LAIRDSVILLE — When a carport roof blew off at the Darwin Diagnostic Center on Route 118 during Tuesday night’s .. RALPH WILSON/For The Express Shore's Bella Hensler competes in the girls shot put during a Freshman/Sophomore track and field PHAC meet at Williamsport Area High School on Saturday Jersey Shore saw success in both boys and girls track and field competition at the PHAC North Freshman/Sophomore Invitational at Williamsport High School on Saturday Jersey Shore’s girls team finished third in the team standings with 75.5 points behind only Williamsport (161.5) and Hughesville (144) Williamsport won the boys title with 222 points and Montoursville took second (115) Jersey Shore freshman Aaralynn Kimble had a solid performance on Saturday The Bulldog took home a first-place finish in the high jump after clearing 4 feet She won thanks to criteria as a total of four competitors cleared the 4-8 height She beat out Mifflinburg’s Lylla Moyer Hughesville’s Anna Easton and Loyalsock’s Alyson Hughes Kimble also took third in the 100 with a time of 13.23 behind only Mifflinburg’s Makenna Fogle (12.92) and Hughesville’s Katelyn Temple (13.18) Kimble was a second-place finisher with a time of 46.46 roughly a second-and-a-half behind Williamsport sophomore Aubrey Phillips-Cobb Jersey Shore’s Chloe Corson was sixth in the 300 hurdles in 52.58 RALPH WILSON/For The ExpressRunners compete in the boys 3200 during a Freshman/Sophomore track and field PHAC meet at Williamsport Area High School on Saturday Kimble would run a time of 26.71 to take second in the 200 and was just a second behind Williamsport sophomore Geiani Whaley (25.73) Jersey Shore also had a second-place finisher in sophomore Sienna Bowlan who threw the discus 86-3 and was behind only Warrior Run freshman Annabelle Pierce (97-9) Bowlan would claim third in the shot put as well with a throw of 29-8 1/2 The only higher finishers were Loyalsock freshman Zaryah Hawkins-Pegues (36-3) and Warrior Run freshman Annabelle Pierce (31-2) Taylor Heaton cleared 7-0 to take fifth in the pole vault while teammate Brooke Charney Mackendra Stoetzel finished tied for 11th in the long jump with a distance of 13-3 1/2 Charney would also take 10th in the triple jump with a leap of 28-0 1/2 Bella Hensler was a third-place finisher in the javelin as the Bulldogs took home the third Makckendra Stoetzel took fourth with a throw of 70-6 and Josephine Renninger took fifth with a throw of 66-11 the Bulldogs highest-placing finisher was sophomore Jake Machmer The Bulldog took second in the discus after throwing 109-3 and was behind only Williamsport’s Cordoza Minor who won with a throw of 133-1 Leighten Walters of Shore was an eighth-place finisher with a throw of 87-7 The Bulldogs also had success thanks to Khani McCray McCray took third in the triple jump with a jump of 38-1 He was behind only Williamsport’s Brayden Ungard (44-9 1/2) and Loyalsock’s Tyler Kennedy (38-5) McCray would also take fifth in the long jump with a leap of 17-8 1/2 Montoursville’s BRayden Burkett won with a jump of 18-10 1/2 Jayden Weaver was a sixth-place finisher for Jersey Shore in the 800 with a time of 2:15.09 Williamsport’s Noah Baird won with a tiem fo 2:04.55 Christian Derrick of Jersey Shore took seventh in the shot put with a throw of 36-7 and teammate Machmer took eighth with a throw of 35-8 Brady Allison took sixth in the 1,600 in 4:58.24 while teammate Samuel Davis took seventh with a time of 4:59.79 Jersey Shore’s Jayden Weaver also competed in the event and took 10th with a time of 5:02.13 RALPH WILSON/For The Express Shore's Mitchell Branton's competes in the pole vault during a Freshman/Sophomore track and field PHAC meet at Williamsport Area High School on Saturday the Bulldogs’ Orrin Pennycoff took 10th (53.74) Bryce Winslow of Montoursville finished in first with a time of 40.73 Davis would place sixth in the 3,200 with a time of 10:58.87 as Williamsport’s Lauger Waldman won in 10:32.26 Jersey Shore’s Mitchell Branton took ninth in the boys pole vault competition with a height of 9-0 Warrior Run’s Gideon Kinnel cleared 12-6 to win MILL HALL — Both Jersey Shore and Central Mountain have had great starts to their 2025 season Expected rain in the forecast on Saturday in addition to possible showers on Monday has caused the District 4 boys .. Sugar Valley rallied from an early three-run deficit and pulled off a shocking upset Copyright © 2025 Ogden Publications of Pennsylvania Williamsport sophomore Alex Takach gave his all on Saturday in the 100 and 200 and walked away with not one but two victories at the PHAC North Freshman/Sophomore Invite at Williamsport High School Takach was one of two Millionaires to claim wins in boys competition on Saturday as sophomore Cordoza Minor also won twice as they helped propel Williamsport to the team title at the invitational with a score of 222 Montoursville took second (115) followed by Shikellamy (103) Hughesville (69) and Midd-West (54) in the top 5 Williamsport’s Alex Takach won the 100 in 11.07 winning by 0.24 seconds over Montoursville sophomore Bryce Winslow Williamsport’s Cordoza Minor threw the discus 133 feet winning by 24 feet as Jersey Shore’s Jake Machmer finished second (109-3) Minor would also win the shot put by throwing 47-6 to win by nearly six feet Hughesville freshman Brendan Wolfgang won the 110 hurdles in 16.80 winning by more than a second over Shikellamy freshman Morgan Barlet Hughesville’s Wyatt Laubach won the 1,600 with a time of 4:42.26 winning by nine seconds over Montoursville’s Colton Beadle (4:51.90) Williamsport’s Connor Hofstrom finished third in 4:55.60 winning the event by one-and-a-half seconds Montoursville’s Bryce Winslow claimed a win in the 300 hurdles thanks to running a time of 40.73 as Williamsport’s Tyiere Pralour took second over Hughesville’s Brendan Wolfgang by just 0.002 seconds Williamsport’s Noah Baird won the 800 by a second with a time of 2:04.55 over Midd-West freshman Lincoln Hoffman Williamsport’s Lauger Waldman secured a win by running a time of 10:32.26 in the 3,200 Williamsport’s Noah Baird took third in 10:42.36 Williamsport’s Tevin Williams won thanks to clearing 6 feet 2 inches as teammate Brayden Ungard was second (5-10) and Montoursville’s Cameron Cintron took third (5-8) Warrior Run sophomore Gideon Kennel won the pole vault with a height of 12-6 beating out Williamsport’s Levi Gair based on misses as Gair also cleared 12-6 Montoursville’s Brayden Burkett won with a distance of 18-10 1/2 while Loyalsock’s Tyler Kennedy finished third with a leap of 18-5 1/2 Williamsport’s Brayden Ungard cleared 44-9 1/2 for a win in the triple jump Loyalsock’s Tyler Kennedy was second (38-5) and Jersey Shore’s Khani McCray finished third (38-1) Williamsport’s 3,200 relay team of Noah Baird Connor Hofstrom and Peter Fisher ran a time of 8:30.25 to win by six seconds over Midd-West and bested their seeded time by eight seconds as well it was Montoursville’s foursome of Cameron Cintron Carter Peters and James Williams ran a 46.52 for a victory by just 0.03 seconds over Williamsport’s foursome of Colyn Jandrisavitz The Millionaires won the 1,600 relay with a time of 3:34.56 beating Montoursville by roughly one second in a narrow race consulting firm working on behalf of the City of Williamsport is looking for $500,000 for architectural and engineering design work with a focus on a public safety building vice president and managing director of grants loans and procurement for Keller Partners & Co. told City Council the Keller team will pursue the funding as part of its plan for looking for community projects money It does not mean that if the city would get the $500,000 it immediately must begin to look for an architectural and engineering firm to design a multi-million dollar police building It just puts the city in a better position to have this pot of money “Regardless of the final decision — rehab City Hall we will need money for architecture and engineering,” Mayor Derek Slaughter said it makes sense for Keller to go after these funds we can use these dollars to complete the design work.” director of the city community and economic development department explained this rationale for pursuing the process to obtain the funding after Councilman Jon Mackey Mackey said what sense would it make if the design of a building for Williamsport Bureau of Police was presented in a draft report by BKV Group as the size of a Walmart The city would have three years to obligate the funds and five years in which to spend them Mackey then thanked Fessler and Keller for the explanation Council Vice President Eric Beiter told Keller’s team: “We had a timely presentation about a month ago from a consultant that we hired to do the study on our City Hall building and public safety building It would seem that you’re about two zeros short in the funding that you are requesting They were asking for around $50 million to build a new building.” “Not quite sure what the plan is with $500,000 for this?” Beiter asked “We do wish we could go after a grant for a building in those kinds of dollars but unfortunately there is no grant available for that amount,” Keller said nip and tuck and this would be one way to do it is to pay for the engineering and design,” he said Council President Adam Yoder asked about the timeline and added the presentation we got about a joint police-city hall building was “substantial.” The city is working through alternative options related to what came out of that report “I don’t know if any of them are building a new building,” Yoder added asking “what is the timing on when this funding would be secured released and when we would begin that process of selecting an architectural and engineering firm and going down that path?” “I ask that for understanding timing because I would hate to have two kinds of parallel things conflicting and your efforts not be fruitful and wasted.” or renovating existing space — which may be more in line with what is available from budget point He added the timing would be as related to Congress passing a federal fiscal 2026 year budget The city would ideally have prioritized this request and wait for legislation to be enacted and completed It was estimated the process could take a good part of a year Councilwoman Liz Miele asked if the city decided that “we did not want to go the public safety building route could money be reallocated to something different with money aligned for a solution for city hall but not a public safety building Does that money go away?” The issue is the city is exploring a stand along public safety building but also a solution to the City Hall situation “As long as the public safety component is the focus,” Garfinkel said Even if there was a redesign of a portion of City Hall that would be allowable use of those funds “It would help to know that in advance “We need to be told what your priority is and if this is a no go we need to know about it We don’t want to expend the capital