to its football facility will be completed  a month before the season starts.  Jackson State will open the season against Florida A&M on Sept. 4 in Miami.

MLB DRAFT LEAGUE
Penn State baseball junior catcher Matt Wood was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the fourth round, 132nd overall.   The MLB Draft continues with rounds 11-20 today, beginning at 2pm.

NFL NEWS
Ryan Switzer, who played for the Steelers during the 2018 and 2019 seasons, announced his retirement at the age of 27 on social media yesterday, citing recent injuries. Switzer is best known for his role on special teams, serving as the team’s punt and kick returner during the 2018 season.

BACKYARD BROADCASTING LOCAL NEWS JULY 18, 2022

LAWSUIT ALLEGES TWA 800 WAS SHOT DOWN BY ERRANT MISSILE

A lawsuit has been filed in US District Court in Massachusetts against the US Department of Defense saying that TWA 800 crashed because it was struck by a test missile fired by the US Navy and not because of an electrical fire in the fuel tank as reported.  According to the Sun Gazette, the suit says there was a false report released about the fuel tank explosion when they say evidence shows there were tests going on close to the flightpath of commercial airlines. TWA 800 was  carrying students and chaperones from Montoursville Area High School to France from New York City and all on board perished in the crash 26 years ago.

FORMER OFFICER FACING A DUI

A former Catawissa police officer who was seen swerving along the road admitted having several drinks before trying to drive last month. According to Northcentral PA dot com, 49 year old Stefani Gallie, who left the department in 2020, refused a breath test, but South Centre Township police noted she nearly fell out of her truck when they stopped her the evening of June 18. Gallie and was charged with DUI and failing to stay in a single lane of travel. She’s scheduled for a preliminary hearing on August 8th.

NEW MENTAL HEALTH HOTLINE

While everyone knows to call 9-1-1 for an emergency. Now, get ready to dial 9-8-8 for a mental health emergency. The United States’ first nationwide three-digit mental health crisis hotline went LIVE on Saturday. It’s designed to be as easy to remember and use as 911, but instead of a dispatcher sending police, firefighters or paramedics, 988 will connect callers with trained mental health counselors.

SOAP BOX DERBY WINNERS HEAD TO OHIO

The two winners from the Soap Box Derby for Greater Williamsport are headed to Akron, Ohio this week for the 84th First Energy All American Soap Box Derby at Derby Downs.  Family, friends, and fans wished Super Stock Champion, Alivia Lukowsky, and Stock Champion Grace Stoltz well as they left for a parade today to kick off the family fun leading up the race this week. Racers will compete for a share of $36,000 in Bill Speeg Memorial Scholarships, awarded to the top three finishers in the Local and Rally divisions of the world championship race.

JURY SELECTION FOR TRUCK DRIVER WHO ALLEGEDLY SHOT NY MODEL

A jury to decide the fate of the man accused of shooting a New York City model and leaving her body along the roadside at a Union County exchange of Interstate 80, will begin to be selected today . According to North Central PA dot com, the trial of Tracy Ray Rollins, Jr. of Texas is scheduled for this fall in the Union County Courthouse.  He is accused of shooting Rebecca Landrith while in his tractor trailer and leaving her body at Mile Run exit  in February of 2021.  Investigators traced receipts found in Landrith’s pockets to Rollins who was extradited back to Pennsylvania after he was arrested in Connecticut.

SUV HITS MONTOURSVILLE HOUSE

An SUV crashed into a house on Sunday in Montoursville and did damage to a front porch and a car parked nearby.  According to North Central PA dot com, around 2pm Sunday, a driver left the roadway and hit a home collapsing the porch at the 200 block of Loyalsock Avenue, bringing the debris down on the car nearest to the home.  Police say the owners of the home at there at the time but were not hurt.  Witnesses say the driver was taken to the hospital by ambulance after the incident.

LONG TERM ROADWORK STARTS TODAY

PennDOT crews want to alert drivers of upcoming work along the Farrandsville Road, near Lock Haven, beginning Monday. Motorists may experience road closures at various times. Flaggers will be on the road to keep drivers apprised of any delays or closures. Utility work will continue on the roadway through the end of the year.

