BIDS OPENED FOR CITY PROJECT
Construction is on schedule to start in March in the city of Williamsport for the East Third Street/Old City Revitalization Project. Bids were opened yesterday from two companies vying for the estimated $5.3 million dollar two year construction job. The first phase this year will take place along Franklin and Basin Streets. The second on East Third Street between Basin and State Streets. Street reconstruction, work on utility lines and streetscape will be part of the work hoped to not only beautify the area but also to make it attractive to development. It’s hoed that work each year is done in time for the Little League World Series.
JERSEY SHORE RESIDENT ANNOUNCES FOR COMMISSIONER
A Jersey Shore resident who estimates he has attended some 175 Lycoming County Commissioner meetings over the past year and a half has decided to run for a seat on the board of commissioners. Todd Lauer will seek Republican nomination in the May primary for one of three commissioner seats up for grabs in November. Lauer says his campaign will focus primarily on county tax rates and ending wasteful spending. Lauer says he would also like to delve into such subjects as job creation, fighting the opioid epidemic and spending time with his constituents.
MAN IN CRITICAL CONDITION FOLLOWING CRASH ON 80
A crash on Interstate 80 in Valley Township, Montour County sent a Milton man to the hospital with critical injuries on Monday night. That crash occurred as a car driven by 55 year old Robert Nance of Milton ran into the trailer of a slow moving truck on Interstate 80 driven by 30 year old Mohamed Ali of Michigan. Debris from the crash then srruck a vehicle driven by a 19 year old New Jersey man. Nance was reported in critical condition at Geisinger Medical Center. Ali was taken there for treatment of unspecified injuries and the other driver was not injured int the crash.
DRUG CHARGES FILED
Williamsport police have arrested a city man for possession with intent to deliver both cocaine and synthetic marijuana and related counts. City police say they found 45 year old Jerome Quartmann with about 13 grams of cocaine an four bags of synthetic marijuana at High and Beeber Streets in the city on Monday night. He was taken into custody, charged and jailed in Lycoming County Prison in lieu of $100,000 bail.
PARK AVENUE PROJECT MOVES FORWARD
About 40 residents, developers and other interested parties turned out to an open house at the Williamsport YMCA last night to give their opinions on what they would like to see as part of the city’s Park Avenue revitalization plan. A company contracted to work on the project which bounds Park Avenue between Hepburn and Walnut Street and extends north towards Brandon Avenue and South towards Little League Boulevard were presented with ideas ranging from more business, to improved housing, as well as various amentities for kids and adults alike in that area. Next step is to get things down on paper and present the findings to Williamsport City Council.
MILTON MAN CHARGED WITH ASSAULT
A Milton man was jailed over the weekend following an assault on a woman. State police in Milton say that 42 year old Ramon Rios-Davila physically assaulted a 27 year old woman inside a home along North Mill road in North Chillisqauque Township early on Sunday morning. They say at one point he put his hands around her neck causing her to have trouble breathing. He has been charged with strangulation, simple assault and harassment and was jailed in Northumberland County Prison in lieu of $50,000 bail.
PILL MILL DOCTOR TRIAL POSTPONED AGAIN
Dr. Raymond Kraynak, the so called “pill mill” doctor who prescribed millions of opioids over the past several years will wait longer for his trial in Federal District Court in Williamsport. His court appointed attorneys say that it may realistically take six months before both sides are prepared for trail and has requested a fifth delay. Kraynak’s trial will now begin with jury selection on August 5th.
MARINO OFFICAILLY RESIGNED
Constituents across the U.S. 12th Congressional District of Pennsylvania which includes much of our area, officially do not have a representative in Washington. Congressman Tom Marino’s resignation officially went into effect last night, meaning that any votes in congress will not be represented by our area. No word on what Marino, from Cogan Station plans on doing yet. His office in Williamsport will remain open but will only be available for typical issues, not anything political. As early as today, Governor Wolf may have more regarding a special election for Marino’s seat.