and energy to work this and lobby for this if this is not a priority.” Miele said there is a definite need for a new and more efficient comfortable and functioning location for police “It is not necessarily a priority to make certain that it is a separate public safety building,” she said Whether a renovation of a building costs $5 million or $10 million it would benefit the city to hire an architectural and engineering firm “Everyone is aware there are challenges at local level and federal level,” Keller said adding there are not a whole lot of $10 million grants for construction of police stations but there is funding for police stations the council members agree they are waiting to be presented with the BKV Group revised draft report on city government operations and support Keller team as it lobbies for congressionally directed funding and support – can add language to the grant application to give city officials more latitude when they make a decision The region had its first taste of summer severe weather Tuesday night as a line of severe thunderstorms plowed .. Lycoming County Treasurer Cindy Newcomer has announced that her office will host a representative from Pennsylvania .. with the help of additional law enforcement personnel looked for an adult male who was suspected to have a handgun in the area of Park Avenue and Center Street Officers were dispatched to the 500 block of Park Avenue about 8:20 p.m to investigate a disturbance involving man with a gun A man fitting the description of the suspect was seen running from the area as police began arriving on the scene and none of the officers actually saw him with a firearm and two police dogs and a drone were used as a steady rain fell Center Street was closed from Park Avenue to High Street until the search ended about 10:30 p.m Penn College police as well as state police assisted on the call The Lycoming Career and Technology Center (Lyco CTC) is in the process of a capital campaign aimed at raising $2.3 .. The Lycoming County Resource Management Services Transfer Station Wall Street extended its gains to a ninth straight day marking its longest winning streak since 2004 and .. A Lock Haven man faces charges of homicide by vehicle and related charges for driving the wrong way on Route 220 .. A contrite sounding former Williamsport finance director and ex-general manager of the former River Valley Transit pled guilty in Dauphin County Court in Harrisburg Monday morning to theft by failure to make required disposition of funds and tampering with public records of Williamsport was sentenced by President Judge Scott A Evans who imposed a sentence of 12 months’ probation causing harm to the citizens of Williamsport,” Nichols said Although his reputation is admittedly tarnished Nichols added that he hoped his service would be appreciated Nichols was represented by attorney Helen A said the felony 2 theft and felony 3 tampering came out of the grand jury presentment This arose from conduct between 2013 and shortly into 2020 Nichols was fired by Mayor Derek Slaughter which showed no evidence of Nichols gaining personally occurred while he was simultaneously city finance director and general manager of the former River Valley Transit (RVT) when RVT was a part of the city and not an authority as well as his being on the board of the non-profit simulated paddle wheel riverboat which floats on trips on the West Branch of the Susquehanna River Nichols oversaw a scheme to utilize “restricted” grant funds from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and the federal government The city has recently agreed to pay back $1.4 million to the Federal Transit Administration He regularly used these funds for other “non-transit projects” making it appear transportation budgets had money co-mingling them in a “utility” fund The co-mingling of funds made accounting of them difficult Over a period of seven years Nichols diverted non-transit funds to the riverboat This included $122,000 of insurance bills paid for through city funds He “altered invoices,” paid “ghost employees” or individuals who worked in the city and who had no responsibility for transit and paid them with money paid for by public funds Zarallo requested the sentence include community service such as a constructive project or “even as a consultant to benefit the community.” Evans said these types of charges usually come with a defendant’s personal benefit “He’s done it to a degree this court rarely sees,” Evans said citing Nichols 42-year career that brought over $100 million in capital improvements Nichols’ accomplishments to the bus service over the years was cited These included the introduction of a compressed natural gas bus fleet and an expansive vision for city transit that began in the 1980s This investigation led to termination of certain pension funds Evans cited Nichols’ years of efforts on projects to increase tourism and improve the downtown “altruistic approach with good intentions,” but with funds not designated Nichols understood the importance to invest He was instrumental in helping establish the Major League Baseball presence during the Little League World Series and was named to the Bowman Field Hall of Fame He has assisted agencies such as the United Way Salvation Army and Lycoming County Visitor’s Bureau “At the heart of his actions was an intent to benefit the city,” Evans said “Recidivism doesn’t exist in this case,” he said Emergency personnel work in South Williamsport near where three children and a woman went into the Susquehanna River about 11 a.m Two of the children made it safely to shore on their own as did the woman One child was still missing while the woman and two other children were being treated at UPMC Williamsport Officials have released the name of the missing 10-year-old girl who is feared drowned Sunday in the Susquehanna River as Claue Schreffler-Algofera Borough Fire Chief Jeff Trammell confirmed the girl’s identity late Monday morning saying “The family has put it out on social media.” “It is a recovery at this point,” Trammell said adding that there has been no trace of the girl a third-grade student in the South Williamsport Area School District when she was swept away while playing in the river with two other children near a cement pad along the bike path in the borough The children were with a woman in an area west of Front and Winthrop Streets and that the girl was floating away from shore when she was apparently pulled by the current whose identity has not been officially released went in the water and tried to save the child but was carried over the dam by the current She managed to get to shore and was helped out of the water by emergency personnel and passersby but there was no word on her condition on Monday afternoon The two other children made it to shore and were taken by ambulances to the hospital for evaluation The search for Claue’s body resumed Monday morning Members of the North Central Pennsylvania Dive Recovery and K9 Search Team from Elk County were expected to arrive later today and assist in the search SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT — A 10-year-old girl remains missing after being swept away Sunday morning while playing in the Susquehanna River near the Hepburn Street Dam in South Williamsport The Williamsport Sun Gazette reports it is feared that the girl drowned Media reports say crews from across the region spent more than six hours searching the river using sonar They were forced to pause operations Sunday night due to poor visibility and rising water The girl was with three others when the current pulled them into the water and an adult woman who tried to rescue them went over the dam but was pulled from the river by firefighters All three survivors were taken to UPMC Williamsport and are responsive State police marine and cadaver K-9 units are expected to join the search Monday morning The family reportedly lives just blocks from the river The South Williamsport Area School District confirmed the missing child is a third-grade student and is offering emotional support to students and staff in the coming days Written by WKOK Staff People with disabilities can contact Kevin Herr at 570-286-5838 extension 230 for help accessing the WKOK Online Public File (WOLF) — A search was underway for a 10-year-old girl who went missing while swimming in the Susquehanna River late Sunday morning According to the South Williamsport Fire Department crews were dispatched to the area of the dam in Lycoming County for a water rescue A passerby saw three children playing in the river and felt it was unsafe Two children were able to be coached out of the water one adult went over the dam and was rescued while a third child was reported to be unaccounted for Search efforts with aid from multiple counties responding continued until dark however the child was still unable to be found The South Williamsport Area School District identified the missing child as one of its third-grade students Eric Briggs shared a message on Facebook stating that resources and counseling will be available for students and staff Williamsport sophomore Aubrey Phillips-Cobb has been running great times all year and winning events the duo both went out and did that once again Phillips-Cobb and Whaley each won two individual events on Saturday to lead the area in the PHAC North Freshman/Sophomore Invitational at Williamsport as the Millionaires won the team title Montoursville (64) and Mifflinburg (60) rounded out the top 5 finishers in the team results Phillips-Cobb ran a time of 16.05 to beat out Montoursville’s Faith Berwanger by half a second in the 100 hurdles running a 45.01 to win by roughly one-and-a-half seconds over Jersey Shore freshman Aaralynn Kimble who ran a 46.46 Williamsport’s Geiani Whaley ran a sub-minute time in the 400 to win by two seconds with a time of 58.13 Katelyn Temple of Hughesville took second in 1:00.10 and Macey Sheetks of Montoursville took third in 1:06.05 Whaley also won the 200 when she finished with a time of 25.73 beating out Shore freshman Aaralynn Kimble (26.71) and Hughesville’s Katelyn Temple (26.75) who took second and third Hughesville’s Evelynn Meckbach ran a 5:47.85 for a victory in the 1,600 while Williamsport’s Clara Wade took second in 5:52.86 and Loyalsock’s Caroline Crawford took third in 6:27.90 Hughesville sophomore Katleyn Temple ran a 13.18 to take second in the 100 as Mifflinburg’s Makenna Fogle won in 12.92 Jersey Shore freshman Aaralynn Kimble ran a 13.23 to take third Clara Wade of Williamsport won the 3,200 in 13:29.78 and teammate Johanna Pelly took second in 13:50.12 Hughesville’s Addilyn Shirvinski took third in 14:22.67 Loyalsock freshman Zaryah Hawkins-Pegues continued her outstanding freshman season with a win in the shot put on Saturday by throwing 36 feet winning the event by just more than five feet against Warrior Run’s Annabelle Pierce (31-2) Kimble of Jersey Shore won the high jump by clearing 4 