FINAL WEEK KICKS OFF AT LYCO FAIR

The 151st Lycoming County Fair continues for a full week in Hughesville through this weekend. Tonight is Bike night with free parking at the 3rd St Infield with an adult admission.  There will be Live Pro wrestling in the Grandstand at 7  and Backyard Broadcasting will be live on the midway from 5-8 tonight and each night through Saturday.

SPORTS

MLB
Nationals 7                    Braves 3
Yankees 13                    Red Sox 2
Rays 7                           Orioles 5
Phillies 4                        Marlins 0
Cubs 3                           Mets 2
Pirates 8                         Rockies 3
Tigers and Guardians and the Reds and Cardinals were postponed due to rain

NASCAR Sunday Cup Series At New Hampshire
Christopher Bell took the checkered flag Sunday in the #20 Toyota, followed by Chase Elliott, Bubba Wallace, Martin Truex Jr., and Kevin Harvick rounding out the top five.
Christopher Bell is the 14th driver to earn a spot in the 16 driver playoff field with six races left to go in the regular season.

MLB Draft League
The Williamsport Crosscutters dropped Saturday night’s game to the State College Spikes 5-0. 
Williamsport finished their 1st half of the season with a 20-18 record, in a three-way tie with State College Spikes and Trenton Thunder – the League heads into their mid-season break until next weekend when all the teams will come back with a re-worked roster.

Little League
Keystone’s 9-11 baseball all-star team defeated Tri Valley on Saturday afternoon, winning 3-2, in one of the winners’ bracket semifinal gamess. Now, Keystone will face  in the championship game slated for Monday evening at 5:30 p.m. with an “if” game set for Tuesday. All the games are at Athens.

GOLF

A remarkable late surge from Cameron Smith saw the Australian win his first major in stunning fashion at the 150th Open Championship in St. Andrews, Scotland.In his event debut, the 28-year-old drained five consecutive birdies as he tore through the back nine of the Old Course, carding an eight-under 64

BACKYARD BROADCASTING LOCAL NEWS JULY 15, 2022

COMS TO APPEAL RULING OVER MOVING OF COUNTY FUNCTIONS

The Lycoming County Commissioners will be appealing last week’s ruling in Potter County Court that functions of county employees be returned to the office of Controller Krista Rogers.  According to the Sun Gazette, the commissioners said they interpret the General Assembly statute that divided the functions of the controllers and the Commissioner’s offices and they will seek clarity through an upcoming appeal process.  The functions to be transferred are payroll, accounts receivable and the general ledger.  Rogers told the paper that the Judge’s ruling last week was clear and believes an appeals court will rule the same way.

FORMER EMPLOYEE ARRESTED FOR CREATING DISTURBANCE

Police say a man who was fired from a Williamsport business two months ago, returned to the Reach Road property Friday night and ignited fireworks near a propane fill station.  According to the Sun Gazette, Joseph Dragani was allegedly drunk when he created a disturbance at Overhead Door by yelling for his former supervisor inside the business and then igniting the fireworks.  When police arrived on the scene to arrest him, Dragani fled in an SUV, driving at high speeds to his home in Muncy where police took him into custody without incident.  He was charged with felony fleeing police, DUI, and reckless endangerment, and committed to Lycoming County Prison in lieu of 25 thousand dollars bail.

PENN COLLEGE ACCREDITED FOR EIGHT MORE YEARS

Pennsylvania College of Technology has received their accreditation from the Middle States Commission of Higher Education for 8 more years.  According to a press release from Penn College, universities and colleges must reapply every eight years, which entails meeting the seven standards for accreditation including, a self-study to be evaluated by the MSCHE.  Penn College has had held accreditation since 1970 and the next review takes place in 2029.  Find out the details on the school’s website, PCT.edu.

