RAISE THE REGION WRAPS UP
Another successful Raise the Region event wrapped up at midnight last night. With a fundraising effort which began at 6pm on Wednesday evening, 273 non-profit agencies from across Lycoming, Montour, Northumberland, Union and Snyder Counties shared in just shy of $1.5 million dollars over the 30 hours of online fundraising. The top agencies were the non profit Hiawatha Paddlewheel Riverboat which received a little over $72,000 dollars, The Northumberland Christian School which picked up close to $69,000 dollars and the Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble Inc which picked up $50,000 dollars. There were more than 5,200 individual donors.
BARN DESTROYED BY FIRE
Fire yesterday afternoon destroyed a barn in the Montgomery area. The fire broke out around 4:20pm in a barn owned by the Shrimp family on Cemetery Hill road in Clinton Township bringing in firefighters from companies across three counties. It’s believed the barn was already collapsing when firefighters arrived and they were not able to save the structure or the equipment inside. Any cattle on the farm were all reported safe and sound. One firefighter was taken to the hospital for an unspecified reason. A damage estimate has not been released and the a state police fire marshal has been called in to investigate the cause.
COUNCIL APPROVED PARK AVENUE PLAN
Another step forward for improvement in a section of the city of Williamsport. City Council during their meeting last night, approved a plan for improvements to the Park Avenue neighborhood which spans several blocks in the city and includes businesses, homes and low income rentals. A consulting firm, Ingalls Planning and Design will be paid a little over $89,000 dollars to develop the plan which will include residential and commercial lots, as well as opening up the area to parks and the downtown. Officials say it could take anywhere from a year to 15 years ot institute the plan.
COMMISSIONERS EXTEND AGREEMENT
Lycoming County Commissioners yesterday extended an agreement with the city of Williamsport which will extend the use of a remaining $177,000 dollars in grant funding from the state which will be used for a rehabilitation program for rental properties in the city’s Brodart Neighborhood. The extension will last into June of 2020. Officials say work there is slow due to a number of reasons. Commissioners also discussed the fight against opioids in the county, giving State Senator Gene Yaw kudos for his recent legislation limiting opioid prescriptions. More legislation is expected to be introduced.
SHAMOKIN MAN ARRESTED FOR CITY ASSAULT
A Shamokin man was arrested in the city of Williamsport earlier this month for an assault on his girlfriend. City police say 26 year old Basir Loyal committed the assault in the 600 block of Market Street on March the 2nd. He allegedly struck the woman in the face fracturing her eye socket and the biting her thumb during the assault. She has not been named and was treated at a local hospital. Loyal is charged with aggravated and simple assault and is free on $20,000 bail.
THREE CHARGED IN MUNCY TOWNSHIP
Charges of forgery, access device fraud, identity theft and conspiracy have been filed against three young men by Muncy Township Police. Police say the three from the Bronx New York, forged a driver’s license and credit card that one of them used at the Target Store here to buy a cell phone worth $1300 dollars on another person’s account on March 8th. One of them is also charged with resisting arrest. The three were arraigned and jailed in lieu of $75,000 bail each.
FORMER PRIEST IN OUR AREA CHARGED
A 75 year old former priest who served a church in Snyder County in the 1980’s has been charged with molesting two altar boys at a church in Dauphin County in the 1990’s. 75 year old John G. Allen of York has been charged with four counts of indecent assault and two counts of corruption of minors for the assaults which happened at church in Harrisburg. He was among the priests listed in a grand jury report documenting sexual abuse in the church in August.
MAN FOUND GUILTY OF SEX CHARGES
A Sunbury man has been found guilty of seven felony sex charges involving a young girl. 41 year old James Beidler has been convicted in Northumberland County Court of the charges including rape of a child, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and other counts. He was accused of molesting a young girl from the age of five over several years. The county’s DA’s office has asked for the minimum ten year sentence. Sentencing will set for a later date.
YAW TO CO-CHAIR PUBLIC TV CAUCUS
23rd State Senator Gene Yaw has announced that he will serve as co-chair for the Pennsylvania Public Television Caucus during the 2019-2020 legislative session. The Caucus is a bi-partisan bicameral legislative committee of Senate and House legislators working ot support the state’s seven public medial stations through the development of policies, legislation and state funding. The caucus will serve as a forum through which legislators and industry representatives can collaborate on the needs of the industry.