feet Mifflinburg’s Lyla Moyer (second) and Hughesville’s Anna Easton (third) also cleared 4-8 as did Loyalsock’s Alyson Hughes who finished in fourth Easton was a first-place finisher in the javelin beating out Warrior Run’s Melody Gardiner by 12 feet (84-10) Jersey Shore’s Bella Hensler took third with a throw of 84-1 Montoursville’s Allie Eberhart cleared 9-6 to win the pole vault competition as she was the only vaulter to go higher than 7-6 Williamsport’s Aamiyah Gallishaw won the long jump with a distance of 15-1 beating teammate Ayanna Barbee by two inches Hughesville freshman Bristol Kitzmiller took third (14-7 1/2) Warrior Run freshman Annabelle Pierce threw 97-9 to win the discus event by 11 feet over Jersey Shore sophomore Sienna Bowlan (86-3) Hughesville went 2 for 3 in relay competition Hughesville’s 3,200 relay team of Leah Lehman Tori Morgan and Evelynn Meckbach won the event in 10:47.06 Bella Remsnyder and Hailey Stevens won after running a 52.53 in a close race The South Williamsport Area School District’s efforts to enhance securities across its three campuses received a major boost as the local Moose Club presented a check for $750 to cover added costs of the district’s newly introduced ZeroEyes initiative Saturday afternoon Formed in the aftermath of the Parkland school shooting by current and former military members ZeroEyes is an AI-based gun detection software that scans more than 200 cameras across the district for unholstered gun-consistent shapes the flagged images are relayed to a team of human experts who confirm the existence of a weapon and alert school officials The initial system was paid for by a PCCD Grant which carried an allotment of 10 individuals to receive alerts The money donated by the Moose will be used to add the South Williamsport Police Department as an additional party to receive the alerts “The district would like to thank the South Williamsport Moose Club for their generous donation in support of our efforts to implement the ZeroEyes weapons detection system by covering the expense for our local law enforcement agencies to have administrative access to our system,” district Superintendent Dr Eric Briggs said in a statement emailed to the Sun-Gazette “This contribution underscores the Moose Club’s unwavering commitment to the safety and well-being of our students and staff Their partnership is invaluable as we take proactive steps to enhance security measures within our schools providing an added layer of protection and fostering a more secure learning environment,” he continued “We are truly appreciative of the South Williamsport Moose Club’s community spirit and their investment in the safety of our children,” the statement concluded “I was so fascinated by that whole system that I asked him to send me more information so I can take that back to my own Lodge and see if we want to do something with our local schools there,” said Robert Funkey child ID kits with the schools to make sure that the kids can be identified if there’s kidnapping or a missing child and things like that so they are always doing things with the local schools so when they were approached by the school and asked if they would be interested in participating with this program An extensive all-day search Sunday for a 10-year-old girl who is feared to have drowned in the Susquehanna River was called off in the early-evening hours It is believed that the girl may have gone over the South Williamsport side of the dam at Front and Winthrop streets after being pulled away from the shore about 11 a.m. according to borough Mayor Marlin Angelo and other emergency personnel The girl’s whereabouts remained unknown Sunday night when apparently she was suddenly pulled away by the current while floating in the water borough Fire Chief Jeff Trammell said he was told who was on shore at an elevated pad overlooking where they had been playing The area is about 100 yards west of the dam It was unknown Sunday night if the two other children were making an attempt to rescue their playmate or if they too got pulled away from the shore as well both made it back to the shore on their own One of the minors was helped out of the water by borough police and passersby while the other juvenile got out of the water on his own but she went over the dam,” Trammell said where she was helped out of the water by emergency personnel went into the river in an attempt to help the woman to shore before the force of the water carried her over the dam She was taken by ambulance to UPMC Williamsport as were the two juveniles who swam to shore There was no information on their medical conditions but officials indicated that the two minors were simply being evaluated Also with the woman was a baby in a stroller who was safe and being cared for by others were used to search the river both below and above the dam Boats with special sonar equipment that can detect bodies under water were also used in the search State police and a water conservation officer from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission also was part of the operations The missing girl attends third grade in the South Williamsport Area School District Superintendent Eric Briggs sent out this email out to the school community on Sunday afternoon: “It is with extreme sadness that I share the news that one of our third-grade students has been determined missing since this afternoon Recognizing that this news will evoke a wide range of emotions from the student’s classmates and even our own faculty we have been working closely with our community to provide support to our students and staff and county officials to provide emotional support services as needed throughout the day tomorrow and in the upcoming weeks for our students and staff Our sincere sympathies and prayers go out to the family and friends of our student and everyone impacted by this event.” Emergency personnel standing on the landing in South Williamsport near where three children and a woman went into the Susquehanna River about 11 a.m sets up one of three drones used during Sunday's search for a missing 10-year-old girl at the South Williamsport side of the dam Water Conservation Officer Hunter Shoemaker with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission arrives on the scene of Sunday morning's water rescue on the South Williamsport side of the dam “For those who want to fly domestically it is the last minute.” That was expressed Friday by Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Secretary Mike Carroll at the Williamsport Regional Airport security check point where he spoke about the need for anyone who is going to catch a domestic flight in Pennsylvania to get a REAL ID ahead of federal enforcement starting Wednesday Joining Carroll for the news conference were Eric B “We are here today because the REAL ID deadline is May 7,” Carroll said “Pennsylvanians who want to fly who do not have a passport need to have a REAL ID,” he said “We have a wonderful one (driver’s license center for REAL ID) here in Williamsport,” Carroll told the Sun-Gazette Check the PennDOT website for the documents you need.” Carroll said it is $30 and then PennDOT renewed the license so the driver has no time lost on the drivers license so if you have a license that is good for three more years you will walk out with a license that is good for seven years,” Carroll said “If you go the PennDOT driver’s license center in Williamsport you walk out with a REAL ID (when applying) “If you go to any of the other driver license centers in north central Pennsylvania the REAL ID will be mailed to you and it takes about two weeks.” REAL ID is a federal government requirement that was imposed on all 50 states “In less than five days Pennsylvanians will need either a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or identification card or another form of federally accepted identification such as a passport enter certain federal facilities that require a federally-acceptible ID of the estimated 10 million people with driver’s licenses in Pennsylvania For those with REAL ID the driver’s license will have the gold star in the upper right corner for some people to wait until the last minute During this period most people have at a minimum renewed their driver’s license at least once Carroll also warned those using the Williamsport Regional Airport that as of Wednesday they should bring their passport with them when flying to Dulles International Airport or they can anticipate a longer boarding process or not being able to board as they go through the Transportation Security Administration screening Carroll declined to speak on behalf of the TSA Passengers who do not yet have their REAL ID or another TSA acceptable form of ID can expect to face delays and the possibility of not being allowed into the security checkpoint Fifty seven driver’s license centers across the state will be open AAA takes this implementation by the May 7 federal deadline seriously The agency does not want to see any traveler be delayed or unable to fly because there may be a need to fly for an out-of-state family emergency Carroll said he and the PennDOT team were at airports in Philadelphia Erie and the final destination was Williamsport He also explained how REAL ID began and the process to where May 7 arrived The United States Congress passed the law in 2005 the state Legislature passed a law forbidding PennDOT to participate in the federal law “The prohibition of the federal law was repealed in 2017,” Carroll said REAL ID was being issued but as optional in Pennsylvania and in many other states but not all which explains the state’s nearly 100 percent of the public already having REAL ID before May 7 “If you are planning to go on a flight on Wednesday the time is now to get your documents in order,” Carroll said upon leaving the conference The Williamsport Music Club awarded the 2025 Budd Memorial Scholarship to organist Lucas Bower John Neumann Regional Academy during the club’s April Gala at St the $1,500 scholarship is awarded annually to a Lycoming County high school senior planning to continue their education in music and is supported by the generosity of the club and its generous patrons After an evening of solo and duet highlights from the Williamsport Music Club’s 2024-25 season and a musical puppetry performance by Kingdom Kidz of Watsontown Bower brought the program to a finale with his rendition of the hymn Let at Last Thine Angels Come,” arranged by Richard Gore Bower is a student of Jeffrey Johnson and plans to attend Lycoming College this fall to study business and music In honor of National Music Week and to support the Williamsport Music Club’s scholarship fund the club will host a “community night” fundraiser at Hoss’s Family Steak and Sea House in Loyalsock Township on May 6 If you would like to help the club’s mission to “keep music alive for the future,” contact a member of the club to participate at www.williamsportmusicclub.com The next