Backyard Broadcasting Local News

NEW VOTING MACHINES APPROVED

Lycoming County should have brand new voting machines in time for the November General election.  The county has been looking into purchasing new machines as mandated by the state and yesterday County Commissioners by a 2-1 vote approved a contract for just over a million dollars for 180 machines which will be used in all voter precincts in the county.  Voters will fill out paper ballots which the machines will scan.  The paper trail would reinforce the automatic vote tally making the system resilient to voter fraud or hacking.

AGREEMENT SIGNED

Continuing cooperation between the two colleges in the city of Williamsport on many levels, the presidents of Pennsylvania College of Technology and Lycoming College signed an agreement yesterday which will allow for exploration of a tuition program which would benefit dependent children of full-time college employees.  College officials hope the program will help with retention of talen in the Williamsport area giving the dependents a chance to study in the courses they may be interested in.

CHARGES FILED FOLLOWING FATAL FIGHT

Charges have been filed against a Middleburg man for a fight in Sunbury which eventually led to the death of another man there.  Police say 36 year old Jay Boyer of Middleburg got into a fight with Brian Cox of Sunbury on the along South Third Street around 4am on April 28th.  Boyer struck Cox around the head and face with Cox later found unresponsive.  Cox died in the hospital on May 9th.  Boyer has been charged with aggravated assault and a count of involuntary manslaughter.  He was jailed in Northumberland County Prison in lieu of $250,000 bail.

POLICE ON THE LOOKOUT IN SUNBURY

Police in Sunbury say they are looking for two women and a man who allegedly participated in an attempted strong armed robbery there early yesterday morning. The incident happened in the 700 block of Market Street around 4am as the two women approached and distracted the victim who was then jumped from behind by a man who kicked the victim in the stomach, knocking them to the ground and punching them in the face.  That person was treated at Geisinger Medical Center.  Police are asking anyone with information to call them at 570-988-4539.

STORY CORRECTION

A correction to a story we had on May 6th regarding a fatal accident in Union County which occurred back in April.  The accident happened in the 1600 block of Green Ridge Road in West Buffalo Township as 33 year old Shane Murray of Miffflinburg was backing out of a driveway when his vehicle was struck by a motorcycle operated by 21 year old Hunter Karchner of Mifflinburg.  Karchner was pronounced dead at the scene.  The crash investigation is continuing.

RESPECTED PRIEST PASSES

A well known and respected priest in the Williamsport area has passed away.  Father John Manno, who grew up in the Williamsport Area and returned to serve both the St. Joseph the Worker Parish in the city of Williamsport and later the Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Montoursville died on Thursday morning at the age of 78.  Amongst Manno’s many accomplishments was his efforts in helping to create the 9-11 coalition which puts on the annual ride in rememberance of the attacks on the U.S. in 2001 as well as serving as chaplain for the Williamsport Bureau of Fire.

PLENTY OF DAMAGE BUT NO TORNADOES

Though there were plenty of downed trees, and powerlines, the National Weather service says two possible tornadoes which touched down in our region during Wednesday’s round of storms, have not been classified as tornadoes.  They say heavy damage at the R.B . Winter State Park near Mifflinburg was caused by 80mph downdraft winds, while wind gusts near Wellsboro as high as 60mph accompanied by quarter size hail were just that…Wind gusts.

MIXED VERDICT

A former house manager at a Penn State Fraternity where a pledge died after being made to consume large amounts of alcohol has seen a mixed verdict in his criminal trial.  22 year old Braxton Becker yesterday was convicted on a charge of hindering apprehension, but was found not guilty of the more serious charges of evidence tampering and obstruction.  He had been accused of getting rid of basement security tapes and other evidence the night Timothy Piazza died at the Beta Theta Pi Frat House there.  Sentencing is set for August.

SPLASH COVE  OPENING DELAYED

With school coming to an end and the summer just about here, area pools are continuing to open up.  Officials with the City of Williamsport Recreation say that Splash Cove at Memorial Park has seen a second delay in the pool opening and will now open up on June 8th.  They will offer $20 off on any family season membership purchased tomorrow from noon to 4pm.  They cite the recent wet weather with hampering efforts to get maintenance done at the pool complex in order for it to open.

 

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