MULTI-VEHICLE CRASH IN SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT

It was a crash in South Williamsport and upwards of nine people were injured, but all declined treatment except two who were taken to UPMC Williamsport following this four-vehicle chain-reaction crash at East Southern Avenue and Hastings Street in South Williamsport about 12:30 p.m. yesterday, according to borough police. The names of those involved were not available. According to SUN Gazette, multiple ambulances were dispatched to the scene.

VOTE AUDIT QUESTIONS FOR LYCOMING COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

Both county commissioners Tony Mussare and Scott Metzger are open to additional audits of votes if there is a need for it, referring to possible audits in Tioga County and in the southeastern part of the state. According to a media outlet, no audits have been suggested for here. According to Rick Mirabito, the lone Democrat on the Board of Commissioners, unless someone can bring evidence of wrongdoing, it would not be fruitful to spend taxpayer dollars to do another audit.

JERSEY SHORE AREA SCHOOL BOARD MASK DIRECTIVE QUESTIONED

 “Do what’s right for the kids,”  a parent,  Ann Marie Pfirman, spoke up to the Jersey Shore Area School Board at their meeting as she made the case for a masks-optional policy for district students. Pfirman noted that because of what she claimed is inaction by the board, some of the parents and citizens have taken action by sending a letter from their attorney to the school board. Pfirman went on to ask the school board to work with the parents to get masking optional and also to stop the segregation practices that the district has allowed the teachers and the administrators to do in our classrooms. As reported by SUN Gazette, the board did not respond to the comments. The next board meeting will be at 7 p.m. Oct. 11 at the Middle School Auditorium, 601 Thompson St.

GUILTY PLEA FOR 2017 INFANT DEATH

Abdullah Friend, 30, of Williamsport, pleaded guilty to his responsibility in the death of his infant child in April of 2017. By his admission in court yesterday, Friend reportedly handled the child in a reckless manner in such a way that led to death, eventually resulting in asphyxiation, according to District Attorney Ryan Gardner. Prescient Judge Nancy Butts sentenced Friend to one to two years in the Lycoming County Prison, with credit for time served, as well as a consecutive six and a half years of probation. As reported by a media source, Friend’s actions included reckless batter and a tight swaddle that resulted in asphyxiation, said District Attorney Ryan Gardner.

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT AREA SCHOOL BOARD MEETING

The South Williamsport Area School Board elected Todd Engel as its President and Steve Rupert as Vice President and accepted the resignations of two school directors at this week’s meeting. The recent resignations of former president Nathan Miller and vice president Nicholas Fiorini left the board with two vacancies. In other matters, Superintendent Dr. Mark Stamm reported to the board that since August the district has had 26 cases of positive COVID-19 infections at the high school, 15 at Central Elementary School and four at Rommelt Elementary School. According to a media outlet, the board met in executive session following the meeting to consider personnel matters.

CONVICTED FELON UNABLE TO POSSESS FIREARMS

As a convicted felon, Susquehanna Township resident Edward Jay Manley, is prohibited by law to possess a firearm at any time. Armed with a search warrant, police took from the home numerous rifles, handguns and shotguns on Aug. 4 after receiving a tip, according to an affidavit. As reported by a media source,  he was arraigned last week on 15 felony counts of convicted felon not to possess a firearm, Manley, convicted of felony burglary in 1990, was released on $15,000 bail.

SECOND AMENDMENT SUPPORT AT LYCOMING COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MEETING TUESDAY

Lycoming County Sheriff Mark Lusk spoke before a group of community members as the county commissioners considered a resolution in support of the Second Amendment. “You won’t find this sheriff enforce anything that the federal administration tries to shove down our throats, because we have the right to bear arms,” …Matthew McDermott, director of administration and chief clerk then read the resolution before the crowd. According to the SUN Gazette, the resolution stated that the commissioners “wish to express their intent to stand for Second Amendment rights and oppose any effort to unconstitutionally restrict such rights of citizens to keep and bear arms,” McDermott read. By a unanimous vote, the commissioners passed the resolution. The next meeting of the commissioners will be at 10 a.m., Oct. 5 in the Commissioner’s Board Room, 1st floor Executive Plaza, 330 Pine St.

COVID-19 LOCAL CASES FOR TUESDAY

The Pennsylvania Department of Health on Tuesday reported new COVID-19 cases statewide. In Clinton County 11 new cases were reported on Tuesday, Centre County saw an increase of 58, while Lycoming County increased by 72, 29 in Northumberland County, 23 in Union, 20 in Snyder and seven in Montour County.

MASK EXEMPTION BILL PASSES STATE SENATE COMMITTEE

AP is reporting… A bill that would allow parents in Pennsylvania to exempt their children from wearing a mask at school cleared a state Senate committee on Tuesday as Republican lawmakers started making good on their pledge to counter the governor’s statewide mask mandate.  The legislation would hand the ultimate decision on masking at school to parents and guardians, allowing them to overrule any face-covering mandate imposed by the state Department of Health, a local health department or a school board.  The Senate Education Committee approved the bill on a party-line vote. It requires passage by the full Senate and the House before going to Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf, whose office said he opposes the bill.

STORMREADY HOSPITAL DESIGNATION

Evangelical Community Hospital is now ‘StormReady,’ that’s an official designation from the National Weather Service.  During a news conference yesterday, the weather service recognized Evangelical Community Hospital as the second hospital in Pennsylvania to gain the Storm Ready status.  Features of a  StormReady Hospital includes having a 24-hour warning point and emergency operations center in the building – but it also meets virtually – one aspect of it allows hospital staff access to a chat program with the National Weather Service to get their gut feeling on incoming severe weather, according to a media outlet.