monthly concert for the Williamsport Music Club will feature music from the Broadway stage Starlight Express and Hairspray will span the evening of music Featured performers will include David Koskey on organ and piano Jamie Chambers and Denise Clark on a flute duet Jamie Chambers on flute accompanied by Theo Lentz Diane Thomas and Wayne Harris as a vocal duet David Koskey and Rob Wozniak as a saxophone audience members will be challenged to guess Broadway tunes through a mystery game led by David Koskey on piano and Rob Wozniak on drums at the Pine Street United Methodist Church Camp Victory will host its 19th Annual Golf for Victory tournament June 2 with a 1 p.m Taber Museum of the Lycoming County Historical Society will host Arthur Sterngold at the museum’s .. Our sincere sympathies and prayers go out to the family and friends of our student and everyone impacted by this event.” After Joseph Clay Lyles allegedly sold various amounts of cocaine on seven occasions between late November and Feb members of the state police vice narcotics unit — armed with a search warrant — raided his house the next morning and seized an estimated 1.2 pounds of cocaine Due to a protection from abuse order that was filed against him last year in effect until late last month he signed a sworn statement that all firearms had been turned over troopers seized four rifles and a handgun from the house Lyles has been arraigned before District Judge William Solomon on seven felony counts each of delivery of a controlled of a controlled substance and illegal use of a communication device two counts of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance five counts of failure to relinquish firearms when ordered to do so by court and one count of making unsworn falsification to authorities Lyles waived his preliminary hearing Thursday before District Judge Aaron Biichle and was released on $125,000 bail and the UPMC Block Party return to West Fourth Street in Williamsport tonight from 5 to 9 p.m The block party will extend from Williams Street to the corner of West Fourth and Hepburn Streets and will feature inflatables First Friday will include music from Williamsport Area High School students Artists featured in the Lycoming Arts Gallery will be Uriah Marcellus Hammond and Montgomery School District JERSEY SHORE — A presentation of a language arts curriculum elicited a strong response from members of the Jersey .. A video-sharing agreement between the City of Williamsport and the state Department of Transportation (PennDOT) is expected to provide early warning for police and firefighters when they are responding to an incident at the Route 15 spur onto Interstate 180 and at the Market Street bridge It is for PennDOT’s two permanent traffic cameras one is at the spur in the west part of the city which has seen frequent crashes and rollovers This agreement also allows PennDOT to move its temporary cameras (on trailers) into the city for special events These events might include the Little League World Series kick-off Grand Slam Parade and Set the Night to Music on July 4th where the city does not have live camera usage according to the finance committee discussion “This would grant us a web-based log on to access those cameras and stream in real time for an indefinite period of time,” said Shawn Bastian of the city information technology department The agreement was approved by the City Council after discussion at the finance committee and council meeting “This does not require software the city would need to buy,” Bastian said “It is a log on process at no cost to the city,” he said noted where there are no financial implications to the city the technology could be handy if the fire department were responding to an incident to give the firefighters early warning of what they can anticipate Councilman Eric Beiter asked during the finance committee whether the video is recorded and was told it was a live view feed only without recording capability Miele also noted how the city has periodically been hiring individuals to do traffic counts at intersections and then get the data to the public works department and engineer “We have paid money to people to monitor traffic counts over the years and if there was a way to do it cheaply that might be helpful,” she said “It will not in any way increase the ability of the city to increase traffic citations,” Miele said of this resolution that passed Council President Adam Yoder said the city has “kind of nibbled” at the enforcement-end of the camera technology and he asked Bastian who he admitted was more techno-savvy them he about whether it is feasible to implement technology enabling cameras to enforce speed limits – not only around the main corridors but also in neighborhoods we can’t do that right now,” Mayor Derek Slaughter said referring to technology to use cameras for speed enforcement who is president of the Pennsylvania Municipal League said the board of directors have had discussions and are working on the issue Roosevelt Boulevard in Philadelphia is where that camera enforcement is permitted and in Centre County officials are trying to get a speed enforcement camera pilot program going The camera in this pilot program would only take a photograph of the rear of the car or vehicle for the license plate but not the driver Slaughter said it was his understanding that there was some concern among the legislature that if the cameras became legal across the state that lawmakers wanted assurance they would not identify the drivers He clarified he did not speak for the legislators but noted there was a lot of discussion about it “We want local use of radar,” he said “We are advocating for that,” he said He did not believe it would be happening any time soon but “We are really advocating the legislature to take a look at the photo cameras for speed enforcement,” he said This would allow photo or speed enhancement not to identify the driver but to enforce the speed in municipalities.” The townships in the State College area are taking a lead If the pilot program is successful it could be introduced throughout the state there’s plenty of states that already do it,” Yoder said Pennsylvania is one of the last states in the whole country that does not allow local police to enforce speed by using radar On the official borough website of Jersey Shore it says “with its small-town atmosphere and picturesque .. A van driver and student from the Towanda Area School District were killed when a district vehicle collided with a .. A severe weather outbreak that covered a large stretch of the country from Texas to the Northeast turned deadly in .. has announced her intention to seek re-election to Williamsport City Council in May’s Democratic Primary She was first elected to the position in 2009 Miele is excited to serve the city of Williamsport for another four-year term we’ve begun to address several concerns central to the governance of the city chief among them the necessity of growing the city tax base rather than continuing to increase taxes,” she said “We’re also addressing other important issues such as utilizing our zoning and codes tools to encourage beneficial development within the city and working to create a lean yet functional city budget that maximizes our strongest asset — city employees — while minimizing waste.” Miele graduated from Williamsport Area High School in 1997 and received her B.A Miele has worked as the executive chef at the Peter Herdic House restaurant “When I look at Williamsport and our municipal government I’m thrilled to see young citizens becoming actively involved both in our community and on our municipal boards New voices will help drive the city’s present to new heights and will make us an even better more beautiful and more sustainable community in the years to come,” said Miele I can help advise and guide these individuals as they become committed residents and advocates — and eventually encourage my own children to invest their energy Miele is the chair of Williamsport City Council’s Capital Budget and Finance Committee and the Committee on Historic Preservation she has also served on the Public Works Committee and the Ad Hoc City Hall Committee “In both my work as a restaurateur and my work as a councilperson I strive in every way to build a thriving community — whether it’s supporting our local growers and producers or working with our local organizations and our citizens to make the city a better place for all of us to live and work,” she said Miele was a co-founder of the Williamsport Guardian she served on the board of Williamsport Independent Media She has also served on the boards of Lose Community Garden and Project CoffeeHouse Hughesville Borough Council was prepared to sign off on a document pertaining to a housing development during its .. JERSEY SHORE — If budget projections remain the same residents of the Jersey Shore Area School District who .. D.C.-based consulting firm continues to assist the City of Williamsport on its recertification and .. A driver and student from the Towanda Area School District were killed when a district vehicle collided with a .. has been jailed on two sets of DUI-related charges that were filed after he was involved in separate crashes in a two-month period 18 when Moss slammed into a cement barrier on Interstate 180 at the Hepburn Street interchange “Even though the vehicle could not continue forward continued pressing the accelerator to the point that the tires were smoking,” a witness told an officer who said he could smell what he thought was PCP (angel dust) coming from the driver’s mouth Moss was taken by ambulance to UPMC Williamsport to be treated for any possible injuries an officer saw “numerous clues of impairment” exhibited allegedly by the driver When the officer returned to the crash scene he discovered “a PCP-dipped cigarette in a plastic baggie that was inside the console Blood tests revealed “multiple variations of marijuana and PCP in his system,” the court document stated there already was a warrant for Moss’ arrest on another matter who was told at the hospital that he was not free to go fled the medical facility and was later taken into custody at his home in the borough possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia The second crash took place about 3:40 p.m on April 14 in the 300 block of West Third Street “crashed onto the sidewalk… and began attacking people with a baseball bat,” it was alleged in a criminal complaint repeating himself and not making any sense,” it was stated in a second affidavit who police said was “clearly under the influence of a controlled substance demanded the officers retrieve (for him) a 14-foot boat with wheels that was in a nearby apartment He was unable” to provide any more information to the officers about the boat’s whereabouts Moss admitted he smoked marijuana earlier in the day officers went through the Volvo and recovered a small amount of marijuana and drug paraphernalia Police did not say if Moss was driving the same car in both crashes disorderly conduct and two summary offenses Arraigned last week before District Judge Christian Frey Moss remains jailed in lieu of $10,000 bail D.C.