FESTIVAL RAISES FUNDS FOR RIVERPARK

Woodward Township’s Riverfest 2022 started up yesterday with proceeds for the event going toward the Woodward Township Recreation Committee’s maintenance of Riverpark and the Lockport Boat launch area.  There will be bands on the Riverfest stage each night through Saturday afternoon before the Duck Derby starts at 5pm. and fireworks wrap up the evening at 10pm.  The Dunnstown Fire Company is one of the various food vendors at the festival offering sausages, hot dogs, pizza and more.

MOTHER GETS PROBATION IN 2020 DEATH OF INFANT

A woman who plead guilty to involuntary manslaughter in the death of her infant in April of 2020 was sentenced yesterday to seven years probation and 12 months of electronic monitoring.  According to North Central PA dot com, 22 year old Demsey Mae Long told the court she had a lot of guilt and grief  over the 3 month old infant’s death who was discovered deceased after being covered by a blanket very near to a space heater in a very warm room while Long was passed out from drug use.  A first degree felony charge had been dismissed as part of Long’s plea agreement.

MASKS WILL BE OPTIONAL AGAIN AT MONTOURSVILLE THIS YEAR

The optional masking plan that students and teachers observed last year at Montoursville Area School Board was approved to continue for this upcoming school year.  According to the Sun Gazette, the board approved the health and safety plan that also calls for them to follow contact tracing requirements by the Department of Health.  In 2021 a group of  Montoursville parents filed a lawsuit challenging the state mask mandate, but ceased litigation when the school board changed to the mask optional plan.

GOVERNOR WOLF SIGNS PA FARM BILL AGAIN

Governor Wolf signed the budget for the Commonwealth last Friday, part of which will fully fund the Pennsylvania Farm Bill for the fourth time with bipartisan support from the General Assembly.  According to the Record Online, the bill allocates millions in federal American Rescue Plan funds to agricultural conservation efforts in Pennsylvania, including $154 million to provide cost-share to farmers. Governor Wolf has supported the PA Farm Bill for four years in a row which provides investments in state agriculture to grow opportunities and resources, remove barriers to success and inspire future leaders within agriculture.

MILTON LEAGION NEEDS VOLUNTEERS TO CLEAN UP FIRE DAMAGE

The Clean up event at the Milton American Legion Post 71 will happen tomorrow at 10am.  They are asking for help from anyone with construction or carpentry skills in the community after a fire did damage to the building.   Bar manager, May Seeley said fire officials told her the fire started in the dry mulch outside the building.  They are looking for donations of cleaning supplies and any funds to help with effort at 401 North Front Street in Milton tomorrow at 10 am.

SPORTS

MLB
Marlins 3             Pirates 2
Braves 5              Nationals 4
Reds 7                  Yankees 6
Ray 5                   Red Sox 4
Guardians 4        Tigers 0
Met 8                   Cubs 0

MLB Draft League
Williamsport Crosscutters on the road at Medlar Field in Lubrano Park
State College Spikes 9  Williamsport Crosscutters 5
MLB Draft League tonight
The Cutters are back home tonight to play the State College Spikes @ Muncy Bank Park with a 6:35 first pitch

GOLF
The second round of the 150th Open Championship is underway again today on the Old Course at St. Andrews in Scotland. After Round 1 yesterday, American rookie Cameron Young leads all golfers at 8-under-par.   Open Championship favorite Rory McIlroy is  in second place at 6-under and Cameron Smith is in third place after putting five under par.   Three-time Open champion Tiger Woods, is currently tied for 148th at 6-over. 

BACKYARD BROADCASTING LOCAL NEWS

SPECIAL TIOGA BOROUGH MEETING GETS HEATED

The meeting at the Tioga Borough Council last night had hundreds in attendance for the consideration of the resignation of president Steve Hazlett and his wife, Councilwoman Marybess Hazlett, and Timothy Loehmann, the officer who shot and killed Tamir Rice as Cleveland police officer in 2014 who was approved for hire last week by a council who had no idea of his background.  According to the Sun Gazette, the meeting got contentious when there was a motion to add the resignations of solicitor Jeffery Loomis and code enforcer Andre Reed to the agenda.  Vice President Bob Wheeler disagreed with the process and argued with councilman Alan Brooks who ran Tuesday’s special meeting. Wheeler removed himself from the meeting to the applause of many in attendance, but there was still a quorum with the remaining council members voting 2-1, approving all the resignations at once.

