TRAFFIC STOPS TURN UP DRUGS
Two men busted on the same day in the city of Williamsport last week for drugs following vehicle stops there. Both took place on January 8th. In the first, 27 year old Tyra Golden of Williamsport, a convicted drug dealer and gang member was found with concealed heroin and cocaine on his body and jailed in lieu of $150,000 bail. The second traffic stop resulted in a passenger, 20 year old Fareed Kale of Georgia into custody who tried to conceal, heroin, cocaine and marijuana on him. He is jailed in lieu of $90,000 bail.
ANOTHER NEW POLICE CHIEF
For the third time in a couple of months, a new police chief has been named for the city of Williamsport. Yesterday, officer Damon Hagen was sworn in as the chief to take over for the retired David Young. Hagen was named assistant chief a couple of weeks ago with retired officer Doc Miller set to come back to the force as the chief, but Miller decided to decline due to personal reasons. Miller had been named after Jody Miller who was going to become chief took a job with the school district. He has since come back to the city force. Officer Aaron Levan was sworn in as assistant chief yesterday.
UNITED WAY TO HELP OUT GOVERNMENT WORKERS
The Lycoming County United Way has announced that they are joining with the United Way Worldwide as part of a joint effort by corporate partners, organized labor and United Way network and non-profits in an effort to alleviate problems faced by government workers in our region affected by the shutdown. Increased calls to the 2-1-1 non emergency service hotline is expected from those seeking assistance with rent and mortgage payments, utility bills and groceries. Officials say they will do what they can while the shutdown persists.
SCHOOL DISTRICT WILL NOT EXCEED TAX INDEX
The Jersey Shore School Board last night voted to make sure that the district does not go over the state’s Act 1 index in case they have to institute a tax increase for the next school year. The index is 3.2% and following a presentation of figures during their meeting, the board voted not to petition the state to go over that number in case a tax increase is needed. The district has been dealing with budgetary problems the last few years, and officials there are still working on that.
COMMISSION MEMBER REMOVED
One item on the agenda of yesterday’s Williamsport Recreation Commission Meeting centered on the return of basketball to Memorial Park in the city as well as the role of the Mayor’s committee of court monitors. It was learned yesterday that one of those monitors has been removed from the list. Derrick Dixon who was sentenced to a jail term in 2002 after pleading no contest for statutory sexual assault and corruption of a minor will not serve on the committee. He was removed after speaking with Mayor Campana.
TIOGA COUNTY CRASH TAKES A LIFE
A crash in Tioga County yesterday morning resulted in the death of a Wellsboro area man. The accident happened on Route 287 at Coolidge Hollow Road in Delmar Township just before 7am as a car driven by 89 year old Dale Dutcher crossed the center line into the path of a tanker truck driven by 33 year old Justin Burton of Morris Run. Dutcher was pronounced dead at the scene. Burton refused treatment for minor injuries.
TRUCK CRASHES THROUGH HOME
A man escaped injury in Clinton County yesterday as a log truck came smashing through the window of his home in Swissdale. The accident happened around 4pm as the truck drivn by Butch Miller didn’t make the curve on Route 664 and went through a large window in the front of a home owned by Jim and Joan Walizer. Mr. Walizer was home and in another room when the accident happened. The driver was not hurt either. No word on the extent of damage following that Clinton County crash.
GOVERNOR BEGINS SECOND TERM
Governor Tom Wolf officially begins his second term in Harrisburg today. He will be sworn in at the capital at noon. The Democratic Governor Wolf easily won re-election in November and says he will continue to work towards the goals he set in his first term including funding schools, protecting access to health insurance, fighting the opiod epidemic and helping to foster job growth and access, as well as working towards increased access to voting and also working towards criminal justice reform.
FIRE THIS MORNING
Firefighters were sent out in Elimsport this morning to a reported fire in a structure there. Firefighters from Washington Township as well as Clinton Township were dispatched around 4;30 this morning to a working fire along Route 44. The fire actually started in a garage behind the home there, and firefighters were able to knock it down quickly. Wires were reported on the ground and arcing with PPL called in. No one was injured, and it’s not known what caused that Elimsport fire this morning.