-based consulting firm continues to assist the City of Williamsport on its recertification and pursuit of accreditation of the levee Department of Homeland Security with support of the congressional delegation at that time was achieved for a total of $8 million who briefed city council on the levee funding These funds were delayed to some extent due to changes that the Army Corps of Engineers recommended it is back on track,” Garfinkel said There are several components of the $8 million: Engineering and design of the electrical systems for the levee the relief wells (where there is underseepage) and the Dewey Avenue I-wall design The levee must be recertified in order to prevent those protected by it from having to pay for costly flood insurance There are several elements of the $8 million that can move forward and there are several that will have to go out for a request for proposals The third initiative the consulting company is working on is the levee’s Semi-Quantitative Risk Assessment that the Army Corps of Engineers is doing The risk assessment is now undergoing an internal assessment at the ACE The benefit of having it done is the ACE can proceed with a report and the development of a working plan That (so named a Chief’s report) allows ACE to participate in actual construction of levee rehabilitation work “We are in the process of having that move forward and it should be completed by the end of May when the SQRA is released publicly,” he said In addition to that Keller did work on what is called the Water Resources Development Act a bi-annual reauthorization of water system projects and flood control projects that the ACE works on Keller’s team was able to obtain language in the WRDA bill which covers two issues under ACE and that includes prioritizing the Williamsport levee within the ACE’s budget and waives the cost share if the Secretary of the Army agrees that the city and Lycoming County are having economic difficulties and makes a determination that it is the ACE’s responsibility to fund the project The next item two projects under community project funding or congressionally directed spending are the Grafius Run project which involves the debris control and removal system and some new automated culvert trash racks some stream daylighting and recapturing of bypass flows That is the work that would take place under a $3.5 million grant that Keller has requested through the congressional delegation managing principal of Keller Partners and Co. A state trooper uses his cellphone on the front porch of Davere McClain's city home on Fifth Avenue while authorities executed a search warrant at the property on Friday night was arrested Tuesday afternoon on charges of allegedly murdering 19-year-old Kevin Cagle back in mid-October 2023 state troopers executed a search warrant Friday night at his house in the city as well as one a few doors away in garbage bags along Interstate 80 in East Chillisquaque Township in Northumberland County according to an affidavit made public Friday It is believed the 19-year-old was shot to death and stabbed in the neck on or about Oct Cagle was last seen alive that night about 6:15 p.m near Park and Stark lanes — in the area of the 600 block of Fourth according to surveillance video investigators obtained from residents At least “six residents (of the neighborhood) confirmed they heard gunshots during the afternoon/evening hours on Oct It is important to note that all the gunshots were heard in the general vicinity where the victim was last observed,” the affidavit stated Critical information came to light Friday morning when state investigators interviewed a man who claimed Cagle visited McClain’s home “on three separate occasions (including on Oct 11)” after McClain had invited him to the house who also lived in the house at the time with McClain told investigators that McClain told him on Oct 11 that Cagle “wasn’t leaving.” whose identity the Sun-Gazette is not publishing at this time told investigators on Friday night that he and Cagle “were smoking a weed vape in a second-floor bedroom when McClain abruptly entered the room” with a firearm and a knife “McClain instructed Cagle to stand up The firearm was described as an ‘assault rifle.” according to the court document telling him “he was going to die,” police were told McClain ordered Cagle into a bathtub that was partially-filled with water McClain’s roommate told investigators McClain allegedly fired one shot — possibly two — at him McClain then took a pocket knife and allegedly stabbed Cagle in the neck who told investigators that McClain dragged the teen’s lifeless body down to the first floor McClain saud he planned to “dismember” Cagle the roommate entered the basement and saw the victim’s body “wrapped in black garbage bags The body remained in the basement until the following night,” investigators were told McClain and the roommate loaded Cagle’s body into the truck of a 2000 Buick and then drove to the location where the teen’s body was later found McClain was the one who drove to the spot where he the roommate “discarded the body over an interstate barrier,” dropping it on the ground below McClain “periodically threw the victim’s belongings – clothing cellphone and other items — into a neighbor’s trash can,” the roommate told investigators The roommates claimed that Cagle “was killed because he was a ‘rat,’ …..a term commonly used to describe an individual who supplies information to law enforcement,” the court document stated Cagle was going to testify against someone who is associated with McClain While executing the search warrant at McClain’s house troopers “located a bullet hole inside the tub and (bathroom) wall,” police said Investigators also learned Friday that in addition to the male roommate McClain lived in the house with the roommate’s mother who is also McClain’s “paramour.” The woman admitted to investigators on Friday that sometime on Oct she discovered Cagle’s body in the basement when she went downstairs to feed her dog The woman told investigators that she told McClain that he “had to get it out of her house,” the court document stated McClain was arraigned before District Judge Kirsten Gardener on a total of 12 state police charges tampering with evidence and weapon offenses The City of Williamsport approved an installment plan to pay $1.4 million back to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) owed for what it claimed was misappropriated grant funds received but under direction of a former city administrator given unimpeded financial leeway for years The FTA named former finance director William E the former city finance director and former general manager of the former River Valley Transit as overseeing funding for River Valley Transit Nichols is accused of misusing more than $500,000 in city The state Attorney General’s office said most of the money was restricted grant funding for public transportation projects during a set period of years River Valley Transit was transitioned into the River Valley Transit Authority in part to better define its accounting and safeguard against the inappropriate comingling of revenue The letter that promoted the repayment was signed by Theresa Kohler It details how the FTA conducted a review with a third-party legal firm under its financial management oversight program to identify how the city The FTA claims the city is unable to account for how some expenses were calculated and also that the city spent the money on construction that was ineligible under the grants’ conditions It then warned the city that if the debt is not paid within 30 days of the date of this letter the debt will become delinquent and the FTA will charge interest on the delinquent portion of the debt … “If the debt becomes delinquent FTA may report this claim to commercial credit bureaus and consumer reporting agencies FTA may forward this claim to a collection agency the United States Department of the Treasury or a private contractor for collection of the debt FTA is required to refer any debt more than 120 days delinquent to the U.S Department of the Treasury for collection.” Council passed a resolution that said the city will pay installments of $35,000 and the money will be drawn from the legislative contingency fund Council stated it was united in authorizing the payments and provided a group statement read by Council Vice President Eric Beiter those of us present will be voting to approve the repayment of $1.4 million to the Federal Transit Authority,” the statement opened “After many hours of discussion amongst ourselves with the legal counsel and internal reflection we have come to a conclusion,” he said “We ask that our constituents understand that this is not an admission of guilt by the city We have been placed in an unfortunate position dealing with a federal agency that has maintained an obstinate determination to pursue what it feels is justice “Since the beginning of this process nearly five years ago City Council and the City of Williamsport has been completely cooperative in every request it has received from the FTA “We have created a public transit authority We have begun a process of relinquishing properties “We have opened our finances to countless audits and provided every document requested in support of the broader investigation Not one of us agrees with the way FTA is demanding of repayment when they along with other agencies and independent firms outside the city were fully aware through their own audits and legal advice of what was taking place “Voting yes tonight enables us to continue the pursuit of lowering the debt value due to the FTA and is a hopeful means to an end of the federal portion of the investigation “As we continue to engage with our elected representatives from the federal and state level and our legal counsel we will continue to seek a long-term resolution more amicable for the city and that addresses the systemic issue unearthed by his investigation.” The first installment of $35,000 will be paid from legislative contingency and each installment payment will be paid on the 15th day of each month thereafter Nichols remains free and has not entered a plea in Dauphin County Court on felony charges of theft and tampering with records He has a date on May 5 with a Dauphin County judge on a motions hearing Overview Overview Overview Overview Overview Overview Overview Penn College News Pennsylvania College of Technology has received approval from the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing to expand its Workforce Development practical nursing program to the college’s Williamsport campus This strategic move aims to enhance access to quality nursing education and address the nursing shortage at both state and national