MAN STEALS EMPLOYEE’S DIRECT DEPOSIT INFO

A Williamsport man is free on bail after he was accused of taking an employee’s direct deposit information and used it to pay for his personal spending. According to North Central PA dot com, Iverson Pierre was in a position to steal the information and police say he attempted to use the victim’s credit card, debit card, and personal checking account, but the transactions never went through.  State Troopers took Pierre into custody and charged him with third degree felony access to a device used to obtain property.

CHANGES PLANNED FOR RIVER VALLEY PLAZA

Some changes are being planned for the River Valley Plaza that hasn’t seen any major renovations since it was built in 1985.  According to the Sun Gazette, the owners of the property off of Basin Street and Via Bella are proposing, along with Pine Ridge Construction, to revitalize storefronts and redesign the Starbucks parking lot in order to have two drive-thru lanes which will improve traffic flow in the plaza. Construction is to start after land development plans are finalized through city and county government, likely next year. 

LYCOMING COUNTY FAIR STARTS TODAY

The 151st Lycoming County Fair opens today at 4pm at the Fairgrounds in Hughesville  and will run through Saturday, July 23rd.  There is entertainment all week with free Harness racing tonight in the grandstand and music on the Red Dog Mobile Storage Stage. According to the Fairs’s Facebook page, they are seeking acts for the talent show on Tuesday, July 19th, those interested can fill out an application at the office. Thursday, July 21st, all military personnel get free admission.  

WASD TEACHER ACCUSED OF TWO SEXUAL ASSAULT INCIDENTS

More charges have been filed against a Williamsport School math teacher accused of being sexually involved with two student victims.  According to the Sun Gazette, 42 year old Christopher Yoder of Williamsport faces one set of felony charges after a student alleged the abuse in the 2011-2012 school year.  A second set of six more felony charges is from an alleged incident with a student at the end of the 2019 -2020 school year. Yoder was released on 75 thousand dollars bail after an arraignment in front of District Judge William Solomon.

MAN INJURED IN SUNBURY ACCIDENT

A Sunbury man was injured after a one vehicle crash in Kelly Township, Union County.  According to Milton State police, 58 year old Sean Finnerty crashed into a utility pole along River Road after he was speeding and traveled off the shoulder.  Troopers say Finnerty, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was able to drive himself to Evangelical Community Hospital for treatment.

GOVERNOR WOLF WILL CONSIDER STATE ELECTION FUNDING BILL

A spokesperson for Governor Wolf said that when it gets to his desk, he will review a bill put forth by Pennsylvania lawmakers that could give counties up to 45 million dollars in grant funding for elections, but will ban private funding.  According to the Sun Gazette, Republicans have been seeking this legislation for a while, passing it in the Senate by a 46-4 vote, but in the House the vote came in at a more narrow margin, 103-96.  There are some strings attached to the bill, including beginning the  counting of ballots at 7am on Election Day, but to “continue without interruption” until all ballots are counted –PA election officials feel is difficult to interpret, possibly creating more burden on the process than less. Counties can apply for the grant money starting August 15th.

LYCOMING CO. LANDFILL HAS NEW SUMMER TRAFFIC PATTERNS

There will be a temporary change in traffic patterns at the Lycoming County Landfill in Montgomery while they accommodate changes at the facility for a new scale project starting Friday.  According to the Sun Gazette, inbound traffic is affected and those vehicles will be required to check in at the Recycling Scales until the project is complete in mid-August. According to Landfill authorities weekdays the outbound landfill scales will be used as normal and on Saturday the inbound and outbound traffic will use the recycling scales. There will be signs and traffic barriers in place during the changes this summer.

