HOPES FOR A BRIGHT FUTURE
Aspiration for 2022, coming from the Central PA Chamber of Commerce, according to Tea Jay Aikey, President and CEO of the commerce, include solving the worker shortage with ‘second chance’ workers, and inspiring young people to start thinking about the future. As reported by an online media source, second chance workers are those who may have been incarcerated, and have criminal records. Job fairs for school age children are also huge strides forward in getting kids to think about what they like to do and what they can do with their future.
NEWLY HIRED ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT
The Williamsport Area School District hired Dr. Richard Poole as its new assistant superintendent Tuesday night. Dr. Poole, who is currently the district’s student services director, will take on his new post beginning July 1. He will replace Dr. Susan L. Bigger, who is set to retire on June 30. Poole will bring with him more than 20 years of combined teaching and administrative experience that have prepared him for this position.
RESIDENTIAL BREAK-IN
Three people are facing charges after a residential break in on Feb 5. Destiny Paige Hoy of Williamsport, Brian Keith Hoy of Lock Haven, and Todd Edward Hubert of South Williamsport allegedly entered a trailer near the 1900 block of Beech Street. Destiny Hoy allegedly threatened to kill children that were inside the trailer at the time of the incident. As reported by Northcentralpa.com, although they differ only in bail costs, all three face multiple charges including first-degree felony burglary and third-degree criminal trespassing.
GRANT PRESENTED TO SUPPORT GEISINGER JANET WEIS CENTER CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL’S LIFE TEAM
A $5,000 grant was presented to Geisinger Health Foundation to support the Geisinger Janet Weis Children’s Hospital’s Life Team, as reported by Northcentralpa.com. The organization powered by Dunkin’ Donuts, called the Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation, recently made the move to provide support to the child life specialists, who are there to do their part by helping to reduce stress and anxiety of children when they are in the hospital. As reported, the Geisinger Health Foundation was one the many 80 organizations selected throughout the United States to receive this Fall Regional Grant.
STOLEN INFORMATION FROM NORTHUMBERLAND AND MONTOUR COUNTY RESIDENTS
A New York man is scheduled for federal prison following an organized scheme to defraud Sprint of $1.3 million and used stolen information from 390 victims. Those victims include those from Northumberland and Montour counties. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania said Horace Henry was sentenced Monday to serve upwards of 12 years by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Matthew W. Brann for fraudulently ordering more than 1,600 iPhones. According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Henry previously pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and aggravated identity theft. Henry and two co-conspirators executed a scheme to defraud Sprint through fraudulent cellphone service contracts. The contracts were created using stolen personal identification information of 390 identity theft victims, resulting in bogus orders for 1,630 iPhone XR cellphones.
PENNDOT, STATE ASSOCIATION OF TOWNSHIP SUPERVISORS ANNOUNCE MUNICIPAL FUNDING, DISCUSS BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW AND LOCAL ROAD AND BRIDGE NEEDS
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors (PSATS) today discussed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) as well as local-governments’ road and bridge needs and investment options. PennDOT has also committed $455.9 million in liquid fuels payments to help certified municipalities maintain their roads and bridges, approximately 1 percent more than last year. There are 120,596 miles of public roads in Pennsylvania. Some 2,560 municipalities manage an estimated 78,000 linear miles of roadway and more than 6,600 bridges longer than 20 feet.
In addition to identifying state transportation needs, Governor Tom Wolf’s Transportation Revenue Options Commission outlined that the unmet funding need on locally owned roads and bridges is estimated to be nearly $3.9 billion per year, growing to $5.1 billion annually by 2030.
HIT AND RUN IN NORTHUBERLAND COUNTY
A hit and run in Watsontown finds a Watsontown man facing charges. On Monday, February 28, 2022 at just before 7 pm, Watsontown Police were dispatched to the 200 block of Main St, for a report of a hit and run to an unoccupied vehicle. A subsequent investigation found that Bradley Kreps, was driving, and while leaving a parking space, struck another vehicle. Kreps failed to stop and provide information and left the scene and faces summary charges of Accidents Involving an Unoccupied Vehicle and Duty to Provide Information and Render Aid. Charges have been filed at the office of Magisterial District Judge Michael I. Diehl of Milton.
NEWS OF DESTRUCTION SQUASHED
Lycoming county has taken great strides tell the public they have no intention of taking over and subsequently demolishing the church and or cemetery on the Alvira property. As reported by SUN Gazette, there have been negotiations to purchase the land from the federal government for upwards of 20 years. However, there remains no intention of doing anything destructive with either the church or the cemetery, therefore leaving both open to the public. According to Commissioner Rick Mirabito the county has been negotiating for some time to acquire the land, but noted the historic significance of the Alvira property and the importance of preserving the church and cemetery. As a piece of history, Alvira was a village of about 500 residents located near Allenwood. In 1942, the federal government ordered the people living there to move, seizing their properties, creating a way for an ordnance depot.
DISTURBANCE AND DUI IN SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT
It was a Lycoming County man who created a disturbance, by allegedly “throwing tables and trying to fight” within a local Moose Lodge on West Southern Avenue in South Williamsport. But, unfortunately for that man, it didn’t stop there. As reported by SUN Gazette, David Harding was arrested for DUI on Feb. 23 at approximately 10 pm and taken to the hospital for blood tests, which he subsequently refused. However, once released to his wife, he then called Tony Mussare, threatening his life and that of his family. The next day, in front of District Judge Gary Whiteman, Harding was arraigned on charges of felony terroristic threats, misdemeanor harassment and DUI and released on $25,000 bail.
NO RECOMMENDATION FROM THE COMMITTEE
Williamsport City Council’s finance committee forwarded a resolution for a splash pad at Shaw Place Park in the city’s East End with no recommendation, as reported by Sun Gazette. The Vortex USA Inc. project has a price tag of $206,867, with water features, including a filtration system and controls. However, the committee had also wanted sidewalk access to the splash pad facility, shade trees planted, a surveillance camera and an addition of benches.
NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY LOOKING FOR MORE HELP
The Northumberland County District Attorney Tony Matulewicz has requested the County Commissioners to move to approve another assistant district attorney to provide the much needed help for the growing criminal caseloads in the county. As reported by the Daily Item, the Commissioners looked at it positively, as they are down to only four ADAs in Northumberland County. They had lost upwards of 7 people in this position in the past four years.
ROAD CONSTRUCTION AHEAD THIS WEEK
Those who travel Route 15 northbound and southbound are advised of rolling roadblocks this week between mile marker 148 (Trout Run exit) in Lycoming County and mile marker 162 (Liberty exit) in Tioga County for utility work. As reported by Northcentralpa.com, tomorrow, Tri-County Rural Electric, will be performing rolling roadblocks just north of mile marker 165 (Sebring exit) and just north of mile marker 155 (Route 184 / Steam Valley interchange), in order for them to pull utility cables across the roadway. Work is expected between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., as weather permits.