levels originally based at Penn College’s Wellsboro campus will now extend to the college’s main campus in Williamsport Students enrolled in the Williamsport program will benefit from online lectures originating from Wellsboro hands-on training in nursing labs on main campus and clinical experiences at Williamsport-area health care facilities It is estimated that Pennsylvania will need an additional 20,000 nurses by 2026 Students enrolled in the Workforce Development practical nursing program at Pennsylvania College of Technology participate in basic life support training as part of their curricula is expanding to the college’s main campus in Williamsport The first class at the Williamsport site will begin on Sept The one-year program prepares students to sit for the National Council Licensure Exam to become a licensed practical nurse The first class at the Williamsport site will commence on Sept Workforce Development also offers a part-time LPN program. Enrollment is open for both options. An online application can be completed by visiting the Penn College Workforce Development practical nursing site Applicants will then be scheduled to take the Test of Essential Academic Skills; a minimum passing score on the TEAS is required for entry into the program Excellent career opportunities for LPNs exist in area hospitals personal care facilities and human service organizations students are potentially eligible for Federal Pell Grants Federal Direct Loans and PA Targeted Industry Program (PA-TIP) awards A number of pathways exist for graduates interested in continuing their nursing education including earning a Penn College Associate of Applied Science or Bachelor of Science degree Graduates of the LPN Workforce Development training program who have earned their LPN license and want to enter Penn College’s RN program are eligible for a $1,500 Pathways Scholarship for a maximum of two FAFSA years For more information, email Penn College Workforce Development or call 570-724-7703 Workforce Development at Penn College trains nearly 4,500 participants and serves over 600 unique companies and organizations annually in building performance Penn College is a national leader in applied technology education and workforce development This website uses cookies to enhance the user experience, analyze usage, and assist with communication and enrollment. Learn more about our Privacy Policy A New York State man staying at the Liberty Lodge in Loyalsock Township had been jailed on homicide-related charges for allegedly stabbing to death another guest at the motel possibly sometime Saturday was taken into custody at the motel and charged in the death of 53-year-old Shannon Bowes was found dead in his room about 10:15 a m Police had been called to the motel at 2021 E to check actually on Bohart’s welfare because he was “making some concerning comments about a neighbor staying in the room next to his,” the affidavit stated troopers received information from the Mansfield barracks that troopers there were told that “Bohart may have stabbed someone in the room next to him,” Moore said in the court document When troopers arrived to question Bohart at his room He admitted to consuming alcoholic beverages,” Moore said One of the troopers then knocked on the door of the room next to Bohart’s Bohart made a remark that the guest would not be answering the door The trooper asked him what he meant by that and Bohart replied “He’s dead,” the court document stated Bowes had reportedly made comments to Bohart about child molestation “It’s obvious he’s a pedophile and he’s (now) dead,” Bohart told troopers at the motel Bohart was taken into custody and read his Miranda warning (constitutional rights) As Bohart was being placed in the back of a cruiser a trooper noticed blood on Bohart’s right shoe Soon after arriving at the Montoursville barracks Bohart took off his right shoe and “provided it” to the trooper telling him “You may want this,” the affidavit stated “Bohart related that the blood on the shoe” was Bowes’ Within minutes upon arriving at the motel troopers received information from an acquaintance of Bohart’s who reported that he got “a call from Bohart saying he may have killed someone” at the Liberty Lodge police said Upon entering Bowes’ room with a master key Michael App saw Bowes “lying on the floor at the foot of a bed covered in blood and not moving,” the affidavit stated “Additional blood droplets were located on the floor around the victim,” it was stated in the court document responded and pronounced Bowes dead at the scene police interviewed on Sunday afternoon a New York State female acquaintance of Bohart’s identified in the affidavit as Elizabeth Joy Oakley-Craven In a telephone conversation she had with Bohart on Saturday evening “Bohart sounded choked up when he began to speak about what he did She related that he told her he killed a male who was living in the hotel room next to him The woman related that Bohart told her that he punched and stabbed the male with a knife,” the affidavit stated Oakley-Craven told police she was losing cell service so the conversation ended the two talked again on the telephone about 30 minutes later Bohart told Oakley-Craven that he “thought he left the knife in the man”s skull She also recalled Bohart telling her he stabbed (the victim) 32 to 34 times,” it was stated in the court document Bohart told her “that he may never be free again He texted about a murder charge and said ‘I am (expletive) I accept my responsibility and my actions,'” Moore wrote in the affidavit Oakley-Craven said she received a text from Bohart early Sunday telling her that “he was going to turn himself in that day she told him that she had,” police said What time Saturday Bowes was fatally stabbed has not yet been determined “At this time we are still working on confirming exactly what time the crime was committed,” a police spokeswoman said Monday afternoon Bohart was arraigned before District Judge Kirsten Gardner on one count each of criminal homicide possession of an instrument of crime and abuse of corpse Moore said Bohart allegedly left the corpse to lie “for an extended period of time.” Bohart was denied bail and placed automatically in the Lycoming County Although the flashy lights of big cities often spring to mind when thinking of those who have hit the big time Lycoming County is no stranger to having its own fair share of talent making waves on a national stage born in Williamsport and raised in nearby Loyalsock Township have all brought the immense talent of the area to the masses another name will be added to that list when South Williamsport’s very own Penny Samar auditions for a spot in the 23rd season of “American Idol.” who graduated from South Williamsport Area High School in 2019 “I’ve been doing music pretty much my whole life It’s just kind of taken different forms,” Samar said “I remember doing dance in kindergarten and I did theater throughout school as well,” she said Samar turned her attention to the pop music realm and after graduating from West Chester University as one of the first to earn a degree from their studio composition program reached out to a casting producer for “American Idol.” “He set me up with the online auditions and I just happened to make it this far,” she explained Making it to the show has been on Samar’s radar for quite some time “This has definitely been a dream for as long as I can remember I grew up watching this show with my grandma,” said Samar “She’s actually the person who my stage name comes from.” “I go by Penny as a way to honor her because she was a big component in raising me,” Samar said “I used to watch this show on her couch all the time So it’s really cool to have a full circle moment like this,” Samar said Samar didn’t initially start out in music when attending West Chester “I actually started as a marketing major,” she said “Then I transitioned into the music program in music education and then into music therapy,” Samar explained She then came across the studio composition program which teaches students how to write music while producing it Samar’s time on the show so far has been overwhelmingly positive I really connect with everybody who’s been auditioning and all the producers are wonderful,” Samar said “Everybody is just such a professional It’s really a dream come true to be able to work with everybody who is involved in the process,” she said Samar said those involved in the show’s production put the contestants’ well-being front and center the goal of the producers and the team is to really support every individual’s dream because it’s such a personal thing for everybody there and it is a little bit scary if you’re going to be broadcasted to the world especially if you’re from a small town and that was just never really your reality,” she explained “I think they definitely try their best to keep everybody comfortable and sane through the crazy process,” Samar said Samar stressed that for anyone pursuing a dream knowing why they are in the game is paramount is having a very clear vision of where you want to be at your end point with whatever project you’re doing,” she said “If you can visualize the end and work backwards because you kind of have a mountain that you’re trying to walk towards,” Samar said referencing a Neil Gaiman quote that she said has always stuck with her it is especially important to think outside the immediate area “I would recognize that maybe your direct community isn’t your target audience and there’s a broader world out there that would accept your art and your music that you haven’t even discovered yet because they haven’t discovered you,” Samar said and then eventually somebody’s gonna walk by and say that they really like it,” she said Samar is grateful for all the support from her family “My family’s been super supportive and I’m very glad that I was from a smaller community before going on this show because when I moved away for a bit for college I started to realize how special it is to have such a small community and everybody tries to support each other as best as they can,” she said it’s nice to know that everybody there is supportive and I have a family to come back to “We call ourselves the Pink Penny Club That’s our little fan club that anyone is welcome to join after this audition,” Samar said Anyone interested in keeping up with Penny’s journey can follow her across all major social media platforms Penny Samar makes her “American Idol” debut at 8 p.m The approval by the Salary Board of the addition of four Telecommunicator II positions to the Department of Public .. (The Center Square) — Expanded tax credits that make health insurance cheaper for 24.3 million Americans face .. During a domestic disturbance at the couple’s home at 1527 W Michael Casseus “grabbed his girlfriend around the throat pointed a handgun at her and made threats to take her life,” it was alleged in a city police affidavit was taken into custody and