SPORTS

MLB
          Guardians 4        White Sox 1 Game 1
          White Sox 7       Guardians 0 Game 2
Pirates 3              Marlins 2
Reds 4                 Yankees 3
Blue Jays 4         Phillies 3
Ray 3                   Red Sox 2
Braves 4              Mets 1
Orioles 4             Cubs 2
Mariners and Nationals were postponed due to rain.

MLB Draft League
Frederick 7         Williamsport 3 @ Muncy Bank ballpark last night – (1-1)
MLB Draft League Tonight
Game 3 of 3 Frederick Keys in Williamsport 6:35 first pitch


NHL NEWS
Evgeni Malkin has agreed to a four-year contract extension with the Pittsburgh Penguins on the eve of NHL free agency. 35 year old Malkin,  will earn $24.4 million over four years for an average annual value of $6.1 million.  Penguins general manager Ron Hextall said Tuesday that they are thrilled to watch Malkin continue his remarkable legacy in Pittsburgh.

NCAA NEWS
Hughesville graduate, Jayden Leighow,  was named the Lycoming college’s nominee for the NCAA Woman of the Year award yesterday.  According to the Sun Gazette, Leighow helped Lycoming College’s women’s soccer team win 10 games in back-to-back campaigns for the first time in program history.  Now the selection committee will determine the top three honorees from each division from the Top 30 and announce the nine finalists in the fall.

BACKYARD BROADCASTING JULY 12, 2022

CITY MAN SENTENCED FOR MANSLAUGHTER IN ARSON FOR HIRE

The Williamsport father of a man who died while allegedly carrying out a 2018 arson for hire scheme in Scranton, was sentenced to up to five years in prison for involuntary manslaughter Friday.  According to the Sun Gazette, 56 year old Brett Sweeting, Sr., pled guilty for his role as a getaway driver who left his son, Bret Sweeting Jr., behind when an explosion from the accelerant killed him at the home of Chad Kenowski, who was also in on the arson plot. According to court records, Kenowski pled guilty to third degree murder in Sweeting Jr.’s death and was sentenced in April to 22 years in state prison.

WILLIAMSPORT FIRE DAMAGES PARK AVENUE HOME

A fire determined to be caused by careless smoking caused 50 thousand dollars in damage Saturday at a home on Park Avenue in Williamsport.  According to the Sun Gazette, a neighbor saw smoke coming from the roof and called the fire department before Dennis Folk and his family escaped with their pets at about 8:20am.  Firefighters on the scene said they controlled the fire in about 10 minutes and the Folks will be able to stay with relatives while repairs are done to the home, including repairs of a collapsed second floor ceiling.

FIREWORKS LEGISLATION SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR

Governor Wolf signed new fireworks legislation yesterday that will restrict use and increase penalties for not following the provisions.  According to WHTM, House Bill 2157 includes mandatory minimum fines for fireworks violations with more clearly defined regulations.  The bill states; consumer fireworks may not be used 10pm to 10am except over July 4th and December 31st, local municipalities have authority to restrict fireworks use and the bill requires three-days-notice to livestock owners about when fireworks are going to be used, and that  the 12% tax levied from fireworks goes to emergency services use.

INTERNATIONAL TEAMS QUALIFY FOR FIRST ROUND OF LLWS

There are two more international teams who have qualified to play in the 75th Little League World Series this August in South Williamsport.  According to the Sun Gazette, the Little League team of Managua, Nicaragua clinched their 1st trip to Williamsport by defeating Venezuela 10-nothing in the 2022 Latin America Regional Championship. The Pabao Little League team from Curacao will return this year to defend their 2019 International Championship win following their win against Cuba 3-1 in the Caribbean Regional tournament.  The game between these two teams – the Caribbean and Latin American champs – is the opening round of the LLWS August 17th at 1pm in Volunteer Stadium.

TRAIN HITS A CAR IN ANTIS FORT

A car and a freight train collided near Antis Fort last evening, causing a brief investigation at the scene, but no injuries were reported.  According to the Sun Gazette, police said a Norfolk Southern train clipped the rear passenger side of a passenger car at the rail road crossing on River Mill road, west of Antis Fort.  The accident occurred just after 6pm and police were on the scene. The train sustained no damage and continued on. There was minor damage to the car, which could be driven from the scene.  Police did not release the identity of the driver.

