LOW VOTER TURNOUT
With voter turnout low at 17.8 percent of eligible voters in Lycoming County, the November General Election is now set. There was a contested race for Williamsport City Council on the Republican side as four persons were running for three Republican slots and all three Democratic candidates advance to the fall election. Republican incumbents Randall Allison and N. Clifford Skip Smith were the top two vote getters. The final slot came down to the wire with Scot Miller narrowly defeating Joel Henderson by 9 votes. On the Democratic side incumbent Liz Miele advances as does Kelly Anderson and Allison Hirsch. There are three open spots in November.
SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS SET
Last night’s primaries saw a number of open school board seats with nominees put on the ballot for November. The board with the most change could be the Jersey Shore School Board. Loren Koch won a special election for the newly created Region 3 seat and will take a place on the board. In addition, David Hines and Kelly Wasson won nomination in Region 3 and will replace current board members Harry Brungard and Shelly Helm following the November election after winning on both the Democratic and Republican tickets.
COMING DOWN TO WRITE-INS
Some other area races could come down to write in votes which will be counted today. The race for Montoursville Mayor sees the only announced candidate Kimberly DiRocco moving on with the Republican nomination, but current mayor John Dorin could possibly be on the Democratic ticket after outpolling DiRocco with democratic write-ins. In the race for Old Lycoming Township Supervisor, David Shirn picked up the most Republican votes over current supervisor John Eck, but Eck could be on the ticket in the fall with enough democratic write-ins. In Loyalsock Township, current supervisor John Bower may have received enough write-ins to be on the Republican ballot in the fall.
TWO REFERENDUMS PASSED
Establishments in two area townships will now be able to seek liquor licenses to sell beer and wine. Referendums in Fairfield Township in Lycoming County and Gregg Township in Union County passed yesterday and will allow establishments to sell alcoholic beverages. Other than a beer distributor, there have been no sales of alcoholic beverages in Gregg Township since probation in the 1920’s.
TWO INJURED IN CRASH
A Cogan Station man was treated at Williamsport Regional Medical Center for injuries suffered in a two vehicle crash on Beauty’s Run Road in Old Lycoming Township early last evening. Vehicles driven by 24 year old Nathan Engle of Cogan Station and 50 year old Betty Colegrove of Cogan Station collided just east of Route 15 around 6:30 last evening. Engle was able to get out of his vehicle which caught fire, but was put out by an extinguisher. He was taken to the Medical Center and his condition has not been released. Colegrove was treated at the scene for minor injuries.
MAN HELD AT GUNPOINT, ARRESTED
A Jersey Shore man was caught inside a Limestone Township home on Monday by the homeowner’s son and was held at gunpoint until police arrived. 52 year old David Dangle was caught trying to break into the home of Judy Lyon along State Route 44 around 1pm. yesterday. He was held there at gunpoint by Ms. Lyon’s son Andrew. Police were called and he was arrested and arraigned on charges of burglary and other counts and jailed in lieu of $75,000 dollars bail.
HARTLETON POLICE CHIEF SUSPENDED
The saga continues in a Union County Community. Borough Council in Hartleton has decided to suspend police chief Donald Zerbe without pay until his court case is cleared up. Zerbe was charged by state police with various counts stemming from his handing out traffic tickets and giving the offenders the choice of paying the tickets or making a donation to the borough’s playground fund. Zerbe will remain on suspension at least until the resolution of his case at which time council will decide what to do with his job. An acting police chief has been appointed to the job.
YOUNG MAN CHARGED IN SEXUAL ASSAULT
A 20 year old Wyalusing man is charged with the sexual assault of an 8 year old female back in 2008. State police in Bradford County say they have arrested 20 year old Kayden Sherman on charges of Rape, and other counts regarding an incident which took place between March and August of 2008 when Sherman was 15 and the girl just 8 years old at a home in Wyalusing Township. Sherman was arraigned yesterday and jailed in Bradford County Correctional facility in lieu of $25,000 dollars bail.
FIRE DESTROYS SUMMER COTTAGE
Fire broke out in Union County yesterday destroying a summer cottage in Winfield. The fire broke out in the summer home of Greg and Patty Hess along South River Breeze Avenue just before 9am. The fire quickly swept through the home and cause about $60,000 dollars damage. The couple was not home at the time, and no one was injured. The cause appears to be electrical in nature, but an investigation in underway in to the cause of that Union County
PENN DOT GOES VIRAL
PennDOT has gone viral. The Department of Transportation has announced that in an effort to expand its public outreach on safety and education, that they have a new YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/PennsylanianaDOT. The new channel so far contains time lapse video from the May 9th tanker fire near Harrisburg, education and safety videos and features on PennDOT operations and initiatives.