arraigned before District Judge Kirsten Gardner on charges of terroristic threats and simple assault and committed to the Lycoming County Prison in lieu of $25,000 bail A Williamsport woman accused of assaulting two emergency workers was acquitted on two counts of aggravated assault following a recent bench trial before Lycoming County Judge Ryan Tira of Williamsport was charged after police said she assaulted a male EMT and a female paramedic after they were called to her workplace on Oct after Brown complained about having severe stomach pain Finding her in a hallway in the basement of her workplace the EMT testified that Brown was shaking and flailing around in obvious pain and in need of medical treatment Attempts to get vitals on Brown were unsuccessful due to her movements the decision was made to move Brown to an ambulance for further evaluation when other employees of Brown’s workplace began crowding the hallway the EMT attempted to hold a blood pressure cuff in place in order to gauge Brown’s blood pressure It was at that point that Brown began yelling derogatory remarks pushed his arm off of her and struck the EMT in the center of his chest with a closed fist “with quite a bit of force,” he testified She then removed all the medical equipment she was attached to and moved towards the door of the ambulance where she struck a paramedic in the lower jaw and jumped out of the ambulance Brown had to be asked five times to either lay on the floor or sit in a chair to be evaluated Once moved into the ambulance to give her more privacy Brown began yelling that she was not going to the hospital and that she did not want their help Brown moved towards the door of the ambulance where she struck the paramedic in the right side of her stomach Although she was unsure if Brown used a closed fist the paramedic said that the impact caused her significant pain aching and throbbing for hours after the encounter Both emergency personnel reported feeling offended by Brown’s conduct and she was not allowing them to do their job Arresting officer state trooper Ernest Capobainco testified that although she initially agreed to be taken to UPMC Williamsport by him for treatment making statements referencing prior issues she had experienced at the facility While transporting her from UPMC Williamsport to state police barracks in Montoursville it was evident that Brown was in severe pain eventually began vomiting in the cruiser and was transported to UPMC Muncy Deputy Chief Public Defender Matthew Welickovitch called the situation “unfortunate,” but questioned if it rose to the level of criminal culpability Utilizing the victim’s respective testimonies Welickovitch stressed that there was no substantial injury or lasting effects caused by Brown’s actions “The circumstances show only my client’s intention to remove herself from the ambulance,” Welickovitch told the judge stressing that she had spent over half an hour strapped to a gurney and was now in the back of an ambulance containing a total of six people “She felt distressed and confined,” the defense attorney said while also stressing that emergency crews were also innocent of any wrongdoing First responders serve in admirable professions,” Welickovitch said argued that the testimony of someone who had the intention to hurt the EMS workers stressing that Brown had moved the EMT’s arm before striking him in the chest He cited case law to support his assertion that Brown’s deliberate blows and the pain felt by the paramedic throughout that day were sufficient to support the charges “No one wants a throbbing pain in their side for multiple hours,” Birth said Brown was ordered to pay a fine of $200 each and write an apology letter to the victims for her conviction of the two counts of harassment was recovering from injuries he suffered Monday morning when .. The Williamsport Municipal Airport Authority Chairman announced in a news release that its board has unanimously ratified the selection of Eric B as the next executive director of the Williamsport Regional Airport and Ahmad Nawaz the current executive director who will be retiring with his last formal meeting on April 10 of this year “After thorough succession planning and a comprehensive search process the board is pleased to have found the best individuals to assume leadership of our world-class organization,” said Suzette Snyder chairwoman of the personnel committee who led the search process that began in October 2024 “Eric McKitish has a 35-plus-year track record that is strong in leadership but extremely complimentary in what we need immediately for our success for the flying-public This combined with his deep airport and airline knowledge and institutional tenure makes Eric uniquely qualified to lead (the airport) successfully into the future,” said Pellegrino “The selection of both Eric McKitish and Ahmad Nawaz caps a search process facilitated by a review of the internal organization and reviewing the strengths of the team and providing complimentary manpower in strategic areas by placing these two executives in our organization” stated member of the search committee and vice chair of the board “We had a very large pool of candidates and interviewed a top five pool from as far as Vancouver everyone loved the team and everyone was up for the challenge Not one of the candidates exited the process and every candidate was extremely excited and motivated about our area and the challenges this position poses,” added Pellegrino “The interview process was extensive airfield representation and input from our community at large,” said Logue and I’m grateful to the board for the opportunity to lead this exceptional organization devoting the energy and time to bringing the right carriers and the right opportunities to Williamsport,” said McKitish “This is a terrific opportunity that any leader would welcome and I am ready for the challenges.” is a 35 plus year career veteran at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Airport serving in roles from director of marketing communications and air service development to roles in public relations public safety and air show support coordinator he is married and has three children and three granddaughters He is also a district commissioner with Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer and has been involved with regional youth soccer programs and Little League Baseball He is also a church organist for various faiths “To have the opportunity at this point in my career to work with such talented people to learn from them and to contribute to the team at a high energy level is my aspiration I am so pleased to have this opportunity in Williamsport My wife and I are looking forward to relocating to Williamsport over the next few weeks holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a bachelor’s degree in business management from CUNY-Brooklyn and a masters of science in aviation management from CUNY-York and comes to Williamsport from Republic Airport in Farmingdale Previous work experience includes senior operations coordinator and supervisor for Avports operations coordinator with Emirates Airlines at John F Kennedy Airport and project management overview at major construction management companies Nawaz is married and will be relocating from Brooklyn Following a powerful performance of Billie Eilish’s “WILDFLOWER,” South Williamsport native and American Idol contestant Penny Samar is moving on to the top 24 Monday’s episode featured a segment new to season 23 of the show called Head-to-Head in which the contestants chose a partner to perform with Adding to the pressure was the fact that each singer was being judged individually who she referred to as her “Snow Angel sister” on social media calling the song great for both of their voices Samar and Kent both performed “Snow Angel,” originally by Renne Rapp during the “Idol Arena” round of the competition we actually chose the same song,” Samar said during the show “We just had the same brain wavelength And then all of a sudden we’re like ‘why are we are like the same person,'” she said because I went to the next round,” Samar said when reached for comment by the Sun-Gazette Although Samar’s performance did not air during the Idol Arena episode fans and students were treated to a preview of the song when Samar visited the South Williamsport Area School District last month The Idol Arena segments saw the competitors reduced from 144 to only 62 who then competed in Sunday’s Showstoppers round before that number was cut further for Monday’s Head-to-Head segment “This is the biggest cut of Hollywood Week and only one of us could go through,” Torrence said during the Head-to-Head episode “I’m definitely nervous because Penny’s such an amazing vocalist and I’m trying to be more confident with myself but it’s hard sometimes,” Torrence said through tears “She’s got it,” Samar reassured her co-vocalist the pair received a rare standing ovation from judges Lionel Richie that was a perfect performance,” Ritchie told Samar and Torrence “You were holding on to your artistry in a duet but neither one of you were running over the other one It was really wonderful,” Underwood told the girls “You guys went and chose one another and what a head-to-head that was,” Bryan said adding that he was left questioning which was the better singer and it left us with decisions we had to make,” he said “But you guys complemented each other amazing and both of you are going through to the next round,” Bryan announced “We’re gonna get some pizza,” the pair agreed when asked how they were going to celebrate by host Ryan Secrest because everybody there is already so good,’ because you have to be to get to that point,” Samar told the Sun-Gazette of her experience during the Idol Arena phase it was like having a bunch of friends around you I think everybody gave a standing ovation for every person almost by the beginning of each person’s song Samar said the scariest part of the competition has been not knowing exactly what the judges are looking for “You just have to kind of give it your all So it feels so lucky if you get to the next round,” she said adding that she was pretty confident in her performance “I was just super happy that I went through calling some of the judges’ decisions “shocking.” “You have no idea when you’re going They just said ‘Penny Samar from Williamsport’ and it’s just like no real time to warm up or get ready or prepare,” she explained The realization that she’s continued to progress through the massive cuts made so far is one that Samar is still coming to grips with “I just can’t believe I haven’t been told no yet That’s the craziest thing to me,” she said “There’s so many people who are competing in this whole thing so it’s crazy to hear ‘yes’ from the judges,” Samar said BELLEFONTE — As news of a potential closure of SCI Rockview spreads both employees and the incarcerated have .. A Williamsport man who worked for a city-based carpet cleaning