WOMAN DOES DAMAGE TO AN ACQUAINTANCE’S HOME

A Williamsport woman has been arrested after police say she did over 10 thousand dollars in damage to the home of a male acquaintance at the Harvest Moon Park in Woodward Township on June 21st.  According to the Sun Gazette, 30 year old Sherilee McCaslin smashed a shoe through a window of the modular home, damaged a flat screen TV, carved into wooden and glass surfaces and poked holes in many walls and doors with a blunt object.  McCaslin was arraigned in Lycoming county Court and was incarcerated under 10 thousand dollars bail.

RENOVATION ORDINANCE TO BE UPDATED

Williamsport’s Architectural Review Board, or HARB, has been given a 10 thousand dollar grant to update the city’s historic architecture ordinance that could allow for major changes in exterior renovation rules.  An original ordinance from 1975 is in need of an update to streamline and upgrade the renovation process including policies and procedures for using modern materials and best practices for structure review. According to Williamsport officials, once an outside consulting firm is hired to address renovations, the processes that are required can be more clearly spelled out. 

NEW FIREARM RULES FOR TURKEY HUNTING

The Board of Game Commissioners adopted new regulations for turkey season in Pennsylvania this fall at their meeting on Friday.  According to a press release from the Pennsylvania Game Commission, the restriction keeps turkey hunters from using single projectile firearms including slug guns, muzzleloading rifles and handguns starting this fall.  The Game Commission said it should impact less than 1% of hunters and that the restrictions are additional means to protect turkey populations without reducing the length of the season.  Only shotguns and archery gear will be lawful for fall turkey hunting. 

SPORTS

MLB
Pirates 5              Marlins 1
Rays 10               Red Sox 5
Guardians 8        White Socks 4
Cardinals 6         Phillies 1
Mets 4                 Braves 1
          Royals 3 Tigers 1 Game 1
          Royals 7 Tiger 3  Game 2

MLB Draft League
Williamsport Crosscutters 9          Frederick Keys 1
MLB Draft League Tonight Game 2 @ Muncy Bank Ballpark 6:35 1st pitch

Little League
Keystone defeated Montgomery for the District 12 Little League Junior Division Championship 8-3.  Keystone was leading 4-3 going into the Top of the 7th inning, when they got a three run triple and scored one more run to seal the game.

BACKYARD BROADCASTING LOCAL NEWS JULY 11, 2022

EMERGENCY MEETING IN TIOGA BOROUGH TOMORROW

The  Tioga Borough Council are scheduled to meet in emergency session tomorrow night over the withdrawal of application from Timothy Loehmann the officer who fatally shot Tamir Rice, while as an officer with the Cleveland Police Department as well as to consider the resignations of President of the Council, Steve Hazlett and his wife, who is also a councilmember.  According to the Sun Gazette, Attorney General Josh Shapiro said Tioga Borough officials violated state law when they hired Timothy Loehmann, the police officer who killed Tamir Rice in Cleveland in 2014. Borough Mayor David Wilcox swore in Loehmann on Tuesday night after the borough council voted to approve his hiring. There have been protests over the move in the borough since. 

FUGITIVE CAPTURED IN PIATT TOWNSHIP

The man who escaped from the Lycoming County Pre-Release Center on June 17th is facing charges after police captured him while allegedly involved in criminal activity.  According to North Central PA dot com, authorities in Piatt Township took Todd Hill into custody after they surrounded a property near Route 220, and found him hiding inside.  Police allege Hill had fentynal in a cooler at the residence. Hill was charged by Tiadaghton Valley Regional police with felony flight to avoid apprehension and drug charges. Hill waived his preliminary hearing and is incarcerated on no bail.

UPMC CONSOLIDATES TWO OFFICES TO DOWNTOWN WILLIAMSPORT

UPMC has announced that they have consolidated two of their practices in Duboistown and South Williamsport, to downtown Williamsport. Both offices from UPMC Family Practice and UPMC Pediatrics will relocate to the new facility on the second floor of 175 Pine Street, Williamsport; They are scheduled to begin seeing patients there today.