company has filed a suit in federal court against .. announced today that its board has unanimously ratified the selection of Eric B as the next Executive Director of the Williamsport Regional Airport and Ahmad Nawaz the current Executive Director who will be retiring with his last formal meeting on the 10th of April 2025 from the Authority “After thorough succession planning and a comprehensive search process chairwoman of the Personnel Committee who led the search process that began in October 2024 “Eric McKitish has a 35 plus year track record that is strong in leadership but extremely complimentary in what we need immediately for our success for the flying-public This combined with his deep airport and airline knowledge and institutional tenure makes Eric uniquely qualified to lead IPT successfully into the future” member of the Search Committee and Vice Chair of the Board “We had a very large pool of candidates and interviewed a top 5 pool from as far as Vancouver Not one of the candidates exited the process and every candidate was extremely excited and motivated about our area and the challenges this position poses.” Airfield representation and input from our community at large.” “Eric and Ahmad are the best choices from a deep pool of interested and highly qualified candidates,” said Pellegrino “Speaking now not only on behalf of this airport board but as a business leader engrained in throughout our entire flying service area so very empathetic for our entire regions’ business community and equally excited for them as well Eric has been a successful airport leader and even more important he’s a great fit with each of the four ‘critical leadership competencies’ we evaluated as part of our selection process: strategic agility We’re delighted that he’s accepted the position and know he will meet the mission In addition to being able to strengthen our human component at the top of our organization with Eric and Ahmad at this point in time and bringing a level of business leadership and work ethic to complement our safety and tactical organization led by Mr Both will be a real welcome for all parties and to have the assistance with Ahmad and the credentials and talents of both him and Eric to assist will be welcomed by all stakeholders,” stated Pellegrino is a 35 plus year career veteran at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Airport serving in roles from Director of Marketing Communications and Air Service Development to roles in Public Relations Public Safety and Air Show Support Coordinator he is married has three children and three granddaughters He is also a District Commissioner with Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer and has been involved with regional Youth Soccer programs and Little League Baseball “to have the opportunity at this point in my career to work with such talented people the people and the opportunity excite me.” holds a BS in Psychology and a BS in Business Management from CUNY-Brooklyn and a Masters of Science in Aviation Management from CUNY-York and comes to IPT from Republic Airport in Farmingdale Previously work experience includes Senior Operations Coordinator and Supervisor for Avports Operations Coordinator with Emirates Airlines at John F NY and project management overview at major construction management companies expressed confidence in the board’s choices “The board allowed me to be a part of this process all along the way for total inclusion They have found two remarkable leaders who will surely lead the existing team to great opportunities and new directions bringing much success to IPT” “I’m very happy with the board’s decision and I’m confident with this trio of leadership that IPT can respond to the public’s needs and be successful in recruiting air service exceeding to what they had in the past.” Pellegrino thanked Howell specifically for his service and assistance in finding two great candidates and stated “if not for Richard and his persistence to stay on task and keeping the committee focused we would not have landed where we are today The search process and internal analysis of the operation lead us to this step and overview of the strategic activities required at the airport.” Pellegrino further added,”The search process never disrupted the day in and day out operations of running this airport and for Richard Howell The Williamsport Area School Board will take disciplinary action against a suspended high school teacher who was cleared of sexual misconduct charges in three criminal cases with failing to comply with the school laws of Pennsylvania by his alleged misconduct negligence of duties and willful neglect of duties The statement of charges was obtained through a right-to-know request It details an alleged inappropriate relationship with an eighth-grade female student who was in his class between Sept He also is accused of sexual misconduct with other female students Yoder was acquitted of the charges in two of the criminal cases and in the third a district judge dismissed them following a preliminary hearing The next step in the school district disciplinary process would be for Yoder to request a hearing The deadline to do so has passed but the district would not say if he requested one A finding of guilt under the school code is by the preponderance of the evidence not beyond a reasonable doubt as required on criminal charges The district’s statement of charges includes these allegations about Yoder in three cases in which the victims were female students: • Arranged in the classroom an after-school encounter during which he engaged in sexual touching • Gave rides home after school during which on one occasion he performed oral sex and on another there was sexual intercourse • Reviewed photographs of a cell phone without permission and commented on the nude and suggestive photos he saw • Commented on the body of a female student • Used a cell phone without the student’s permission and added himself to her Snapchat app • Traced a heart on a girl’s bare thigh that was exposed by a tear in her jeans • Rubbed a girl’s thigh while collecting a paper • Told a girl during a discussion over what to wear to prom that she was “built well enough and should wear a tight red dress with a low neckline.” Yoder was advised in the notice he has the right to a public or private hearing be represented by an attorney and present witnesses but failure to contest the charges means termination a father of five who has been a teacher in the district since 2007 did not testify in his own defense in any of the criminal cases but The charges on which he was acquitted in 2023 were statutory and institutional sexual assault endangering the welfare of children and corruption of minors The misconduct was alleged to have occurred in 2011-12 when the victim was 13 In the other case in which he was acquitted two female students accused him of misconduct in 2021 Charges included unlawful contact with a minor A district judge in October 2022 dismissed for lack of evidence all charges that included unlawful contact with a minor sexual abuse of children and corruption of minors That was the case in which he was alleged to have talked to a female student about her body and suggested she go into the bathroom and take a picture of it Yoder was a weightroom supervisor at the time An internal investigation also is being conducted into suspended principal Roger W Freed who earlier this month also was acquitted of sexual misconduct criminal charges was accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a male student over seven years with the trial focusing on his senior year The Central Maryland Conference Small School Outdoor Track & Field Championships were held Wednesday at Smithsburg The host Leopards won the girls team title for the third straight year Overall, Washington County athletes placed first in 18 events event winners and Washington County athletes who scored points with top-eight finishes Alyssa Merriman (Williamsport) 14-1 1/2; 8 Emilia Spithaler (Smithsburg) 31-11 1/2; 6 Katelyn Moffitt (Clear Spring) 32-7 1/2; 5 Rittenhouse Shuster (Smithsburg) 19-3 1/2; 8 A list of cost saving measures announced by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) includes the local office of the United States Geological Survey’s Pennsylvania Water Science Center The DOGE website lists the property at 439 Hepburn St. DOGE is citing a savings of $140,398 which is the result of the lease being terminated The property is owned by the Liberty Group which did not respond to an inquiry about the length of the lease which factors into the savings which DOGE is claiming will be realized An email response from a spokesperson for the GSA (United States General Services Administration) stated “Acting Administrator (Stephen) Ehikian’s vision for GSA includes reducing our deferred maintenance liabilities supporting the return to office of federal employees and taking advantage of a stronger private/government partnership in managing the workforce of the future.” “GSA is reviewing all options to optimize our footprint and building utilization A component of our space consolidation plan will be the termination of many soft term leases To the extent these terminations affect public facing facilities and/or existing tenants we are working with our agency partners to secure suitable alternative space In many cases this will allow us to increase space utilization and obtain improved terms,” the spokesperson continued Although the GSA stated that they do not comment on “internal personnel matters,” an online search said that there are around 75 people working at the local office The Williamsport office of the geological survey is not the only one in the state with leases being terminated by DOGE There are a total of four such offices – the one here and ones in Downington Only the Pittsburgh office – at least so far – has not had their lease terminated DOGE’s website lists a total of 748 leases being terminated at various government offices equaling a total of 9,587,384 square feet The savings for those terminations is quoted at $468 million which implies money that has not been spent There is no indication from the DOGE website that the offices are being closed Geological Survey provides “science about the natural hazards that threaten lives and livelihoods the health of our ecosystems and environment and the impacts of climate and land-use change Our scientists develop new methods and tools to enable timely and useful information about the Earth and its processes,” according to information on their website One report issued by the agency last year concerns Grafius Run a stream that periodically floods the Vallamont area Geological Survey is also responsible for continuously monitoring water levels in the Susquehanna River and posting them online 24/7 It operates as a science bureau within the United States Department of the Interior and lakes is one of the main responsibilities of the U.S