SEVERAL BILLS VETOED BY GOVERNOR WOLF

Governor Wolf vetoed two bills last Friday on banning transgender female athletes from participating in sports in high school and college, as well as a bill sponsored by Franklin County Senator Doug Mastriano, that looks to allow poll watchers from any county to observe election activity where they are not registered. A third bill that would have kept the Department of Human Services from hiring a vendor to manage financial services for home health for the elderly, was also vetoed by the governor.

MANSFIELD MAN IN CUSTODY AFTER SHOOTING FATHER

A Tioga County man is in jail today after he allegedly shot and killed his estranged father at a home on Route 6 on Saturday.  According to the Sun Gazette, State police took 28 year old Zachary McCoon into custody at the residence in Sullivan Township without incident after he himself called 911 to report that he had shot 49 year old Trevor McCoon.  The victim was the man’s estranged father who had arrived at the residence and charged at him, according to police reports.  The younger McCoon is in the Tioga County Prison on no bail.

NEW JUDGE NOMINATED TO FILL VACANCY

William Carlucci has been approved by the Pennsylvania Senate to fill the unexpired term of former Judge Joy Reynolds-McCoy, who resigned earlier this year as the judge in the Lycoming County Court of Common Pleas. According to the Sun Gazette, there is still one more vacancy to fill in Lycoming County, that of Judge Mark Lovecchio, who resigned in 2021. Senior judges have been filling in and taking care of the caseloads, until appointments are confirmed by the state. Carlucci will start his duties in August.

PAYMENT APPROVED FOR BANDSHELL IMPROVEMENTS

The Williamsport City Council has approved paying Gannett Fleming $47,400 to complete the design in preparation for renovations of the Brandon Park Bandshell.  According to the Sun Gazette, the design costs are covered by a gift from the First Community Foundation Partnership of Pennsylvania. The work to be done includes brick work, structural repair of the stage and ceiling, accessible bathrooms, humidity control and the installation of an accessible wheelchair lift. The city says they will be using a contingency fund in some amount for any extra costs that arise.

TAX ASSISTANCE POSSIBLE FOR WEST PHARMACEUTICAL

With the potential prospect of adding 125 jobs in Jersey Shore; Lycoming County Commissioners’ approved a Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance ordinance, aimed at offering tax abatement for a possible expansion program at West Pharmaceutical Services in Jersey Shore. The tax abatement is over a seven-year period and begins when construction of the expansion at the site is complete on Oliver Street in Jersey Shore. The Jersey Shore School District last week approved a resolution in support of West’s request for the abatement and the borough is expected to vote next week.

SPORTS

NASCAR Chase Elliott won his first NASCAR cup victory at Atlanta Motor speedway Sunday, followed by Ross Chastain, Austin Cindric, Eric Jones, and Ryan Blaney rounding out the top 5.  Chase won the Quaker State 400 in front of his home crowd where his father Bill Elliot “Awesome Bill from Dawsonville” won 5 times. The Elliotts are the 3rd father-son duo to take the checkered flag at the historic track, who also includes Ned and Dale Jarrett and Dale Earnhardt and Dale Junior

MLB
Orioles 9             Angels 5
Braves 4              Nationals 3
Marlins 2            Mets 0
Reds 10               Rays 5
Royals 5              Guardians 1
Pirates 8              Brewers 6
Cardinals 4         Phillies 3
Red Sox 11         Yankees 6

MLB Draft League
State College 6 Williamsport 5 at home yesterday
MLB Draft tonight
Crosscutters play the Frederick Keys at home tonight – 6:35 1st pitch.

MLB News
The full All-Star game roster was announced on Sunday. Yankees, with the best record in the league, lead all the teams with 6 players selected.  The Game comes up on Tuesday, July 19 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, CA

Tennis
Number 1 seed, Novak Djokovic defeated Nick Kyrgios in 4 sets Sunday for his 4th consecutive Wimbledon title and seventh overall.

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